19-TWO SKULLS

Two SKULLS Once again, Trap had saved my life. "Why, oh, why did I ever agree to take this trip? I must be losing my marbles! When I get back to New Mouse City, my fur will have turned white from all these scares," I mumbled. "If we ever get back, that is," added Trap in a grim voice. He always knew how to cheer me up. The next morning, we crossed molehill Mountain and marched along the banks of the Fleariddenfur River. Finally, we sighted Hard as Nails Hill. "This is it," announced Thea. "The place of the TWO SKULLS."

I shivered. What would we find this time? More quicksand? Exploding boulders? Grouchy Grandma Onewhisker with a plate of her disgusting Swiss cheese muffins? I looked around. We were in a clearing with one very tall tree standing in the center. It was loaded with big yellow fruit that looked sort of like pineapples. Thea read aloud the secret message about the TWO SKULLS: "BEWARE OF THE HONEY TREE, ITS FRUITS ARE KNOWN TO SING, LISTEN, BUT DO NOT TOUCH, OR YOU WILL FEEL THE STING!" Trap stepped forward. "Fruits that Sting? How ridiculous! Let me take one of them, ratoons! I'll knock one down with

a stone and then we'll see!" "STOP! Don't do it!" I shrieked. "Don't worry, Gerrykins." My cousin laughed. "So what if they sting? Anyway, I'll just avoid touching them. See? "Hee-hee-hee!" He pitched a stone right at the biggest fruit in the center. "Don't call me Gerryk—" I started to say, but I stopped in midsentence. The yellow fruit was not a giant pineapple. It wasn't even a fruit. It was a giant beehive! "Help!" we screamed together. The beehive was oozing thick golden honey. Within seconds,

swarms of bees flew out from the honeycombs hanging on the branches. "Hurry! To the river!" shouted my sister. We raced to the river with the bees right on our tails. Then we dove headfirst into the water. The current carried us downstream. When we reached the bank, the bees were gone. Thea pulled out her map. "Let's see, to our left is Hard as Nails Hill, and in front of us is Pirate's Peak. nkledc. That means if we go forward we'll hit the THREE SKULLS!"