06-A THICK-HEADED FURBRAIN

A THICK-HEADED FURBRAIN I headed home. I had to find out what was going on. A crowd of rodents was waiting in front of my mouse hole. "There he is! That's him!" I heard them shout. Oh, no. They must have seen the posters of me and the Flusher Rat. Maybe they wanted to ask me about toilet paper. A reporter stuck a microphone under my snout. "Mr. Stilton, I am Colin Chattermouse from Mouse TV. Do you really believe that watching TV is better than reading a book?" he asked. "Cheese niblets!" I squeaked. "That's ridiculous! Why would I, geronimo

stilton, say such a thing? I am the publisher of The Rodent's Gazette, the most popular paper in New Mouse City. I am a best-selling author, Only an IGNORANT, IWTERATE. INCOMPETENT, THICK-HEAOED FURBRAIN would say something so foolish!" But before I could go on, the reporter waved a newspaper under my snout. "Then how do you explain this?" he challenged. I gasped, The front page showed a picture of me holding a remote control in one paw. In the other paw, I held up a garbage can. It was filled with books! STILTON SAYS, "BOOKS ARE FOR BABIES, TELEVISION IS OUR FRIEND!" the headline read. Just then, the phone rang. I picked it up. I shouldn't have. The rodent on the other end gave me some horrible news. I was being

kicked out of the Press Club. "No respectable newspapermouse would throw away books!" he snorted. "But I didn't do it!" I tried to protest. Still, it was too late. I was listening to a dial tone. The Press Club had hung up on me and my membership! Un-be-ieva-ble!