“Very well, then, let’s have breakfast for tea instead,” suggested the Crocodile.
“But how can we do that if we haven’t the things?” asked Girlie.
“Oh! I have enough for breakfast,” said the Crocodile, going to the cupboard and bringing out a basket of eggs, a loaf of bread, some butter, a large iced cake and a pot of jam.
“Why, they’re the same things that we were going to have for tea,” thought Girlie.
“Let’s see, one for you, one for me, and one for the pot,” remarked the Crocodile, putting three spoonfuls of tea into the teapot. “You will find some hot water in the next room,” he continued, handing it to Girlie.
Girlie took the teapot and went to the door; she found that it led into a large kitchen paved with red bricks. The room was filled with steam and, at the further end of it, Girlie could just see three large washtubs at which three seals were washing table-cloths. They had coloured handkerchiefs tied over their heads, and were singing when Girlie entered. She could not hear all the words, but just caught the end of the verse:—
“Most beautiful suds that e’er were seen,
Of colours red, and blue, and green,
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la, tra-la-lee.”
It finished on a very high note, which none of the seals could reach, so that it ended in a kind of squeal.