been sit-sit-sit for nearly twenty days down in that dark hole;
and if we are to have any more such frights as that just now, why, I do
declare that I will forsake the nest. The nasty spiteful thing, it
ought to be pecked to death."

But Mrs Puss was not to go unpunished for her wrongful dealings; about
half an hour after she had been asleep, who should come snuffing about
in the garden but Boxer, the gardener's ugly, old rough terrier. He had
no business at all in the garden, but had managed to get his chain out
of the staple, and there he was running about, and dragging it all over
the flower beds, and doing no end of mischief; then he made a charge at
Mrs Spottleover, who was on the lawn, where she had just punched out a
fine grub, but she was so frightened at Boxer's rough head and
hair-smothered eyes, that she dropped her grub and went off in a hurry.
Over and over went Boxer in the grass, having such a roll, and panting
and lolling out his great red tongue with excitement, and then working
away with both paws at his collar till he got it over his little cock-up
ears, and then he gave his freed head such a shake that the ears rattled
again. Then away he went, sniffing here, snuffing there, jumping and
snapping at the birds far above, and coming down upon the ground with
all four legs at once, and racing about and playing such strange antics,
capers, and pranks, that the birds all laughed at the stupid,
good-natured-looking dog, and did not feel a bit afraid of him.

All at once Boxer gave a sharp sniff under the cedar-tree, just where
Mrs Puss had tumbled down, and then sticking his ears forward, his nose
down, and his tail straight up, he trotted off along the track Mrs Puss
had made, until he came close to the tool-shed, where, looking up, he
could just see a part of Pussy's shining fur coat leaning over the
tiles. Now, Boxer was a very sly old gentleman, and when he saw the
birds flocking after him to see what he would do, he made them a sign to
be quiet, and put his paw up to the side of his wet black nose, as much
as to say, "I know;" and then he trotted off to the melon frames, walked
up the smooth sloping glass till he could jump on to the ivy-covered
wall, where he nearly put his foot in the hedge-sparrow's nest, and so
on along the top till he came to the tool-shed, where his enemy, Mrs
Puss, lay curled up, fast asleep.

They were dreadful enemies were Mrs Puss and Boxer, for the cat used to
go into