Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-09
DREAMLAND
ADVENTURES
RASCAL RAT"
by DADDY
CHAPTER III
rb. Grinnins Chief

.,-e, ,,.oro all around Peggy and
n nn,v big rats and little rats, rat
..,. and thin rats, gr!nninS rats anu
.asr,,ns rats They filed the cave 'h,o
hitch the rat-horses had drawn tne CHIT
dren on the sled. .,..,,
rnose rats would have been trishtiu'
...nsb had Pegsy and Billy been ordi'
narv size, but now that tho Two "ero 10
,rrv as dolls, the rats were Ike g. punch
=, ,IId bears. II was very alarming
indeed, ,,,,s MI
.,..odv and mussy, with holes leading
~ in all directions. II wasn't Tor some
.,or,snts that Billy saw what II was
,yyhv this Is just q straw stack ne
ahIspered, "and we are on the 'ns'oe
OF H." .,
nrd rather be on the outside" Peggy
,b,spered back I'm more AFRAID OF
,hese rats than am Of Judge owl or
Wee willy Weasel"
As she said this en- angry squeaiins
arose from In front Of them
eek! Eek! How dare you speak
tho name OF our enefIlIcs III t"e h"i Va
chief Rascal Rat?"
pcuev and Billy stared hard through
tho gloom of the cave to see the
,oueaker, but tho place was too dark.
prssently. however, little shining wisps
sickered here and there-slow worms
~hich we're serving as torches. BY this
dim light Peggy and Billy saw a rat
srinning rat crouchod on throne o'-
Tectly IN front of them.
But this fat rat wasn't the angry
,oueaker The squeakcr was thin,
cross. shocking rat, who stood beside the
throne
BE quiet, Sneaky Rat, spoke the fat
rat "Unless am mistaken these are
the guests whom ! asked my spies,
Snitcher and Snatchcr. TO bring for my
amusement
The two rats, who had drawn Peggy
and Billy thither on the sled, bowed be.
soro the fat rat and answered:
You are right, Chief Rascal Rat
Here are Peggy and Billy, the friends
Of Judge Owl, who. with Wee willy
Weasel ls making war on the people OF
leave their warm beds for a sleigh-rido
in the moonlight, and hero they are"
The fat yat, whom they called Chief
Rascal Rat. 6rinned through his whisk.
ers at Peggy and Billy.
How do you do! You are welcome
TO Ratvllle." he squeaked, and then he
winked a wicked wink at the rats who
mthered around And they grinned and
VLnked back at him. ANY friends Of
Judge Owl, the partner Of Wee willy
Weasel, are welcome to Ratvilie, pro-
Hded they come as you came" squeaked
Rascal Rat.
You sent for us. what do YOU want?"
asked Billy. boldly, for he though II best
10 put a brave face upon matters.
i'Wp want n ha p1iaafa n fapSt
and at show" squeaked Rascal Rat,
With another wink for the rats about
him. Eek! Eeek Servo dinner at
once
In ran waiter rats, each bearing a
morsel OF food One brought a piece Of
other bit OF cake, and another a chunk
Of cheese. These they placed before
Ia seal Pat The food didn't look at all
tempting TO Peggy and Billy. but they
bought as they were guests, they would
ne polite and eat a bite. But Rascal
Rat didn't give them time to eat @ bite
he goboled down the whole dinner him.
seIf and then winked slyly at his cour-
icrg.
Did YOU enjoy my dinner?" he chuck.
d at Peggy and Billy, who were 80
aken aback they didn't know what to
answer And now that We have eaten
geli, We viii have our show" went on
hNSCal hdt, ouT SNOW VIII DO a Dull
'ght, such as shipwreclted Spanish ra,
once told us about. But as we have no
oull 10 fight, we decided Judge Owl and
Wee Willy Weasel would do as we'll"
Peggy and Billy were surprised at this
and looked at each other while Rascal
Rat grinned and winked OF the other
rats. And as Judge Owl and Wee willy
Weasel are bad fighters who might hurt
our rat fighters we decided to let you,
their friends, fight for thom," chuckled
Rascal Rat Here are the rats who
will fight YOU" He pointed to four
herce.looking rats, big and strong
enough to finish Peggy and Billy in a
couple Of bites. Let the show begin.
want 10 be amused"
Peggy and Billy were In fix What
should they do? Run? They'd be
caught In a second. Fight? They'd be
lorn to pieces IN IL dozen slashing bites
Then Of sudden Peggy remembered tho
story OF the Arabian Nights damsel, who
saved herself from the cruel caliph by
telling stories.
Let tho fght watt" she cried. II:
you want to be amused, III tell you a
story Rascal Rat blinked at this, for
no vac taken by surprise Then no
~lnked at the other rats
- wen, tell your story" he chuckled to
regsy' Il like stories. and the fight
@h walt FOR few minutes."
Now II yoI were in Peggys place.
Rascal Rat?
DO you think her story will savo her