18-THE MYSTERIOUS RAT IS

THE MYSTERIOUS RAT IS... The two stocky rats let me out of the trap. Torturetail reluctantly pushed in a wheelbarrow filled with gold coins. Shif T. Paws happily took the wheelbarrow from him. "When you get right down to it, being on The Mousetrap was a big success!" he cried.

An armored truck took us back to 85 Curds Court. The morning sun was just rising, but a crowd of reporters had gathered at the door. They began shouting questions. "Mr. Stilton, are you happy you saved your tail? "Tell us, were you nervous?" "Mr. Stilton, would you do it again?" I did a victory lap through the crowd. "NOT FOR A MILLION POUNDS OF CHEDDAR!" I squeaked. Shif T. Paws and I went inside the bakery, slamming the door behind us. Bagel Buckwheat approached us, carrying a large cheese pizza. He had written a message in anchovies: Well done, Stilton! I was touched. "Thank you, Bagel," I said.

"You are a true friend." Thea ran up, waving a piece of paper. "I've discovered the identity of the mysterious rat," she announced. "It's—" "WHO IS IT?" I squeaked. "WHAT IS HIS NAME?" Shif T. asked. "Tell us! Tell us!" shouted the staff. Thea smiled. "The mysterious one-eyed rat is named Flusher Pottypaws," she said. "Until three days ago, he owned a company that made sanitary fittings." "Sanitary fittings?" Mousella repeated. She looked puzzled. "That's toilets to you and me," said Thea, grinning. "That figures!" Shif T. Paws said. "Pottypaws started his company thirty years ago," Thea continued. "He is very, very rich. He invented a one-of-a-kind

toilet with a warmed-up seat." "That's right!" I shouted. "I've seen the ads for Pottypaws toilets." I picked up the phone to give him a call. Then I changed my mind. "I want to go talk to him snout-to-snout!" I said. I left Shif T. Paws to count the gold coins. Then I called a TAXI to take me to 17 Swiss Cheese Center. That used to be the address of The Rodent's Gazette. Now it was the home of The Roaring Rat. But not for long, I promised myself. I had my tail. I had my staff. I had a million dollars. That Flusher Pottypaws had better watch out!