Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4 The gang thanked Matilda and bid her farewell. 'GREATEST CHEESE SANDWICH EVER!' shouted Silver as they left. They scurried across the pavement to the manhole that would bring them back to subterranean London. From there Catface said they could make it to Buckingham Palace pretty quickly. As they neared the manhole, however, they heard a shout: 'STOP IN THE NAME OF THE LAW!'

'YIKES!' screamed Catface as he shot six feet up in the air in surprise. 'Cats, get below ground! NOW!' The cats ran for cover, but not before they glanced over their shoulders to see three scary-looking police dogs chasing them with teeth bared. One by one, they dropped down into the sewers, with Catface holding the lid for them. Just as the dogs reached the manhole, Catface landed next to the cats, the cover clanking tightly shut behind him. 'Phew,' he said, 'that was close! Still I think we're saf— OH FOR GOODNESS' SAKE! You don't even have retractable claws; how did you manage that?' he shouted at the dogs, who had somehow got the manhole cover open with their teeth and were about to drop down into the sewer to give chase. 'Guys, those teeth look awfully big. Socks gulped. 'What's the plan?' 'Long term: give me a minute,' replied Toto.

'SHORT TERM: RUUUNNN!' The gang set off with the ginormous dogs in pursuit. Toto probably could have fought the dogs, but she couldn't bear the thought of disobeying Larry. He hadn't wanted her to attack the dogs at the Tower, he'd wanted her to run. And it seemed like a sensible idea to keep on the right side of the law, especially when she was trying to prove their innocence! But the dogs were closing in fast. 'Catface, you need to come up with something- I mustn't fight them!' Toto yelped. 'Think, old man, think...' Catface muttered to himself in response, before clicking his claws, picking up a rusty metal rod from the floor and banging on the pipes that ran along the top of the sewer. 'KITTENS, FOLLOW ME!' I know it seems weird, Toto told her brothers, 'as usual. But he must know what he's doing, so follow him!'

'On my count, dive into the small tunnel coming up on the right,' Catface instructed. 'Three... two... one!' THE CATS ALL LANDED IN A HEAP IN THE TUNNEL. 'This isn't a plan!' cried Silver. 'Now they'll definitely get u—' Before he could finish his sentence a torrent of water rushed past in the main tunnel, carrying with it the surprised police dogs, who howled as they were washed away.

WHOOOOSH

'I TOLD YOU!' A gleeful Catface clapped his hands and danced on the spot. 'How did you...?' Toto asked in disbelief at her wise friend. 'Oh, it's a code a bit like Morse that I invented with Matilda a long time ago, back when I wasn't welcome in my dad's kingdom of Ratborough. If I was in trouble near here, I'd bang on the pipes, take cover and she'd do the rest. And by "the rest", I mean she'd flush her human's toilet, which comes right down this tunnel, washing away anything in its path. I do hope that water was clean!' 'Will they be OK? They were only doing their jobs,' asked a concerned Toto. 'They'll be fine, just a bit soggy, and two miles away! Now, my friends, there's not moment to lose- we must make haste.' The rest of the journey to the palace went smoothly