But soon was my happiness put an end to. Very near my mistress, lived a young gentleman, whose name was Eaton, who, though nearly fourteen years of age, and a very clever youth, delighted in mischief; and though he did not mean it, he sometimes did things very unworthy a gentleman.

This young fellow no sooner found Miss Huntley kept a squirrel, than he resolved to be possessed of me. I afterwards found his reason for so doing, was only "because he thought, if he took it to school with him, it might cause some fine sport." The next day was fixed for his departure; and, as he was very intimate with Miss Huntley, he said he would came and drink tea with her once more before he went to school. He came, admired me greatly, and, after tea, said he would play with me. The window happened to be up, so, while they were talking, and not looking at him, he slily put me into his pocket, buttoned it, and giving a great shriek, said I had jumped out of the window. Poor Isabella Huntley was very much vexed. He said there was no hopes of getting it, as it travelled at such a rate, he supposed it would be ten or twelve miles off by the next day. He told truth, for, as he was going the next day, he would be much farther than twelve miles; and so should I also, as I went in his pocket. He soon after took his leave, leaving Isabella very sorrowful, little thinking where her squirrel was. He went to school very early the next day, and I travelled all the way in his pocket. Luckily I found a few cherries and a cake, or most probably I should not have lived to my journey's end. We arrived at the Rev.Mr.Clarkson's academy, I cannot tell at what time; let it suffice, that when he got there, he took me out, and tied a piece of string round my neck, while he showed me to his schoolfellows! He then asked, if any body had a cage to sell. They none of them had one, except one boy, who came and said he would sell his, but that it would put him to a great inconvenience, as he had a bird in it at present, and could not sell it under three shillings; for he knew Eaton would buy it, let it cost what it would. He therefore tried to make the most of it. Eaton paid him the money, and put me in it. Here I had to perform my tricks before all the boys, four or five times a day, and was liable to all the insults they chose to bestow upon me. Indeed, a boy did once hit me a terrible blow with an apple. In about a week, the money Eaton had brought with him to school, was all gone; he then had recourse to selling me. He offered me in my cage for two shillings. Nobody would give it. At last a boy came to him and offered tenpence for me. Eaton, in a rage, hit him a box on the ear, and sent the boy away crying. At last, finding nobody would give more, he went to the boy he had struck, whose name was Bentley, asked his pardon, and said he should have me for tenpence. Bentley now refused, saying, that as he had been struck, he would give no more than sixpence. At this time, the man who used to come with cakes and apples for the boys to buy, came into the play-ground. Eaton took up a tart, and holding his hand out to Bentley, said: "Come, you may as well give me tenpence;" but Bentley held out sixpence, and said he would give no more. Eaton then tried to knock it out of his hand, but instead of his succeeding, the tart fell and was broke to pieces. Eaton looked red. "Come," said Bentley, "though you refused so often, perhaps you may be inclined to take sixpence now." Eaton was not long determining, but snatched the sixpence and gave me into Bentley's hands. He carried me directly into his chamber, and having given me some food, put me on his window seat. I lived very comfortably with him for a few days; till one day a boy named Smart, who, I afterwards learnt, was hired by Eaton, opened the window and put me out. I ran along the tiles, trembling, a great way, before I saw any window open where I might shelter myself. At last a boy spied me, and getting up to me with a ladder, I surrendered immediately. The boy, thinking he could sell me at the school better than at any other place, went there; and Bentley seeing me, before any of the boys said what they would give, offered the boy eighteenpence for me, which he accepted, and left me once more in good hands. He now took more care of me than ever, intending to take me home with him at the holidays; but an accident which happened soon after, made his good intention totally useless. One of his schoolfellows, named Hawkins, who slept in his room, had, it seems, long wished for me. He had tried various stratagems, none of which had turned out to his advantage: at last he thought of the following. He put his bottle and wash-hand bason in the way of my cage, so that when Bentley came to take me out, he threw them down, and broke them into a thousand pieces. Hawkins hearing the noise came up, and the following dialogue I distinctly heard, as I sat on Bentley's arm.

Hawkins. So, Bentley, you have broke my bason. How could you be so careless.

Bentley. It was rather careless, I must own; but who would have thought of a bottle and bason being so near a squirrel-cage, as to be broken when I went to take out my squirrel.

Hawkins. Nobody could have thought it; but you should look before you do things in such a hurry. I suppose you intend to pay me for it.

Bentley. That I would very willingly do, if I had money. If you will trust me, I will give you my week's pay till the whole debt is paid.

Hawkins. And so I am to stay a month or more, while you pay me at your leisure. It was all owing to your want of attention, and I am to suffer for it.

Bentley. As to being owing to my want of attention, I don't see it in the least. It certainly was not a proper place for a bottle and bason. I think it must have been put there on purpose.

Hawkins. Pray, Sir, am I to be accountable to you for the place where I choose to put my bottle and bason. Suppose I put it there on purpose, have not I a right?

Bentley. A most undoubted one. But then, if it is broken, you have no right to scold about it, as it was through your own means it became so.

Hawkins. Well, I don't care, I will be paid for it. Come, Bentley, give me your squirrel, and I'll think no more about it.

Bentley. A likely matter.

Hawkins. Well, then, I am resolved you shall pay me.

Bentley. Very well, I will pay you in the manner I mentioned.

Hawkins. Don't you believe it: if you can't pay me now, I will take the Squirrel.

He then snatched me from him, and carried me down stairs, where he met a boy named Lively, to whom he showed me; and both walking up to a bench that was placed under the study window, where Mr.Clarkson generally was, Hawkins began the conversation which will be related in the next chapter.