This was of so much use to him that be applied to Madame Puss again and again, until her warm coat of fur had become so thin and ragged that she could hardly keep comfortable through the winter.

Poor thing! she was forced to creep close into the chimney-corner, and eyed Ben with a very rueful physiognomy.

But Ben considered it more necessary that he should have paint-brushes than that puss should be warm.
About this period friend West received a visit from Mr.Pennington, a merchant of Philadelphia, who was likewise a member of the Society of Friends.

The visitor, on entering the parlor, was surprised to see it ornamented with drawings of Indian chiefs, and of birds with beautiful plumage, and of the wild flowers of the forest.

Nothing of the kind was ever seen before in the habitation of a Quaker farmer.
"Why, Friend West," exclaimed the Philadelphia merchant, "what has possessed thee to cover thy walls with all these pictures?
Where on earth didst then get them ?" Then Friend West explained that all these pictures were painted by little Ben, with no better materials than red and yellow ochre and a piece of indigo, and with brushes made of the black cat's fur.
"Verily," said Mr.Pennington, "the boy hath a wonderful faculty.