Page:Stories and story-telling (1915).djvu/298

 "It is alive," thought the kittens. They arched their backs, and the smallest kitten put out his paw to make it move again. Whack! went Mother Tabby's tail on his nose. The little kitten scampered off.

But he was back again in a minute, and the fun kept up until Mother Tabby walked off as if to say, "It is time for little kittens to be in bed."

THE JOKE

Last Hallowe'en a saucy red apple played a joke. When little Tom ducked for him he bobbed backward and forward so dizzily that little Tom lost his balance and toppled into the tub. The saucy red apple laughed as loudly as any apple can laugh.

But what was that he heard Tom's big brother saying? The big brother had pulled Tom out of the water before you could say "Jack Robinson," and Tom was dripping wet and bawling with fright. What did the saucy red apple hear? It was Tom's big brother saying, "Here, Tom, is a little red apple for you." And he handed the saucy red apple to Tom.

The saucy red apple stopped laughing suddenly, for he found himself between little Tom's sharp teeth.

So Tom had the best of the joke after all, hadn't he?