Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 56247-h.htm or 56247-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/56247/56247-h/56247-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/56247/56247-h.zip) CATTY ATKINS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Books by CLARENCE BUDINGTON KELLAND CATTY ATKINS THE HIDDEN SPRING THE HIGHFLYERS THE LITTLE MOMENT OF HAPPINESS MARK TIDD MARK TIDD IN BUSINESS MARK TIDD’S CITADEL MARK TIDD, EDITOR MARK TIDD, MANUFACTURER MARK TIDD IN THE BACKWOODS THE SOURCE SUDDEN JIM THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration: All of a sudden he jumped at Skoodles and quicker than a cat he hit him twice, once on the nose and once on the stummick, and Skoodles sat down to think it over] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CATTY ATKINS by CLARENCE BUDINGTON KELLAND Author of “Mark Tidd”, “Mark Tidd, Manufacturer” Illustrated Harper & Brothers Publishers New York and London Catty Atkins Copyright 1919 by Harper & Brothers Printed in the United States of America Published, January, 1920 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CATTY ATKINS CHAPTER I I put a bottle on a box against the side of the barn and aimed as careful as all-git-out. My idea was to bust it right at the neck. Well, I jerked on the trigger and the gun went off and I looked at the bottle. It was still there, neck and all. After the aim I took it didn’t seem possible, so I walked up close to find out if maybe I hadn’t slammed a hole right through it that couldn’t be seen—but there wasn’t any hole. I knew right off there must be something wrong with that gun. It was the very first time I’d ever shot it, and if a gun don’t shoot straight the first time, when it’s spang-whang _new_, what kind of shooting will it do when it gets to be old and worn? I was dog-gone disappointed. Dad gave me that rifle for my birthday and I’d come hustling out right after breakfast to give it a try—and it wasn’t any good! I put in another cartridge and got some closer to the bottle and tried again. The bottle never wiggled. I came some closer and shot again, and then I came still closer and shot again. Six times I shot before I hit the danged thing and then I was so close I could have knocked it over with the rifle-barrel.