74 THE UGLIEST ONE.

“If it only wasn’t wrong to do things. without people’s
knowing it!” said Ruth after a moment’s pause. “ This kitten
would go so easily into my pocket and we could keep it in the
doll’s house and take it up to bed every night.”

“It would grow up, you see,” said I. It was always my
fate to spoil Ruth’s plans. “ Besides, it would be certain to

: miew, and Miss
Straitlace (that was
our governess) would
hear it—and besides,
Ruth, it is not nice
hiding things from
mother.”

No sad Ruth,
>, getting up with a
#) sigh, and putting
' kitty into a nest of
hay, out of which it
instantly wrigeled
in that obstinate way
that kittens always
do when you are
only thinking — of
their good.

“Come along, we

 

must go home now,” said I.
As we went through the yard Mrs Hird was talking to the
baker's wife and promising her a kitten to catch the rats in her
back-kitchen.
“They are excellent cats for catching of rats,” she was
saying ; and then she told the baker’s wife to send her little girl
in a week’s time to fetch the kitten, and advised that they