She closed the door. She bent down and picked me up and hugged me. “Oh my darling!” she cried. “Thank heavens you’re safe!” She took the little bottle from me and read the label aloud. ” ‘Formula 86 Delayed Action Mouse-Maker!’ ” she read. ” ‘This bottle contains five hundred doses!’ You brilliant darling boy! You’re a wonder! You’re a marvel! How on earth did you get out of her room?”
“I nipped out when the ancient witches were coming in,” I told her. “It was all a bit hairy, Grandmamma. I wouldn’t want to do it again.”
“I saw her too!” my grandmother said.
“I know you did, Grandmamma. I heard you talking to each other. Didn’t you think she was absolutely foul?”
“She’s a murderer,” my grandmother said. “She’s the most evil woman in the entire world!”
“Did you see her mask?” I asked.
“It’s amazing,” my grandmother said. “It looks just like a real face. Even though I knew it was a mask, I still couldn’t tell. Oh, my darling!” she cried, giving me a hug. “I thought I’d nearer see you again! I’m so happy you got away!”
Mr and Mrs Jenkins Meet Bruno
My grandmother carried me back into her own bedroom and put me on the table. She set the precious bottle down beside me. “What time are those witches having supper in the Dining Room?” she asked.
“Eight o’clock,” I said.
She looked at her watch. “It is now ten-past six,” she said. “We’ve got until eight o’clock to work out our next move.” Suddenly, her eye fell upon Bruno. He was still in the banana bowl on the table. He had eaten three bananas and was now attacking a fourth. He had become immensely fat.
“That’s quite enough,” my grandmother said, lifting him out of the bowl and putting him on the table-top. “I think it’s time we returned this little fellow to the bosom of his family. Don’t you agree, Bruno?”
Bruno scowled at her. I had never seen a mouse scowl before, but he managed it. “My parents let me eat as much as I want,” he said. “I’d rather be with them than with you.”
“Of course you would,” my grandmother said. “Do you know where your parents might be at this moment?”
“They were in the Lounge not long ago,” I said “I saw them sitting there as we dashed through on our way up here.”
“Right,” my grandmother said. “Let’s go and see if they are still there. Do you want to come along?” she added, looking at me.
“Yes, please,” I said.
“I shall put you both in my handbag,” she said “Keep quiet and stay out of sight. If you must peep out now and again, don’t show more than your nose.”
Her handbag was a large bulgy black-leather affair with a tortoise-shell clasp. She picked up Bruno and me and popped us into it. “I shall leave the clasp undone,” she said. “But be sure to keep out of sight.”
I had no intention of keeping out of sight. I wanted to see everything. I seated myself in a little side-pocket inside the bag, near the clasp, and from there I was able to poke my head out whenever I wanted to.
“Hey!” Bruno called out. “Give me the rest of that banana I was eating.”
“Oh all right,” my grandmother said. “Anything to keep you quiet.” She dropped the half-eaten banana into the bag, then slung the bag over her arm and marched out of the room and went thumping along the corridor with her walking stick.
We went down in the lift to the ground floor and made our way through the Reading-Room to the Lounge. And there, sure enough, sat Mr and Mrs Jenkins in a couple of armchairs with a low round glass-covered table between them. There were several other groups in there as well, but the Jenkinses were the only couple sitting alone. Mr Jenkins was reading a newspaper. Mrs Jenkins was knitting something large and mustard-coloured. Only my nose and eyes were above the clasp of my grandmother’s handbag, but I had a super view. I could see everything.