that if Mr.
Rabbit went out into their garden and then saw the fine things which
were going to be on the table he'd wonder where they came from. So he
said right away that dinner was all ready, and they'd better sit down
while things were hot and fresh.

Then they all sat down, and first had the mussels which Mr. Turtle had
brought, and there were some fine sliced tomatoes with them, and Mr.
Rabbit said he hadn't supposed that such fine big tomatoes as those
could come out of a new garden that had been planted late, and that he
certainly must see the vines they came off of before he went home,
because they were just as big as his tomatoes, if not bigger, and he
wanted to see just how they could do so well.

And Mr. Crow felt _real_ chilly, and Mr. 'Coon and Mr. 'Possum both
said they hadn't supposed their tomatoes were so big and ripe, though
they hadn't looked at them since yesterday. But Mr. Rabbit said that a
good many things could happen over night, and Mr. Crow changed the
subject as quick as he could, and said that things always looked bigger
and better on the table than they did in the garden, but that he'd
picked all the real big, ripe tomatoes and he didn't think there'd be
any more.

Then after the mussels they had the chicken-pie, and when Mr. Rabbit saw
the vegetables that Mr. Crow served with it he looked at them and said:

"My, what fine pease and beans, and what splendid corn! I am sure your
vegetables are as good as anything in my garden, if not better. I
certainly _must see_ just the spot where they grew. I would never have
believed you could have done it, never, if I hadn't seen them right here
on your table with my own eyes."

Then Mr. Turtle said they were the finest he ever tasted, and Mr.
'Possum and Mr. 'Coon both said they wouldn't have believed it
themselves yesterday, and it was wonderful how much everything had grown
over night. Then the Old Black Crow choked a little and coughed, and
said he didn't seem to relish his food, and pretty soon he said that of
course their garden _had_ done _pretty_ well, but that it was about
through now, as these were things he had been saving for this dinner,
and he had gathered all the biggest and best of them this morning before
Mr. 'Possum and Mr. 'Coon were up.

When Mr. Crow said that, Jack Rabbit looked the other way and made a
very queer face, and you might have thought he was trying to keep from
laughing if you had seen him, but maybe he was only