]

And then she thought that did not look quite polite; so she scratched
out "isn't mouse" and changed it to "I hope it will be fine," and
she gave her letter to the postman.

But she thought a great deal about Ribby's pie, and she read Ribby's
letter over and over again.

"I am dreadfully afraid it _will_ be mouse!" said Duchess to
herself--"I really couldn't, _couldn't_ eat mouse pie. And I shall have
to eat it, because it is a party. And _my_ pie was going to be veal
and ham. A pink and white pie-dish! and so is mine; just like Ribby's
dishes; they were both bought at Tabitha Twitchit's."

Duchess went into her larder and took the pie off a shelf and looked
at it.

[Illustration]

"It is all ready to put into the oven. Such lovely pie-crust; and I
put in a little tin patty-pan to hold up the crust; and I made a hole
in the middle with a fork to let out the steam--Oh I do wish I could
eat my own pie, instead of a pie made of mouse!"

Duchess considered and considered and read Ribby's letter again--

"A pink and white pie-dish--and _you_ shall eat it _all_. 'You' means
me--then Ribby is not going to even taste the pie herself? A pink and
white pie-dish! Ribby is sure to go out to buy the muffins.... Oh what
a good idea! Why shouldn't I rush along and put my pie into Ribby's
oven when Ribby isn't there?"

[Illustration]

Duchess was quite delighted with her own cleverness!

Ribby in the meantime had received Duchess's answer, and as soon as
she was sure that the little dog could come--she popped _her_ pie into
the oven. There were two ovens, one above the other; some other knobs
and handles were only ornamental and not intended to open. Ribby put
the pie into the lower oven; the door was very stiff.

"The top oven bakes too quickly," said Ribby to herself. "It is a pie
of the most delicate and tender mouse minced up with bacon. And I have
taken out all the bones; because Duchess did nearly choke herself with
a fish-bone last time I gave a party. She eats a little fast--rather
big mouthfuls. But a most genteel and elegant little dog; infinitely
superior company to Cousin Tabitha Twitchit."

[Illustration: THE PIE MADE OF MOUSE]

Ribby put on some coal and swept up the hearth. Then she went out
with a can to the well, for water to fill up the kettle.

Then she began to set the room in order, for it was the sitting-room
as well as the kitchen. She shook the mats out at the front-door and
put them straig