Atticus Claw Goes Ashore Read Online Free PDF

little girl, I should think,’ Jimmy said. ‘That’s why they’re buying us. As a gift. For a little girl! How cute! I can’t wait to make her miserable by escaping.’ He put on a baby voice. ‘Boo hoo. Where are my parrots, Daddy?’ His voice changed back to normal. ‘Oh guess what, they’ve gone!’
    ‘You’re really mean, Boss!’ Thug said admiringly.
    ‘Yeah, you’re the worst!’ Slasher agreed.
    ‘Thanks!’ Jimmy looked pleased.
    ‘Squawk! Squawk!’
    ‘Squawk! Squawk!’
    ‘Tell you vot,’ Zenia said. She undid the magpies’ straps and held them up by the feet. ‘You can have the mangy one for free.’
    ‘I’m getting dizzy!’ Thug dangled upside down with Jimmy and Slasher. ‘All the blood’s rushing to my brain.’
    ‘You don’t have a brain,’ Jimmy told him.
    ‘Done!’ the man said. He handed the money over. His eye fell on Ginger Biscuit. ‘I don’t suppose you’d consider selling your cat, would you?’
    ‘Never!’ Zenia Klob shrieked. ‘He’s not for sale!’ She shoved Jimmy, Thug and Slasher into a wicker cage and banged the door shut. ‘Especially not to pirates.’ She handed the cage to Tony.
    Thug and Slasher looked at one another, aghast.
    ‘Did she say what I think she said?’ Thug gulped.
    ‘Pirates!’ Ginger Biscuit guffawed. ‘Nice work, guys! Have fun!’
    ‘Chaka-chaka-chaka-chaka!’
    The pirates walked off, swinging the cage.
    Zenia Klob waited until they rounded a corner. ‘Qvik!’ she said. ‘Get after them, Biscuit. See vere they go.’ Her eyes gleamed. ‘Pirates!’ she chuckled, ‘I’ve got a feeling they vill lead us to some treasure.’

5
    A few days later, in the ballroom at Toffly Hall, Atticus was watching the final stages of the World Beard-Jumper Competition with Michael and Callie. So far, to Atticus’s relief, there hadn’t been ‘any trouble’. None of the grown-ups (apart from Mr Tucker, of course), had spotted that the people dressed as pirates really
were
pirates. And the pirates hadn’t done anything bad, at least nothing that Atticus was aware of anyway. Even so, Atticus couldn’t wait for the competition to finish. He still wasn’t sure if he’d made the right decision not to let the children tell Inspector Cheddar.
    ‘Ah, Atticus,’ Inspector Cheddar strode up. ‘There you are. We seem to have lost a few silverteaspoons, I wondered if you knew what had happened to them?’
    Atticus pretended not to have heard. The pirates must have stolen them! He felt terrible. If Inspector Cheddar found out the truth, he’d take away his police-cat sergeant badge. And Callie and Michael would get into trouble too.
    Two of the pirates barged past. One of them had a wooden leg like Mr Tucker, with raggedy trousers cut off at the knee. The other one had a handkerchief tied round his head decorated with the Jolly Roger, and no shoes. Both had long, straggly beard-jumpers.
    ‘Dear oh dear!’ Inspector Cheddar chuckled. ‘I’ve never seen such smelly old costumes. Most of them look like they haven’t been washed for years. If I’d hired that for a fancy-dress party I’d want my money back. I must ask them which shop they went to and report it to Trading Standards.’ He started after them.
    Oh no!
Atticus looked desperately at the children.
Now what were they going to do?
    Just then Mr Tucker waved frantically in their direction.
    ‘Dad, it’s time for the prize-giving,’ Michael ran after Inspector Cheddar and pulled his sleeve. ‘The judges are ready. They need you on stage!’ Mr Tucker had asked Inspector Cheddar to give out the prizes, mainly to keep him out of the way so he didn’t decide to do some detective work amongst the guests.
    Atticus breathed a sigh of relief.
Just in time!
    ‘Okay,’ Inspector Cheddar straightened his cap. ‘I’ll see you later. Atticus, keep an eye on the forks.’ He made his way towards the stage to join Mr Tucker, Mrs Tucker, Mrs Cheddar and the judges.
    Atticus glanced at the