The Wonderful Bed

ready to direct the landing of the boat. There was some sense in this, for certainly neither of the two mice was what could be called good oarsmen. One of them had just unshipped the little

small broom, dusting seats, cushions, and oar-locks with a little feather duster tied with a pink ribbon. Then, after a few, rapid, nervous strokes at the oars, one or the other of them would pull his blade out of the water and polish it

up and down, clapping his paws and calling out in the heartiest tones: "Go it, my dear old Salts! Hurrah, my fine Jack Ta

f the party, and standing as close together as they could get, gazed anxiously out over the water. Seen close by there was something familiar about the look of these mice to the three children, yes, even though they had grown a great deal, and had disguised themselves by t

uses, was you

their embarrassment and looked nervously

them, "that last time I saw you you was choc'late.

ieve in washing," muttered on

when they are going to lend us their boat so kindly." Then she asked in a loud vo

I adore rowing," said

fter Peter. 'He is always so apt to fall out of a

es and the startled squeaks they gave from time to time, it seemed as if they were hardly enjoying his attentions. The children loved being on the water better than anything else, and they would have been perfectly happy now, if the False Hare had not had quite so many nice compliments

l ah

g his head he saw for himself a small boat heading toward them as fast as it could co

that's a skull and cross-

ted. "How awfully jol

all over to the tips of his whiskers. "If there's o

nce at the ship, they gave two little sh

we must make up our minds to being captured. Our enemy's boat is not so large-it's not much more than a catboat-bu

well-brought-up, polite pirates! Just the sort your dear parents would like to have you meet. Those fellows d

ever seen a real live pirate, and goodness knows when I ever will again-I wouldn't miss this for anything." Then, as he saw h

enough to see from their queer bright-colored clothes and the number of weapons they carried, even if the ugly black flag had not been floating over their heads. At the bow stood he who was evidently the Pirate Chief. He was dressed in some kind of tight gray and white striped suit with a red sash tied round his waist stuck full of shi

side of the boat that he lost his balance and fell into the water. Ann screamed, the False Hare-I am ashamed to say-merely yawned and kept his paws in his pockets. Rudolf had kicked off his shoes and was ready to jump in after Peter, whe

dy, Ruddy!" she begged, "let's surrender right away quick. We can't

Why so they are cats, Ann! Somehow I hadn't noticed tha

ldren. Cats indeed they were, but such cats as Ann and Rudolf had never seen before, so big and black and bold were they, their teeth so sha

ay as they laid hold of the bow of the rowboat, "or

is belongings-his jewelry, his suit case, and his little umbrella-without the slightest hesitation, humming a tune as he did so, but his voice cracked, and Ann and Rudolf noticed that the tip of h

t jump back into their old tub to se

ght, Pr

eir faces on each other's shoulders, rolled themselves into a kind of ball, and stowed themselves under a seat. Prowler leaped into the little boat which the pirates had fastened by a tow-rope to their own, and

f you did, and don't fork it out before the Chief, you'll

ing of any importance,"

now settled to the oars and the boat skimmed along the water in the direction of th

save you your skins. Don't show any cheek-not to me or

ame, Mr. Growler, dear

peated together as if they were saying a lesson: "The name of our illustrious Chief

iven her a sharp pinch. A terrible frown had spread over the faces of both Growler and Prowler. "Above all," whispered