10-EAT, DRINK, AND BE SQUEAKY!

EAT, DRINK, AND BE SQUEAKY! Moments later, the doorbell rang. It was the pizza delivery. Trap ate his pizza in one gulp. He ate half of mine, too. Just looking at it gave me HEARTBURN. Thea put film in her camera and stuffed it into her backpack. Trap stuffed his pack with food. "Eat, drink, and be squeaky!" he chuckled. The doorbell rang again. This time it was the delivery from Rats Authority. With a sigh, I put on my wet suit and rubber boots. I pulled on a helmet with a

flashlight attached to the brim. Across one shoulder I had a sturdy rope with a hook on the end. I PRAYED NO ONE WOULD SEE ME. I LOOKED RIDICULOUS. I mean, I don't have the body for adventure gear. Plus, I am a professional mouse. I like my suits and ties. At last, we were ready. Ready for anything. At eight o'clock, we left. It was almost dark outside. We looked more like burglars than journalists hunting for a scoop. Pinky took us to a NARROW alley at the back of the fish market. She showed us a drain. "All the subway entrances have been closed by the police," she said. "But we'll get in through this drain."

She held up a copy of a map. "We just follow this sewer pipe until we hit the number 7 line," she explained. Trap stared at the map. "How did you get that?" he asked Pinky. I could tell he was impressed. Pinky sniggered. "Goofsnout P. Goofus, my friend from school, made it for me. He is the assistant to New Mouse City's sewer control manager." Suddenly, I realized what Pinky wanted us to do. "I absolutely refuse to go down into the sewers!" I squeaked.

"I am not a sewer rat! I am a respectable mouse!" Trap rolled his eyes at me. "Well, I just call that FEAR!" he snorted. "F as in WHAT A FRAIDY MOUSE! E as in ENOUGH WITH THE DRAMA! A as in ANOTHER SILLY EXCUSE DOWN THE DRAIN! R as in REALLY, GERMEISTER, DON'T BE SUCH A WIMP!" Then he added, "Just think about Sally. She may already be down there, stealing your scoop!" Thea removed the grating and went in first. Pinky went next. I GROANED. I guess I had no choice. I had to go. I would never hear the end of it if Sally got the story. I followed Pinky's fading light. Trap insisted

that he would go down last. "I want to make sure that Mr. 'Fraidy Mouse here doesn't scamper off," he said. "It wouldn't surprise me. Even as a young mouselet, he was always RUNNING away from something." I started to argue, but Thea stopped us. "Shhhhhh!" she squeaked. "Shut your snouts and get going!"