ter's
foot, and at the announcement of Betsey--"Please Ma'am little Miss
Parker is called and has brought you a cat," she jumped so that she
spilled Miss Webster's lotion.

"A cat! a cat!" echoed the ladies. "I will have no cats here Miss
Schomberg, if you please," said the irritable Mistress. "I always did
hate cats, there is no end to the mischief they do. I never did keep
one, and never mean to do."

Miss Schomberg went down stairs into Miss Webster's little parlour, and
there saw Edith untying her beloved Muff. "Well aday! my child, what
brings you here? all alone too. Surely Emilie isn't ill, oh dear me
something must be amiss."

"Oh no, Miss Schomberg, no, only I heard you say you would like a cat,
and Fred has got some new birds and I mayn't keep Muff, and so will you
take her and be kind to her?"

"My dear child," said aunt Agnes in a bewilderment, "I would take her
gladly but Miss Webster has a bird you know, and is so awfully neat and
particular, oh, it won't do; you must not bring her here, and I _must_
go back and finish Miss Webster's foot. She is very poorly to-day. Oh
how glad I shall be when my Emilie comes back! Good bye, take the cat,
dear, away, pray do;" and, so saying, aunt Agnes bustled off, leaving
poor Edith more troubled and perplexed with Muff than ever.

CHAPTER EIGHTH.

GOOD FOR EVIL.

Old Joe Murray was seated on the beach, nearer the town than his house
stood, watching the groups of busy children, digging and playing in the
sand, now helping them in their play, and now giving his hint to the
nurses around him, when Edith tapped him on the shoulder. There was
something so unusually serious, not _cross_, in Edith's countenance,
that Joe looked at her inquiringly. "There, set down the basket,
Nockells, and run back quick, tell papa I kept you; I am afraid you will
get into disgrace."

"Mayn't I drown Puss?" said Nockells.

"No! you cruel boy, _no!_" said Edith, vehemently. "_You_ shall not have
the pleasure, no one shall do it who would take a pleasure in it."

"What is the matter Miss?" asked Joe, as soon as Nockells turned away.

"The matter, oh Joe! I want Muff drowned; my cat I mean, my dear cat;"
and then she told her tale up to the point of Miss Webster's refusing to
admit Muff as a lodger, and cried most bitterly as she said, "and I
won't have her ill-treated, so I will drown her, will you do it for me
Joe, please do now, or my courage will be gone? but I won't sta