13-THE MYSTERIOUS NAIL

THE MYSTERIOUS NAIL We decided to explore the entire castle. "We'll catch that ghost," said Thea. "That is... if Mr. Scaredy Pants is right and there really is a ghost." I chewed my whiskers. "I'm telling you for the last time. I saw it! I saw a ghost!!!!!!" I squeaked at the top of my lungs. Thea pulled out her camera. "All right, all right," she smirked, "Don't have a squeak attack. Now, where did you see that RAT SKELETON? I could take a couple of pictures of that." I led them into the kitchen. Then I looked anxiously into the big pot.

"See, the mouse bone was here..." I began. But the pot was now empty. How strange! I ran toward the closet and opened it wide. The SKELETON had vanished!!! I was shocked. "But... but... it was right here..." I mumbled. Thea snorted. Trap put his paw on my forehead. "Hmmmm. You're feeling a bit warm, Cousinkins," he

joked. "Maybe you're coming down with something. We'd better get you to a hospital. You know, one of those hospitals with bars on the windows and patients who see flying cheeses." He collapsed in a fit of giggles. He really cracks himself up. I wanted to crack him over the head, but before I could even try, Benjamin grabbed my paw. He showed me a nail in the upper part of the closet. "Um, see that nail, Uncle Geronimo?" he whispered. "There could have been something hanging from it, just like you said. I believe you." Without another word, he pulled out a pad of paper. Then he began to jot down some notes.