Emmy and the Rats in the Belfry Read Online Free PDF

slightly.
    â€œAna just wanted to say thank you again and good-bye—Ana, dear, come and shake the professor’s hand. She’s ever so grateful that you rescued her from that terrible situation with the other little girls. Aren’t you, Ana?”
    Emmy, who had paused on the steps, caught Joe’s eye and grinned. They had been the ones to rescue the girls, but of course it had been safer to let Professor Capybara take the credit.
    A slender girl with watchful eyes moved into Emmy’s field of vision. “Thank you again, Professor,” she said in a clear, soft voice.
    â€œShe’s recovered wonderfully well, considering,” said Gwenda Squipp, “and she’s had the best counseling the Children’s Home has to offer, haven’t you, Ana?”
    Ana turned slightly away. She pushed her long brown hair back from her eyes and blinked as she caught sight of Emmy on the stairs.
    â€œAnd the other little girls?” asked the Professor. “How are they, Miss Squipp?”
    â€œOh, call me Squippy—all my friends do!”
    â€œ Squippy? ” said Raston into Emmy’s left ear.
    â€œAs for the other little girls, they were all snapped up in a matter of days. Lots of loving relatives to take them in. We had a little more trouble finding people for Ana,” she added, squeezing Ana’s shoulder, “but we found some distant cousins at last, and she’ll be going to live with them very soon.”
    Ana ducked out from under the woman’s hand.
    â€œDon’t go upstairs, dear,” called Squippy. “Stay where I can see you. Just sit right there with your friends while I talk to the professor.”
    â€œShe won’t let me out of her sight,” muttered Ana, plopping down on the steps between Emmy and Joe. “It’s almost like being Miss Barmy’s prisoner again.”
    â€œNo one is as bad as Miss Barmy,” said Joe with feeling.
    Raston flicked his tail. “Cheswick Vole isn’t much better.”
    â€œWatch your tail, Ratty, you’re tickling my neck,” Emmy said. “Listen, Ana, it’s going to be okay. You’re going to live with your relatives, aren’t you?”
    â€œThey don’t really want me,” said Ana, flushing.
    Gwenda Squipp had taken the chair the professor had offered her, but she was still speaking in the slightly loud voice some grown-ups use when talking about children. “Yes, Ana and I will be traveling together tomorrow afternoon. A lovely, long trip on the train. And then she’ll settle in with a brand-new family—won’t that be special, Ana?”
    Ana’s long brown hair swung forward, hiding half her face. But the half that Emmy could see looked miserable.
    Emmy stood up and the Rat gripped a lock of her hair for balance. “Come on, Ana—Joe and I will show you the Sissy-patches. Maybe we can help Brian, too.”
    â€œWhat a lovely idea,” said Squippy as they passed. “It’s so important to be helpful , don’t you think, Prof—eeeeeeeek! A rat !”
    â€œEeeeeeek, a Squippy!” said Raston. “Seriously, what does everybody have against rats?”
    â€œAnd now it’s squeaking at me! Ana, we must leave at once. This is not a safe environment for you!”
    â€œCalm yourself, my dear lady,” said Professor Capybara. “It’s a trained rat, perfectly safe.”
    â€œReally?” Gwenda Squipp gave the Rat a doubtful look.
    Raston promptly did a flip on Emmy’s shoulder, ending on one knee with paws outstretched.
    â€œOh! Oh, my!”
    â€œI can sing ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ too,” said the Rat, burnishing his claws on his chest fur.
    Gwenda Squipp clapped her hands. “Look, it thinks it can talk! It’s so cute! Oh, Professor Burpybara, you simply must tell me about your training methods!”
    â€œCute?” the Rat said in a strangled tone.