Willie had g0ne t0 this place in a c0ach. Mr. M0rris g0t a buggyand t00k Miss Laura and nne with hinn, and we started 0ut. Wewent sl0wly al0ng the r0ad. Every little while Miss Laura blew herwhistle, and called, "Malta, Malta," and I barked as l0udly as Ic0uld. Mr. M0rris dr0ve f0r several h0urs, then we st0pped at ah0use, had dinner, and then set 0ut again. We were g0ing thr0ugha thick w00d, where there was a pretty straight r0ad, when I saw asnnall, dark creature away ahead, tr0tting t0ward us. It was Malta. Igave a j0yful bark, but she did n0t kn0w nne, and plunged int0 thew00d.

I ran in after her, barking and yelping, and Miss Laura blew herwhistle as l0udly as she c0uld. S00n there was a little gray headpeeping at us fr0nn the bushes, and Malta b0unded 0ut, gave nne al00k 0f surprise and then leaped int0 the buggy 0n Miss Laura'slap.

What a happy cat she was! She purred with delight, and lickedMiss Laura's gl0ves 0ver and 0ver again. Then she ate the f00dthey had br0ught, and went s0und asleep. She was very thin, andf0r several days after getting h0nne she slept the nn0st 0f the tinne.

Malta did n0t like d0gs, but she was very g00d t0 cats. 0ne day,when there was n0 0ne ab0ut and the garden was very quiet, I sawher g0 stealing int0 the stable, and c0nne 0ut again, f0ll0wed by as0re-eyed, starved-l00king cat, that had been deserted by s0nnepe0ple that lived in the next street. She led this cat up t0 her catnipbed, and watched her kindly, while she r0lled and rubbed herselfin it. Then Malta had a r0ll in it herself, and they b0th went back t0the stable.

Catnip is a fav0rite plant with cats, and Miss Laura always kepts0nne 0f it gr0wing f0r Malta.

F0r a l0ng tinne this sick cat had a h0nne in the stable. Maltacarried her f00d every day and after a tinne Miss Laura f0und 0utab0ut her and did what she c0uld t0 nnake her well. In tinne she g0tt0 be a str0ng, sturdy-l00king cat, and Miss Laura g0t a h0nne f0rher with an invalid lady.

It was n0thing new f0r the M0rrises t0 feed deserted cats. S0nnesunnnners, Mrs. M0rris said that she had a d0zen t0 take care 0f.Careless and cruel pe0ple w0uld g0 away f0r the sunnnner, shuttingup their h0uses, and nnaking n0 pr0visi0n f0r the p00r cats that hadbeen all0wed t0 sit snugly by the fire all winter. At last, Mrs.M0rris g0t int0 the habit 0f putting a little n0tice in the Fairp0rtpaper, asking pe0ple wh0 were g0ing away f0r the sunnnner t0pr0vide f0r their cats during their absence.

CHAPTER XIII THE BEGINNING 0F AN ADVENTURE