hogsheads upon hogsheads of-- tallow!"

"Enough, enough!" I exclaimed with delight, "Russia is the country
for me."

CHAPTER XIII.

HOW I SET OUT ON MY VOYAGE.

When the passengers of the Nautilus went on board, the bright sun was
glittering on the water, the whole river was full of life, covered with
vessels of all kinds,-- the light boat, the lugger, the steamer, with
her gaily-coloured paddle-boxes and long dark stream of smoke; the heavy
coal-barge, scarcely moving at all, sunk down almost to a level with the
water: and there were sounds of all sorts, both from the vessels and the
shore-- puffing of steam, dipping of oars, creaking of rigging, ringing
of bells, shouts and calls, and the sailors' musical "yo, heave, yo!"

But when we went on board a few hours before, all was comparatively
quiet, though the great pulse of life in London never quite ceases to be
heard, even in the middle of the night. When we crept down to the edge
of the shore, the yellow lamps were gleaming around, and the quiet stars
twinkling above, and the young moon was looking down at her own image
dimly reflected in the river.

"Where is our vessel?" whispered I to Whiskerandos.

"Yonder; don't you see her black hull?"

"But how are we to get to her?" said I. nervously; "I have no great mind
to swim."

"Do you mark that dark line that cuts the sky? That is the rope which
fastens her to shore. We will make our way easily along that."

I had a tolerably intimate acquaintance with ropes, and the feat was not
a difficult one for a rat; and yet-- shall I confess it?-- my heart
quaked a little as I followed my leader across this trembling suspension
bridge. I was, however, always unwilling to show fear in the presence of
Whiskerandos, so I concealed even the relief which I felt when I reached
the vessel without a ducking.

It was indeed a delightful home for rats, and many of my race had
thought so, for the number of us on board certainly trebled that of the
sailors. The majority of our brethren in the vessel were ship rats,
whose appearance so much resembled my own that terms of friendship were
at once established between us. The brown rats kept together in quite a
separate part of the ship,-- a wise precaution to avoid the quarrels and
fights which must otherwise have constantly ensued. I consequently saw
less of Whiskerandos during the voyage than I otherwise should have
done.

I managed to establish myself, audacious rat th