At length Puss decided that it was time for his master to be
introduced at Court. So one day he persuaded him to go and bathe in a
river near, having heard that the King would soon pass that way.
Jack stood shivering up to his neck in water, wondering what was to
happen next, when suddenly the King's carriage appeared in sight. At
once Puss began to call out as loudly as he could:
"Help, help! My Lord the Marquis of Carabas is drowning!"
The King put his head out of the carriage window and, recognizing the
cat, ordered his attendants to go to the assistance of the Marquis.
While Jack was being taken out of the water, Puss ran to the King
and told him that some robbers had run off with his master's clothes
whilst he was bathing, the truth of the matter being that the cunning
cat had hidden them under a stone.
On hearing this story the King instantly despatched one of his grooms
to fetch a handsome suit of purple and gold from the royal wardrobe,
and arrayed in this, Jack, who was a fine, handsome fellow, looked
so well that no one for a moment supposed but that he was some noble
foreign lord.
The King and his daughter were so pleased with his appearance that
they invited him into their carriage.
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