“I’m glad I came along in time to get you out,” said Hansel heartily. “If you will sit on my shoulder, I will swim ashore and carry you.” The cat sprang eagerly to his shoulder, and he started to swim ashore. At first she was as light as a feather, but before they had gone far from the island, she began to grow heavy. She grew heavier and heavier, but the boy would not throw her off to drown. He struggled on and came at last to the shore, but he was so tired that he could hardly stand. As he lay on the shore resting, the cat scrambled about among the bushes, and seemed to be searching for something. After a little, the boy cried:-- “Good-bye, pussy, good-bye. When a boy is seeking his fortune, he must seek it,” and he started to go on farther. “But I haven’t thanked you yet,” cried the cat, running out of the bushes. “What shall I give you for what you have done for me?” “Oh, I don’t want any reward,” cried Hansel. “I’m glad I got you out.” “But I have a gift for you,” called the cat, and Hansel went back. The cat dropped a tiny white seed into his hand. “When you are in trouble, plant that,” she said. “Thank you, thank you,” said Hansel. “I’ll keep it to remember you by,” and he put it into his pocket to lie beside the little black seed. “Good-bye again,” he cried. “Ah, but wait a minute,” pleaded the cat. “I have some advice for you.” “I am getting so much advice,” thought Hansel, “that I am afraid I shall be a wise man before I have made my fortune”; but he said aloud, “All right, what is it? I can carry it in another pocket.” “The second time that a giant asks you a question, be sure to answer, ‘With salt.’” “With salt, with salt,” repeated the boy. “To the first question I am to answer ‘Yes,’ and to the second I must say, ‘With salt.’ I certainly hope I shan’t meet any giants, but if there’s nothing harder to do than to answer a few questions, I can surely do that. Good-bye again, I’m going on till I find my fortune.” “But there’s no good fortune down this road,” said the cat. “Whoever passes this lake comes to trouble. Turn back and choose another road.” The thought of that long, long hill with the rolling stones was not very pleasant, and Hansel hesitated; but the cat looked at him so earnestly that at last he answered:-- “All right, pussy, I’ll go back and I won’t lose the little white seed.” “And don’t forget to say ‘With salt’ to the second question,” cried the cat. “No, I won’t. Good-bye, pussy, good-bye.” Climbing the long hill was not nearly so hard as he had expected, for he had rolled so many of the round stones from the path as he went down. Then, too, the sun was no longer directly overhead. Indeed, the air grew cooler and cooler, and when he came to where the four roads met, it was so cold that he had to blow on his fingers to keep them from being stiff and numb.