had been home to see his "good friend" (that was what he
called his wife), and his two "bebes," is what I cannot tell. I only
know the cat was there, and that when Baby could get a chance of playing
with it he was very pleased. He didn't often have a chance, in his own
room, for "Mademoiselle," as Celia was always called by the new
servants, a title which she thought much nicer than "Miss Aylmer," or
"Miss Celia," _Mademoiselle_, said "the stupid little footman," had
given strict orders that "Minet" was not to be allowed upstairs for fear
of the "pets," the "calanies," and the Bully, and Peepy-Snoozle, and
Tim, all of whom would have been very much to Minet's taste, I fear. It
was very funny to see the way the little footman went "shoo-ing" at the
poor cat the moment Celia appeared, for Celia had rather grand manners
for her age, and the servants thought her very "distinguished,"
especially the stupid little footman. But Herr Baby was very sorry for
poor Minet; he had no particular pet of his own here, nothing to make up
for his "labbits," and so he took a great fancy to the pussy.

"Poor little 'weet darling," he would call it; "Celia's a c'uel girl to
d'ive Minet away, _Minet_ wouldn't hurt the calanies, or the Bully, or
the sleepy-mouses; Minet is far too good."

"Pray, how do _you_ know, Baby?" Celia would say. "Cats are cats all the
world over, every one knows that."

"_Minet_ aren't," Baby would have it, "Minet has suts a kind heart. Him
asked Minet if her would hurt the calanies and the sleepy-mouses, and
her said 'no, sairtingly not.'"

"Baby!" said Denny, "what stories! Cats can't talk. You shouldn't tell
stories."

"Minet can talk," said Baby. "When him asks for somefin, her says
'proo-proo-oo,' and that means 'yes,' and if her means 'no,' her humps
up her back and s'akes her tail. When him asked Minet if her would like
to hurt the calanies, her humped up her back _never_ so high, and sook
and _sook_ her tail, for no, _no_, NO!"

Celia could not find an answer to this. Baby went on stroking Minet with
great satisfaction, as if there was nothing more to be said.

"All the same," said Celia at last, "I don't want Minet to come
upstairs. She's quite as happy downstairs, and, you see, it would
_frighten_ the birds and the dormice if they saw her, for _they_
mightn't understand that she wouldn't, on any account, hurt them."

"Werry well," said Baby, and he went on playing with his new pet.

"Herr Baby," s