The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Jr. Part 7

PUSS FINDS ADVENTURE AT THE TOP OF JACK'S FAMOUS BEAN-STALK

The next morning as Puss, Jr., went journeying along he came in sight of a modest little cottage, in the garden of which was growing an immense bean-stalk, reaching up and up until its top was hidden in the clouds.

On approaching the front gate, a motherly-looking woman appeared in the doorway and looked curiously at Puss.

"Good morning, ma'am," said he, lifting his cap politely.

"Good morning," she replied, at the same time wiping a tear from her eyes. "Have you seen anything of my son Jack?"

"No, ma'am," answered Puss. "Has he not yet climbed down the bean-stalk?"

"What!" exclaimed the good woman. "Do you mean to tell me he has climbed up this giant bean-stalk?"

"Indeed he has," answered Puss, "and if you will permit me I will climb up also. Maybe I shall find him near the top, or possibly entangled in the vines."

The good woman gladly gave her consent and Puss sprang nimbly up the vine-like ladder. Up and up he climbed until he was lost to sight amid the white clouds in the sky. At last he reached the top, and, looking about him curiously, wondered which way to turn. Suddenly he heard a gentle cackling near at hand, and a small hen crawled out of a thicket that lay to the right of the path.

"I'm tired to death laying golden eggs for that greedy giant,

"To lay every day Is all work and no play,"

she continued, unconsciously making a little rhyme.

"But where is Jack?" asked Puss, after he had consoled her by saying that there was much harder work in the world than laying golden eggs.

"Oh, he's up at the giant's house, hiding somewhere," she replied.

"Won't you show me the way?" said Puss, "for I have a message from his mother to deliver to him."

"Come along; follow me," she cackled, and Puss walked by her side, politely helping her over the rough places, as the path became steeper and steeper. Near the top of the hill was the giant's house. But Puss was not afraid and boldly followed the little hen through the great doorway and presently found himself in the presence of the giant.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "GOOD MORNING, MA'AM," SAID HE, LIFTING HIS CAP POLITELY]

"Come, chick," cried the giant, not noticing Puss. "Come, chick, and lay me a gold egg!"

"I'm so tired to-day," she replied, "won't you let me off just for once?"

"No, siree!" roared the giant. "Lay! lay!"

"How dare you be so cruel, Sir Giant!" roared Puss as loud as he could, stepping forward and brandis.h.i.+ng his staff.

"Heighty tighty!" laughed the giant, "on one condition will I let off the little hen, and that is that you spend the night in my house and tell me some of your adventures."

Puss, Jr., bowed low and graciously. He was able now to reward the little hen for showing him the way, and as the guest of the giant, it would be much easier to find Jack. Puss made up his mind toward midnight to hunt over the entire house for him.

PUSS DISCOVERS WHERE JACK IS HIDING

Puss, Jr., found the giant a very agreeable host. Perhaps it was because Puss told so many interesting stories of what he had seen and done since leaving the garret.

"By the time you find your father," roared the giant, for even when he whispered it sounded like thunder, "you will have traveled far and wide, my dear friend."

They were seated in the giant's great living-room. A huge pipe was in his mouth, the smoke from which rose in a cloud as big as that from a factory chimney. Puss, Jr., was not the least bit dismayed, however, for he was naturally a brave cat, and his many adventures had given him an air of a.s.surance as well as a liberal education. He sat opposite the giant and recounted his adventures one after another, much to the delight of his great host. All the while, however, Puss was scheming as to the best way to discover Jack. He had made up his mind firmly that after his long climb up the bean-stalk, and the fact that he had been so lucky as to make a friend of the giant, he would allow nothing to turn him aside.

Finally the giant fell sound asleep. Puss carefully opened the door and tiptoed into the kitchen, where the giant's wife was was.h.i.+ng up the supper-dishes. As he entered he noticed that the oven door was open just a crack. "My good woman," said Puss, "your husband is asleep, so I have taken this opportunity to thank you for the very fine supper of which I have just partaken."

The giant's wife started at the sound of his voice and immediately walked over and stood in front of the oven as if to guard it from view.

"Ha, ha!" said Puss to himself. "I'll wager Jack is in the oven. I wonder why the good woman mistrusts me.

"Madam," said Puss, "I'm in search of a little boy named Jack, and I have a message from his mother for him. Jack of the wonderful bean-stalk, and I am sure he is in yonder oven."

Puss, Jr., heard a scratching sound, then a creak, and in a moment Jack stepped from behind the giant's wife, after carefully closing the oven door.

"How do you do," said Jack, coming forward, "and what does mother want?"

"She is worried about you," replied Puss, Jr., "and asked me to tell you, should I have the good fortune of meeting you, that she hoped you would return home, for she is so lonely."

"That I will," answered Jack, "as soon as I have the opportunity." He had hardly finished speaking when the heavy tread of the giant was heard. Jack jumped back into the oven, while the giant's wife commenced talking to Puss, Jr., as if nothing whatever had happened.

"Why did you leave me?" roared the giant, turning fiercely to Puss.

"Why did you fall asleep?" asked Puss. "Were my tales not of sufficient interest to keep you awake?"

"They were," replied the giant, somewhat taken aback by the answer he received. "I guess I have the habit of falling asleep after supper. It's mighty difficult to break a habit."

"It is, indeed," said Puss. "I feel sleepy myself. Will you allow me not to break my habit of going to bed early?"

The giant laughed long and loud. "Show him his room, mother," he said, turning to his wife. So Puss said good night and followed her up-stairs, having made up his mind to meet Jack at midnight.

PUSS AND JACK MAKE A BOLD RESCUE

It was midnight in the giant's house. Puss Jr., heard the great clock strike twelve. Softly he tiptoed down the stairs, holding his boots in one paw and his staff and cap in the other. When he reached the great living-room he peeped cautiously in.

There sat the giant in the big arm-chair, fast asleep, the poor little hen that laid the golden eggs lying on the table, not daring to move.

"How dare he break his word?" said Puss to himself. "He promised if I told him stories last night that he would not make the little hen lay her daily golden egg. Now he has gone and broken his promise."