22-THANK YOU, BLACK BANDIT!

THANK You, BLACK BANDIT! I was at the helm when Benjamin came looking for me, waving a broom and a dust rag. "UNCLE Geronimo, come and see what I found!" he called, tugging at my jacket. He was dancing around like a kernel of popcorn before it pops! "Please, UNCLE! Right away to the cabin!" he squeaked. "Cabin? What cabin?" I asked, confused. For a minute, I started thinking about an old log cabin we used to go to in the summers. It was right on beautiful Lake Lakelakelake.

"UNCLE GERONIMO" insisted Benjamin, interrupting my thoughts. "Guess what I found under the Black Bandit's bed!" "Another tarantula?" I asked nervously. "No!" squeaked my nephew. "A secret hiding place!" Benjamin was right. Under the Bandit's bed was a trapdoor. It was chained shut with a huge silver lock. "Hurry, let's open it!" said Trap. His eyes were as big as two saucers of milk. "Let's not get too excited," I warned. "We don't want to be disappointed. It could just be the Bandit's dirty underwear!" Half an hour later, we finally broke the

lock. And I was wrong. There was no underwear in this hiding place. "TREASURE!" cried Trap, diving into a mountain of gold and silver coins. Precious stones and glittering jewels spilled onto the floor. It was an amazing sight! Trap put a crown on his head and took a bow. "How do I look? Like the king of the pi-rats?" he squeaked, grinning. "Wow! Take a look at these rubies. They are as big as eggs!" called Benjamin. He held up two enormous gemstones. Meanwhile, Thea had opened a small painted box. "Pink pearls!" she cried, holding up a necklace. "How

beautiful!" She fastened the strand around her neck. Then she stared at herself in a mirror. "They are so me!" she announced, beaming at her reflection. Also in the box was a bracelet, a ring, a pair of earrings, and a dazzling gold crown. I stared at the jewels. They looked so familiar. Suddenly, I slapped my forehead with my paw. "That's it!" I yelled. "I know where I have seen these jewels. Queen Natasha Noblesnout is wearing them in that famouse painting!" I picked up a gold coin. It belonged to the Kingdom of Cats. Carved on one side was the pirates' motto: What's Yours

Is Mine, What's Mine Is Mine! (Someone really needed to teach these cats a lesson in sharing.) Then I spotted a silver coin. My eyes opened wide. My fur stood on end. My heart beat so fast I felt like I had just swum ten laps in the pool at WaterRat Park.

This was not just any old silver coin. I cleaned my glasses so I could see it better. "Moldy mozzarella!" I cried. "This is the legendary silver quarter! It was the first coin ever minted on Mouse Island!" I held the coin out so the others could see. The quarter was dated 1458. Mouse Island's motto was carved on the back: Rodents Be Smart, Follow Your Heart!