ham hidden in the chimney."


So it happened that by the time John
Joiner had got the plank up--there was nobody
under the floor except the rolling-pin
and Tom Kitten in a very dirty dumpling!


But there was a strong smell of rats; and
John Joiner spent the rest of the morning
sniffing and whining, and wagging his tail,
and going round and round with his head in
the hole like a gimlet.


Then he nailed the plank down again, and
put his tools in his bag, and came downstairs.

The cat family had quite recovered. They
invited him to stay to dinner.

The dumpling had been peeled off Tom
Kitten, and made separately into a bag pudding,
with currants in it to hide the smuts.

They had been obliged to put Tom Kitten
into a hot bath to get the butter off.

John Joiner smelt the pudding; but he