l in vain. Sometimes I nearly
caught the cat, but he would be off again just as I made a spring to
seize him, while all Aunt Sophia's tender appeals to "poor Buzzy then,"
"my poor pet then," fell upon ears that refused to hear her.

"Oh how stupid I am!" I said to myself. "Oh, Buzzy, this is too bad to
give me such a chase. Come here, sir, directly;" and I stooped down.

It had the required result, for Buzzy leaped down off the wall up which
he had scrambled, jumped on to my back, settled himself comfortably with
his fore-paws on my shoulder, and began to purr with satisfaction.

"I am glad, my boy," said Uncle Joseph, "so glad you have caught him;
but have you hurt him much?"

"He isn't hurt at all, uncle," I said. "It was all in play."

"But your aunt is in agony, my boy. Here, let me take the cat to her."

He stretched out his hands to take the cat from my shoulder, but Buzzy's
eyes dilated and he began to swear, making my uncle start back, for he
dreaded a scratch from anything but a rose thorn, and those he did not
mind.

"Would you mind taking him to your aunt, Natty, my boy?" he said.

"No, uncle, if you'll please come too," I said. "Don't let aunt scold
me, uncle; I'm very sorry, and it was only play."

"I'll come with you, Nat," he said, shaking his head; "but I ought not
to have let you have that bow, and I'm afraid she will want it burnt."

"Will she be very cross?" I said.

"I'm afraid so, my boy." And she really was.

"Oh you wicked, wicked boy," she cried as I came up; "what were you
doing?"

"Only playing at tiger-hunting, aunt," I said.

"With my poor darling Buzzy! Come to its own mistress then, Buzzy," she
cried pityingly. "Did the wicked, cruel boy--oh dear!"

_Wur-r-ur! spit, spit_!

That was Buzzy's reply to his mistress's attempt to take him from my
shoulder, and he made an attempt to scratch.

"And he used to be as gentle as a lamb," cried my aunt. "You wicked,
wicked boy, you must have hurt my darling terribly to make him so angry
with his mistress whom he loves."

I protested that I had not, but it was of no use, and I was in great
disgrace for some days; but Aunt Sophia forgot to confiscate my
crossbow.

The scolding I received ought to have had more effect upon me, but it
did not; for it was only a week afterwards that I was again in disgrace,
and for the same fault, only with this difference, that in my fancy the
garden had become a South African desert, and