OUR DICK. 35 



as down. We found that Master Dick, 

 when on his little exploring expeditions, 

 had discovered that the large closet in 

 our chamber was a good place for him to 

 take the forty or more winks of sleep 

 which he so much enjoyed. Now that 

 he could go where he liked, it became 

 his habit to resort hither each day, and 

 it was here he slept at night. 



It happened, one morning, that a rat 

 of uncommon and preposterous size was 

 reported by our cook as having been seen 

 in the woodshed. Dick was at once put 

 on the scent, and, after some uncommonly 

 clever detective work, found the creature 

 and left him dead on the field. The vic- 

 tory was dearly bought, however, for the 

 excitement of the fray brought the little 

 fellow's first serious illness. 



The next morning we missed him at 



