Cayley's Nig had been licked at last by Orange Billy.

Either the Yellow Cat was a very clever
seeker, or else Slum Kitty did not hide very
hard; but he discovered her among the boxes,

and she made no attempt to get away, probably because she had
witnessed the fight. There is nothing like success in warfare to
win the female heart, and thereafter the Yellow Tom and Kitty
became very good friends, not sharing each other's lives or
food,--Cats do not do that way much,--but recognizing each other
as entitled to special friendly privileges.


V

September had gone. October's shortening days were on when an
event took place in the old cracker-box. If Orange Billy had come
he would have seen five little Kittens curled up in the embrace
of their mother, the little Slum Cat. It was a wonderful thing
for her. She felt all the elation an animal mother can feel, all
the delight, and she loved them and licked them with a tenderness
that must have been a surprise to herself, had she had the power
to think of such things.

She had added a joy to her joyless life, but she had also added a
care and a heavy weight to her heavy load. All her strength was
taken now to find food. The burden increased as the offspring
grew up big enough to scramble about the boxes, which they did
daily during her absence after they were six weeks old. That