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a piece of ham； but that I cannot let you have on my
name…day。〃
Abbleway wondered to himself what price she would
have put on the ham； and hurried to pay her the eleven
kronen before her emergency tariff expanded into a famine
tariff。 As he was taking possession of his modest store
of eatables he suddenly heard a noise which set his heart
thumping in a miserable fever of fear。 'There was a
scraping and shuffling as of some animal or animals
trying to climb up to the footboard。 In another moment；
through the snow…encrusted glass of the carriage window；
he saw a gaunt prick…eared head； with gaping jaw and
lolling tongue and gleaming teeth； a second later another
head shot up。
〃There are hundreds of them；〃 whispered Abbleway；
〃they have scented us。 They will tear the carriage to
pieces。 We shall be devoured。〃
〃Not me； on my name…day。 The holy Maria Kleopha
would not permit it；〃 said the woman with provoking calm。
The heads dropped down from the window and an
uncanny silence fell on the beleaguered carriage。
Abbleway neither moved nor spoke。 Perhaps the brutes had
not clearly seen or winded the human occupants of the
carriage； and had prowled away on some other errand of
rapine。
The long torture…laden minutes passed slowly away。
〃It grows cold；〃 said the woman suddenly； crossing
over to the far end of the carriage； where the heads had
appeared。 〃The heating apparatus does not work any
longer。 See； over there beyond the trees； there is a
chimney with smoke coming from it。 It is not far； and
the snow has nearly stopped； I shall find a path through
the forest to that house with the chimney。〃
〃But the wolves！〃 exclaimed Abbleway； 〃they may … 〃
〃Not on my name…day；〃 said the woman obstinately；
and before he could stop her she had opened the door and
climbed down into the snow。 A moment later he hid his
face in his hands； two gaunt lean figures rushed upon her
from the forest。 No doubt she had courted her fate； but
Abbleway had no wish to see a human being torn to pieces
and devoured before his eyes。
When he looked at last a new sensation of
scandalised astonishment took possession of him。 He had
been straitly brought up in a small English town； and he
was not prepared to be the witness of a miracle。 The
wolves were not doing anything worse to the woman than
drench her with snow as they gambolled round her。
A short； joyous bark revealed the clue to the
situation。
〃Are those … dogs？〃 he called weakly。
〃My cousin Karl's dogs； yes；〃 she answered； that is
his inn； over beyond the trees。 I knew it was there； but
I did not want to take you there； he is always grasping
with strangers。 However； it grows too cold to remain in
the train。 Ah； ah； see what comes！〃
A whistle sounded； and a relief engine made its
appearance； snorting its way sulkily through the snow。
Abbleway did not have the opportunity for finding out
whether Karl was really avaricious。
THE LUMBER ROOM
THE children were to be driven； as a special treat；
to the sands at Jagborough。 Nicholas was not to be of
the party； he was in disgrace。 Only that morning he had
refused to eat his wholesome bread…and…milk on the
seemingly frivolous ground that there was a frog in it。
Older and wiser and better people had told him that there
could not possibly be a frog in his bread…and…milk and
that he was not to talk nonsense； he continued；
nevertheless； to talk what seemed the veriest nonsense；
and described with much detail the colouration and
markings of the alleged frog。 The dramatic part of the
incident was that there really was a frog in Nicholas'
basin of bread…and…milk； he had put it there himself； so
he felt entitled to know something about it。 The sin of
taking a frog from the garden and putting it into a bowl
of wholesome bread…and…milk was enlarged on at great
length； but the fact that stood out clearest in the whole
affair； as it presented itself to the mind of Nicholas；
was that the older； wiser； and better people had been
proved to be profoundly in error in matters about which
they had expressed the utmost assurance。
〃You said there couldn't possibly be a frog in my
bread…and…milk； there WAS a frog in my bread…and…milk；〃
he repeated； with the insistence of a skilled tactician
who does not intend to shift from favourable ground。
So his boy…cousin and girl…cousin and his quite
uninteresting younger brother were to be taken to
Jagborough sands that afternoon and he was to stay at
home。 His cousins' aunt； who insisted； by an unwarranted
stretch of imagination； in styling herself his aunt also；
had hastily invented the Jagborough expedition in order
to impress on Nicholas the delights that he had justly
forfeited by his disgraceful conduct at the breakfast…
table。 It was her habit； whenever one of the children
fell from grace； to improvise something of a festival
nature from which the offender would be rigorously
debarred； if all the children sinned collectively they
were suddenly informed of a circus in a neighbouring
town； a circus of unrivalled merit and uncounted
elephants； to which； but for their depravity； they would
have been taken that very day。
A few decent tears were looked for on the part of
Nicholas when the moment for the departure of the
expedition arrived。 As a matter of fact； however； all
the crying was done by his girl…cousin； who scraped her
knee rather painfully against the step of the carriage as
she was scrambling in。
〃How she did howl；〃 said Nicholas cheerfully； as the
party drove off without any of the elation of high
spirits that should have characterised it。
〃She'll soon get over that；〃 said the SOI…DISANT
aunt； 〃it will be a glorious afternoon for racing about
over those beautiful sands。 How they will enjoy
themselves！〃
〃Bobby won't enjoy himself much； and he won't race
much either；〃 said Nicholas with a grim chuckle； his
boots are hurting him。 They're too tight。〃
〃Why didn't he tell me they were hurting？〃 asked the
aunt with some asperity。
〃He told you twice； but you weren't listening。 You
often don't listen when we tell you important things。〃
〃You are not to go into the gooseberry garden；〃 said
the aunt； changing the subject。
〃Why not？〃 demanded Nicholas。
〃Because you are in disgrace；〃 said the aunt
loftily。
Nicholas did not admit the flawlessness of the
reasoning； he felt perfectly capable of being in disgrace
and in a gooseberry garden at the same moment。 His face
took on an expression of considerable obstinacy。 It was
clear to his aunt that he was determined to get into the
gooseberry garden； 〃only；〃 as she remarked to herself；
〃because I have told him he is not to。〃
Now the gooseberry garden had two doors by which it