'I beg your pardon, Mr.Noah.Of course I ought to have waited for you to say.' 'In my ark,' said Mr.Noah, 'buns were unknown and bears were fed entirely on honey, the providing of which kept our pair of bees fully employed.

But if you are sure bears _like_ buns we must always be humane, dear Lucy, and study the natural taste of the animals in our charge.' 'They love them,' said Lucy.
'Buns and honey,' said the Lord Islander; 'and what about bats ?' 'I don't know what bats eat,' said Mr.Noah; 'I believe it was settled after some discussion that they don't eat cats.

But what they _do_ eat is one of the eleven mysteries.

You had better let the bats fast.' 'They _are_, sir,' said the Lord High Islander.
'And is all going well?
Shall I come down and lend a personal eye ?' 'I think I'm managing all right, sir,' said the Lord High Islander modestly.

'You see it's a great honour for me.