Four Mice Deep Jungle Read online

  putting my paws under those paw dryers in

  public bathrooms. They can be so hot. A

  mouse could burn his or her fur right off.

  But I couldn’t say a word. My mouth was full.

  Trap was happily squeaking away.

  “Tell me, Cousinkins,” he babbled.

  “Do you like the dark chocolates

  with the blue-cheese filling best?

  17

  O

  h

  ,

  h

  o

  w

  I

  l

  o

  v

  e

  m

  y

  C

  h

  e

  e

  s

  y

  C

  h

  e

  w

  s

  !

  18

  Or the cheddar-and-caramel creams?”

  Without waiting for a

  reply, he shoved another

  Cheesy Chew into my

  mouth.

  It was so good!

  My mood was

  beginning to lift!

  Benjamin sat

  next to me, happily

  nibbling away. “Look, Uncle Geronimo!” he

  squeaked. “Here’s a CARAMEL SWISS

  DIP . My favorite!”

  He offered a

  mozzarella-and-

  marshmallow

  roll to Thea.

  “Try this one, Auntie,”

  he said. “It’s yummy!”

  I must say, the Cheesy Chews were

  delicious. We polished them off in a jiffy.

  I was so busy

  that I lost track of time. Suddenly, the car

  stopped.

  19

  c

  h

  o

  c

  o

  l

  a

  t

  e

  s

  m

  u

  n

  c

  h

  i

  n

  g

  We were at the airport.

  I got out. That’s when it hit me. We were

  at the airport. I hate airports. And not just

  because I hate to fly. Airports are so

  crowded and busy. All of those rodents

  rushing around. It’s enough to give me a

  mouse-sized headache!

  I asked in a panic.

  My cousin Trap winked at me and

  laughed. “Oh, we’re just getting started,

  Gerrykins,” he said mysteriously.

  “What do you mean?” I asked. I was

  beginning to get worried.

  But before I could say another word,

  Trap shoved me onto a luggage cart.

  MAKE WAY!

  MAKE WAAAAAY!

  21

  “

  W

  h

  y

  h

  a

  v

  e

  y

  o

  u

  b

  r

  o

  u

  g

  h

  t

  m

  e

  h

  e

  r

  e

  ?

  ”

  he squeaked.

  Then he pushed me at breakneck speed

  through the airport.

  “Make way! Make waaaaay!” he screamed

  with glee. “Don’t you just love speeding?”

  “

  L

  e

  t

  t

  h

  e

  f

  u

  n

  a

  n

  d

  g

  a

  m

  e

  s

  b

  e

  g

  i

  i

  i

  i

  i

  n

  !

  ”

  “Nooooooo!” I wailed in horror. But my

  cousin was on a roll. And I’m not talking

  about the rolling luggage cart. Trap was

  running so fast his paws barely touched the

  ground. Suddenly, he stopped in front of

  the VIR (VERY IMPORTANT RODENT)waiting

  lounge.

  24

  A pretty female mouse with blonde fur

  was just coming out. She was wearing a

  very TRENDY SAFARI OUTFIT with

  a synthetic cat-fur vest and a

  pair of laced-up LEATHER BOOTS.

  A NECKLACE MADE

  OF SHARK'S TEETH

  completed the look.

  Shark’s teeth

  necklace

  Cat-fur vest

  Leather boots

  Trap stopped in front of the stranger.

  I smoothed my fur. The pretty mouse

  seemed to be staring right at me. “Oh, my!”

  she exclaimed. “Aren’t you Geronimo

  Stilton

  , the famous writer?”

  I blushed to the end of my whiskers.

  The mouse twirled her shark’s teeth

  necklace. Then she leaned toward me.

  “Could I have your autograph?” she asked.

  “I’ve read all of your books. They’re so

  exciting! I think my favorite one is

  The

  Curse of the Cheese Pyramid

  . It made

  me want to travel to Egypt. I also enjoyed

  Cat and Mouse in a Haunted

  House

  . It was gripping! Only a very

  special mouse could write so well!”

  SHARK’S TEETH

  25

  I was flattered. It was so nice to meet a

  fan. Especially such a pretty one.

  I was about to say something clever when

  Trap took off again. We barreled toward the

  elevator with a squeal of tires.

  W

  E

  B

  a

  r

  r

  e

  l

  e

  d

  T

  o

  w

  a

  r

  d

  t

  h

  e

  e

  l

  e

  v

  a

  t

  o

  r

  W

  i

  t

  h

  a

  s

  q

  u

  e

  a

  l

  o

  f

  t

  i

  r

  e

  s

  Minutes later, my cousin dumped me off

  the luggage cart. I landed

  in a heap on the floor.

  “Oops-a-daisy!”

  Trap chuckled.

  I picked myself up.

  Then I straightened my glasses. My cousin

  hit a button on the wall next to us. That’s

  when I realized we had made it to the

  elevator. “No!” I shrieked at the top of my

  lungs. “I CAN'T GET ON THAT! I'M

  AFRAID OF ELEVATORS!”

  But Trap just twirled his tail. “Don’t

  worry, Gerrykins,” he cried. “There’s

  nothing to it. Just don’t think about it!”

  I’M AFRAID

  OF ELEVATORS!

  27

  W

  E

  B

  a

  r

  r
/>   e

  l

  e

  d

  T

  o

  w

  a

  r

  d

  t

  h

  e

  e

  l

  e

  v

  a

  t

  o

  r

  W

  i

  t

  h

  a

  s

  q

  u

  e

  a

  l

  o

  f

  t

  i

  r

  e

  s

  O

  o

  p

  s

  !

  28

  The elevator doors opened. I tried to run

  away, but Trap stuck out his paw. I tripped.

  Before I could stop myself, I had rolled

  right into the elevator!

  Trap hopped in behind me. “See,

  nothing to it!” he said.

  The doors slid shut. I gulped, then

  closed my eyes. I would never make it!

  It doesn’t get any worse than this, I thought.

  But then it did.

  Trap stamped on my paw. I shrieked. The

  pain was horrible.

  At last, the doors opened. “No need to

  thank me,” squeaked my cousin happily. “I

  told you, just don’t think about it!”

  I

  w

  a

  s

  a

  l

  r

  e

  a

  d

  y

  h

  a

  v

  i

  n

  g

  p

  r

  o

  b

  l

  e

  m

  s

  b

  r

  e

  a

  t

  h

  i

  n

  g

  .

  M

  y

  t

  a

  i

  l

  w

  a

  s

  t

  r

  e

  m

  b

  l

  i

  n

  g

  .

  M

  y

  w

  h

  i

  s

  k

  e

  r

  s

  w

  e

  r

  e

  d

  r

  i

  p

  p

  i

  n

  g

  w

  i

  t

  h

  s

  w

  e

  a

  t

  .

  Trap stamped on my paw.

  I

  w

  a

  s

  a

  l

  r

  e

  a

  d

  y

  h

  a

  v

  i

  n

  g

  p

  r

  o

  b

  l

  e

  m

  s

  b

  r

  e

  a

  t

  h

  i

  n

  g

  .

  M

  y

  t

  a

  i

  l

  w

  a

  s

  t

  r

  e

  m

  b

  l

  i

  n

  g

  .

  M

  y

  w

  h

  i

  s

  k

  e

  r

  s

  w

  e

  r

  e

  d

  r

  i

  p

  p

  i

  n

  g

  w

  i

  t

  h

  s

  w

  e

  a

  t

  .

  O

  u

  c

  h

  !

  By now, I’d had ENOUGH. “Take me

  back home!” I insisted. “I got on that

  elevator, but I am not getting on a plane!

  I'M AFRAID OF FLYING!

  As usual, my cousin seemed to ignore me.

  Instead, he raised his eyebrows. “Look over

  there!” he whispered in my ear.

  It was the pretty mouse we had met

  earlier. She was standing at the check-in

  desk. I couldn’t help smiling. She really was

  attractive. And she was a fan of my books.

  What a great combination! I should have

  found out her name. Maybe we could be pen

  pals. Maybe we could share a grilled cheese

  sandwich at the Squeak & Chew sometime.

  I’M AFRAID

  OF FLYING!

  30

  I stared dreamily into space. I didn’t

  notice my cousin scamper over to the

  Mousair

  check-in counter. He

  returned, waving three tickets in the air.

  “Here we are!” he squeaked, waking me

  out of my daydream. “Thea, Benjamin, and

  I have seats at the back of the plane.

  Geronimo, you are in seat 11B.”

  I shook my head. “B-b-but I can’t sit

  alone,” I stammered. “I just told you, I’m

  afraid of flying!”

  Then I heard a soft voice behind me. It was

  the pretty stranger. “Did you say you

  are sitting in 11B?” she murmured.

  I nodded. “How exciting!” she

  exclaimed. “I am in 11A. That

  means we’ll sit together!”

  I grinned. What a sweet mouse. It

  would be nice to spend more time with a

  fan

  . Maybe I could get on the plane after

  all.

  Beside me, Trap winked. For some

  reason, he looked very pleased with himself.

  What was this all about? But

  there was no time to think.

  We were about to board.

  “By the way, where

  are we going?” I

  whispered to Trap as

  we stood in line.

  P

  s

  s

  s

  t

  !

  32

  “Um, yes, well, it’s a beautiful place,” he

  mumbled. “Lots of fresh air and sunshine.

  You’re going to love it.”

  For the first time since I’d been

  mousenapped, I began to relax. Maybe a

  little vacation would do me some good. I

  could sleep until noon. Take a dip in the

  pool. Watch the sun set over the ocean.

  “That’s right,” Trap continued. “We’re

  headed for RATTYTRAP JUNGLE

  on the RIO MOSQUITO

  My eyes popped open. Rattytrap Jungle?

  Rio Mosquito? What an odd place for a
/>   resort. Oh, well, I sighed. Maybe the

  mosquitoes were friendlier in the tropics.

  .

  ”

  A few minutes later, we boarded the

  plane.

  I quickly found my seat next to the pretty

  stranger. “I’m so honored to be sitting next

  to you,” gushed my fan. “YOU ARE A

  REAL GENIUS

  . Your books have

  changed my life!”

  I was so flattered I didn’t even realize we

  had taken off.

  For the next few hours, I chatted with my

  new friend. I was having so much fun I

  forgot all about my fear of flying!

  Unfortunately, my obnoxious cousin Trap

  took that moment to remind me. He began

  shouting at me through a megaphone.

  YOU’RE A REAL

  GENIUS!

  34

  he squeaked at the top of his lungs. The

  other passengers nearly jumped out of their

  seats. They shot him murderous looks. But

  Trap didn’t care. He was having too much

  fun. “Just don’t think about it!” he repeated

  over and over.

  For once, I decided to take my cousin’s

  advice. I stopped thinking about flying.

  Instead, I thought about wringing his neck!

  “

  J

  u

  s

  t

  d

  o

  n

  ’

  t

  t

  h

  i

  n

  k

  a

  b

  o

  u

  t

  i

  t

  !

  ”

  Soon we were landing. My pretty new

  friend was still chattering away. “Oh, silly

  me,” she laughed. “I almost forgot to

  introduce myself. My name is PENELOPE

  POISONFUR. But you can call me P.P.

  for short.” She winked.

  I grinned. Maybe this would be a good

  time to mention my pen pal idea. After all, I

  didn’t want to lose touch with P.P. She was

  one special mouse. But before I had a

  chance to ask, P.P. began whispering in my

  ear. “Do you know why I’m