"Thank you for waiting," she cried, turning to the Captain. "I'd have been so disappointed if you had left me behind."
And then she stood close to Puss as the good ship left the dock. "Good luck, my little skipper," shouted the old sailor.
"Good-by," cried Puss, waving his cap to the old salt.
OVER THE WATER
WHEN the old dock and the gray-haired sailor, the tall church spire and the flag on the little red schoolhouse were out of sight, Puss, Junior, turned to the little girl and said: "Let's go down in the cabin. I'll show you the cutest little baby you ever saw. It's the 'rock-a-by, baby, upon-the-tree-top.' His mother always hung the cradle on a willow tree so that the breeze might rock him to sleep. But now the ocean does the rocking and baby sleeps almost all the time."
So the little girl followed Puss down the stairs to the cabin, where they heard a sweet voice singing:
"Over the water, and over the sea,
And over the water to Charley.
I'll have none of your horrid beef,
Nor I'll have none of your barley:
But I'll have some of your very best flour
To make a white cake for my Charley."
"S-s-sh!" said the mother of the baby as Puss and the little girl came in.