As Falstaff attempts to hide himself in the basket, Mistress Page pretends to be angry and jealous that Falstaff is having an affair with Mistress Ford. Falstaff is too scared to explain, and he does not fit easily into the basket. But he manages to get inside, and the two wives cover him up with dirty laundry. The two servants, John and Robert, then begin to carry the basket to Datchet Mead, as they had been instructed to do.