ght. He ran
forward to greet her as she alighted from her faithful Gander.
"Mother Goose! Mother Goose!" cried Puss, "I'm so glad to see you
again."
"Let us go in. It's getting dreadfully wet outside," she replied giving
him a big hug.
Inside the cabin all was dry and cheerful. Mrs. Noah had the stove
burning brightly and her three daughter-in-laws were busy; getting
supper.
"Let me take your bonnet," said Mrs. Noah and before that dear old lady
could remove her headgear, Mrs. Noah had taken out the big pin and
undone the strings.
[Illustration]
"There, make yourself comfortable," she cried, pushing forward a
rocking-chair. "And have you found your father?" asked the Gander, for
he and Puss were having a fine time talking over old times.
"No, not yet," answered Puss sadly, "But I hear he is Seneschal at the
castle of my Lord of Carabas."
"You must be patient," answered the Gander. "And go in search of more
adventures."
"Yes," answered Puss, "and I have with me my good comrade, Tom Thumb."
"All ashore that's going ashore," shouted the hoarse voice of Captain
Noah. Then came the tinkle-jingle of the bell and the Ark quivered from
bow to stern, and in another moment was off on the dark waters.
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 passengers.
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 passed through many a dangerous adventure, the present
situation seemed one of
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