Well, I intended to come. My foot was just a little stiff, but I was
hurrying as fast as I could, when up sprang the cover of the basket,
and out popped the kitty. Of course, I wasn't going without
Silvertoes. She scampered round the end of the depot, and I ran after
her. It was of no use; she dropped into a hole. I couldn't have been
gone half a minute; but those yellow things took that time to whisk
off. I ran the whole length of the platform, calling, "Whoa!" but they
never stopped.

The black-whiskered man had come out of his cell, and was locking the
depot door.

"O, won't you stop that railroad? Please, for pity's sake!"

The man made no reply; only shut one eye and whistled. I danced and
screamed. There were those things puffing out of breath, and
determined not to stop.

"'Tain't no use to make a rumpus. The cars won't take back tracks for
nobody."

I thought he didn't understand.

"Why, my cousin Lydia bought me a ticket, sir, right out of that hole.
Don't you _know_ she did? And that railroad went off and left me. I
was getting in in a minute, as soon as I found my kitty!"

"O, that's it, hey? Well, you see this ere's only a flag-station, and
they don't stop for cats."

I began to cry. The man patted me on the back, just as if I had a
fish-bone in my throat, and called me "Poor sissy." It made me very
angry--seven _whole_ years old--to be called sissy! I wiped my eyes at
once, and told him decidedly that I thought my cousin would make the
"driver" come back for me.

The man whistled harder. This caused me to feel a little like a dog
that has lost his master; and I felt so all the more when the man
pointed his finger at me and told me to follow him, and he would try
to get me "put up" for the night. But not knowing anything better to
do, I trudged after him with my empty basket, forgetting all about the
kitten.

We crossed the road, and went through a long yard where clothes were
drying, till we came to a little brown house. Near the open door of
the porch sat a woman beating eggs in a yellow pudding-dish. She had a
skin somewhat the color of leather, and wore a leather-colored dress,
gold beads, a brass-topped comb, and gold ear-drops, like upside down
exclamation points. I thought she looked a little like a sheepskin
book father had in a gilt binding.

"This little creeter got left by the train, Harr'et; I don't see but
we shall have to eat and sleep her. What say?"

"Eat and sleep me!" I