aurice, who looked rather red and angry at
having been so ignominiously made captive. 'But you don't think,' he
added, 'that I would let him master me so easily as he has done now,
Ned; I was taken unawares, and that's not fair.'

'But that was the only way to save the poor cat,' said Dora Maitland:
'she might have been killed if you had struck her with that large piece
of wood; and I think Cousin Harry did quite right in holding your
arms.'

'Such a fuss about a cat!' cried Maurice, still smarting under the
supposed affront. 'You should see how I served one the other day, when
she came prowling about the house to steal anything she could lay hold
of.'

'Don't let him tell--don't let him tell it, 'cried both Lucy and Ethel
Firman; 'it is a great shame of you, Maurice, to boast of your own bad
deeds,' said both his sisters; and as the servants were just then again
setting out the table with refreshments, the young party were saved the
infliction of hearing an exploit boasted of, which would certainly have
lowered Maurice Firman considerably in the eyes of all present.

'I did not intend to hurt you, Maurice,' said Harry Maitland, as he
clapped his friend on the back, and held out his hand in token of amity.

'Oh, I know that,' replied the boy; 'I shouldn't play tricks with cats
where there are girls.'

'Nor at all, I think,' responded his friend; 'it is a cowardly thing to
hurt a dumb creature that cannot speak or fight for itself.'

'Can't they, though!' cried Maurice; 'I know, if they don't speak, they
can make a horrible outcry. And as to fighting, just look here, my boy,
what do you think of that for a scratch, which a wretch of a cat gave me
because I took up her kitten and made it squall? Why, she flew at me
like mad, and before I could put the kitten down, she gave me this
wound;' and Maurice uncovered his wrist, and showed a very red and
angry-looking scratch.

'It's your own fault; you should let the cats alone,' said his sisters.
'Mamma is always scolding you for teasing them.'

'Well, I think we have had enough of cats,' said Robert Newlove; 'I
don't like them myself, but I should be very sorry to hurt them;' and in
this charitable declaration he was seconded by the whole party, Maurice
excepted.

We must now bid good-night to our young friends, as they will soon do to
each other. Aunt Mary and Clara are expected home to-morrow, and that
careful domestic of hers, Bridget Morley, who has lived so ma