birds. Now that I think of it, I don't believe they get up
till later--at least in December." Whitey was tired--this was the "last
straw." "_Early_ birds!" he snorted, "early fiddlesticks! after five
o'clock--just shows how much a cat may believe!" And he started home.
Mr. Twinkletoes followed lazily, observing calmly, "I think the early
milkman will be good enough for me!"

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Great Panjandrum.

The cats had just been punished for trying to catch the canary and were
cross because of it.

On their way downstairs Topsy, without meaning to, brushed against
Pan--properly named Great Panjandrum because of his superior manner--who
promptly spat at her. As a return compliment, Topsy boxed his ears, then
scuttled off to the living-room.

Pan stalked into the library and choosing, cat-like, the one spot he
should have kept away from, curled up on a handsome book that was lying
open on the table and forgot his troubles in sleep. For some time Topsy
wandered aimlessly from room to room; then preferring Pan's society to
no society at all--she did not feel kindly towards human beings since
her late whipping--she leaped lightly on to the table and curled up near
him. For fully half an hour she sat idly with half-closed eyes, while
Pan slept on, a perfect picture of innocent slumber. Then his paws began
to jerk excitedly; his mouth twitched, and the tip of his tail waved
like a pennant in a stiff breeze. Topsy eyed him coldly.

"M'yow! m'yow-yow!" he gasped; his paws slipped from the book to the
table; and he awoke with a start.

"Pretty faces you've been making!" snapped Topsy. "And such talk--"

Pan seemed surprised; then he remembered that Topsy had had the worst of
the punishment and suddenly felt very forbearing. (He'd had a delightful
"cat-nap," and we all know how refreshing those are!)

"I dreamed--" he began; then paused impassively for questions.

"Guess you did," sniffed Topsy. "You acted like it!"

Pan looked grieved but remembered--it was _such_ a good nap he had!--that
when cats have trouble they are apt to be "catty."

"Dreamed"--he went on calmly--"that I had that yellow squalling thing on
the floor, and I was just going to put my paw on its soft feathers when
I awoke." He licked his chops dreamily at the thought.

"My!" sympathized Topsy, at last interested.

"Come to think of it, Tops, I'm hungry! And er-er--well, you know
Mistress doesn't always feed us heartil