"As she grew weaker and weaker in her struggles, the cunning rat drew
her lower and lower, till at last she seemed fairly within his reach.
He lifted himself on his hindquarters to snap his long teeth into her
thigh and spring to the ground with her, where he would have her
completely at his mercy. But as he rose the He imp, at sight of his
sister's deadly peril, lost all sense of caution, and struck again with
all his strength of beak and wing. And once more the rat, fairly
bursting with rage, was swept to the ground.
"He was back to the attack again in a moment, and now more dangerous
than ever. And at the same time the She imp, utterly worn out at last
by her panic terror and her foolish violence, sank shuddering down upon
her perch. Her brother struck the rat again frantically when the
latter was halfway up the scarecrow's leg, but this time failed to
dislodge him. And it looked as if the poor She imp would never again
steal a strawberry or worry a pigeon. But at this moment the Boy
appeared in the garden. He came running up noiselessly, anxious to see
all that was happening. But the rat heard him. The rat had no use for
the Boy whatever. He knew that the whole human race was his enemy.
Pages:
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71