GRIMALKIN THE CAT 171 
brooks dwindled, leaving cracked patches of mud 
to show where they had been. Brooding birds upon 
the nest gaped with thirst, but dared not leave 
their eggs to seek the distant river. For the 
Fur Folk in Knockdane there was only one little 
trickle of tepid water left ; and all day long it was 
crowded with thirsty birds who struggled with 
one another for room to drink and bathe. It was 
hard work for Zoe in these days, for she had to hunt 
for five besides herself. She grew very thin ; but 
as the kittens throve she did not spare herself, for 
that is the way of mothers, human and furred. 
One blazing noon she left her family for a little 
while, and was sitting with Grimalkin in a hawthorn 
some little way from the ' Jungle.' Their attention 
was attracted by the thud of footsteps, and they 
saw Paddy Magragh the earthstopper. He had 
paused to draw his pipe from his pocket and light 
it. The cats watched intently lest he should 
discover them, but he threw away the match and 
passed on. 
By and by Grimalkin looked down the path 
and saw what looked like a row of orange crocus 
flowers, which grew up in a moment and died down, 
leaving the ground black behind them. The cats 
came down from the tree, and at the first whiff of 
the burnt grass Zoe's back rose. She knew that 
