et, I felt something soft, which seemed as if it moved, and
pulling it out, I found it to be as pretty a Squirrel as you would
wish to see. He ran round the table several times, and giving a
good spring, seated himself on the dumb waiter. I immediately
said to one of my servants: "I wonder how this squirrel got in my
pocket," when my surprise was greatly increased by hearing it say,
"If you will use me kindly, I will relate my history, and then
you will learn what made me get into your pocket." My dear Anne
immediately came in my mind, for I thought nothing would be more
agreeable to her than, "The Adventures of a Squirrel, related by
himself." "Come and sit nearer to me," said I, "that I may hear
better all you are going to relate." After having seated himself
once more, he began as follows._

_ADVENTURES_

OF A

SQUIRREL, &c.

_CHAPTER I._

I was born in Caen Wood, near Hampstead. Being taken out of the
nest, (in which were my mother and my brother,) very young, I
shall begin by telling you, I was carried to the house of him that
stole me, which was at Hackney. Here I was tied to a long pole,
till he could procure a cage, which was not till the end of three
weeks; when (what he termed) a very nice one came home, with a
chain to fasten round my neck, with a padlock, when I came out of
the cage. The chain he fastened on me directly, and it remained
on, till my house was properly aired. When he thought I might with
safety enter my house, he took off the chain, and carried me,
exulting in his prize, to his sister; for he had kept me quite
secure, till he could present me to her politely. She thanked him
for his kind present, and then proposed making a trial of my
abilities in the exercising way. You, perhaps, may wonder what
this exercise was. My cage was made to go round upon wires, so
that whenever I moved it went round, and caused a tinkling with
some bells that were fixed for that purpose. At this exercise I
remained nearly half an hour, and whenever I attempted to stand
still, they pricked me with a pin. Luckily the dinner bell rang,
or they might have kept me at it half an hour more.

I will now give you some account of my master and his family.
His name was Thomas Howard, upon the whole, I believe, a very
good-natured boy. His sister's name was Sophia; and he had a
father and mother. While my master and the family were at dinner,
I made the best use of my time, and devoured every thing that