When Minnie returned home after her shopping trip with Clarabelle and Daisy, she found a huge bouquet of pink roses at her doorstep.
"Now who could have sent these?" she asked, picking up the flowers. She found the card, and looked at it.
"Just a little something to brighten your day," she read aloud. "Sincerely, Mortimer. Hmmm. Well, that was awfully nice of him. And a bit . . . . out of character . . . . oh well."
Minnie brought the flowers inside, and put them in a vase. Then she went into the kitchen, took two bowls out, and then rummaged around the cabinets for the cat food, and dog food she bought a couple of days ago.
"Pluto! Figaro!" she called. "Lunch time! Come and get it!"
There wasn't any answer. At first, Minnie figured they had just went out via the pet door, and were wandering around outside somewhere. She went to put the food on the floor for them, when she noticed the food she had given them the day before was untouched.
"This is odd," she said. "I wonder where those two are?"
Minnie went out to her back porch and looked around. Pluto and Figaro weren't there in the yard.
"Pluto! Figaro!" she called out. "Now where could they be?"
Minnie began a search of her house, looking from top to bottom, trying to find her four-legged friends, but she wasn't having much luck. As she was searching, her doorbell rang.
"Now who could that be?" she asked. When she opened the door, she found Mortimer standing there.
"Hiya, Minnie," he said. "Didja get the flowers I sent?"
"Yes, Mortimer," Minnie said. "That was very nice of you, but I can't talk right now."
"What's the matter?"
"I can't find Pluto or Figaro anywhere. They must be around here somewhere . . . ."
"Aw, I'm sure they'll show up sooner or later. Right now, let's talk about us!"
"Let's not and say we did, Mortimer. Now if you'll excuse me . . . ."
Minnie started to close the door, but before she could, Goofy came running up holding a newspaper.
"Minnie!" he shouted. "Did you see the news? Mickey's escaped from prison!"
"What?!" Minnie shouted, grabbing the newspaper. "Oh no, Mickey's a fugitive!"
"Gawrsh, does that mean he's going to go after the one-armed man?" Goofy asked.
"Let me see that!" Mortimer shouted, grabbing the paper away from Minnie, and then he began skimming the article.
"Oh no, this is a disaster! A calamity! A catastrophe!" he shouted.
"Yeah, and it's bad, too," Goofy said.
"You said it," Mortimer said. "Gotta go, Minnie! We'll talk later, bye!"
And with that, Mortimer dashed out of Minnie's house as fast as he possibly could. Minnie and Goofy looked after him, oddly.
"Gawrsh, what's the matter with him?" Goofy asked.
"I don't have the slightest idea," Minnie said. "Come on, Goofy. Help me look for Pluto and Figaro."
Mortimer ran inside his house and dashed upstairs to his bedroom. He practically tore apart his bureau until he unearthed the emerald.
"Wake up, Chernoberus!" he shouted. "We've got a problem!"
"What do you mean?" Chernoberus asked, as his image projected from the emerald.
"Mick's escaped from the big house. And I'll bet the first thing he's gonna do is go after the duck. Try to prove he's innocent!"
"I don't know why you're so worried. In order to get to the castle, he has to go through No Man's Land. Nobody's ever survived No Man's Land, after all."
"Yeah, that's true . . . . but what if Mickey finds the castle?"
"Stop worrying so much, Mortimer. It's called No Man's Land for a reason, you know."
"I got news for you, Cherno. Mickey's not a man. He's a mouse!"
"Stop worrying! I assure you, Mickey Mouse will not get out of No Man's Land."
Mortimer sighed, and flopped down on his bed. He needed to think about what to do next in order to win Minnie over.
Meanwhile, Mickey, Pluto, and Figaro had reached the castle in question. Finally, Pluto managed to pick up Donald's scent.
"Atta boy, Pluto!" Mickey shouted. "Let's go!"
The trio ventured into the creepy old castle, and looked around. There were cobwebs everywhere, and the only light was coming from torches on the wall.
"Somehow, this doesn't surprise me," Mickey said, looking around.
Pluto whimpered, but continued sniffing. He led Mickey and Figaro down several staircases. They reached a doorway at the very bottom, and heard a moan.
"What was that?" Mickey asked, nervously.
The trio heard another moan, and looked in the direction it was coming from. They crept toward the source, and approached a cell. Once they got close enough, they saw what was making that moaning noise, and Mickey gasped.
"Donald!" he shouted.
It definitely was Donald, though he didn't look very well. He was slumped against the wall he was chained to, and he looked half starved. Mickey held Figaro up to the cell door, and the kitten used a claw to unlock it. Then, he, Mickey, and Pluto ran into the cell, and Pluto used his tail to unlock the chains around Donald's wrists.
"Boy, Donald, am I glad to see you!" Mickey shouted, untying the rope around Donald's bill. The minute they got Donald free, the duck groaned, and fell forward, crashing to the floor, face first.
"Omigosh!" Mickey shouted. He grabbed Donald by the shoulders, and pulled him up. "Donald! Donald, ol' buddy, ol' pal! Speak to me! Say something!"
"Unnngghhh . . . ." Donald said, straining. "Some . . . . thing."
And with that, Donald passed out again. Mickey positioned the duck's arm around his shoulders, and pulled him up to his feet.
"We've gotta get you outta here, pal," he said.
Mickey began to slowly make his way toward the staircase. Pluto whimpered, and positioned himself underneath Donald's other arm, in order to help Mickey balance him. Figaro jumped onto Pluto's back. There really wasn't anything else he could do, anyway. Once our heroes were out of the castle, Mickey propped Donald against a tree, pulled a canteen out of his backpack, opened it, and held it to Donald's mouth, pouring the contents down his throat. Donald suddenly choked, and began coughing.
"Steady there, Donald, steady," Mickey said.
"Oooohhh, my head . . . ." Donald groaned. "Where am I?"
"It's okay, Donald. You're somewhere safe. You okay, pal?"
"Yeah . . . . I think so."
"Boy, am I glad I found you! Everyone thinks you're dead! And the worst part of it is, everyone thinks I killed you!"
"What?! Everyone thinks you killed me?!"
Donald stared at Mickey wide-eyed in disbelief, and then he began to chuckle. His chuckling then built up to hysterical laughter. Donald actually began rolling on the ground, he was laughing so hard. Mickey wasn't amused.
"I don't think it's so funny," he said. "My reputation's shot!"
"No, no, it's not that," Donald said, trying to control himself. "It's just . . . . how can anyone believe Mickey Mouse would murder someone?"
"I don't know how it happened, but there was videographic evidence. But just wait until we get back home. Then, everyone will see that you're alive!"
Donald stood up, and nearly fell flat on his face again, but Mickey caught him before he could hit.
"Thanks, pal," he said.
"I hope you'll be able to make it back," Mickey said. "You must've been locked up in there for at least a week."
Donald didn't answer. He had no idea how long he had been in that dungeon. He had lost track of time. Mickey put Donald's arm around his shoulders again, and helped him along the path, followed by Pluto and Figaro.