23-MY HERO!

MY HERO! Suddenly, all the guests turned around. Their eyes were glued to a huge winding staircase. At the top stood Countess Snobella. She was dressed in a flaming red ballgown. I heard someone sigh behind me. It was Trap. He was clutching a big pot of piranha

soup between his paws. His eyes were glued to the young countess. Snobella took one small step on the marble staircase. She smiled flirtatiously, then blew a kiss to all her admirers. "What style! What charm!" Trap whispered, spellbound. Snobella took another step. Then she slipped. She tried to keep her balance, but it was no use. Thump! Thump! Thump! The young countess began tumbling down the stairs faster than a gumball in a candy machine! For an instant, I caught my sister with a satisfied grin on her snout, Did she do something to Snobella's dress to make her trip? There was no time to ask. The next thing I knew, Trap had dropped his pot of soup. Piranhas flew everywhere. ""AHiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" I shrieked

as the hot soup rained down on me. My cousin sprinted forward like an Olympic trackrat at the whistle. "I'll save you. he shouted as he leaped up the staircase. Schnoz von der Nose, Snobella's fiance, and a few others tried to follow him. But my cousin was already way ahead of them. He stretched out his paws. Then he caught Snobella in midair. The young countess looked up at him with an adoring smile. "My HEEO!" she said with a sigh. Trap shrugged. "Oh, it's nothing really," he said, shyly. I could hardly believe my eyes. My cousin was anything but shy. Then I noticed that poor Schnoz had slunk away into a corner. He sat watching Trap and Snobella, looking very, very sad.