i 
XXXI 
A FRIEND IN NEED 
Just before Bettie went away, mistress brought 
home one evening two little tiger kittens with white 
breasts and faces, but very thin and haggard looking, 
and so distrustful. I heard her tell Mrs. Wallace 
that she had brought them home to try and find 
homes for them. 
“ But I couldn’t recommend these kittens to any- 
body before I knew something of their habits,” said 
mistress, “ for if they turned out to be troublesome 
it would hurt the reputation of our own kittens, 
and so that is why I brought them home. ” 
Mistress named them Billee and Taffy, and started 
at once to put them through the usual course of 
training to fit them for nice homes. 
Taffy was a very quiet little fellow, but Billee was 
quite sociable. On the day after his arrival I had 
occasion to do him a little favor, and in expressing 
his thanks to me he grew quite talkative, and told 
me something of his former life. Said he : “ I 
222 
