tight passage where there was
scarcely any light.


He groped his way carefully for several
yards; he was at the back of the skirting-
board in the attic, where there is a little
mark * in the picture.


All at once he fell head over heels in the
dark, down a hole, and landed on a heap of
very dirty rags.

When Tom Kitten picked himself up and
looked about him--he found himself in a
place that he had never seen before, although
he had lived all his life in the house.

It was a very small stuffy fusty room,
with boards, and rafters, and cobwebs, and
lath and plaster.

Opposite to him--as far away as he could
sit--was an enormous rat.

"What do you mean by tumbling into
my bed all covered with smuts?" said the
rat, chattering his teeth.