Page 10 - The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Jr.

sang his mother from the front porch. "My little boy has had a fine time," she said, "but he must come in now
and rest, for it is almost luncheon-time."

"And I must be going," said Puss, Jr., "for I have many miles yet to travel ere I find my father, Puss in Boots."

"You have been so kind," said the little boy's mother as she shook hands with Puss.

"Good-by!" cried the little boy, quite sorrowfully, waving his hat as Puss disappeared down the street.

"Heigh-ho!" said Puss to himself, "once more on my journey. I'm a wandering minstrel, as it were," and to suit
his words he began to sing:

"A wandering little cat am I, Seeking father cat, In my paw my trusty staff, On my head my hat With the
magic plume the owl Gave to me one day. When the journey ends I'll have Lots of time to play!"

"A pussy-cat poet!" cried a voice close at hand.

Puss, Jr., started and turned. At his side stood a beggar-man.

"I'm hungry," said the poor fellow, "and poets, I hear, are always generous," and he held out his hat for Puss to
drop in a penny.

"Are they?" inquired Puss, with a grin; he put his hand into his pocket and took out a sixpence. "Here, my
good man," he said, "take this little piece of money. It is more than I will get for the song which you seem to
admire so much.

"What are you going to buy with the money?" he asked, after they had walked along for some time. They had
left the city and were now in the country.

[Illustration: "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BUY WITH THE MONEY?" PUSS ASKED]

"I'm going to get some pease porridge hot," answered the beggar. "I'm going to spend that sixpence in short
order! I haven't had a thing to eat since yesterday morning."

"I have never gone hungry so long as that," said Puss. "I think I've been pretty lucky since I started out to find
my father, Puss in Boots."

"Puss in Boots!" exclaimed the beggar-man with surprise. "Why, I once stopped at a castle where there was a
most wonderful cat. He was the seneschal, I think, and a most intelligent animal."

"Where was the castle?" asked Puss. "I mean, in what country?"

"I don't remember," replied the beggar-man. "You see, I have begged at so many back doors and so many
postern gates that I have them all jumbled up together in my memory."

"Dear me," said Puss. "Will I ever find anybody who really knows where my father lives?"

"Pease porridge hot, Pease porridge cold, Pease porridge in the pot, Nine days old."

Along the road came a man with a big white apron over his coat. In front of him he wheeled a little cart in
which was a large pot of porridge.