“No!” the little mouse answered “I was visiting the mice inside the walls and wandered out here to pick up cake crumbs! I have three little baby mice at home down in the barn. I have never nibbled at anyone’s wax face!”
“Are you a Mamma mouse?” Uncle Clem asked.
“Yes!” the little mouse squeaked “and if the kitten will let me go I will run right home to my children and never return again!”
“Let her go, Boots!” the dolls all cried, “She has three little baby mice at home! Please let her go!”
“No, sir!” Boots growled, “This is the first mouse I have ever caught and I will eat her!” At this the little Mamma mouse began squeaking louder than ever.
“If you do not let the Mamma mouse go, Boots, I shall not play with you again!” said Raggedy Ann.
“Raggedy will not play with Boots again!” said all of the dolls in an awed tone. Not to have Raggedy play with them would have been sad, indeed.
But Boots only growled.
The dolls drew to one side, where Raggedy Ann and Uncle Clem whispered together.
And while they whispered Boots would let the little Mamma mouse run a piece, then she would catch it again and box it about between her paws.
This she did until the poor little Mamma mouse grew so tired it could scarcely run away from Boots.
Boots would let it get almost to the hole in the wall before she would catch it, for she knew it would not escape her.
As she watched the little mouse crawling towards the hole scarcely able to move, Raggedy Ann could not keep the tears from her shoe-button eyes.
Finally as Boots started to spring after the little mouse again, Raggedy Ann threw her rag arms around the kitten’s neck. “Run, Mamma mouse!” Raggedy Ann cried, as Boots whirled her over and over.
