outh wide open.

"Folks has _got_ to bear things," said Becky.

"_I_ don't bear things," returned Philippa quickly; "I cry, and then
mother or some one gets me what I want."

"If I was to cry ever so, mother wouldn't hear me," said Becky, "because
she's out charing all day. Anyhow, she couldn't make my back well. Dr
Price says as how nought but patience will do that, an' plenty to eat."

"Well, you'll have some nourishing things now, won't you?" said
Philippa, with a glance at the parcels, "and I hope they'll make you
well. And when you've eaten them all, I'm going to bring you some
more."

"Thank you kindly, miss," said Becky, but she did not look so very
pleased as Philippa had hoped, and she began to think she was not
perhaps a grateful little girl. What should she say next, she wondered,
and just then her eye fell on the kitten, which had jumped down to
examine the parcels, and was patting them softly.

"Oh, you've got a cat!" she exclaimed. "Not a very pretty one, is it?"

An affectionate light came into Becky's eyes as she looked at her
kitten.

"_I_ call it pretty," she said; "but then I'm ever so fond of it, and
it's fond of me too."

"I've got a cat at home," said Philippa, "a pretty white one called
Blanche, but I don't think she's fond of me, though I give her all sorts
of things. How did you make yours fond of you?"

"I don't know," said Becky. "I don't give her much, so 'tain't that.
Sometimes she don't get much to eat for ever so long. I expect, though,
she knows what a lot I think of her, and that's where it is!"

Philippa looked thoughtfully from the kitten to its mistress.

"I don't believe," she said, "that if I were to be ever so fond of
Blanche, she would care much for me. Everybody's cats seem nicer than
mine."

"I can't think how I ever got on without this one," said Becky. "She's
a loving little thing, and that funny in her ways! Often and often
she'll make me laugh with her tricks, even when my back's bad. She's a
real comfort, like Dan said she would be--the greatest comfort I've
got."

The greatest comfort! The words made Philippa think of Maisie and her
grey kitten's loss.

"Where did you get it?" she asked quickly. "Who gave it to you?"

"Dan found her stray in the streets," said Becky. "A boy was going to
behave cruel to her, and Dan fought him, and brought her home to me."

Philippa sprang to her feet.

"Then I do believe," she exclaimed, "that it's Mai