ur name, little girl," asked the rock-a-by-baby's mother.

"Alice," said the little girl.

"A pretty name."

"I'm glad you like it," said the little girl. "And what is yours?"

"Mine? Oh, you can call me 'The Rock-a-by Baby's Mother.'"

"Let's go out on deck," suggested Puss. "Won't you come, too?" he asked,
turning to the baby's mother.

Rolling in the sea were huge black porpoises. Over and over they rolled
like great footballs. Flying fish rose out of the water, and overhead
the gulls sailed back and forth on their great wings. The breeze was
blowing strong and steady, and now and then the salt spray came over the
railing. Some of it wet Puss, Junior's, whiskers.

"Did you get wet?" asked Alice.

"Not much," said Puss. "Besides, I don't care for a little spray,
anyway."

"Come over here and sit down on this coil of rope," said the
Rock-a-By-Baby's Mother, and I'll sing you a song:

"Rock-a-by, rock-a-by on the deep blue,
Sailor Boy, Mother is dreaming of you.
Thinking of Sailor Boy out on the foam,
Hoping that Sailor Boy soon will be home."

CUSTARD AND MUSTARD

FOR several days the good ship, with the four and twenty sailor mice and
the duck captain, sailed over the big blue sea. Puss, Junior, learned to
climb the mast and to run out to the very tip of the great boom to tie a
rope for Captain Duck when it was blowing a gale. The Rock-a-By-Baby's
Mother made a most delicious cake with the flour which the 'rusty,
dusty' miller had sent on board, and altogether it was a most enjoyable
trip, and when the good ship put into port on the fifth day everybody
was sorry.

Even the little girl who was waiting for Bobby Shafto to come home told
Puss she had forgotten all about him.

Well, as soon as the ship was fast to the dock, Puss said good-by to
Captain Duck and the sailor mice.

"I hope Bobby Shafto will return soon," he whispered to the little girl
as he kissed her good-by.

"I shall miss you very much," he said to the Rock-a-By-Baby's mother.

"Will you, my dear Puss?" she answered, giving him a hug. "You're a dear
little cat! I hope you soon find your father. When you do, tell him he
has a fine little son--tell him that from me, won't you?"

And after that Puss went upon his way, and by and by, after a while he
found himself on a broad highway. "I wonder what will happen next?" he
said to himself, and just then he came to a small house near the r