Page:Sparrow, the tramp (IA sparrowtramp00wess).pdf/164

 "Oh, do let us stay; it's such fun!" they answered piteously.

"Let 'em have a little frolic; it'll do 'em good," said the barn-cat. "They'll get sick lying in that hot kitchen."

"I'm very particular about their manners," said the house-cat; "I don't want them to learn common ways."

"My kittens won't teach 'em anything to hurt their manners," answered the barn-cat; "let 'em stay and have a good time. Come, my dears," she said to the little Maltese kittens in a motherly tone, "you play just as much as you want to."

The house-cat looked anxiously around. None of her stylish acquaintances were in sight, and it did seem a pity to cheat her darlings out of a romp in this fresh air; so she didn't say they shouldn't stay, and the kittens interpreted her silence as a consent. So they grew very cheerful, and watched the tiger-kittens chase each other and claw