ou the duck that took me across the pond on your back a
long, long time ago. You told me about your cousin, the Golden Goose,
don't you remember?"

"So I did," said the Captain, looking Puss over. "Shiver my timbers if
you're not Puss, Junior!"

"The very same," replied Puss.

"And haven't you found your daddy yet?" asked the Captain as his good
ship swung away from the dock, her silk sails filling with the breeze
until they looked like great big balloons cut in half.

"No, Captain," replied Puss, sadly, "I haven't."

"Well, we'll ask for him at every port," replied the kind master of the
good ship, which was now rolling and dipping in the most graceful way
possible. "I'll ask every old land lubber on the docks when we touch
port. We'll hear some news, never fear." And then the Captain went over
to tell the man at the tiller where to go. The "man" at the wheel was a
little white mouse, but he knew how to steer the ship as well as any
pilot, let me tell you.

"I don't have to rock the cradle," said the baby's mother, with a smile,
looking up at Puss, as he tip-toed over to where she sat.

"No, he's fast asleep," replied Puss, "and the big blue ocean is rocking
him better than the willow tree."

"Rock-a-by baby, safe on the ship,
Where the foam-crested billows ripple and dip;
And the breeze from the land of the big yellow moon
Is turning the sail to a great white balloon."

"Where did you hear that pretty song?" asked Puss.

"Why, I just made it up," replied the baby's mother.

"Mothers always do that when they rock their little ones to sleep, you
know."

OLD TOM

THE next morning the good ship came in sight of an old seaport. The
harbor was very safe, for a tall white lighthouse stood upon the rocks
to guide the sailors, and bellbuoys clanged their solemn warning from
the dangerous reefs. In the distance rose a church spire, and near it
stood a little red schoolhouse with a flag flying in the breeze. Down on
the wharf ran a low row of buildings, worn and battered, where the old
sailors lounged and told stories of their early days.

Pretty soon the good ship came about, and with her silken sails flapping
in the wind, drifted up to the dock.

"Make fast!" shouted the Captain. The four and twenty little sailor mice
jumped nimbly on the dock, and in a few minutes made the silk ropes fast
to the posts. Then the good ship came to a standstill, and the
gang-