PRINCE MORDGE. 257 



tered and sprinkled with sugar ! "Well did I guess 

 whose tender fatherly heart had thought of its poor 

 naughty " pilgrims " ! Young as we were, we could 

 appreciate the wisdom which had found a way of com- 

 forting the little truants without interfering with 

 maternal jurisdiction. 



I have already hinted that Slop's temper was not 

 naturally amiable. The truth must be stated, or this 

 brief sketch would not be a faithful picture. Slop had 

 standing feuds with every dog in the neighbourhood 

 that was of his own size or larger. Small dogs he 

 disdained. Canine friendships he had none. The 

 cats of our family he endured, but never permitted the 

 smallest indignity from them to pass unresented. 



Balaam the Brahmin, a feline of high caste, and 

 much respected by all who knew him, was treated by 

 Prince Mordge with that mixture of deference and con- 

 descension which a Napoleon shows towards a Welling- 

 ton ; many a sharp fight took place between the two 

 — fights which usually came to abrupt though noisy 

 conclusion before any serious harm had been done to 

 either of the combatants. It was a study to observe 

 how, five minutes after a furious skirmish in the 

 passage, Slop and Balaam would make their appear- 

 ance on the parlour hearthrug with the unconscious air 

 and friendly overtures which characterise a meeting 

 of modern emperors who have patched up a peace after 

 some terrible campaigns. 



It is a remarkable fact that cat's morality does not 

 include the virtue of honesty. It is evident that they 



