Puss Junior and Robinson Crusoe Part 17

STORY-TELLING

AFTER they had seen everything there was to be seen they all went into the cosy kitchen, Puss, Junior, with Tom Thumb on his shoulder and the pretty girl who kept the lighthouse.

"And now we shall have supper," she said. "And after that, when the lamp is lighted in the tower, we'll sit outside on the doorstep and Puss, Junior, shall tell me one of his adventures."

"Well, what shall I tell and where shall I begin?" asked Puss, when they all were seated outside the lighthouse.

"Tell me how you and Tom became fellow travelers," said the girl, taking Tom up in her hand and placing him on her knee.

"Willingly," said Puss, stroking his whiskers and curling his great mustache, "and should I make a mistake in the telling Tom may correct me.

"When I left my father at the Castle of my Lord of Carabas I had gone but a few miles when I came to Tom Thumb's house. And as soon as his mother saw me she asked me to go to King Arthur's Court and find out about her son, Tom Thumb. She had made him but a few days before a small cambric parasol, and with this as a sort of airs.h.i.+p he had floated off on the wind to the castle. When I got there I found that poor Tom was imprisoned in a mousetrap. He had fallen into the dough which the royal baker was about to bake into cakes for King Arthur. And this had so angered the baker that he had thrown Tom into a mousetrap."

"It was worse than that, I was to be beheaded," interposed Tom. "I owe my life to Puss, Junior."

At this, Puss actually blushed, for he was a modest little cat, although he had traveled much and had been royally treated.

"Say not so, my dear Tom," he cried, "for King Arthur was only too glad to comply with my request when I asked him to release you. In fact, it was not because he feared my sword, but because he liked my rhyme."

"How did it run?" asked the girl. And Puss, blus.h.i.+ng still more deeply, commenced to recite this little verse:

"My good King Arthur rules this land With justice and a generous hand.

Far be it that a cat should plead In vain that Tom Thumb shall be freed."

"Is that what you said?" cried little Tom Thumb. "Dear, dear Puss, I shall never forget what you did for me!"

Dear, dear! Here we are at the end of the book and poor little Puss, Junior, has not yet found his father. Maybe he will in the next book.

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

Little Jack Rabbit Books

(Trademark Registered)

By DAVID CORY

Author of "Little Journeys to Happyland"

=Colored Wrappers With Text Ill.u.s.trations.=

A new and unique series about the furred and feathered little people of the wood and meadow.

Children will eagerly follow the doings of little Jack Rabbit, and the clever way in which he escapes from his three enemies, Danny Fox, Mr.

Wicked Wolf and Hungry Hawk will delight the youngsters.

LITTLE JACK RABBIT'S ADVENTURES LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND DANNY FOX LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE SQUIRREL BROTHERS LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND CHIPPY CHIPMUNK LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE BIG BROWN BEAR LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND UNCLE JOHN HARE LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND PROFESSOR CROW LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND OLD MAN WEASEL LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND MR. WICKED WOLF LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND HUNGRY HAWK LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE POLICEMAN DOG LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND MISS MOUSIE LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND UNCLE LUCKY LITTLE JACK RABBIT AND THE YELLOW DOG TRAMP