n, Miss Kitty had pounced upon him.

Grandfather Mole struggled to escape. And his captor let him go, to give
herself the pleasure of pouncing upon him again. She knew well enough
that he couldn't get away from her. He could run quite spryly for an old
gentleman--it is true. But when he couldn't see where he was going, of
what use was running?

Farmer Green's cat didn't know the answer to that question herself. She
captured and freed Grandfather Mole several times. And to tell the
truth, she couldn't help wishing he could see, so he could make the game
livelier. But she was the sort of cat that believes in making the best
of things. And she kept pretending that Grandfather Mole almost got away
from her. She would let him run about for a few moments and then she
would leap upon him as if she had nearly lost him.

It was great fun for the cat. But Grandfather Mole did not enjoy it in
the least. He thought such treatment far from neighborly. And he quite
agreed with old Mr. Crow, who had come hurrying up to see what was going
on.

"Give him a chance! Give him a chance!" Mr. Crow called to the cat, as
he glared down at her from a tree close by.

The cat had been about to spring at Grandfather Mole again when Mr. Crow
spoke to her. It was only natural that she should pause and turn her
head. And she looked at Mr. Crow none too pleasantly.

"I'll thank you to mind your own affairs," she said, and her voice was
not nearly so polite as her words. "No gentleman would interrupt a lady
at her breakfast," she added.

Something seemed to amuse Mr. Crow, for he laughed loudly. The cat
didn't know what he was laughing at. And after staring at him a few
moments longer she turned her head to look at Grandfather Mole.

It wasn't more than ten seconds since she had taken her eyes off him.
But Grandfather Mole had vanished.

III

A BREAKFAST LOST

WHEN Farmer Green's cat looked around and discovered that Grandfather
Mole had disappeared from the garden a puzzled look came over her face.
She couldn't think where he had gone in just a few seconds.

But she knew then why Mr. Crow had laughed. And she was not pleased.

"Where is he?" she asked Mr. Crow. "You interrupted me at my breakfast
and now I've lost it."

Mr. Crow was rocking back and forth on his perch, for a joke--on anybody
except himself--always delighted him.

[Illustration: Grandfather Mole Escapes From Miss Kitty. (_Page 8_)]

"Grandfather Mole is righ