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 "Perhaps the rats have carried her off," said Posy, with a troubled air.

"I guess she's gone to hunt for mice," suggested Tom, who appeared at that moment. "She won't run off. Let's go and play 'circus' in the barn-chamber. You bring the house-kittens, Posy, and I'll get the barn-kittens."

"You needn't mew so loud," said Posy to the house-cat as she took up the kittens "I won't hurt your babies, and I'll bring 'em back all safe. They are going to be teached to play circus."

The house-cat was not at all afraid to trust her kittens with Posy. What she said was: "I don't like this way of snatching up my kittens and carrying 'em off to play with those barn-kittens. I expect they'll get to be just as common as they are, if this isn't put a stop to."

The kittens themselves, however, had no such fears, and were delighted at the pros