WITH AN ADVENTURE.

I was often puzzled by the conduct of Bob; that was to be expected,
seeing that I was a young and ignorant rat, quite inexperienced in the
doings of man. Once or twice Bob had brought to the shed things which he
could not eat and did not wear. I could neither imagine where he had got
them, what he intended to do with them, nor what possible use he could
make of them. He seemed inclined to hide them; and once, when he was
showing to Billy a red handkerchief covered with white spots (though the
weather was bitterly cold, he never attempted to tie it round his neck),
the little boy looked up gravely into his face and said, "Oh, Bob, arn't
you afeard?"

"What am I to do; we can't starve, Billy." He looked so wan and so
woe-begone, as he bent over the little lame child, that it seemed to me
that never was a creature so wretched as that desolate boy. The next
morning he took away the handkerchief, and in the evening he brought
home bread.

Once when he returned, the snow was fast falling, drifting through the
roof, and in at the door, till Billy could scarcely find a clear spot on
which to rest his languid little frame. He was always on the look-out
for his brother, as soon as the sky began to darken. Well might he watch
on that day, for he had not broken his fast since the evening before;
and his lips were blue with hunger and cold, and he was lonely, very
lonely, in the shed.

Presently Bob came hastily in; we had not heard his step on the soft
snow. The flakes were resting on his rags and whitening his hair, as he
threw himself down by his brother.

"Oh! Billy!" he exclaimed, and burst into tears.

"What have you got?" cried the little one joyfully. "A big loaf!" and he
tore it asunder in his eager haste, and ate like a famished creature.

"And see this!" said Bob; and he wrapped round the shivering child a
warm cloak which he had carried on his arm.

Billy opened his eyes with an expression of astonishment, which
brightened into joy as he felt the unwonted warmth. "Oh! Bob!" he
exclaimed, with his mouth full of bread; "where did you get this?
Did you steal it?"

"No; and I'll never steal no more; never, never!" and the boy sank his
head down upon his chest, and sobbed. I had never seen him shed a tear
till that day.

"Tell me all about it, tell me!" cried Billy, almost frightened by his
brother's unwonted emotion; but it was a little time before Bob made
reply.

"I followed he-- a fine