"A house full, a hole full! And you cannot gather a bowl-full!" [Illustration] The squirrels searched for nuts all over the island and filled their little sacks. But Nutkin gathered oak-apples--yellow and scarlet--and sat upon a beech-stump playing marbles, and watching the door of old Mr. Brown. [Illustration] On the third day the squirrels got up very early and went fishing; they caught seven fat minnows as a present for Old Brown. They paddled over the lake and landed under a crooked chestnut tree on Owl Island. [Illustration] Twinkleberry and six other little squirrels each carried a fat minnow; but Nutkin, who had no nice manners, brought no present at all. He ran in front, singing-- "The man in the wilderness said to me, 'How many strawberries grow in the sea?' I answered him as I thought good-- 'As many red herrings as grow in the wood.'" But old Mr. Brown took no interest in riddles--not even when the answer was provided for him. [Illustration] On the fourth day the squirrels brought a present of six fat beetles, which were as good as plums in _plum-pudding_ for Old Brown. Each beetle was wrapped up carefully in a dock-leaf, fastened with a pine-needle pin. But Nutkin sang as rudely as ever-- "Old Mr. B! riddle-me-ree Flour of England, fruit of Spain, Met together in a shower of rain; Put in a bag tied round with a string, If you'll tell me this riddle, I'll give you a ring!" Which was ridiculous of Nutkin, because he had not got any ring to give to Old Brown. [Illustration] The other squirrels hunted up and down the nut bushes; but Nutkin gathered robin's pincushions off a briar bush, and stuck them full of pine-needle pins. [Illustration] On the fifth day the squirrels brought a present of wild honey; it was so sweet and sticky that they licked their fingers as they put it down upon the stone. They had stolen it out of a bumble _bees'_ nest on the tippitty top of the hill. But Nutkin skipped up and down, singing-- "Hum-a-bum! buzz! buzz! Hum-a-bum buzz! As I went over Tipple-tine I met a flock of bonny swine; Some yellow-nacked, some yellow backed! They were the very bonniest swine That e'er went over Tipple-tine." [Illustration] Old Mr. Brown turned up his eyes in disgust at the impertinence of Nutkin. But he ate up the honey! [Illustration] The squirrels filled their little sacks with nuts. But Nutkin sat upon a big flat rock, and played ninepins with a crab apple and green fir-cones. [Illustration] On the sixth day, which was Saturday, the squirrels came again for the last time; they brought a new-laid _egg_ in a little rush basket as a last parting present for Old Brown. But Nutkin ran in front laughing, and shouting-- "Humpty Dumpty lies in the beck, With a white counterpane round his neck, Forty doctors and forty wrights, Cannot put Humpty Dumpty to rights!" [Illustration]