e winter is coming, when they
must be housed. What is to be done with the poor beasts?"

"Oh, we'll give most of them away, mother," said Mrs. Chapman. "They're
all splendid kittens; anybody'll be glad of them."

"I do not think thee will find any dearth of cats in the village; it
seems to be something most families are supplied with: but thee can do
what thee likes with them; they can't be kept here, that is certain,"
replied Mrs. Jameson placidly, and went into the house.

Mrs. Chapman and Jerry decided that the cats should be left in the box
till morning, and the children should not be told until then of their
arrival.

When Mrs. Chapman was putting Johnny and Rosy to bed, she said,--

"Johnny, if Uncle Frank should send your cats over here, you would have
to make up your mind to give some of them away. You know, Grandma
couldn't keep them all!"

"What makes you think he'll send them over?" cried Johnny. "He didn't
say he would."

"No," replied Mrs. Chapman, "I know he didn't; but I think it is very
likely he found them more trouble, after you went away, than he thought
they would be."

"I got them fixed real comfortable for the winter," said Johnny. "Their
house is all boarded up, so 't will be warm; but I'd give anything to
have them here. There's plenty of room in the barn. They needn't even
come into the house."

It took a good deal of reasoning and persuading to bring Johnny to
consent to the giving away of any of his beloved cats, in case they were
sent over from Mendon; but at last he did, and he and Rosy fell asleep
while they were trying to decide which ones they would keep, and which
ones they would give away, in case they had to make the choice.

[Illustration]

V.

In the morning, after breakfast, the news was told them, that the cats
had arrived the night before and were in the barn. Almost before the
words were out of their mother's mouth they were off like lightning to
see them. Jerry was on hand ready to open the box, and the whole family
gathered to see the prisoners set free. What a scene it was! As soon as
the slats were broken enough to give room, out the cats sprang, like
wild creatures, heads over heels, heels over heads, the whole thirteen
in one tumbling mass. They ran in all directions as fast as they could
run, poor Rosy and Johnny in vain trying to catch so much as one of
them.

"They're crazy like," said Jerry; "they've been scared enough to kill
'em; but they'll