they're laying a plot this very minute to get a good-for-nothing girl here, but we'll put a stop to that. I hid under the piazza yesterday and heard the whole story,—how this girl had fed the lazy sparrow and the half-blind kitten (it's good enough for her, and I wish she was blind of both eyes), and how they must think of some way to get this poor child among these good people. They're talking it over now, and I've set Sharpears to watch and tell me what they've said. The barn-cat said that if they could arrange matters so that Posy could hear her story, she would bring it all about. Posy, indeed! I hate that child! She makes a dreadful fuss over all the other animals, but I heard her say the other day to the barn-cat, 'You mustn't catch the pretty little birdies, kitty, but you can catch just as many of the great ugly rats as you've a mind to.' I paid her off, though; I stole her piece of cake that she laid down on the
