Page 44 - The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Jr.

"I've got the rope!" cried the little old man.

"Make a big noose at one end," said Puss, "and as we draw near throw it over his head."

"That I will," answered the little old man. "When I was young I was a cowboy. I hope I've not forgotten how
to swing a lariat."

As good luck would have it, he had not. All at once the little old man swung the rope in the air and the noose
fell over the pig's head.

"I've got him! I've got him!" cried the old man, and Puss, Jr., pulled in his horse. The race was over and the
old man, jumping down to the ground, thanked Puss again and again for his assistance.

PUSS HELPS A LITTLE BOY WHO IS IN TROUBLE

The town of Banbury Cross was very pretty, situated at the corner of two cross-roads, close to a sparkling
river over which ran a bridge. As Puss, Jr., on his good gray horse, whose feet went rackety-rackety,
rackety-tak over the broad planking, drew rein at the farther end a small boy, who stood by the side of a pretty
little pony, began to sing:

"I had a little pony, His name was Dapple-gray, I lent him to a lady To ride a mile away. She whipped him,
she lashed him, She rode him through the mire; I would not lend my pony now, For all the lady's hire."

"Neither would I," said Puss.

The little boy opened his eyes very wide. They were blue as the skies overhead and were full of tears. "She
whipped him, she lashed him," continued the boy. "I'll never again lend my pony to anybody."

"I wouldn't lend my good gray horse," said Puss, "for one never knows whether a person is kind to animals or
not."

"I never thought a lady would hurt my pony," sobbed the boy. "Just look at him. He's all covered with mud."

"So he is," said Puss, consolingly; "but never mind. A good washing will fix him up."

"But my father will be angry," said the boy. "He doesn't like to wash my pony, and I'm too little."

"Let's take your pony down to the riverbank," Puss suggested. "We'll find a shallow spot and wash him off.
Perhaps we can ride him a little way into the water; that would help." Tying his good gray horse to a post near
by, Puss led the pony down the bank to the river, the little boy following.

"Do you want to ride him in," asked Puss, "or shall I?"

"You do it," said the little boy. "I'm afraid."

So Puss jumped on the pony's back and gently urged him into the river. After going out some distance he
stopped, for the water was almost up to his boots. "I guess I can wash him now," cried Puss, and, leaning over,
first on one side and then on the other, he splashed up the water and scrubbed off the mud and dirt until the
pony was as clean as a whistle.

"Now," exclaimed Puss, "he looks like himself again." The pony seemed quite relieved also, for after gaining
the bank he neighed and kicked up his heels in a delighted manner.