But soon the drops grew bigger, and all at once they weren’t drops of rain at all!

“Good gracious!” cried Carry.  “Kittens,—­little blind kittens!  It’ll rain dogs next, I suppose!”

That’s exactly what did happen; for down came puppies along with the kittens.  They squirmed and mewed and hissed and yelped, and all the time kept growing bigger and bigger.  Some came head first pawing the air as they fell; some tail first, looking scared to death; but most miserable of all were those that came down tumbling over and over.  It made them so dizzy to come down in that whirligig fashion, that they staggered about when they tried to stand.  Carry felt truly sorry for them, and yet she couldn’t help laughing.  And the cats and dogs who had come first laughed too.

“Dear me!  That’s sort of funny, isn’t it?” she thought; but the surprise didn’t last long, for, in the midst of a tremendous shower, down came two most remarkable figures, and, with them, what at first sight appeared to be several long sticks; but, on looking again, Carry saw these were pitchforks!

“Oh!” said she, “I thought they’d come.”

Then she stared for a minute at the two odd figures, and cried:  “Why! it’s Mother Hubbard’s dog and Puss in Boots!” And sure enough, so it was!

Puss had a blue velvet cloak on his shoulders, large boots, and a velvet cap with a long plume.  He turned toward Carry and made her a low bow, gracefully doffing his hat.

“You are right, Mademoiselle,” said he.  “I am that renowned personage, and your humble servant.  Permit me to add, Mademoiselle, that my eyes have not beheld a fairer damsel than they now rest upon, since last I saw my beloved mistress, the charming Marquise de Carabas.”

Mother Hubbard’s dog was dressed in a suit of fine old-fashioned clothes, and held tightly between his teeth a very short stemmed pipe from which he puffed great clouds of smoke.

He came up beside Puss, and said, without removing his pipe:  “Stuff and nonsense!  We don’t talk so stupidly in our village.  Don’t waste your time in silly yarns, but let’s settle this fight at once.”

Puss turned away and, addressing Carry, said: 

“Mademoiselle, this plebeian does not understand the language of court circles, to which I have been used for many years.  Mademoiselle will pardon his ignorance.”  And here Puss rolled up his eyes and placed his hand upon his heart and bowed so low that he was actually standing on his head before he had finished.  But he turned a graceful somersault and came right side up again in half a second, without looking at all disturbed.

“Sir!” said the dog, with dignity, “this matter should be settled at once, or the sun will be out, and then——­” he stopped short and winked at Puss in a very knowing manner.

“Ah! that is true,” replied the cat, “I had forgotten.  Shall it be a general or a single combat?”