of ordinary cats and
dogs that are sicked on them. In less than fifteen minutes hundreds of
rats had been killed, for Buster was a noted rat killer. All he did
was to open his jaws, grab a rat in the middle of its back, give his
head a shake and the rat's back was broken. Then he tossed that rat
aside and served another one likewise.

The rats had all disappeared or else were lying dead in heaps when
Billy heard Stubby give a whine of pain, and turning to discover where
he was, he saw him standing in the midst of a pile of dead rats with
one nearly half as large as himself hanging to his throat under his
jaw. The rat had hold of Stubby in such a way he could not shake him
off, and all the time the rat was sucking his blood.

Billy saw him in a minute and with one bound he was beside Stubby and
had ripped the rat open with his long, sharp horn, which made its
mouth open and set Stubby free.

"Thank you, old fellow, for saving me! I was almost gone when you came
with your timely assistance."

[Illustration]

"I guess we have had enough fun with rats for one night," said Tiger,
"and we better be getting on or we will be late for the opening
exercises."

"I am a perfect mess!" said Stubby in disgust. "See how bloody I am."

"So am I," replied Tiger.

"I too," chimed in Button.

"I tell you what let's do," proposed Stubby. "It won't take five
minutes. Let's run out and take a swim in the river. I can never
appear before a strange audience with my coat looking like this."

"I'll go with you," replied Buster.

"I think," said Button, "I would prefer cleaning my coat by rolling in
that nice clean bank of sand in the corner of the cellar to swimming
in the river."

"I am with you on that proposition," said Tiger. "No water for me when
I can get good, clean sand! After a roll I shall come out as clean and
shining as if I had been sent to the cleaner and run through a vat of
gasoline."

Stubby and Buster went to the river and were soon swimming around and
having great sport in the water as it was nice and warm. But presently
Stubby stopped short and stared ahead of him, and what do you think he
saw but a whole drove of rats swimming out to a big sea-going vessel
that lay at anchor in the harbor.

"Let's go ashore. I've seen all the rats I want to see for a coon's
age. And you can't get me out of here too soon for they may attack
us."

Soon Stubby and Buster, looking as clean as whistles, found Button and
Tige