Freddy and the Perilous Adventure by Walter R. Brooks Page A

looking up hopefully at the kitchen door. Every now and then he would give a very piteous meroooow .
    Pretty soon Mrs. Bean came and looked out. “I know what you’re up to, you villain,” she said. “But you’ve had your dinner, and there isn’t any more for you.”
    â€œGive him something to eat, Mrs. B.,” came Mr. Bean’s voice from the stable.
    â€œHe’s had his dinner,” said Mrs. Bean, “and if I let him coax me into giving him more, he’ll be teasing me all afternoon.” And she smiled at Jinx and went back into the house.
    â€œ Merooow ,” said Jinx.
    â€œ Meroooooow .”
    â€œ Meroooooooooow !”
    â€œOh, good land !” exclaimed Mr. Bean, coming out of the stable. “Stop that bellering. I’d rather feed you ten meals a day than have to listen to that.”
    â€œ Merow-row? ” said Jinx.
    Mr. Bean bent down and scratched his ears, then picked up the saucer and went into the house. And as soon as he had disappeared, Freddy jammed the silk hat down on his head and bolted out through the barnyard. He crossed the meadow, and was safe behind the fence below the pasture when Mr. Bean came out again. Then when Mr. Bean had put down the saucer of food before Jinx, and had gone back into the stable, he went on up towards the woods.
    At the edge of the woods he waited for Jinx. He had to wait a long time, but at last the cat came.
    â€œYou might have hurried a little,” he said.
    â€œChicken gravy,” said the cat, licking his lips reflectively. “I will say this for Mr. Bean: he’s no hand to pet his animals, but when he feeds ’em he feeds ’em.”
    They went on up through the woods. It was pretty hot, and Freddy had to sit down several times and cool off. The mice in his pockets kept wriggling around, and pulling themselves up and trying to see out; and every time they wriggled Freddy wriggled too, for they tickled. And at last he said: “You boys come out of there and get up on the brim of my hat. It’s bad enough being tickled any time, but when you’re hot and sticky, it’s awful.” So they did.
    They came to the rim of the valley and started down across the fields towards the road. And they had almost reached it when up the road they heard a Brrrrrr , and saw two dots which got bigger and bigger and—“Get down in the grass, Jinx,” said Freddy sharply, and he lifted his arms and held them out stiffly and stood motionless.
    The two troopers came buzzing along on their motorcycles, but when they saw Freddy they stopped.
    â€œFunny thing,” said Bill, “but that looks like that scarecrow over at Beans’.”
    â€œFunny to see two with such grand clothes,” said Wes. “Folks must have been pretty dressy around here in the old days.”
    Bill started to walk over for a closer look, but there was a deep ditch with water in it between him and the field, and he stopped.
    â€œYou know,” said Wes, “to me a plug hat is like a red rag to a bull. When I was a kid—”
    â€œBet you a quarter I can knock it off first,” said Bill, picking up a rock.
    â€œYour first shot,” said Wes.
    But just as Bill raised his arm, he dropped it again and said: “Hey!” in a startled voice. For Eek and Quik and Eeny and Cousin Augustus had jumped off the hat brim into the grass.
    â€œLooked like mice,” said Wes. “What do you suppose—”
    â€œLet’s go over and see,” said Bill.
    Freddy knew that something had to be done, and done quickly. So all at once he dropped his arms. “Don’t you come over here!” he shouted. “Don’t you come near this place.”
    â€œDoggone!” said Bill. “It’s alive!”
    â€œWho are you, and what are you doing there?” demanded Wes in his most official voice.
    â€œI’m out here makin’ my livin’, that’s what