Maybe it's been shut up in the car a long time," Sue said.

"We'll get it down and feed it," said Bunny, pulling a box from the pile
over toward the freight car, so he could climb up through the wide,
sliding door.

CHAPTER XII

A STRANGE RIDE

"Let me help you!" begged Sue, when she saw what her brother was doing.
"I'll help you move the box."

Bunny Brown was glad to have his sister's help, and the two children
half carried, half dragged the empty packing box over to the freight
car.

"Oh, it's gone!" cried Sue in disappointed tones, as Bunny shoved the
box under the wide, open door.

"What's gone?" asked the little boy.

"The poor, hungry pussy! It ran away and now we can't feed it!"

"Hum!" exclaimed Bunny, who was also disappointed. "I guess--"

"Oh, there it is!" suddenly cried Sue, pointing, as the little cat--for
it was only half grown--thrust his head around the edge of the door.

"Keep still now, pussy, and we'll get you," begged Sue, as if the cat
knew what she was saying. The cat certainly heard, and perhaps it did
understand something of what the children were trying to do, for they
spoke very kindly. And let me tell you that dogs and cats can easily
tell the difference between kind and cross speaking.

While the little pussy looked down from the door of the freight car at
the two children, Bunny managed to scramble up on top of the wooden box.
From there he could easily get inside the car. He did not think he would
have to do this, however, and he did not want to, for the inside of the
car looked very dark and "scary." Bunny could not see to either end, for
the car was rather long.

But as the little boy climbed up on the box and reached out his hand to
grasp the kitten, the little cat, with a sad "mew!" backed farther
inside the big car.

"Come on, pussy!" called Bunny gently. "I won't hurt you!"

"We'll give you some nice milk," added Sue, standing on the ground near
the box. "Let Bunny get you!"

But this the strange cat did not want to do. Back into the car it ran,
just as you have very often, I suppose, seen a strange cat or dog run
away from you, until it made sure you were going to be kind.

By this time Bunny had leaned far enough inside the car to be able to
notice that it was not quite so black and "scary" as he had at first
thought. He could see each end easily now, and in one far corner was the
little cat, rubbing up against the sides of the car, as if it wanted to