XVI 
MY GREAT SORROW 
One evening when we cats had had our usual 
frolic in the library and bedtime was drawing near, 
I went to the door, as usual, and gave mistress the 
look which told her that I wanted to go out. She 
opened the door in the kindest manner, and as it 
was a beautiful moonlight night I mounted the 
fence and went over to Jack’s house, for I had 
something very important to tell him. I had heard 
Guy tell mistress that very evening not to let us 
stay out much evenings, because he had been told 
that it was the fashion in schools and colleges to 
dissect cats, so they can see how we are put to- 
gether. He said that one of the boys had told him 
that they just go out nights and get any cats they 
can catch, or that will come to them ; and that the 
majority of cats gathered up in this way are some- 
body’s pets because they are so much more tame 
than others, and more easily caught. 
When I told this to Jack, it made him very in- 
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