Page 28 - The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Jr.

"All cats make an awful noise at night," said another.

"They meow and cry like everything on the back fence," said the third fiddler. "They make more noise than a
fiddle, and a worse noise than a fiddle out of tune."

"I don't like you," said Puss. "People who don't like cats are not to be trusted."

"Ha, ha!" laughed all three fiddlers, "you're jealous of us!"

"Not the least," replied Puss, stoutly. "I'm not jealous at all. I'm just indignant that you should make such a
remark about my family."

"No harm meant," said the three fiddlers, "no harm meant, my good Sir Cat."

"Very well, we won't argue the matter," said Puss, "for a traveler has no time to argue if he would reach his
journey's end. Time is precious, and I must be on my way. Only let me tell you, I have heard many a fiddle
that made a worse noise than a cat," and with this parting remark our little hero continued on his way.

THE MILLER OF THE DEE

"What a lovely old mill!" thought Puss, Jr. "Is that your 'hush-a-by baby upon the tree-top'?" he asked the
miller on entering the old mill.

"No, sir-ee!" answered the jolly miller, with a jolly laugh. "Haven't you ever heard the song about me? This is
the way it goes:

"There was a jolly miller once Lived on the River Dee; He worked and sang from morn till night, No lark so
blithe as he.

"And this the burden of his song Forever used to be: 'I care for nobody! No, not I! And nobody cares for me!'"

"Doesn't anybody care for you?" asked Puss. "It seems strange, for you are so jolly."

[Illustration: "AREN'T WE GREAT FRIENDS?" ASKED THE MILLER]

"Well," answered the miller, "you see, it's this way: I am here all alone all day; there's no room in the mill
except for me and the sacks of corn. It all belongs to me, even the old willow-tree. I let a little woman who
lives quite near here hang the cradle on the limb every morning. As she goes to work in the village, she puts
her baby in the cradle and the wind rocks it to sleep until she comes back at noon. Then she goes away again
and comes back at evening and takes the cradle home with her. The baby is very good; that is, it has been so
far; but you can never tell how long a baby will be good."

"That's true of every one," said Puss, with much gravity.

"If it ever starts crying--that is, a long crying spell, she'll have to get another willow-tree or another baby. I
can't be bothered with a crying baby so close at hand."

"But you haven't answered my question yet," said Puss.

"Oh," replied the miller. "You mean because I care for nobody and nobody cares for me."

"Yes; I don't quite understand it."