24 Arretez!

Chapter 24 Arretez! LB. why are you so sure that Mr White went this way?' asked Peanut as they made their way along the dark, dank passageway.

'It's quite simple,' said Little-Bit. 'I'm just following the smell of sulphur dioxide.' 'Ooh, hang on! I know this one!' said Rockwell enthusiastically. ' Sulphur dioxide: the smell-making compound that's released when you strike a match. I remember that from Mrs Bloyce's chemistry class.' 'That's right,' said Little-Bit. 'It's the same smell given off by those flaming-stick things that you see in old Robin Hood films. So we literally have to follow our noses.' 'Guys,' whispered Rockwell after half an hour of sniffing their way through the tunnels. 'Has anybody stopped to think about the craziness of what we're doing? I mean, what happens if we don't find him? We're literally running around a weird maze of dark, spooky tunnels underneath Paris, and let's face it, we're totally lost. 'We're not lost. And we will find him,' insisted Peanut. 'I know it. 'Come to think of it, what happens if we do find him?' said Rockwell. 'Also, shouldn't we have been laying some kind of safety trail. You know, like Hansel and Gretel?' 'Rockwell, stop talking and start sniffing,' said Peanut sharply, although she did think that the trail idea was a good one.

'Wait! Did you see that?' said Little-Bit suddenly. 'Back there.' 'What? OUCH!' said Rockwell, looking over his shoulder and banging his forehead on the ceiling. 'I saw it too... A light,' said Peanut. 'HÉ! ARRÉTEZ-VOUS!' The officious voice was clear and alarmingly loud as it echoed up the passageway. It was closely followed by footsteps and a fast-moving, bouncing yellow beam of light that appeared around a corner twenty metres behind them. Run!' shouted Peanut. 'Where to?' yelled Rockwell, his escalating panic barely concealed beneath the surface. Just... go forwards!' she replied. The three children dashed blindly through the catacombs, the sound of their pursuer's footsteps ringing in their ears. Their eyes had only partially adjusted to the darkness—they couldn't see more than a couple of metres ahead—so all three had their arms stretched out in front of them like zombies, hands flexed in anticipation of any unexpected dead ends. 'This way!' shouted Peanut. 'I can see a light at the end of the tunnel!' 'I sincerely hope you're speaking literally and not metaphorically!' said Rockwell. Sure enough, there was a soft, golden glow filling the

tunnel up ahead. As she got closer, Peanut realised that it was coming from a vertical shaft, similar to the one they had climbed down to get into the catacombs in the first place. They skidded to a halt in the pool of light and frantically started to climb the iron rungs on the wall, Little-Bit first, then Peanut, and then, finally, Rockwell. ' POLICE! ARRÉTEZ-VOUS! VENEZ-ICI!' shouted the man chasing them, sounding very close now. He arrived at the bottom of the ladder as Rockwell reached the halfway point, then threw his torch to the floor and started to climb up after the children with impressive agility. CHURRY UP!' screamed Rockwell to his friends. ' OH NO! HE'S GOT HOLD OF MY SHOE!' 'JE TE TIENS MAINTENANT!' said the policemen, his hand clasped to Rockwell's trainer.

'GET OFF ME!' shouted the boy, thrashing his leg around wildly while trying to maintain a grip on the rung. Rockwell felt the shoe slowly slipping from his foot, and with one last frantic kick it came off completely. He looked down to see the man fall from the ladder, a police cap flying from his head and Rockwell's favourite trainer in his hand.