I remember once, when I was a boy, going out to hunt cats." "O Captain Montague! surely _you_ never hunted cats," exclaimed Alice, who came out of the tent with a very pale face, and uncommonly red eyes.
"Yes, indeed, I did _once_; but I never did it again.

I caught one, a kitten, and set off with a number of boys to kill it; but as we went along it began to play with my necktie, and to _purr_.

Our hearts were softened, so we let it go.

Ah, Corrie, my boy, never go hunting cats!" said Montague, earnestly.
"Did I say I was going to ?" replied Corrie indignantly.
Montague laughed, and so did Alice, at the fierce look the boy put on.
"Come," said the former, "I'm sure that you would not kill a pirate in cold blood any more than you would kill a kitten--would you ?" "I'm not sure o' that," said Corrie, half laughing, but still looking fierce.

"In the first place, my blood is never cold when I've to do with pirates; and, in the second place, pirates are not innocent creatures covered with soft hair, and--they don't purr!" This last remark set Alice into a fit of laughter, and drew a faint "hee! hee!" from Poopy, who had been listening to the conversation behind the canvas of the tent.
Montague took advantage of this improved state of things.