feet from my face--likely enough, under the biscuit-box or
the cask of brandy.

Cudgel my brains as I might I could hit upon no plan to get hold of
him--at least, no plan to trap him with safety. I felt pretty sure I
could lay my hands upon him, provided he came near enough, just as I had
done already; but I was in no humour to repeat that performance. I knew
the crevice by which he had retreated. It was the aperture between the
two great barrels--the brandy-cask and the water-butt.

I fancied he would return the same way, if he came back at all; and it
occurred to me that if I were to stop up all the other apertures except
that one--which I could easily do with pieces of cloth--let him come in,
and then suddenly cut off his retreat by caulking that one also, I
should have him in the trap. But this would be placing myself in an
awkward situation. I should be in the trap as well as he, and he no
nearer destruction than ever, unless I finished him by a hand-to-hand
tussle. Of course, I knew I could conquer and kill the rat. My
superior strength would enable me to squeeze him to death between my
hands, but not without getting a good many severe bites, and the one I
had got already hindered me from having any relish for another encounter
of the kind.

How, then, was I to manage without a trap? That was the thought that
occupied me as I lay sleepless and in dread of the rat returning.

But I cogitated to no purpose. It was well-nigh morning, when, worn
with watching and planning, I fell off into the half-dozing
half-dreaming State--of which I have already spoken--and still no
feasible plan had offered itself for entrapping the "vermin" that was
causing me so much annoyance and alarm.

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

OH! FOR A STEEL TRAP!

After several hours spent in dozing and dreaming by "fits and starts," I
was again fairly awake, and could sleep no more for thinking of the
great rat. Indeed, the pain I suffered was of itself sufficient to keep
me awake; for not only my thumb, but the whole hand was swollen, and
ached acutely. I had no remedy but to bear it patiently; and knowing
that the inflammation would soon subside and relieve me, I made up my
mind to endure it with fortitude. Greater evils absorb the less; and it
was so in my case. My dread of the rat paying me another visit was a
far greater trouble to me than the pain of my wound, and as my attention
was wholly taken up with the former, I almost f