WILD CREATURES OF GARDEN AND HEDGEROW 



in an evening. One night when the rat had 

 been quiet for some time my father remarked, 

 ' I don't know what he is doing, but I can feel 

 him pulling at something.' We found he had 

 been amusing himself biting the straps off my 

 father's waistcoat ! He was never quiet unless 

 in mischief, but always racing about, hauling 

 himself up the curtains hand over hand, to 

 run along the curtain poles, from which he 

 would slide down the curtains on to the 

 ground once more. Then he would scamper 

 to and fro, climb on to somebody's knee, very 

 likely jumping from there to the table, where 

 there was generally some food put ready 

 together with a glass of water. He was a 

 thirsty animal and drank a good deal. It was 

 a funny sight to see him with fore paws so like 

 little hands on the edge of the tumbler, and 

 his tongue lapping so fast that one could hardly 

 see it going up and down. Next he would 

 pick up a walnut, and, holding it with his hands, 

 nibble away at it. When he had eaten all he 

 wanted, he would carry off any food that was 

 left lying about to a hiding-place behind the 

 bookcase. Small stuff, such as grain, he 

 carried in his cheeks, stuffing his mouth with 

 it until he looked as if he had a swollen face, 

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