tattine-第4部分

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same　kennel　where　Doctor　and　his　brothers　and　sisters　had　enjoyed　their
puppy…hood；　and　then　to　snuggle　up　in　a　round　ball　close　beside　them。　They
were　Betsy's　puppies　for　a　certainty。　There　had　been　no　doubt　of　that　from　the
first　glimpse　Rudolph　gained　of　them　in　their　dark　little　hole　under　the
porch。　But　the　next　morning　came　and　then　what　do　you　suppose　happened？　A　very
weak　little　puppy　cry　came　from　under　the　porch。　Another　puppy；　that　was　what
it　meant；　and　Joseph　was　very　much　out　of　patience；　for　the　trench　had　been
filled　up　and　the　foundation…stones　carefully　replaced。

〃Rudolph　ought　to　have　made　sure　how　many　there　were；〃　he　said　rather
growlily。

〃But；　Joseph；　this　puppy　cry　comes　from　another　place　way　over　here；　it　seems
to　me；〃　and　Tattine　ran　to　a　spot　on　the　porch　several　yards　from　that　under
which　the　others　had　been　found。　〃I　believe　it　must　have　been　a　cleverer
little　puppy　than　the　others；　and　crawled　away　by　itself　to　see　what　the　world
was　like；　and　that　is　why　Rudolph　missed　finding　it。〃

Joseph　put　his　hand　to　his　ear　and；　listening　carefully；　concluded　that
Tattine　was　right。　〃Now　I'll　tell　you　what　I　am　going　to　do；〃　he　said；　〃I　can
make　just　a　little　hole；　large　enough　for　a　puppy　to　get　through；　without
taking　out　a　foundation…stone；　and　I'm　going　to　make　it　here；　near　where　the
cry　seems　to　come　from。　Then　I　am　going　to　tie　Betsy　to　this　pillar　of　the
porch；　and　I　believe　she'll　have　sense　enough　to　try　and　coax　the　little
fellow　out；　and　if　the　is　such　an　enterprising　little　chap　as　you　think　he'll
have　sense　enough　to　come　out。〃

It　seemed　a　good　plan。　Betsy　was　brought；　and　Tattine　sat　down　to　listen　and
watch。　Betsy；　hearing　the　little　cries；　began　at　once　to　coax；　giving　little
sharp　barks　at　regular　intervals；　and　trying　to　make　the　hole　larger　with　her
paws。

Tattine's　ears；　which　were　dear　little　shells　of　ears　to　look　at；　and　very
sharp　little　ears　to　hear　with；　thought　the　cries　sounded　a　little　nearer；　and
now　a　little　nearer；　then　she　was　sure　of　it；　and　Betsy　and　she；　both　growing
more　excited　every　minute；　kept　pushing　each　other　away　from　the　hole　the
better　to　look　into　it；　until　at　last　two　little　beads　of　eyes　glared　out　at
them；　and　then　it　was　an　easy　thing　for　Tattine　to　reach　in　and　draw　out　the
prettiest　puppy　of　all。

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　us　there　were　five；　Betsy；　and　save　us　all　this　extra
trouble？〃　and　Tattine　hurried　away　to　deposit　number　five　in　the　kennel；　but
Betsy　looked　up　with　the　most　reproachful　look　imaginable　as　though　to　say；
〃How　much　talking　could　you　do　if　you　had　to　do　it　all　with　your　eyes　and　a
tail？〃



CHAPTER　IV。　MORE　TROUBLES

Patrick　Kirk　was　raking　the　gravel　on　the　road　into　pretty　criss…cross
patterns；　and　Tattine　was　pretending　to　help　him　with　her　own　garden　rake。
Patrick　was　one　of　Tattine's　best　friends　and　she　loved　to　work　with　him　and
to　talk　to　him。　Patrick　was　a　fine　old　Irishman；　there　was　no　doubt　whatever
about　that；　faithful　and　conscientious　to　the　last　degree。　Every　morning　he
would　drive　over　in　his　old　buggy　from　his　little　farm　in　the　Raritan　Valley；
in　abundant　time　to　begin　work　on　the　minute　of　seven；　and　not　until　the
minute　of　six　would　he　lay　aside　spade　or　hoe　and　turn　his　steps　towards　his
old　horse　tied　under　the　tree；　behind　the　barn。　But　the　most　attractive　thing
about　Patrick　was　his　genial　kindly　smile；　a　smile　that　said　as　plainly　as
words；　that　he　had　found　life　very　comfortable　and　pleasant；　and　that　he　was
still　more　than　content　with　it　notwithstanding　that　his　back　was　bowed　with
work　month　in　and　month　out；　and　the　years　were　hurrying　him　fast　on　into　old
age。

And　so　Tattine　was　fond　of　Patrick；　for　what　（child　though　she　was）　she　knew
him　to　be；　and　they　spent　many　a　delightful　hour　in　each　other's　company。

〃Patrick；〃　said　Tattine；　on　this　particular　morning；　when　they　were　raking
away　side　by　side；　〃does　Mrs。　Kirk　ever　have　a　day　at　home？〃　and　she　glanced
at　Patrick　a　little　mischievously；　doubting　if　he　would　know　just　what　she
meant。

〃Shure　she　has　all　her　days　at　home；　Miss　Tattine；　save　on　a　holiday；　when　we
go　for　a　day's　drive　to　some　of　our　neighbors'；　but　I　doubt　if　I'm　catching
just　what　you're　maning。〃

〃Oh！　I　mean　does　she　have　a　day　sometimes　when　she　gets　ready　for　company　and
expects　to　have　people　come　and　see　her；　the　way　ladies　do　in　town？〃

〃Well；　no；　miss；　she　don't　do　tbat；　for；　tin　to　one；　nobody'd　come　if　she　did。
We　belongs　to　the　workin'　classes；　Molly　and　I；　and　we　has　no　time　for　the
doing　of　the　loikes　of　city　people。〃

〃I'm　sorry　she　hasn't　a　day；〃　said　Tattine；　〃becausebecause〃

〃If　ye're　maning　that　you'd　like　to　give　us　a　call；　miss；〃　said　Patrick；
beginning　to　take　in　the　situation；　〃shure　she　could　have　a　day　at　home　as
aisy　as　the　foinest　lady；　and　proud　indeed　she'd　be　to　have　it　with　your
little　self　for　the　guest　of　honor。〃

〃I　would　like　to　bring　Rudolph　and　Mabel；　Patrick。〃

〃And　what　should　hinder；　miss？〃

〃And　I'd　like　to　have　it　an　all…day…at…home；　say　from　eleven　in　the　morning
until　five　in　the　afternoon；　and　not　make　just　a　little　call；　Patrick。〃

〃Of　course；　miss；　a　regular　long　day；　with　your　donkey　put　into　a　stall　in　the
barn；　and　yourselves　and　the　donkey　biding　for　the　best　dinner　we　can　give
ye。〃

〃And　I'd　like　to　have　you　there；　Patrick；　because　we　might　not　feel　AT　HOME
just　with　Mrs。　Kirk。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know；　miss；　do　you　suppose　your　Father　could　spare　me？〃　and
Patrick　thought　a　little　regretfully　of　the　dollar　and　a　half　he　would　insist
upon　foregoing　if　he　took　a　day　off；　but　at　the　same　moment　he　berated　himself
soundly　for　having　such　an　ungenerous　thought。　〃Indade；　miss；　if　you'll　manage
for　me　to　have　the　day　I'll　gladly　stay　to　home　to　make　ye　welcome。〃

〃Then　it's　settled；　Patrick；　and　we'll　make　it　the　very　first　day　Papa　can
spare　you。　〃　The　had　raked　down；　while　they　had　been　having　this　conversation；
to　close　proximity　to　two　pretty　rows　of　apple…trees　that　had　been　left　on　the
front　lawn；　a　reminder　of　the　farm　that　〃used　to　be；〃　and　the　sight　of　the
trees　brought　a　troubled　look　into　Tattine's　face。　〃Patrick；〃　she　said
ruefully；　〃do　you　know　that　some　of　the　nests　in　these　trees　have　been　robbed
of　their　eggs？　Four　or　five　of　them　are　empty　now。　Have　you　an　idea　who　could
do　such　a　thing？〃

〃Yes；　I　have　an　idea；〃　and　Patrick　rested　his　hands　upon　the　handle　of　his
rake　and　looked　significantly　towards　the　barn；　〃somebody　who　lives　in　the
barn；　I'm　thinkin'。〃

〃Why；　Joseph　would　not　do　it；　nor　Philip　the　groom；　and　little　Joey　is　too
small　to　climb　these　trees。〃

〃It's　something　smaller　than　Joey；　miss。　Whisht　now；　and　see　if　she's　not　up
to　mischief　this　minute。〃

Tattine's　little　black…and…white　kitten；　whose　home　was　in　the　barn；　had　been
frisking　about　her　feet　during　all　the　raking；　but　as　the　raking　came　under
the　apple…trees；　other　thoughts　came　into　her　little　black…and…white　head；　and
there　she　was　stealthily　clawing　her　way　up　the　nearest　tree。　Tattine　stood
aghast；　but　Patrick's　〃whisht〃　kept　her　still　for　a　moment；　while　the　cat　made
its　way　along　one　of　the　branches。　Tattine　knowing　well　the　particular　nest
she　was　seeking；　made　one　bound　for　her　with　her　rake；　and　with　such　a　scream
as　certainly　to　scare　little　Black…and…white　out　of　at　least　one　of　the　nine
lives　to　which　she　is　supposed　to　be　entitled。　But　pussy　was　too　swift　and
swiftly　scrambled　to　the　very　topmost　twig　that　would　hold　her　weight；　while
Tattine　danced　about　in　helpless　rage　on　the　grass　beneath　the　tree。　〃Tattine
is　having　a　fit；〃　thought　little　Black…and…white；　scared　half　to　death　and
quite　ready　to　have　a　little　fit　of　her　own；　to　judge　from　her　wild　eyes　and
bristling　tail。

Tattine's　futile　rage　was　followed　in　a　few　minutes　by；　〃Oh；　Patrick；　I　never
dreamt　it　was　Kittie。　Has　SHE　been　TRAINED　to　do　it；　do　you　think？〃

〃Oh。　no；　miss；　it　just　comes　natural　to　cats　and　kittens　to　prey　upon　birds
and　birds'　nests。〃

〃Patrick；〃　said　Tattine　solemnly；　〃there　is　not　going　to　be　any　four…legged
thing　left　for　me　to　love。　I　am　done　with　Betsy　and　Doctor；　and　now　I'm　done
with　Black…and…white。　I　wonder　if　Mamma　can　make　it　seem　any　better；〃　and　then
she　turned　her　steps　to　the　house　in　search　of　comfort；　but　she　had　gone　only
half…way　when　the　coachman；　who　was　waiting　at　the　door　with　the　little　grey
mare　and　the　phaeton；　motioned　to　her　to　come　quietly。　Tattine　saw　at　a　glance
what　had　happened；　and　sped　swiftly　back　to　Patrick。　〃Keep　Black…and…white　up
the　tree；〃　she　said；　in　a　breathless　whisper；　〃don't　let　her　go　near　the　nest；
and　don't　let　her　come　down　for　the　world。　The　little　Phoebe…birds　have　lit。〃

〃All　right；　miss；〃　not　at　all　understanding　the　situation；　but　more　than
willing　to　obey　orders。　Tattine　was　in　such　haste　to　get　back　to　the　house
that　she　hardly　heard　his　answer。　What　she　had　tried　to　tell　him　was　that　the
five　little　fledglings；　crowded　into　the　tiny　nest　under　the　eaves　of　the
porch；　had　taken　it　into　their　heads　to　try　their　first　flight　at　that　precise
moment；　and　there　they　were　perched　on　the　shafts　of　the　phaeton；　lighting；　as
it　seemed；　on　the　first　thing　they　came　to；　while　the　father　and　mother　birds
were　flying　about　in　frantic　anxiety　to　see　them　in　such　a　perilous　situation。
How　could　those　tiny　little　untrained　claws　keep　their　hold　on　that　big　round；
slippery　shaft；　and　if　the　carriage　started　down　they　would　surely　go　under
the　wheels　or　under　the　feet　of　that　merciless　little　grey　mare。　But　the
little　fledglings　were　in　better　hands　than　they　knew；　for；　with　the
exceptions　of　Betsy；　Doctor；　and　Black…and…white；　every　living　thing　at
Oakdene　was　kind　to　every　other　living　thing。

〃Whoa；　girlie；　whoa；　girlie；〃　had　been　Patrick's　quieting　words　to　Lizzie；　and
then　when　Tattine　came　hurrying　that　way　he　had　motioned　her　to　come　quietly
for　fear　of　frightening　them。　Then；　as　you　know；　Tattine　flew　to　make　sure
that　treacherous　Black…　and…white　was　kept　close　guarded；　and　then　back　she
fl噖　again　to　the　aid　of　the　little　birds　themselves。　Softly　she　drew　nearer
and　nearer；　saying　over　gently；　〃Whoa；　Lizzie！　dear　little　birdies！〃　until　she
came　very