Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-19
CHAPTER I
Old GRAY Rat Bites

Old Gray Rat Bites
TACK and Janet, turned into Slum-
- Der Sprites. were on the steamship
Warmland bound for Egypt, where
summer never ends.
The Kindly Captain. the two or
plans he had adopted and the crew
were very happy. jack and Janet.
through trick, had freed the ship of
all but a few. of the thousands of rats
which had swarmcd the decks and holds.
so they had nothing to worry about
except storms they might meet at sea,
and true sailors do not mind storms.
Jack and Janet felt queer thrills as
they saw the shores fade away as the
steamer sailed out to sea. They found
1t jolly fun sailing the ocean blue, and
as they were Slumber Sprites they did
not suffer from seasickness.
How soon shall we get to EgyptT'
they asked Sleepy Woodchuck.
"Just as soon as you want to-" was
Sleepy Woodchuck's strange answer.
Sleepy chuckled as he saw how puzzled
they appeared over his reply. "Iou
know you are Slumbcr Sprites now,'
he explained. "Slumber Sprites can
close their eyes and wish time to fly.
and fly it will"
Jack and Janet thought it would be
nice to get to Egypt all In hurry,
without the long sea voyage, and were
Just about to close their eyes and wish
when they heard an angry. sdueaking
behind them. There was Old Gray Rat
Eek eek You thought that smart
trick telling us this ship would sink
50 We would fec from it. sQueaked
Old Gray Rat. eve are going TO pay
you for that"
Huh Huh. Huh !" barked Sleepy
,.Woodchuck. "You ought to be glad
we scared those other rats ashore. You
will have more now to feast on
YES, but we will not have so many
jolly companions to feast with" snarled
Old Gray Rat. Speaking Of feaeting
I'd like a nice fat woodchuck for din =
ner." Old Gray Rat scowled greedily
at Sleepy Woodchuck, while the other
rats Of his gang glared at Jack and
Janet, and Chip and Clipper Chip
muck. and Colonel Croaker, the frog.
Sleepy Woodchuck chucklcd. Have
n leg" he said to Old Gray Rat. just
as though he were offering helping
of Christmas dinner. He held out his
paw toward Old Gray Rat. Quick
as fash Old Gray Rat snapped at IT
And as Old Gray Rat snapped, hi'
teeth came together so hard they hurt
him. At the same time the other rats
leapcd at Jack and Janet and ChiI
and Clipper Chipmu"k. and Cotone
Croaker. But the same thing happened
to them that happened to Old Gray
Rat. Their teeth clashed together Sc
hard they got toothachc.
Old Gray Rat was mad. He glared
at Sleepy Woodchuck. Have bite
of tall" chucklcd Sleepy WoodchuCk
He held a tail out at Old Gray Rat
But it wasn't his own tail 1t was
the tail of a rat he had snatched up
Old Gray Rat didn't notice this. HI
Just grabbed the tail and bit hard or
it.
"E-e.ek. Wee eek" souealed th'
rat who owned the tail. He whirlct
around on Old Gray Rat, and pitched
into him. There was a battle roya
/ for a minute, until the rats saw how
they had been fooled.
Old Gray Rat was in fury.
II know you now he ragged a
Sleepy Woodchuck and Jack and Janet
you are Slumber Sprites. We cam
bite you. as you are only air. But
you are friends of the Kindly Captain
and his two orphans. We will hurt
YOU by eating their food or spelling
il,