Pretty soon all three came to a little house and Puss was invited to come in and play. There was a nice swing under an old apple tree, and soon he was swinging as high as the little girl could push him. All of a sudden he jumped out up among the branches and hung on to a limb, just like a trapeze performer.
"I once was with a circus," he explained, sliding down the rope and turning a somersault on the ground.
Just then the little boys came in the gate and how they did laugh! And Jimmy gave Puss all the marbles which he had won, and his father, who had been sitting on the porch watching the fun, gave Puss a dollar. After that they all went in for lunch and Puss didn't start out on his journey until late in the afternoon.
ON THE WAY
"ON the way, on the way,
To see my father, old and gray.
Faster still, my good gray steed,
Over hill and flowering mead.
"Faster, faster, Good Gray Horse,
Hasten swiftly on your course,
Till I see the stately towers
Where my father spends his hours."
"Urge me not too much!" panted the faithful steed. "I'm doing my best, but these hills have made me short of breath."
Dear me! I forgot to tell you that the Good Gray Horse had run away from the famous Doctor Drake and had caught up to Puss, Junior, just as I commenced this story.
"Forgive me," cried little Puss, Junior. "In my anxiety to see my father I have been selfish." And he slipped a lump of sugar into the mouth of the Good Gray Horse.