de of mouse! I
cannot think what she has done with it? I heard Ribby coming and I had
to run out by the back door!"

[Illustration]

Duchess went home and brushed her beautiful black coat; and then she
picked a bunch of flowers in her garden as a present for Ribby; and
passed the time until the clock struck four.

Ribby--having assured herself by careful search that there was really
no one hiding in the cupboard or in the larder--went upstairs to
change her dress.

She put on a lilac silk gown, for the party, and an embroidered muslin
apron and tippet.

"It is very strange," said Ribby, "I did not _think_ I left that
drawer pulled out; has somebody been trying on my mittens?"

She came downstairs again, and made the tea, and put the teapot on the
hob. She peeped again into the _bottom_ oven, the pie had become a
lovely brown, and it was steaming hot.

[Illustration: READY FOR THE PARTY]

She sat down before the fire to wait for the little dog. "I am glad I
used the _bottom_ oven," said Ribby, "the top one would certainly have
been very much too hot. I wonder why that cupboard door was open? Can
there really have been someone in the house?"

Very punctually at four o'clock, Duchess started to go to the party.
She ran so fast through the village that she was too early, and she
had to wait a little while in the lane that leads down to Ribby's
house.

"I wonder if Ribby has taken _my_ pie out of the oven yet?" said
Duchess, "and whatever can have become of the other pie made of
mouse?"

[Illustration]

At a quarter past four to the minute, there came a most genteel little
tap-tappity. "Is Mrs. Ribston at home?" inquired Duchess in the porch.

"Come in! and how do you do, my dear Duchess?" cried Ribby. "I hope I
see you well?"

"Quite well, I thank you, and how do _you_ do, my dear Ribby?" said
Duchess. "I've brought you some flowers; what a delicious smell of
pie!"

[Illustration: DUCHESS IN THE PORCH]

"Oh, what lovely flowers! Yes, it is mouse and bacon!"

"Do not talk about food, my dear Ribby," said Duchess; "what a lovely
white tea-cloth!... Is it done to a turn? Is it still in the oven?"

"I think it wants another five minutes," said Ribby. "Just a shade
longer; I will pour out the tea, while we wait. Do you take sugar, my
dear Duchess?"

"Oh yes, please! my dear Ribby; and may I have a lump upon my nose?"

"With pleasure, my dear Duchess; how beautifully you beg! Oh, how
sweetly pretty!"