th to prevent him
bursting into tears.

'I now propose to call Sir Benjimen Brandysnap as first witness for the
prosecution,' said Bill. 'Kindly step into the witness-box, Sir
Benjimen, and relate the circumstances ensuin' on your bag bein' stole.'

Benjimen stepped into the box, and, taking a piece of paper from his egg
basket, said solemnly: 'I was very busy that morning, Gentlemen of the
Jury, owing to the activity of the vegetables, as hereunder described--

'On Tuesday morn, as it happened by chance,
The parsnips stormed in a rage,
Because the young carrots were singing like parrots
On top of the onions' cage.

'The radishes swarmed on the angry air
Around with the bumble bees,
While the brussels-sprouts were pulling the snouts
Of all the young French peas.

'The artichokes bounded up and down
On top of the pumpkins' heads,
And the cabbage was dancing the highland fling
All over the onion beds.

'So I hadn't much time, as Your Honour perceives,
For watching the habits of puddin'-thieves.'

'Tut, tut, Sir Benjimen,' said Bill, 'stir up your memory, sir; cast
your eye over them felons in the dock, and tell the Court how you seen
them steal the bag.'

'The fact is,' said Benjimen, after studying the puddin'-thieves
carefully, 'as they had their backs turned to me when they were engaged
in stealing the bag, I should be able to judge better if they were
turned round.'

'Officer,' said Bill to Bunyip Bluegum, 'kindly turn the felons' backs
to the witness.'

The Possum and the Wombat objected, saying there wasn't room enough in
the witness-box to turn round, so it was found necessary to twist their
snouts the opposite way.

'From this aspect,' said Ben, 'I have no hesitation in saying that those
are the backs that stole the bags.'

'Make a note of that, Gentlemen of the Jury,' said Bill, and the
Constable obligingly made a note of it on his banana bag.

'The identity of the bag-stealers bein' now settled,' went on Bill, 'I
shall kindly ask Sir Benjimen to step down, and call on Sir Samuel
Sawnoff to ascend the witness-box.'

Sam stepped up cheerfully, but, as the witness-box was the wrong size
for Penguins, they had to hand him a chair to stand on.

[Illustration]

'Now, Sir Samuel,' said Bill, impressively, 'I am about to ask you a
most important leadin' question. Do you happen to notice such a thing
as a Puddin' in the precinks of the Court?'

[Illustrat