THE RAT 



there were a lot of boys ; in fact, it was a school. 

 You may think it rather a strange dwelling-place 

 for a rat to choose, and perhaps it was. I did not 

 make a long stay. Really I am so ashamed of 

 myself that I hardly like to go on with my story. 

 I was the only rat on the premises, and I can but 

 suppose that the solitude had rather turned my 

 head. Also it was such a very riotous solitude that 

 I may have caught the infection of the noise. 

 Those wicked young scamps were always playing 

 tricks upon one another, especially upon one very 

 rosy-cheeked and juicy youngster, who seemed 

 absolutely to enjoy having pins stuck into him. I 

 often went up to their bedroom to pick up the 

 crumbs of cake which they let fall upon the floor. 

 I wanted, of course, to do them a good turn, 

 because they were most strictly forbidden to have 

 cake up there, and the crumbs would have betrayed 

 them in the morning. 



Now, on this particular evening of which I am 

 talking they had enjoyed a gorgeous scrimmage, 

 and my lonely life made me greatly desire to take 

 part in it. I had not had a good romp for weeks. 

 But I could not do anj^hing as long as the lights 

 were burning ; there might have been rather more 

 of a scrimmage than I bargained for. However, 



