Puss Junior and Robinson Crusoe Part 16

"Why, I guess I've made a mistake," he cried; "it's a tub, not a canoe!"

"Rub-a-dub-dub!

Three men in a tub; And who do you think they be?

The butcher, the baker, The candlestick maker, Turn 'em out knaves all three!"

"Well, that's good news," cried Puss, Junior, while Black Man Friday jumped about in great glee. You see, he had escaped only a short time before from the cannibals.

Little Tom Thumb, although safe inside Puss, Junior's, pocket, was also relieved. The only one who didn't seem overjoyed was Mr. Crusoe himself.

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"What's the matter now?" said Puss.

Mr. Crusoe gave a deep sigh. "If you owed the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker as much as I do you wouldn't be overjoyed at seeing them, either."

"But I'd rather see them than cannibals," cried Tom Thumb. "I'd rather they'd take my money than my life!"

"That's very true," said Mr. Crusoe, "but you don't quite get me. The laws on this island are very strict. They will allow you to shoot a cannibal at sight but not your grocery man."

"Then you are powerless against these three men in a tub?" said Puss, Junior.

"Well, not exactly," replied Mr. Crusoe. "I needn't answer the bell, you know."

By this time the three men had landed on the beach, and pretty soon the doorbell rang.

"S-s-s.h.!.+" whispered Mr. Crusoe, "don't make a sound. They can pull the handle off, for all I care."

They didn't do this, but they kept the bell going until every one in Crusoe Castle was nearly crazy. First the butcher took a hand, then the baker, and then the candlestick maker. Then they began all over again.

A BIG FISH

"IF those fellows don't stop ringing that bell, I'll get out my gun,"

said Robinson Crusoe. "I didn't get the bell for them; it's all paid for long ago."

At that moment, the bell-cord snapped, and the baker, who had just given the handle a dreadful yank, fell over backwards and rolled down the hill to the beach.

"Mr. Crusoe's not at home," said the butcher. "We might as well go back." So he and the candlestick maker went down to the sh.o.r.e and joined the baker; and then all three got into the tub and sailed away.

"And we must do the same," said Puss, Junior. "Tom Thumb and I thank you very much for our nice visit on your island, but it's time we went forth again on our journey of adventure."

"Well, I'm sorry to see you go," said Robinson Crusoe. And after that Puss shoved off the little boat and soon he and Tom were far out of sight on the big, wide sea.

"When the wind is in the East, 'Tis neither good for man nor beast; When the wind is in the North, The skilful fisher goes not forth.

When the wind is in the South, It blows the bait in the fish's mouth; When the wind is in the West, Then 'tis at the very best."

"Well, as the wind is in the South, why don't you fish?" cried Captain Puss, Junior. So Tom Thumb started in, and presently he felt a tremendous tug on the line.

"I've got a fis.h.!.+ I've got a fis.h.!.+" he cried, and then he began pulling in his line as fast as he could. But, oh dear me! It wasn't a fish after all, but a great big whale!

"Don't you pull on that line any more," cried the whale, "if you do I'll smash your boat."

"Oh, is that so," said little Tom Thumb, although, of course, he was frightened almost to death, but what was the use to show fear? It would only make things worse, and if he put on a bold front, perhaps the whale would let them alone.

"I'll take the hook out of your nose, if you'll promise not to swallow me," said little Tom Thumb.

"All right," said the whale, and then Tom tried to pull it out. But it was in so tight that the whale began to spout great big tears. "Oh, dear me! It hurts just like a tooth!"

"Well, it's your own fault!" said Tom. "Next time don't swallow everything that comes along!"

MARY LEE

"IF you're not more careful, I'll spout water over your boat and sink it," cried the whale, growing tired of Tom Thumb's fruitless endeavors to get the fish hook out. "My nose is bleeding now and the hook is still in it."

"Let me give the string a yank," said Tom Thumb. "Didn't you ever have a tooth pulled out that way? It won't hurt much."

"Well, go ahead," said the whale, closing his eyes and shutting his teeth tight. And then out came the hook and over went Tom into the bottom of the boat.

"Ouch! Ouch!" said the whale, while little Tom Thumb picked himself up and said to Puss, Junior, "Don't you ever ask me to fish again in the ocean. I'd rather fish like Simple Simon."

Simple Simon went a-fis.h.i.+ng For to catch a whale; All the water he had got Was in his mother's pail.

"What are you grumbling about?" asked the whale, peering over the side of the boat. "One would think you had been caught with a hook," and saying this disagreeable thing, he dived down into the sea.

"No more fis.h.i.+ng for me," laughed Tom Thumb.

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And just then they came close to a lighthouse on a big rock. So they ran the boat up on the little stretch of sand.

"I don't know what we're landing for," said Captain Puss, Junior, "only I've never been in a lighthouse and here's a good chance."

"Haven't you?" asked a pretty voice, and a young girl appeared on the stone steps leading down to the beach. "Come, my gallant tars, and I'll show you my lighthouse and after that you can tell me some of your adventures, for 'tis a lonely life I lead here alone on the rock until my Bobby Shafto returns."

Bobby Shafto's gone to sea In his schooner Mary Lee.

Hard-a-port, or hard-a-lee, "Hasten, Bobby, home to me."

So Puss picked up Tom Thumb and followed the girl into the lighthouse and up the stairs to the very top where the great lamp sent out its rays of light to guide the s.h.i.+ps at night; or the great bell clanged in foggy weather to warn the weary sailor from the cruel rocks.