CHAPTER XII
THE rope was one which the sailors had put out to tell them how many miles an hour they were going. This rope had a wonderful wheel at the end of it which kept twisting and turning in the water.
Every now and then the rope would turn suddenly over and poor Pinkie Whiskers would go under the water with it and nearly fall off. At last he was rested and climbed the rope to the ship. When no one was about he jumped aboard.
Of course, he did not know which way to go, but there was a pleasant smell of cooking in the air and he followed this smell.
He soon found himself in a big kitchen with many people hurrying about. There were cooks with white caps and aprons and waiters with white jackets.
Pinkie Whiskers kept very close to the wall and ran until he saw a white jacket hanging on a nail.
Pinkie Whiskers saw that the jacket had pockets, so he ran up the side of the wall and hid in one of the pockets. He had just nestled down for a little nap, for he was very tired, when along came the owner of the jacket. He took it off from the nail and put it on.
Pinkie Whiskers, did not know what to do, but he decided to keep very still. The waiter took his tray of food and went into the dining room. Pinkie Whiskers peeped out of the pocket and saw many tables with people about them.
Pinkie Whiskers’ head was still out of the pocket when the waiter went up to a table to serve a lady. She saw Pinkie Whiskers and screamed, “A mouse! a mouse!”
Now, Pinkie Whiskers knew that he was a rat and not a mouse, so at first he did not think that she meant him, but when all of the ladies jumped up from the table and started to run, Pinkie Whiskers jumped from the pocket and ran too.
He hid behind the leg of a big chair and did not move until he felt the ship stop and saw everyone going ashore. He started to go ashore too and as everyone had bundles and baggage, he picked up a small hand bag, an umbrella, a can and a cage filled with butterflies, grasshoppers and a lady-bug.
He had only gone a short way when the door of the cage flew open and the insects flew out.
“I never had so much trouble in all my life,” complained Pinkie Whiskers.
He ran after them and caught as many as he could and put them back into the cage for he wanted to take them home as presents to his dear ones.
CHAPTER XIII
PINKIE WHISKERS found it very hard to travel over the country road with all of his baggage. He caught his feet in the cage and fell over it several times.
He did not know the way home and he had to ask every little wild creature that he met where the cheese factory was.
At last he met Billy Jay, for Billy Jay had gone out to search for him. Billy Jay felt sure that Pinkie Whiskers was not drowned and when he met his little friend coming down the road he was not even surprised.
“Hello, Billy Jay!” shouted Pinkie Whiskers. “You see that I am coming home.”
“Hello, Pinkie Whiskers!” cried Billy Jay. “I never was so glad to see anyone in my life. Let me carry something for you.”
“All right, you may carry my handbag, if you wish,” said Pinkie Whiskers.
Now that Pinkie Whiskers had company, it did not seem any time at all before they reached the cheese factory.
Pinkie Whiskers opened the door and walked right in, just as the family was eating supper.
Mother Gray screamed and ran to kiss her son. Father Gray, Winkle, Twinkle and Uncle Whiskers stood by and waited for their turn.
“Now, children, let Pinkie Whiskers eat his supper before you ask him any questions. The poor little fellow must be very, very hungry after his long journey.”
Pinkie Whiskers ate and ate, then he told them all about the good Water-Fairy, who was a friend of the Tree-Fairy and how she had asked the Water-Fairy to help him.
Winkle, Twinkle and Billy Jay were so amazed by Pinkie Whiskers’ story that they stood and stared at him with big eyes.
Uncle Whiskers shook himself and said, “There now, Mother Gray, didn’t I tell you not to worry about Pinkie Whiskers?”
“And, yes,” cried Pinkie Whiskers, “you said perhaps I might write a book and I have already started one. So you see that you are always right, Uncle Whiskers.”