you let me keep this one?"

Twaddles looked uncertainly at Dot.

"It's the sample," he said uneasily.

"You mean it _was_ the sample," Miss Alder corrected. "If you have six
kittens promised, you don't need any more samples; and if you leave
this one here with me, why, that will be one delivered and will save
you that much extra trouble. Besides, I particularly like tiger
cats."

The twins saw how sensible this was, and they agreed to leave the
kitten. Then Miss Alder showed them her pets--she had canaries and
goldfish and a white poodle dog who seemed to like the kitten very
much, though it humped up its back and spit at him and would have
nothing to do with him.

"They'll be friends in less than a week," Miss Alder declared
comfortably.

The noon whistle reminded Dot and Twaddles that they would be late for
lunch and they hurried off, but not before Miss Alder had asked them
to come and see her again.

"You'll want to see how the kitten grows," she told them.

Meg and Bobby were home from school before the twins arrived and the
family were just sitting down to lunch. They had explained to their
mother and their Aunt Polly that Miss Mason had put off the practicing
of the Thanksgiving songs until the next day.

"So we ate the lunch that Norah put up for us at recess, Mother; and
we can eat the regular lunch now," said Meg.

"The kittens are one short," said Bobby as soon as the twins came in
sight. "Meg and I went out and counted them."

"Where have you children been all the morning?" Mother Blossom asked
Dot and Twaddles. "You look excited, too. Is anything the matter?"

The twins were bursting with news--any one could see that.

"All you have to do, Meg," Twaddles informed her casually, "is to
deliver the kittens; we have it all fixed."

"Deliver them? Deliver them where?" said Meg, staring.

"Oh, around," Twaddles returned airily. "Dot and I have been out and
found homes for them all."

"Not the whole seven?" said Bobby, staring in turn. "Seven homes,
Twaddles? Who wants seven kittens?"

Mother Blossom looked at Aunt Polly and laughed.

"Do you wonder Daddy says he doesn't know what to expect when he comes
home at night?" she said. "Twaddles and Dot, will you please stop
talking in riddles and tell us where you have been and what you have
done?"

Thus encouraged, the twins began to talk at once, and though it was
difficult to understand them the family finally managed to learn what
they ha