n in a corner of our shed. I call them human creatures, for they certainly were not men; they were so different from the tall powerful fellows whom I had occasionally seen at their

m from the stones, and one of them had a hurt

ere at first afraid of them, and only peered out curiously upon them from our holes and hiding-places; but whe

med the younger child, clingin

n little face looked as if the life and spirit had been so star

s the entrance by the sleeve of his jacket. The wretched rag gave way even under his weak pull, and another rent was adde

e same dull, lifeless tone. "Never you mind th

iven us sleek warm coats, but they trembled with cold. It was very clear that it was much harder to them to support life than if t

upon it made one almost forget its ugly colour, "'tis a pity that these children

so he rarely left the shed. Bob often went out in the morning, and returned when it was growing dark, sometimes with food, and sometimes without it; but whenever he had anything to eat, he always shared it with his little lame brother. I see them now, crouched close up together for the sak

shorter time in a world of sorrow, he had not learned its sad lessons so well. I certainly never heard him laugh but once

hat a beauty rat!" he cried, clapping hi

at he had ever received in his life. It was enough to have turned the head of a less sober rat; but he, honest fellow,

re animation than usual, "I'se been a-watchin

sily, rubbing his eyes with the back of

reeping, two others"-the child with his fingers on the floor suited his action to his words,-"a

d Bob; "'twould soo

such a description of myself with Oddity's sober composure. "And the old blind rat had a little bit of stick in its mouth, just as the bli

of rats doing that

ed rat from its hole; so I keeps very quiet, not to frighten it away. And it patte

was Bob's

the old blind rat. Neither the black un nor the spotted un ate up one crumb; th

le in it which the stars shone through, and now and then a big drop of water from the top came plash, plash, on the muddy floor below,) he looked up, I say, and