Puss Junior and Robinson Crusoe

<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</SPAN></span></p> <h2>FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS</h2> <div class='cap'>THE Ark was an exceedingly good sea craft. It rode the waves and breasted the gale without a mishap. Some of the animals became sea sick. But this, of course, was to be expected. Even Captain Noah himself felt rather queer at times, and as for little Tom Thumb, he kept to his bed for almost a week. Puss, Junior, proved to be a very fine sailor. Not once did he feel the least bit ill, and was able to help Mrs. Noah attend to the sick passengers.</div> <p>Of all the animals, however, the elephant was the most sea sick.</p> <p>"Of course, it had to be the biggest animal!" said Captain Noah at breakfast one morning. "Too bad, my dear," turning to Mrs. Noah, "that you have such an unwieldy patient on your hands." Mrs. Noah only smiled.</p> <p>"He does very little complaining," replied Mrs. Noah, "that is one thing to be thankful for. Now, take the little black ant. She<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</SPAN></span> does nothing but complain all the time. I'd rather attend to the elephant ten times over."</p> <p>"Well, mother, you always had something to be thankful for at the Ark Hotel. I'm glad that on board the Ark you still keep your cheerful disposition!" answered Captain Noah.</p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/gs09.png" width-obs="270" height-obs="350" alt="Tossed at sea" title="" /></div> <p>But, oh, dear me! Pretty soon Puss, Junior, and Tom Thumb wondered if the forty days and forty nights would ever end and if the rain would ever stop. At last, one day, it seemed as if the sun were trying to<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</SPAN></span> break through the clouds. And then, all of a sudden, the rain ceased, and in the distance the dim outline of a mountain appeared through the mist.</p> <p>At once the animals began to sing:</p> <div class='poem'> "We didn't know where we were at,<br/> <span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">One wide river,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Until we bumped on Ararat,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">One wide river to cross."</span><br/></div> <p>As if in obedience to the words of the song the Ark grounded, the sun came out from the clouds, and every one knew the voyage was at an end, for</p> <div class='poem'> "The Ark she landed high and dry,<br/> <span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">One wide river,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And the monkey kissed the cow good-by,</span><br/> <span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">One wide river to cross."</span><br/></div> <p>In a few minutes the gang-plank was lowered and the animals landed. Captain Noah was the last to leave.</p> <p>"Well," he exclaimed, "we have passed through an awful lot. But we're safe on land again." "Hurrah!" shouted all the animals, "we're safe at last!"</p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />