The Rambles of a Rat

of his infirmities. We were almost too impatient to wait till the men within should have fini

oth; but it was twice as long as any rat, counting from the tip of his nose to the end of his

vory?" said Oddity,

sharp teeth upon it. "How I should like to see the enormous rat that could have carried

far!" cried Brisk. "Such a fragrance of cheese as there is y

ons, that I scarcely looked up; but Oddity

who gets first shall have his pick of the feast! Leave Ratto to his ol

t for his slowness, but this time it was well for him that he was slow! On rushed the six foremost, almost together, scrambling on

n a terrible fright. Nothing of my six companions could I see; but Oddity, with a very disconsolate look, wa

while Oddity and I nibbled from without. There was something which defied even our sharp little teeth, and all our efforts were in vain. My poor brothers could not

companion I sought my old shelter behind the canvass

omething to say for himself. I have often noticed the big creatures at work, and much they labour, and hard they toil, and we can't expect them to be willing

or man?" said I, in the bitterness of my

large, and generally built of brick, with a board and gilt letters in front. They are baited with a certain drink, which h

d against them, and am never likely to be caught in that way. I suppose that it is the same with man. When he see

man-trap, when the gas-lights are flaring, and the spirits flowing, and the sound of laughter and jesting is heard within! They know that they are going the straight, direct way to be worried by sickness, poverty,

creature man!" I exclaimed; "he is a