own that bad old fox the
way through the dark forest.

And after that Puss pounded on the kitchen door and shouted, "The fox
has run off with the black duck!"

"What's the matter?" asked Mrs. Slipper-Slopper. "Who has taken the
black duck?"

[Illustration]

"Hurry up!" called Puss. "The fox has a good start; 'twill be hard to
catch him."

So Mrs. Slipper-Slopper pulled in her head and pretty soon came thumping
down the stairs and opened the door.

"Which way did the fox go?" asked Mr. Slipper-Slopper.

"Up the hill," said Puss.

"Where's my gun?" asked Mr. Slipper-Slopper, turning to his wife.

"Why, don't you remember, John?" she replied. "You lent it to old
Neighbor Jones last week."

"So I did," said Mr. Slipper-Slopper. "Too bad!"

"Well, I'm going after him, anyway," cried Mr. Slipper-Slopper, picking
up the broom. "If I catch him I'll hit him a whopper!"

"You wouldn't hit an old man like Neighbor Jones?" cried Mrs.
Slipper-Slopper excitedly.

"No----the fox," cried Mr. Slipper-Slopper. "I mean the fox."

"You'd better put on your boots," said his wife. "You can't go in your
slippers."

A DINNER INVITATION

GOODNESS me, Mr. Slipper-Slopper took so long to pull on his boots that
Puss said, "Really, if you don't hurry the fox will be miles away, and
you'll never get back your gray goose."

"Yes, John, you had better take this young cat's advice," cried Mrs.
Slipper-Slopper.

"Then John, he went up to the hill,
And he blew a blast both loud and shrill;
Says the fox, 'This is very pretty music--still
I'd rather be at my den.'"

"Gracious me!" exclaimed Puss to himself, "Mr. Slipper-Slopper is crazy.
Why does he blow his horn? It's bad enough to hunt a fox with a broom!"

"Look here, Mr. Slipper-Slopper," he cried, "you have no boots--you've
nothing but slippers. You have no gun--you've nothing but an old broom.
And what's more, you have no sense. You deserve to lose your gray goose
and your black duck. Good-by." And Puss ran off in disgust.

"I've no use for a man who can't protect his own," he muttered to
himself. "I won't help catch that fox. Let him have a feast. He must eat
as well as Mr. Slipper-Slopper. Probably Mr. Slipper-Slopper would have
killed the gray goose for dinner in a few days, anyhow."

"Helloa, what are you talking about?" cried Mr. Fox, jumping out from
behind a large stone.

"So you think old Slipper-Slopper wo