Page:The Children Who Followed the Piper.djvu/24

THE CHILDREN Across the stepping-stones in the river the Piper went. The rats followed. He reached the other bank, but they did not. Those behind crowded on those before, and tumbling and turning, squealing and squeaking, they were all swept down the river; some were drowned here, some were drowned there, but all were drowned somewhere.

So much for the rats. The people of the town hardly knew their houses for a while after. No rat ran across the floor and no rat squeaked in the passageway. The food came from the larders untouched, and was eaten off the tables without the rats putting nose or paw on it. The cats showed themselves again. And the good people walked their streets again without the rats brushing against them. They met the dogs, and the dogs wagged their tails as if to say, "We have got rid of those fellows, haven't we, masters?"

The Mayor and the Aldermen sat in their council room; the Mayor had on his scarlet robe