<h2><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</SPAN></span> <SPAN name="rescue" id="rescue"></SPAN>PUSS AND JACK MAKE A BOLD RESCUE</h2>
<p class="cap2">IT was midnight in the giant's house. Puss Jr., heard the great clock
strike twelve. Softly he tiptoed down the stairs, holding his boots in
one paw and his staff and cap in the other. When he reached the great
living-room he peeped cautiously in.</p>
<p>There sat the giant in the big arm-chair, fast asleep, the poor little
hen that laid the golden eggs lying on the table, not daring to move.</p>
<p>"How dare he break his word?" said Puss to himself. "He promised if I
told him stories last night that he would not make the little hen lay
her daily golden egg. Now he has gone and broken his promise."</p>
<p>The little hen moved uneasily and looked appealingly at Puss.</p>
<p>"What can I do?" he said to himself. Suddenly a bright idea came into
his head, and, turning toward the kitchen, he opened the door very
softly and peered in. To his great delight he saw Jack sound asleep in
the big rocking-chair that the giant's wife sat in during the<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</SPAN></span> few
moments of the day in which she was not hard at work. Puss, Jr.,
carefully set his boots down near the door and walked over to Jack.
Fearing he might let out a cry of surprise upon seeing him, Puss paused.</p>
<p>"How shall I waken him without startling him?" he asked himself. It was
indeed a problem. Should Jack give a scream the giant would wake and
rush in. Then all would be lost. It was a trying moment for Puss, Jr.</p>
<p>Suddenly an owl hooted outside. Jack slowly opened his eyes.</p>
<p>"'S-sh!" cautioned Puss, quietly, "be careful!"</p>
<p>"Don't worry," replied Jack in a whisper. "I've no desire to make the
acquaintance of the giant. He wouldn't care for my stories. He'd just
eat me up."</p>
<p>"That he would," said Puss. "He's no good, either. He broke his promise
to me last night," and then Puss told Jack how the giant had said he
would let the little hen off for once if Puss would tell some of his
adventures.</p>
<p>"And I spent all last evening telling him stories till I was tired out,"
concluded Puss, "and now he has kept that poor little hen by his side
all night long. She's in the great living-room on the table, not daring
to move. And the giant has the gold egg tightly grasped in his hand."</p>
<p>"Let's rescue the little hen," said Puss.</p>
<p>"How can we?" asked Jack.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</SPAN></span>"Why, just run off with her," replied Puss.</p>
<p>"Where to?" said Jack, for he was still rather sleepy and his mind was
not working as rapidly as Puss, Jr.'s.</p>
<p>"Take her home to your mother," whispered Puss. Together they crept into
the room where the giant still lay snoring. Jack carefully picked up the
little hen and started for the door. As he did so he knocked Puss,
Jr.'s, staff from his paw.</p>
<p>"Run!" cried Puss, as the giant opened his eyes. They fell upon Puss,
for Jack had disappeared down the bean-stalk.</p>
<p>"You have stolen my hen!" he roared.</p>
<p>Puss darted in another direction and the giant after him. Just then the
little owl, who had awakened Jack, flew near and called out:</p>
<div class="block26">
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="io">"The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea<br/></span>
<span class="i2">In a beautiful pea-green boat."<br/></span></div>
</div></div>
<p>And this is the way Puss, Jr., escaped from the wicked giant.</p>
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