Puss in Boots, Jr., and the Good Gray Horse Part 18

Then he took off his silver goggles and shook hands with Puss, and soon they all came back to the little cottage and had ice cream and sponge cake, and Bobby Shafto fed the Good Gray Horse a quart of oats, and after that Puss said good-by and rode away.

LITTLE ROBIN REDBREAST

"WELL, well!" said Puss to himself as he left Bobby Shafto and the little girl. "To think I should see an airship in Mother Goose country!"

By and by he heard a little bird singing:

"Little Robin Redbreast sat upon a tree, Up went p.u.s.s.y cat, and down went he; Down came p.u.s.s.y cat, away robin ran; Said Little Robin Redbreast, 'Catch me if you can!'

Little Robin Redbreast jumped upon a wall, p.u.s.s.y cat jumped after him, and almost got a fall; Little Robin chirped and sang, and what did p.u.s.s.y say?

p.u.s.s.y cat said, 'Mew,' and Robin flew away."

"What are you trying to do?" asked Puss, Junior, stopping under the tree and looking up at the p.u.s.s.y cat.

"I'm not trying to do anything," replied the p.u.s.s.y cat, crossly. "I was wishing I had wings."

"They'd be very convenient at times," said Puss, with a grin.

"Indeed they would," answered the p.u.s.s.y cat. "I'd rather have them than red-topped boots."

"Perhaps," answered Puss. "But I have found my boots most helpful. Do you know," he continued, "if people would be a little more contented with what they have I think they'd get more."

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The p.u.s.s.y cat looked ashamed of herself. "What you say is very true. I suppose I ought to be thankful that I have such strong claws. It's not hard work climbing trees, and as for running, my legs carry me very well. Perhaps I don't need wings, after all."

"Well, I never saw a flying cat," admitted Puss, Junior, "although I've seen some remarkable things since I started out to find my father, Puss in Boots."

"So you are a traveler," said the p.u.s.s.y cat, jumping down from the wall and walking up to Puss. "How long have you been looking for your father?"

"A long, long time," replied Puss, Junior. "Do you know, sometimes I almost get discouraged, for this is a big world and at times I feel so very, very small."

"Well, you come home with me," said the p.u.s.s.y cat. "You need a good rest. I think you're tired out."

THE ELF CHILD

LITTLE Miss p.u.s.s.y Cat had a house That was very trim and neat.

But, oh, dear me! there wasn't a mouse For little Miss p.u.s.s.y to eat.

"There's a nice, soft cushion on the window seat," she said to Puss, Junior. "Why don't you take a nap?"

And as he was very tired with his long journey, he curled up and was soon fast asleep. But, oh, dear me! all of a sudden there came a loud knocking on the door, and when Miss p.u.s.s.y opened it there stood a little dog with a very loud bark. And then, of course, Puss woke up with a start.

"Please make him go away," said Miss p.u.s.s.y Cat. "I'm dreadfully afraid of dogs."

So Puss picked up his big stick and the little dog ran away as fast as he could, never again to bother little Miss p.u.s.s.y Cat. And shall I tell you why? It was because when he finally stopped running he found himself in the woods where the fairies lived.

And when they saw him they said to one another, "This little dog has been up to mischief, for if not, why should he run so fast?" And then the king of the fairies said, "I will see that he makes no further mischief," and he waved his silver wand, and the little dog turned into a dogwood flower that blooms every year in the same spot under the great shady trees.

Of course little Miss p.u.s.s.y wondered for a long time why she never saw him, until, one day, Jennie Wren, who lived in the woods, told her what the fairies had done.

Well, pretty soon Puss, Junior, set out once more to find his father, and as he went along he whistled a tune to keep up his spirits, when, all of a sudden, he heard a little low whistle. And there in the road, a few feet ahead, was a tiny little man dressed in green with a high-peaked hat on his head.

"I've never heard a whistling cat, So come to the wood with me, And whistle a tune to my elfin child Under the greenwood tree."

Then little Puss, Junior, followed the queer little dwarf and by and by, after a while, they came to a glen in the wood where, under a great oak tree, sat the prettiest little elf you ever saw. He was playing with a gray squirrel and a striped chipmunk, but when he saw Puss he gave a glad shout and away went the squirrel and the chipmunk. But he didn't care, for a cat with boots was something he had never seen.

"Teach him to whistle, Sir Cat," said the dwarf.

So Puss sat down by the elf child and by and by, just as the stars began to twinkle from the sky, he had taught him to whistle. And, would you believe it? it sounded like a bird, it was so sweet and clear. And after that Puss went on his way to find his father, happy to think that he had proved so good a music master.

And some day, in another book, I will tell you how little Puss, Junior, finds his dear father.

THE END

THE PUSS-IN-BOOTS, Jr. SERIES

By DAVID CORY

Author of "The Little Jack Rabbit Stories" and "Little Journeys to Happyland"

Handsomely Bound. Colored Wrappers. Ill.u.s.trated.

Each Volume Complete in Itself.

To know Puss Junior once is to love him forever. That's the way all the little people feel about this young, adventurous cat, son of a very famous father.

THE ADVENTURES OF PUSS-IN-BOOTS, JR.

FURTHER ADVENTURES OF PUSS-IN-BOOTS, JR.

PUSS-IN-BOOTS, JR. IN FAIRYLAND TRAVELS OF PUSS-IN-BOOTS, JR.

PUSS-IN-BOOTS, JR., AND OLD MOTHER GOOSE PUSS-IN-BOOTS, JR., IN NEW MOTHER GOOSE LAND PUSS-IN-BOOTS, JR., AND THE GOOD GRAY HORSE PUSS-IN-BOOTS, JR., AND TOM THUMB PUSS-IN-BOOTS, JR., AND ROBINSON CRUSOE PUSS-IN-BOOTS, JR., AND THE MAN IN THE MOON

GROSSET & DUNLAP, _Publishers_, NEW YORK