Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang Read Online Free Page A

was plunged into darkness and a loudspeaker began to crackle.
    “Good evening, my little dreadfuls,” sang out the menacing voice on the loudspeaker, “I do hope that you’ve all finished every last delicious drop of your good-night glass of curdled wolverine’s milk and that you are all nicely tucked in on your cold, splintery bed boards, with your cell doors firmly locked, because oh, dear, oh, dear,
one of our snakes is missing and is rumored to be slithering through the cellblocks right now in search of some tasty toes
. Well, now, don’t worry, because once more it’s Happy Nightmare Hour, with your most unlovable Slimer, yours truly, Uncle Oscar Octopus. Last night, if you remember, we left our hateful hero, Dan Disrespectful, fleeing across the haunted swamp, pursued by Wanda Witch and her pack of sewer rats …”
    Jacob Two-Two held his hands to his ears, shutting out Uncle Oscar Octopus, until he was certain the Happy Nightmare Hour was over. And, quite suddenly, Jacob Two-Two was very hungry. He had forgotten to eat his dinner. His stale bread. Removing his two slices of bread from his tray, Jacob Two-Two was astonished to discover a chocolate bar hidden beneath.
I have a friend in the prison
, he thought. But who? Who could it be?

CHAPTER 8
    leasant dreams, kiddo,” had been Mistress Fowl’s last words to Jacob Two-Two, and Jacob Two-Two, his supersonic bleeper secured in his ear, did have pleasant dreams, in spite of his squalid surroundings. For he knew that tomorrow, or two days after, the leaders of Child Power – the intrepid Shapiro, followed by the fearless O’Toole – would begin tracking him.
    Jacob Two-Two awakened with a bounce and was actually singing when a guard called Mr. Fox, an enormous fellow, wearing a fur coat, scarf, and ear-muffs, came to fetch him and led him to a doormarked FREEZER . “You’ll have to have a shower in here,” he said, “before we can issue you with a prison uniform.”
    When Jacob Two-Two emerged from the shower, trembling with cold, Mr. Fox shoved a towel at him, saying, “Hurry, I’m prone to chills.” Then, narrowing his eyes, he added, “Hey, you haven’t washed behind your ears.”
    “I have,” said Jacob Two-Two. “I have.”
    “Then what’s this?” asked Mr. Fox, plucking out the supersonic bleeper.
    “Nothing,” said Jacob Two-Two. “Nothing.”
    “Nothing? Why, look here,” said Mr. Fox, holding it to the light, “it’s a precious stone. I’ll have it, then. Thank you very much.”
    Jacob Two-Two kicked, he punched, and he bit, but he couldn’t recover the supersonic bleeper. Indeed, all he earned for his effort was a bruised cheek, before Mr. Fox gathered him up and flung him back into his cell.
    Lying on the stone floor, Jacob Two-Two sobbed. He sobbed and sobbed, until suddenly he realized he was being foolish, for it didn’t matter one bit thatMr. Fox had stolen his bleeper. Child Power would still track it to the hidden prison and set everybody free.
    Mr. Fox appeared again. “We’re having a party in the dining hall tonight,” he said. “You’re invited.”
    Some party. There were no balloons, no loot-bags, and no ice cream. Even so, Jacob Two-Two was delighted to be led finally into the dining hall, if only to enjoy the company of other little people, boys and girls, who, like Jacob Two-Two himself, were still unable to ride a two-wheel bicycle, dial a telephone number, whistle, do joined-up writing, play checkers, or catch a ball. So many of them, too! Jacob Two-Two hadn’t realized until now that there were something like two hundred other boys and girls being held in the prison. All of them dressed in itchy, ill-fitting, gray prison uniforms, their faces pale, circles under their eyes, because on Slimers’ Isle they never, never saw the sun.
    Jacob Two-Two was seated between two other boys, one called Pete, and the other, Oscar. He liked them both immediately. But before he could ask them any questions, a menu