WONDERFUL TALES OF HATS. 
97 
faccoiy could be ascertained as to the disappearance of the 
eggs. At the same time it was reasonable to suppose, that 
though the scrutiny could not bring back those that were lost, 
yet it might tend to prevent others following them. In 
spite of all threats and precautions, however, the following 
morniag proved to the contrary ; for on inspection it was 
found that others had departed also. Now this was 
thought too bad : indeed, it was unpardonable ; for if 
any of the domestics wanted eggs for their use, there were 
plenty of others, equally good, at their service, without 
taking those that were treasured like gold. This very 
naturally, and as might be expected, caused a great deal 
of uneasiness in the establishment, since every one felt 
equally innocent of such an act of wilful destruction, and 
at the same time were equally scrupulous in their suspicion of 
others. But on the following morning early, as the narrator 
of this anecdote was rising after a sleepless night, she thought 
she heard a noise on the stairs, and her first impression was of 
course that some one was stealing the eggs. She stole gently 
out of her room on to the landing, for the purpose of detect- 
ing the thief or thieves, if possible, and after pausing for a 
few moments, with breathless anxiety, to listen, she again 
heard the noise, but more distinctly than before. She 
cautiously peeped over the banisters, when she saw two rats, 
one large and the other small, most ingeniously conveying 
one of these eggs down stairs. It is needless to say, that 
the instant she saw them the whole mystery was explained, 
and her mind relieved of a world of cares. Indeed, so 
delighted and interested was she with the ingenuity and 
industry of the little vagabonds, that she offered them no 
molestation, but stood quietly gazing on with admiration 
till they were fairly out of sight. She says that when she 
first saw them they were both on one step, about half-way 
down stairs, when the big rat descended to the step beneath ; 
he then stood upon his hind- legs, with his arms and head rest- 
ing on the step above, till the other rolled the egg towards 
him ; then putting his arms tightly round it, he lifted it 
carefully down on to the step where he was standing, and 
there held it till she came down and took charge of it, 
while he descended a step lower. Thus they passed from step 
to step till they were fairly at the bottom and out of 
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