" I only count five of them... "
   " It'll turn up.  You know how kittens are.  They play, they have a nap attack, they sleep where ever they were playing, they wake up and look for Mum.  It never fails, hunger is the great motivator.  Just give it an hour or so, it'll turn up. "
  Yes, good, except my Mum is on the way in 20 minutes.  I really need to run the sweeper but until I know where that last kitten is I can't.  "
  " Kittens also get over being frightened by the sweeper, you know... It's not like they'll be scarred for life or anything. "
  " It's not scarring I'm worried about, it's the end tube is larger than the kitten.  "
  " Ah, I begin to see... You think it might end up sucked into the tube? "
  " Yes.  Nearly got the tawny one a few days ago.  It just ran right up when I was doing the baseboards. "
  " You don't have an attachement for that? "
  " Had, but it cracked.  It always got stopped up several times before I got done.  Just as glad not to have it, really, saves time. "
  "  I'm not finding that kitten.  Where haven't we looked ?
  " Have we looked in boots, shoes, bags, under pillows, under or behind the furniture, in the fireplace, the ash bin, the wood bin? "
  " I think so.  Now where? "
  " I'll look in the knot holes in the panelling and in the laundry.  Your hands are small, try the book shelves.  They like to sleep behind the books, if you please."
  The pair of us split to continue the search for the missing kitten.  It didn't turn it up.  I had a hunch after exhausting all the usual places and decided to take up the cushions on the chairs and the sofa.  Under the last cushion, where nearly all the guests sit, was the sleeping kitten.
  " You have got to see this. "
  "  Omigosh!  I would never have thought to look there.  Kittens, ffs! Why do they do the things they do? "
  " Because they can. "
  We looked at each other and burst into hysterical laughter.