"We have several springs in the Valley," answered Snowball, "where it bubbles up constantly." "And where do you get the bread?" Dot next enquired. "That grows upon the tall trees you see scattered about. We climb the bread-trees every day and gather fresh loaves." "Don't you catch mice?" asked Dot. "Mercy, no!" replied Snowball, in a horrified voice. "Do you suppose mice would be foolish enough to come into a Valley of Pussycats?" "No, I suppose not," replied the girl; "but I always thought pussys liked mice." "I have never seen the horrid animals," returned the white cat; "but there is a tradition in the Valley that some of our forefathers found mice here at one time and quickly destroyed them. They may have eaten them, for all I know; no one can be certain what his forefathers did. But none of us now living here has ever eaten anything but bread and milk, of that I am positive." "It's such nice bread and milk," said Dot, "that I should think you would prefer it to anything else." "We do, for there's nothing else to prefer," was the answer. After dinner the kittens washed their faces carefully and then all of them, accompanied by Dot, left the room and walked to King Felis' house where they found Tot and the Queen surrounded by a crowd of pussys. "Oh, Dot!" cried Tot, when he saw the girl. "I held the gray kittens after dinner, an' never dropped 'em once!" "Was he good?" Dot asked Cousin Tabby. "Yes, he behaved very nicely," answered Cousin Tabby. "We must now bid our friends farewell," said the Queen, "for it is time to proceed upon our journey." So they returned to the boat, and all the pussys, headed by King Felis and Uncle Palladius, went with them and politely bade them good-bye. When they were floating in the river again the Queen asked Dot, "How did you like the pussycats?" "They're lovely!" exclaimed the girl. "I should have liked to stay all night with them." "Well, I wouldn't," rejoined the Queen. "The last time I passed the night in this Valley the pussys screamed so loudly at their midnight concert that the noise cracked my wax. They are much nicer to visit in the daytime." "Why is the King named Felis?" enquired Dot, after a moment's thought. "Because that is the name of his race. All our names have some meaning in Merryland," answered the Queen. "I suppose your own name has a meaning, if only we knew what it was," said Dot, slyly. "Good gracious!" cried the Queen; "haven't I told you my name yet?" "No," said Dot. "Then I must have forgotten that you asked it. It was very stupid of me, and I assure you I didn't mean to be rude." Then her Majesty turned to Tot and asked: "How did you like the Valley of Pussys?" "Fine!" said the boy. "The kitties were soft an' fuzzy, an' the bread and milk was good. But the doors," he added, solemnly, "are built too high up to be 'zactly comf'table." CHAPTER 16 The Busy Mr. Split