17-ALL BECAUSE OF A BOOT

ALL BECAUSE OF A BOOT Seconds later, the lights flicked on again. We crawled out of our hiding place. Thea began snapping pictures. Pinky took notes. All of a sudden, I spotted two YELLOW lights at the end of the tunnel. Was it the phantom feline again? No, this time it was a subway train. Just then, I heard someone SHOUTING for help. I looked down. What was Trap doing down on the tracks? Had he spotted a half-eaten sandwich? I stretched out my paw to pull him out. Uh-oh. This was no laughing matter. Trap's boot was STUCK in the metal grate! "Slimy Swiss rolls!" shouted my cousin.

I lowered myself from the platform, trying to keep away from the rails. I had to get that boot off my cousin. The train raced straight toward us. "We're dead rats, Cousinkins," Trap sobbed. "So long, cruel world!" Without a word, I began furiously undoing his boot. There were twelve hooks... One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven...

...twelve! With a sharp tug, Trap yanked his paw out of his boot. We leaped back onto the platform. SAFE! And not a second to spare!