The children expected Puddleglum to refuse it， distrusting the Gentle Giants as he did. But he muttered， “It’s rather late to be thinking of precautions now that we‘re inside and the door shut behind us.” Then he sniffed at the liquor. “Smells all right，” he said. “But that’s nothing to go by. Better make sure，” and took a sip. “Tastes all right， too，” he said. “But it might do that at the first sip. How does it go on？” He took a larger sip. “Ah！” he said. “But is it the same all the way down？” and took another. “There‘ll be something nasty at the bottom， I shouldn’t wonder，” he said， and finished the drink. He licked his lips and remarked to the children， “This‘ll be a test， you see. If I curl up， orurst， or turn into a lizard， or something， then you’ll knowot to take anything they offer you.”
But the giant， who was too far up to hear the things uddleglum had been saying under his breath， roared with ughter and said， “Why， Froggy， you‘re a man. See him put away！”
“Not a man . . . Marsh.wiggle，” replied Puddleglum in a omewhat indistinct voice. “Not frog either： Marsh.wiggle.” At that moment the door opened behind them and the ounger giant came in saying， “They’re to go to the throne. oom at once.”
