ry that if
such a thing happened again he was to deliver a message asking the
Earl to come and stop at the palace.

Some time after the cat caught two partridges, and took one of them to
the palace. And when she called out, "Miaou," and presented it to the
sentry, in the name of the Earl of Cattenborough, the sentry told her
that the King wished to see the Earl at his palace.

So Puss went back to Jack and said to him: "The King desires to see
the Earl of Cattenborough at his palace."

"What is that to do with me?" said Jack.

"Oh, you can be the Earl of Cattenborough if you like. I'll help you."

"But I have no clothes, and they'll soon find out what I am when I
talk."

"As for that," said Miss Puss, "I'll get you proper clothes if you do
what I tell you; and when you come to the palace I will see that you
do not make any mistakes."

So next day she told Jack to take off his clothes and hide them under
a big stone and dip himself into the river. And while he was doing
this she went up to the palace gate and said: "Miaou, miaou, miaou!"

And when the sentry came to the gate she said: "My Master, the Earl of
Cattenborough, has been robbed of all he possessed, even of his
clothes, and he is hiding in the bramble bush by the side of the
river. What is to be done? What is to be done?"

The sentry went and told the King. And the King gave orders that a
suitable suit of clothes, worthy of an Earl, should be sent to Master
Jack, who soon put them on and went to the King's palace accompanied
by Puss. When they got there they were introduced into the chamber of
the King, who thanked Jack for his kind presents.

Miss Puss stood forward and said: "My Master, the Earl of
Cattenborough, desires to state to your Majesty that there is no need
of any thanks for such trifles."

The King thought it was very grand of Jack not to speak directly to
him, and summoned his lord chamberlain, and from that time onward only
spoke through him. Thus, when they sat down to dinner with the Queen
and the Princess, the King would say to his chamberlain, "Will the
Earl of Cattenborough take a potato?"

Whereupon Miss Puss would bow and say: "The Earl of Cattenborough
thanks his Majesty and would be glad to partake of a potato."

The King was so much struck by Jack's riches and grandeur, and the
Princess was so pleased with his good looks and fine dress that it was
determined that he should marry the Princess.

But the King thought he w