Page:Sparrow, the tramp (IA sparrowtramp00wess).pdf/167

 she came within the proper distance she stopped and wriggled her body from side to side, and then gave a great spring and seized the apple with her little front paws; but the tiger-kitten was so excited from playing "tag," that she forgot she was playing "mouse," and batted the apple with her little paws and set it rolling, and then chased it and caught it, and lay on her back and clawed it with all her four paws.

"I'm ashamed of you," said the barn-cat severely; "now put it down and do it over again properly; and mind, no fooling this time!"

So the little tiger-kitten did it over again, and really did it very well; and then the Maltese kittens tried it, and the barn-cat was very much pleased with them. "Now," said the barn-cat, "we'll make believe 'tis a mouse running. See how well you can do that!" and she gave the apple a push with her paw, and all the four kittens