144 
THE RAT. 
son. I was but too glad to cling to any one who would feed 
me, and treat me kindly. He pulled a puppy out of his 
pocket, and gave it me ; then setting me across his shoulders, 
with the ferret-bag over my arm, he bore me to his home ; 
and hence I became a ratcatcher. 
" My parents had been careful of my education ; and 
being a clever reader for a child seven years old, and able 
to write, it afforded an endless gratification to my generous 
benefactor. Though I never lost sight of my learning, but 
always studied to improve it, still I had entirely forgotten 
my name ; for time went on merrily, and from a continual 
habit I had of whistling, I was universally called ' Whistling 
J oe ' the ratcatcher. But when I was eighteen, my bene- 
factor fell ill, and, after a short confinement, died, and left 
me all his property and stock in trade. By this I was set 
up in life, and possessed of a decent sum of money. 
About this time the trials of John Black and the old 
squire commenced. Those trials ought never to be forgotten, 
though now they have sunk almost into a legend. They 
took place before the present generation. Suffice to say, I 
was engaged by the squire himself to clear his place of rats. 
One morning, while quietly seated in an outhouse behind 
some tubs, the squire, with Bush and his companion, two 
notorious poachers, entered. I heard the squire bribe them, 
•and saw him give them fifty guineas each, besides promising 
them situations as gamekeepers, to perjure themselves by 
swearing an alibi, by which the squire was afterwards 
•acquitted, and J ohn Black entirely ruined. But scarcely had 
the bargain been settled, when I was discovered behind the 
tubs. The squire ofiered me the same terms ; and because 
I refused to become a perjured accomplice, I was sentenced 
to twelve months' imprisonment for an attempted robbery. 
The magistrate was in the conspiracy ; consequently it was 
useless attempting any defence ; therefore all I told the 
squire was to beware of rats. After my release I was 
kindly received, being a favourite with all who knew me ; 
for I always had an open hand and a dollar for a friend in 
distress. There was not a gamekeeper or ratcatcher in the 
oountry but what supplied me with vermin to carry out my 
design. I spared neither pains nor trouble to inundate 
iiim. I swarmed his preserves with wood-rats and other 
