The Graymouse Family | Page 6

She gave him a stick of pink candy to suck, so he would stop squealing while she talked.
"It is very painful," she began slowly, "but I see that I must teach you some lessons this morning. Sit on your little stools and come to order for school. Buster, you sit up straight and pay attention. Now listen every one.
"E--n--e--m--y. Now spell it after me."
"E--n--e--m--y!" piped five shrill little voices.
"Who can tell me what an enemy is?"
Buster waved his paw wildly.
"Something good to eat, Mammy," he answered, smacking his fat little chops.
"I fear, Buster, that I must make a dunce cap for you," said his mother, trying hard not to smile.
"An enemy is a trap that pinches off toes," answered Limpy-toes.
"That cross old Norah is an enemy," decided Silver Ears. "But Ruth Giant is not an enemy."
[Illustration: "That cross old Norah."]
"Maybe not; maybe not," returned Mother Graymouse. "But I mistrust all the other Giants. So take care, my dears.
"An enemy is anything that will harm us. Traps are our enemies. Some traps look like wire cages with a nice smelly bit of toasted cheese inside. But the silly mouse who enters the cage will only be let out when there is a cruel cat waiting outside to pounce upon him. There are many kinds of traps, but they are all wicked enemies. So beware, my dears.
"Cats are our enemies. You have all seen that cruel old Thomas Cat, the black imp, with brass eyes that shine in the dark like automobile lamps. His teeth are sharp and strong; his claws are like ugly needles. Never take any chances when he is around, my dears.
"The Giants are our worst enemies. They set the traps to catch us; they keep the cat to eat us. Often they try to poison us. That is the reason, Silvy, why you must never eat Ruth Giant's cake until I have seen it.
"Your poor Daddy ate a cracker one day, which was spread with salmon and rat poison. It was the cause of his untimely death. 'Water, water, water!' he moaned. Oh, I shall never forget how he suffered! I helped him down to the pond and found a hole in the ice where he could get water. But he grew worse as soon as he drank. Poor Daddy! And so he died out there in the cold winter weather. Sniff! Sniff! This has been a painful task, but you must remember every word I've spoken this morning. Now for our review lesson."
"E--n--e--m--y, enemy," she spelled.
"E--n--e--m--y, enemy," chanted five obedient mice.
"T--r--a--p, trap," went on Mother Graymouse.
"T--r--a--p, trap," echoed her scholars.
"C--a--t, cat," she continued firmly.
"C--a--t, cat," shrilled all five.
"P--o--i--s--o--n, poison; that is the last word."
"P--o--i--s--o--n, poison," finished the tired little scholars with a sigh.
"Very good," smiled Mother Graymouse. "Very good, indeed! School is dismissed. You may run out and play."
Buster waved his paw high.
"Please, Mammy, I've made a new song. May I sing it now?"
"We shall all be delighted. Hush, hush, Squealer, while your clever brother sings to us."
Buster folded his paws in his lap and sang very sweetly:
"Traps are our enemies, Old Tom Cats, too; Watch out for Norah's broom, When she cries Shoo!
"Although the cheese smells nice, Nibble it not; Wise little mice you see, Ne'er will be caught."
"Charming!" cried Mother Graymouse, and all the little Graymouse children clapped their tiny paws.
"I think we will learn it for our bed-time song," decided Mother Graymouse. "It will help you remember the lessons I have taught you to-day."
[Illustration: _Buster folded his paws in his lap and sang very sweetly_]
CHAPTER V
LIMPY-TOES IS LOST
"May Limpy-toes, Buster and I visit our cousins to-day, Mammy?" asked Silver Ears one bright morning.
"If you will be careful and remember all I have told you. Be sure to come home before dark." The three little mice trotted bravely away. They went down their elevator, then crawled through a dark subway, until they came to the warm cellar where Uncle Squeaky and his family lived. Aunt and Uncle Squeaky had gone to the city, but all the cousins--Dot, Scamper, Wink and Wiggle, were at home. They were very glad to see them. "Mother left us a nice lunch and we will have a picnic together," planned Dot. Dot and Silver Ears looked almost exactly alike. A stranger could hardly have told them apart. Silver Ears had brought some squares of patch-work to sew. She was making a new quilt for Baby Squealer's cradle.
"Let's sew first," said Silver Ears, "and then we can have fun all the rest of the day."
"All right," agreed Dot. "Pa Squeaky always says, 'Work before play, my dears.' I will finish the silk ties I am hemming for Wink and Wiggle." So the pretty cousins sat down cosily together at their tasks.
Scamper invited Limpy-toes and Buster to the apple closet where they