Puss, Junior, awoke with a start to find his room filled with smoke.
And, oh, dear me! when he opened his door red flames were already crawling up the woodwork.
Running up the stairs two at a time, he pounded on the nursery door and shouted, "Fire! fire!" And then, of course, the baby awoke with a cry.
"Oh, Puss, Junior, what shall I do?" cried the mother, for the cruel flames were now creeping across the hall.
"Don"t open the door," he cried. "The hall is a ma.s.s of flames. Climb through the window to the roof of the porch. Be quick!" and he jumped through the little hall window and ran across the roof to the nursery.
"Come out here!" he shouted. "Be quick, or the flames will be in your room before you can get out."
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Just then, all of a sudden, a ladder was placed against the porch, and a kind fireman with a big red helmet on his head held out his arms. "Give me the baby and follow me." Puss held the top of the ladder to steady it until they were safe on the ground and then slid down without touching the rungs.
"Our pretty house will be burned," sobbed the baby"s mother.
"And my red-top boots," cried Puss.
"There goes the stable!" shouted the fireman.
"Goodness me!" cried Puss. "I"d better get my Good Gray Horse!"
By this time the hose was connected and soon the engine was pumping water on the flames. But, oh, dear me! it was too late. The pretty little house quickly burned to the ground--only the big red chimney was left. It was hard work to save the stable, but at last the flames were put out.
"We all must sleep in the hay loft," said Puss.
So the Good Gray Horse was led back into his stall. He was the only one who was comfortable that night, I guess.
THE OLD WOMAN"S RIDDLE
"OH, dear me!" sighed little Puss, Junior, as he thought of his lovely red-top boots which had been destroyed by the fire. "Where shall I get another pair?" for he knew that no ordinary bootmaker had the skill to make boots for a cat. However, when he mounted his Good Gray Horse he found, to his surprise, a couple of gold sovereigns in his pocket.
"That"s something to be thankful for," he laughed, as he set out upon his journey through Old Mother Goose Land. "I"ll stop at the first cobbler shop and see what I can buy."
As he rode gayly along he came across a funny little old woman. On her head was a red sunbonnet and over her shoulders a bright-green shawl.
Black-lace mits covered her thin hands, and a pair of white slippers her two little feet.
"My good woman," said Puss, Junior, politely raising his cap as he drew in his Good Gray Horse, "can you tell me where I may find a shoemaker?"
The old woman smiled and said:
"What shoemaker makes shoes without leather, With all the four elements put together?
Fire and water, earth and air, And every customer wears a pair."
"I don"t know," answered Puss.
"Why, a blacksmith, you goosey!" cried the little old woman, tossing her head.
"I don"t want shoes for my Good Gray Horse," said Puss, in a disgusted tone of voice. "I want a pair of shoes for myself."
"Ho, ho!" laughed the little old woman. "So my fine Sir Cat would have a pair of shoes?"
"No, my good woman--a pair of _boots_!"
"Well, then," she replied, "keep on your way until you reach yonder village. Then cross the bridge and you will soon come to a bootmaker. He will, no doubt, be able to fit a pair of boots to Your Royal Highness"s feet." Then she turned up a lane and left Puss to continue his way alone.
"Ah, me!" sighed Puss. "I don"t feel a bit like myself without my red-topped boots. Indeed, I feel like an imposter. How will anyone believe that I am Puss in Boots, Junior, if I have no boots?" And, for the first time in his life, he felt discouraged. He had met with many disappointments on his journey through Mother Goose country, but to be without boots seemed almost too hard to bear. Still, with a brave heart, he rode on toward the village. "I have at least the money with which to buy them," he said, "and this is much to be thankful for." Which was a wise saying, I think, for a cat who had been out in the world for so short a time as had little Puss, Junior.
THE COBBLER
"CAN you make me a pair of boots?" asked Puss, Junior, reining in his Good Gray Horse.
The cobbler, who was sitting close to the open window of his little shop, looked up from his bench.
"Will you need two pair?" he asked.
"One pair, my good man," replied Puss, Junior, haughtily. "Do you imagine I wear boots on my front paws?"
"Well, my good Sir Cat," answered the cobbler, "I did not know for certain. I can make two pair as well as one."
"And charge for two pair, I warrant, also," cried Puss, with a grin.
"I can give you fine work," said the cobbler.
"Are you sure?" asked Puss. "My last pair, which was unfortunately burned up in a fire, was made by a royal cobbler."
"I have not made boots for royalty," replied the cobbler, "but I made the shoe in which an old woman lives with so many children that it would take you an hour to count them all. That was some job, let me tell you.
One doesn"t often live in a shoe, although one may walk in one."
"You don"t mean to tell me you made that wonderful shoe?" cried Puss.
"Most certainly, my good Sir Cat."
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"Then you shall make me a pair of boots. And, mind you, my good man, they must have red tops."
"That they shall," said the cobbler. "Dismount, and come into my humble shop. I would measure your feet."
"Perhaps you have a pair on hand that will fit me," said Puss, gazing about the tiny shop.
"I will see," replied the cobbler.