' "Dig it up," said El-ahrairah. "Come on."
'They dug it up and the paper came off. The meat was all bits joined together in a kind of trail like a spray of bryony, and poor Rabscuttle was told to drag it along to the bottom of the vegetable garden. It was hard work and he was glad when he was able to drop it.
' "Now," said El-ahrairah, "we'll go round to the front."
'When they got to the front, they could tell that the man had gone out. For one thing, the house was all dark but besides, they could smell that he had been through the gate a little while before. The front of the house had a flower garden and this was separated from the back and the vegetable garden by a high, close-boarded fence that ran right across and ended in a big clump of laurels. Just the other side of the fence was the back door that led into the kitchen.
'El-ahrairah and Rabscuttle went quietly through the front garden and peeped through a crack in the fence. Rowsby Woof was sitting on the gravel path, wide awake and shivering in the cold. He was so near that they could see his eyes blink in the moonlight. The kitchen door was shut but near-by, along the wall, there was a hole above the drain where a brick had been left out. The kitchen floor was made of bricks and the man used to wash it with a rough broom and sweep the water out through the hole. The hole was plugged up with an old cloth to keep out the cold.
'After a little while, El-ahrairah said in a low voice,
' "Rowsby Woof! O Rowsby Woof!"
'Rowsby Woof sat up and looked about him, bristling.
' "Who's there?" he said. "Who are you?"
' "O Rowsby Woof!" said El-ahrairah, crouching on the other side of the fence, "Most fortunate, most blessed Rowsby Woof! Your reward is at hand! I bring you the best news in the world!"
' "What?" said Rowsby Woof. "Who's that? None of your tricks, now!"
' "Tricks, Rowsby Woof?" said El-ahrairah. "Ah, I see you do not know me. But how should you? Listen, faithful, skilful hound. I am the Fairy Wogdog, messenger of the great dog-spirit of the East, Queen Dripslobber. Far, far in the East her palace lies. Ah, Rowsby Woof, if only you could see her mighty state, the wonders of her kingdom! The carrion that lies far and wide upon the sands! The manure, Rowsby Woof! The open sewers! Oh, how you would jump for joy and run nosing all about!"
'Rowsby Woof got to his feet and looked about in silence. He could not tell what to make of the voice, but he was suspicious.
' "Your fame as a ratter has come to the ears of the Queen," said El-ahrairah. "We know you - and honour you - as the greatest ratter in the world. That is why I am here. But poor, bewildered creature! I see you are perplexed, and well you may be. Come here, Rowsby Woof! Come close to the fence and know me better!"
'Rowsby Woof came up to the fence and El-ahrairah pushed the rubber nose into the crack and moved it about. Rowsby Woof stood close, sniffing.
' "Noble rat-catcher," whispered El-ahrairah, "it is indeed I, the Fairy Wogdog, sent to honour you!"
' "Oh, Fairy Wogdog!" cried Rowsby Woof, dribbling and piddling all over the gravel, "Ah, what elegance! What aristocratic distinction! Can that really be decayed cat that I smell? With a delicate overtone of rotten camel! Ah, the gorgeous East!" '
('What on earth's "camel"?' said Bigwig.
'I don't know,' replied Dandelion. 'But it was in the story when I heard it, so I suppose it's some creature or other.')
' "Happy, happy dog!" said El-ahrairah. "I must tell you that Queen Dripslobber her very self has expressed her gracious wish that you should meet her. But not yet, Rowsby Woof, not yet. First you must be found worthy. I am sent to bring you both a test and a proof. Listen, Rowsby Woof. Beyond the far end of the garden there lies a long rope of meat. Ay, real meat, Rowsby Woof, for though we are fairy dogs yet we bring real gifts to noble, brave animals such as you. Go now - find and eat that meat. Trust me, for I will guard the house until you return. That is the test of your belief."
'Rowsby Woof was desperately hungry and the cold had got into his stomach, but still he hesitated. He knew that his master expected him to guard the house.
' "Ah well," said El-ahrairah, "Never mind. I will depart. In the next village there lives a dog -"
' "No, no," cried Rowsby Woof. "No, Fairy Wogdog, do not leave me! I trust you! I will go at once! Only guard the house and do not fail me!"
' "Have no fear, noble hound," said El-ahrairah. "Only trust the word of the great Queen."
'Rowsby Woof went bounding away in the moonlight and El-ahrairah watched him out of sight.
' "Are we to go into the house now, master?" asked Rabscuttle. "We shall have to be quick."
' "Certainly not," said El-ahrairah. "How could you suggest such double-dealing? For shame, Rabscuttle! We will guard the house."
'They waited silently and after a while Rowsby Woof returned, licking his lips and grinning. He came sniffing up to the fence.
' "I perceive, honest friend," said El-ahrairah, "that you found the meat as swiftly as though it had been a rat. The house is safe and all is well. Now hark. I shall return to
the Queen and tell her of all that has passed. It was her gracious purpose that if you showed yourself worthy tonight, by trusting her messenger, she would herself send for you and honour you. Tomorrow night she will be passing through this land on her way to the Wolf Festival of the North and she means to break her journey in order that you may appear before her. Be ready, Rowsby Woof!"