She came downstairs again, and made the tea, and put the teapot on the
hob. She peeped again into the _bottom_ oven, the pie had become a
lovely brown, and it was steaming hot.

[Illustration: READY FOR THE PARTY]

She sat down before the fire to wait for the little dog. "I am glad I
used the _bottom_ oven," said Ribby, "the top one would certainly have
been very much too hot. I wonder why that cupboard door was open? Can
there really have been someone in the house?"

Very punctually at four o'clock, Duchess started to go to the party.
She ran so fast through the village that she was too early, and she
had to wait a little while in the lane that leads down to Ribby's
house.

"I wonder if Ribby has taken _my_ pie out of the oven yet?" said
Duchess, "and whatever can have become of the other pie made of
mouse?"

[Illustration]

At a quarter past four to the minute, there came a most genteel little
tap-tappity. "Is Mrs. Ribston at home?" inquired Duchess in the porch.

"Come in! and how do you do, my dear Duchess?" cried Ribby. "I hope I
see you well?"

"Quite well, I thank you, and how do _you_ do, my dear Ribby?" said
Duchess. "I've brought you some flowers; what a delicious smell of