8 



THE RAT 



my~way is not the best. And if you find that you 

 get what you want better by making a really big 

 noise, or else none at all, then mind that you 

 always say ' as still as a rat.' 



That is one of the things about which 1 wanted 

 you to give me some information. What ! you 

 didn't get a chance of telling me anything, because 

 I would talk all the time ! Well, upon my word ! 

 Wasn't I telling you not to make a noise and there 

 you go trying to jabber away before 1 get a chance 

 of finishing what I was going to say ! Half a cup 

 more milk, please, with cream and sugar. Listen- 

 ing is thirsty work. 



Now, then, if you have quite finished, we can go 

 on. I hear people — boys, at any rate — say ' Rats ! ' 

 in a nasty sort of way. I do not mean the disgust- 

 ing tone of voice which they choose to assume 

 when they want their nasty dogs to poke their 

 noses down our doorways, and bark, and frighten 

 all our poor babies out of their life. * R-rats !' 

 they say, with about sixteen r's in fi'ont and 

 twenty t's and s's at the end ; and then ' Yah-yah- 

 boohoo !' comes the yell of their impudent dog, 

 right on my very doorstep. How would you like 

 it yourselves if somebody brought a great stripey 

 tiger and set him snarling at your door, showing 



