Anton and Cecil, Book 2 by Lisa Martin Page B

said Cecil, ignoring Willy. Anton stepped back and Cecil studied the latch for a moment before placing his paw on one end. The latch was just a metal bar that dropped into an open slot. “If we let you out, will you be polite?” he asked Willy.
    â€œLet me out?” cried Willy, looking from Cecil to Anton and back. “Can you really do that? I’d be crazy with gratitude!” He did a couple of quick spins in the crate.
    Cecil slid his paw down to the far end of the bar and pressed. It lifted with a clink and the door swung open. “There you go,” he said.
    Willy was awestruck. For a moment all he could do was drop his mouth open and roll his bulgy eyes. But as Cecil pushed the door away, he hurtled out of the cage into the wide-open space of the carriage.
    â€œYou did it,” he barked. “You did it. I’m free.” He ran with abandon, up one side of the car and down the other. “I love cats!” he shouted. “Cats are great!”
    Anton and Cecil watched him, smiling smugly at each other. The chuffing noise had settled into a deep snore and they could see the scenery passing by, speeding up now as the train left the bustling city behind. Willy continued racing up and down.
    â€œDogs are weird,” Cecil said.
    Willy made a few more wild circuits and then slowed to a trot. He went to the water bowl the man had left for the cats and lapped up half of it.
    â€œThis is the way to travel,” he said, approaching Anton and Cecil. He stretched his front legs down and raised his back legs, snuffling gleefully. He had a silly, curly tail that quivered in the air. Then he sat down with a grunt and addressed the brothers. “I am now prepared to entertain any questions you cats may have about train travel. I can also enlighten you about the many interesting characters and places you may encounter on your journey.”
    â€œI thought you didn’t want to go,” said Cecil.

    Willy chuckled. “I just hate that box and I always protest injustice in the strongest possible terms. I actually look forward to my destination, which is the family home of my young mistress, who is traveling in one of the other carriages.” He lifted one back foot and scratched at his ear. “In the winter we live in the city, which has its charms, but in the summer I spend my time in the open and come and go as I please.”
    â€œWhat is the open like?” Anton asked.
    â€œVery open,” Willy replied.
    Cecil groaned. “I’m unenlightened,” he said.
    â€œAre there no buildings?” Anton asked. “Are there no trees?”
    â€œNear the house there are trees and a road. But beyond that it’s all tall grass, taller than any of us, waving and rustling like water, as far as you can see in any direction. An ocean of swaying golden grass. That’s the open. One can scare up all sorts of little frightened creatures that live in holes.”
    â€œMice?” Cecil said.
    â€œSome are mouse-like. Some are furry and chatter a lot. There are turtles, which can bite. I avoid those. Little snakes. I’ve caught a few of those. And there are all manner of large creatures as well.”
    â€œLike horses?”
    â€œHorses are generally kept inside fences. But in the open there are animals with hooves, smaller than horses, some with horns growing out of their heads. They run away when approached. There are also animals that resemble dogs but are not exactly dogs. I’ve never met one, nor do I hope to, as they are large and travel in groups making a great deal of noise, especially at night, when they howl in a most unseemly way.”
    â€œHow do you know they’re not dogs?” Cecil asked. In his view there was too much variety among animals called dogs, some big, some tiny, and all manner of noses and tails. But presumably dogs knew dogs when they saw them.
    â€œWell, for one thing they live in the open, and run wild all the