COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 7 



man with a flat nose. There were about 150 boys 

 there. There was a French master whom we called 

 " Mousey ". Willy Adam's mother was a Russian 

 named Polteratsky, so of course he was called Polte- 

 ratsky, and " Mousey" used to call him " Rattikit". 



In those days little boys used to have what they 

 called skeleton suits with their trousers buttoned over 

 their jackets, but " Rattikit's " garment was more 

 extraordinary still. It was light grey, with huge 

 black buttons down the front, across the middle of 

 his back, and half way down to his knees. This 

 "Mousey" called Rattikit's "trap drawers". 



My uncle had a house in Richmond Park at 

 Sheen Gate (where Professor Owen afterwards lived). 

 My great-aunt, Mrs. Loch, kept house with him there. 

 He usually drove down from London on Saturdays 

 and stayed till Monday, and often called for me and 

 Willy Adam on the way and took us with him. 



We were allowed to roam about the park as we 

 liked. In those days the grand old trees were alive 

 with birds of all kinds — hawks, woodpeckers, wry- 

 necks and owls — and the ponds swarmed with herons, 

 wild ducks, coots and water hens. My uncle gave 

 me a copy of Bewickes Birds, which I delighted to 

 study, and got a deal of knowledge about them. 



We were constantly in mischief, and the butler 

 used to lock the doors and take away our clothes to 

 prevent us getting up too early in the morning. We 

 jumped out of the window, which was only some five 

 or six feet from the ground, and ran about the garden 

 with blankets wrapped round us. 



