Then she began to set the room in order, for it was the sitting-room
as well as the kitchen. She shook the mats out at the front-door and
put them straight; the hearthrug was a rabbit-skin. She dusted the
clock and the ornaments on the mantelpiece, and she polished and
rubbed the tables and chairs.

Then she spread a very clean white table-cloth, and set out her best
china tea-set, which she took out of a wall-cupboard near the
fireplace. The tea-cups were white with a pattern of pink roses; and
the dinner-plates were white and blue.

[Illustration]

When Ribby had laid the table she took a jug and a blue and white
dish, and went out down the field to the farm, to fetch milk and
butter.

When she came back, she peeped into the bottom oven; the pie looked
very comfortable.

Ribby put on her shawl and bonnet and went out again with a basket, to
the village shop to buy a packet of tea, a pound of lump sugar, and a
pot of marmalade.

And just at the same time, Duchess came out of _her_ house, at the
other end of the village.

[Illustration: THE VEAL AND HAM PIE]

Ribby met Duchess half-way down the street, also carrying a basket,