SALOME GIVES A LECTURE
The kittens were the first to wake up the next morning. They couldn’t
resist talking about the kitchen kittens, there was so much to say.
Salome went on pretending to be asleep.
“They were such jolly playfellows,” Tompkins remarked.
“I wish we knew such exciting games,” sighed Minette, “ours will seem so
tame now.”
“We’ll manage to see them again, somehow,” suggested Tompkins.
“They very nearly got us into trouble over the milk, though,” said
Minette. Salome gave a big gape. “Be quiet and go to sleep,” she said and
shut her eyes.
[Illustration: Sauntered grandly out of the room.]
The kittens were silent for a short time, then they began again. “I
shall try and climb the curtain again,” said Minette. “I shan’t,” said
Tompkins, “I shall think of some quite new game.”
Salome woke up again. “What are you two chatterboxes talking about?” she
asked.
“About the kitchen kittens, mother,” Minette replied.
“I don’t wish to be proud,” said Salome, “but really you mustn’t
associate with people like that.”
“But, mother,” protested Tompkins, “the kitchen kittens are so clever.”
“In what way?” asked Salome. “I don’t see anything clever in stealing
milk; it is just a common cat’s trick.”
Tompkins began to feel rather annoyed; the kitchen kittens were his
friends and he admired them. He thought them so bright and clever, and
Salome rather unfair. Then a naughty, mischievous idea came into his
head, and looking very impudent, he asked his mother, “Do you know what
they called you?”
“Oh, Tompkins!” begged Minette, “please don’t be such a tell-tale.”
“I shall,” said that naughty Tompkins; “I think mother ought to know.”
“You needn’t trouble,” remarked Salome haughtily, “it doesn’t interest me
in the very least what those vulgar little kittens call me.”
“Still, you had better hear,” persisted Tompkins, and before Minette
could stop him he said, “they called you a ridiculous old fluff-pot,
there!”
Whatever did Salome say?
Nothing at all, and if you know anything of Persian cats you will guess
what she did. She got up and had a good stretch, then she shook out each
leg and sauntered grandly out of the room. It was as if she meant that
what the kitchen kittens had called her was so unimportant that it was
not worth thinking or saying anything about.
And what did the kittens do? Well, I believe Tompkins felt rather small
and wished he hadn’t spoken. However, they were alone in the room now, so
it was a good opportunity for planning fresh mischief, and I only wish I
had more pages in this book that I might tell you all about it.