The Wonderful Bed

suit of pirate clothing and looking none the worse for his wetting. He was being closely watched by a big Maltese pirate whose strong paw with its sh

ane's pet again that she snatched her hand out of Prowler's paw, and ran toward

tling to the very points of his whiskers with passion. Th

and brought out an armful of neat, black, cloth bags with drawing strings in

ir," said he, handing over Rudolf's sword. "Nothing else on the little ones, sir,

e crew, while broad grins spread over their whisk

ry cat was still. "Now then," he c

ds, the beautiful diamond ring and put them all on, glaring defiantly at his crew as he did so. So fierce was that scowl of his, so sharp and white the teeth he flashed at them, so

se Hare's dress-suit case. Growler opened it and took out a dozen paper collars, a

ith a bitter look at the False Hare. "And that umbrella, I s

bly. "You see," he added, wiping away a tear wit

mly fastened on the Hare. "I'll fix you," he

his ear. "Bags?" said he. "Excus

d the Pirate Chief.

ust my favorite resting-place-a nice snug bag. Min

I have it," he roared, "I'll send you a

r mercy, till the children felt actually asha

s," corrected t

ease, Captain Mittens," he begged. "He's only a-" Then he stopped, for the False Hare was maki

ook at Rudolf. "There-that's a nice bit of string hanging

False Hare's paws behind him with his own string, lowered him into the mice's little boat

hearted Ann, "what will bec

y saw that the False Hare had freed his paws-that string must have been made of paper like his clothes

. "Hope you have a good time with the tabbies!

are's boat. Indeed, a great many of the cats had forgotten to load their weapons, though they kept snapping away at their triggers as if that did not matter in the slightest.

d chap," he chuckled, "I s'pose that's

said he joyfully. "Not a breath of wind, ye know

ler's ear. "What's that? No wind? Why not, I'd like to know? What d'ye mean by runn

meekly. "But you see, sir, the breeze havin' died,

e, now came closer yet and fixed his terrible eye on Prowler's shining whiskers. "How l

to the date, sir, but 'twas at my aunt's and she never has us to tea on a Monday,

ned and waved a paw to one of the spotted sailor

much interested, for they had never in thei

black and white sea-cat had turned to carry out the Chief's order when suddenly some one called out "A breeze, a breeze!" and in

ful black bags all ready for use. In the confusion Rudolf turned to Ann and whispered, "Do you suppose we could possibly stir up a mutiny? Prowler

ut loud: "Nobody sha'n't touch my Mittens! I don't care if he is a pirate cat. I'm

d before Rudolf could rush to her rescue a third bag descended over his own head. It was no use struggling, yet struggle they did, till Mittens sent three of the spotted sailors to sit on them, and then they soon quieted down. There were one or two small breathing holes in each bag, or els

the holes in his bag and soon he was able to

Ann and Peter. "We're com

cocoanuts and savages, friendly ones, I m

ts an' turtles an'-an'-shell-f

es, some of 'em coming most down to the edge of the water, but they're not palm-trees

f course, stupid!

re fields with tall reeds or g

s!" gigg

the strings of the three bags, and released the children from their imprisonment. Hardly did they have time to stretch themselves before the Merry Mou