Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell

Author:Lynne Jonell
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Random House Australia
Published: 2007-03-02T16:00:00+00:00

THE NIGHT AIR WAS fresh and scented with lilacs. On the sidewalk outside Rodent City, Emmy’s backpack still lay on its side.

“All clear,” said the Rat alertly.

Emmy and Joe dashed for the pack, jumped into the opening, and rummaged around in the dark. “Ow!” said Emmy, bumping her shin on the four-poster bed. “Help me push this out of the way, will you?”

The bed slid out onto the sidewalk, followed by a little yellow truck and a doll-sized high chair.

“How many toys did you put in here?” said Joe. “Wait, here it is.”

“Don’t push yet,” Emmy said. “Something’s caught in the wheel—okay, here we go.”

Emmy grabbed the handle and Joe pushed from behind, and a small red wagon rattled across the graveled sidewalk and stopped at the crack beneath the gallery steps.

“All right, boys!” called Mrs. Bunjee, and Buck and Chippy came staggering through the gap, carrying the professor between them.

“He’s a deadweight when he’s like this,” said Chippy, breathing hard.

“It’s a good warmup for pawball, though,” said Buck as they wedged Professor Capybara into the wagon. His feet dangled almost to the ground, but he looked more comfortable once Mrs. Bunjee tucked a small, flowered pillow from the four-poster bed beneath his head.

Emmy glanced around quickly for any lurking cats. “Will he wake up by the time we get to the Antique Rat, do you think?”

“Perhaps,” said Mrs. Bunjee, “or it might take a bit longer. But the minute he wakes up, he’ll be on the spot to help. Come, child, out of the way—here comes the pawball team.”

A rumbling of paws sounded in the tunnel passage, and a pack of rodents in red and white jerseys streamed from the crumbling hole in the foundation. The Rat cheered loudly, waving both paws. “I can’t play the first quarter,” he cried, “but do your best, lads, and I’ll come as soon as I can!”

Buck looked at him blankly as Emmy and Joe stifled giggles.

“Nice-looking jerseys,” said Raston breezily. “Where’s mine?”

Buck scowled. “Listen here, you’re not—”

“Come on!” called Mrs. Bunjee. “Run along behind them; there’s safety in numbers,” and they all grabbed a bit of the wagon and pushed hard to catch up.

“But I still don’t understand about Professor Capybara,” said Emmy as they trotted down the dark and echoing alley. “Why does he fall asleep so fast?”

“Ratolepsy,” said Buck briefly.

“It’s a rodent-induced sleep disorder,” Chippy added as they skirted the garbage cans, even smellier at ground level.

“You get it from the Bushy-Tailed Snoozer Rat,” Mrs. Bunjee explained. “Years ago, the professor examined one too closely and it sneezed in his face. He came down with the Snoozer virus, and—well—he hasn’t yet found a cure.”

“So whenever he gets excited, he gets sleepy?” Joe looked down at the professor, whose peaceful face was lit by the streetlight as they emerged from the alley.

“More like comatose,” said Buck.

“Out cold,” said Chippy.

“It never lasts long, though,” said Mrs. Bunjee. “Sometimes just a few minutes, but never more than an hour—why, Professor! You’re awake already!”

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