Agamemnon went for his pick-axe. He had kept one in the house
ever since the adventure of the dumb-waiter.

"What part of the wall had we better attack?" asked Mr. Peterkin.

Mrs. Peterkin was alarmed.

"What will Mr. Mudge, the owner of the house, think of it?" she
exclaimed. "Have we a right to injure the wall of the house?"

"It is right to preserve ourselves from starving," said Mr. Peterkin.
"The drowning man must snatch at a straw!"

"It is better that he should find his house chopped a little when the
thaw comes," said Elizabeth Eliza, "than that he should find us
lying about the house, dead of hunger, upon the floor."

Mrs. Peterkin was partially convinced.

The little boys came in to warm their hands. They had not
succeeded in opening the side door, and were planning trying to
open the door from the wood-house to the garden.

"That would be of no use," said Mrs. Peterkin, "the butcher cannot
get into the garden."

"But we might shovel off the snow," suggested one of the little
boys, "and dig down to some of last year's onions."