"No disguises, no fighting, and no puddin'-stealing," said the
Possum. "Nothing but the fairest and most honourable dealings."
"If you ain't after our Puddin', what are you after?" demanded
Bill.
"We're after bringing you a present in this bag," said the Possum.
"Absurd," said Bill. "Puddin'-thieves don't give presents away."
"Don't say that, Bill," said the Possum, solemnly. "If you only knew what noble intentions we have, you'd be ashamed of them words."
"You'd blush to hear your voice a-utterin' of them," said the Wombat.
"I can't make this out at all," said Bill, scratching his head. "The idea of a puddin'-thief offering a man a present dumbfounds me, as the saying goes."
"No harm is intended," said the Possum, and the Wombat added:
"Harm is as far from our thoughts as from the thoughts of angels."
"Well, well," said Bill, at length. "I'll just glance at it first, to see what it's like."
But the Possum shook his head. "No, no, Bill," he said, "no glancing," and the Wombat added: "To prove that no deception is intended, all heads must look in the bag together."