because they'd
look through the keyhole and refuse to come out, and, not bein'
burglars, we can't bust the door in. It seems to me that there's nothin'
for it but to give way to despair.'

[Illustration]

'Never give way to despair while whiskers can be made from dry grass,'
said Bunyip Bluegum, and suiting the action to the word, he swiftly made
a pair of fine moustaches out of dried grass and stuck them on with
wattle gum. 'Now, lend me your hat,' he said to Bill, and taking the hat
he turned up the brim, dented in the top, and put it on. 'The bag is
also required,' he said to Sam, and taking that in his hand and turning
his coat inside out, he stood before them completely disguised.

'You two,' he said, 'must remain in hiding behind the tree. You will
hear me knock, accost the ruffians and hold them in conversation. The
moment you hear me exclaim loudly, "Hey, Presto! Pots and Pans", you
will dart out and engage the villains at fisticuffs. The rest leave to
me.'

[Illustration]

Waiting till the others were hidden behind the tree, Bunyip rapped
smartly on the door which opened presently and the Wombat put his head
out cautiously.

'Have I the extreme pleasure of addressing Watkin Wombat, Esq.?'
inquired Bunyip Bluegum, with a bow.

Of course, seeing a perfect stranger at the door, the Wombat had no
suspicions, and said at once, 'Such is the name of him you see before
you.'

'I have called to see you,' said Bunyip, 'on a matter of business. The
commodity which I vend is Pootles's Patent Pudding Enlarger, samples of
which I have in the bag. As a guarantee of good faith we are giving
samples of our famous Enlarger away to all well-known Puddin'-owners.
The Enlarger, one of the wonders of modern science, has but to be poured
over the puddin', with certain necessary incantations, and the puddin'
will be instantly enlarged to double its normal size.' He took some
sugar from the bag and held it up. 'I am now about to hand you some of
this wonderful discovery. But,' he added impressively, 'the operation of
enlarging the puddin' is a delicate one, and must be performed in the
open air. Produce your puddin', and I will at once apply Pootles's
Patent with marvellous effect.'

'Of course it's understood that no charge is to be made,' said the
Possum, hurrying out.

'No charge whatever,' said Bunyip Bluegum.

So on the principle of always getting something for nothing, as the
Wombat said, Puddin' was brought out