broken, as if something very big had gone through it.

"What's this? What's this?" the little Jackal said. "I think I'll
investigate a little!"

So he stood quite still and began to talk to himself (you remember, it
was a little way he had), but loudly. He said,--

"How strange that my little House doesn't speak to me! Why don't you
speak to me, little House? You always speak to me, if everything is all
right, when I come home. I wonder if anything is wrong with my little
House?"

The old Alligator thought to himself that he must certainly pretend to
be the little House, or the little Jackal would never come in. So he put
on as pleasant a voice as he could (which is not saying much) and
said,--

"Hullo, little Jackal!"

Oh! When the little Jackal heard that, he was frightened enough, for
once.

"It's the old Alligator," he said, "and if I don't make an end of him
this time he will certainly make an end of me. What shall I do?"

He thought very fast. Then he spoke out pleasantly.

"Thank you, little House," he said, "it's good to hear your pretty
voice, dear little House, and I will be in with you in a minute; only