Malcolm Mouse, Explorer by Janet Graber

Author:Janet Graber
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Regal House Publishing
Published: 2021-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

As it turned out, the queen was perfectly pleasant, not in any way ruthless, and despite her advanced age, she swung gracefully onto the crag, stretched out her legs, and crossed her ankles. The queen sipped tea, ate her sandwiches, and threw Chunky Chews and Barking Bites for the corgis.

After a few minutes she said, “Malcolm, excuse me for asking, but are you in fact one of these…um…collector mice you mentioned?”

“Oh no, ma’am. I hate collecting. It’s boring. I’m an explorer.”

“Ah, yes, indeed.” Her Majesty acquired a dreamy expression. “I’m a great admirer of explorers,” she murmured. “I’ve knighted quite a few in my time.”

Malcolm sucked in his breath. She’d reminded him of the ancient tales of King Arthur Mouse and his Knights of the Round Table. Visions of knighthood floated through Malcolm’s head. Knights were valiant. Honest. Loyal. Chivalrous.

“Have you heard of Sir Edmund Hillary?” asked the queen.

Malcolm’s head was still fizzing with dreams of glory and he could only shake his head.

“He was my favorite explorer,” continued the queen. “He was the first gentleman to climb to the top of the highest mountain in the world. Mount Everest.”

Malcolm gazed at the hills all around him. “Higher than these?”

“Oh, my goodness me, yes.” The queen chuckled. “Over twenty-six thousand feet high.”

Malcolm couldn’t imagine anything so lofty.

“However, Malcolm, we must return to the issue at hand.” Her Majesty brushed crumbs from her kilt. “Please clarify exactly how and why you ended up inside my handbag.”

Uh-oh. Of course, he’d had no intention of ending up in such a predicament, but how to explain it all in a nutshell? He could only try.

“When you baited the kitchen, ma’am, it was clear that all the house mice would be poisoned, or starve from lack of food.”

“That was the general idea, yes,” murmured the queen.

“The local hospital is already full of sick mice.”

“Hospital?” The queen looked perplexed.

“Dr. Dose is rushed off his paws.”

“Dr. Dose?” The queen looked even more perplexed.

“So I promised the house mice I would find them new access into the castle so they could continue collecting and therefore remain living on Mouse-Town Estates.”

“Did you succeed?”

“I did,” boasted Malcolm. “On the boundary of Mouse-Town Estates, I discovered a crevice leading into a hollow wall, which led into your wine cellar––”

“Oh, my goodness me, no,” the queen gasped in horror. “This will not do. Not do at all.”

“And from there I traveled in the dumbwaiter into your red dining room. From there to your bedroom, and I must confess it was your dogs who urged me to jump into your bag to get them treats.”

“This calls for drastic measures!”

Uh-oh. Malcolm realized he’d given the game away. Spilled the beans. No GREAT MOUSE EXPLORER worth his cheese would have been so loose-lipped.

“If I understand you correctly, Malcolm,” snapped the queen, “your intention is to inform the house mice of your discovery, which will result in my castle being overrun?”

“Will you stop me now?” Malcolm whispered. “Will you chop off my head?”

“I’m tempted, Malcolm.

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