13-I'M FEELING FAINT WITH FEAR!

I'M FEELING FAINT WITH FEAR! The next morning, Ratfur woke us up at the crack of dawn. What was for breakfast? You guessed it, yak cheese and boiling hot tea! I had spent an AWFUL night. I had tossed and turned in my too-tight sleeping bag. I felt like a giant caterpillar stuck in an extra- small cocoon. I was ACHING ALL OVER! I stuck my snout outside my tent and SHIVERED. Frozen frogs' legs! It was colder

than the inside of an ice-cheese truck. Even my eyeballs were freezing! Luckily, I could still see out of them. When I glanced up, I saw an amazing sight. Over the horizon, the sun lit up the snow-covered peaks. Everything sparkled. I was spellbound. Ratfur pointed to one of the peaks. "Over there is Chomolungma, the Mother of the World," he told us. Benjamin grabbed my paw. "Isn't it unbelievable, Uncle?" he squeaked. I stroked his tiny ears. "Yes, my dear nephew," I murmured. "It really is a sight for frozen eyes." I wish we could have relaxed and enjoyed the view. But Ratfur shouted, "Let's go!" We marched all day long. In between the mountain peaks, we had to cross through

the rain forest. I heard the ROAR of a waterfall in the distance. The lush forest was SUPER HUMID. We pushed through a tangle of ferns and thick bamboo trees. Then we passed the ROARING WATERFALL. After a while, I found myself in front of a wooden bridge. But this wasn't just any wooden bridge, It was a L-O-N-G wooden bridge. It was longer than the Twisted Tail

Gate Bridge. That's the longest bridge on Mouse Island! Are you afraid of heights? I am! Brrrrrrr! I turned as PALE as a slice of mozzarella. "Couldn't we go across somewhere else?" I mumbled. Thea HURRIED past me, snickering. "Come on, you "fraidy mouse," she squeaked. "There's nothing to it!"

She took Benjamin by the paw, and they started along the bridge. He turned around to look back at me. "I'll be waiting for you at the other end, Uncle Geronimo," he whispered. They reached the other side in no time. Benjamin waved to me. "Come on, Uncle!" he called. "lt's real easy!" My whiskers were quivering with fear. I stared at the long, empty bridge swinging in the wind. I stepped onto the bridge. Slowly, I placed one paw in front of the other. Suddenly, I felt the bridge swaying. I turned around. It was Trap. "Last one

across is A ROTTEN RAT!" he shrieked, slapping me on the back. With a terrified squeak, I grabbed the rope railing. Far, far below I saw a tiny stream in the middle of a canyon. Jagged rocks jutted out on either side. I felt faint with fear. One wrong pawstep and my fur would be plastered all over those rocks! "CRUNCHY CHEESE BITS! Don't move!" I begged my cousin. Of course, I should have known that would set him off. He began jumping up and down like a mad mouse. Then he turned a few somersaults. As he jumped, my cousin began to sing: