little sir cat saves the pussy from the well

"ding, dong bell,

pussy's in the well!"

when little sir cat heard that he whipped up dapple gray and pretty soon he came to a crowd of people standing around an old well. just then a crooked-nosed man let down the water bucket and pussy crawled in and was lifted up dripping wet, but still alive.

"where is the naughty boy who put her in?" asked little sir cat. but nobody knew. i guess he had run away, as bad boys generally do after they have done something they know is wrong.

"give her to me," said little sir cat, and he started to ride away when little polly flinders who sat among the cinders said, "i'll take her home and warm her by my fire!"

all of a sudden, a regiment of soldiers came by. and when the lord high general saw little sir cat, he came forward and said, "will you play the little drum for us?" and what do you think this little kitten replied? you know already, i'm sure, but i'll tell you just the same.

"yes, my lord," he answered, and then the leader of the fife and drum corps handed him a little drum, and little sir cat started right in to play just like a regular drummer boy. and the way he made that little drum sound was just wonderful. the whole regiment began to cheer, and one big captain said, "three cheers and two tigers for little sir cat!"

and, goodness me, the cheers that went up from that regiment were heard all over mother goose land and everybody asked everybody else what was the matter, and the little yellow bird, whose name i'm going to tell you some day, told them it was for little sir cat. then all the mother goose people began to cheer and when the regiment heard them, they asked what was the matter, and the little yellow bird told them who were cheering.

wasn't that a wonderful little bird?

diddle dum! diddle dum!

went the little drum,

as little sir cat marched off to war

beating the drum sticks o'er and o'er.

pretty soon they came in sight of the enemy, and all the big guns were rushed to the high places and the infantry spread out in long, thin lines, with the cavalry in the rear. all of a sudden the bullets sputtered and the big shells screamed, and, oh, dear me, the little drum couldn't be heard at all, although little sir cat beat on it with all his might. by and by the enemy ran away. then the tents were set up and the field where they had been fighting looked like a tented city, only it didn't have any little church or school house.

at last, when everything was quiet, the general pinned a gold medal on little sir cat, who felt very proud, and told his little drummer not to be afraid for he would never let the enemy get him.

and pretty soon you will find another story—unless—

the postman in the morning

gives me a candy pill,

and the doctor sends me a valentine

instead of a great big bill.