21-CAT-ROAST SURPRISE

CAT-ROAST SURPRISE The days went by. Each morning, I searched the sea for our precious Mouse Island. But so far, there was not an island or a mouse IN SIGHT. I was getting as homesick as a truckrat on a cross-country delivery. Boy, do I HATE traveling! We had checked out the ship from top to bottom. Luckily, the supplies on board would last for at least a few years. We each chose a cabin to sleep in. I was sleeping in the Black Bandit's room. Benjamin insisted on staying with me. He wanted to have a sleepover party every night. "We can

have pillow fights and sing songs and tell stories all night long! OK, Uncle?" he squeaked. I was tired already. But I didn't have the heart to say no. The Bandit's room was filled with some very strange things. I discovered a big black tarantula in a golden cage. It was the Bandit's pet. There was even a leash for her daily walk! In a small silver bowl was her favorite food: ant soup, fried flies, and mashed gnats. I bet Chef Slobbertooth had fun cooking that! Besides the tarantula, I also found dozens of flowery homemade pillows. It seemed the

Black Bandit had a secret hobby: needlepoint! I smiled to myself. Now that the Bandit was stuck on Ho-hum Island, he'd have lots of time on his paws. Maybe he could needlepoint a pillow for each of the cats. He could hand them out as Christmas gifts. I climbed into bed, avoiding the rug. It was made of soft gray fur. It might have been mouse fur. I tried not to think about it, but it was hard. I could almost hear that poor rug squeak! On a bedside table sat a cup with a picture of a cat on it. I think it was Sir Catfish the Third, the first cat to sail around the world. I wonder if he'd had a mouse rug, too. Thea had settled in Prowls's cabin. It was

filled with toys. There was a mouse marionette, a spinning top, lots of windup mice, and a furry cat-in-the-box that meowed when it popped open. On the shelf over the bed sat an old mechanical toy. It was a cat pulling a mouse's tail. The mouse looked like he'd been running the New Mouse City Marathon for weeks! I wanted to throw that one overboard. Trap had chosen the cabin belonging to Chef Slobbertooth. The cabin was covered with grease stains. All kinds of cookbooks lined the shelves. I read a few of the titles.

CATS IN THE KITCHEN: 50 WHISKER-LICKIN' MEALS IN MINUTES, THE HUNGRY CAT COOKS, and How TO THROW THE PURRFECT DINNER PARTY. Trap sprawled out on Slobbertooth's leather love seat. "Hey, listen to this," he said, reading recipes from a note titled Snails for Tails. Cat-roast Surprise: Roasted snails with potatoes Crispy Cat's Cradle: Fried snails in a pastry shell Hearty Cat Chowder: Snail soup with cream and vegetables The Happy Cat Hoagie: Raw snail on a roll with oil and vinegar