ome
mischief. It always showed great jealousy of my tame mice, and I had to
be very careful not to let it get a chance to get at one. On one
occasion I was training one of the mice, and did not notice that the rat
was near. Suddenly, like a flash, it leaped nearly two feet, seizing the
mouse by the neck precisely as a tiger seizes its prey. Although I
instantly snatched it away, it was too late, the one fierce bite having
severed the jugular.

I have mentioned mice, and indeed they were most interesting pets,
easily trained and as scrupulously clean and neat as any creature of a
higher race could be. I at times had a half dozen of them, which I had
caught in the following simple way: I first stuck a small bit of bread
on the inside of my pint tin cup, about half way down; then turning it
bottom up on the floor, I raised one edge just high enough so that a
mouse could enter, and let the edge of the cup rest on a splinter. It
would not be long before one would enter, and as it could not reach the
bread otherwise it stood up, putting its hands against the sides of the
cup, thus over-balancing it, causing the cup to drop, and simple mousie
would find itself also a prisoner.

Although there was an order that no prisoner should be permitted to have
any kind of pets, especially rats and mice, and as the prison swarmed
with these, the warders had become tired of being obliged to turn over
the cells and prisoners daily in search of these contraband favorites,
the loss of which generally provoked the owners to insubordination; in
consequence of which there was a tacit understanding that they were not
to be interfered with, provided they were kept out of sight when the
governor made his rounds.

Nothing could overcome the jealousy of my otherwise gentle rat when it
saw me petting a mouse, and it would watch for an opportunity to spring
upon its diminutive rival and put a speedy end to its career.

I had one mouse which to its other accomplishments added the following:
It would lie in the palm of my open hand, with its four legs up in the
air, pretending to be dead, only the little creature kept its bright
eyes wide open, fixed on my face. As soon as I said, "Come to life!" it
would spring up, rush along my arm and disappear into my bosom like a
flash.

[Illustration: 1 Austin ----. 2 Geo. McDonald. 3 Officer. 4 Geo. Bidwell.
5 Officer. 6 Noyes. 7 Mr. Straight, Q.C. McDONALD SPEAKING TO MR.
STRAIGHT, Q.C., DURING THE TRIAL.]