Read Online The Song of the Winns by Frances Watts - Free Book Online Page B

hundred, and she suspected the others did too, but Tobias looked so harried that she held her tongue.
    When no one spoke up, Tobias inclined his head. “Good luck with your assignments then.” His eyes dropped to the list in front of him. “Right, who’s next . . . Skinny Jim. Flanagan, once you’ve spoken to Solomon go find Skinny Jim for me, would you?”
    The dark gray mouse hurried from the room and Tobias began to flick through a new batch of files, making notes on a pad beside him.
    Ebenezer, Beezer, Alex, and Alice quickly and quietly left the room.
    â€œPhew,” said Ebenezer. “I wouldn’t like Tobias’s job.” Then he looked at Alex and Alice worriedly. “And I wouldn’t want your job either: spying on the Sourians in their own headquarters in Gerander! Are you quite sure you want to do this? No one would blame you if you changed your minds.”
    â€œWe’re sure,” Alice said, more bravely than she felt. “You heard what Tobias said: it might be the only way to find out what the Sourians are up to.”
    â€œI suppose I should get started on my own job,” Ebenzer said. “I’d better go introduce myself to Serena and find out when she’s leaving. I just hope I can rise to the challenge. It’s a long time since I’ve cooked professionally.”
    â€œYou’ll be great, Uncle Ebenezer,” said Alex loyally. “You’re the best cook ever.”
    They accompanied Ebenezer to the cafeteria, where he disappeared into the kitchen.
    â€œSo Alistair and Tibby Rose did go on a mission,” Alice said. “I wonder where?”
    â€œI bet Oswald took them somewhere,” said her brother. Alice knew he was envious of the fact that his less-adventurous brother had flown twice, while he had never left the ground.
    â€œAunt Beezer,” said Alice, remembering a question that had occurred to her during their meeting with the marmalade mouse, “what happened to Tobias’s wife?”
    Beezer let out a heavy sigh. “Yes, I’d forgotten aboutthat; I think Ebenezer had too. Marina was a doctor, and a few years ago—not long after your parents, in fact—she crossed the border into Gerander on a mission to assess the medical and health-care situation. There’d been reports that Gerandans were barred from hospitals. She was discovered by the Queen’s Guards and sent to Atticus Island. She died there.”
    Alice smothered her gasp as Alex asked, “What did she die of ?”
    Beezer shrugged. “Cold, hunger, disease . . . take your pick. It could have been any one of them.”
    â€œBut Mom and Dad . . . ,” Alice began.
    â€œHave survived this long,” Beezer said firmly. “Now you two had better hurry along. You don’t want to be late for your first lesson.”
    â€œLesson?” said Alex, following Alice out through the double doors at the back of the cafeteria. “What did she mean by ‘lesson’?”
    â€œI don’t know,” Alice shrugged. “I suppose we have to learn how to be undercover agents.”
    â€œWe’ll probably have lessons in self-defense,” Alex said, striking a karate pose.
    â€œMaybe,” said Alice vaguely. She looked around at the other buildings grouped around the large green oval. “I think that’s the library over there,” she said, pointing to a large, low building to her left, “and block 1, next to the hall, is the dorm, so those buildings to the right must be blocks 2 and 3.” She set off across the oval toward the two-story brick buildings on the far side.
    â€œAnd I bet we’ll learn the art of disguise,” said Alex. “I could have a limp.” He began to drag his right leg behind him.
    â€œThat would rule out any quick getaways,” said Alice over her shoulder. “Hurry up.”
    â€œTrue,” said Alex. “Perhaps we could wear