Part 5, children's story, 'Sam and Henry.'

It was a warm summer afternoon and Henry was stretched out on the setee, as usual keeping an eye on the mouse hole. He got the shock of his life when his Mistress came in carrying another cat!
"Henry, you listen up good," she said. "Arthur has no home so he has come to live with us. Be sure and be nice to him, otherwise you know what will happen," she warned.
To be sure this was a funny looking cat with blue eyes, but Henry had to make the best of it. "You can help me catch those mice living down that hole," he offered. Though being nice was not his kind of thing.
"Catch mice? You must be joking mate! Why would I want to do that when the Mistress will give me nice things to eat?"
Henry scratched one ear, "All cats catch mice," he pointed out.
"Not me, dude. After living in that alley for so long having to scavenge in the bins this is the lap of luxury."
Sam was going to a birthday party at Jim's house and had changed into his best clothes. "Granddad can you distract Henry so I can leave?" he asked.
When they poked their noses out of the hole they got quite a shock, there was two cats! "I'll do my best," Granddad promised, "But I can't see how I am going to outwit them both."
Henry could always tell when the mice were about because his whiskers would start to twitch. "There they are, Arthur. I am after that young tender one, you can have the old one," he whispered.
Arthur opened one blue eye and saw the frightened mice looking up at him. "I would not have thought that you could eat another mouthful Henry, considering the size of your stomach, have you ever thought of going on a diet?" Then he strolled over to the hole saying, "There is no need to be frightened of me, I prefer to eat fish and cream, and am partial to a bit of chicken," he kindly told them.
Sam scampered off to his friend's house and was very surprised to see how many mice were there, but Jim was rather spoiled by his parents. He was boastful at times, saying, "Come and see all my presents, they nearly fill the room."
Sam did not care as he had his best mate Granddad, who was always willing to spend time with him. The afternoon was pleasantly spent playing games and then afterwards watching the magician. All too soon it was time to go home. Outside it was dark which made Sam nervous, but luckily the moon came out and he hurried towards home.
There was a long line of dustbins in the alley. Sam hurried past one, then two, three, four and five. He was just passing the sixth one when too late he saw a dark shadow leaping out at him.
"Got you!" Henry shouted out in triumph, holding Sam firmly in his paw. "There is no one to rescue you out here, is there? I am really going to enjoy eating you very slowly so that I can relish the taste."
Sam put up a spirited fight by trying to bite Henry's paw, but his teeth were too small. "Just think what the Mistress will do when she finds out you have eaten me," he bravely pointed out.
"It will be worth a stint in that kennel, "Henry answered, not really caring. Boasting, "Then I will catch your family, one by one."
"My Granddad can outwit you any day, "Sam said, trying to think of a plan to escape.
"Say your prayers mouse, nothing can save you now," Henry said, holding Sam up by his tail.
As in all good stories help was at hand. The Magician was walking back home and saw what was happening. "Let go of that mouse," he cried, "Otherwise I will turn you into a frog."
Now Henry knew the Magician could perform great feats of magic, besides he did not fancy ending up as a frog. To start with he hated water, trying never to get even his feet wet. Who wanted to live in a pond anyway?
Reluctantly he dropped poor Sam on his head, snarling, "You win this time!"
When Sam got home he told his Granddad all about it. All he said was, "Well, that's one of your nine lives gone, next time be more careful."
And Henry? Just as you would expect he went to settle down in his usual place only to find that Arthur had beaten him to it. "That is where I sleep, clear off!" he shouted angrily.
Arthur lazily opened one blue eye. "I think you should know that I am a champion boxer." With that he fell asleep.

Augustine Nash.