Well, at any rate, he was not going to be caught until he knew more about the lady. So he made a mad dash for the garden. The lady ran after him and they had an exciting race. He jumped up on top of a barrel and she reached after him; he went under a garden seat, and the agile lady ducked down after him; he gave a flying leap, and it almost seemed as if she gave a flying leap, too. At last, panting and exhausted, he stopped for breath and the lady captured him. He, like his sister, scratched her pretty hand. She went straight to the door through which she had taken Sally. She gave a loud rap with the knocker and Elvira appeared at the door. ‘I have caught the other one,’ she said. ‘Bless his furry heart and his pink nose,’ said Elvira. ‘I am sure this one is a boy; he seems so brave and he led you such a chase.’ Then Oxford Gray, Junior, swelled with pride. ‘He’s the image of his father, Oxford Gray,’ said Elvira, ‘even to the pink nose. He’s much fatter than the other kitten, but she seems a dear little thing.’ ‘Well, I’ll leave the pair of them in your care,’ said Mrs. Conant, as she put Oxford Gray, Junior, down on the floor. Sally was perfectly delighted to see her brother, and he was very glad to see her. Meanwhile Elvira was getting something out of the pantry for them. She brought out two saucers of milk. It was very delicious, and when Oxford Gray, Junior, had finished his saucer, he came around to help Sally with hers. She gave him a slap with her paw, but it had no effect. ‘It is my saucer of milk,’ said Sally. ‘You should lap faster! It is mine now,’ he said. ‘Aren’t they dears?’ said Elvira’s friend, Miss Harvey, ‘poor little things.’ ‘I like this one best, he shall be mine,’ Elvira said, as she captured Oxford Gray, Junior, and held him in her arms. ‘See how much he looks like his noble father, Oxford Gray?’ ‘Then this one shall be mine,’ and Miss Harvey took the small Sally in her arms. ‘The poor little thing looks thin and half-starved, but she is a dear little kitten with such a pretty face.’ At these words Sally felt very happy, for no one had said anything so kind to her since her mother died. ‘Poor little orphan,’ said Miss Harvey, ‘I will be a second mother to you.’ Sally thought how cozy and sweet Miss Harvey looked, and Miss Harvey’s big heart went out to the forlorn little creature in her arms. Suddenly Sally put her two paws around Miss Harvey’s neck. [Illustration] CHAPTER IV THE KITTENS AND MISS WINIFRED The next morning when Miss Winifred came into the kitchen, the kittens were in the clothes-basket which was under a table, so she did not see them. She was deciding what she would have for dinner, and at the sound of the word haddock, which Elvira suggested, the kittens became interested. It seemed that if one owned a house, all one had to do was to say what food one wanted. The kittens would have supposed it would be just the other way.