30-STILTON SINKS!!

STILTON SINKS!! By now, the sky had turned black as night. The WIND was blowing furiously. The waves were as high as the Sky Rat Tower Bistro in New Mouse City. Rodents pay lots of money to eat there. You can see the whole city from its incredible rooftop terrace. Of course, the Sky Rat is not for me. I get a little queasy when I'm up in high places. I was thinking about the Sky Rat as the ship bounced UP and DOWN on the water. My stomach was bouncing up and down, too. I felt as green as a piece of moldy cheese! At that moment, a sail split in two. "We need to take it down!" Bouncer

shouted. He quickly leaped onto the bridge. "I'll stay here with the women and children," Trap announced. Reluctantly, I followed Bouncer. The ship tilted dangerously to one side. Oh, what a way to go! Washed overboard into the wild ocean waves. I could just read the headlines: STILTON SINKS IN THE SOUTHERN SEAS! POPULAR NEWSPAPER PUBLISHER ALL WASHED UP! What a tragedy. Still, there was no time to cry about it now. I had

a job to do helping Bouncer. At last, we were able to lower the split sail. I had just breathed a sigh of relief when something even more terrifying happened. The rope holding my dear sweet nephew snapped in two. Benjamin was sliding into the sea! I rushed toward him. I was able to grab his paw but he was slipping fast. Slimy Swiss balls! We were both FALLING SNOUT-FIRST INTO THE OCEAN! Then a huge hairy PAW appeared out of nowhere. It grabbed me by the scruff of the neck. In fact, it picked us both up. Bouncer grinned. "No time for swimming, Mousey Mice," he said with a chuckle. "In case you haven't noticed, there's a terrible storm going on!" At last, the sky began to clear.

"The worst is over!" my sister announced. "The storm is passing." I was so happy, I kissed everyone. Even Bouncer and my annoying cousin Trap.