Then Jack Sprat asked Puss to come into his little house, and when he
went to the cupboard to look for bread and butter, he found all kinds of
good things to eat.

"What luck you have brought me," said little Jack Sprat, but Puss was as
much surprised as he. But pretty soon when they had sat down to the
table, they heard a strange little voice from the hearth, and looking
down they saw a tiny black cricket, who began to sing:

"I'm just a little cricket,
But if you'll let me stay
Within your house this winter
You will not rue the day."

"It is the little cricket that brings you luck," said truthful little
Puss, Junior. And then Jack Sprat began to laugh happily, for up to this
time the pig was the only thing he owned, and that wasn't very much, let
me tell you. Oh, dear, no. Not in these hard times when eggs are worth
their weight in gold and a gallon of milk costs a ton of silver.

Well, by and by, Puss, Junior, once more went on his way, and perhaps
pretty soon he'll find his father, the famous Puss in Boots, unless,

A great big husky giant
Jumps into a trolley car,
And turns the coin box upside down
To see how many nickels there are.

THE YELLOW HEN

WELL, a big husky giant didn't jump into the trolley car, as I feared he
might in the last story, so little Puss, Junior, kept up his search for
his dear father until late in the evening when he came to a city on
Goosey Gander River. For the moment I've forgotten the name, but if I
remember it I will tell you later. At any rate, it won't matter much,
for Puss didn't stay there long. Well, as I was saying, he entered the
city, tired and hungry, for he had traveled far that day, and as he
walked up the brightly lighted street he heard a man say:

"Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the Opera?
Around her throat a string of pearls,
And on her neck two little curls;
Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the Opera?

"My good man, I'm a stranger and have just arrived. I have seen no
string of pearls nor little curls on any pretty little girls," answered
Puss wearily, for he was too anxious to find a night's lodging to notice
pearls and curls.

"Dear me!" sighed the man, and he took off his opera hat and flattened
it and then snapped it out again, which made a little newsboy open his
eyes and say, "Do it again, Mister; it sou