Chapter 17

GOOD-BYE.

WELL, it was not long after this that my four mice went back to the Mouse-trap, for Puffy was quite well again, and begged that she might not be left alone a moment longer than was necessary. So one happy day the little mouse, still pale and thin, but beaming with delight, clasped her twin in her arms, on the old stone steps, while the other mice danced about them. Mrs. Posset cried over her Downy; Tomty came up from the garden with his pockets full of apples for his pets; Gruff and Grim and Grab barked their noisy welcome; while good Uncle Jack smiled on them all, and was well-pleased to have all his little ones around him again in the dear old Mouse-trap.

And here, though it is really melancholy to think of, I must leave my five mice. There are many and many more things that I should like to tell you about them, but we must wait till another time for all that. The fact is that Mr. Estes, the gentleman who is going to be so very kind as to put all these stories into a book for me, (for neither my dog nor I could possibly do that for ourselves, and I don't know of any book-binding star in the whole firmament,) says he really cannot undertake to print any more of my nonsense at present, as he has many grave and learned books to publish. It is my private opinion that there is often as much moonshine in grave and learned books as there is in children's stories; but perhaps I am not a good judge, for I see more or less moonshine in everything.

However that may be, the fact remains that I must say good-bye for the present to the Five Mice in the Mouse-trap, and to you, Patchko and Tinka, Jimmy and Jenny, Alice and Amy, and all the rest of you. Be good children, now! don't forget to shut the door after you when you go out of a room; don't forget to shut your eyes when you go to sleep; and above all, don't forget your old friend,

_THE MAN IN THE MOON_

* * * * *

Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired.

Page 66, Illustration caption, "JOSE" changed to "JOSÉ" (JOSÉ OPENING THE GATE.)

Page 81, "alway" changed to "always" (I always ride on)

Page 130, "Possett" changed to "Posset" (Mrs. Posset was not there)

Page 132, "pleasan" changed to "pleasant" (It was pleasant)

Page 141, "Pluffy" changed to "Puffy" (said Puffy with dignity)

Page 144, "liketo" changed to "like to" (should like to sing)

Page 151, "suid" changed to "said" ("To be sure!" said Uncle)

Page 173, "faries" changed to "fairies" (the three little fairies)

Page 197, word "in" removed from text. Original read (it in into English)

Page 191, extra word "he" removed from text. Original read: (what do you he think)

Page 205, lines were printed out of order. Every attempt was made to correct the text for readability.

Originally text:

At this Polly sprang to her feet, with a cry of mingled fear and anger; but the witch (for this certainly must have been a witch, if Hobble-gobble!" She said this last word suddenly and sharply, and Polly was quite startled; but fancy her alarm when a large black cat crept out from beneath the red cloak, and sitting down on his mistress's knee, looked up in her face with an air of unearthly sagacity, ever there was one,) pointed her stick at her, and muttered some strange words which sounded like "Buggara wuggera boogle jum," and poor Polly fell back in her chair, unable to move hand or foot. There she sat, motionless, but perfectly conscious, watching this

Now reads:

At this Polly sprang to her feet, with a cry of mingled fear and anger; but the witch (for this certainly must have been a witch, if ever there was one,) pointed her stick at her, and muttered some strange words which sounded like "Buggara wuggera boogle jum, Hobble-gobble!" She said this last word suddenly and sharply, and Polly was quite startled; but fancy her alarm when a large black cat crept out from beneath the red cloak, and sitting down on his mistress's knee, looked up in her face with an air of unearthly sagacity, and poor Polly fell back in her chair, unable to move hand or foot. There she sat, motionless, but perfectly conscious, watching this

Page 214, "conld" changed to "could" (and could not forgive)

"Jose" was changed to "José" eleven times.

Page 69, catch Master José 82, and even José 124, José, the brown donkey 125, Get up, José! ... But José .... poked Master José from 131, _José_ may have been playing .... José was not to be seen Has José been rolling ... Then José went home 183, three dogs, and José

End of Project Gutenberg's Five Mice in a Mouse-trap, by Laura E. Richards