Puss in Boots, Jr., and the Good Gray Horse

<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</SPAN></span></p> <h2>HUNGRY KITTENS</h2> <div class='cap'>"GOODNESS, what a bump!" cried the little black kitty, wiping the snow from his eyes.</div> <p>"Gracious! what a bump!" said Puss, scrambling up from the ground. "I think I felt it more than the old barn door, for I was underneath, you see, and you were piled on top of me."</p> <p>The three little kittens felt very sorry and commenced to brush the snowflakes from his fur coat. "There's snow in your boot legs," said the little gray kitten, standing on tiptoe and looking down Puss, Junior's, boots. "Don't you feel it? I should think it would make you shiver."</p> <p>"I'll soon find out," said Puss, pulling them off and turning them upside down.</p> <p>"Are they wet inside?" asked the tabby kitten, anxiously.</p> <p>"Not very," said Puss, squinting up one eye and peering in.</p> <p>"If they are," said the little black kitten, "mother will dry them for you at the fire."</p> <p>Then:<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</SPAN></span></p> <div class='poem'> The three little kittens put on their mittens,<br/> And soon ate up the pie.<br/> "Oh, mother dear, we greatly fear<br/> That we have soiled our mittens."<br/></div> <p>While Puss was busy placing his boots before the kitchen stove the three little kittens seated themselves at the table.</p> <div class="figleft"> <ANTIMG src="images/gs11.png" width-obs="269" height-obs="350" alt="Puss shaking out his boot" title="" /></div> <p>"Why don't you take off your mittens?" Puss asked. "I guess you're so hungry you can't wait," he added with a laugh.</p> <p>It took but a short time for his boots to dry, for there was a big, blazing fire in the stove.</p> <p>"Don't you want something to eat?" asked<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</SPAN></span> Mrs. Cat, coming over to Puss. "You have very pretty boots," she continued, lifting up one and looking at it with much admiration.</p> <p>"Yes, they are nice boots," said Puss, Junior. "They were made for my famous father, Puss in Boots. Mr. Solomon Grundy, who was born on a Monday, made them years ago for my father. And one day, it was only last week, when I stopped at his store, I saw a notice in his window that he had died on Saturday and was buried on Sunday, and that was the end of Solomon Grundy."</p> <p>"Too bad," said Mrs. Cat.</p> <p>"When I went into the store," continued Puss, "Mrs. Grundy took them down from a shelf and sold them to me. Then she went across the street to ask an old friend where my father lived, but she couldn't find out&mdash;her friend didn't know or couldn't remember&mdash;so here I am, still searching for my daddy."</p> <p>"Too bad," said Mrs. Cat again. "I'm really very sorry. But do not give up hope, for you will find him I am sure."</p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />