Soon, the house came into view, & I picked up speed. Luckily for me, I reached the house & at the same instant I heard all at once: the sound of something smashing, a cat hissing & spitting & a cry of "YOU BLOODY CAT!". A split second later Mungo-

jerrie shot through the cat-flap, darted down the garden path…

…& careered right into me, knocking me off my feet & landing in a heap on top of me! Once I'd got over the shock of being knocked to the ground, I shoved him off me & and scrambled to my feet, then helped Mungojerrie to his & asked "So, what did you do this time, eh Mungojerrie?"

He scowled at me. "I didn't do nothin'! It was all that little brat's fault! The human boy decided that cats are toys, & grabbed my tail! So, I turned round & scratched 'im one! He started wailing & then, of all the sick things kids do, the little whatsit chased me all over the house! So, please tell me, how was it my fault that I was so busy trying to lose the little I didn't see the table with the china vase & bumped right into it?"

"So that was the CRASH I heard!"

Mungojerrie nodded dismally.

"Well," I sniffed indignantly ",it was in absolutely no way at all your fault, Mungojerrie! People are funny creatures. Look at me. The people at the Animal Shelter had me fixed!"

Mungojerrie winced, then fixed me with a funny stare & said, enquiringly "So, what brings you here, eh T.P.?"

Quickly I explained what was going on back at The Alley. "Munkustrap told me you'd be able help us! He said if any one knows Macavity's lair, you do!"

Mungo nodded. "Yeah, & I know Macavity just as well. He won't just give up his captives like that! He'll make us fight for 'em!"

I sighed, then said "We'd better get back to The Alley. Munkustrap'll be waiting for us!"

Mungo nodded, & we sprinted back to The Alley.

As soon as we got back, I knew our situation had got worse. Munkustrap was talking to Alonzo, a black & white tom, who was pacing up & down with a peeved, yet helpless look on his face. As we entered the alley, Alonzo stopped pacing, turned to Munkustrap & said "Well? What are we going to do about this mess? I mean, what if Macavity tries to seduce Cassie, or Exotica?"

I heard the gray tabby sigh with exasperation. "We'll set off after them as soon as Tumblepatch gets back with Mungojerrie."

Alonzo also sighed, & shook his head. Then he spotted me & Mungo, & nudged Munkustrap, who turned & ran over to us. "Thanks, Tumblepatch," he said to me then, turning to Mungojerrie he said ",OK, are you ready to go?"

Mungo nodded, then Munkustrap turned too me & told me Alonzo was going to stay behind, & if any-thing bad happened at Dark Street Alley, he guaranteed that someone would come back & fetch me, Alonzo & Admetus as stealth backup. I agreed readily, then crept over to where Rum & Misto were talking. They looked up as I came over, & Rum actually grinned at me. I reluctantly returned his grin with a weak smile, then said, with a slight quiver in my voice "Good luck! And please be careful!"

They nodded, then Munkustrap called them over to the group of waiting toms. Then, they set of to rescue our missing friends without a backward glance. Leaving us to wait. It wasn't, however an uneventful wait. Alonzo took charge of the situation, asking Pouncival & his friend Tumblebrutus to find Etcetera(Electra's best friend)& bring her to The Alley. They immedia-

tely nodded, but before they got a chance, Etcetera appeared on the old oven, eyes darting fearfully around her. When she spotted Alonzo, she leaped down from the oven & galloped up to him, tripping over her own feet & sliding to an uncontrolled stop, on all fours, at Alonzo's feet! Normally, everyone would've laughed, even Alonzo, but the expression on the poor kitten's face was not a laughing matter. She was panting hard, her breath coming in small, gasping sobs & she was shaking almost uncontrollably. Alonzo helped her up, then put an arm round her to calm her down. 'Poor thing,' I thought ',she must've had a real scare!' I only thought one word-Macavity! Meanwhile, Alonzo was speaking softly to the now-comforted Etcetera, asking her to tell him what happened. I crept up to see if my conclusion was right, & heard Etcetera say to Alonzo "Oh, Alonzo, I was so scared! I thought he was going to kill me!"

"Who?" enquired Alonzo, though I'm sure he already knew. Etcetera confirmed our thoughts by whimpering "Macavity!"

Alonzo nodded & I did likewise. Then Etcetera contin-

ued in a trembling voice "H-he-Macavity that is-sent me with a message!"

Alonzo was suddenly more alert than before & I was as well. Alonzo asked slowly, as if fearful of what Etcetera was going to say, "And, what, um, message was this?"

And then Etcetera gave us the dreadful news. "He said, that if we ever want to see our friends again, we'd have to be at Dark Street Alley with £5000 by 6pm tonight! If we don't, he'll kill them!"

Everyone gasped & then, at that exact moment, the signal we'd all been waiting for came. Plato & Mungojerrie came stumbling into the alley, & they didn't look too healthy. Plato was covered in scratches & Mungojerrie likewise, but with added bruises. I gasped when I saw them, noticing immediately that my 2 friends were not with them. Quickly, me & Alonzo rushed over to them & Alonzo cried "What on earth happened?"

Plato was completely unable to speak at all, but the also injured Mungojerrie managed to explain that they'd been ambushed.

"Understandable," said Alonzo in a shocked voice ",but how on earth did you get in that state?"

"We were bloody lucky," said Mungojerrie, with an extreme note of weariness in his voice ",we got caught, &, as you can see, received a good kickin'! Luckily for us, Macavity for some strange reason decided to let us go! Unfortunately, this was after we'd got a good kickin'!"

"Tell them what he told us," gasped Plato to Mungojerrie. Alonzo looked at Mungojerrie expectantly, who groaned wearily then gave Alonzo exactly the same message Etcetera gave us. Alonzo groaned. It looked like our situation was hopeless!