114 PERTINACIOUS RATS. CHAP. vn. 



head again commenced. Thinking it might be a 

 weasel, and not wishing for his company, he moved 

 to one side, adjusted his bedding, moved the grass, 

 and prepared to lie down again. 



His sleep this time was of very short duration, for 

 the tug-tugging again commenced. He now raised 

 his hand, at the same time that he opened his eyes, 

 and seized hold, not of a weasel, but of a rat. He 

 threw him away, thinking that that would be enough. 

 Being assured that there were no weasels there for 

 rats and weasels never associate he now thought he 

 should be able to get a little sleep. He had no idea 

 that the rat would return. 



But in this he was disappointed. He was just 

 beginning to sleep when he heard the rat again. 

 He looked up, and found that two rats were approach- 

 ing him. So long as there were only two, he knew 

 he could manage them. He allowed them to climb 

 up the stones and smell all about him. One of them 

 mounted his face, and sat upon it. They next pro- 

 ceeded to his wallet, and endeavoured to pull it from 

 under his head. They had almost succeeded in doing 

 so, when he laid hold of his wallet and drove them 

 off. 



Being now in a sort of fossilised state from wet 

 and cold, Edward did not attempt to sleep again, but 

 rose up from his bed of stones, secured all his things, 

 and marched away to recover his animal heat and 

 resume his explorations. 



