Bobby, and I'm searching for my daddy," said
Puss, sadly. And then he told the little girl how discouraged he was
because in all his travels he had not yet found him.

And then, all of a sudden, they heard a voice calling, "All aboard!"

"Goodness!" exclaimed Puss, "I must hurry; the ship's going to sail.
Good-by!" and off he ran to the dock as fast as he could.

"Wait for me," called out the little girl, "I guess I'll go, too. I may
find Bobby Shafto."

"Hurry, hurry!" cried Puss, looking back. "I'll run ahead and ask the
Captain to wait."

And it was lucky he did, for the gang-plank was being hauled in just as
he arrived. "Wait for us!" he shouted.

"Why, I don't see anybody else," said the Captain, as Puss stepped
aboard.

"Yes, there is," answered Puss, "There she comes!"

And in another minute, with her bonnet strings streaming in the wind,
the little girl came running down the dock.

"Thank you for waiting," she cried, turning to the Captain. "I'd have
been so disappointed if you had left me behind."

And then she stood close to Puss as the good ship left the dock. "Good
luck, my little skipper," shouted the old sailor.

"Good-by," cried Puss, waving his cap to the old salt.

OVER THE WATER

WHEN the old dock and the gray-haired sailor, the tall church spire and
the flag on the little red schoolhouse were out of sight, Puss, Junior,
turned to the little girl and said: "Let's go down in the cabin. I'll
show you the cutest little baby you ever saw. It's the 'rock-a-by, baby,
upon-the-tree-top.' His mother always hung the cradle on a willow tree
so that the breeze might rock him to sleep. But now the ocean does the
rocking and baby sleeps almost all the time."

So the little girl followed Puss down the stairs to the cabin, where
they heard a sweet voice singing:

"Over the water, and over the sea,
And over the water to Charley.
I'll have none of your horrid beef,
Nor I'll have none of your barley:
But I'll have some of your very best flour
To make a white cake for my Charley."

"S-s-sh!" said the mother of the baby as Puss and the little girl came
in.

"Are you going to make a cake with the flour the miller brought on
board?" asked Puss in a whisper.

"Yes," said the baby's mother. "But what's your name?" turning to the
little girl.

"She's looking for Bobby Shafto," answered Puss.

[Illustration]

"What's yo