ROUGHETY RAGS RETURNS TO FAVOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1927, Page 3 (Supplement)

ROUGHETY RAGS RETURNS TO FAVOUR.

Linda and Roughety were going to have a party under the magnolia tree. "Here's some cake and a glass of milk for vou and a plat© of biscuits for Roughety," said her mother; "dont make a mistake and give him the cake, will you? You'd only have dog biscuits left then, for yourself." "No fear," was the laughing reply; "I wonder if Peter the Cat will come back." , , "I hardly think so—he's too scared of Rags." Soon afterwards they were installed, Linda perched on a branch high up in the tree, and the afternoon tea on a small table beneath. "Now, Roughety," she ordered, "youH have to be quite still and not say a word, because I want to make friends with the sparrows." Although he thought it would have been a better idea to have the party first and talk to the birds afterwards, Roughety did as he was told. With a sigh of resignation he went to sleep in a leaf-filled hollow on the other side of the trunk. How long he slept he did not know. He was awakened by a taft footfall Cautiously he peered round the trunk; it was Peter the Cat. Peter's eyes were fixed on the jglass of. milk, so that he didn't notice he was being watched; he hadn't seen Linda climb into the tree. "He's going to steal the milk," thought Roughety, "I'd better warn him." "I say," he barked, "that's not for you—it's Linda's." "I don't care; I want it myself. Anyway, it's none of your business." "'But it's for Linda's party." "You are a sneak, watching from behind a tree trunk." "I was asleep and didnt even notice you were here. You shouldn't ..slink round so quietly." "Well, I want that milk, and I'm going to drink it." And drink it he did. Having finished every drop and licked the bottom of the tumbler he turned to Roughety, who was now iying down quietly with his head on his paws. "I'm going to scratch you for trying to interfere." With that he jumped off the table and would have done so had not Rags been too quick for him. Peter was too lazy to follow him, but sitting down curled his tail neatly round his feet and began to wash his face.

At this point Linda descended from her perch. "Now I understand," she was saying to herself. "It's been Peter's fault all along; he's not scared at all, but just disagreeable." She picked him up. "I saw everything what happened," she told him, "and now I'm going to lock you up while Bags has his afternoon tea in peace." Roughety felt sorry for Peter, although it was really his own fault. He knew himself to be no longer in disgrace; with a feeling of anticipation and one eye on the biscuits he awaited Linda's return.