She blew up such a tiny spark
That all the house was pothered;
From it she raised up such a flame
As flamed away to Belting Lane,
And White Cross folks were smothered.

Puss, Junior, awoke with a start to find his room filled with smoke.
And, oh, dear me! when he opened his door red flames were already
crawling up the woodwork.

Running up the stairs two at a time, he pounded on the nursery door and
shouted, "Fire! fire!" And then, of course, the baby awoke with a cry.

"Oh, Puss, Junior, what shall I do?" cried the mother, for the cruel
flames were now creeping across the hall.

"Don't open the door," he cried. "The hall is a mass of flames. Climb
through the window to the roof of the porch. Be quick!" and he jumped
through the little hall window and ran across the roof to the nursery.
"Come out here!" he shouted. "Be quick, or the flames will be in your
room before you can get out."

[Illustration]

Just then, all of a sudden, a ladder was placed against the porch, and a
kind fireman with a big red helmet on his head held out his arms. "Give
me the baby and follow me." Puss held the top of the ladder to steady it
until they were safe on the ground and then slid down without touching
the rungs.

"Our pretty house will be burned," sobbed the baby's mother.

"And my red-top boots," cried Puss.

"There goes the stable!" shouted the fireman.

"Goodness me!" cried Puss. "I'd better get my Good Gray Horse!"

By this time the hose was connected and soon the engine was pumping
water on the flames. But, oh, dear me! it was too late. The pretty
little house quickly burned to the ground--only the big red chimney was
left. It was hard work to save the stable, but at last the flames were
put out.

"We all must sleep in the hay loft," said Puss.

So the Good Gray Horse was led back into his stall. He was the only one
who was comfortable that night, I guess.

THE OLD WOMAN'S RIDDLE

"OH, dear me!" sighed little Puss, Junior, as he thought of his lovely
red-top boots which had been destroyed by the fire. "Where shall I get
another pair?" for he knew that no ordinary bootmaker had the skill to
make boots for a cat. However, when he mounted his Good Gray Horse he
found, to his surprise, a couple of gold sovereigns in his pocket.
"That's something to be thankful for," he laughed, as he set out upon
his journey through Old Mother Goose Land. "I'll stop at