"

"Why, I'm Simple Simon," was the answer. "I'm in the Mother Goose
book, you know."

"Oh, yes, I remember," said Uncle Wiggily. "But you seem to be _out_
of the book, just now."

"I am," said Simple Simon. "The page with my picture on it fell out
of the book, and so I ran away. But I can't find him anywhere and I
don't know what to do."

"Who is it you can't find?" asked the rabbit.

"The pie-man," answered the funny, round-faced boy. "Don't you
remember, it says in the book, 'Simple Simon met a pie-man going to
the fair?'"

"Oh, yes, I remember," Uncle Wiggily answered. "What's next?"

"Well, I can't find him anywhere," said Simple Simon. "I guess the
pie-man didn't fall out of the book when I did."

"That's too bad," spoke Uncle Wiggily, kindly.

"It is," said Simple Simon. "For you know he ought to ask me for my
penny, when I want to taste of his pies, and indeed, I haven't any
penny--not any, and I'm _so_ hungry for a piece of pie!" And Simple
Simon began to cry.

"Oh, don't cry," said Uncle Wiggily. "See, in my pocket I have some
jam tarts. They are for Lulu, Alice and Jimmie Wibblewobble, the
ducks, but there are enough to let you have one."

"Why, you are a regular pie-man yourself; aren't you?" laughed
Simple Simon, as he ate one of Nurse Jane's nice jam tarts.

"Well, you might call me that," said the bunny uncle. "Though I
s'pose a tart-man would be nearer right."

"But there's something else," went on Simple Simon. "You know in the
Mother Goose book I have to go for water, in my mother's sieve. But
soon it all ran through." And then, cried Simple Simon, "Oh, dear,
what shall I do?" And he held out a sieve, just like a coffee
strainer, full of little holes. "How can I ever get water in that?"
he asked. "I've tried and tried, but I can't. No one can! It all
runs through!"

Uncle Wiggily thought for a minute. Then he cried:

"I have it! I'll pull some leaves off the rubber plant I am taking
to Mrs. Wibblewobble. We'll put the leaves in the bottom of the
sieve, and, being of rubber, water can't get through them. Then the
sieve will hold water, or milk either, and you can bring it to your
mother."

"Oh, fine!" cried Simple Simon, licking the sticky squeegee jam off
his fingers. So Uncle Wiggily put some rubber plant leaves in the
bottom of the sieve, and Simple Simon, filling it full of water,
carried it home to his mother, and not a drop ran through, which, of
course, wasn't at all like t