Puss Junior and Robinson Crusoe

<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</SPAN></span></p> <h2>ALL ABOARD</h2> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/gs06.png" width-obs="333" height-obs="400" alt="Bow of ship" title="" /></div> <div class='cap'>IT was still raining when Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb awoke. They had spent a comfortable night at the Hotel Ark and felt much refreshed. After a hearty breakfast they again looked out of the window. The rain was still coming down in torrents, and<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</SPAN></span> water lay inches deep upon the street. The Hotel Ark was surrounded by a shallow lake which, however, was growing deeper every minute.</div> <p>Puss, Junior, stepped out upon the veranda and looked over the village square. Through the rain he could make out the outlines of the Ark. Just then a voice began to sing:</p> <div class='poem'> "He built it high, he built it strong,<br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">He built it wide, he built it long,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">To hold a jolly, motley throng."</span><br/></div> <p>Pretty soon Noah himself came splashing through the water toward the hotel.</p> <p>"There is no time to lose," he cried, "the Ark will soon be afloat. Mother, make haste. Tell the girls to come along. We've no time to lose." Mrs. Noah appeared almost immediately, followed by the wives of her three sons. Lifting up their skirts, they waded after Noah. Puss, Junior, picked up Tom Thumb and placed him on his shoulder. From far and near, from the forest and the plain, from everywhere, the animals came hurrying up.</p> <div class='poem'> "There were the Elephant and Bee,<br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The Hippopotamus and Flea,</span><br/> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</SPAN></span><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The tall Giraffe and Chick-a-dee,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The Cock-a-doodle and the Ass,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And three young men, each with his lass,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Shem, Ham and Japhet had a pass!</span><br/> <br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Noah of old, and Noah's dame,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">I think I never heard her name,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">But she went in tho' all the same."</span><br/></div> <p>"This reminds me of the circus," laughed Puss, Junior. "I once was with a circus; three days or so; whenever I see an elephant I think of my circus days."</p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/gs07.png" width-obs="274" height-obs="350" alt="Animals coming to the ark" title="" /></div> <p>"Let down the gang-plank," commanded Noah, and soon a long procession of animals began to enter the Ark. The rain kept up<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</SPAN></span> its heavy downpour and by noon the water was waist deep. All the smaller animals had come aboard and Captain Noah (as he was now called) felt certain by evening he would be able to start on his voyage.</p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />