g
about in the water.

"Little folks," said Miss West, "these are our school pets. We must feed
them and give them fresh water. Then they will live a long time and we
can have fun watching them."

The children stood around the bowl. They watched the fish swim and
float. They laughed when one fish chased another round and round the
bowl. He looked very funny with his big mouth wide open.

Soon Miss West showed the children how to feed the fish. After that they
took turns in caring for them. Paul and Peggy had the first turn. Next
Bob and Betty had their turn. After that little Dot took care of the
fish all by herself. The other children had turns too. But this story is
about the five little children whose names you know.

One day Miss West said to the children, "How many of you little girls
and boys have pets of your own?"

A great many hands were raised.

"I have!" said Bob.

"I have!" said Paul.

"I have," "I have," "I have," said Betty and Peggy and little Dot.

"I have thought of a fine plan," said Miss West. "Each day one child may
tell the other children about his pet."

"What fun!" said Betty; and all the other children thought, "What fun
that will be!"

"Who will have the first turn?" asked Bob.

"We will play a game to see," said Miss West.

[Illustration]

So Miss West wrote the names of all the children on slips of paper Then
she put all the slips in Paul's cap. Next she blindfolded Peggy. Peggy
put her hand in the cap and drew out a slip. What name do you think was
on this slip? The name was _Dot_.

So the next day little Dot told about her pet. This is what she said:

"My pet is a white cat. Her name is Snowball. She is as white as snow.
When she curls up in front of the fire she is round like a ball.

"One day my daddy could not find his hat. He looked and looked and
looked for it. At last he found it in a dark corner under the stairs.

"There was something in the hat. First Daddy saw two bright eyes. Then
he saw Snowball all curled up in the hat. By her side were two little
baby kittens. They were just like their mother. We named them Fluff and
Muff. Now we have a happy cat family.

"Daddy never got his hat back. At first the kittens slept in it. Now
Fluff and Muff are so big they sleep in a box. But they like Daddy's hat
to play with. Fluff gets on one side and Muff on the other. Then they
pull and pull. Daddy's hat is almost worn out now."

The children liked little Dot's story