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in a corner。 He saw the little stranger enter and watched it
curiously。 It wandered past some Rabbits。 They paid no heed。 It
came to a wide…barred cage in which was a Fox。 The gentleman with
the bushy tail was in a far corner。 He crouched low； his eyes
glowed。 The Kitten wandered； sniffing； up to the bars； put its
head in； sniffed again； then made toward the feed…pan； to be
seized in a flash by the crouching Fox。 It gave a frightened
〃mew；〃 but a single shake cut that short and would have ended
Kitty's nine lives at once； had not the negro come to the rescue。
He had no weapon and could not get into the cage； but he spat
with such copious vigor in the Fox's face that he dropped the
Kitten and returned to the corner； there to sit blinking his eyes
in sullen fear。
The negro pulled the Kitten out。 The shake of the beast of prey
seemed to have stunned the victim； really to have saved it much
suffering。 The Kitten seemed unharmed； but giddy。 It tottered in
a circle for a time； then slowly revived； and a few minutes later
was purring in the negro's lap； apparently none the worse； when
Jap Malee； the bird…man； came home。
Jap was not an Oriental； he was a full…blooded Cockney； but his
eyes were such little accidental slits aslant in his round； flat
face； that his first name was forgotten in the highly descriptive
title of 〃Jap。〃 He was not especially unkind to the birds and
beasts whose sales were supposed to furnish his living； but his
eye was on the main chance； he knew what he wanted。 He didn't
want the Slum Kitten。
The negro gave it all the food it could eat； then carried it to a
distant block and dropped it in a neighboring iron…yard。
III
One full meal is as much as any one needs in two or three days；
and under the influence of this stored…up heat and power； Kitty
was very lively。 She walked around the piled…up rubbish； cast
curious glances on far…away Canary…birds in cages that hung from
high windows； she peeped over fences； discovered a large Dog； got
quietly down again； and presently finding a sheltered place in
full sunlight； she lay down and slept for an hour。 A
slight'sniff' awakened her； and before her stood a large Black
Cat with glowing green eyes； and the thick neck and square jaws
that distinguish the Tom； a scar marked his cheek； and his left
ear was torn。 His look was far from friendly； his ears moved
backward a little； his tail twitched； and a faint； deep sound
came from his throat。 The Kitten innocently walked toward him。
She did not remember him。 He rubbed the sides of his jaws on a
post； and quietly； slowly turned and disappeared。 The last that
she saw of him was the end of his tail twitching from side to
side； and the little Slummer had no idea that she had been as
near death to…day； as she had been when she ventured into the
fox…cage。
As night came on the Kitten began to feel hungry。 She examined
carefully the long invisible colored stream that the wind is made
of。 She selected the most interesting of its strands； and；
nose…led； followed。 In the corner of the iron…yard was a box of
garbage。 Among this she found something that answered fairly well
for food； a bucket of water under a faucet offered a chance to
quench her thirst。
The night was spent chiefly in prowling about and learning the
main lines of the iron…yard。 The next day she passed as before；
sleeping in the sun。 Thus the time wore on。 Sometimes she found a
good meal at the garbage…box； sometimes there was nothing。 Once
she found the big Black Tom there； but discreetly withdrew before
he saw her。 The water…bucket was usually at its place； or；
failing that； there were some muddy little pools on the stone
below。 But the garbage…box was very unreliable。 Once it left her
for three days without food。 She searched along the high fence；
and seeing a small hole； crawled through that and found herself
in the open street。 This was a new world； but before she had
ventured far； there was a noisy； rumbling rusha large Dog came
bounding； and Kitty had barely time to run back into the hole in
the fence。 She was dreadfully hungry； and glad to find some old
potato…peelings； which gave a little respite from the
hunger…pang。 In the morning she did not sleep； but prowled for
food。 Some Sparrows chirruped in the yard。 They were often there；
but now they were viewed with new eyes。 The steady pressure of
hunger had roused the wild hunter in the Kitten； those Sparrows
were gamewere food。 She crouched instinctively and stalked from
cover to cover； but the chirpers were alert and flew in time。 Not
once； but many times； she tried without result except to confirm
the Sparrows in the list of things to be eaten if obtainable。
On the fifth day of ill luck the Slum Kitty ventured forth into
the street； desperately bent on finding food。 When far from the
haven hole some small boys opened fire at her with pieces of
brick。 She ran in fear。 A Dog joined in the chase； and Kitty's
position grew perilous； but an old…fashioned iron fence round a
house…front was there； and she slipped in between the rails as
the Dog overtook her。 A woman in a window above shouted at the
Dog。 Then the boys dropped a piece of cat…meat down to the
unfortunate； and Kitty had the most delicious meal of her life。
The stoop afforded a refuge。 Under this she sat patiently till
nightfall came with quiet； then sneaked back like a shadow to her
old iron…yard。
Thus the days went by for two months。 She grew in size and
strength and in an intimate knowledge of the immediate
neighborhood。 She made the acquaintance of Downey Street； where
long rows of ash…cans were to be seen every morning。 She formed
her own ideas of their proprietors。 The big house was to her； not
a Roman Catholic mission； but a place whose garbage…tins abounded
in choicest fish scrapings。 She soon made the acquaintance of the
meat…man； and joined in the shy fringe of Cats that formed the
outer circle。 She also met the Wharf Dog as well as two or three
other horrors of the same class。 She knew what to expect of them
and how to avoid them； and she was happy in being the inventor of
a new industry。 Many thousand Cats have doubtless hung； in hope；
about the tempting milk…cans that the early milk…man leaves on
steps and window…ledges； and it was by the merest accident that
Kitty found one with a broken lid； and so was taught to raise it
and have a satisfying drink。 Bottles； of course； were beyond her；
but many a can has a misfit lid； and Kitty was very painstaking
in her efforts to discover the loose…jointed ones。 Finally she
extended her range by exploration till she achieved the heart of
the next block； and farther； till once more among the barrels and
boxes of the yard behind the bird…man's cellar。
The old iron…yard never had been home； she had always felt like a
stranger there； but here she had a sense of ownership； and at
once resented the presence of another small Cat。 She approached
this newcomer with threatening air。 The two had got as far as
snarling and spitting when a bucket of water from an upper window
drenched them both and effectually cooled their wrath。 They fled；
the newcomer over the wall； Slum Kitty under the