CAPTAIN NOAH

THE first night on the Ark was most uncomfortable. It was not an easy thing to provide sleeping quarters for the animals, and although Captain Noah and his three sons did their best, from the complaints that were heard in the morning, it was easy to see that very few were satisfied.

"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 pa.s.sengers.

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 pa.s.sed 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.

"We didn't know where we were at, One wide river, Until we b.u.mped 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

THE Ark was an exceedingly good sea craft. It rode the waves and breasted the gale without a mishap. Some of the animals became sea sick.

But this, of course, was to be expected. Even Captain Noah himself felt rather queer at times, and as for little Tom Thumb, he kept to his bed for almost a week. Puss, Junior, proved to be a very fine sailor. Not once did he feel the least bit ill, and was able to help Mrs. Noah attend to the sick pa.s.sengers.

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.

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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:

"We didn't know where we were at, One wide river, Until we b.u.mped 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

"The Ark she landed high and dry, 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 pa.s.sed through an awful lot. But we're safe on land again." "Hurrah!" shouted all the animals, "we're safe at last!"

UP AND DOWN

WHAT is the news of the day, 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 pa.s.sengers!"

"Pay your shilling and you shall have a seat in the basket," answered the owner.

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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 pa.s.sengers 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.