urry, and brought the creature
up. The poor thing was chilled, and hungry, and frightened. They took
her up to the stove, and Gypsy warmed her in her apron, and Joy fed her
with cookies from her lunch-basket, till she curled her head under her
paws with a merry purr, all ready for a nap, and evidently without the
slightest suspicion that Gypsy's lap was not foreordained, and created
for her especial habitation as long as she might choose to remain there.

"Joy," said Gypsy, suddenly, "I've thought of something."

"So have I."

"To dress her----"

"Up in a handkerchief."

"And things."

"I know it."

"And put her----"

"Yes! into Miss Cardrew's desk!"

"Won't it be just----"

"Splendid! Hurry up!"

They "hurried up" in good earnest, choking down their laughter so that
nobody downstairs might hear it. Joy took her pretty, purple-bordered
handkerchief and tied it over the poor kitten's head like a nightcap, so
tight that, pull and scratch as she might, pussy could not get it off.
Gypsy's black silk apron was tied about her, like a long baby-dress, a
pair of mittens were fastened on her arms, and a pink silk scarf around
her throat. When all was done, Gypsy held her up, and trotted her on her
knee. Anybody who has ever dressed up a cat like a baby, knows how
indescribably funny a sight it is. It seemed as if the girls could never
stop laughing--it does not take much to make girls laugh. At last there
was a commotion in the entry below.

"It's the girls!--quick, quick!"

Gypsy, trying to get up, tripped on her dress and fell, and away flew
the kitten, all tangled in the apron, making for the door as fast as an
energetic kitten could go.

"She'll be downstairs, and maybe Miss Cardrew's there! _Oh!_"

Joy sprang after the creature, caught her by the very tip end of her
tail just as she was preparing to pounce down the stairs, and ran with
her to Miss Cardrew's desk.

"Put her in--quick, quick!"

"O-oh, she won't lie still!"

"Where's the lunch-basket? Give me some biscuit--there! I hear them on
the stairs!"

The kitten began to mew piteously, struggling to get out with all her
might. Down went the desk-cover on her paws.

"There now, lie still! Oh, _hear_ her mew! What shall we do?"

Quick footsteps were on the stairs--halfway up; merry laughter, and a
dozen voices.

"Here's the biscuit. Here, kitty, kitty, _poor_ kit-ty, do _please_ to
lie still and eat it! Oh, Joy Breynton, did you ever?"

"T