07-IF THE MONA MOUSA COULD SQUEAK

IF THE MONA MOUSA COULD SQUEAK The mouseum was ENORMOUSE The ground floor housed ancient relics, like mummies from Egypt and fragments of old cheese pots. The second floor held displays of paintings by the old masters, like Botticheddar and Jan van Edam. The gallery of modern art was on the third floor. I recently visited there to see the famouse painting of cans of cheese soup by the modern artist Ratty Mousehol. I'm not sure if I liked it, but it

did make me hungry! As we climbed the marble staircase to the second floor, I told Benjamin the story of the Mona Mousa. The portrait was painted in 1504 by the great painter and scientist Mousardo da Munchie. "The Mona Mousa's smile is very mysterious," I explained. "It's almost as if she knows a secret." "I wonder what the Mona Mousa would say if she could squeak," Benjamin said. "Maybe she is smiling because she knows about the hidden painting." We climbed to the next floor. The gallery of modern art

was all chrome-plated steel and glass. "We won't be on this floor for long," Thea teased. "I know you don't like art unless it's older than one of Grandfather William's whiskers." Just then, a mouse dressed all in black approached us. He wore a pair of round glasses perched on top of his snout. It was the famous art critic Arty Fartsyfur. I disliked him on sight. "DAAAHRRR-LING!" he shouted, running toward Thea. "DAAAHRRR-LING!" she replied. The two of them kissed each other on both cheeks.

"What a phony," grumbled Trap with his mouth full. He had already found the snack bar and was munching on a frozen cheesesicle. "We're here to work, not to chat!" "Good-bye, daaahrling!" Thea waved to Arty. Then she led us up one more flight of stairs, to the fourth floor. That's where the mouseum's offices and lab were. When we got to the lab, we were greeted by a very shy yet charming mouse. It was Frick Tapioca, my sister's current boyfriend. Frick looked startled "Th-Th-Thea!" he stammered. "I didn't expect to see you!" "How is the research on the painting coming along?" Thea asked. Frick frowned. "I can't squeak

about it. That's TOP-SECRET INFORMATION!" Thea stroked Frick's ear. "There are no secrets between us, are there, my little niblet?" she CROONED. Frick's fur went red. "What would you like to know?" "Everything! Now!" Thea demanded. "Well Frick hesitated. Then he looked over at Trap, Benjamin, and me. "Who are these people?" Thea's voice turned sugary again. "They're family. You can trust them," she said. "Last week, I started to restore the Mona Mousa," Frick whispered. "I scratched a fragment of paint off the canvas and realized there was another painting underneath! I had the painting X-RAYED. My hunch was right. Mousardo da Munchie created a hidden