Home Again 49 
the length of my claws, and he immediately re- 
treated, his tail drawn tightly between his legs. 
“What next?” you say. Well, I chased some 
grasshoppers, and caught a fly or two, and by that 
time we had to return to the boat to resume our 
journey. 
At the hotel mistress met some friends, who 
were going on the same boat, and welcome ones 
they were, for they were the first people we had 
met on our entire journey that did not “ exclaim ” 
at seeing a cat in the party. 
The one I liked best of all was Miss Wallace, a 
very lovely young lady, who held me on her lap 
nearly all the time. I was very thankful to her, for 
it was better than being out where I would get my 
tail pulled and umbrellas poked into my side. Miss 
Wallace told us about her kitty at home, Nellie, of 
purest white ; and she said she was just homesick 
to see her, because she had been away over a 
week. 
“ I suppose, of course, you left her in somebody’s 
care,” said mistress. 
“ Yes, indeed,” said Miss Wallace, “ I would not 
think of such a thing as leaving her uncared for.” 
I was not at all surprised to hear Miss Wallace’s 
