84 THE HISTORY OF DAME MITCHELL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another time he came up to her out of breath, and ex-
claimed, “At length we have caught him! Iam all but
certain he is groping about in the cellar.”

And then the credulous dame would venture into the
dark vaults of the cellar, where nothing but rats were to be
seen.

As it was growing dusk, Sharpphiz began to hum the
words which have been transmitted to us in the following
verse :-—

* Dame Mitchell make haste,
I have found out your cat:
He is up in the garret,
Giving chase to a rat;
With his sword in his paw,
And his gun made of straw.”

 

There was a cruel mockery in these words. For to
assert that Mowmouth was hunting the rats with a sword
and a gun made of straw, was alleging a thing altogether