e midst of a tremendous shower, down came
two most remarkable figures, and, with them, what at first sight
appeared to be several long sticks; but, on looking again, Carry saw
these were pitchforks!

"Oh!" said she, "I thought they'd come."

Then she stared for a minute at the two odd figures, and cried: "Why!
it's Mother Hubbard's dog and Puss in Boots!" And sure enough, so it
was!

Puss had a blue velvet cloak on his shoulders, large boots, and a velvet
cap with a long plume. He turned toward Carry and made her a low bow,
gracefully doffing his hat.

"You are right, Mademoiselle," said he. "I am that renowned personage,
and your humble servant. Permit me to add, Mademoiselle, that my eyes
have not beheld a fairer damsel than they now rest upon, since last I
saw my beloved mistress, the charming Marquise de Carabas."

Mother Hubbard's dog was dressed in a suit of fine old-fashioned
clothes, and held tightly between his teeth a very short stemmed pipe
from which he puffed great clouds of smoke.

He came up beside Puss, and said, without removing his pipe: "Stuff and
nonsense! We don't talk so stupidly in our village. Don't waste your
time in silly yarns, but let's settle this fight at once."

Puss turned away and, addressing Carry, said:

"Mademoiselle, this plebeian does not understand the language of court
circles, to which I have been used for many years. Mademoiselle will
pardon his ignorance." And here Puss rolled up his eyes and placed his
hand upon his heart and bowed so low that he was actually standing on
his head before he had finished. But he turned a graceful somersault and
came right side up again in half a second, without looking at all
disturbed.

"Sir!" said the dog, with dignity, "this matter should be settled at
once, or the sun will be out, and then----" he stopped short and winked
at Puss in a very knowing manner.

"Ah! that is true," replied the cat, "I had forgotten. Shall it be a
general or a single combat?"

"Well," said the dog, gravely, sitting down on a large flower-pot
nearby, "I think, as we have been wanting to fight this out for some
time,--indeed, I may say, almost since time began,--we had better allow
every one to have a tooth and a claw in it. Then, perhaps, this matter
will be settled forever."

"Quite my opinion," responded Puss. "But first the ladies, infants, and
weak and wounded, must be removed from the field."

"All right!" said the dog. "But look here. You firs