Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12 THE VILLAGERS, HOWEVER, WERE NOT angry. They were very happy to be back home in their village. They were so happy that they gathered right in the village square, every one of them, from young to old. There was lots of smiling, lots of singing, and lots of good cheer. There was even lots of gum-chewing. These villagers really liked gum. After the rats were settled, Franky, Wolfy, and Vampyra walked Peter back to the village. Everyone was gathered in the square. "Peter," said the mayor, "you led the rats out of the village. You saved the day! I want to give you a medal."

Peter was proud. "Thank you," he said. "But..." "But what?" said the mayor. "But I didn't do it alone," said Peter. He called his friends over. "Wolfy, Vampyra, and Franky all helped me. We saved the day together!" "Don't forget Shadow," said Wolfy. "Meow," said Shadow. "But... but they're monsters!" said one of the villagers. He hid behind a wagon. "Monsters are scary," said another villager. She grabbed a pitchfork. "Don't eat me!" said a third villager. He pulled his hat down over his face. "They won't eat you," said Peter. "And they're not scary. These are nice monsters, and they're my friends. These Junior Monster Scouts helped me find Shadow, and then they helped me lead the rats out of the village."

"Monsters?" said the mayor. "Helping?" "By tooth or wing, by paw or claw, a Junior Monster Scout does it all!" said Vampyra, Franky, and Wolfy all together. "But they live in the old castle!" said one of the villagers. "Technically, I live in the mountains near the castle," mumbled Wolfy. "Beyond the Gloomy Woods," said another villager. "Up past the graveyard!" said a third villager. "And they're terribly frightening!" said the mayor. "It says so right here!" He held up a large book. The title was The Big Book of Scary Monsters. "Those are just stories!" said Peter. "They are?" said the mayor and the villagers. "Those stories aren't real," said Vampyra.

"They're not?" said the mayor and the villagers. "We're just like you," said Wolfy. "Maybe just furrier." "And really quite friendly," said Franky. "Junior Monster Scouts, you say?" said the mayor. "That's right," said Vampyra. "We help people." "And take care of the environment," said Wolfy. "And learn new things!" said Franky. The mayor scrunched up his eyebrows. He twisted his mustache. He looked from the book to the monsters, and then back to the book. A smile spread across his face and he tossed the book into a nearby haystack. "Well, it sounds to me like we need four medals!" declared the mayor. "Don't forget Shadow," said Franky. "Meow," said Shadow.

"Five medals," said the mayor. "Three cheers for the Junior Monster Scouts!" said Peter. "Hip, hip, hooray!" shouted the villagers. "Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, HOORAY!"