Page 2 (1/1)

You would be arabbed Wanda, as co upstairs stuffed full of Choco- Drop Krackles, and Ithe bat suitcase downstairs We had to be careful because we did not want to bump the bats and wake them up "What&039;s in here?" asked Wanda I looked around tolike she does some times

Aunt Tabby is even more nosy than Wanda, if that is possible "Bats, " I whispered "Bats?" yelled Wanda Aunt Tabby appeared out of nowhere-- how does she do it? She looked at me, Wanda, and Uncle Drac very suspiciously "What about bats?" she asked "We were just talking about theiant Transylvanian bats?" Aunt Tabby did not seem that excited She looked at her watch and said, "HmmUnless your Great-aunt Eiant Transylvanian bats whatsoever She&039;s leaving it very late " "We don&039;t need Great-aunt Emilene to take care of us, " I said

"We can take care of ourselves, can&039;t we, Wanda?" Wanda nodded very hard, just like the toy dog that Brenda bought Barry to put in the backof his van Aunt Tabby took no notice "Nonsense, Ara to be left alone for one night, let alone a whole week If Great-aunt E " I saw Uncle Drac suddenly look hopeful, but not for longer than about two seconds, because just then the doorbell rang Aunt Tabby yelled, "At last!" and rushed off to answer it In Spookie House when so ing until you open the front door and unstick it Barry keeps saying he is going to fix it, but he hasn&039;t yet

The doorbell e noise We all dropped the suitcase and put our fingers in our ears-- which was a mistake The suitcase shot off down the stairs on its little wheels, and as Aunt Tabby threw open the door and tried to unstick the doorbell, Uncle Drac&039;s suitcase full of bats hurtled out and rattled off down the path "My bats!" yelled Uncle Drac and raced after it Luckily Aunt Tabby was having so the doorbell, so she did not hear hih I heard her scream as the suitcase shot past her Suddenly the noise from the doorbell stopped Aunt Tabby was still in the doorway and I wondered why she had not let Great- aunt Eht of Great-aunt Emilene, with her double-headed dead ferret wrapped around her neck and her little beady eyes that stared right into you, had ain and she had decided to let us stay on our own after all

But soh all I could see was Aunt Tabby&039;s back, I could tell she waswhen Aunt Tabby is ets prickly like a hedgehog; her hair stands up, the tips of her ears turn red, and her shoulders get a kind of pointy look to theht then Aunt Tabby&039;s shoulders looked very pointy indeed Wanda and I crept downstairs to see as happening

"What do youWe peered out, and instead of Great-aunt Emilene there was Perkins, who drives Great-aunt Emilene&039;s hearse for her "I mean that Madam is delayed in an unavoidable fashion, " said Perkins in his weird voice that sounded like he was locked deep inside a haunted vault I s were looking good But then Perkins--who looked even more like a skeleton than I remembered--said, "Madam has asked me to inform you that she will arrive ton I made a face

"Toood We are leaving in"--she looked at her watch--"ohoodnesshalfanhour " But all Perkins said in his voice-from-the tomb was, "I shall return with Madam tomor row Good day to you, " and he walked away down the path But Perkins did not know Aunt Tabby If he had bothered to ask Wanda and et away that easily, but he hadn&039;t--so he found out the hard way Aunt Tabby ran after Perkins like a polecat after a tiny baby bunny Perkinsdown the path behind hih

Aunt Tabby scooted in front of hi the driver&039;s door "Mr Perkins, before you go I have an errand for you " "I do not do errands, madam, " said Perkins in his voice-fro my way " "Indeed I am, Mr Perkins, " said Aunt Tabby "And I shall continue to do so until you go and fetch Nurse Beryl Watkins She will look after Araasped Wanda "Not Nurse Watkins " I groaned There are not many people in the world who make Great-aunt Emilene look like a cuddly pussycat, but Nurse Watkins is one of theround

"I am not a taxi service, madam, " he said sniffily He pushed past Aunt Tabby, pulled open the dri ver&039;s door, and hopped inside Wanda grinned "Good old Perkins, " she whispered "He won&039;t do it " I shook my head; I knew better Perkins was a novice when it caht In a split second Aunt Tabby had opened the back door and was sitting right behind him, in the little flip- down seat especially for people ant to sit beside the coffin And as she slae, Perkins--and fast!"

We watched the hearse drive away, its tires squealing on the road, and we kneould not be long until Nurse Watkins was here

"What are we going to doooo?" wailed Wanda "Don&039;t worry, " I said "I have an ANW Plan " "What&039;s an ANW Plan?" asked Wanda "An AntiNurse Watkins Plan of course " Wanda looked impressed

"That was very fast, Araminta " "I know, " I said "My brain is like that--I just think fast I can&039;t help it " "So what is your ANW Plan?" "Well, we can&039;t stop her fro, " I told Wanda "I knooow, " she wailed "But we can stop her fro " "Really? How?" "I will ask Sir Horace to scare her away I will say the secret word and he can walk around carrying his head under his ar, and Ed Even Nurse Watkins won&039;t like that " "You are so smart, Araminta " "I know " I ss always look better when you have a Plan