it and, besides, we have no way of feeding it."

Alice's mother began to talk softly to Topsy. After a while she put
her hand down and gently stroked the cat's face. Very soon Topsy
allowed mamma to take both herself and the little kitten up in her
arms. Then mamma carried them back to Tarlequin's barrel in the
neighbor's wood shed.

Tarlequin was at home this time. She seemed very glad to see her lost
baby back again and called, "Meow! meow! meow!"

Mamma stroked Tarlequin, saying, "Nice kitty! nice kitty!" Then she
put Topsy right down in the nest beside Tarlequin and stroked her.
Soon the two cats were purring softly and licking each other and the
two kittens by turns.

That was the last time that Topsy was ever lonely, for she lived in
Tarlequin's barrel after that, and helped bring up Tarlequin's babies;
and she took just as good care of them as their own mother did, too.

She cuddled close to them when they were asleep so that they would not
feel cold. Every day she licked their coats until they were smooth and
shiny. When the kittens were big enough, Topsy brought them all the
plump mice they could eat, and she let them tumble and scramble all
over her, nip at her ears and play with her tail as much as ever they
liked.

"Isn't Tarlequin real good, mamma," said Alice one day, as she saw her
pet frolicking with the two kittens, "to let poor Topsy help bring up
her babies?"