Chapter 4>

It was a few days later before Rumpelteazer allowed Electra to accompany her on another adventure. It wasn't what she had intended for once again, Electra had crept up upon her when she was well on her way to her own mischief.

This day, Rumpelteazer had her eye on a parked automobile in an alleyway. The shadows gave them perfect cover as they slipped into the halfway rolled-down window and into the large backseat which had the lovely aroma of sandwiches and chips in a lunch bag. They tore open the bag with glee and pulled it's contents into the floor board to eat. Rumpelteazer's back suddenly arched in alarm as the driverside door was opened and someone got in, he fired-up the engine with a rumbling sound that covered the noise of the cats in the back floor. Electra was truly frightened now. Rumpelteazer tried to calm her by saying that she and Mungojerrie had been in scrapes like this one before and that they would get home. But how? She wondered, herself.

It was already night by the time the car had stopped in a public square part of town. The cats escaped through the window they had entered. They scurried to a safe hiding place behind a call box before having a look around. There were many people about. It was a busy place. There were shops of all kinds, bakeries and gasp from Rumpelteazer a jewelry shop!

"If only Mungojerrie could see all of this." Rumpelteazer mused. "We'll wait until it settles down, then we'll stroll about and 'ave a look."

"No Rumpelteazer! We're already in very big trouble. We have to get back to the junkyard, right away.

Rumpelteazer looked back at the shops with sparkling eyes for the temptation was almost more than she could bare, then her eyes changed to disillusionment.

"Yeah, you're right, kitten. We go when this crowd does."

They patiently waited in their hiding place until all was calm, then moved-out at half-past eleven. They roamed unfamiliar streets full of unfamiliar sounds. They were leery of stray cats on the prowl and pollicle barking pests that might see them. Electra wished more than anything to be back in the yard with the other kittens even the ones she thought she wasn't found of.

"Teazer, this is scary business."

"Of course it is, 'at's the fun of it. Well, most of toime."

"I haven't told you why I really wanted to tag along have I?" Electra continued.

"I wanted to learn how to smash and grab to get the ball back from Pouncival. To prove to him… to prove to them all that I wasn't afraid. That I can do something when I put my mind to it, and I don't care what they think. Well, I guess I do. Rumpelteazer, is it strange for me to want Pouncival to like me? I mean he's such a scalawag, but he's also fun to watch. The way he makes me laugh when he doesn't know I see it."

They moved away from the sidewalk to avoid a lamppost ahead.

"Sometimes, ya gotta take the good with bad. Oi don't think you would've taken a loiking to 'im if 'e hadn't shown some sign of loiking you first."

"Hey, you know you're right." Electra perked-up. "I remember now. He did talk to me alone one stormy afternoon. He's been getting on my nerves every since."

Rumpelteazer let out a laugh, the first time she had really laughed that way since her last adventure with Mungojerrie. They broke into a run so as not get caught by it.

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At that same time, many neighborhoods away in the city, close to the shore of the foggy Thames river. Three cats were put onto alert! After many days of patient watching, they had spotted Macavity at his new lair. He was accompanied by a fluffy white queen known and mistrusted by most Jellicles as Griddlebone. She did not appear to have any regard for the hencecats that surround them as they entered the seemingly vacant garage across the street. Alonzo temporarily left Mungojerrie and Coricopat to report to Munkustrap of what they had seen. When he reached the junkyard very late in the night., only Rum Tum Tugger and a very beautiful tall red, black and white queen named Bombalurina were on watch. They cooed to each other without a care as they heard a cat approach in the darkness but sat up straight when they realized that it was Alonzo.

"Alonzo, why have you returned now, are the others okay?" Bombalurina asked as she noticed that his arm was wrapped-up in some sort of brace.

"Macavity has finally appeared. He has Griddlebone with him and they appear to have settled in the garage that we have been watching."

"Did she have her tail stuck up in the air as usual?" Tugger asked sarcastically.

Bombalurina elbowed him in the ribs.

"Watch it, pet." He warned lightly as he stopped to observe his well groomed paws.

Alonzo shook his head with impatience.

"Where is Munkustrap?"

"He's gone with Plato and Quaxo Mistoffelees to look for Rumpelteazer and Electra who have been missing since yesterday." Bombalurina explained.

"They are? There's no time to waste, I'm going after them myself."

"Which cats?" Bombalurina stood up.

"Anyone I can find first."

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" She truly wanted to do something.

"Stay here and keep watch, let Cassandra know that I have returned." He ordered as he went forward.