Atticus Claw Lends a Paw by Jennifer Gray

Toffly Hall and get the Tuckers. Mrs Tucker will have to find out sooner or later about the laboratory. We’ll tell Dad in the morning.’

    ‘This is all your fault, Herman.’
    A little while later, in the grounds of Toffly Hall, Mrs Cheddar, Mr and Mrs Tucker, Michael, Callie and Mimi crept along the path through the trees towards the lake. The moon was bright so the humans could just about make out where they were going, although the canopy of branchesmade everything dark and shadowy. Mimi had no problem: cats can see in the dark.
    Mrs Tucker was cross. ‘You should have told me what you were up to, you old roach!’ she said.
    ‘My fault?!’ Mr Tucker spluttered. ‘I ain’t the one flying about stealing people’s notebooks. It’s them magpies youze should be complaining about.’
    Mrs Tucker ignored him. ‘Goodness knows what’s going to happen now.’ She shivered. ‘I’ve had a bad feeling about this cat pharaoh business from the very beginning.’
    ‘Atticus?’ Mrs Cheddar called. ‘Atticus!’
    ‘He can’t have gone faaarrr!’ Mr Tucker grumbled. His wooden leg kept getting stuck down rabbit holes. ‘I mean, he can’t row a boat, and he’s not going to swim to the island, is he? He hates water.’
    ‘You sure about that, Herman?’ Mrs Tucker snapped. ‘Atticus seems to be able to do most things.’
    They reached the lake. It was black, like ink.
    There was no sign of Atticus.
    ‘Now what do we do?’ Mrs Cheddar said.
    Mrs Tucker pulled out a pair of night-vision binoculars from her basket. She peered through them.
    ‘I knew it!’ she whispered. She handed them to Michael.
    Michael gasped. There, in the middle of the lake, crouched on a log, was Atticus. He was paddling towards the island with his front paws.
    ‘Let me see!’ Callie grabbed the binoculars.
    It was Mrs Cheddar’s turn after that. Then Mr Tucker’s.
    ‘Will you look at that!’ he whistled. ‘Youze got to admit, that cat’s got claaasss. He can crew me boat any day.’
    ‘Come on,’ Mrs Tucker said. ‘He’s going to need some help if those magpies come back. Especially if Klob and Biscuit are with them.’
    They jumped into the rowing boat. Mr Tucker clambered in after them and took the oars. Soon they were skimming swiftly across the lake.
    They landed at the jetty.
    Wet paw prints on the wooden planks told them Atticus was just ahead.
    ‘Atticus!’ Callie hissed. ‘Atticus!’
    ‘It’s no good,’ said Mrs Tucker. ‘He can’t hear you. And even if he could, I’m not sure he’d listen.’
    They hurried along the mossy path to the crypt. Mr Tucker led the way with the torch. He parted the branches to reveal Howard Toffly’s burial place.
    ‘Holy coley!’ Mrs Tucker breathed when she saw the pyramid.
    Mr Tucker pushed open the door. ‘Wait, while I get me generator working,’ he said.
    POOOOOOOFFF!
    Light flooded the laboratory.
    Mrs Tucker let out a snort of disapproval when she saw Mr Tucker’s experiments.
    ‘Look!’ Michael cried.
    The padlock to the second chamber lay on the floor where Atticus had picked it open with his claws. The door creaked on its rusty hinges.
    ‘Come on!’
    ‘What about the curse?’ Callie whispered.
    ‘If Atticus isn’t worried about it then neither am I,’ Michael said bravely. He grabbed the torch and made for the door.
    ‘Nor me!’ Callie followed him. She crossed herfingers behind her back.
    ‘Me neither!’ Mrs Cheddar said a little prayer. She scooped up Mimi.
    ‘This is the best fun I’ve had since me beard-jumper got chopped.’ Mr Tucker collected some more torches from his supplies and clanked after them. ‘Sorry about the experiments, Edna,’ he added. ‘Are youze coming?’
    ‘Bring it on!’ Mrs Tucker swung her basket. ‘If that cat pharaoh does anything to Atticus, he’ll have me to answer to. Besides, I won’t let Klob get her hands on that book. Let’s go.’

9
    ‘Howard Toffly’s coffin,’ Michael whispered.
    They were in a