"We shall have to fight them, as usual," said Sam.

"Why do you have to fight them?" asked Bunyip Bluegum.

"Because they're after our Puddin'," said Bill.

"They're after our Puddin'," explained Sam, "because they're
professional puddin'-thieves."

"And as we're perfessional puddin'-owners," said Bill, "we have
to fight them on principle. The fighting," he added, "is a mere
flea-bite, as the sayin' goes. The trouble is, what's to be done
with the Puddin'?"

"While you do the fighting," said Bunyip bravely, "I shall mind
the Puddin'."

"The trouble is," said Bill, "that this is a very secret, crafty
Puddin', an' if you wasn't up to his games he'd be askin' you to
look at a spider an' then run away while your back is turned."

"That's right," said the Puddin', gloomily. "Take a Puddin's
character away. Don't mind his feelings."

"We don't mind your feelin's, Albert," said Bill. "What we
minds is your treacherous 'abits." But Bunyip Bluegum said, "Why
not turn him upside-down and sit on him?"

"What a brutal suggestion," said the Puddin'; but no notice was