If I cannot have a mother, a mother I will be With some darling, furry children of my own. The furriest, purriest kittens, the most harum-scarum kittens, The liveliest, gayest kittens ever known. XIX. SALLY IS YOUNG WITH HER CHILDREN 147 We love to run, we love to climb, In fact we have a royal time. Kings cannot quite so happy be, For kings, we hear, are not so free. [Illustration] SALLY IN HER FUR COAT ∵ CHAPTER I THE ORPHANS Sally in her fur coat was racing through the garden and flying through the Wild Wood, as if an enemy were in hot pursuit. She was a very young kitten and small of her age. Her pursuer was not an enemy, but her twin brother, Oxford Gray, Junior. But although they were born on the same day, Oxford Gray, Junior, was much fatter than Sally, and he had shorter legs, so he could never catch up with his little sister. After a time, he grew tired of the chase, but, being Sally’s brother and protector, he did not like to own it, so he said: ‘Sally, I am sure all this running about must be bad for you. Come and lie down under that giant hemlock and we’ll have a good rest.’ ‘I am not in the least tired,’ said Sally, and off she scampered again. By this time Oxford Gray, Junior, was fairly panting. ‘I am sure this mad dash will use you up,’ he said, for he did not like to own that he was tired. It finally dawned on Sally that this might be the case, but, being wise beyond her weeks, she did not speak of this, but came over and joined her brother under the shade of the giant hemlock in the Wild Wood. There were many of these hemlocks as well as oak trees. They were all about as high as a man’s shoulders, but they seemed immense to the kittens. They were sometimes spoken of by people as underbrush, but people are often stupid about many matters, as every cat knows. Of course all this conversation was carried on in kitten language, not in actual words. The two kittens curled up under the shade of the giant hemlock in the Wild Wood, and put their paws about each other’s necks. They were tiger kittens and looked so much alike that when they were apart, it was hard to tell which was Sally and which was Oxford Gray, Junior. When they were together, one saw that Oxford Gray, Junior, was larger, and that he had more of a white shirt-front than his sister, and he had a pink nose which she envied, for hers was just a tiger nose. One also noticed a great difference in their expressions, for Sally had a sad little face, while Oxford Gray, Junior, looked prosperous and thoroughly contented with himself. At times it almost seemed as if he smiled. ‘We are two very unfortunate kittens,’ said Sally; ‘it is sad to be orphans.’ ‘We’ve got to make the best of it,’ said Oxford Gray, Junior. ‘Other kittens have been orphans before us and others will be orphans after us. Sally, you must brace up.’