The Pie and the Patty-Pan Page #2

								

going to have muffin and
marmalade," said Ribby.

"I think"--(thought 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."

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.

Duchess looked very much
alarmed, and continued to scoop the
inside of 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."

"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."

"Shall I run for the doctor?"

"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.

Ribby explained that her guest had
swallowed a patty-pan.

Dr. Maggotty hopped so fast that
Ribby had to run. It was most
conspicuous. All the village could see
that Ribby was fetching the doctor.

But while Ribby had been hunting
for the doctor--a curious thing had
happened to Duchess, who had been
left by herself, sitting before the fire,
sighing and groaning and feeling very
unhappy.

"How COULD I have swallowed it!
such a large thing as a patty-pan!"

She sat down again, and stared
mournfully at the grate. The fire
crackled and danced, and something
sizz-z-zled!

Duchess started! She opened the
door of the TOP oven;--out came a
rich steamy flavour of veal and ham,
and there stood a fine brown pie,--
and through a hole in the top of the
pie-crust there was a glimpse of a
little tin patty-pan!

Duchess drew a long breath--

"Then I must have been eating
MOUSE! . . . No wonder I feel ill. . . .
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