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A few minutes later, the three mice arrived at 221 ½ Baker Street. Dawson knocked and the housekeeper opened the door. Her arms were full of books, blankets, and pillows, as well as a teacup and medieval mace.
Dawson removed his hat and said, "Good evening, madam. Is this the residence of Basil of Baker Street?"
"I'm afraid it is," the housekeeper confirmed. "He's not here at the moment, but you and the miss are welcome to come in and wait."
"Oh no," Veronica said. "We don't want to impose. It's just the girl…"
She gestured to her side, only to find that the girl wasn't beside her, before Dawson, Veronica, and the housekeeper looked inside and found that the girl was already inside, eagerly examining a magnifying glass.
"Oh my," the housekeeper exclaimed, thrusting her load into Dawson's arms and rushing to the little girl's side. "You poor dear! You must be chilled to the bone!" She took off the girl's hat and wrung it dry, and then removed her scarf. "But I know just the thing. Let me fetch a pot of tea and some of my fresh cheese crumpets!"
The housekeeper then hurried off into the kitchen. The little girl looked around the room in awe and Veronica couldn't help but look also, as they saw a small propeller operating a bellow, attached to several cigarettes and a pipe, which were puffing, along with four different pairs of shoes being turned in a circular motion, first being brushed with black paint and then setting a print on a stack of paper.
Never thought I'd actually live to see the day that I'd step foot in Basil's house, Veronica thought.
Dawson was beginning to hang up his coat, but then heard a voice coming from outside the door.
"Aha! The villain's slipped this time! I shall have him!"
The door burst open to reveal a large mouse dressed in a Chinese robe, smiling triumphantly with a gun in his hand, scaring Dawson, as well as Veronica, who was about to go for the dagger she kept hidden beneath her skirt.
The mouse rushed past them towards one of the many tables, yelling, "Out of my way! Out of my way!"
"I say, who-" Dawson began, but cut himself off, as the mouse's hat was thrown, landing directly on his own head, before he took it off. "Who are you?"
"What?" The mouse said, as he turned to Dawson and Veronica. "Oh!" He reached up and pulled off the mask, which revealed a face that Veronica knew all too well. "Basil of Baker Street, my good fellow," Basil said, smiling at Dawson's confused look.
He pulled a tab on his robe, allowing air to escape to reveal his slender form, surprising Dawson even more, while the little girl, on the other hand, was relieved to see him.
"Mr. Basil!" The little girl said. "I need your help, and I-"
But Basil wasn't listening to her, as he put on his house robe and tossed a dart over his shoulder, scoring a direct bulls-eye, much to Veronica's surprise, as he said, "All in good time."
"But-but you don't understand," The little girl said. "I'm in terrible trouble."
"If you'll excuse me," Basil said, as he walked by.
"Here, now, now," Dawson said. "Now, see here!" Basil rushed by the three of them, before Dawson began, "This young lady is in need of assistance, I think you ought-"
Basil handed him his gun and said, "Will you hold this, please, Doctor?"
"Of course," Dawson said, not even realizing what he was holding, until he pointed at his head, and then nervously held it out at arm's length until Basil retrieved it from him. "Ah, wait just a moment," Dawson said, registering what he'd heard Basil call him. "How the deuce did you know I was a doctor?"
Basil picked up a bullet and placed it in the gun, as he said, "A surgeon, to be exact. Just returned from military duty in Afghanistan. Am I right?"
"Why," Dawson said, with a chuckle. "Oh, yes. Major David Q. Dawson. But how could you possibly-"
"Quite simple, really," Basil said, as he held up Dawson's arm to reveal a stitch mark on his jacket. "You've sewn your torn cuff together with the Lembert stitch, which, of course, only a surgeon uses." He gathered up some pillows, as he continued, "And the thread is a unique form of catgut distinguished by its-" here, he leaned over and whispered to the little girl and Veronica, "Peculiar pungency," leaving both girls to look at each other, confusion written all over their faces, as he continued, "And found only in Afghan provinces."
One by one, Basil tossed three pillows at Dawson, who held them against his body, his face mostly covered.
"Amazing," Dawson said.
"Actually…it's elementary, my dear Dawson," Basil said, before he spun the revolver and aimed at the pillows.
Dawson looked around in panic, before he frantically flung the pillows onto an armchair and Basil calmly readjusted his aim to the armchair. Dawson quickly dove for cover behind the opposite chair, and quickly pulled the little girl behind the chair, followed by Veronica. The gun went off and pillow feathers flew everywhere, as the three mice cautiously peeked out. The commotion brought the housekeeper out.
"What in heaven's name?" The housekeeper said, before she said, "Oh! Oh! My-" She spat out several feathers, as she said, "My good pillows!" She glared angrily at Basil, who was kneeling on the chair, tossing the feathers aside. "Mr. Basil!" She said, as she spat out more feathers. "How many times have I told you-"
"There, there, Mrs. Judson," Basil said, "it's quite alright. I believe I smell some of those delightful cheese crumpets of yours." He began to push her towards the kitchen, as he said, "Why don't you fetch our guests some?"
"But-" She began to protest, but Basil gently closed the door.
"Now…" He said, getting on the floor to search for the bullet. "I know that bullet's here somewhere-" But then, he noticed the little girl had found it and was holding it for him. He took it and said, "Thank you, Miss…"
"Flaversham," the little girl said. "Olivia Flaversham."
Basil got up, unaware that he was standing near Veronica, until he looked up and saw her upper chest area, before he looked up to see Veronica.
"And you are…?" He asked.
"Veronica," Veronica replied. "Friends call me 'Ronnie,' 'cept they would if I had any."
"Whatever," Basil said in distraction, as he got up.
"Yes, but you don't understand," Olivia began.
But Basil shushed her, as he opened a small box and pulled out another bullet. Taking the one he just fired, he put both bullets under a microscope to compare their markings.
"Yeah…yes…" Basil said, as he examined the markings. So far, they matched, until the markings went off in separate directions, making Basil yell, "Noo! Drat!" He looked sad, as he said, "Another dead end." He tossed the extra bullet aside and slowly walked over to his chair, as he added, "He was within my grasp."
He flopped into his chair and slowly reached for a violin and began playing. As he did, Dawson nudged Olivia, giving her the okay to try and tell Basil about her problem, and she walked towards him.
"Now, will you please listen to me?" Olivia said. "My daddy's gone and I'm all alone."
Basil stopped playing and said, "Young lady, this is a most inopportune time." He resumed, playing, but, after seeing her sad face, he said, "Surely your mother here knows where he is."
"I'm not her mother," Veronica said, realizing Basil was thinking that she was Olivia's mother.
Olivia nodded, as she said, "I-I don't have a mother."
Basil screeched the violin, as he abruptly sat up.
"Well…um…well, then perhaps…" Basil said, before he said, firmly, "See here! I simply have no time for lost fathers."
He turned away and Olivia said, "I didn't lose him. He was taken, by a bat."
That caught Basil's attention, as well as Veronica's.
"Did you say…bat?" asked Basil.
"Yes…" Olivia said.
"Did he have a crippled wing?" Basil asked her.
"I don't know," Olivia said. "But he had a peg leg!"
"Ha!" Basil said.
"I say, do you know him?" Dawson asked.
"Know him?" Basil said, sitting on top of his chair. "That bat, one Fidget by name, is in the employ of the fiend, who was the very target of my experiment! The horror of my every waking moment. The nefarious Professor Ratigan!"
He pointed his bow in the direction of the fireplace and Veronica gasped softly, as she recognized the picture of the well-dressed rat on top of the mantle.
"Uh, Ratigan?" Dawson said, looking confused.
"He's a genius, Dawson," Basil said, leaning over the top of his chair, before he ducked down and reappeared beside Veronica, leaving Veronica to look shocked, as she glanced from his chair to her side, wondering how in the world he had gotten there so fast.
"How did you-?" She began.
"A genius…twisted for evil." Basil continued, before he moved in front of his chair, as he added, "The Napoleon of crime!"
"As bad as all that, eh?" Dawson asked.
"Worse!" Basil said, reappearing behind the three, poking his head through a banister. "For years, I've tried to capture him and I've come close, so very close. But each time, he's narrowly evaded my grasp."
"He always was quite the escape artist," Veronica said.
That caught Basil's attention, before he asked her, "And how would you know this?"
"Thompson's my last name," Veronica explained. "Veronica Thompson. I used to work for him, until I fled to America two years ago."
"I wondered why your first name sounded familiar," Basil said.
"Yes," Veronica said. "And I can assure you that any trace of that despicable mouse, who had no conscience and didn't even think twice about killing people, is gone. Two years ago, I disobeyed an order from him to kill a little girl, which was my little sister, and I ended up angering him. Probably would've been eaten by his cat too, if I hadn't had help escaping to America from a friend of mine when I had. Wonder what that sewer rat could be up to now."
"Not a corner of London's safe while Ratigan's at large," Basil said. "There's no evil scheme he wouldn't concoct! No depravity he wouldn't commit. Who knows what dastardly scheme that villain may be plotting even as we speak?"
"What dastardly scheme, indeed." Veronica muttered in agreement.
Basil then turned to Veronica and said, "Now, was it your father that was taken?"
"No, mine wasn't taken," Veronica said, before she gestured to Olivia. "Hers was."
"Tell me everything that happened," Basil said to Olivia.
Olivia then proceeded to explain what had happened, starting from her birthday to the moment her father had been kidnapped by the bat.
"This case is most intriguing with its multiplicity of elements…its many twists and turns," Basil said, before he asked Olivia, "Now, you're certain you've told me everything? The slightest detail may be important."
"It's just as I said," Olivia explained. "And then my father was gone."
"What do you make of it?" Dawson asked Basil.
Basil began to pace, as Olivia followed him.
"Hmm, Ratigan's up to something," Basil said. "A crime of the most sinister nature, no doubt. The question is…"
Veronica, who had been thinking over what her former boss was up to, then said at the same time as Basil, "What would he want with a toy maker?"
Olivia stopped by the window and a bat popped down from above, scaring Olivia, making her scream. Both Basil and Veronica turned just in time to see the bat freak out and drop.
"Fidget!" Veronica exclaimed, before she ran out the door, and Basil followed, saying to Dawson, "Quickly, Dawson, we've not a moment to lose!"
"Uh, uh, I'm right behind you, Basil," Dawson said, as he followed the two mice outside.
However, by the time Dawson, Veronica, and Basil had run out, Fidget was gone. Basil looked around, before he knelt down to look at the sidewalk, with muddy footprints left behind from Fidget.
"No sign of the blackguard anywhere," Dawson said.
"Not quite, Dawson," Basil said. "He left some rather unusual footprints. They obviously belong to the same fiend who abducted the girl's father. Ratigan's peg-legged adversary."
"I don't think those footprints were the only sign he left behind, Basil," Veronica said, finding Fidget's hat and picking it up.
Basil took the hat and said, "Aha! Excellent work, Miss Thompson!"
"Please, Basil," Veronica said. "Call me 'Veronica' or 'Ronnie.' If you call me 'Miss Thompson,' I expect to turn and see one of my older sisters behind me."
As the three mice headed back inside, Mrs. Judson was busy comforting Olivia, as she said, "Now…there's nothing to be afraid of, my dear."
As an excited Basil rushed by, Mrs. Judson pulled Olivia back, annoyed by Basil's insensitivity.
"The scoundrel's quite gone," Dawson said to Olivia, as he and Veronica went back inside.
Basil took his robe off, as he said, "But not for long, Miss Flamhammer."
"Flaversham," Olivia corrected him.
Basil put a coat on, as he said, "Whatever. Now, we simply pursue our peg-legged friend until he leads us to the girl's father."
"Then you'll get my daddy back?" asked Olivia, before she rushed over and hugged Basil tightly.
"Yes," Basil said, taking Olivia off of him. "And quite soon, if I'm not mistaken. Now, hurry along, Dawson and Veronica. We must be off to Toby's."
He retrieved an Inverness coat from a suit of armor and put it on, as Dawson asked, "Toby's?"
"Oh, you must meet him," Basil said, as he put on a deerstalker cap. "He's just the chap for this."
"You-you want me to come?" Dawson asked in surprise.
"Me too?" Veronica asked, unable to believe that Basil was actually letting her come along, given the fact that she used to work for Ratigan.
"Ha!" Basil said. "I should think a stouthearted army mouse like you would leap at the chance for adventure. And I'll need all the help I can get from one of Ratigan's accomplices."
"Well," Dawson admitted, with a laugh, "I am rather curious."
"Basil, you-you don't have to," Veronica said, modestly.
"I insist, Veronica," Basil said.
"Wait for me! I'm coming too!" Olivia shouted, as she rushed to join them, seizing her hat and scarf and knocking over Basil's violin in the process, and Basil dove to catch it.
"What?" Basil said, setting his violin back on the chair. "Certainly not! This is no business for children."
"Are we going to take a cab?" asked Olivia, obviously having not heard him, as she put several cheese crumpets in her pockets.
Basil sighed, as he put his hand on his forehead, before he said, "Oh…" He took her hand and made her face him, as he said, "My dear, I don't think you understand. It will be quite dangerous." He sat on his violin, breaking it in half, and he pulled the ruined instrument out. "Why, you-Look at-" Basil began, before he took a deep breath, trying to control his rage. "Young lady, you are most definitely not accompanying us. And that is final!" On 'final,' he literally put his foot down for emphasis.