第7章

hehastilygaveittoher，andfledtothemealchest。"Howdidyoucomehere？"askedPiglingBland。

"Stolen，"repliedPig-wig，withhermouthfull。Piglinghelpedhimselftomealwithoutscruple。

"Whatfor？""Bacon，hams，"

repliedPig-wigcheerfully。"Whyonearthdon"tyourunaway？"

exclaimedthehorrifiedPigling。

"Ishallaftersupper，"saidPig-

wigdecidedly。

PiglingBlandmademoreporridgeandwatchedhershyly。

Shefinishedasecondplate，gotup，andlookedabouther，asthoughsheweregoingtostart。

"Youcan"tgointhedark，"saidPiglingBland。

Pig-wiglookedanxious。

"Doyouknowyourwaybydaylight？"

"Iknowwecanseethislittlewhitehousefromthehillsacrosstheriver。WhichwayareYOU

going，Mr。Pig？"

"Tomarket——Ihavetwopigpapers。Imighttakeyoutothebridge；ifyouhavenoobjection，"

saidPiglingmuchconfusedandsittingontheedgeofhiscoppystool。

Pig-wig"sgratitudewassuchandsheaskedsomanyquestionsthatitbecameembarrassingtoPiglingBland。

Hewasobligedtoshuthiseyesandpretendtosleep。Shebecamequiet，andtherewasasmellofpeppermint。

"Ithoughtyouhadeatenthem，"

saidPigling，wakingsuddenly。

"Onlythecorners，"repliedPig-

wig，studyingthesentimentswithmuchinterestbythefirelight。

"Iwishyouwouldn"t；hemightsmellthemthroughtheceiling，"

saidthealarmedPigling。

Pig-wigputbackthestickypeppermintsintoherpocket；"Singsomething，"shedemanded。

"Iamsorry……Ihavetooth-

ache，"saidPiglingmuchdismayed。

"ThenIwillsing，"repliedPig-wig。

"YouwillnotmindifIsayiddytidditty？Ihaveforgottensomeofthewords。"

PiglingBlandmadenoobjection；

hesatwithhiseyeshalfshut，andwatchedher。

Shewaggedherheadandrockedabout，clappingtimeandsinginginasweetlittlegruntyvoice——

"Afunnyoldmotherpiglivedinastye，andthreelittlepiggieshadshe；

"（Tiiddittyidditty）umph，umph，umph！andthelittlepigssaid，wee，wee！"

Shesangsuccessfullythroughthreeorfourverses，onlyateveryverseherheadnoddedalittlelower，andherlittletwinklyeyesclosedup。

"Thosethreelittlepiggiesgrewpeakyandlean，andleantheymightverywellbe；

"Forsomehowtheycouldn"tsayumph，umph，umph！andtheywouldn"tsaywee，wee，wee！

"Forsomehowtheycouldn"tsay——

Pig-wig"sheadbobbedlowerandlower，untilsherolledover，alittleroundball，fastasleeponthehearth-rug。

PiglingBland，ontip-toe，coveredherupwithanantimacassarHewasafraidtogotosleephimself；fortherestofthenighthesatlisteningtothechirpingofthecricketsandtothesnoresofMr。

Pipersonoverhead。

Earlyinthemorning，betweendarkanddaylight，PiglingtieduphislittlebundleandwokeupPig-

wig。Shewasexcitedandhalf-

frightened。Butit"sdark！Howcanwefindourway？"

"Thecockhascrowed；wemuststartbeforethehenscomeout；theymightshouttoMr。Piperson。"

Pig-wigsatdownagain，andcommencedtocry。

"ComeawayPig-wig；wecanseewhenwegetusedtoit。Come！

Icanhearthemclucking！"

Piglinghadneversaidshuh！toaheninhislife，beingpeaceable；

alsoherememberedthehamper。

Heopenedthehousedoorquietlyandshutitafterthem。Therewasnogarden；theneighbourhoodofMr。Piperson"swasallscratchedupbyfowls。Theyslippedawayhandinhandacrossanuntidyfieldtotheroad。

Thesunrosewhiletheywerecrossingthemoor，adazzleoflightoverthetopsofthehills。Thesunshinecreptdowntheslopesintothepeacefulgreenvalleys，wherelittlewhitecottagesnestledingardensandorchards。

"That"sWestmorland，"saidPig-wig。ShedroppedPigling"shandandcommencedtodance，singing——

"Tom，Tom，thepiper"sson，stoleapigandawayheran！

"Butallthetunethathecouldplay，was"Overthehillsandfaraway！""

"Come，Pig-wig，wemustgettothebridgebeforefolksarestirring。"

"Whydoyouwanttogotomarket，Pigling？"inquiredPig-wigpresently。

"Idon"twant；Iwanttogrowpotatoes。""Haveapeppermint？"

saidPig-wig。PiglingBlandrefusedquitecrossly。"Doesyourpoortoothyhurt？"inquiredPig-wig。PiglingBlandgrunted。

Pig-wigatethepeppermintherselfandfollowedtheoppositesideoftheroad。"Pig-wig！keepunderthewall，there"samanploughing。"

Pig-wigcrossedover，theyhurrieddownhilltowardsthecountyboundary。

SuddenlyPiglingstopped；heheardwheels。

Slowlyjogginguptheroadbelowthemcameatradesman"scart。Thereinsflappedonthehorse"sback，thegrocerwasreadinganewspaper。

"Takethatpeppermintoutofyourmouth，Pig-wig，wemayhavetorun。Don"tsayoneword。Leaveittome。Andinsightofthebridge！"

saidpoorPigling，nearlycrying。

Hebegantowalkfrightfullylame，holdingPig-wig"sarm。

Thegrocer，intentuponhisnews-

paper，mighthavepassedthem，ifhishorsehadnotshiedandsnorted。

Hepulledthecartcrossways，andhelddownhiswhip。"Hallo！

WhereareYOUgoingto？"——PiglingBlandstaredathimvacantly。

"Areyoudeaf？Areyougoingtomarket？"Piglingnoddedslowly。

"Ithoughtasmuch。Itwasyesterday。Showmeyourlicence？"

Piglingstaredattheoffhindshoeofthegrocer"shorsewhichhadpickedupastone。

Thegrocerflickedhiswhip——

"Papers？Piglicence？"Piglingfumbledinallhispockets，andhandedupthepapers。Thegrocerreadthem，butstillseemeddissatisfied。

"Thisherepigisayounglady；ishernameAlexander？"

Pig-wigopenedhermouthandshutitagain；Piglingcoughedasthmatically。

Thegrocerranhisfingerdowntheadvertisementcolumnofhisnewspaper——"Lost，stolenorstrayed，10s。reward。"HelookedsuspiciouslyatPig-wig。Thenhestoodupinthetrap，andwhistledfortheploughman。

"YouwaitherewhileIdriveonandspeaktohim，"saidthegrocer，gatheringupthereins。Heknewthatpigsareslippery；butsurely，suchaVERYlamepigcouldneverrun！

"Notyet，Pig-wig，hewilllookback。"Thegrocerdidso；hesawthetwopigsstock-stillinthemiddleoftheroad。Thenhelookedoverathishorse"sheels；itwaslamealso；thestonetooksometimetoknockout，afterhegottotheploughman。

"Now，Pig-wig，NOW！"saidPiglingBland。

Neverdidanypigsrunasthesepigsran！Theyracedandsquealedandpelteddownthelongwhitehilltowardsthebridge。LittlefatPig-

wig"spetticoatsfluttered，andherfeetwentpitter，patter，pitter，assheboundedandjumped。

Theyran，andtheyran，andtheyrandownthehill，andacrossashortcutonlevelgreenturfatthebottom，betweenpebblebedsandrushes。

Theycametotheriver，theycametothebridge——theycrossedithandinhand-

thenoverthehillsandfarawayshedancedwithPiglingBland！

THEEND

THETALEOF

TWOBADMICE

FOR

W。M。L。W。

THELITTLEGIRL

WHOHADTHEDOLLHOUSE

ONCEuponatimetherewasaverybeautifuldoll"shouse；itwasredbrickwithwhitewindows，andithadrealmuslincurtainsandafrontdoorandachimney。

ITbelongedtotwoDollscalledLucindaandJane；

atleastitbelongedtoLucinda，butsheneverorderedmeals。

JanewastheCook；butsheneverdidanycooking，becausethedinnerhadbeenboughtready-made，inaboxfullofshavings。

THEREweretworedlobsters，andaham，afish，apudding，andsomepearsandoranges。

Theywouldnotcomeofftheplates，buttheywereextremelybeautiful。

ONEmorningLucindaandJanehadgoneoutforadriveinthedoll"sperambulator。

Therewasnooneinthenursery，anditwasveryquiet。

Presentlytherewasalittlescuffling，scratchingnoiseinacornernearthefireplace，wheretherewasaholeundertheskirting-board。

TomThumbputouthisheadforamoment，andthenpoppeditinagain。

TomThumbwasamouse。

AMINUTEafterwardsHuncaMunca，hiswife，putherheadout，too；andwhenshesawthattherewasnooneinthenursery，sheventuredoutontheoilclothunderthecoal-boxTHEdoll"shousestoodattheothersideofthefireplace。TomThumbandHuncaMuncawentcautiouslyacrossthehearth-rug。Theypushedthefrontdoor——itwasnotfast。

TOMTHUMBandHuncaMuncawentup-stairsandpeepedintothedining-

room。Thentheysqueakedwithjoy！

Suchalovelydinnerwaslaidoutuponthetable！Thereweretinspoons，andleadknivesandforks，andtwodolly-chairs——allSOconvenient！

TOMTHUMBsettoworkatoncetocarvetheham。

Itwasabeautifulshinyyellow，streakedwithred。

Theknifecrumpledupandhurthim；heputhisfingerinhismouth。

"Itisnotboiledenough；itishard。Youhaveatry，HuncaMunca。"

HUNCAMUNCA

upinherchair，andchoppedatthehamwithanotherleadknife。

"It"sashardasthehamsatthecheesemonger"s，"saidHuncaMunca。

THEhambrokeofftheplatewithajerk，androlledunderthetable。

"Letitalone，"saidTomThumb；"givemesomefish，HuncaMunca！"

HUNCAMUNCAtriedeverytinspooninturn；

thefishwasgluedtothedish。

ThenTomThumblosthistemper。Heputthehaminthemiddleofthefloor，andhititwiththetongsandwiththeshovel——bang，bang，smash，smash！

Thehamflewallintopieces，forunderneaththeshinypaintitwasmadeofnothingbutplaster！

THENtherewasnoendtotherageanddisappointmentofTomThumbandHuncaMunca。Theybrokeupthepudding，thelobsters，thepears，andtheoranges。

Asthefishwouldnotcomeofftheplate，theyputitintothered-hotcrinklypaperfireinthekitchen；butitwouldnotburneither。

TOMTHUMBwentupthekitchenchimneyandlookedoutatthetop——therewasnosoot。

WHILETomThumbwasupthechimney，HuncaMuncahadanotherdisappointment。Shefoundsometinycanistersuponthedresser，labeled"Rice，""Coffee？"

"Sago"；butwhensheturnedthemupsidedowntherewasnothinginsideexceptredandbluebeads。

THENthosemicesettoworktodoallthemischieftheycould——especiallyTomThumb！HetookJane"sclothesoutofthechestofdrawersinherbedroom，andhethrewthemoutofthetop-

floorwindow。

ButHuncaMuncahadafrugalmind。AfterpullinghalfthefeathersoutofLucinda"sbolster，sherememberedthatsheherselfwasinwantofafeather-bed。

WITHTomThumb"sassistanceshecarriedthebolsterdown-stairsandacrossthehearth-rug。Itwasdifficulttosqueezethebolsterintothemouse-hole；buttheymanageditsomehow。

THENHuncaMuncawentbackandfetchedachair，abookcase，abird-cage，andseveralsmalloddsandends。

Thebookcaseandthebird-cagerefusedtogointothemouse-hole。

HUNCAMUNCAleftthembehindthecoal-

box，andwenttofetchacradle。

HUNCAMUNCAwasjustreturningwithanotherchair，whensuddenlytherewasanoiseoftalkingoutsideuponthelanding。Themicerushedbacktotheirhole，andthedollscameintothenursery。

WHATasightmettheeyesofJaneandLucinda！

Lucindasatupontheupsetkitchenstoveandstared，andJaneleanedagainstthekitchendresserandsmiled；butneitherofthemmadeanyremark。

THEbookcaseandthebird-

cagewererescuedfromunderthecoal-box；butHuncaMuncahasgotthecradleandsomeofLucinda"sclothes。

SHEalsohassomeusefulpotsandpans，andseveralotherthings。

THElittlegirlthatthedoll"shousebelongedtosaid:

"Iwillgetadolldressedlikeapoliceman！"

BUTthenursesaid:"Iwillsetamouse-trap！"

SOthatisthestoryofthetwoBadMice。Buttheywerenotsovery，verynaughtyafterall，becauseTomThumbpaidforeverythinghebroke。

Hefoundacrookedsixpenceunderthehearth-rug；anduponChristmasEveheandHuncaMuncastuffeditintooneofthestockingsofLucindaandJane。

ANDveryearlyeverymorning——beforeanybodyisawake——HuncaMuncacomeswithherdust-panandherbroomtosweeptheDollies"

house！