Freddy and the Perilous Adventure by Walter R. Brooks

it.”
    â€œLike you borrowed that balloon, I bet,” said the cat. “Golly, you certainly got yourself into a real mess this time.”
    â€œI didn’t steal the balloon either,” said Freddy. “But there’s no time to explain now. Listen, I’ve got to get out of here without being seen, and I want your help.”
    â€œThought you wanted me to meet you tonight,” said the cat. “Sanford said—”
    â€œThat’s off now,” said Freddy. “Got a better plan. Go get those mice over here. Tell ’em to bring their parachutes. And then you get Mr. Bean out of the way until I get started. He’s in the stable, and he mustn’t see me.”
    â€œO.K.,” said Jinx. “But where you off to?”
    â€œIt’s an adventure,” said Freddy. “Tell you afterwards.”
    â€œWhy don’t I go with you then?”
    â€œOh, I don’t know; it’s kind of dangerous. I guess I can handle it better alone.” Freddy very much wanted Jinx to go with him, but he knew that the surest way to get him was to pretend that he didn’t. That’s a cat all over. Let him think you don’t want him to do something, and he’s crazy to do it.
    â€œOh, come on, Freddy. You wouldn’t leave me out, would you? Your old pal, that’s stood at your side on a hundred battlefields? Jinx, the old tried and true, whom you know you can count on to the last whisker and toenail? Back to back, and bare teeth and claws, and bring on your lions and tigers! Eh, Freddy?—that’s the old Bean spirit; that’s the—”
    â€œOh, all right,” said Freddy. “Anything so I don’t have to listen to a pep talk.”
    â€œYow!” Jinx yelled delightedly, and dashed out of the barn.
    A few minutes later, the four mice—Eek and Quik and Eeny and Cousin Augustus—came running in. They dropped their parachutes, which they had been carrying in their mouths, and all began talking at once. “What’s up, Freddy? What goes on? You going to give a show?”
    â€œHow’d you boys like to take a real parachute jump? From a balloon a mile high?”
    â€œA real jump? Oh boy, what a chance! You bet! From a real, big balloon? Would we like it! Would we … Would …” They were suddenly silent.
    â€œHow far up, did you say?” asked Quik, in a voice which was small, even for a mouse.
    â€œWell, maybe not a mile,” said Freddy. “But good and high. My gracious, you don’t mean to say you’re scared ?”
    â€œNo,” said Eeny. “No-o-o. Not scared, exactly. Only—well, our aunt, you know—she lives over in Centerboro, and she—well, maybe she wouldn’t approve.”
    â€œShe’s got funny ideas, you know Freddy,” said Eek. “She doesn’t like us to do things that are—sort of—showing off.”
    â€œNot-dignified things,” said Cousin Augustus.
    â€œListen,” said Freddy; “you haven’t heard from your aunt in five years, and anyway, if I remember right she used to do slack-wire walking when she was younger, and if that isn’t showing off … But of course, if you want to turn down a fine opportunity to win fame and fortune, it’s nothing to me. Ducks go up in balloons, pigs go up in balloons, but mice—no, no; they’re too scared. What Mr. Bean’ll say … But there; forget it, boys. I’ll get some rabbits.”
    The mice looked at one another. “Rabbits!” said Quik, then he jerked his head, and they all picked up their parachutes. “When do we start, Freddy?”
    â€œThat’s the spirit,” said the pig. “Get into my pockets, and I’ll tell you more as we go along.”
    He looked cautiously out of the barn door. He had heard Jinx crying for some time, and now he saw that the cat was standing by his empty saucer on the back porch, and