“Excuse me,” answered Nibbles timidly, “but I am very hungry, and should like to have some dinner.”
“Well, go into the house and get the Salamander,” growled Mr. Guinea Pig. And before Nibbles could ask another question, he was sound asleep again, and snoring away as hard as ever.
“I wonder what the Salamander is?” thought Nibbles. “It sounds like a sandwich or a salad. The thing is to find it.”
As Mr. Guinea Pig completely blocked the front doorway, Nibbles had to hunt about until he at last found another entrance. Then he wandered down a long hall with empty rooms on either side, but no Salamander could he find.
Finally he heard a squeaking and a squealing, which seemed to come from a room at the end of the hall. He knocked gently on the door, but, as no one answered, he ventured to peep in.
A bright fire was burning in the fireplace, in spite of its being a summer day, so the room felt very hot.
On a footstool in front of the fire, sat two tiny guinea pigs, who had evidently just been washed, and were now being dried. Their hair had been carefully curled, and each had a blue ribbon tied around its neck in a big bow.
Mrs. Guinea Pig held on her lap a third little pig, whose hair she was curling, while the littlest piggy of all was sitting in the bathtub.
“I beg your pardon,” said Nibbles politely, “but can you please tell me where I can find the Salamander?”