I will provide lard for the stuff--lard for the omelette," said
the hospitable gentleman with sandy whiskers.
[Illustration]
Jemima Puddle-duck was a simpleton: not even the mention of sage and
onions made her suspicious.
She went round the farm-garden, nibbling off snippets of all the different
sorts of herbs that are used for stuffing roast duck.
[Illustration]
And she waddled into the kitchen, and got two onions out of a basket.
The collie-dog Kep met her coming out, "What are you doing with those
onions? Where do you go every afternoon by yourself, Jemima Puddle-duck?"
Jemima was rather in awe of the collie; she told him the whole story.
The collie listened, with his wise head on one side; he grinned when she
described the polite gentleman with sandy whiskers.
[Illustration]
He asked several questions about the wood, and about the exact position of
the house and shed.
Then he went out, and trotted down the village. He went to look for two
fox-hound puppies who were out at walk with the butcher.
[Illustration]
Jemima Puddle-duck went up the cart-road for the last time, on a sunny
afternoon. She was rather burdened with bunches of herbs and two onions in
a bag.
She flew over the wood, and alighted opposite the house of the bushy
long-tailed gentleman.
[Illustration]
He was sitting on a log; he sniffed the air, and kept glancing uneasily
round the wood. When Jemima alighted he quite jumped.
"Come into the house as soon as you have looked at your eggs.
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