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It wasn’t really all that high up, but it was such fun looking down on the gardens from her hideaway amongst the leaves. The chestnut tree was right at the end of their long, thin garden, but she could just see Mum moving around in the kitchen. Amy moved the beanbag so that it was in the doorway and flumped down on it, watching a blackbird hopping around in next-door’s flower bed. There was an early morning mist hanging over the grass, and it felt quite spooky – just right for her book, which was a ghost story.

Amy read a few pages. She was just getting to a scary bit when a strange rustling noise outside made her jump. A little movement by the garden fence caught her eye, and Amy peered down. It was a little black kitten! She was half-wreathed in mist, and for a second Amy wondered if this was a ghost-cat. She caught her breath in excitement, watching as the tiny thing nosed her way through the plants and spotted the blackbird, who was still pecking about in the grass on the other side of the garden.

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The kitten settled into a hunting crouch, her tail whisking from side to side, and wriggled forwards on to the lawn. Amy giggled. This was no ghost! The kitten was so funny, stalking across the grass like a tiny panther. The bird spotted her at once, hopping up on to the fence and squawking crossly.

The kitten turned away and began to play with a leaf instead, as though she’d never even thought of chasing the bird.

Amy was just wondering whether, if she climbed down quietly, the kitten would let her stroke it, when the little creature suddenly darted back the way she’d come – under the fence and into the mists of next-door’s garden.

Amy watched the shadowy little figure disappear.“I wonder who she belongs to?” she whispered to herself. “And what her name is. If I could get close enough, I could look on her collar, maybe.” Then she frowned. “No, I don’t think she had one. I think I’d call her Misty.” She put her chin in her hands, and imagined a little black kitten curled up on the end of her bed. “I can’t wait to tell Lily about her!”

Chapter Three

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“Have you seen her again?” Lily asked eagerly, and Amy smiled.

“Yesterday, just as I was going out into the garden. She was sitting on the back fence, right under the tree house. But when I got closer she ran off.”

“You’ve seen her a few times now. Maybe she lives in one of the houses close by,” Lily suggested.

Amy frowned.“She doesn’t have a collar, though. I just wonder – perhaps she’s a stray? She never comes very close – I think she’s quite shy of people. A stray kitten could be like that, couldn’t it?”

Lily nodded thoughtfully.

“And she looks ever so thin,” Amy added. “I’m worried she isn’t getting enough food.”

“Poor little thing!” Lily cried. “Kittens do need to eat a lot. Or she might just be naturally skinny. Kittens can be. Oh, I wish I could see her.”

“If we’re lucky she might turn up when you come to tea on Friday,” Amy said. Lily was a cat expert and might be able to think of a way she could help the kitten.

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By now the little kitten was exploring the gardens all along the road. She had discovered that she loved being outside– there were always new and exciting things to play with. Sometimes people left food out, too. Even if it was only stale bread meant for the birds, it was better than nothing, as Charlie was still stealing most of her meals. She’d got very good at scrambling up bird tables. She wasn’t as goodat chasing the birds themselves – somehow they always seemed to work out that she was coming. But she enjoyed trying.

Being outside was definitely better than being at her new house, anyway. Even when Charlie left her alone, which wasn’t often, Mrs Jones’s two grandchildren were almost as bad. They liked to fuss over her and stroke her, which the kitten didn’t mind too much. And sometimes it was quite fun to chase the string that they dangled in front of her nose. But they also kept trying to pick her up, which she hated, especially as they just grabbed her and hauled her along with her legs dangling, even though Mrs Jones had explained how to hold her properly. The kitten tried to stay out of their way.

“Puss! Puss, puss, puss! Where are you, Jet?” Millie called.

The kitten slipped quickly under the kitchen table, but it was an obvious hiding place, and the little girl crawled underneath to be with her. Jet’s tail started to twitch nervously.

Millie was carrying a handful of dolls’ clothes, but she dropped them on the floor and seized the kitten round her middle.

Jet yowled, wriggling desperately to get away, but the little girl held her firmly. Millie then grabbed a doll’s jacket and started trying to place one of her paws into it. “You’re going to look so pretty! Charlie’s too big for all my dolls’ clothes, but you’re just the right size.”