little milk, and gave him a lump of sugar to nibble; after eating
of which he begged to retire into some safe little hole to take a
nap, from whence he promised to return as soon as he should wake;
and accordingly, in about an hour he again appeared on my table,
and began as follows.



I was frightened away from you just as I was going to implore your
compassion for any unfortunate mouse that might happen to fall
within your power; lest you should destroy my dear and only
surviving brother, Longtail; but somebody entering the room,
prevented me, and after I had regained my hiding place, I resolved
to quit the house, and once more set out in search of my beloved
brother. Accordingly, with great difficulty I made my way out of
the house; but my distress was much increased upon finding the
snow so deep upon the ground, that it was impossible for me to
attempt to stir, as upon stepping one foot out to try, I found it
far too deep for me to fathom the bottom. This greatly distressed
me. 'Alas!' said I to myself, 'what shall I do now? To proceed
is impossible; and to return is very melancholy, without any
tidings of my dear, dear Longtail.' But I was interrupted in the
midst of these reflections, by the appearance of two cats, who
came running with such violence as to pass by without observing
me: however, it put me in such consternation, that regardless
where I went, I sprung forward, and sunk so deep in the snow that
I must inevitably soon have perished, had not a boy come to the
very place where I was, to gather snow for making snowballs to
throw at his companions. Happily for me, he took me up in his
hand, in the midst of the snow, which not less alarmed me, when I