With that Ragweed leaped down and rushed for the back hallway. He did not look back to see if anyone was following. In truth, he did not care.
CHAPTER 26
In the Basement
IN THE SEWER PIPE, just beyond the bookstore, Silversides and Graybar conferred in whispers.
“I’m sure we have them surprised,” Silversides said. “That’s the most important thing. They’ve posted only one guard. And he’s asleep. I say we go fast, leap in, and deal with him. It shouldn’t be hard. Once we’re in the basement, we can get up those steps easily. You head for their bolt hole on the top floor and block that. I’ll block the front entrance. That way we’ll trap them all.”
“Sounds good to me,” Graybar said.
“Remember,” Silversides said. “Felines first. Now, follow me.” With that she headed farther into the sewer pipe. Within moments she poked her head out of the pipe and into the basement. To her surprise, she saw no one. The post had been abandoned.
Silversides turned around. “That one guard is gone. Those stupid mice . . . Follow me.” With that, the white cat pushed forward, reached the end of the pipe, and jumped into the basement.
The instant she landed, she crouched down and looked toward the steps again. No one was there. She went under the pipe and called up. “All clear. Get in fast!”
Graybar landed softly.
Side by side on the basement floor, the cats looked around and sniffed.
Suddenly Graybar said, “What happened to the music?”
“What music?” Silversides demanded.
“The mouse music.”
Both cats lifted their heads and listened. There was nothing but silence.
Silversides felt a tremor of uneasiness. She pushed it aside. “Follow me,” she said and padded quietly toward the steps. Graybar, looking around nervously, came a little way behind.
At the foot of the steps Silversides paused. “When we get to the top, plunge in, grab who you can, and put an end to their miserable lives. Just don’t forget the two I want: the golden mouse and the one with green hair. Understood?”
“Sure, Silversides. I know all about that. Now let’s get going.”
“Felines first,” Silversides muttered again and began climbing the steps.
She paused to listen and sniff again. Though the smell of mouse was almost overpowering, still she heard nothing.
She continued to move up until she reached the last riser. Once there she lifted her head and found herself staring directly into the bright brass nozzle of a water hose. Surrounding it, holding on to it, aiming it right at her, was a horde of mice. In the front of them stood Ragweed.
The moment Silversides lifted her head, Ragweed shouted, “Blast her!”
The hundred or so mice who were clinging to the valve wheel turned it. Instantly, water surged through the old canvas hose and shot out the nozzle. It was all the mice could do to hold on and keep it steady. But their aim was true. A blast of water as powerful as a cannon shot struck Silversides squarely in the face. It came with such surprise and force that it flung her head over heels back down the steps. As she tumbled she bowled into Graybar, knocking him down, too.
When the cats reached the bottom, they shook their heads and soggy bodies and tried to regroup. “At them!” Silversides howled, to rally her comrade.
Ragweed was ready at the top step. “Drag the hose forward,” he ordered. The mice hauled the gushing hose with shouts of “Heave! Heave! Heave!”
The stream of water was now aimed down at the already stunned cats. Once again, they were struck hard.
Graybar attempted to climb the steps. He managed to gain two before the hose was aimed right at him. With a whoosh, he was washed to the very bottom again.
Now Silversides, soggy with water, eyes awash, tried a new attack. She met the same watery barrage as did Graybar, with the same results.
As the water continued to pour forth, the basement began to fill with water. The cats found themselves slipping, sliding, and floundering in the resulting mud. It was impossible to stand.
“Forward!” Ragweed commanded. The mice began to drag the hose down the steps, the nozzle aimed first at Silversides, then at Graybar.
Three times the cats attempted to climb the steps. Three times they were hosed back by the powerful flow of water.
Graybar bolted. Up to his belly in cold water, he half scrambled, half swam to the open sewer pipe and crawled in. With wet fur plastered to his body, he was little more than skin and bones. He did not even look back to see if Silversides was coming with him.
Silversides tried yet another attack. With the hose still gushing, the water level in the basement rose quickly. The cat had nothing solid to stand on. The water began to drain into the sewer pipe. As it did, it flushed away everything in the room. That included Silversides.
The last the mice saw of Silversides was her bewildered face filled with rage and indignation as she flowed backward out of the basement and into the sewer pipe. She left nothing but her sequined collar, which soon followed her into the pipe.
For some moments afterward, the mice kept the hose aimed at the sewer pipe, wanting to be certain the cats did not return.
Finally it was a triumphant Ragweed who cried, “Hey, dudes, time to celebrate!”
CHAPTER 27
A Goodbye
THREE DAYS LATER, Ragweed stood by the Amperville railway tracks, waiting for a train to arrive. With him were Clutch and Blinker. From off in the distance they heard the sound of the approaching train whistle.
“I mean,” Clutch was saying to Ragweed, “like, there’s no reason you have to go. Blinker and I would really like it if you hung around.”
Ragweed smiled gamely. “Hey, dude, it’s a big world out there. And I’m one small mouse. Like, there’s a lot to see. Know what I’m saying? Anyway, one of these days I’ll come back. Then I can visit with you guys. Teach your
