'The tail's been all shot to pieces,' said the voice from upstairs. 'Didn't you know that?'
'You mean it's ruined?'
'Of course it's ruined. They shot the tail but missed the fox.'
'Oh heck!' said the big woman. 'I did so want that tail!'
'You can have the head instead, Mabel. You can get it stuffed and hang it on your bedroom wall. Hurry up now with that cider!'
'Yes, Ma'am, I'm coming,' said the big woman, and she took a second jar from the shelf.
If she takes one more, she'll see us, thought Mr Fox. He could feel the Smallest Fox's body pressed tightly against his own, quivering with excitement.
'Will two be enough, Mrs Bean, or shall I take three?'
'My goodness, Mabel, I don't care so long as you get a move on!'
'Then two it is,' said the huge woman, speaking to herself now. 'He drinks too much anyway.'
Carrying a jar in each hand and with the rolling-pin tucked under one arm, she walked away across the cellar. At the foot of the steps she paused and looked around, sniffing the air. 'There's rats down here again, Mrs Bean. I can smell 'em.'
'Then poison them, woman, poison them! You know where the poison's kept.'
'Yes, Ma'am,' Mabel said. She climbed slowly out of sight up the steps. The door slammed.
'Quick!' said Mr Fox. 'Grab ajar each and run for it!'
Rat stood on his high shelf and shrieked. 'What did I tell you! You nearly got nabbed, didn't you? You nearly gave the game away! You keep out of here from now on! I don't want you around! This is my place!'
'You,' said Mr Fox, 'are going to be poisoned.'
'Poppycock!' said Rat. 'I sit up here and watch her putting the stuff down. She'll never get me.'
Mr Fox and Badger and the Smallest Fox ran across the cellar clutching a gallon jar each. 'Goodbye, Rat!' they called out as they disappeared through the hole in the wall. 'Thanks for the lovely cider!'
'Thieves!' shrieked Rat. 'Robbers! Bandits! Burglars!'
17
The Great Feast
Back in the tunnel they paused so that Mr Fox could brick up the hole in the wall. He was humming to himself as he put the bricks back in place. 'I can still taste that glorious cider,' he said. 'What an impudent fellow Rat is.'
'He has bad manners,' Badger said. 'All rats have bad manners. I've never met a polite rat yet.'
'And he drinks too much,' said Mr Fox, putting the last brick in place. 'There we are. Now, home to the feast!'
They grabbed their jars of cider and off they went. Mr Fox was in front, the Smallest Fox came next and Badger last. Along the tunnel they flew... past the turning that led to Bunce's Mighty Storehouse... past Boggis's Chicken House Number One and then up the long home stret
ch towards the place where they knew Mrs Fox would be waiting.
'Keep it up, my darlings!' shouted Mr Fox. 'We'll soon be there! Think what's waiting for us at the other end! And just think what we're bringing home with us in these jars! That ought to cheer up poor Mrs Fox.' Mr Fox sang a little song as he ran:
'Home again swiftly I glide,
Back to my beautiful bride.
She'll not feel so rotten