Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4 BARON VON GRUMP STUFFED COTTON in his ears. He put on earmuffs. He wrapped a scarf around the earmuffs, but still he could not stop all of that noise, noise, noise, NOISE from getting through. "Stop oohing," he said. "Stop aahing. Stop blaring those flügelhorns and pounding your drums. And above all... STOP. SINGING!" "Caw, caw!" said Edgar.

"What did you say?" asked Baron Von Grump. He unwound the scarf. He took off the earmuffs. He unplugged the cotton. "Caw, caw!" repeated Edgar. First Baron Von Grump's big, black, bushy right eyebrow raised. Then his left. Then, ever so slowly, his lips wriggled into a

sly and sinister grin. It was the kind of grin someone gets when they are up to no good. "That is an excellent idea, Edgar," he said. "Caw, caw!" Baron Von Grump clapped his hands together and chuckled. He was definitely up to no good. "Come, my feathered friend," he said to Edgar. "Let us end this celebration once and for all." Baron Von Grump and Edgar went down the rickety stairs of the rickety windmill. They went through the crooked door and down the winding trail to a small shack. There was a sign on the door. It read: VILLAGE POWER DO NOT ENTER THIS MEANS YOU!

Do you think that Baron Von Grump listened? You're right; he did not. He did not listen at all. He did not listen, he did not follow instructions, and he certainly was not about to behave himself. He marched right past the sign, right through the door, and right into the small room. Inside the room was a giant machine. It was the size of a refrigerator, with lots of dials and buttons and one big lever. One side of the lever read: ON. The other side read: OFF. The switch was in the ON position. Baron Von Grump gripped the lever. "Caw, caw!" said Edgar. "Yes, Edgar," said Baron Von Grump. "On three!" "Caw... caw... caw!" Baron Von Grump pulled the lever.

Do you remember what we were singing a couple of chapters ago? We were singing "Happy Birthday" to the village. Me, you, the mayor, the villagers—we were all singing. There were flügelhorns and the rest of the band. Remember? Okay, good. Let's try this again.

"Happy birthday to us, happy birthday to us, happy birthday, dear village, happy birthday to —" Suddenly the lights went out. The popcorn machine stopped popping. The merry-go-round stopped going round. Everything was dark and quiet and suddenly not-so-merry. The party had ground to a halt, and I think you know why. I'm pretty sure you know who was behind it. But the villagers? They did not. They had no idea why there was no power. Who might have pulled a lever they were not supposed to pull? Who wanted an end to their party celebrations? But we know who it was. We know exactly who it was, and his initials are B. V. G.