The Book of Cats. 287 



stream, and crying in small weak voices for their 

 mother's help. He did everything in his power to 

 reach them, but they were too far away from the 

 bank, and very soon they came to a place where the 

 current was stronger, and swept them out of sight. 

 The mother's cries were then most heart-rending, 

 and he was unable to induce her to come away. 

 Indeed, having taken her in his arms, and carried 

 her some distance, she struggled and fought violently 

 to regain her liberty, and ran back again to the 

 water's edge. This took place at some distance 

 from any habitation, but he concluded that some- 

 body must have thrown the kittens into the water, 

 and that the Cat had followed them, and seen the 

 deed done. 



There are some children who will not cry, how- 

 ever much they are beaten ; it is as difficult to make 

 a Cat cry out when you chastise it. It will shrink ; 

 sometimes growl ; but rarely cry : yet when beaten 

 by another Cat, it will howl loudly. A dog on the 

 contrary, very often cries at the bare sight of the 

 whip, and screams at the lightest blow. 



Some people say all Cats are thieves. I will not 

 deny that a good many are: indeed, so are dogs. 

 Neither will steal much if they are well fed, as they 

 only take food when they are hungry. Here, how- 



