ht; the hearthrug was a rabbit-skin. She dusted the
clock and the ornaments on the mantelpiece, and she polished and
rubbed the tables and chairs.

Then she spread a very clean 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.

[Illustration]

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.

[Illustration: THE VEAL AND HAM PIE]

Ribby met Duchess half-way down 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 sight--she simply
ran! Straight away to Ribby's house!

[Illustration]

Ribby went into the shop and bought what she required, and came out,
after a pleasant gossip with Cousin Tabitha Twitchit.

[Illustration]

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!

[Illustration: WHERE IS THE PIE MADE OF 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 ma