At times a light quiver ran the whole length of
the bottom ledge.

From a rat standpoint, it was the worst position conceivable. That
attack was impending was certain; it was equally certain that retreat was
impossible. Desperation, rather than bravado, determined him to reverse
the positions. In one spot the wood had been fined to a quarter of an
inch. Light filtered through, and cast a dull red shadow on the floor. It
was at that spot that he flung himself. As he touched it, every other
sound ceased. He had the field to himself, and he worked it to the best of
his ability. The splinters flew before his chisel teeth; he wrenched, and
scratched, and tore. Before five minutes were gone, the flimsy wooden
screen had been transformed into a neat three-cornered hole.

He thrust his head forward, and stared with all his eyes. At first
he could distinguish nothing. The far side of the partition was, in
comparison with his recent surroundings, brilliantly lighted. Gradually
the form of the enemy shaped itself before him. It was certainly a rat,
but what a rat! Until his muzzle had shot through the opening, it had been
facing him, waiting and watching. Now it had leapt backwards, and
presented a three-quarter rear view.

[Illustration: IT WAS THE MOST VULGAR, ILL-CONDITIONED BEAST HE HAD EVER
SET EYES ON.]

It was the most vulgar, ill-conditioned beast he had ever set eyes on.
Its muzzle was coarse and blunted; its ears were half concealed in
coarse-grained, unkempt hair; its tail, instead of tapering, like his own,
to an elegant infinity, was short and stumpy; its eyes were, to say the
least of it, insignificant. But its colour! a dirty, nondescript, khaki
brown!

The sight of it was enough, and he drove at it full tilt.

Appearances were undoubtedly against the brown rat, but it knew something
of tactics. With a lightness, such as one could hardly have expected, it
swung to one side, and, before his brilliant charge could take effect, had
got its back to the wall. He had made the same mistake again--the mistake
of brainless breeding all the world over. It mattered not whether he
approached from front, or right, or left, the same whirling flail of
fore-paws was ready for him. He leapt clean over its head, and was flung
back--by the brickwork. Whichever way he tried he had only half a foe to
aim at. Still he never flinched, happy in the conviction that blood must
tell.

Blood might have told against a single enemy. Aga