out to meet him and, throwing herself into his arms, poured out all her
trouble: "Oh, papa, Topsy is lost! We can't find her anywhere! She
has been gone all day long! I have looked and looked, and called and
called, but she doesn't come!"

Papa comforted his little daughter as papas know how to do. "Cheer up!
little girl. We will find her after supper," he said.

When the pleasant evening meal was over and all the family sat around
the cozy fire, papa said: "I think I know how to make Topsy come, if
she is in the house."

"Oh, how?" cried Alice.

Papa said nothing but he puckered up his lips and began to whistle in
loud, shrill tones. At the first note something stirred on top of the
china closet. Then there was a short, protesting meow. Papa kept on
whistling. Kitty stood up and began to stretch. As the shrill music
continued, Topsy walked to the edge of the cupboard and looked down.

"Oh, there she is! there she is!" cried Alice. "Oh, my own dear kitty!
But what a funny place to hide in!"

Louder and shriller grew papa's whistling. Kitty jumped upon the
screen and then leaped to the table. Still papa whistled on. Topsy
sprang to the floor and, jumping into papa's lap, began to rub her face
against his breast. "Meow! meow!" she said. Still the shrill noise
did not atop. Pussy put her front paws high up on papa's chest and
rubbed her face against his chin, at the same time nipping it gently
with her teeth and calling, "Meow! meow!" which meant, "Stop! stop!