"I trust that is not that Pie: the
spoons are locked up, however,"
said Ribby.

But there was nobody there.
Ribby opened the bottom oven door
with some difficulty, and turned the
pie. There began to be a pleasing
smell of baked mouse!

Duchess in the meantime, had
slipped out at the back door.


"It is a very odd thing that
Ribby's pie was NOT in the oven
when I put mine in! And I can t
find it anywhere; I have looked all
over the house. I put MY pie into
a nice hot oven at the top. I could
not turn any of the other handles;
I think that they are all shams,"
said Duchess, "but I wish I could
have removed the pie made of
mouse! I cannot think what she
has done with it? I heard Ribby
coming and I had to run out by the
back door!"