At the end of Main Street where town ends, and country begins out beyond the River Road and Johnson Lane is the farm of Daley Elam and his wife Jo Beth. Once it was the home of their children Ben and Beth, but they are grown with children of their own. The grandchildren, when not in school, often come to the farm to spend time with Gramps Dee and Gram JoJo. It is their animal family that occupy much of the couple's lives when no human family is around.

The couple's animal family consist of two dogs, Mike, a large brown Boxer and Jackie, a small black and white Terrier, a brood of chickens, four horses, six goats and eight cows. New to the family is the still growing midnight black kitten, Augie. Since joining the family four months ago Augie has been eating well and exercising every day, so he is growing strong and tall. As with all kitten's Augie when not exercising or eating, sleeps.

Augie, opened his eyes slowly, adjusting to the light. He yawned and rolled onto his back. He stretched his front paws above his head past the points of his ears; likewise, his hind paws stretch way down like they are going past the tip of his tail.

The afternoon had been good for napping, not too hot nor too cool, just right, alas, for a kitten anytime is good for napping. Augie knows he has a great life; eat a little...sleep a lot...walk around the house whispering "BOO!" at things that go bump in the dark. Augie rose on all fours arched his back stretching; time to eat and get ready for night patrol.

In the kitchen he ate just enough and drank just enough to give him energy for the night. He moved quickly to the back door and with a running jump went through the flap that Mike and Jackie, use all the time. Augie, a good kitten, only used the flap when there was no one to open the door. If a person was present a good kitten would sit and softly purr until the door opened.

Once through the door Augie rose to his full height, kept his back straight and his ears perked to hear the slightest sound. He moved slowly but deliberately in the large yard taking in every sight and sound.

The chickens were headed back to their house for the night, he was tempted to give chase but, it is time for work not play. Continuing his walk, he sees Mike headed toward the door for supper. Augie turned quickly and loped toward the dog.

"Hi, ya! Mike." Augie purred.

"Hi! Kid," Mike growled in reply.

"Anything new?" Augie questioned.

"Chased some ducks earlier; while doing it heard one of them say they thought that they had seen Hisser down by the pond. I looked around later but saw nothing." Mike yipped.
Hisser was the big black snake that Augie, Mike and Jackie chased from the wood pile a couple weeks past. Not good for the children or the family if he came back
.
"Also heard that some field mice had found a crack in the pantry and are planning on coming into the house." Mike growled again.

"Thanks, I'll check it." Augie purred. Scurrying to the rear of the farm house to see what he could find.

More than an hour of crawling here and there, over and under and around and thru netted Augie nothing. If there was an opening he could not find it but, field mice do not need much more than a sliver.

Working his way to the front of the house Augie saw farmer Elam and Jo Beth relaxing on the porch, she in rocker he in swing. Jackie, was stretched out between them. He decided to join them and talk to Jackie.but chose to lean back on his haunches then spring upward and land on the porch near the swing. He thought about jumping into the swing instead he rubbed himself against Jo Beth's legs until she patted her lap giving him the okay to jump up and be seated.


Laying across the woman's lap he purred to Jackie, "Hi 'ya, Miss J."

Without moving Jackie growled back, "What's up little kitty? Something going on."

Augie stretches on the woman's lap purring to tell Jackie what Mike said and about his search.

Jackie, opens one eye and looks up at Augie, "Tell you what kitten, during the night I hear anything I'll give you a yelp."

"Thanks, Jackie." Augie purrs, he rises on the woman's lap and springs to the swing. He climbs up farmer Elam's chest nuzzles the man's chin purrs quietly and jumps over his shoulder to the back of the swing then to the porch. He listens one more moment then drops to the ground and dashes under the house.

Augie doesn't like the underside of the farmhouse, but he needs to talk to Wispy, the spider. If anyone knows about an opening it would be him or his friends. They seem to get into the house at will.

"Wispy," Augie purrs, softly. Softly because he knew Wispy hates to be startled and if startled would not talk. Augie let his eyes adjust to the dim light and looks for the spot with the fewest webs. The web spinner told him the webs were a warning, most things headed toward his dark home would encounter at least one giving notice.

Augie crawls forward belly snuggled to the ground moving slowly whispurring, "Wispy...Wispy, you here?"

"Hey, cat or is it still kitten, what you want?" The spider sighs.

"I heard there is a new opening into the pantry. I been looking but have yet to see a thing.
"
"Bet yure ben lookin in da wrong place; try next to the big silver vent. Kiddo."

"Thanks, Wispy! I am still a kitten but for a mouse trying to enter the farmhouse I am the big bad cat.' Augie laughs. 'Wispy, before I go why do you talk like that?"

"It's expected man, it is expected." Wispy is laughing loudly when Augie slides from under the house.

The silver vent, Augie, thought for a moment, there were two. One on the roof where the heat from the stove left the house, the second next to the back porch where the dryer heat escapes. Probably the dryer; long climb both ways to the roof.

Augie sprints for the back door, hit the flap at a run and did not stop till he slid purring at the back-porch door. It was a few minutes before the farmer's oldest granddaughter passes.
"What's wrong Augie? You want on the porch?"

Using animal-people talk Augie brushes her legs, sweeping her knees with his tail. The girl smiles at the kitten and opens the door.

The porch is screen and glass, in the winter more glass in the summer more screen. It houses a small table and several chairs. The washer, dryer and ironing board. There is no TV but there is a radio used when the wife is working here. The reason Augie is here, the top of the dryer gives perfect view through the screen to the dryer vent.

Augie springs to the dryer top lies down with his head resting on the control board. He can see, but not be seen easily. He waits.

It is past midnight; the moon dropped thru the trees and went down about an hour ago; it was as dark as it was going to get. Augie laid still with only his right eye partially open. The mice ignored the kitten thinking he was as asleep as the rest of the family. So, they were not as quiet as they should have been, caution was lost.

Augie opened both eyes wide, they glowed like golden-green fire in the dark. "Little mice, I see you. I know your plan." Augie purred kitten like.

"Mr. Cat, you're awake. You may see us, you do not know our plan", the leader of the mice whined.

"Tell me what I do not know." Augie said.

"Hisser is on the prowl again, you know what he does to mice. Our so-called pals the rats have fixed them a nice fortress in the barn, the squirrels have the trees and chipmunks the bushes. We are stuck alone in the field. So, we were going to hide in the house until he is gone." The tone of the mouse was almost pleading.

Augie stood tall looking at the mice; "There is line on the side of the smoke house that leads to the roof. There is an old storage bin, the owls use it in the winter, and they are in the woods now, so it is empty. Go there for the night."

Augie moved closer to the screen; "Where is Hisser."

"He is at the far end of the corn field, I overheard a couple corn snakes said he is going to try for the chicken house. The smallest of the mice squeaks.

Augie the big bad kitten, meows, "Go now and stay away from my house."
Augie knew he had several hours, so he naps.

It was still before sunrise went Jo Beth enters the kitchen. She starts the coffee then comes onto the porch to start the day's laundry. As she opens the door Augie is through and looking for Mike. The dog is not on the rug by the fire place, he must be out.

Once again Augie sprints through the flap, Mike is just rounding the side of the barn. "Mike, he is back." Augie meows loudly.

"You know where", the dog growls?

"The far end of the corn field. We are going?"

"Sure, you are up to it?" The big dog barks at the kitten.

Augie stood tall as he could, his ears peaked, the hair on his back bristled, his tail stiffened, and the fur bristled, and he looked at Mike; "I am the cat, let's go."