was untied by the mite's busy fingers
there crawled out a tiny tortoise-shell kitten, with its diminutive
little tail erect like a young bottle-brush, which gave vent to a "phiz-
phit," as if indignant at its long confinement, and then proceeded to
rub itself against Jupp's leg, with a purring mew on recognising a
friend.

"So that's kitty," said Jupp, holding the little thing up on his knee
and stroking it affectionately, the animal signifying its satisfaction
by licking the back of his hand with its furry little red tongue, and
straightening its tiny tail again as stiff as a small poker.

"Ess, man. Dat's kitty," murmured the mite, too much occupied undoing
the last knots of the bundle to waste time in further speech for the
moment, struggling as he was at the job with might and main.

In another second, however, he had accomplished his task; and, lifting
up the corners of the red handkerchief, he rolled out the whole stock of
his valued possessions on to the floor.

"Dere!" he exclaimed with much complacency, looking up into Jupp's face
in expectation of his admiring surprise.

The porter was again forced to act a part, and pretend that he could not
guess anything.

"Dear me!" he said; "you have brought a lot of things! Going to take
'em with you to London, sir?"

"Ess. Da'n'ma tate tare of zem."

"No doubt, sir," replied Jupp, who then went on to inspect gingerly the
different articles of the collection, which was very varied in
character.

They consisted, in addition to the tortoise-shell kitten fore-mentioned,
of a musical snuff-box, a toy model of a ship, a small Noah's ark, a
half-consumed slice of bread and butter, an apple with a good-sized bite
taken out of one side, a thick lump of toffee, and a darkish-brown
substance like gingerbread, which close association in the bundle,
combined with pressure, had welded together in one almost
indistinguishable mass.

"I suppose, sir," observed Jupp inquiringly, picking up all the eatables
and putting them together apart on the seat next the little man--"I
suppose as how them's your provisions for the journey?"

"Ess. I ate dindin; an', dat's tea."

"Indeed, sir! and very nice things for tea too," said Jupp, beaming with
admiration and good-humoured fun.

"I touldn't det any milk, or I'd bought dat too," continued the mite,
explaining the absence of all liquid refreshment.

"Ah! that's a pity," rejoined the porter, thinking how well half a pint
o