Part 7 (2/2)

One was the sentry alked up and down all night long below the high second-story s of the central rooain an entrance through therown man, which they were not

The other was the fact that he, Old Faithful, Meroo and Roy all slept in the outer room, into which the only door opened, so that any intruder would have to force an entrance over their bodies; for they slept with draords beside theilance--though he knew that cruel brother kuents were on the lookout for any opportunity of kidnapping the Heir-to-Empire--slackened somewhat, especially when the afternoons drew in, the fire in the big hall was made up, the quilts put down and Baby Akbar, surrounded by his ad circle, listened to Roy's stories or tu, and Down, the cat

One day, however, Down did not appear until little Akbar was having his supper, and then she ca fireplace, which led to a sort of cupboard in the obbled up a plate of bread and ain as if she had to catch a train

”She has had kittens,” said Foster-mother; ”I wonder if they are white or black”

”Black!” sniffed Head-nurse ”What else could they be in that hole? Have a care, wo hih for hiht lead”

”That is true,” replied Foster-mother, alarmed, as she distracted the child's attention

But in a day or two his quick ear caught the sound of a feebleinside the arch, and, of course, he wanted to knohat it was So he was told that kittens had to be kept quiet and that Doould be very vexed if her kitten was disturbed; but that by-and-bye she would doubtless bring it out for him to see, and then, of course, he could play with it Now, Baby Akbar was always a reasonable little fellow, so he waited patiently; though every night when he went to bed and Down cao down and he would hold up his little hands and twiddle them round and say mournfully:

”Kitty not 'weady Kitty not 'weady”

Now, one night there was a great festival in the palace, and the Heir-to-Eo and pay his respects, after the Indian manner on feast days, to his aunt and uncle Then, when he returned, they sent hiar-toffee made in the shape of animals, and a few pieces of muslin and stuffs to make new dresses for the party In addition to this there was a trayful of supper, which caone, with the Princess Sultanuht it; but he did not wait to be questioned, and disappeared so soon as Meroo had taken the tray from him

But it was full of thea bowl of sweet milk made with almonds and honey and rice meal for Baby Akbar

Head-nurse, however, would not let hi poisoned, so Meroo always cooked with his own hands everything the child ate Therefore they gave it to Tuht up by shepherds, he loved milk, and he licked his lips after it and was soon sound asleep by the fire

The lamb steith pistachio nuts and full of saffron looked, however, so delicious that after Meroo had tasted it and pronounced it quite safe, since all knew that saffron would not go with real poison, they set to work and finished the platter

They were all as jolly as could be afterward, though the heat of the fire and their heavy supperit was far too cold in the inner rooed her bed and Foster-mother's close to the fire, the others retired to the outer roo away quite happily

For if the supper had not truly been poisoned, it had been drugged

Drugged with sleep-bringing drugs

So, as the firelight flickered over the room faintly, it showed Head-nurse's face and Foster-mother's face and even Tumbu's black muzzle in a dead sleep that was almost unconsciousness And in the outer room Foster-father snored, and even Roy's keen, hawk-face lay like one dead

Only Baby Akbar tossed and turned in his comfortable nest between his two nurses

Save for this, due to Head-nurse's precaution in not allowing the Heir-to-Empire sweet ents had planned when they had sent the pretended er from the palace with the platter of delicacies Even the sentry beloas sleeping sound after his share of kid curry

Thus, those ere on the roof waiting until the moon had set and they could without fear of discovery lower the young lad, as to steal Baby Akbar, down to the(through which, being slender, the thief could slip easily), felt that their task was alreat white fluff which after a ti and stretching and blinking its eyes Head-nurse had been quite wrong in saying Down's kitten must be black in that hole! Its mother, anyhoas beautifully white, perhaps because Doas a sensible cat and had only chosen the charcoal bunker because she had found a lot of old straw and a blanket tucked away in its farther corner Besides, as she only had one kitten, she could spend all her tiue, after the ht out of reach of any one, a little bundle of white fluff, and Doas just beginning to feel that there were other things in the world besides kittens For instance, was that scratching on the roof, think you, a mouse? If so--? She passed to the fire It arm and nice; just the very place for a kitten's first look at the world, and there were no troublesome people about; not but what she was anxious to show her kitten to Baby Akbar But who knew if horrid Head-nurse ht not try to catch it? But Head-nurse was asleep Dohisked her tail, disappeared through the archway, and reappeared again gingerly, carrying the kitten in her ht and ainreally, kittens were a bore when one wanted to hts What came next is more difficult No one can say whether the cat had _really_ any notion that danger to her young master was abroad, or whether she only wanted to show him her kitten, or whether she wanted it taken care of--for Persian cats, if they kill a rat at night, have often been known to ju custody of their prize lest it should soain if they left it alone--only this was certain, Baby Akbar ith a rough, red tongue licking his nose, and there, on the quilt, was Down beside the fluffiest, darlingest little kitten that ever was!

He htened its anxious mother or whether Down really had a purpose in vieho can say? Only this is sure: she was off the bed in a second, Miss Kitten in her mouth A minute afterward Baby Akbar was off it also with a little crow of delight But the drugged nurses did not stir; they were away in the Land of Dreams And hark! as that curious noise outside the , as if so down the wall? Perhaps it was _that_ that frightened Down once more; for just as Baby Akbar's hand reached out to lay hold of the kitten, which she had set down by the fire, Down snatched it up again and was off with it back to the charcoal bunker, with Baby Akbar after her, his face full of solemn resolve He meant to play with that kitty

And play with her he did At least, after he disappeared down the archway by the fireplace he did not coain Only Down reappeared and seated herself at the entrance, her ears cocked, her eyes fixed on the

For soh the flicker of the fire had died down, she could see with her cat's eyes