ck's teeth.

He reached up and put the end of rope, with the hook, over the head of
the tester bed, where the curtains ought to hang.

(Mr. Tod's curtains were folded up, and put away, owing to the house
being unoccupied. So was the counterpane. Tommy Brock was covered with a
blanket only.) Mr. Tod standing on the unsteady chair looked down upon
him attentively; he really was a first prize sound sleeper!

It seemed as though nothing would waken him--not even the flapping rope
across the bed.

Mr. Tod descended safely from the chair, and endeavoured to get up again
with the pail of water. He intended to hang it from the hook, dangling
over the head of Tommy Brock, in order to make a sort of shower-bath,
worked by a string, through the window.

[Illustration]

But naturally being a thin-legged person (though vindictive and sandy
whiskered)--he was quite unable to lift the heavy weight to the level of
the hook and rope. He very nearly overbalanced himself.

The snores became more and more apoplectic. One of Tommy Brock's hind
legs twitched under the blanket, but still he slept on peacefully.

Mr. Tod and the pail descended from the chair without accident. After
considerable thought, he emptied the water into a wash-basin and jug.
The empty pail was not too heavy for him; he slung it up wobbling over
the head of Tommy Brock.

Surely there never was such a sleeper! Mr. Tod got up and down, down and
up on the chair.

As he could not lift the whole pailful of water at once, he fetched a
milk jug, and ladled quarts of water into the pail by degrees. The pail
got fuller and fuller, and swung like a pendulum. Occasionally a drop
splashed over; but still Tommy Brock snored regularly and never
moved,--except one eye.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

At last Mr. Tod's preparations were complete. The pail was full of
water; the rope was tightly strained over the top of the bed, and across
the window sill to the tree outside.

"It will make a great mess in my bedroom; but I could never sleep in
that bed again without a spring cleaning of some sort," said Mr. Tod.

[Illustration]

Mr. Tod took a last look at the badger and softly left the room. He went
out of the house, shutting the front door. The rabbits heard his
footsteps over the tunnel.

He ran round behind the house, intending to undo the rope in order to
let fall the pailful of water upon Tommy Brock--

"I will wake him up with an unpleasant surprise," s