"It"s going to rain for forty days and forty nights. There"s going to be an awful deluge. You"d better stay in Arkville and get aboard the Ark as soon as it"s finished. If you don"t you"ll get drowned."
"He speaks the truth, I"m thinking," answered Tom Thumb, peeping out of Puss, Junior"s, pocket. "It looks to me as if the rain were never going to stop."
"My good sir," said Puss, turning to the man, "it seems to me your advice is good. We"ll stay in Arkville for a few days. But where shall we stop? Is there a hotel near?"
"Over yonder is the Hotel Ark," said the man. "I"m the proprietor, and my name is Noah. Go in and make yourselves at home. My sons and I will follow you shortly. We have a few more nails to drive before we quit for the day."
HOTEL ARK
THE Hotel Ark was a comfortable sort of a place, not very up-to-date, but with enough conveniences to make the traveler perfectly at home. He felt even more so after meeting the proprietor"s wife, Mrs. Noah, a motherly-looking woman, with kind blue eyes and red cheeks.
"Come right in," she said as Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb, both wet to the skin, rapped on the door.
"You"d best dry yourselves in the kitchen," she said, leading them down a narrow hall. "It"s so warm in there you"ll be dry in no time."
This was good news to our two small travelers, for their teeth were chattering like twenty-four small white horses on a red hill.
"Here"s a chair for you and here"s a chair for Tom Thumb," said Mrs.
Noah. "I"m not sure about your name, but I can"t mistake that of your little friend." Puss, Junior, turned and bowed. Although he was wet, he did not forget his manners. "My name is Puss in Boots, Junior."
"To be sure, to be sure," cried Mrs. Noah, "I might have known it."
The kitchen fire was burning merrily, bright flames shot up the chimney and sparks from the wood flew out like stars upon the polished floor.
Puss pulled off his dripping hat and laid it down on the chair. The feather was much bedraggled and had lost its wave. Tom Thumb undid his coat and hung it up, and then took off his shoes and placed them close to the hearth.
"I think my boots are half full of water," said Puss, Junior; "they are as heavy as lead, and when I walk they make a funny noise." They certainly were full of water, for when Puss finally got them off and turned them over, a stream of water ran down the floor, nearly washing Tom Thumb across the room.
By the time their clothes were dry, Noah and his three sons arrived for supper.
"Still raining!" said the good man, as he closed the door. "I must finish the Ark to-morrow. We may find a lake around the hotel by the morning. Who can tell? But I shall be ready to take in all the animals and my family by noon at the latest."
ALL ABOARD
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IT was still raining when Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb awoke. They had spent a comfortable night at the Hotel Ark and felt much refreshed.
After a hearty breakfast they again looked out of the window. The rain was still coming down in torrents, and water lay inches deep upon the street. The Hotel Ark was surrounded by a shallow lake which, however, was growing deeper every minute.
Puss, Junior, stepped out upon the veranda and looked over the village square. Through the rain he could make out the outlines of the Ark. Just then a voice began to sing:
"He built it high, he built it strong, He built it wide, he built it long, To hold a jolly, motley throng."
Pretty soon Noah himself came splashing through the water toward the hotel.
"There is no time to lose," he cried, "the Ark will soon be afloat.
Mother, make haste. Tell the girls to come along. We"ve no time to lose." Mrs. Noah appeared almost immediately, followed by the wives of her three sons. Lifting up their skirts, they waded after Noah. Puss, Junior, picked up Tom Thumb and placed him on his shoulder. From far and near, from the forest and the plain, from everywhere, the animals came hurrying up.
"There were the Elephant and Bee, The Hippopotamus and Flea, The tall Giraffe and Chick-a-dee, The c.o.c.k-a-doodle and the a.s.s, And three young men, each with his la.s.s, Shem, Ham and j.a.phet had a pa.s.s!
Noah of old, and Noah"s dame, I think I never heard her name, But she went in tho" all the same."
"This reminds me of the circus," laughed Puss, Junior. "I once was with a circus; three days or so; whenever I see an elephant I think of my circus days."
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"Let down the gang-plank," commanded Noah, and soon a long procession of animals began to enter the Ark. The rain kept up its heavy downpour and by noon the water was waist deep. All the smaller animals had come aboard and Captain Noah (as he was now called) felt certain by evening he would be able to start on his voyage.
PRECIOUS MOTHER GOOSE
AS the last animal came on deck and the Noah boys hauled in the gang-plank, the ark began rolling heavily, for the wind was high and the water rough. "Are we sure every one is aboard?" asked Captain Noah,
"But best of all, my little dears, "Twill most delight your listening ears, So give with me three mighty cheers, To hear that sheltered by that truce, Loved more than Monkey, Owl or Moose, In walked Your Precious Mother Goose!"
If there was anyone more delighted than Puss, Junior, he could not be found aboard the Ark. To once more see Mother Goose who had so kindly carried him on her Gander many miles filled him with delight. 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.
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"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 ash.o.r.e that"s going ash.o.r.e," shouted the hoa.r.s.e 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.