Chickens and Cats and a Mouse

While I was in Minneapolis for a week the kids dad stayed at the farm and "took care" of things.  He cleaned up a pile of wood next to the compost heap and saw a mouse run from the woodpile into the chicken house. 
On my return in the evening, I was noticing that our new cat "Margaret" (called alternately Margie, Madge, Marjorie and Large Marge courtesy Peewee Herman) was looking a little wild in the eye so I offered her the choice to go outside. She took it.
Our other cat Bella was already outside.  When I opened the door a couple hours later, there sat Marjorie on the front stoop, Amanda dog by her side.  They both sauntered in.
Bella was nowhere to be seen. I went back an hour later and called. And another hour later...Bella always comes in, but not this night.
I wondered where she was, figured it may be her wild night and went to bed.  When I got the paper in the morn I expected to see a cat right at the door... but Bella was not to be seen. I was getting worried.  I did regular morning stuff --took Wilder to school, stopped for tea, scones, and drove back home.  As I got out of my car I noticed the chickens had not been let out of their house by Wilder that morning and they sounded pissed.  Usually when they are cranky birds I talk to them and they calm right down.  But they were in a state and as I walked around the house to let them out they were really lecturing me. 
I unlocked the door and lifted the flap... and out shot a small black cat, Bella.  She had just spent 14 hours in a coop with five birds.  I hope she got that mouse!

Pic: A Welsummer and a Golden Laced Wyandotte on my porch surveying the insect population.

Rose told me when she was locking the chickens up tonight, Bella, Marge, and Amanda went with her--but Bella stayed far away from the door.