for mice and ribbons for mobs! for mice!" said the Tailor of Gloucester.

When the snow-flakes came down against the small leaded window-panes and
shut out the light, the tailor had done his day's work; all the silk and
satin lay cut out upon the table.

[Illustration]

There were twelve pieces for the coat and four pieces for the waistcoat;
and there were pocket flaps and cuffs, and buttons all in order. For the
lining of the coat there was fine yellow taffeta; and for the button-holes
of the waistcoat, there was cherry-coloured twist. And everything was
ready to sew together in the morning, all measured and sufficient--except
that there was wanting just one single skein of cherry-coloured twisted
silk.

The tailor came out of his shop at dark, for he did not sleep there at
nights; he fastened the window and locked the door, and took away the key.
No one lived there at night but little brown mice, and they run in and out
without any keys!

[Illustration]

For behind the wooden wainscots of all the old houses in Gloucester, there
are little mouse staircases and secret trap-doors; and the mice run from
house to house through those long narrow passages; they can run all over
the town without going into the streets.

But the tailor came out of his shop, and shuffled home through the snow.
He lived quite near by in College Court, next the doorway to College