Litchfield enquirer., 1881-08-04

we keep the cat then" said l, ''whether the Lily would like it back or not Is that agreed5 ?" 7ss '.Ay, ay, sir" s Ii was bad sea, but we lowered boat as we and the Lily approached particularly wanted to go aboard of her. I got the basket out in which pussy had come to us, replaced her as we had found her, and put the empty champagne bottles on top.
 Thecrew of the Lily were dropping with fatigue when we went aboard but, Lord to see how the skipper and them about him woke up when they saw us Astonishment is no word for it.
 Good God T" he exclaimed. "And you are the Seamew!" sr
 ''And you are the Lily said I. ''That wasa nice present you sent me. 1 have brought back the bottles and the basket :" and so saying, uncovered pussy, who, to my amazement jumped out at once and bounded off. I had only intended to show the skipper she was there. The poor man stared, his jaw dropped, and he sank down on coil of rope, with his head in his hands, uttered a long hopeless groan at t8f sat B. -sn; '.Come, my friend, cheer up," said We've almost nothing to eat," said he; said he i; we've been at the pumps two days, and now that brute has come back! There's no use standing by them any more our voy-' age comes to an end here, and down, down we go We might as we'll have kept the beast for the old wretchs words have come true, and we finish in the miedle, as she said. Il doubted his mind was wandering. Come, said l. "bestir yourself and give or ders There's no use staying by the ship any longer; you must abandon her and come with me- :" es - tN..s ...,i-''-
 ''What Leave the Lily2 She's good old ship, and she's my own: no I'll go down with her and that cursed cat. Take off the crew. sir, however. and I'll thank you"
 l could not make up my mind to think him deranged, and yet-Just then the cat came bounding along the deck with something in her month, and all the hands paused and stared. She put it in the basket at my feet where she herself had lain, and again bounded away. It was a kitten and alive! The skipper stared stupidly. Presently pussy re- turned with another.
 ''That's what's done it l" cried the skipper with gathering fnry ''after got rid of her, they were here, and l never knew lt!" He rose in his rage, and, seizing a crowbar, would have smashed basket and all, but he was easily restrained and disarmed.
 ''Let me have them," said l.; "my little girl will like them.''
 "What! he cried in something like an ec- stacy of gladness. 'And you will take the mother, toO! Then becoming again jespon- dent, ''but it's of no use now. Heel we are going down." /.
 { Pussy had returned with her third kitten which was dead, and had begun to purr with delight and to rub herself around my leg, when he reused himself and ordered all hands to take the boats. We stood by them in our own boat (wth pussy and her brood in the basket on the stern seat,) waiting to give them a towline to our ship. When all the hands were in the boats, there was a pause Was not the skipper coming No. Cast off" The Lily was settling down rapidly, and the screw cast off with little concern. The shippers last act was to launch with a curse broken pulley block at the basket in our stern, as we rowed off. It just missed the boat and slashed into the sea. The Lily WRSt Rext dnXH day hefere Me by w reached the seamew crowded ship crowded all sail And went mer- rily racing, dipping and splashing for home In our new, bright hopes of our voyage we all, think, felt rather ashamed of our dread ful suspicious oS pussy. At any rate, every one showed the utmost tenderness and solic- itude for her and her two kittens.
 How had the kittens been kept alive on the Lily all that week you ask. l don't know; but have heard of a rat playing the part of mother under similar circumstances, and 1 am certain there were rats in the Lily BeLgr00a0.