only get him and Growler on our side and make them help us seize
Mittens and drop him overboard."

But Ann shook her head, and as for Peter he doubled up his little
fists and cried out loud: "Nobody sha'n't touch my Mittens! I don't
care if he _is_ a pirate cat. I'm going to ask my Aunt Jane if I
can't take him home with me to Thirty-fourth Street!"

"Sh--sh!" Ann whispered, putting her hand over his mouth, but it was
too late! Mittens had crept stealthily up behind Peter and now he
popped one of the black bags over his head. At the same instant, Ann,
kicking and struggling, vanished into another held open by two of the
spotted cats, and before Rudolf could rush to her rescue a third bag
descended over his own head. It was no use struggling, yet struggle
they did, till Mittens sent three of the spotted sailors to sit on
them, and _then_ they soon quieted down. There were one or two small
breathing holes in each bag, or else the children would surely have
suffocated, so stout and heavy were those spotted cats. After what
seemed to them a very long time a cry of "Land ho!" was raised, and
the cats got up and rushed away to join in the general fuss and
confusion of getting the _Merry Mouser_ ready for her landing.

Rudolf had been working his hardest at one of the holes in his bag and
soon he was able to get a good view of his immediate surroundings.

"Cheer up!" he called to Ann and Peter. "We're coming close to the
island."

"Has it got coral reefs and palm-trees and cocoanuts and savages,
friendly ones, I mean?" came in muffled tones from Ann's bag.