The Rambles of a Rat   By: Unknown (1821-1893)

[Illustration: POORER THAN RATS.

"The old blind rat had a bit of stick in its mouth, and the pretty black rat took the other end in his teeth." Page 25.]

THE RAMBLES OF A RAT.

by

A. L. O. E.

[Illustration: A NEW KIND OF WATCHDOG.

"Whiskerandos looked surprised at the unexpected defiance; but my feelings of amazement can scarcely be conceived when I recognised the dumpy form, blunt head, and piebald skin, of my lost brother Oddity." Page 150.]

T. Nelson and Sons, London, Edinburgh, and New York.

THE RAMBLES OF A RAT

by

A. L. O. E.,

Author of "The Giant killer," "Pride and his Prisoners," &c. &c.

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London: T. Nelson and Sons, Paternoster Row; Edinburgh; and New York. 1864.

PREFACE

Let not my readers suppose that in writing THE RAMBLES OF A RAT I have simply been blowing bubbles of fancy for their amusement, to divert them during an idle hour. Like the hollow glass balls which children delight in, my bubbles of fancy have something solid within them, facts are enclosed in my fiction. I have indeed made rats talk, feel, and reflect, as those little creatures certainly never did; but the courage, presence of mind, fidelity, and kindness, which I have attributed to my heroes, have been shown by real rats. Such adventures as I have described have actually happened to them, unless they be those recorded in the 19th chapter, for which I have no authority. For my anecdotes of this much despised race I am principally indebted to an interesting article on the subject which appeared in the "Quarterly Review."

I would suggest to my readers how wide and delightful a field of knowledge natural history must open to all, when there is so much to interest and admire even in those animals which we usually regard with contempt and disgust. The examination of the wondrous works of nature is a study elevating as well as delightful; for the more deeply we search into the wonders around us, the more clearly we discover the wisdom which is displayed even in the lowest forms of creation!

A. L. O. E.

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CONTENTS

Chap. Page.

I. The Family of Rats 9 II. A Clap trap Discovery 15 III. Poorer than Rats 19 IV. How I made a Friend 26 V. How Bob met with an Adventure 33 VI. How I visited the Zoological Gardens 38 VII. Finding Relations 43 VIII. How I heard of Old Neighbours 51 IX. How we found a Feast 59 X. The want of a Dentist 67 XI. A Removal 74 XII. A New Road to Fame 79 XIII. How I set out on my Voyage 86 XIV. A Terrible Word 94 XV. First View of St. Petersburg 103 XVI. A Russian Kitchen 109 XVII. A Ramble over St. Petersburg 118 XVIII. How we were Transported 125 XIX. A Storm and its Consequences 132 XX. Catch him Dead or Alive! 137 XXI. A new kind of Watch dog 146 XXII. The Farmer and his Bride 153 XXIII. A Peep through the Roses 163

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[Illustration: A L O E]

THE RAMBLES OF A RAT.

CHAPTER I.

THE FAMILY OF RATS.

My very earliest recollection is of running about in a shed adjoining a large warehouse, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Poplar, and close to the River Thames, which thereabouts is certainly no silver stream.