How good it was to be in that warm room. Within minutes the Lady had toweled me mostly dry, and fed me by the crackling hot stove. Her children and the kittens sat and watched me drink down that good milk.

The door opened and a man walked inside. "Joseph! Look what Pilot brought home!" the Lady cried out.

She told him how Pilot had howled at the door and there I sat in the snow. The man said that Pilot must have saved me, as I certainly did look cold, thin and weary.

"Hello little cat," he said and with that he took me into his arms. I nuzzled him and tried to give him my best purr, but I was so tired, and so very sad.

"Aroooooooah!" came a sound from outside!

The Lady rushed to the door, threw it open and there was Pilot. He put his great muzzle into the snow and lifted out..

My Sister!

Everything happened at once. The Man gave me to one of the children and took Sister from Pilot. "Here! What have you brought to us now old friend?"

Pilot had gone back to that old shed and gotten her! She was still alive.

I could see her, so limp and small in his hands. "Mary! Get some towels! Heat some milk! Do you have any honey left?" he cried.

Both humans drew up close to the stove and worked on Sister. They chafted her fur with warm soft towels and the Man rubbed honey on her tongue and into her gums.

"See children, this will help her. She must be that Boy's sister! How far have they traveled, I wonder?" he said.

These two good humans worked over my Sister for hours. There was still a spark of life and spirit in her, and they would not give up. Once I walked to the Man and put my front paws on his knees. He unwrapped Sister and I gently licked her face. One eye opened and she said, "Have I crossed over? Are we in Heaven?"

"No," I replied, "not that Heaven, but one on earth! Dear Sister you must get strong!"

After supper the Man called his children to him and for a while told them a story, as he held Sister. A story of a Child born in a manger. This Child's birthday was in a few days! He told how the cattle had lowed, and the sheep had knelt to the Child. How He loved all creatures, great and small.

With that, my Sister raised her head and softly purred.