WILLIE AND THE TREEDEEDLE.

“ What do you mean by jumping into my balloon?” asked the Black
Pussy Cat, as Willie and the Treedeedle came tumbling into the basket.
“ We did not mean to,” said the Treedeedle ; “ but you were in our way, so

we had to fall in. Won’t
you take us home in your
balloon?”

“T haven’t time,” said
the Black Pussy Cat. “ 7m
on my way to the Mud
Turtle’s ball; you can go
with me if you like, and I
will take you home after
the ball is over.”

“‘Let’s go,” said the
Treedeedle to Willie.

 

“THEY STARTED FOR THE HOUSE OF THE MAN IN THE MOON.”?

“ All right,” said Willie; and away they sailed with the Black Pussy Cat.
The Mud Turtle lived by a pond, under a willow-tree, and as it was getting
rather dark, the bushes, and grass, and trees were all lighted up with fireflies,
that snapped and sparkled like electric lights, and made the place as bright as day.
The guests were sitting about on stones. There was the Owl in his rubber

 

“(THE TREEDEEDLE THREW OFF HIS BOXING-GLOVES AND
UNBUTTONED HIS COAT.”’

boots, and he winked one big eye at
Willie when he saw him come in
with the Black Pussy Cat and the
Treedeedle.

Then there was a big grasshopper,
and a robin, and a field-mouse, and a
bull-frog, and a blue butterfly, and
ever so many others.

The Mud Turtle was in the cen-
ter, shaking hands and talking with
everybody.

Then the music struck up.

“Choose your partners for a
hopity-kick waltz!” shouted the Mud
Turtle.

Willie looked up to see where the
musicians were, and saw them sitting
on the branches ; two thousand mos-
quitoes, humming and buzzing a waltz
as loud as they could sing.

Then the Bullfrog came and

asked Willie to dance. Willie saw the Black Pussy Cat dancing with the Mud