ch he was best known, and the only one to which he chose to answer. But
he was a good-humoured fellow, poor Oddity, and bore our rudeness with
patience and temper. He pursued the plan which I would recommend to all
rats in his position: he joined the mirth which his own appearance raised;
and when we made merry at the awkward manner in which he waddled after his
more light-footed companions, he never took it amiss, nor retired into a
corner of the shed to sulk, amidst rope-ends and bits of rusty iron.

I have said that we had merry nights in the warehouse. Often has the
moon looked in through the dull, many-paned windows, lighting our
revels; though we cared little for light, our delicate feelers almost
supplying the place of eyes. But one night above all nights I remember!

There had been a great deal of moving about in the warehouse during the
day, running of trucks, and rolling of casks. Brisk, the liveliest of my
brothers, had sat watching in a hole from noon until dusk, and now
hurried through our little passage into the shed, where we were all
nestling behind some old canvass. He brought us news of a coming feast.

"A ship has arrived from India," said he, "and we'll have a glance at
the cargo. They've been busy stowing it away next door. There's rice--"

The brotherhood of rats whisked their tails for joy!

"Sugar--"

There was a universal squeak of approbation.

"Indigo--"

"That's nothing but a blue dye obtained from a plant," observed Furry,
an old, blind rat, who in his days had travelled far, and seen much of
the world, and had reflected upon what he had viewed far more than is
common with a rat. Indeed, he passed amongst us for a philosopher, and I
had learnt not a little from his experience; for he delighted in talking
over his travels, and but for a little testiness of temper, would have
been a very agreeable companion. He very frequently joined our party;
indeed, his infirmities obliged him to do so, as he could not have lived
without assistance. But I must now return to Brisk, and his catalogue of
the cargo.

"Opium--"

"The juice of the white poppy," said our aged friend, who had a taste
for general information. "I've seen it produce strange effects when
eaten in large quantities by men."

"What effects?" said I. I was a very inquisitive rat, and especially
curious about all that related to the large creatures upon two legs,
called Man, whom I believed to be as much wiser as they are strong