Read Online Lost in the Dark Unchanted Forest by John R. Erickson - Free Book Online

bitty skinny scrawny cat?” They shook their heads. “No. Well, how about one that’s medium-sized, not too big and not too little?”
    They shook their heads. “Rip and Snort want great big fat cat, greater biggest fattest cat in whole world!”
    â€œIn the whole world, huh? That’s asking a lot, Snort, and if you ask me, you’re being a little greedy.”
    â€œHa! Snort not give a hoot for asking you.”
    â€œAll right, whatever you say. If you want a great big fat cat, we’ll see if we can find you one.”
    â€œBetter find one or Snort put big hurt on Hunkbird.”
    I went over to Madame Moonshine. She was lying on the grass and hadn’t moved a muscle since Snort had spit her out.
    â€œMadame? Are you all right?”
    One eye popped open. “I have never been treated like this before! The brute, the oaf, the unspeakable wretch!”
    â€œI know what you mean. I had one on me too.”
    â€œThe lout! The barbarian! The cannibal!”
    â€œGet up, Madame, we still have one job left to do. We’ve got to find Little Alfred.”
    â€œI don’t know any Little Alfreds and I’m all upset, and I’m of a mind to put a spell on those two unspeakable brutes that . . .”
    I whispered my plan in her ear. Her other eye popped open. A smile formed on her beek . . . beke . . . biek . . . beak . . . how do you spell beeke? Formed on her beak, I guess that’s how you spell it, but who cares anyway?
    She jumped to her feet. “On second thought, I think I can find your Little Alfred.” She threw her head back and closed her eyes and went into deep concentration. “Oh vapors, oh foggy darkness, oh penetrating powers! I see him now, huddled in a shallow cave . . . frightened, alone, wet and cold, crying. And down below . . . a hungry beast is waiting.”
    â€œIs it a cat? A bobcat?”
    There was a moment of silence. “Is it a cat? Search, powers, and tell me. Yes, it is a cat. And in a tree nearby . . . two buzzards sit huddled on a limb . . . waiting . . . waiting for the terrible deed.” She came out of her trance. “We must hurry. Follow me.”
    I turned to the cannibals. “All right, boys, we’ve got us a cat located, a great big huge enormous fat cat—with a stub tail.”
    â€œRip and Snort not give a hoot about tail. Hungry for cat!”
    â€œWell, this one’s liable to be pretty tough. I hope you can handle him.”
    â€œHa! Rip and Snort not scared of cat. Eat cat in two bites, like june bug!”
    â€œSounds all right to me, guys. Let’s go!”
    And with that, we followed Madame Moon­shine through the Dark Unchanted Forest. Some­where in the darkness and the rain, Little Alfred was in bad need of some help.
    I only hoped that we weren’t too late.

Chapter Ten: Rip and Snort Defend Their World Championship Title

    W hat a gloomy day it was! Rain, drizzle, fog, thunder, lightning, the whole nine yards. And what a gloomy place that forest was!
    I couldn’t wait to wrap this case up and get back to the old prairie country. That forest gave me the creeps, and it didn’t help at all that I had two cannibals behind me. I mean, they had their taste buds set on a cat supper, but I didn’t know how long that would last.
    Never turn your back on a cannibal. That’s one of the basic rules we follow in the security business, and it’s pretty good advice for anyone.
    You might want to jot that down. Never turn your back on a cannibal.
    Anyway, we went plunging through the gloomy forest. Madame Moonshine was in the lead, hopping along and sometimes flying a few feet at a time. That’s the usual traveling pattern for your burrowing owls, don’t you see, only you very seldom see them outside of a prairie dog town.
    All at once