I required a little rest after my exertions; but before long we were on the move again, and met with no further impediments till we arrived at our resting-place for the night. This was under the shelter of an empty barn, rather infested by rats, so that Puss found both food and lodging. Tastes differ: I was glad of a comfortable roof and a warm corner; but though Puss pressed me to partake of her provision, I preferred going without a meal for once in my life to sharing a rat.
We were up and dressed time enough for the rising sun to meet us on our road. I have few more "incidents of travel" to recount; indeed, beyond a little difficulty in crossing a puddle or two without wetting my comrade's feet, or dirtying her white stockings, we arrived at the outskirts of London without hindrance.
But I feared that it would not be so easy to creep unobserved through the busy streets, and I grew very uncomfortable when I found myself and my companion in the midst of the throng. I was anxious to conceal my fears from Puss, lest I should alarm her also; but her penetration saw through my forced cheerfulness, and obliged me to confess my apprehensions. True to her determination of making the best of every thing, she was more courageous than I. With her usual good sense, she pointed out to me that the greater the surrounding numbers, the better the chance of any individuals passing unnoticed; that it was the idle who hindered or molested others; and that this multitude of people, intent upon objects of their own, would have neither time nor inclination to annoy us.
"I know by experience, my dear Captain," continued she, "that when I am properly occupied with my own rats, I have no temptation to interfere with my neighbour's mice. It is when I have been sitting too long purring in the sunshine with nothing to do, that I am in danger of being mischievous or troublesome."
"True," I answered; "I can bear witness to that myself: and I am not afraid of the industrious people, if they noticed us, it would be kindly. But these are not _all_ busy,--some may be at leisure to worry us; and I scarcely know how we are to pass unobserved; I fear we are very remarkable. At home you know how much was said about us."