r death. Learned men-- I know not how many-- examined the
head of the rat, looked, wondered, consulted together; and the end of
the matter was, that it was placed as a great curiosity in some building
which is called a museum. There, amidst fine vases and ancient weapons,
old manuscripts and precious stones, and noble busts of the wise and
great, is the head of poor old Furry preserved, with the mouth wide
open, to display the extraordinary tooth! Fame is a strange thing, after
all. I believe that our friend the rat was not the first, nor will be
the last, to pay a heavy price for the bubble!

Early in spring, one sunny morn, I received a visit from my old comrade
Whiskerandos. He was full of life and spirits.

"Ratto," cried he, "I have often heard you say that you and I should
visit foreign countries together; we've a capital opportunity now.
A vessel is to weigh anchor to-morrow. I have been talking to a ship-rat
of my acquaintance, who intends to sail in her, as he has done so
before. He says that she is a capital old vessel, full of first-rate
accommodation for rats; that Captain Blake keeps a very good table; that
there is never any scarcity of pickings; and, in short, I am off for St.
Petersburg, and mean to embark to-night: just say that you will go
with me."

"I'm your rat!" I exclaimed, highly delighted. "Would there be room for
Oddity too?"

"I daresay that there is plenty of room; but-- well, well, Oddity's an
excellent old fellow in spite of his ugly skin; and I'll take care that
nobody insults him."

Off I scampered to Oddity, half out of breath with excitement; and
giving him the news which I had just received, I begged him to accompany
Whiskerandos and myself on a pleasure excursion to Russia.

The piebald one bluntly declined.

"Now this is nonsense, Oddity," cried I; "you must not stay moping here
any longer, pining after a child, and watching for his return, when he
is never likely to come back."

"I know he will not come back!" sighed Oddity.

"Then why don't you come and shake off this silly gloom? To tell you the
plain truth, Oddity, your mind really requires opening, and there is
nothing like travelling for that. You are, I am afraid, not a
well-informed quadruped. I insist upon your embarking with us to-night,
and we'll make a rat of you, my good fellow!"

Oddity shook his head.

"What! you are resolved not to travel?"

"Not by water," was his short reply.

"He is going into the