it," said Yankee Doodle; "he will go that way."

PUSS SINGS A SONG AND HELPS A BEGGAR

After he had said good-by to Yankee Doodle Dandy, Puss, Jr., had a good
time playing all the morning with some little boys whom he met. One of
the little boys got out his hobby-horse and he and Puss, Jr., took turns
galloping up and down the sidewalk.

"I had a little hobby-horse,
And it was dapple gray;
Its head was made of pea straw,
Its tail was made of hay,"

sang his mother from the front porch. "My little boy has had a fine
time," she said, "but he must come in now and rest, for it is almost
luncheon-time."

"And I must be going," said Puss, Jr., "for I have many miles yet to
travel ere I find my father, Puss in Boots."

"You have been so kind," said the little boy's mother as she shook hands
with Puss.

"Good-by!" cried the little boy, quite sorrowfully, waving his hat as
Puss disappeared down the street.

"Heigh-ho!" said Puss to himself, "once more on my journey. I'm a
wandering minstrel, as it were," and to suit his words he began to sing:

"A wandering little cat am I,
Seeking father cat,
In my paw my trusty staff,
On my head my hat
With the magic plume the owl
Gave to me one day.
When the journey ends I'll have
Lots of time to play!"

"A pussy-cat poet!" cried a voice close at hand.

Puss, Jr., started and turned. At his side stood a beggar-man.

"I'm hungry," said the poor fellow, "and poets, I hear, are always
generous," and he held out his hat for Puss to drop in a penny.

"Are they?" inquired Puss, with a grin; he put his hand into his pocket
and took out a sixpence. "Here, my good man," he said, "take this little
piece of money. It is more than I will get for the song which you seem
to admire so much.

"What are you going to buy with the money?" he asked, after they had
walked along for some time. They had left the city and were now in the
country.

[Illustration: "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BUY WITH THE MONEY?" PUSS ASKED]

"I'm going to get some pease porridge hot," answered the beggar. "I'm
going to spend that sixpence in short order! I haven't had a thing to
eat since yesterday morning."

"I have never gone hungry so long as that," said Puss. "I think I've
been pretty lucky since I started out to find my father, Puss in Boots."

"Puss in Boots!" exclaimed the beggar-man with surprise. "Why, I once
stopped at a c