A ROBBER MEETING
To judge another by his size
Is, to say the least, unwise.
_Billy Mink._
It was night in the big barn. It was the night after Billy Mink’s visit,
when he had killed the big Rat there. As soon as Billy had left the
barn, the gray old leader of the Rats had sent word around that all the
Rats in the barn should meet him at once at their usual meeting-place
under the floor.
As soon as the word was received, each member of the robber band hurried
to the meeting-place. They knew why the gray old leader had called them
together, and as they hurried to the meeting-place, there was fear in
the heart of each of them. It was long since fear had been known in the
big barn. It was the first time some of them ever had experienced fear.
You see, they had been so well taught how to avoid traps and poison that
they did not fear those things. They had made the Cat afraid of them, so
they did not fear the Cat. It was no trouble at all to keep out of the
way of the farmer, so they did not fear the farmer.
But this slim, brown enemy who had entered their den so boldly, and had
run down and killed one of their number, had brought fear with him. So,
as from every direction the Rats scurried to that meeting-place, they
continually looked behind them for that slim, brown creature who moved
so swiftly and from whom even their gray old leader had run away. Most
of them did not know who Billy Mink was, for they had always lived in
that big barn, and no one at all like Billy had ever been there before.
As soon as all the Rats had answered his call, the gray old leader began
to speak. “I have called this meeting,” said he, “to decide what we had
best do. A terrible enemy has come among us, and, as you know, has
killed one of our number. He has left the big barn, as I know, because I
watched him. For the time being we are quite safe. But when he again
becomes hungry, he will return.”
“Who is he?” squeaked a young Rat. “He didn’t look very big to me. If we
all get together, I don’t see why we should be afraid of him. We drove
out that Cat, and that Cat is a great deal bigger than this fellow. Who
is he, anyway?”
“He is Billy Mink,” replied the gray old leader gravely.
“And who is Billy Mink?” squeaked another half-grown young robber.
“He is sure death to any Rat he may start out to catch,” replied the old
leader. “He belongs to the Weasel family, and all members of this family
are enemies of the Rat tribe and more to be feared than any other enemy
we have.”
“Why can’t we hide when he comes?” asked another young robber. “I never
have seen any one I couldn’t hide from.”
“Then, unless I am greatly mistaken, you are likely to have a chance,”
snapped the leader.