^MY INFANCY' 



27 



ever dream that you are a railway-engine ? Don't 

 be surprised at my knowing all about such things, 

 because I often take a run along the line, to look 

 for things that have dropped off the trains, when a 

 big frost makes food scarce. I once even got a 

 ride in a truck that had some corn sacks in it, and 

 they never knew that I was there, any more than 

 I knew that 1 was going on a journey. I was 

 scared when they started off. Luckily, they only 

 went as far as the next station. I had one of my 

 many narrow escapes when they came to unload, 

 but they were so surprised when I jumped out 

 that I contrived to dodge them all. Fortunately, 

 there were no dogs or sticks. They could only 

 kick at me with their clumsy boots, so that it was 

 not really very difficult to escape. But it took me 

 a long time to find my way back again, as I was 

 not so used to travelling then as I am now. Ever 

 since then I dream about engines, and I always 

 want to go straight on, and then I come to a 

 horrid bumpy shunting-place, and off I go some- 

 where else, and have to keep on coming back 

 again. 



Y^ou did not know, perhaps, that rats had dreams. 

 What a lot you have to learn ! How were you to 

 know ? Well, dogs have dreams, for 1 have seen 



