12-BIGGER THAN FIFTY SUMO RAT WRESTLERS!

BIGGER THAN FIFTY SUMO RAT WRESTLERS! Trap was still laughing as he ran down the path. Then he turned to make a face at me. That's when his face went PALE. "Ge-Ge-Geromino... d-d-don't move... " he stuttered. "There's a gigantic c-c-crab behind you!" I snorted. You can fool this mouse sometimes, but I'm no cheesebrain. I mean, I wasn't born yesterday. I know when someone is pulling my paw. "Enough kidding around, Trap," I said, laughing. "I know there's no giant crab. My cousin's eyes were nearly popping out of their sockets. I had to give it to him. He really did look scared. I wondered if he had

been taking acting lessons in his spare time. "I am not kidding, Geronimo," he whispered. "Look behind you." I rolled my eyes. I was getting tired of these silly tricks. Still, I turned around anyway. "See, I told you..." I began. But I didn't get any further. That's because for once, Trap wasn't joking. I was face-to- face with a gigantic, enormouse, mega—huge crab! I had never seen anything like it. This crab was bigger than fifty sumo rat wrestlers! Remain calm, I told myself. I took a small step backward, then another. The crab kept its BEADY little eyes trained on me. Only a few more pawsteps and I could

dive into the water. I'd be safe there. Suddenly, my cousin sneezed. In a flash, the crab stretched out its claw and lifted me into the air. "Heeeeeeeeeeelp!" I yelled. The blood rushed to my furry head. Thea and Benjamin stuck their heads out from behind a big rock. "Hang on, Geronimo! We'll save you!" Thea called. She pulled out a bottle of perfume. She sprayed it in the crab's eyes. The crab blinked, confused. Then it swung me around in the air like a cat with a new chew toy. It was not a good feeling. "Good— bye, mouse world!" I sobbed. "Good—bye, family!"

Just then, Trap hurled a coconut at the crab's head. Benjamin tickled it with a bird's feather. The crab laughed and dropped me. Well, no, it didn't exactly drop me. It hurled me in the direction of the trees. I landed in the middle of a partridge nest. I was surrounded by a slew of openmouthed tiny birds. "Heeeeeeeeeeelp!" I screamed.

Just at that moment, the mother partridge arrived. She had a BIG, FAT WORM in her beak. I opened my mouth to scream. But before I could squeak, she dropped the worm in my mouth! I spit it out in disgust. The mother partridge looked insulted. "I am not a baby bird. My name is Stilton, Geronimo Stilton," I tried to explain. The mother partridge just squawked. Then she pushed me out of the nest. I landed with a thump on my head. "Oh, why couldn't we go to the Soft Squeak Resort?" I MOANED. I needed a nice cheese dinner. I needed a good night's rest. I needed an ice pack for the lump on my head.