They were taught to steal eggs, and to avoid traps, and when they had a lesson in apples you should have seen them work! Every one of them, except Duncie, of course, could gnaw into an apple and pick out the seeds before Mother Rat could count ten.
In Mrs. Barnes' storeroom there were long rows of tumblers filled with jelly. The tumblers were all sealed with paraffine, but the rats soon learned how to gnaw it off, and then what a feast they had!
They were growing so bold that Father Rat began to be anxious about them. "You children ought to be a little more careful," he said. "You'll get into trouble some day."
"We never have been caught," said Squeaker.
"No," said Frisky, "and we never will be. We know too much for that."
One morning Father and Mother Rat went to visit an old uncle who lived down beside the pond, and they left the ten young rats all alone.
The minute they were gone Long Tail whispered, "Come on, Ratsies; let's go down to the cellar for some jelly."
"Father told us not to," answered Whiskers.
"'Fraid cat, 'fraid cat!" cried Frisky. "Who's going to be a 'fraid cat?"
"Not I," said Spottie. "Not I," said Bobby; and in two seconds they were every one scampering down to the storeroom.