Several nomes had sleek rats on leads. Some of the ladies had mice, which trotted obediently behind them, and out of the corner of his ear Masklin could hear Granny Morkie tut-tutting her disapproval.

He also heard old Torrit say excitedly, 'I know that stuff! That's cheese! There was a cheese sandwich in the bin once, back in the summer of eighty-four, d'you remember-?' Granny Morkie nudged him hard in his skinny ribs.

'You shut up, you,' she commanded. 'You don't want to show us up in front of all these folk; do you? Be a leader. Act proud.' They weren't very good at it. They walked in stunned silence. Fruits and vegetables were &tacked behind trestle tables, with nomes working industriously on them. There were other things, too, which he couldn't begin to recognize. Masklin didn't want to show his ignorance, but curiosity got the better of him.

'What's that thing over there?' he said, pointing. 'It's a salami sausage,' said Angalo. 'Ever had it before?' 'Not lately,' said Masklin, truthfully.

'And they're dates,' said Angalo. 'And that's a banana. I expect you've never seen, a banana before, have you?' Masklin opened his mouth, but Granny Morkie beat him to it.

'Bit small, that one,' she said, and sniffed.

'Quite tiny, in fact, compared to the ones we got at home.' - 'It is, is it?' said Angalo, suspiciously.

'Oh, yes,' said Granny, beginning to warm to her subject. 'Very puny. Why, the ones we got at home,' she paused and looked at the banana, lying on a couple of trestles like a canoe, and her lips moved as she thought fast, 'why,' she added triumphantly, 'we could hardly dig them out o' the ground!' She stared victoriously at Angalo, who tried to outstare her and gave up.

'Well, whatever,' he said vaguely, looking away. 'You may all help yourselves. Tell the nomes in charge that it's to go on the Haberdasheri account, will you? But don't say you've come from Outside. I want that to be a surprise.' There was a general rush in the direction of the food. Even Granny Morkie just happened to wander towards it, and acted quite surprised to find her way blocked by a cake.