the great big treasury of beatrix potter-第11章
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But his mouth was full of soot and cobwebs； and he was tied up in such very tight knots； he could not make anybody hear him。
Except a spider who came out of a crack in the ceiling and examined the knots critically； from a safe distance。
It was a judge of knots because it had a habit of tying up unfortunate bluebottles。 It did not offer to assist him。
Tom Kitten wriggled and squirmed until he was quite exhausted。
Presently the rats came back and set to work to make him into a dumpling。 First they smeared him with butter； and then they rolled him in the dough。
〃Will not the string be very indigestible； Anna Maria？〃 inquired Samuel Whiskers。
Anna Maria said she thought that it was of no consequence； but she wished that Tom Kitten would hold his head still； as it disarranged the pastry。 She laid hold of his ears。
Tom Kitten bit and spit； and mewed and wriggled； and the rolling pin went roly…poly； roly； roly…poly； roly。 The rats each held an end。
〃His tail is sticking out！ You did not fetch enough dough； Anna Maria。〃
〃I fetched as much as I could carry；〃 replied Anna Maria。
〃I do not think〃said Samuel Whiskers； pausing to take a look at Tom Kitten〃I do NOT think it will be a good pudding。 It smells sooty。〃
Anna Maria was about to argue the point when all at once there began to be other sounds up abovethe rasping noise of a saw； and the noise of a little dog； scratching and yelping！
The rats dropped the rolling pin and listened attentively。
〃We are discovered and interrupted； Anna Maria； let us collect our propertyand other people'sand depart at once。
〃I fear that we shall be obliged to leave this pudding。
〃But I am persuaded that the knots would have proved indigestible； whatever you may urge to the contrary。〃
〃Come away at once and help me to tie up some mutton bones in a counterpane；〃 said Anna Maria 。 〃I have got half a smoked ham hidden in the chimney。〃
So it happened that by the time John Joiner had got the plank up there was nobody here 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 regretted that he had not time to stay to dinner； because he had just finished making a wheelbarrow for Miss Potter； and she had ordered two hen coops。
And when I was going to the post late in the afternoonI looked up the land from the corner； and I saw Mr。 Samuel Whiskers and his wife on the run； with big bundles on a little wheelbarrow； which looked very much like mine。
They were just turning in at the gate to the barn of Farmer Potatoes。
Samuel Whiskers was puffing and out of breath。 Anna Maria was still arguing in shrill tones。
She seemed to know her way； and she seemed to have a quantity of luggage。
I am sure _I_ never gave her leave to borrow my wheelbarrow！
They went into the barn and hauled their parcels with a bit of string to the top of the haymow。
After that； there were no more rats for a long time at Tabitha Twitchit's。
As for Farmer Potatoes； he has been driven nearly distracted。 There are rats； and rats； and rats in his barn！ They eat up the chicken food； and steal the oats and bran； and make holes in the meal bags。
And they are all descended from Mr。 and Mrs。 Samuel Whiskers children and grandchildren and great…great…grandchildren。
There is no end to them！
Moppet and Mittens have grown up into very good rat…catchers。
They go out rat…catching in the village； and they find plenty of employment。 They charge so much a dozen and earn their living very comfortably。
They hang up the rats' tails in a row on the barn door； to show how many they have caughtdozens and dozens of them。
But Tom Kitten has always been afraid of a rat； he never durst face anything that is bigger than
A Mouse。
THE TALE OF THE FLOPSY BUNNIES
＇For All Little Friends of Mr。 McGregor and Peter and Benjamin＇
It is said that the effect of eating too much lettuce is 〃soporific。〃
I have never felt sleepy after eating lettuces； but then I am not a rabbit。
They certainly had a very soporific effect upon the Flopsy Bunnies！
When Benjamin Bunny grew up； he married his Cousin Flopsy。 They had a large family； and they were very improvident and cheerful。
I do not remember the separate names of their children； they were generally called the 〃Flopsy Bunnies。〃
As there was not always quite enough to eat；Benjamin used to borrow cabbages from Flopsy's brother； Peter Rabbit； who kept a nursery garden。
Sometimes Peter Rabbit had no cabbages to spare。
When this happened； the Flopsy Bunnies went across the field to a rubbish heap； in the ditch outside Mr。 McGregor's garden。
Mr。 McGregor's rubbish heap was a mixture。 There were jam pots and paper bags； and mountains of chopped grass from the mowing machine （which always tasted oily）； and some rotten vegetable marrows and an old boot or two。 One dayoh joy！there were a quantity of overgrown lettuces； which had 〃shot〃 into flower。
The Flopsy Bunnies simply stuffed lettuces。 By degrees； one after another； they were overcome with slumber； and lay down in the mown grass。
Benjamin was not so much overcome as his children。 Before going to sleep he was sufficiently wide awake to put a paper bag over his head to keep off the flies。
The little Flopsy Bunnies slept delightfully in the warm sun。 From the lawn beyond the garden came the distant clacketty sound of the mowing machine。 The blue… bottles buzzed about the wall； and a little old mouse picked over the rubbish among the jam pots。
（I can tell you her name； she was called Thomasina Tittle… mouse； a woodmouse with a long tail。）
She rustled across the paper bag； and awakened Benjamin Bunny。
The mouse apologized profusely； and said that she knew Peter Rabbit。
While she and Benjamin were talking； close under the wall； they heard a heavy tread above their heads； and suddenly Mr。 McGregor emptied out a sackful of lawn mowings right upon the top of the sleeping Flopsy Bunnies！ Benjamin shrank down under his paper bag。 The mouse hid in a jam pot。
The little rabbits smiled sweetly in their sleep under the shower of grass； they did not awake because the lettuces had been so soporific。
They dreamt that their mother Flopsy was tucking them up in a hay bed。
Mr。 McGregor looked down after emptying his sack。 He saw some funny little brown tips of ears sticking up through the lawn mowings。 He stared at them for some time。
Presently a fly settled on one of them and it moved。
Mr。 McGregor climbed down on to the rubbish heap
〃One； two； three； four！ five！ six leetle rabbits！〃 said he as he dropped them into his sack。 The Flopsy Bunnies dreamt that their mother was turning them over in bed。 They stirred a little in their sleep； but still they did not wake up。
Mr。 McGregor tied up the sack and left it on the wall。
He went to put away the mowing machine。
While he was gone； Mrs。 Flopsy Bunny （who had remained at home） came across the field。
She looked suspiciously at the sack and wondered where everybody was？
Then the mouse came out of her jam pot； and Benjamin took the paper bag off his head； and they told the doleful tale。
Benjamin and Flopsy were in despair； they could not undo the string。
But Mrs。 Tittlemouse was a resourceful person。 She nibbled a hole in the bottom corner of the sack。
The little rabbits were pulled out and pinched to wake them。
Their parents stuffed the empty sack with three rotten vegetable marrows； an old blackingbrush and two decayed turnips。
Then they all hid under a bush and watched for Mr。 McGregor。
Mr。 McGregor came back and picked up
