) what should I
do, Silket, left with these four helpless little mice to provide for?'
Silket immediately saw the impropriety of his conduct, and he never
spoiled any more of good Mrs. Ball's linen, though he often came in
the way of it. The poor old lady was greatly disturbed at the
misfortune which had befallen her best muslin apron, and threatened to
have the ratcatcher's dogs and ferrets to hunt the garden and the
hedge, if any thing more was destroyed; so that it was a good thing
that Silket took Downy's advice in that respect, or he would certainly
have been killed for his pains.

"At the end of three weeks the little mice began to be quite lively,
and to grow very pretty little creatures; they much resembled their
father in his mischeivous inclinations, and it needed all Downy's
prudent management to keep them in order, for they would frisk out of
their nest, and scud about in the meadow, going so for out of sight,
and staying so late, that Downy was in a great fright lest any mishap
should befall them, as to Silket, he seemed to take great delight in
their pranks.

They would lay on the bank, enjoying themselves and basking in the
sun, almost all day long. When it was fine weather, sometimes, one
bolder than the rest would run up a little tree not more than a yard
high, and clinging to the top, look down with triumph on his
companions; then, if he heard the dead leaves shake, the timid little
thing whisked down, and away they all four scudded, hiding themselves
in the holes of the hedge, till they thought the danger past.

Downy now began to feel the cares of a family, and she was often much
grieved at the disobedient behaviour of the little mice. Velvet was
the only good-behaved one, and she was bad enough in all reason. They
were incorrigible little thieves, which quality they inherited from
their father, for no sooner were their parents out of the way, than
they found their way to the granary, and though Downy and Silket were
all day busied in getting food for them, and fed them with the best of
every thing, the wicked little things stole the corn, and eat even
more than they wanted; they grew so fat and sleek and wanton, that all
the field-mice in the meadow declared they were quite spoiled, and
Downy ought to keep them under more restraint, and punish them when
they behaved ill. As they grew older they grew worse and worse; Downy
had warned them of all the dangers which they ran in roaming so far
from h