he shade of one of the heavy broad stone-carvings beneath
the window, knowing that there she was safe enough for the present;
and she lay down, panting with the fright, to recover her breath a
little, and consider what was to be done. To go back to the palace was
clearly out of the question. But then where could she go? Poor cat!
what a perplexity she was in! She lay snug for the best part of an
hour before she durst venture out of her hiding-place. At last,
cautiously peeping about her, she crept out, and ran, with all her
speed, down the street, not knowing in the least whither she was
flying. She had not gone far before she attracted the attention of a
group of children, who were playing in the street. Shouting, whooping,
and laughing, they pursued her. She redoubled her speed, and darting
suddenly down a little side alley, was soon out of sight of her
pursuers. She heard their screams and yellings, growing fainter and
fainter, in the distance; and feeling that the immediate danger had
past, she relaxed her pace, and looked to see where she was. She found
that she was in a little, dirty, miserable court, open at the end,
through which she saw trees and green fields. But she thought it would
be very hazardous to loiter; so she ran on, and in a short time found
that she had left the town behind her, and was once more in the open
country. Dreading lest she might encounter any more dogs, she
carefully avoided approaching any human habitation; so she glided
along among the grass, till she came to a small clump of trees, which
put her in mind of the forest near her old mistress's hut. Seeing no
better prospect of shelter for the night, she climbed up into the
largest of the trees, knowing that, at least, she should be out of the
way of _dogs_ there; and finding a snug place among the branches in
the middle of the tree (for, though it was autumn, yet the leaves were
still pretty thick), she made up her mind to pass the night there.

But it wanted some hours yet of night: and what was she to do for
supper? It was not at all a pleasant consideration. Moreover, her
squabble with Viper had taken place _before_ dinner; and now there was
no prospect of any supper but such as she could earn by her own
exertions. Perhaps she might, with good luck, catch a robin before
night; but that could very ill supply the place of the nice bits of
fowl, and saucers of rich milk, that Ermengarde gave her every night.
However, she was too glad to