17-I'LL BET MY TAIL

I'LL BET MY TAIL... I wanted to scream. I wanted to YELL. I wanted to twist my tail up in knots. But I- couldn't. My tail was still in bandages. I sat down on the curb and sobbed. "My Christmas tree... my wreath... my gifts... my cheese pastries I muttered. "What am I going to tell my guests?" Benjamin tried to cheer me up. "It doesn't matter, Uncle," he said. "We can all go to a restaurant. And my present isn't important. It's the thought that counts." A firemouse aimed his hose into my kitchen window. "I'll bet my tail you left a CANDLE burning," he scolded. "This is the tenth fire I'm putting out tonight. And they all started with a burning candle."

I groaned. How could I have been so careless? The Rodent's Gazette always had stories about fires. Fires set by candle flames. "You should thank your neighbor, Mrs. Meddlefur," the firemouse went on. "She called us right away." I wasn't surprised. Mrs. Meddlefur was the nosiest neighbor around. She knew everybody's business. Now she ran up to me. "Mr. Stilton! I called as soon as I saw the smoke!" she cried. "But it was already too late." I nodded, feeling sad. "Thanks anyway, Mrs. Meddlefur," I mumbled. What else could I say?