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white table…cloth； and set out her
best china tea…set； which she took
out of a wall…cupboard near the
fireplace。 The tea…cups were white with
a pattern of pink roses； and the
dinner…plates were white and blue。
When Ribby had laid the table
she took a jug and a blue and white
dish； and went out down the field to
the farm； to fetch milk and butter。
When she came back； she peeped
into the bottom oven； the pie looked
very comfortable。
Ribby put on her shawl and
bonnet and went out again with a
basket； to the village shop to buy a
packet of tea； a pound of lump
sugar； and a pot of marmalade。
And just at the same time；
Duchess came out of HER house； at
the other end of the village。
Ribby met Duchess half…way
own the street； also carrying a
basket； covered with a cloth。 They
only bowed to one another； they
did not speak； because they were
going to have a party。
As soon as Duchess had got
round the corner out of sightshe
simply ran！ Straight away to
Ribby's house！
Ribby went into the shop and
bought what she required； and
came out； after a pleasant gossip
with Cousin Tabitha Twitchit。
Cousin Tabitha was disdainful
afterwards in conversation
〃A little DOG indeed！ Just as if
there were no CATS in Sawrey！
And a PIE for afternoon tea！ The
very idea！〃 said Cousin Tabitha
Twitchit。
Ribby went on to Timothy
Baker's and bought the muffins。
Then she went home。
There seemed to be a sort of
scuffling noise in the back passage；
as she was coming in at the front
door。
〃I trust that is not that Pie： the
spoons are locked up； however；〃
said Ribby。
But there was nobody there
Ribby opened the bottom oven door
with some difficulty； and turned the
pie。 There began to be a pleasing
smell of baked mouse！
Duchess in the meantime； had
slipped out at the back door。
〃It is a very odd thing that
Ribby's pie was NOT in the oven
when I put mine in！ And I can t
find it anywhere； I have looked all
over the house。 I put MY pie into
a nice hot oven at the top。 I could
not turn any of the other handles；
I think that they are all shams；〃
said Duchess； 〃but I wish I could
have removed the pie made of
mouse！ I cannot think what she
has done with it？ I heard Ribby
coming and I had to run out by the
back door！〃
Duchess went home and brushed
her beautiful black coat； and then
she picked a bunch of flowers in
her garden as a present for Ribby；
and passed the time until the clock
struck four。
Ribbyhaving assured herself
by careful search that there was
really no one hiding in the cupboard
or in the larderwent
upstairs to change her dress。
She put on a lilac silk gown； for
the party； and an embroidered
muslin apron and tippet。
〃It is very strange；〃 said Ribby；
〃I did not THINK I left that drawer
pulled out； has somebody been
trying on my mittens？〃
She came downstairs again； and
made the tea； and put the teapot on
the hob。 She peeped again into
the BOTTOM oven； the pie had become
a lovely brown； and it was
steaming hot。
She sat down before the fire to
wait for the little dog。 〃I am glad
I used the BOTTOM oven；〃 said Ribby；
〃the top one would certainly
have been very much too hot。 I
wonder why that cupboard door
was open？ Can there really have
been some one in the house？〃
Very punctually at four o'clock；
Duchess started to go to the party。
She ran so fast through the village
that she was too early； and she had
to wait a little while in the lane
that leads down to Ribby's house。
〃I wonder if Ribby has taken
MY pie out of the oven yet？〃 said
Duchess； 〃and whatever can have
become of the other pie made of
mouse？〃
At a quarter past four to the
minute； there came a most genteel
little tap…tappity。 〃Is Mrs。 Ribston
at home？〃 inquired Duchess in
the porch。
〃Come in！ and how do you do；
my dear Duchess？〃 cried Ribby。
〃I hope I see you well？〃
〃Quite well； I thank you； and
how do YOU do； my dear Ribby？〃
said Duchess。 〃I've brought you
some flowers； what a delicious
smell of pie！〃
〃Oh； what lovely flowers！ Yes；
it is mouse and bacon！〃
〃Do not talk about food； my
dear Ribby；〃 said Duchess； 〃what
a lovely white tea…cloth！ 。 。 。 。 Is it
done to a turn？ Is it still in the
oven？〃
〃I think it wants another five
minutes；〃 said Ribby。 〃Just a
shade longer； I will pour out the
tea； while we wait。 Do you take
sugar； my dear Duchess？〃
〃Oh yes； please！ my dear
Ribby； and may I have a lump
upon my nose？〃
〃With pleasure； my dear Duchess；
how beautifully you beg！ Oh；
how sweetly pretty！〃
Duchess sat up with the sugar
on her nose and sniffed
〃How good that pie smells！ I
do love veal and hamI mean to
say mouse and bacon〃
She dropped the sugar in
confusion； and had to go hunting under
the tea…table； so did not see which
oven Ribby opened in order to get
out the pie。
Ribby set the pie upon the table；
there was a very savoury smell。
Duchess came out from under
the table…cloth munching sugar；
and sat up on a chair。
〃I will first cut the pie for you；
I am going to have muffin and
marmalade；〃 said Ribby。
〃Do you really prefer muffin？
Mind the patty…pan！〃
〃 I beg your pardon？〃 said Ribby。
〃May I pass you the marmalade？〃
said Duchess hurriedly。
The pie proved extremely toothsome；
and the muffins light and
hot。 They disappeared rapidly；
especially the pie！
〃I think〃（thought the Duchess
to herself）〃I THINK it would
be wiser if I helped myself to pie；
though Ribby did not seem to notice
anything when she was cutting it。
What very small fine pieces it has
cooked into！ I did not remember that
I had minced it up so fine； I suppose
this is a quicker oven than my own。〃
〃How fast
Duchess is
eating！〃 thought
Ribby to herself；
as she a
buttered her
fifth muffin。
The pie…dish was emptying
rapidly！ Duchess
had had four
helps already； and
was fumbling
with the spoon。
〃A little more bacon； my dear
Duchess？〃 said Ribby。
〃Thank you； my dear Ribby； I
was only feeling for the patty…pan。〃
〃The patty…pan？ my dear
Duchess？〃
〃The patty…pan that held up the
pie…crust；〃 said Duchess； blushing
under her black coat。
〃Oh； I didn't put one in； my
dear Duchess；〃 said Ribby； 〃I
don't think that it is necessary in
pies made of mouse。〃
Duchess fumbled with the spoon
〃I can't find it！〃 she said
anxiously。
〃There isn't a patty…pan；〃 said
Ribby； looking perplexed。
〃Yes； indeed； my dear Ribby；
where can it have gone to？〃 said
Duchess。
〃There most certainly is not one；
my dear Duchess。 I disapprove of
tin articles in puddings and pies。 It
is most undesirable（especially
when people swallow in lumps！）〃
she added in a lower voice。
Duchess looked very much
alarmed； and continued to scoop
the inside of the pie…dish。
〃My Great…aunt Squintina
（grandmother of Cousin Tabitha
Twitchit）died of a thimble in a
Christmas plum…pudding。 _I_ never
put any article of metal in MY
puddings or pies。〃
Duchess looked aghast； and
tilted up the pie…dish。
〃I have only four patty…pans；
and they are all in the cupboard。〃
Duchess set up a howl。
〃I shall die！ I shall die！ I have
swallowed a patty…pan！ Oh； my
dear Ribby； I do feel so ill！〃
〃It is impossible； my dear
Duchess； there was not a patty…pan。〃
Duchess moaned and whined
and rocked herself about。
〃Oh I feel so dreadful。 I have
swallowed a patty…pan！〃
〃There was NOTHING in the pie；〃
said Ribby severely。
〃Yes there WAS； my dear Ribby；
I am sure I have swallowed it！〃
〃Let me prop you up with a
pillow； my dear Duchess； where do
you think you feel it？〃
〃Oh I do feel so ill ALL OVER me；
my dear Ribby； I have swallowed
a large tin patty…pan with a sharp
scalloped edge！〃
〃Shall I run for the doctor？ I
will just lock up the spoons！〃
〃Oh yes； yes！ fetch Dr。 Maggotty；
my dear Ribby： he is a Pie
himself； he will certainly understand。〃
Ribby settled Duchess in an
armchair before the fire； and went
out and hurried to the village to
look for the doctor。
She found him at the smithy。
He was occupied in putting rusty
nails into a bottle of ink； which he
had obtained at the post office。
〃Gammon？ ha！ HA！〃 said he；
with his head on one side。
Ribby explained that her guest
had swallowed a patty…pan。
〃Spinach？ ha！ HA！〃 said he；
and accompanied her with alacrity。
He hopped so fast that Ribby
had to run。 It was most conspicuous。
All the village could see that
Ri