afraid the rats have got him." She wiped
her eyes with an apron.

"He's a bad kitten, Cousin Tabitha; he
made a cat's cradle of my best bonnet last
time I came to tea. Where have you looked
for him?"

"All over the house! The rats are too
many for me. What a thing it is to have an
unruly family!" said Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit.


"I'm not afraid of rats; I will help you
to find him; and whip him too! What is
all that soot in the fender?"

"The chimney wants sweeping--Oh, dear
me, Cousin Ribby--now Moppet and Mittens
are gone!"

"They have both got out of the cup-
board!"


Ribby and Tabitha set to work to search
the house thoroughly again. They poked
under the beds with Ribby's umbrella, and
they rummaged in cupboards. They even
fetched a candle, and looked inside a clothes