There was a strong door, which was shut and locked.
The setting sun made the window panes glow like red flame; but the
kitchen fire was not alight. It was neatly laid with dry sticks, as the
rabbits could see, when they peeped through the window.
Benjamin sighed with relief.
[Illustration]
But there were preparations upon the kitchen table which made him
shudder. There was an immense empty pie-dish of blue willow pattern, and
a large carving knife and fork, and a chopper.
At the other end of the table was a partly unfolded tablecloth, a plate,
a tumbler, a knife and fork, salt-cellar, mustard and a chair--in short,
preparations for one person's supper.
[Illustration]
No person was to be seen, and no young rabbits. The kitchen was empty
and silent; the clock had run down. Peter and Benjamin flattened their
noses against the window, and stared into the dusk.
Then they scrambled round the rocks to the other side of the house. It
was damp and smelly, and overgrown with thorns and briars.
The rabbits shivered in their shoes.
"Oh my poor rabbit babies! What a dreadful place; I shall never see them
again!" sighed Benjamin.
They crept up to the bedroom window. It was closed and bolted like the
kitchen. But there were signs that this window had been recently open;
the cobwebs were disturbed, and there were fresh dirty footmarks upon
the window-sill.
The room inside was so dark, that at first they could make out nothing;
but they could hear a noise--a slow deep regular snoring grunt.
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