Baby and the Kitten 179 



permitting them to come within easy striking dis- 

 tance, and all the while seeming much amused by 

 the happiness caused by the food distribution of the 

 nursery. 



But while there were pleasant episodes in the 

 association of Baby and the kitten with other youth- 

 ful animals, there were times when things far more 

 serious occurred. One evening, just at twilight, 

 when the baby had got well along in his first year 

 and the kitten had attained almost its full propor- 

 tions, the child was lying asleep, while the kitten 

 was curled up in that form of alertful rest peculiar 

 to cat-nature. Very quietly but very quickly a lithe 

 body glided across the room and sprang upon the 

 crib, and in another instant a half-grown rat had set 

 its sharp teeth into the delicate skin of the baby's 

 arm. Although the kitten had never seen a rat 

 before, yet it was evident that no explanation was 

 necessary as to the nature of the intruder, and quick 

 as a flash the kitten seized the enemy, sprang to the 

 floor with it, and fought with the fury of a demon. 

 Inexperienced as the kitten was, the task was no 

 easy one, and it received several severe wounds, but 



