128 JULY 



the morning. I discovered that to be the reason 

 of his death, by hearing the other one fluttering 

 some nights after, and on quietly creeping down- 

 stairs, there I saw Master Rat inside the cage. 

 He lay low in the tin tray underneath when he saw 

 me. The first thing was to unloose Nous, who 

 knew all about it, and stood staring at the cage 

 with gleaming eyes, while the Burra Sahib opened 

 the little door and patted the other side. Out 

 jumped the rat, right over the master's shoulder, 

 and straight into Nous's open mouth, whose jaws 

 but once said " crunch " and all was still. The rat 

 never reached the floor at all, and it was all done 

 in a second, without any scuffle. After that Nous 

 went back to his charpoy, such a sleepy dog ! The 

 next day the cages were moved to a more rat-proof 

 situation, which was rather difficult to find, because 

 if hung between doors, the enemy climbed the 

 curtains, or else scrambled up wall draperies, or 

 sprang from hat-pegs. I was so afraid for my birds, 

 that the least flutter would awaken me, and many 

 a shikar we have had at two in the morning, till 

 now at last a safe place has been secured for them 

 all. 



