Read Online The Hamster of the Baskervilles by Bruce Hale - Free Book Online
Authors: Bruce Hale
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Ratnose's eyes narrowed. Much as I might have wanted to hear his discussion with Mr. Zero, it was time for action.
I slipped behind the curtains. The dust billowed. Hunting for a light switch, I shuffled along in the dimness.
From the corner of my eye, movement. I wasn't alone.
"Now we've got you!" crooned Bosco Rebbizi.
I backed away from him. A foot scraped behind me. I whirled.
A buff toad grinned at meâanother gang member. I was trapped!
Zzwip!
I scaled the curtain in a flash, out of reach. Sometimes, it pays to be a gecko.
While Bosco and the toad fumbled for a ladder, I slithered through the gap in the curtains, slid to the floor, and ran into the crowded cafeteria.
Before they could track me, I shot out the door. Clouds filled the night sky. I looked both ways.
Now, where would a were-whatsit go to amuse itself? The swings? The library? The kennel?
I edged along the cafeteria wall, with one eye out for the monster and one eye out for gang members. This was one time it would've helped to have eyes like Shirley Chameleon's.
Turning the corner, I noticed an odd shape by the loading dockâsome kind of tall box draped in cloth. As I moved closer, a twig cracked in the darkness.
There!âon the rightâa dark figure loomed.
My quick gecko reflexes kicked in. I sprang to the wall.
A deep molasses voice drawled, "Like, take a chill pill, daddy-o."
"Cool Beans?"
"The real deal." The big possum ambled forward. "Now, what's the scam, Sam?"
I climbed down. "Looking for that were-creature," I said. "Hey, I thought you were sick?"
"Naw," said Cool Beans. "Just takin' a long nod back at my pad. Didn't want to miss the action. What's shakin'?"
"Nothing yet." I pointed at the tall box. "I was just about to check that out."
"Crazy, man. I'll cover you."
I walked up to the box and read a sign hanging on it:
Science Fair Property. Don't even think about opening this.
I lifted an edge of the drapery. It revealed steel bars. I pushed the cloth higher and peered into the cage. It was darker than Dracula's belly button.
Hmm,
a door.
Cool Beans spoke from behind me. "Should you be openin' that door, Sherlock?"
I opened it.
The moon appeared suddenly, and three things happened almost at once:
1)Â it shone on a furry shape inside the cage;
2)Â that furry shape blew up like a blimp in no time flat; and
3)Â it burst from the cage with an "
Eeeee!
" and bowled me over.
"I s'pose that answers my question," said Cool Beans.
19. Much Ado about Monsters
Tangled in the drapery, I sputtered, "After it!"
Cool Beans rushed to untangle me. An ice age passed. Civilizations rose, flourished, and died a miserable death. And still I was trapped.
"Hurry!" I said, struggling.
"Us possums only have two speeds," he said. "This is the fast one, man."
Beyond the slow-moving librarian, the were-thing disappeared around the building. Principal Zero was going to kill me.
With Cool Beans's help, I unwrapped myself. He was too slow; I'd have to chase down the monster alone. "Call the janitors," I said. "I'll try to head it off."
I charged after the were-creature, my coattails flying. Turning the corner, I skidded to a halt. The beast was standing under a tree. Monstrous, dark, and red eyed, the shaggy creature panted rapidly.
"Nice were-thingy," I said. The gentle touch works wonders.
It jumped like a frog on a whoopee cushion and tore away from me at top speed.
So much for the gentle touch. That thing was pretty skittish for a monster.
It dodged through a cafeteria door. I dashed into the room on its heels and smack into the middle of Pandemonium City.
The monster tore through the crowd like a hog through hog chow. Students and parents lunged out of the were-creature's way, trampling science projects and junior scientists alike.
"Stay calm!" shouted Principal Zero above the hubbub.
"My science project!" squealed Ms. Burrower.
Panting, I kept up the chase. The doorways were jammed with panicked kids; it
I slipped behind the curtains. The dust billowed. Hunting for a light switch, I shuffled along in the dimness.
From the corner of my eye, movement. I wasn't alone.
"Now we've got you!" crooned Bosco Rebbizi.
I backed away from him. A foot scraped behind me. I whirled.
A buff toad grinned at meâanother gang member. I was trapped!
Zzwip!
I scaled the curtain in a flash, out of reach. Sometimes, it pays to be a gecko.
While Bosco and the toad fumbled for a ladder, I slithered through the gap in the curtains, slid to the floor, and ran into the crowded cafeteria.
Before they could track me, I shot out the door. Clouds filled the night sky. I looked both ways.
Now, where would a were-whatsit go to amuse itself? The swings? The library? The kennel?
I edged along the cafeteria wall, with one eye out for the monster and one eye out for gang members. This was one time it would've helped to have eyes like Shirley Chameleon's.
Turning the corner, I noticed an odd shape by the loading dockâsome kind of tall box draped in cloth. As I moved closer, a twig cracked in the darkness.
There!âon the rightâa dark figure loomed.
My quick gecko reflexes kicked in. I sprang to the wall.
A deep molasses voice drawled, "Like, take a chill pill, daddy-o."
"Cool Beans?"
"The real deal." The big possum ambled forward. "Now, what's the scam, Sam?"
I climbed down. "Looking for that were-creature," I said. "Hey, I thought you were sick?"
"Naw," said Cool Beans. "Just takin' a long nod back at my pad. Didn't want to miss the action. What's shakin'?"
"Nothing yet." I pointed at the tall box. "I was just about to check that out."
"Crazy, man. I'll cover you."
I walked up to the box and read a sign hanging on it:
Science Fair Property. Don't even think about opening this.
I lifted an edge of the drapery. It revealed steel bars. I pushed the cloth higher and peered into the cage. It was darker than Dracula's belly button.
Hmm,
a door.
Cool Beans spoke from behind me. "Should you be openin' that door, Sherlock?"
I opened it.
The moon appeared suddenly, and three things happened almost at once:
1)Â it shone on a furry shape inside the cage;
2)Â that furry shape blew up like a blimp in no time flat; and
3)Â it burst from the cage with an "
Eeeee!
" and bowled me over.
"I s'pose that answers my question," said Cool Beans.
19. Much Ado about Monsters
Tangled in the drapery, I sputtered, "After it!"
Cool Beans rushed to untangle me. An ice age passed. Civilizations rose, flourished, and died a miserable death. And still I was trapped.
"Hurry!" I said, struggling.
"Us possums only have two speeds," he said. "This is the fast one, man."
Beyond the slow-moving librarian, the were-thing disappeared around the building. Principal Zero was going to kill me.
With Cool Beans's help, I unwrapped myself. He was too slow; I'd have to chase down the monster alone. "Call the janitors," I said. "I'll try to head it off."
I charged after the were-creature, my coattails flying. Turning the corner, I skidded to a halt. The beast was standing under a tree. Monstrous, dark, and red eyed, the shaggy creature panted rapidly.
"Nice were-thingy," I said. The gentle touch works wonders.
It jumped like a frog on a whoopee cushion and tore away from me at top speed.
So much for the gentle touch. That thing was pretty skittish for a monster.
It dodged through a cafeteria door. I dashed into the room on its heels and smack into the middle of Pandemonium City.
The monster tore through the crowd like a hog through hog chow. Students and parents lunged out of the were-creature's way, trampling science projects and junior scientists alike.
"Stay calm!" shouted Principal Zero above the hubbub.
"My science project!" squealed Ms. Burrower.
Panting, I kept up the chase. The doorways were jammed with panicked kids; it
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