still Ikey would not move from his perch till the hair on his legs and body were quite singed with the heat.

His master had for him a little whip, with which he taught him to sit upon his hind legs in a begging posture. He would jump through a whalebone hoop, drag a small cart to which he was harnessed, carry sticks, money, &c., in his mouth, and perform many other amusing tricks.

The rat perfectly understood the meaning of the whip, for when it was brought out, if he had been naughty, he would scamper along the sides of the room, or up the curtains, and perch himself on the top. There he would wait till a kind word from his master brought him down again, hopping about, and squeaking with delight.

In his gambols he would run so fast round after his tail, that it was almost impossible to make out his shape. At night he would exhibit another cat-like habit, for he would stretch himself out at full length before the fire on the rug, seeming to enjoy this way of warming himself.

This love of warmth made him sometimes troublesome, for when he found the fire going out and the room becoming cold, he would creep up into his master's bed, and try to get his little body under the clothes. When chased from there he would then take refuge in the folds of his master's clothes, and there remain till the morning. The master became so fond of his rat that he taught him at the word of command, “Come along, Ikey" to jump into his greatcoat pocket in the morning, when he went out to his daily occupation of driving the omnibus.

He did not, however, carry him all day in his pocket, but put him in the boot of his omnibus to act as guard to his dinner. But why did not the rat eat up his master's dinner? Because, said the

man, "I always gives him his bellyful when I has my own breakfast before starting."

The dinner was never touched, except when it happened to consist of plum-pudding. This, Ikey could not resist; his greediness overcame his sense of right, and he always devoured the plums, leaving the less dainty parts of the feast for his master.

The rat acted as a famous guard to the provisions, for whenever any idle fellows tried to run off with the bundle out of the boot, Ikey would fly out at them from under the straw, and put the robbers to flight.

At night he was taken home in his master's pocket, and partook of the family supper. But if any strangers happened to be present, he was seized with a shy fit, and, in spite of his hunger, hid himself till they had gone.

His teeth, after a time, became bad and worn out. The children, finding this out, delighted to give him a sort of hard cake made of treacle, called jumbles or brandy-snacks. Of these Ikey, in his younger days, was very fond; but now they gave him much trouble to chew, and his perseverance and rage, when attacking the said brandy-snacks, caused the young folks many a hearty laugh.

Disappear, go away, vanish Cease, stop.
Relief, comfort. Guard, watch.

Preparations, arrangements. Mentioned, spoken of.

V.

was

A certain worthy old lady, made a cask of swee wine, and carefully placed it on a shelf in the cellar. The second night after this she frightened by a strange noise in the said cellar. The household was called up, and a search made, but nothing was found to clear up the mystery.

The next night, as soon as the lights were put

out, this dreadful noise was heard again.

This time it was most alarming; a sound of squeaking, crying, knocking, pattering feet; then a dull scratching sound, with many other such ghostly noises, which went on the whole night.

The old lady lay in bed, pale and sleepless with fright, and ready to fire off the rusty old blunderbuss that hung over the chimney-piece. At last the

morning broke, and the cock began to crow. "Now," thought she, "the ghosts must disappear." To her relief the noise really did cease, and the poor frightened dame fell asleep.

She made great preparations for the next night; farm servants armed with pitchforks slept in the house; the maids took the family dinner-bell and the tinder-box into their room; the big dog was tied to the hall table. Then the dame retired to her room, not to sleep, but to sit up in the armchair by the fire, keeping a drowsy guard over the neighbour's loaded horse-pistols, of which she was almost as much afraid as she was of the ghost in the cellar. Sure enough her warlike preparations had succeeded; the ghost was certainly frightened; not a noise, not a sound, except the heavy snoring of the bumpkins, and the rattling of the dog's chain could be heard. She had gained a complete victory; the ghost was never heard again on the premises; and the whole affair was soon forgotten.

Some weeks afterwards some friends dropped in to take a cup of tea, and talk over the last piece of gossip. Among other things the wine was mentioned, and the maid sent to get some from the cellar. She soon returned, and gasping for breath, rushed into the room, exclaiming," "Tis all gone, ma'am ;" and sure enough it was all gone. "The ghost has taken it," not a drop was left; only the empty cask remained, the side was half

eaten away, and marks of sharp teeth were visible round the rim of the bung-hole.*

Contents, what anything holds or contains.

Devised, framed, formed, originated. Fail, not to succeed. Ingenious, clever (at contriving).

VI.

Extract, to take out.

A London carpenter for a long time constantly found the oil-bottle attached to his lathe emptied of its contents. Various plans were devised to find out the thief, but they all failed.

At last the man determined to watch. Through a hole in the door he peeped for some time. Byand-bye he heard a gentle noise. Something was creeping up the frame work of the lathe. It was a fine rat! Planting itself on the edge of the lathe, the ingenious creature popped its tail inside the phial then drew it out, and licked off the oil! Thus it continued to do until nearly every drop of oil was extracted from the bottle!

Repeat, say over again. Managed, treated, handled.
Indignant, angry with cause.

Lays to me, charges me with, accuses or blames me for.
Offend, provoke, insult. Inquisitive, prying, curious.

THE GRUMBLING PUSS.

"WHAT'S the matter?" said Growler to the black cat, as she sat moping on the step of the kitchendoor.

"Matter enough," said the cat, turning her head another way. "Our cook is very fond of talking of hanging me. I wish heartily some one would hang her."

"Why, what is the matter?" repeated Growler.

*F. Buckland: Curiosities of Natural History.

"Hasn't she beaten me, and called me a thief, and threatened to be the death of me?"

"Dear, dear!" said Growler; "pray what has brought it about?"

"Oh, nothing at all; it is her temper. All the servants complain of it I wonder they haven't

hanged her long ago."

"Well, you see," said Growler, "cooks are awkward things to hang; you and I might be managed much more easily."

"Not a drop of milk have I had this day! said the black cat; "and such a pain in "But what," said Growler, "what cause?"

my side!" immediate

"Haven't I told you ?" said the black cat, pettishly; "it's her temper-what I have had to suffer from it! Everything she breaks she lays to me-everything that is stolen she lays to me. Really it is quite unbearable!"

Growler was quite indignant; but, being of a reflective turn, after the first gust of wrath had passed, he asked, "But was there no particular cause this morning?"

"She chose to be very angry because I-I offended her," said the cat.

"How? may I ask," gently inquired Growler. "Oh, nothing worth telling a mere mistake of mine."

Growler looked at her with such a questioning expression, that she was compelled to say, "I took the wrong thing for my breakfast.”

"Oh! ""

said Growler, much enlightened. "Why, the fact was," said the black cat, "I was springing at a mouse, and I knocked down a dish, and not knowing exactly what it was, I smelt it, and it was rather nice, and

"You finished it," hinted Growler.