She gave me a dreamy glance, and then without speaking turned her head again. She was crouched in a graceful attitude near a tiny mound of earth.
“The cats are deceiving you,” I continued, “they are not coming back.”
She gave me another peculiar glance. She seemed sunk in a doze of ecstasy, and my words fell on dull ears.
“They are fooling you, Serena,” I went on excitedly, “there are no moles to be driven in. I expect they are snugly down below you in the earth. Blizzard wishes to make a simpleton of you.”
Serena roused herself slightly at this. “Go away, you jealous kitten,” she said haughtily. “Blizzard told me that you were eaten up with jealousy of me, because I am handsomer and cleverer than you.”
I felt like a simpleton, and I suppose I looked like one, as I stared helplessly at Slyboots. Jealous of her! I had never thought of such a thing. However, I could not persuade her of it, and I had better not try.
“Come home,” whispered Slyboots in my ear, and throwing Serena one contemptuous glance, she walked away.
I followed her for a short distance. I was amazed at the cleverness and cunning of that wicked Blizzard. Suddenly I stopped short. “Slyboots,” I said, “it does not matter what Serena thinks of me. I am not going to leave her alone on that meadow to-night. I will creep back among the alders and watch.”
Slyboots hesitated, and looked in the direction of the house, where we could see some lights twinkling, and then back at the dark meadow. I knew she wanted to go home, and lie on the feather bed; however, she kindly turned back with me, and we once more went to our old place among the ferns.
I soon went to sleep, and I think Slyboots did, too. I was awakened by a push from Slyboots. Sleepily opening my eyes, I heard a malicious voice speaking, squealing, laughing.
It was Blizzard, and he had come back to torture my sister. “Go home now, idiot,” he was saying, “go back to your prig of a sister, and tell her how we have fooled you. Oh, what a sweet morsel you are! How tender, how juicy! If I hadn't more sap than you, I wouldn't leave my mammy's side. How did you ever grow up with so little mind? What balderdash you gave us this evening! Cats of ancient times! Cats of fiddlesticks!”