impossible for us to escape her jaws. But, happily for us, it
had somehow or other got so wedged that she could not move it to any
distance; though it kept momentarily increasing our terrors, by shaking
as she strove to turn it.

From this state of horror, however, we were at length delivered by a
little boy of about two years old, who came out of the house, and taking
the cat up round its body with both hands, tottered away with it, and
shut the door.

Finding ourselves thus unexpectedly once more at liberty, we determined
to make use of it, by seeking some safer retreat, at least, till night
should better hide us from public view. Terrified almost out of our
senses, we crept from behind the brick, and, after running a few yards,
slipped under the folding doors of a barn, and soon concealed ourselves
amidst a vast quantity of threshed corn. This appeared to us the most
desirable retreat that we had yet found; not only as it afforded such
immense plenty of food, but also as we could so easily hide ourselves
from the observation of any one: beside, as it did not appear to be a
dwelling-house, we could in security reside, free from any danger of
traps, or the cruelty of man. We therefore congratulated each other, not
more on account of the wonderful escape which we had, than upon our good
fortune in coming to a Spot so blessed with peace and plenty.

After we were a little recovered from the fatigue of mind, as well as
of body, which we had lately gone through, we regaled very heartily upon
the corn that surrounded us, and then fell into a charming sleep, from
which we were awakened the next morning by the sound of human voices.
We very distinctly heard that of a boy, saying, 'Let us mix all the
threshed corn with the rest that is not threshed, and that will make
a fine fuss, and set John and Simon a swearing like troopers when they
come and find all their labour lost, and that they must do all their
work over again.' 'And do you think there is anything so agreeable in
giving people trouble, and hearing them swear,' replied another voice,
'that you can wish to do it? For my part. I think it is so wicked a
thing, that I hate to hear anybody guilty of it, much less would I be
the cause of making them commit so great a sin; and as for giving them
all their trouble over again, so far would it be from affording me any
pleasure, that on the contrary it would give me great pain; for however
you may think of it, Will, I assure