180 THE LAND OF PLUCK

“ Pimpkins, to work !”

Pimpkins is a painter; that is, he has learned to hold a
palette and malhlstick in one paw, and a brush in the
other, which you ‘ll adinit is doing very well for a cat.
With his master’s help, he is soon in readiness, perched
upon a stool and painting away for dear life on the canvas
before him. There is always a very queer-looking picture
on the easel unfinished, and pussy daubs away at it when

 

A GAME OF CHESS,

visitors are by; but when asked whether he did it all or
not, he keeps very still, and so does his master.

Meantime the two other pussies, whom we must know
as Tib and Miss Moffit, obeying a signal from the master,
seat themselves at a table, and begin a lively game at
chess. The chessmen stand in proper order at first, and
both pussies look at them with an air of unconcern. Soon