Mouse Noses on Toast (10 page)

“Help yourselves,” the Foremouse said. “There’s plenty to go around.”

Inch wriggled out of his coat without even undoing the buttons, and up he went.

“Hold my sandals,” Larry said, passing them to Sandra. “I may be some time.” And he went up the mountain too.

Then followed Graham and the twins, and then all the others, until the only mouse left was Paul.

The Foremouse gave him an odd look. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you don’t like cheese?”

“I have a cheese allergy,” Paul said sadly. “It makes my bottom turn blue and my tail curl up like a question mark.”

“Your bottom is already blue,” the Foremouse said, looking at Paul’s bottom. “And your tail couldn’t get any curlier.”

“Paul,” Sandra said, “I think you should climb Cheddar Mountain. What have you got to lose?”

Sandra was right.

Was it really so bad having a blue bottom, and a tail that looked like it wanted to ask you something? Was it worth staying away from cheese and cheese addicts, just to avoid the odd snicker?

Paul took a deep breath and scampered to the top of the mountain.

When he reached the top, something wonderful happened. The mouses began to laugh, but they weren’t laughing at Paul’s behind.

The mouses were celebrating.

“Paul is our hero!” the mouses yelled. “Hooray for Paul!”

As Paul pranced about on top of Cheddar Mountain, he realized something. The question-mark-shaped tail suited him, and the blue bottom was the height of mouse fashion.