17-A VERY DARK MOUSETRAP

A VERY DARK MOUSETRAP We all peered down into the HOLE. "It's a secret chamber!" The professor exclaimed. "Let's go down and check it out." I began twisting my tail up in knots. Oh, how did I get myself into these scary FUR-RAISING situations? One by one, we clambered down into the chamber. It was as dark as my mouse hole at midnight. Just then, a gust of wind blew out our candle and a loud THUMP echoed all around us. Everyone gasped. That THUMP could only mean one thing. Someone—or something—had just shut the trapdoor on us.

THUMP! At that moment, we heard the mummy's raspy voice moaning. "YOUUUU WIIIILLLL NEVVVVVER GET OOOOOOUUUUUT!" it cried. My tummy flip-flopped. "Professor, please tell me there's another exit," I pleaded. In the dark. Professor Sandsnout sighed. "No, there isn't. We have about an hour of air. Let's try hard to breathe slowly and not to move around. That way, we can conserve the oxygen," he suggested.

I went into full PANIC mode. My fur began to drip with sweat. My PAWS SHOOK. My whiskers twitched uncontrollably. "Waaaa!!!" I shrieked like a newborn mouselet. "Geronimo, don't get EXCITED. You're using up the OXYGEN!" the professor scolded. "Yeah, Uncle G, keep your fur on!" Bugsy added. I clamped a paw over my mouth. We were trapped in a giant TOMB! I tried to remember one of the relaxing exercises I had learned from my yoga teacher, Penny Pretzel Paws. Before I could figure it out, an idea popped into my head. I told the professor to get on my shoulders. Then I told Benjamin to climb on top of the professor's shoulders. Finally, I told Bugsy to get on Benjamin's shoulders. Cheesecake! My idea worked! We had formed our very own rodent ladder.

Once Bugsy was at the top, she was able to push the trapdoor open. Cheese niblets! My friends weighed a lot! Bugsy scampered out. Then she came back with a rope. One by one, she helped to pull us out of the dark underground chamber. I was so glad to be free that I started bawling again. Everyone stared at me. I turned bright red. Luckily, a strange swishing sound took the attention off of me. Someone was hiding in the darkness. I turned around just in time to spot her. It was the little old cleaning lady! She had the

strangest look on her snout. "Nice weather we're having," she said. That's when I noticed something sticking out of her purse. It was the rolled papyrus! My eyes nearly popped out of my fur. "Madam, give us back the papyrus!" I squeaked. "PAPYRUS? WHAT PAPYRUS?" the old lady mumbled. Then she took off like a shot. I was amazed. She was kicking up her paws like an Olympic track rat! She raced toward the stairs, snickering, and leaving only a CLOUD OF DUST behind her.