sin Ribby," said Tabitha.

[Illustration]

Ribby and Tabitha searched and searched. They both heard a curious
roly-poly noise under the attic floor. But there was nothing to be seen.

[Illustration]

They returned to the kitchen. "Here's one of your kittens at least,"
said Ribby, dragging Moppet out of the flour barrel.

They shook the flour off her and set her down on the kitchen floor. She
seemed to be in a terrible fright.

"Oh! Mother, Mother," said Moppet, "there's been an old woman rat in the
kitchen, and she's stolen some of the dough!"

The two cats ran to look at the dough pan. Sure enough there were marks
of little scratching fingers, and a lump of dough was gone!

"Which way did she go, Moppet?"

But Moppet had been too much frightened to peep out of the barrel again.

Ribby and Tabitha took her with them to keep her safely in sight, while
they went on with their search.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

They went into the dairy. The first thing they found was Mittens, hiding
in an empty jar.

[Illustration]

They tipped up the jar, and she scrambled out.

"Oh, Mother, Mother!" said Mittens--

[Illustration]

"Oh! Mother, Mother, there has been an old man rat in the dairy--a
dreadful 'normous big rat, mother; and he's stolen a pat of butter and
the rolling-pin."

Ribby and Tabitha looked at one another.

"A rolling-pin and butter! Oh, my poor son Thomas!" exclaimed Tabitha,
wringing her paws.

"A rolling-pin?" said Ribby. "Did we not hear a roly-poly noise in the
attic when we were looking into that chest?"

Ribby and Tabitha rushed upstairs again. Sure enough the roly-poly noise
was still going on quite distinctly under the attic floor.

[Illustration]

"This is serious, Cousin Tabitha," said Ribby. "We must send for John
Joiner at once, with a saw."

* * * * *

[Illustration]

Now this is what had been happening to Tom Kitten, and it shows how very
unwise it is to go up a chimney in a very old house, where a person does
not know his way, and where there are enormous rats.

Tom Kitten did not want to be shut up in a cupboard. When he saw that
his mother was going to bake, he determined to hide.

He looked about for a nice convenient place, and he fixed upon the
chimney.

The fire had only just been lighted, and it was not hot; but there was a
white choky smoke from the green sticks. Tom Kitten got upon the fender
and looked up. It was a