Showdown in Crittertown Read Online Free Page B

grunted, “Put it facedown on the glass.”
    I looked from him to the paper and grunted back, “With what?” I thought of Nilla napping in her nest. We should have woken her. Clearly this was a three-mouse job!
    But Grayson doesn’t give up. He stretched a foot toward the page. I stretched out a foot also. Between the two of us, we managed to turn the sheet over and center it on the glass.
    My paws ached from holding the lid over our heads. It reminded me of a trap! I dreaded getting squashed under it and being photographed dozens of times while the life leaked out of me.

    As soon as we released the lid, it fell with an awful bang. We froze, but no one heard the noise.
    Grayson tapped the “copy” key. Nothing happened.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” I asked.
    Grayson shrugged. “I don’t know!” He jumped on the key with both feet. Suddenly, we heard the familiar whirr and saw the bright light flash under the glass.
    â€œCover your eyes!” I squeaked, putting my paws over my face. I peeked through my fingers and saw Grayson staring into the light.
    â€œWe did it!” he exclaimed as a sheet of paper oozed onto the tray. “Now for twenty more!” Grayson tapped the number keys. “Do you think twenty is enough?”
    Nilla would’ve tried to do the math: twelve invitations on each page times twenty copies. Instead, I looked at the stack and said, “Let’s get these on their way. We can always make more.”
    We were halfway to the door when I shouted, “The original is still on the glass!” We scrambled back to retrieve it. With my heart pounding with panic, I wondered what Mike would think if he found our invitations.
    Back in the basement, the Critter Post recruits helped Grayson, Nilla, and me chew the big pages into single invitations. Then we rolled up each one with string to tie around a mail carrier’s neck.
    Nilla scolded. “I can’t believe you didn’t wake me!”
    Grayson shrugged. “What’s that human expression—‘you snooze, you lose’?”
    Nilla got so mad that she chewed right into an invitation. Grayson laughed.
    All the Critter Post carriers were eager to help with this special delivery. Birds, chipmunks, and squirrels spread the word around town so fast that I could hardly believe it!
    Before the school day was over, pinecones and other craft supplies started pouring in. Birds brought old feathers, certain that “the children can think of a use for them.”
    Some generous squirrels even parted with acorns. Not Rusty, of course. He still thought the whole campaign was “pure foolishness.”
    I couldn’t wait to share the good news with the kids. But Buttercup was late!
    Grayson grumbled, “Where is that silly dog?”
    â€œI see him!” Nilla squeaked.
    â€œWhat’s that behind him?” Grayson asked.
    The Lab pulled something large and red. Grayson and I recognized it at the same time. We squeaked in unison, “A wagon!”

    Buttercup tugged the wagon’s handle and stumbled around its bulk.
    I said, “No wonder he’s late.”
    Buttercup dropped the handle long enough to bark, “Sorry I’m late.” Then he bumbled toward us again. When he reached the post office, Buttercup explained, “Chitchat told me about all the supplies. So I figured I better bring the wagon.” Then he added, “The children make it look easy to pull. But it’s hard!”
    By the time the wagon was loaded, we were so late that Jill and Bill came to us.
    â€œThere you are!” Bill exclaimed.
    Jill added, “We were starting to worry!”
    Then they saw the wagon heaped with pinecones, balsam boughs, acorns, and more. With the twins’ help, we soon reached April’s garage.
    The kids were amazed at all the supplies the Crittertown critters had already gathered. Tanya declared, “This is going to be