Alice now applied a smooth wooden roller to the cake with such quickness and skill that the lump forthwith lay spread upon the board in a thin even layer, and she next cut it into little round cakes with the edge of a tumbler. Half the board was covered with the nice little white things, which Ellen declared looked good enough to eat already, and she had quite forgotten all possible causes of vexation--past, present, or future--when suddenly a large grey cat jumped upon the table, and, coolly walking upon the moulding-board, planted his paw directly in the middle of one of his mistress's cakes. "Take him off--oh, Ellen!" cried Alice; "take him off! I can't touch him." But Ellen was a little afraid. Alice then gently tried to shove puss off with her elbow, but he seemed to think that was very good fun, purred, whisked his great tail over Alice's bare arm, and rubbed his head against it, having evidently no notion that he was not just where he ought to be. Alice and Ellen were too much amused to try any violent method of relief; but Margery, happily coming in, seized puss in both hands and set him on the floor. "Just look at the print of his paw in that cake," said Ellen. "He has set his mark on it, certainly. I think it is his now, by the right of possession if not the right of discovery." "I think he discovered the cakes too," said Ellen, laughing. "Why, yes. He shall have that one baked for his supper." "Does he like cakes?" "Indeed he does. He is very particular and delicate about his eating, is Captain Parry." "Captain Parry!" said Ellen. "Is that his name?" "Yes," said Alice, laughing; "I don't wonder you look astonished, Ellen. I have had that cat five years, and when he was first given me, my brother Jack, who was younger then than he is now, and had been reading Captain Parry's Voyages, gave him that name, and would have him called so. Oh, Jack!" said Alice, half laughing and half crying. Ellen wondered why; but she went to wash her hands, and when her face was again turned to Ellen it was as unruffled as ever. "Margery, my cakes are ready," said she, "and Ellen and I are ready too." "Very well, Miss Alice, the kettle is just going to boil; you shall have tea in a trice. I'll do some eggs for you." "Something--anything," said Alice; "I feel one cannot live without eating. Come, Ellen, you and I will go and set the tea-table." Ellen was very happy arranging the cups and saucers and other things that Alice handed her from the cupboard; and when a few minutes after the tea and the cakes came in, and she and Alice were cosily seated, poor Ellen hardly knew herself in such a pleasant state of things. CHAPTER XVII The very sooth of it is, that an ill-habit has the force of an ill-fate. --L'ESTRANGE. "Ellen, dear," said Alice, as she poured out Ellen's second cup of tea, "have we run through the list of your troubles?"