Page 43 - The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Jr.

"You did, eh?" squeaked the little mouse, peering out of his hole and laughing at poor Puss. "I prefer to be
inside this log rather than inside even so famous a character as Puss in Boots, Junior."

"How do you know my name?" asked Puss, surprised at what he heard.

"Why, I'm one of the three blind mice whose tails the farmer's wife cut off," said the mouse.

"I thought there was very little tail to you," said Puss, "or else you went into the hole so fast that it made your
tail look very short, for I couldn't even get a little hold on it."

"Well, having my tail clipped did me some good," said the mouse.

PUSS HELPS A STRANGER CATCH A RUNAWAY PIG

"To market, to market, to buy a fat pig, Home again, home again, jiggety jig. To market, to market, to buy a
fat hog, Home again, home again, jiggety jog. To market, to market, to buy a plum bun, Home again, home
again, market is done."

A funny little man came dancing down the road. Before him he drove a fat pig, which squeaked and grunted
loudly. To one of its hind legs was fastened a rope, the other end of which the funny little man held tightly in
his hand.

"To market, to market, to buy a fat pig, Home again, home again, jiggety jig."

sang the little old man. "How do you like my piggety pig?" he asked, looking up at Puss, Jr., who had stopped
his good gray horse to watch the funny sight.

"He looks like a fine pig," replied Puss.

[Illustration: "TO MARKET, TO MARKET, TO BUY A FAT PIG"]

"Whoa, there, piggety pig!" cried the old man as the pig began to struggle to get away.

"Look out!" cried Puss. But the warning came too late. The pig had wriggled his foot out of the noose and
went racing down the road.

"Take me up behind you!" cried the little old man. "Then let us follow and catch him."

"Jump up! Quick about it!" cried Puss, Jr.

In a moment the little old man was on the good gray horse, who immediately set off at a gallop to overtake the
piggety pig. It was a long race, for he had a good head start and terror lent wings to his feet.

"Git up!" cried Puss, digging his heels into the sides of the good gray horse. "Git up! Don't you see the pig is
getting away from us?"

"Neigh, neigh!" cried the good gray horse as he gave a spring forward.

"Then go faster!" screamed the little old man.

"Gid ap!" yelled Puss, Jr. At this the horse with leaps and bounds came closer and closer to the fleeing pig.