09-THE PELICAN'S PILLAR

THE PELICAN'S PILLAR "This won't be easy," I said. "We need to visit each of the eleven places and search for a letter hidden in each one to solve the mystery. That's like searching for a needle in a stack of string cheese!" Trap smiled confidently. "Don't get your fur in a tangle, Cousinkins." he said. "I've got friends all over town. You name it, and I'll tell you how to find it." "All right, then. How about the Pelican's Pillar?" I asked. "It's somewhere in the fish market— but where?" "No problem," Trap said. "I'm a legend at the fish market. I'm famouse as a great shark hunter." I rolled my eyes. From the way my cousin

talks, you'd think he'd captured JAWS! "Go to the squid stall and ask for Coral Cockle," Trap continued. "Tell her Trap sent you. She'll take you where you need to go." Thea and I headed to the fish market together. As we approached, we heard the loud SQUEAKS of fish sellers. The market was packed with stalls of fishermice selling seafood.

I had never seen so many fish in one place. There were tuna and flounder. Crabs and lobsters. Clams and oysters. Even squids and sharks! I began to feel nervous. The fish seemed to be glaring at me with their creepy bulging eyes. I was so anxious that I didn't notice a nearby fish seller about to dump a bucket of seawater over his fish to keep them fresh. All of a sudden... SPLASH! The salty water drenched me. "Jumping gerbil babies!" I cried. My suit was ruined! Thea shook her head. "You should be more careful," she scolded. "It wasn't my fault," I protested. I stepped toward Thea... ...and slipped on a fish bone! I fell flat on my back, knocking into a fish stall.

A giant tuna fish plopped into my arms. "Should I wrap that up for you?" the fish seller asked. "WH-WH-WHAT? NO WAY!" I said. By now, a crowd had gathered. They seemed to think my fish problems were funny. "Everyone's staring at us," Thea whispered. "Oh, Gerry Berry, why do you always have to make a scene?" "I told you, it's not my fault!" I cried. I stood up... ...and backed right into an octopus! Its slimy tentacles wrapped around my neck. "I GIVE UP!" I squeaked.