“Children,” said Aunt Lou, “you are all wrong, and Puss is not wicked at all. She was born to eat mice--that is her business; and I am sure that papa will be very much obliged to her for clearing a nest of these destructive little creatures out of his corn-crib.” “But they were so cunning!” sobbed the children. “All young animals are ‘cunning,’” replied mamma with a smile, “but we should not be very comfortable unless some of them were killed. How would it do to have the house full of mice?” That did not sound very pleasant, and they began to see that Pussy was not so bad, after all. “Besides,” said Jimmie, remembering what he had read, “we eat cows and sheep and pigs and chickens ourselves, so we are just as bad as Pussy.” “Come with me, Charlie,” said Aunt Lillie, “and I will show you a picture-book which I am sure you will like.” Charlie stopped crying at this promise, and went with his auntie, of whom he was very fond. But he and Bessie had a quarrel that same day about this very auntie, whom Bessie always claimed as her own property. She didn’t see how she could belong to any one else; and she said to Charlie, “She isn’t your aunt Lillie; she’s mine.” “Tain’t!” replied Charlie, beginning to blubber; “it’s mine auntie Lillie.” The little pilgrim was so angry at this that she started to run and ask Aunt Lillie if she wasn’t her very own auntie and no one else’s. But she went too fast, and before she knew it she was down on her nose. Auntie happened to come along just in time to pick the little pilgrim up and comfort her. Then she told the two little cousins how wrong it was to quarrel, and that she was auntie to both of them. So the children kissed and made it up, and Charlie promised that he would try not to be such a cry-baby. III. There were so many things to see at Aunt Lou’s that the little pilgrim lived out of doors nearly all the time. “You must come and see my baby-house,” said Nelly; and Bessie wondered if it would be prettier than hers. It was in a very funny place, for Nellie took her down by the brook; and there was a hollow in a great tree that had a little table in it, and two or three rag dollies sitting by the table, and cups and saucers on it; but the cups and saucers were not like any that Bessie had ever seen before. They were made of acorns, which Jimmie had cut out for her, and the cups looked like little thimbles. Fresh grass was spread down for a carpet, and Nellie told her little cousin that this was her summer-house. “You see,” she said, “that I can leave my dollies and all out in the rain, and it don’t hurt them a bit. I have nicer ones for in-doors, but I love these just as well, because I can do what I like with them.--Hold up your head, Polly, but don’t stare so at the company; haven’t you any manners?” Bessie looked all around for the little girl, but she did not see any. Nellie burst out laughing.