Boy Tar
Page 52
CHAPTER FIFTY TWO.
A WHOLESALE TAKE.
I now proceeded to the further carrying out of my design, which had allbeen matured while I was working at the bag. The next step was the"setting of the net," and this was done as follows:--
I first cleared away the loose bundles so as to make a large space--infact, the whole of my original apartment. This I was able to accomplishby means of the empty brandy-cask, which I had now filled withbroadcloth. I also stopped up every aperture and crevice as before,leaving only one large one--that which I knew the rats were accustomedto use as their principal entrance.
Right in front of this I placed my bag, with its opened mouth coveringthe whole aperture, and with the remainder kept in a state of extensionby means of several props of sticks, which I had cut for the purpose toa proper length. Then placing myself on my knees by the mouth of thebag, I held it wide open, and also kept the draw-string ready between myfingers. In this attitude I awaited the coming of the rats.
I knew they would enter the bag, for I had there placed a bait for them.This bait consisted of some crumbs of biscuit--the very last I had--assailors would say, the "last shot in the locker." I was risking allupon the cast; and should the rats eat all up and then escape, I shouldnot have a scrap left me for another meal.
I knew some of them would come, but I was in doubt whether they mightarrive in numbers sufficient to make a good haul. I feared they mightcome one at a time, and thus carry off the bait piece-meal; and toprevent this, I had ground the crumbs to very dust. This, I thought,would delay the first comers until a large assemblage had got into thebag, and then it was my intention to cut off their retreat by drawingthe string upon them.
Fortune favoured me. I had not been upon my knees more than a minute,when I heard the pattering of the little paws of the rats outside, andalso the occasional "queek-queek" of their sharp voices. In anothersecond or two, I felt the bag moving between my fingers, and knew thatmy victims were creeping inside. The shaking of the cloth became moreviolent, and I was able to perceive that large numbers were crowding in,eager to get part of the powdered biscuits. I could feel themscrambling about, leaping over one another, and squealing as theyquarrelled.
This was my cue for drawing the string; and in the next instant I had itpulled all taut, and the mouth of the bag gathered close and firmlytied.
Not a rat that had entered got out again; and I had the satisfaction tofind that the bag was about half full of these savage creatures.
I lost no time in taming them, however; and this I effected in asomewhat original manner.
There was one part of the floor of my apartment that was level and firm.By removing the cloth off it, it was quite hard, being the oak timbersof the ship itself. Upon this I deposited the bag of rats, and then,laying a large piece of deal board on the top, I mounted on this board,upon my knees, and then pressed it downward with all my weight andstrength.
For awhile the bag underneath felt as elastic as a spring mattress, andheaved upward with a tendency to roll from under the board, but Ireplaced the latter with my hands, and then pounced upon it as before.There was, no doubt, a deal of kicking, and scrambling, and bitingwithin the bag, and I am sure there was plenty of squealing, for that Iheard. I gave no heed to such demonstrations, but kept churning on tillevery motion had ceased, and all was silence underneath.
I now ventured to take up the bag, and examine its contents. I wasgratified at the wholesale slaughter I had committed. There wasevidently a large number of rats within the trap, and every one of themdead as a door-nail!
At all events, none of them seemed to be stirring, for when I held thebag up by its mouth, it hung down perfectly still, and there was neitherkick nor squeak inside; and therefore I took it for granted that I hadkilled them all.
Notwithstanding this belief, when I proceeded to count them, I insertedmy hand with great caution, and drew them one by one out of the bag.There were ten of them!
"Ha! ha!" exclaimed I, apostrophising the dead rats, "I've got you atlast, you ugly brutes! and this serves you right for the trouble youhave put me to. If one good turn deserves another, I suppose so doesone evil one. Had you let me and mine alone, this ill fortune might nothave befallen you. But you left me no alternative. You ate mybiscuits, and, to save myself from starving, I am compelled to eat you!"
This apostrophe ended, I commenced skinning one of the rats, with theintention of dining upon him.
You may fancy that I anticipated the meal with a feeling of disgust, butin this you would be greatly mistaken. Hunger had cured me of alldaintiness. I had not the slightest repugnance for the food of which Iwas about to partake. On the contrary, I longed to be at it, as much asyou might do for a dinner of the most delicate viands.
So keen was my hunger, that I could hardly wait till I had stripped offthe skin; and five minutes after this operation was finished, I hadbolted the rat raw--body, bones, and all!
If you are anxious to know how it tasted I can only tell you that Iobserved nothing disagreeable about it, no more than if it had been theleg of a fowl or a slice off the most delicate mutton. It was the firstflesh-meat I had eaten for weeks, and this may have added to my zest forsuch food. Certainly I thought, at the time, that a sweeter morsel hadnever gone down my throat, and no longer felt wonder at what books hadtold me about the rat-eating Laplanders.