"We must get up a set of rules and regulations," said Captain Noah at the breakfast table. "It's all very well to carry a cargo of coal or salt but when it comes to animals it's quite another thing. Each animal is so blamed different," and Captain Noah heaved a great sigh as he lifted the steaming cup of coffee to his lips.
Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb had risen with the sun—that is, I should say, at an early hour, for of course there was no sun. No, indeed, there was nothing but rain and a wide expanse of water. Water, water, everywhere, but not a speck of dirt. The whole world seemed nothing but water. The only thing that wasn't water was the Ark and its passengers.
However, this did not keep Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb from eating a hearty breakfast. They were good travelers, whether by land or sea, and to Puss, who had passed through many a dangerous adventure, the present situation seemed one of great interest.
Mother Goose was also in high spirits. Turning to Captain Noah, she said:
"My dear Captain, if it weren't for you, I hardly know what in the world I should have done. To fly on gander-back through the rain for forty days and nights would be impossible, so I have you to thank for my deliverance."
"Don't mention it, my dear Mother Goose," replied Captain Noah. "I did only what was my duty. You know, I have always been the Weatherman of Arkville, and, if I do say it, I have hit the mark every time. I knew, in fact, I felt, that we were to have forty days and forty nights of rain. For the last two weeks I have published this in the Arkville News. To have the Ark finished in time was my greatest ambition, and now to reach Mount Ararat will be the crowning joy of my career.
One wide river,
Until we bumped on Ararat,
One wide river to cross."
"I've so often heard that song at the Minstrels," said Mother Goose, "that I believe it's really coming true."
FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS
Of all the animals, however, the elephant was the most sea sick.
"Of course, it had to be the biggest animal!" said Captain Noah at breakfast one morning. "Too bad, my dear," turning to Mrs. Noah, "that you have such an unwieldy patient on your hands." Mrs. Noah only smiled.
"He does very little complaining," replied Mrs. Noah, "that is one thing to be thankful for. Now, take the little black ant. She does nothing but complain all the time. I'd rather attend to the elephant ten times over."
"Well, mother, you always had something to be thankful for at the Ark Hotel. I'm glad that on board the Ark you still keep your cheerful disposition!" answered Captain Noah.
But, oh, dear me! Pretty soon Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb wondered if the forty days and forty nights would ever end and if the rain would ever stop. At last, one day, it seemed as if the sun were trying to break through the clouds. And then, all of a sudden, the rain ceased, and in the distance the dim outline of a mountain appeared through the mist.
At once the animals began to sing:
One wide river,
Until we bumped on Ararat,
One wide river to cross."
As if in obedience to the words of the song the Ark grounded, the sun came out from the clouds, and every one knew the voyage was at an end, for
One wide river,
And the monkey kissed the cow good-by,
One wide river to cross."
In a few minutes the gang-plank was lowered and the animals landed. Captain Noah was the last to leave.
"Well," he exclaimed, "we have passed through an awful lot. But we're safe on land again." "Hurrah!" shouted all the animals, "we're safe at last!"
UP AND DOWN
Good neighbors, I pray?
They say the balloon
Is gone up to the moon.
It was the day of the county fair. Puss, Junior, had bought his ticket and stood looking about him uncertain what to do.
"They say the balloon has gone up to the moon," cried the crowd.
"Why, I've been up to the moon," said Puss, Junior, "but never will I get excited over that?" But, nevertheless, he walked up to the balloon man and asked. "When does your next balloon go up?"
"In about five minutes," replied the owner of the air craft. "We have an ascension every half hour."
"Well," replied our little hero, "I would like to be one of your passengers!"
"Pay your shilling and you shall have a seat in the basket," answered the owner.
After waiting for perhaps an hour the basket car was filled. My, how the people cheered as the balloon ascended, and when it had almost reached the clouds Puss leaned over the edge of the basket and threw little notes down to the people below. "Tell my good friends that Puss in Boots, Junior, has gone up in a balloon," he wrote on one of them.
On another, he scribbled, "Puss in Boots, Junior, is about to visit the Man in the Moon."
"You had better be careful," said the owner of the balloon, "how do I know we'll reach the moon?"
"If you follow my directions you will," replied Puss, Junior, "for I have been there before and, to tell you the truth, it is a most remarkable place. The moon is an unexplored country."
"Well, I'll take your word for it," said the navigator of the balloon express. "I don't know much about these sky roads, but if you'll kindly consent to tell me where to steer my air craft, perhaps we'll reach the moon without a mishap."
"Trust to me," said Puss, Junior, "for I have traveled far and if I don't know the way to the moon, my name is not Puss in Boots, Junior."
So the owner of the balloon steered the big air craft straight up to the sky. Oh, dear me! But strange things will happen! For as they were sailing along as smoothly as could be, there came a sudden gust of wind, and the balloon, instead of pointing for the big, round moon that shone like a silver dollar overhead, suddenly swerved to one side and before anyone could say "Jack Robinson" there was a dreadful explosion and Puss and his fellow passengers found themselves falling to the earth.
"Good gracious!" exclaimed Puss. "What's the matter?"
Before his question was answered the balloon crashed into a big willow tree.
ROCK-A-BY
When the wind blows the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall;
Down tumbles baby, cradle and all."
"S-s-sh!" cried the balloon man, "We will wake the baby if we are not careful."
"Won't it be sad if the bough breaks," said Puss, Junior, "it will be almost as bad for the baby as it was for us when the balloon fell into this tree."
"It might be worse," said one of the passengers, who stood near them on a limb, looking anxiously to the ground.
"Suppose we take down the cradle," said the balloon man.
"Somebody must have hung it up here," said Puss, "we have no right to take it down; it's not our baby."
"You are perfectly right," said another passenger. "It isn't our cradle and it isn't our baby, so the best thing for us to do is to leave the cradle and climb down."
As soon as the passengers were once more upon the ground they demanded their fare back, saying that they had paid for a trip to the moon, and not for a fall into a willow tree.
"This doesn't seem quite fair to me," remarked the balloon man, looking ruefully at his wrecked balloon. "I don't think I should give you back more than half, for the first part of the journey was successful."
"You didn't keep to your bargain," cried Puss, stoutly; "and besides, you endangered our lives. I don't want to pay to go up in the air a little way and then be hurled down into a willow tree; it takes all the niceness out of the way up and makes the way down too dangerous."
So the balloon man paid back the money and turned away. "Why don't you take the basket car with you?" asked Puss, Junior.
"It's too big to carry," replied the balloon man. "I'll come around for it to-morrow with a horse and wagon."
Pretty soon all the passengers had gone, leaving Puss alone under the willow tree. All of a sudden the baby began to cry, so Puss sang softly:
When the wind blows the cradle will rock."
And then the baby stopped crying, so Puss turned away and entered the old mill that stood in the shade of the old willow tree.
THE ROCK-A-BY BABY
Mother's been toiling the hours away;
While up in the tree-top beneath the blue sky
Baby has rocked to the wind's lullaby.
Waiting is over, my sweet little one,
Mother is here for her own blue-eyed son.
Home we will go, and baby shall rest,
All the night through on mother's warm breast.
"Dearie me," suddenly exclaimed the dusty miller, "how tired she looks," and he walked to the door.
"Let me carry the cradle," said Puss, and lifting it on his shoulder, followed the grateful little woman down the road.
When they reached the house Puss was tired, for the cradle was heavy, and had nearly slipped off his shoulder two or three times, and once, when the baby caught hold of it, Puss nearly stumbled.
"Come and rest," said the baby's mother, opening the little wicket gate in the white fence. Puss looked up at the pretty porch, covered with a honeysuckle vine. "Thank you," he answered, "I will," and he set the cradle down on the floor.
"Please look after the baby," said the little mother, "while I get the supper?"
"I'll try," said Puss, "but I'm not used to babies, and perhaps he'll roll off the porch."
"Oh, you can keep him from doing that," replied the little mother, "he's the best baby in the world!" So Puss sat down and played with him for almost half an hour. By and by a little bird began to sing:
My bonnie laddie;
Dance to your daddie, my bonnie lamb.
You shall get a fishy
On a little dishy;
You shall get a fishy when the boat comes home."
Pretty soon after that the little mother carried the baby into the house.
Puss followed her into a cozy room, where, on the mantlepiece, stood a tick-tocky clock, just striking six. The tablecloth was spread and everything was ready for supper. Over in the corner hung a cage, in which sat a big green parrot.
"Polly want a cracker?" asked Puss.
"No, I don't want a cracker," replied the parrot; "I want a little mouse."
"What!" cried Puss, "you don't mean to say you don't like crackers?"
"I'm tired of them," said the parrot.
"Did you ever eat a raisin cracker?" said Puss, with a grin.
But the parrot didn't reply. Pretty soon he opened the door of his cage and came out. Puss was all alone in the room, for the mother had taken the baby upstairs.
"I'm going to fly out of the window," exclaimed the parrot. "I'm tired being alone all day in this house." And before Puss could stop him, he opened the window and flew away.
"The parrot's gone!" cried Puss running to the foot of the stairs. Then he rushed out into the yard and found the parrot perched on the limb of an old apple tree.
"I won't come back!" he cried. "I won't!"
SAILORS TWO
Whose parrot two guineas it cost her,
But his tongue never ceasing,
Was vastly displeasing
To the talkative woman of Glo'ster."
Now as soon as the old woman who lived next door saw Puss, Junior, climb the tree to catch the parrot who had flown out of the window, she cried, "Don't let the pussy cat get you, Polly."
But goodness me! As soon as the old woman's parrot heard that he was up in the tree with the other parrot, and then they both began to scream, "I won't come back! I won't come back!"
"I don't care what they do," said the old woman, "I'd much rather have a cat for a pet than a parrot, anyway. He has been a dreadful care ever since my son, who is a sailor, brought him home."
So Puss looked down from the tree and said, "Then would you rather I didn't catch your parrot?"
"Yes, let him go," said the old woman.
"But I must catch the other one," said Puss.
"Well, you'll have to get a pair of wings, my dear Sir Cat," cried the parrot. "You may be Puss in Boots, Junior, but you can't fly. So I bid you farewell," and away he flew, and then the old woman's parrot clapped his wings and followed him.
So there was nothing for Puss to do but come down from the tree. And then all of a sudden the old woman cried, "Why, here comes my son," and a sailor boy jumped over the fence and threw his arms around her.
"My ship just got in to-day, mother," he cried, giving her a big hug. And after that he looked at Puss, and said, "Shiver my timbers, but that's a fine cat you have, mother."
"He's not mine," answered the old woman, "but I wish he would stay with us, my parrot has just flown away."
"Thank you, madam," said Puss, "but I must be on my way to find my father, Puss in Boots."
"We sail to-morrow," said the sailor boy, "why don't you come aboard ship? You'll have a fine trip, and maybe you'll find your father at the first sea-port we reach."
"Good idea," cried Puss, "I'll go with you."
"All right, my hearty," cried the sailor boy, slapping Puss on the back, "you and I will be pals. A sailor's life is the life for me."
"Then I'll be a sailor, too," cried Puss, "and to-morrow we will sail the ocean blue."
A WONDERFUL SHIP
A-sailing on the sea;
And it was full of pretty things
For baby and for me."
"Hurrah!" cried Puss, Junior, "A sailor's life is the life for me." The good ship was at the dock, and her crew of sailor boys were ready to cast off the mooring lines. Puss, Junior, had been promised a sailor-suit as soon as the ship's tailor had the time to make it.
Just then the little woman who hung her baby's cradle on the willow tree by the old mill, came walking down to the dock.
"Are you going, too?" asked Puss, helping her with the cradle, for she had walked a long way and was very tired.
"Yes, indeed," she replied, "because it's full of pretty things for baby and for me."
"How jolly!" cried Puss, dancing about on his toes. "We'll have a fine trip."
"That's what the 'rusty, dusty' miller said," cried the baby's mother. "He told me this morning when I put the cradle in the 'Rock-a-by' willow tree that the ship was sailing to-day and that they needed a cook; so I'm going to ask the Captain if I may cook and bake for you all. I know how to make the nicest cookies you ever ate. You just wait and see what nice things we will have to eat."
Then Puss helped her over the gang-plank, for the crew was busy loading the good ship with all kinds of things.
Pretty soon the miller came running down the dock. "Here is a sack of flour," he panted, "I thought you might need some for muffins."
"Isn't that fine?" said Puss, leaning over the rail. "There's nothing like having plenty of food aboard in case the voyage is a long one."
"I don't know where we are bound," said the baby's mother, "but baby will like it, I'm sure. One can 'rock-a-by baby' on the sea as well as on the old willow tree."
"I heard," said the 'rusty, dusty' miller, as he laid the heavy sack of flour on the deck, and wiped the perspiration from his forehead, "that
And apples in the hold;
The sails were made of silk,
And the masts were made of gold."
"Why, so they are," cried Puss, gazing up at the beautiful tall shining masts. "They are of gold, of course they are. Look, baby," he cried, "see the gold masts."
"He's too young to know whether they are made of gold or good old oak," said his mother, "but we'll teach him to be a good sailor, won't we, Puss, dear?"
ALL ABOARD!
That stood between the decks,
Were four and twenty white mice,
With chains about their necks."
"There's a locket fastened to every chain," cried Puss. "What pretty lockets."
"Each little sailor mouse has a picture of his mother in his locket," said the Captain, who stood near by giving the orders. Now,
With a packet on his back;
And when the ship began to move
The Captain cried, 'Quack! Quack!'"
"Hello!" said Puss, Junior, stretching out his right paw. "Hello, Captain! Aren't you the duck that took me across the pond on your back a long, long time ago. You told me about your cousin, the Golden Goose, don't you remember?"
"So I did," said the Captain, looking Puss over. "Shiver my timbers if you're not Puss, Junior!"
"The very same," replied Puss.
"And haven't you found your daddy yet?" asked the Captain as his good ship swung away from the dock, her silk sails filling with the breeze until they looked like great big balloons cut in half.
"No, Captain," replied Puss, sadly, "I haven't."
"Well, we'll ask for him at every port," replied the kind master of the good ship, which was now rolling and dipping in the most graceful way possible. "I'll ask every old land lubber on the docks when we touch port. We'll hear some news, never fear." And then the Captain went over to tell the man at the tiller where to go. The "man" at the wheel was a little white mouse, but he knew how to steer the ship as well as any pilot, let me tell you.
"I don't have to rock the cradle," said the baby's mother, with a smile, looking up at Puss, as he tip-toed over to where she sat.
"No, he's fast asleep," replied Puss, "and the big blue ocean is rocking him better than the willow tree."
Where the foam-crested billows ripple and dip;
And the breeze from the land of the big yellow moon
Is turning the sail to a great white balloon."
"Where did you hear that pretty song?" asked Puss.
"Why, I just made it up," replied the baby's mother.
"Mothers always do that when they rock their little ones to sleep, you know."
OLD TOM
Pretty soon the good ship came about, and with her silken sails flapping in the wind, drifted up to the dock.
"Make fast!" shouted the Captain. The four and twenty little sailor mice jumped nimbly on the dock, and in a few minutes made the silk ropes fast to the posts. Then the good ship came to a standstill, and the gang-plank was lowered.
"All ashore that's going ashore!" quacked the captain.
"Oh Captain Duck," cried Puss, Junior, "we don't have to land, do we?"
"No," replied the Duck. "But you may go ashore for a little while if you wish. We don't sail for two hours."
"All right!" replied Puss, "I'll take a run on the grass," and he walked down the gang-plank across the old wharf, until he came to a path, well worn by the sailors who for years had carried the cargoes up to the little village. Under a tree close by sat an old sailor. He was smoking a big black pipe as contentedly as could be. But as soon as he saw Puss he took it out of his mouth.
"Ahoy, my breezy little reefer," he cried.
"Good morning," replied Puss.
"Don't be in a hurry," said the old sailor. "Just moor your little hulk alongside of old Tom."
"What's the matter, my breezy little skipper?" asked the old sailor after a few minutes silence, for, Puss, you see, didn't know what to say.
"Nothing," replied Puss, sadly, "only, I can't find my father, the famous Puss in Boots."
"What did he look like?" asked the old sailor, with a grin.
"He looked like me——or, rather, I look like him," replied Puss.
"Well, my merry little sandpiper!" cried the old salt, "you should have stayed at home!"
"I don't agree with you," said Puss stoutly, "I wanted to see the world."
"Give me your flipper," said the old sailor kindly. "Good luck to ye. I hope you find your daddy."
A NEW PASSENGER
Silver buckles on his knee;
He'll come back and marry me,
Pretty Bobby Shafto.
Bobby Shafto's fat and fair,
Combing down his yellow hair;
He's my love for aye and ere,
Pretty Bobby Shafto."
"Hello," said Puss when she had finished her song.
"Did you just get off that pretty ship," she asked.
"Yes, Miss," replied Puss.
"Was Bobby Shafto on board?"
"I didn't see him," replied Puss. "Did you expect him?"
"I don't know," replied the little girl, "but I run down to look every time a ship comes to the old dock. And I always ask the old sailor who sits on the bench over there if he has seen my Bobby."
"You're looking for your Bobby, and I'm searching for my daddy," said Puss, sadly. And then he told the little girl how discouraged he was because in all his travels he had not yet found him.
And then, all of a sudden, they heard a voice calling, "All aboard!"
"Goodness!" exclaimed Puss, "I must hurry; the ship's going to sail. Good-by!" and off he ran to the dock as fast as he could.
"Wait for me," called out the little girl, "I guess I'll go, too. I may find Bobby Shafto."
"Hurry, hurry!" cried Puss, looking back. "I'll run ahead and ask the Captain to wait."
And it was lucky he did, for the gang-plank was being hauled in just as he arrived. "Wait for us!" he shouted.
"Why, I don't see anybody else," said the Captain, as Puss stepped aboard.
"Yes, there is," answered Puss, "There she comes!"
And in another minute, with her bonnet strings streaming in the wind, the little girl came running down the dock.
"Thank you for waiting," she cried, turning to the Captain. "I'd have been so disappointed if you had left me behind."
And then she stood close to Puss as the good ship left the dock. "Good luck, my little skipper," shouted the old sailor.
"Good-by," cried Puss, waving his cap to the old salt.
OVER THE WATER
So the little girl followed Puss down the stairs to the cabin, where they heard a sweet voice singing:
And over the water to Charley.
I'll have none of your horrid beef,
Nor I'll have none of your barley:
But I'll have some of your very best flour
To make a white cake for my Charley."
"S-s-sh!" said the mother of the baby as Puss and the little girl came in.
"Are you going to make a cake with the flour the miller brought on board?" asked Puss in a whisper.
"Yes," said the baby's mother. "But what's your name?" turning to the little girl.
"She's looking for Bobby Shafto," answered Puss.
"What's your name, little girl," asked the rock-a-by-baby's mother.
"Alice," said the little girl.
"I'm glad you like it," said the little girl. "And what is yours?"
"Mine? Oh, you can call me 'The Rock-a-by Baby's Mother.'"
"Let's go out on deck," suggested Puss. "Won't you come, too?" he asked, turning to the baby's mother.
Rolling in the sea were huge black porpoises. Over and over they rolled like great footballs. Flying fish rose out of the water, and overhead the gulls sailed back and forth on their great wings. The breeze was blowing strong and steady, and now and then the salt spray came over the railing. Some of it wet Puss, Junior's, whiskers.
"Did you get wet?" asked Alice.
"Not much," said Puss. "Besides, I don't care for a little spray, anyway."
"Come over here and sit down on this coil of rope," said the Rock-a-By-Baby's Mother, and I'll sing you a song:
Sailor Boy, Mother is dreaming of you.
Thinking of Sailor Boy out on the foam,
Hoping that Sailor Boy soon will be home."
CUSTARD AND MUSTARD
Even the little girl who was waiting for Bobby Shafto to come home told Puss she had forgotten all about him.
Well, as soon as the ship was fast to the dock, Puss said good-by to Captain Duck and the sailor mice.
"I hope Bobby Shafto will return soon," he whispered to the little girl as he kissed her good-by.
"I shall miss you very much," he said to the Rock-a-By-Baby's mother.
"Will you, my dear Puss?" she answered, giving him a hug. "You're a dear little cat! I hope you soon find your father. When you do, tell him he has a fine little son—tell him that from me, won't you?"
And after that Puss went upon his way, and by and by, after a while he found himself on a broad highway. "I wonder what will happen next?" he said to himself, and just then he came to a small house near the road. So he stopped at the front gate to listen to a sweet voice singing:
He shall have cakes and a custard;
But when he does nothing but cry
He shall have nothing but mustard."
Puss opened the gate and peeped through the window. In the centre of the room stood a small boy, wiping his eyes with a little pink handkerchief.
"Nothing but mustard," repeated his mother, "if you don't stop crying."
"Meow!" cried Puss at the window. "Won't you give me some custard?" And then, my goodness! didn't that little boy stop crying!
"Look at the cat with boots on!" he cried, running up to the window.
"You both shall have some custard," said Jack's mother, "and then you may go out to the swing and have a good time."
Well, it didn't take long to eat the custard, and then Jacky and Puss went out under the big tree.
Away we go,
Up to the skies,
Down to the ground;
This is the finest
Sport I've found,"
"After supper, Jacky, I'll tell you how I was a sailor boy for almost a week on the ocean blue!"
ROWLEY FROG
Oh yes, of course. He had scarcely said good-by to the little boy when whom should he meet but Mr. Rowley Frog and a big rat.
"So you're going to make a call on Mrs. Mousey," said Puss, as he and Mr. Rowley Frog and the rat reached the dusty highway.
"Yes, sir-ee," replied Mr. Rowley Frog. "She lives just over there." And when Puss looked across the meadow he saw a cute little house.
"Looks like a pretty nice little place," said the rat; "let's hurry along." So all three started off on a run.
Heigh-ho, says Rowley.
They gave a loud knock, and they gave a loud call.
Pray, Mrs. Mouse, are you within?
Heigh-ho, says Rowley!
Oh, yes, kind sirs, I'm sitting to spin.
"I guess she's too busy," said Puss. "We'd better not interrupt her."
"Nonsense," replied Mr. Rowley Frog, bowing to Mrs. Mousey, who happened just then to look out of her little window. Then Mr. Rat took off his cap and said:
Heigh-ho, says Rowley.
"For Froggy and I are fond of good cheer."
"Indeed, I will not," said Mrs. Mousey. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself! And as for Mr. Anthony Rowley, he must throw away that horrid cigar if he wants to call on me."
Well, goodness gracious! Didn't Mr. Rowley look ashamed! He threw his cigar away at once, and Mr. Rat hid behind Puss, he was so embarrassed, and as soon as Mrs. Mousey saw that they were both truly sorry for what they had done, she smiled and said:
Heigh-ho, says Rowley.
"But let it be something that's not very long."
"Indeed, Mrs. Mouse," replied the Frog,
Heigh-ho, says Rowley.
"I've caught quite a cold, for it's damp in the bog."
"Since you have caught cold, Mr. Frog," Mousey said,
Heigh-ho, says Rowley.
"I'll sing you a song that I have just made."
But first she opened the door and invited them in. "I'm not afraid of you," she said to Puss, "for I know you are Mr. Puss in Boots, Junior."
Well, just as soon as they were all seated, she began to sing:
Very small and trim,
Nice Swiss cheeses good for sneezes,
Filled up to the brim.
Also candy, fine and dandy,
Ice cream soda, too,
If you're nice to little mice,
I'll give some to you."
"I'll see that my two small friends behave," said Puss, with a grin.