h it and be ill ourselves!"
exclaimed Fluff with a distressed look.

"Fluff," said Miss Puff severely; "You are sometimes a foolish child!"

Well, Fluff knew that she was foolish, because she was often told so,
and she was a child who always believed what was said to her, so she
meekly sat down and read a story to the dolls. It was one of "Aunt
Bathsheba's" stories, and they are so funny that I always write them
down when I hear them. Listen to this, now!

[Illustration]

_THE PUDDING-STICK AND THE ROLLING-PIN._

Said the Pudding-stick so the Rolling-pin,
"Let's take a dip in the sugar-bin!"
Said the Rolling-pin to the Pudding-stick,
"We'll eat and we'll stuff till we make ourselves sick."
Off they set with a fine bold stride,
That brought them soon to the sugar-bin's side.
"Oh! how shall we reach that keyhole high?
We might as well try to storm the sky!"

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

"Let me mount on your shoulder thin,
And I'll pick the lock!" said the bold Rolling-pin.
The Pudding-stick swelled with angry pride,
"That my figure is fine has ne'er been denied,
I'll give you a slap for your impudence!"
"Well!" said the Roller: "This _is_ immense!"
So they rolled and they fought,
They thumped and they hit.
Till they trod on the tail of
the cook's pet kit.
Then the cook rose up in dreadful wrath,
And laid them out on the kitchen hearth.

[Illustration]

There were fine doings in the garden all this time, as I found when I
turned my eyes in that direction. Three mice and an uncle, (it would not
be polite to call Uncle Jack a rat, and yet if a mouse's uncle is not a
rat, what is he, I should like to know?) and John and Thomas, and three
dogs and two horses and a donkey, there were enough to make things
lively, you will confess.

The dogs interested me particularly, as I have a dog of my own, you
know. Ah! he is a good fellow, that dog of mine! His name is Bmfkmgth,
and none of you will be able to pronounce that, except the children who
live in Wales. It is rather a hard name, but he came from the Dog Star,
and the language there is somewhat difficult. Say it to your dogs,
however, and see if they do not wag their tails. Yes, they understand
each other. Bmfkmgth is green, a color that I never see in dogs on