d hung himself to the
rafters of his barn? Or has someone's house burned down with them in it?"

"No, it is neither of those things, and you might as well stop guessing
and prepare to listen to what I tell you, for you will never know it
otherwise, as I am the only one in the whole village who knows all the ins
and outs of the thing."

While they were talking, Zip was running from one end of the watering
trough to the other, trying to wash the mud off his white coat. Tabby
thought he never _would_ get clean, he stayed in so long, and she was
nearly bursting with curiosity to hear what he had to tell.

At last he was through and, jumping out and giving himself a good shake,
they sought a sunny spot in the back garden where they would not be
disturbed, and Zip began his story.

[Illustration]

"In the first place, have you heard the doctor or anyone else talking
about the burglars that got in Judge Perkins' house last night, and stole
all the silver knives, forks, spoons and other things they could lay their
hands on, besides eating up the pies and the cold chicken that were on the
pantry shelf?"

"Oh, do tell me about it! I'm all excitement! I just _love_ to hear about
burglars! It is so exciting it makes me feel all creepy! Just like I make
the mice feel when they smell me sitting outside their holes waiting for
them to come out so I may pounce upon them. Begin and tell me all about
it! Don't leave a thing out that you know. I want it all! How many were
there? How did they get in? What did they take, and have they been
caught?"

"Go slow, Tabby! One question at a time, if you please. And now if you
will keep still, I'll tell you all I know from the very beginning. Do you
remember my telling you about a tramp I bit the other day--the one whose
bundle of clothes I dropped in the frog pond?"

"Oh, bother the tramp! Who wants to hear about him now? I only want to
hear of the burglars," replied impatient Tabby.

"Well, I have to tell you about this tramp to tell you the story, and if
you don't keep still and listen, I won't tell it at all."

And Tabby, knowing he would keep his word, curled her tail more tightly
around her legs and sat up stiffly, prepared to listen.

"To begin at the beginning," said Zip, "when the doctor and I got up town
this morning, he went into the drug store to get some medicines, and I
followed. When we were inside we heard a lot of excited men talking about
the burglars who had gotten i