<div><h1 id='ch19'>CHAPTER XIX<br/> <span class='sub-head'>THE DANGER SIGNAL</span></h1></div>
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<p class='line0'>The evil-minded fear the light,</p>
<p class='line0'>But love the darkness of the night.</p>
<p class='line0'>                    <span class='it'>Billy Mink.</span></p>
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<p class='pindent'><span class='sc'>There</span> was a great deal of uneasiness
in the big barn where the
robber Rats lived. Would Billy
Mink return or had he just made
a chance visit and gone on somewhere
else? The gray old leader
of the Rats felt sure that Billy
would return. He was too anxious
to eat, and you know when a Rat’s
appetite fails he must be very
much disturbed indeed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>But the younger Rats thought
the gray old leader needlessly
frightened, and they went about
their business of stealing food and
gnawing holes wherever there
seemed a chance of finding a new
food supply, just as if nothing had
happened. However, each hole
which led into the barn was continually
watched by sharp eyes.
Those Rats did not intend to be
taken by surprise a second time.</p>
<p class='pindent'>Rats prefer the hours of darkness.
They hate the light of day.
Perhaps that is because their deeds
are deeds of darkness. So, when
daylight came, most of the Rats
returned to their beds to sleep.
Only underneath the barn, where
it was dark, did any of them continue
to run about, seeking what
mischief they might get into. But
the wise, gray old leader saw to it
that a watch was kept on each
hole just the same as during the
night. He didn’t think Billy
Mink would come in the daytime,
but he was wise enough to know
that Billy Mink is forever doing
the unexpected. He suspected
that Billy would take great pains
not to let the farmer who owned
that barn know that he was anywhere
about. “He’ll probably
sleep all day,” thought the gray
old leader, “but just as soon as it
begins to get dark he’ll be back
here. I just feel it in my bones.”</p>
<p class='pindent'>But it wasn’t dark when there
suddenly sounded the danger signal
from one of the watchers. In fact,
it was broad daylight, the very
middle of the day. You see, daylight
and darkness are all one to
Billy Mink. He sleeps whenever
he feels sleepy, regardless of
whether it be night or day. At
all other times he is very wide-awake
indeed.</p>
<p class='pindent'>It happened that Billy had
wakened just about noon that day,
and as is usual with him, after a
nap, he was hungry. If he had
been a Rat instead of a Mink, he
might have remained under the
woodpile until darkness came. But
Billy is very sure of his ability to
take care of himself. He first
made sure that no one was about.
Then he slipped out from under
that pile of wood and a minute
later he was under the barn. Then
it was that the danger signal was
sounded by the Rat who was
watching the hole through which
Billy entered. It was at once
passed on from Rat to Rat, until
every one in the barn knew that
their enemy had returned.</p>
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