Mittens now took up his position on the platform and began a long and eloquent speech in which he related the story of the capture of his prisoners, making the most absurd boasts of the terrible risks he had run, and dwelling most particularly on the awful fate of the False Hare--while quite forgetting to mention his escape. This speech was interrupted by tremendous cheers from the island cats which were only faintly joined in by the pirates. Mittens finished by saying that a concert in celebration of the victory would now be given, after which there would be refreshments--Peter pricked up his ears at the word! --and then the plunder taken from the prisoners would be distributed among the officers and crew of the _Merry Mouser_. This last announcement was greeted by a volley of shrill and joyful yowls from the younger cat pirates, but Growler, frowning, whispered in Rudolf's ear: "Don't you believe a word of that, about whacking up on the treasure! He'll never give up so much as a single shirt stud, he won't." "I would 'a' liked them pink pajamas, I would," sighed Prowler. "They'd just suit my dark complexion." "I can't understand," said Ann, "what it is that has made such a change in Mittens! Why, just yesterday when we got to Aunt Jane's he was asleep before the fire with a little red bow on his collar--just as soft and nice as anything, and he let us all take turns holding him!" "He never scratched really _deep_ all day," said Peter mournfully, "only when we dressed him up in the doll's clothes--he didn't seem to 'preciate that--an'--an' when I pulled his tail--he didn't _like_ that, neither." "He's a bad old thief, that's what he is!" exclaimed Rudolf, forgetting in his excitement to lower his voice. "And if we ever get back to Aunt Jane's and he's there, _I'll_ fix him--" A general warning hiss went up from the pirate cats who stood nearest to the children. "Be quiet," muttered Growler, "unless you want your ears bitten off? Don't you see the Chief is going to sing?" Mittens had stepped to the front of the platform and was fixing an angry scowl upon the three children who stood between Growler and Prowler directly beneath him. When all was so quiet in the hall you could have heard a pin drop, the Chief cleared his throat and nodded to the Maltese pirate who stood ready to accompany him upon the tambourine. In the background a semicircle of other singers clutched their music and shuffled their feet rather nervously as they waited to come in at the chorus. Mittens sang in a high plaintive voice: "When I was young, you know, Not very long ago, I was a mild, a happy Pussy-cat! My fur was soft as silk, I lived on bread and milk, And I dozed away my days upon the mat!" _Chorus_ ("He was then a happy, happy Pussy-cat!")