The Battle for the Castle Read Online Free Page A

“I got you a tool kit instead. I left it by your bike.”
    â€œGreat.”
    â€œI can’t stay too long. Dad’s going to be waiting for me.
    â€œWilliam,” his mother called again, this time from the bottom of the attic steps. “I’m going to town. I’ve left a big pot of soup on the stove. I want you to turn it off in an hour if I’m not back.”
    â€œYes, Mom.”
    She started up the steps, and William slipped the cat into Jason’s arms and stepped in front of him.
    â€œListen, while you’re up here, you might check for holes.”
    â€œHoles?” William said.
    â€œI think there are mice or rats in the attic. Your father says I’m nuts, but I hear some animal scrabbling around up there at night. Look around, will you? Particularly down at the end that’s over our bedroom.”
    â€œOkay, Mom.” Maybe we should get a cat of our own, he thought to himself.
    â€œRemember the soup,” she said.
    â€œSure, Mom,” he said, and finally she left.
    Jason was still carrying the cat as he walked around the castle.
    â€œI’d forgotten about this thing,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing. Mrs. Phillips gave it to you, didn’t she?”
    â€œThat’s right.” William lifted the roof section andfelt around in the back of the bedchamber for the token. His fingers found the cardboard box, and he drew it out carefully.
    â€œPut the cat down in the middle of the courtyard,” William said. “I need her to be trapped in one place. That way we’ll be able to find her afterward.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do to her?” Jason asked.
    â€œYou’ll see. Don’t worry. It won’t hurt her.”
    Jason lowered the cat, and in the small square of the courtyard, she turned around and around, sniffing the walls and poking her nose into the miniature doorways.
    â€œOkay, now get out of my way,” William said as he held out the token. “I don’t want to zap you too by mistake.”
    â€œI wish you’d tell me what you’re talking about,” Jason said as he took one step to the side.
    â€œJanus,” William said in a loud clear voice.
    â€œWhere’d she go?” Jason asked.
    â€œShe’s right here.” He scooped the little animal up from her corner by the kitchen and cupped his hands around her. “Come see.”
    Jason gave him a wary look.
    â€œCome on,” William said. “She won’t bite.” The cat’s tiny paws tickled the skin on his palms. He opened his hands just wide enough for Jason to see inside.
    â€œI don’t believe this,” Jason whispered. “She’s still alive?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œThis is really weird. How’d you do it?”
    â€œMagic,” said William.
    â€œRight,” Jason said. “Magic. Did you give her some pill or something?”
    â€œNope. It’s this token, the little button Mrs. Phillips sent me for my birthday. One side of it shrinks things, the other side makes them big again. Go ahead, you can touch her.”
    Jason hesitated. Finally he poked one finger inside William’s hands and stroked the cat gently between its ears.
    â€œThis is the same cat that tried to jump Mrs. Phillips two years ago,” William said.
    â€œMrs. Phillips?” Jason asked.
    â€œI zapped her with the token out on the sidewalk so she couldn’t leave for England, and this cat almost ate her.”
    â€œYou did this to Mrs. Phillips?” Jason asked. “Made her this small?”
    â€œYes,” William said. “She lived up here in the castle for a week.”
    â€œWhat did she eat?”
    â€œI brought her stuff. And Sir Simon kept roasting mice for her on the spit, but I don’t think she ever ate any.”
    â€œSir Simon?”
    William looked at his friend. He wondered how much he could take of this story at once. “Here,” he