amused at all the fuss, which, of course, he did not understand.
Teddy's mother might just as well have petted Teddy for playing in
the dust. Rikki was thoroughly enjoying himself.

That night, at dinner, walking to and fro among the wine-glasses on
the table, he could have stuffed himself three times over with nice
things; but he remembered Nag and Nagaina, and though it was very
pleasant to be patted and petted by Teddy's mother, and to sit on
Teddy's shoulder, his eyes would get red from time to time, and he
would go off into his long war cry of '_Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk!_'

Teddy carried him off to bed, and insisted on Rikki-tikki sleeping
under his chin. Rikki-tikki was too well bred to bite or scratch, but
as soon as Teddy was asleep he went off for his nightly walk round
the house, and in the dark he ran up against Chuchundra, the
musk-rat, creeping round by the wall. Chuchundra is a broken-hearted
little beast, He whimpers and cheeps all the night, trying to make up
his mind to run into the middle of the room, but he never gets there.

'Don't kill me,' said Chuchundra, almost weeping. 'Rikki-tikki, don't
kill me.'

'Do you think a snake-killer kills musk-rats?' said Rikki-tikki
scornfully.

'Those who kill snakes get killed by snakes,' said Chuchundra, more
sorrowfully than ever. 'And how am I to be sure that Nag won't
mistake me for you some dark night?'

'There's not the least danger,' said Rikki-tikki; 'but Nag is in the