several cases in which these animals have been the means of making
away with letters. The fact that rats have been seen in your shop, and
that your late letters drop on the floor and are left there till
morning, inclines me to think that rats are at the bottom of it. I
would advise you to make investigation without delay."

"I will, sir, I will," exclaimed Mr Blurt, starting up with animation,
"and I thank you heartily for the trouble you have taken with my case.
Good-morning. I shall see to this at once."

And Mr Blurt did see to it at once. He went straight back to his
brother's house, and made preparation for a campaign against the rats,
for, being a sanguine and impulsive man, he had now become firmly
convinced that these animals were somehow at the bottom of the mystery.
But he kept his thoughts and intentions to himself.

During the day George Aspel observed that his friend employed himself in
making some unaccountable alterations in the arrangements of one part of
the shop, and ventured to ask what he was about, but, receiving a vague
reply, he said no more.

That night, after the shop was closed and Aspel had gone home, and Mr
Fred Blurt had gone to sleep, under the guardianship of the faithful
Miss Lillycrop, and Mrs Murridge had retired to the coal-hole--or
something like it--which was her dormitory, Mr Enoch Blurt entered the
shop with a mysterious air, bearing two green tablecloths. These he
hung like curtains at one corner of the room, and placed a chair behind
them raised on two empty packing-boxes. Seating himself in this chair
he opened the curtains just enough to enable him to peep through, and
found that he could see the letter-slit in the door over the counter,
but not the floor beneath it. He therefore elevated his throne by means
of another packing-box. All being ready, he lowered the gas to
something like a dim religious light, and began his watch. It bade fair
to be a tedious watch, but Enoch Blurt had made up his mind to go
through with it, and whatever Enoch made up his mind to do he did.

Suddenly he heard a scratching sound. This was encouraging. Another
moment and a bright pair of miniature stars were seen to glitter behind
the pelican of the wilderness. In his eagerness to see, Mr Blurt made
a slight noise and the stars went out--suddenly.

This was exceedingly vexatious. He blamed himself bitterly, resettled
himself in his chair, rearranged the curtains, and glared intent