ke a person
who knows that he has a great deal of work to get through in a very
short time. I mean, that he was very diligent and active, and seemed
determined not to lose a moment by stopping to rest himself, or to
consider what he should do next. He appeared to be an excellent swimmer
and diver, thrusting his long nose under the leaves at the bottom of
the water, in search of insects I suppose, and when he came to the
surface again, his fur was quite dry, like that of the water-rats. So
when he dived, this water-repelling property in his fur made him appear
of a beautiful silvery white colour, from the number of small air
bubbles he carried down with him. He was never still for a moment,
either diving to the bottom, or swimming, with a very quick wriggling
motion on the surface, and every now and then he would come to the
shore, from which he seldom ventured very far.

"A very queer little fellow indeed, upon my word!" said Brush, "I
wonder who he is. I cannot help liking him though, for he seems so
clever and industrious. Oh dear me! how I wish I could dive in that
beautiful clear water! But I declare he is coming nearer and nearer
every minute to that old rat, who is so busy gnawing his root. Now,
when the little one passes him, we shall see what will happen. I am
sure the old rat must be terribly hungry, or he would not gnaw that
disagreeable looking root so eagerly, and if he does not pounce upon
the little black fellow, and tear him to pieces, I shall be very much
astonished indeed."

The squirrel was not long kept in suspense, for just as he had finished
talking the matter over to himself, the little velvet-coated swimmer,
intent upon his own important business, came paddling along very near
the shore, and at last landed quite close to the spot where the rat was
still engaged with his root. But when he perceived the visitor, he
immediately left off eating, and slowly turned his head towards him!

[Illustration: THE WATER-RAT AND WATER-SHREWMOUSE. Page 61.]

"Horrible! he'll have him now! 'Tis all over with him," said Brush,
quite trembling with eagerness to see the end of the affair. "'Tis all
over with the little black fellow, and these rats are rascals after
all!"

But he was very much mistaken, for the only animal that lost its life
upon the occasion, was a small insect, which the bead-like eyes of
little velvet-coat had perceived crawling upon a stone, near the
water's edge, and in his eagerness to sec