hop ! ' he cried , pointing with his finger to the middle of the stream , where the water whirled and was drawn down as if through a funnel . And hop ! hop ! without hesitating , the rats took the leap , swam straight to the funnel , plunged in head foremost and disappeared . The plunging continued thus without ceasing till midnight . At last , dragging himself with difficulty , came a big rat , white with age , and stopped on the bank . It was the king of the band . ` Are they all there , friend Blanchet ? ' asked the bagpiper . ` They are all there , ' replied friend Blanchet . ` And how many were they ? ' ` Nine hundred and ninety thousand , nine hundred and ninety-nine . ' ` Well reckoned ? ' ` Well reckoned . ' ` Then go and join them , old sire , and au revoir . ' Then the old white rat sprang in his turn into the river , swam to the whirlpool and disappeared . When the bagpiper had thus concluded his business he went to bed at his inn . And for the first time during three months the people of Hamel slept quietly through the night . The next morning , at nine o'clock , the bagpiper repaired to the town hall , where the town council awaited him .
` All your rats took a jump XXXXX the river yesterday , ' said he to the counsellors , ` and I guarantee that not one of them comes back .
at during for in into of through to with without