AFTER leaving Taffy, the Welshman, Puss, Junior, and little Tom Thumb walked along for many a mile until they came to the seashore. Right there in a sheltered cove lay a beautiful sailboat, on the stern of which was painted in gold letters:
"Take, oh take me for a sail—
I can weather any gale."
"Shall we accept the pretty boat's offer?" asked Puss, Junior.
For answer Tom Thumb jumped in and, so without another word, Puss hoisted the sail and steered for the big blue ocean. All day and all night they sailed away, and when they woke in the morning they were surprised to find the little boat fast aground on a sandy beach.
"How did we get here?" asked Puss, sleepily, for it was still early in the morning, and the sun had just begun to climb up to the sky, and the dew dripped from the tall meadow grass that grew close to the water's edge.
"Through no fault of ours," replied little Tom Thumb, with a laugh.
"Captain Puss, Junior, fell asleep at the helm, and the first mate, Tom Thumb, did likewise," he added, running up to the bow and looking over the land. "Why, it's an island," he called out. "I can see water on the other side."
"You don't say so," said Puss. "Well, let's land." So they jumped ashore and walked up the beach towards a clump of trees.
"Pretty nice sort of a place," said Tom Thumb. "Let's play Robinson Crusoe! I'll be your black man Friday. We can build a house under these trees, and as we have lots to eat on board ship, we can spend some time here without danger of starving."
And just then, all of a sudden, a voice began to sing: