nce came. Its mistress was busy behind the counter
serving some customers: the parlour door was open; no one noticed the
grey kitten, and it marched boldly in.

Pleased to find itself in the midst of so many new and shining things,
it played about happily for some time, trying to catch the merry shadowy
figures which danced on all the bright surfaces around. It was great
fun at first, to make springs and dashes at them with its soft little
paws, but finding they were never to be caught, it got tired, and looked
about for fresh amusement. Unluckily its eye fell on the open door
leading into the busy street, and without a thought of fear it trotted
out, and cantered, tail on high, gaily down the pavement.

Too young to understand that it was in the midst of dangers, it saw
nothing to alarm, and much that was amusing in all it passed. Now and
then it stopped on its way to play with a straw, or chase a fly, and by
degrees got a long distance from the tinsmith's shop. It was now late
in the afternoon, a drizzling rain had begun to fall, and it was so dull
and cold that it was almost like winter. The kitten began to feel wet
and miserable. It looked round for shelter and warmth, shook one little
damp paw, and gave a tiny mew.

"Hulloa!" cried a rough loud voice, "what's this?" A rough hand grasped
it, and held it up high above the ground.

A troop of boys was pouring out from a school-house near, shouting,
whistling, calling out to each other, and making the place echo with
their noise. The one who had seized the kitten was a big stout fellow
of about fourteen, with red hair and small greenish eyes.

"Who wants a cat to make into pies?" he bawled at the top of his voice,
holding his prize above the crowd of boys who gathered round him. The
kitten, its little weak body dangling helplessly, turned its terrified
eyes downwards on all the eager faces.

"Who'll buy?" cried the boy again.

"Mi-auw," said the kitten piteously.

"Give yer five marbles for it, Bill!"

"Give yer tuppence."

"Give yer a lump of hardbake."

One after another the shrill voices sounded above the general noise and
clatter, but Bill shook his head.

"Not near enough," he said; "and come to think of it, I shall keep it
myself, and have some sport with it. We'll have a cat-chase, sure's my
name's Bill."

As he spoke, another boy joined the group. He was much smaller than
Bill, slight and thin, with a brown face and very twinkling da