she grows to be a cat."

Alice turned one of the funny front paws over. "One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven," she counted. "Yes, there are just seven toes here,
but look, papa, there are not so many on her hind feet. I wonder if
she is hungry. May I feed her, mamma?"

Mamma brought some milk, and soon Topsy seemed to feel quite at home.
She lapped the milk with her little red tongue, until there was not a
drop of it left in the saucer. Then she began to purr and to rub her
face against the hand of her new mistress. Finally she curled up in
Alice's lap until she looked like a shiny black ball, and began
blinking at the fire with sleepy eyes.

Alice was sleepy, too. She curled up in papa's lap, just as kitty had
done in hers, and soon Topsy and she were both fast asleep.




TOPSY STORIES.

II. HOW TOPSY KEPT WARM.

"Is that Topsy crying?" said Alice's mamma, one morning. "Listen a
moment."

Alice stopped playing with her doll and kept very quiet. Yes, she
could hear a faint meow. She ran to the outside door and opened it,
but kitty was not there. She listened again, and again she heard the