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TW
1158 600
by
JOHN PETERSON
Pictures by
ROBERTA CARTER CLARK
^i^
^YAJM-
i^JJcu^^
by
JOHN PETERSON
Pictures by
ROBERTA CARTER CLARK
SCHOLASTIC BOOK SERVICES NEW YORK TORONTO LONDON AUCKLAND • SYDNEY •
•
•
Other hooks hy John Peterson in paperback from Scholastic Book Services
available
The Cowboy
How to Write Codes and Send Secret Messages
The
Secret Hide-out*
Enemies of the Secret Hide-out*
''Also available in
hard-cover from Four Winds Press
otherIt shall not be resold, lent, or which it is publrshedthat in than other cover or wise circulated in any binding from the publisher-and withunless prior written permission has been obtained imposed on the subsequent being out a similar condition, including this condition,
This
book
is
sold subject to the condition that
purchaser.
copyright® 1967 by Scholastic Magazines, Text copyright© 1967 by John Peterson. Illustrations MagScholastic Book Services, a division of Scholastic inc. All rights reserved. Published by azines, Inc.
J°""°^
2nd printing Printed in the U.S.A.
^'^l
To Holly
^yiLLIAM
T.
tiny people.
They
LITTLE and
his family
didn't
The tiny
know
rooms
The see
Littles
sight.
day.
looked almost
They
lived in
And he was
like
people you
But they were very much
Mr. Little was only
were even
family
in the walls of the house.
every
smaller.
his
the Littles were living with them.
kept out of
Littles
owned by
lived in a house
George W. Bigg. Mr. Bigg and
were
big for a Little.
smaller.
six
The
inches
tall.
other Littles
•J
In one all
the Littles did not look at
They had
people.
other
like
Littles
way
were proud
of their
The
tails.
They kept
tails.
them combed and brushed, and sometimes the
women
wanted
curled
their
tails
when
they
to look especially nice.
The
took everything they needed
Littles
from the Biggs. Usually the Biggs didn t even
know anything was
missing.
ago. It seems to
had
it
in
"Now where
while Mrs. Bigg would say, that thing go? I
But once
right here a
have disappeared."
a
did
minute
Only
last
week her son Henry had shouted, "Hey, Ma!
Where
are
anywhere."
8
my
red socks?
I
can't find
them
And
of course the
Littles
When
food from the Biggs.
got
their
all
the Biggs
had
beef for dinner, the Littles had roast
roast
beef for dinner too.
The Biggs
didn't
know
it,
but the electric
socket on the kitchen counter door.
As soon
as the
was a
secret
Bigg family were busy
eating their cake or pie or Jello, the Littles
would dash through the
what they needed
door.
They would take
of the left-over dinner scraps
and be back through the door
The
Littles
in seconds.
helped the Biggs in return
for the things they took.
Only the Biggs
didn't
9
know
it.
Littles
were good
They ran back and
forth inside
For one thing, the
at fixing things.
the walls repairing the electric wires whenever
they needed
The
it.
Littles
were good plumbers,
too.
On
cold winter days they kept the outside water
had
pipes from freezing. Often they
up
all
fire.
night keeping the pipes
warm by
Bigg could never understand
plumbing and
"I can't believe
it,"
electricity
worked
he would
say. "I
trouble with this old house than
do with
their
my
brand-new houses."
shake his head. "I guess they don't the
10
candle
'
Mr. his
to stay
way
they used
to."
why
so well.
have
less
neighbors
He would
make houses
QNE
day
in their
in
May, the
were together
Littles
Hving room. The two children, Tom,
ten years old, and Lucy,
eight',
were on the
sofa next to their mother.
Granny
in
her rocking chair
knitting a red sweater for
Tom. "Don't know
Little
sat
why Henry Bigg made
such a fuss
when we
took his old red socks," she said. "One of them
had a
real
bad hole
in the toe."
11
Uncle
Pete,
holding
"You have enough red
against the fireplace.
yam
there,
leaned
cane,
his
he
Granny,"
said,
"to
start
a
knitting factory."
Mr. Little was walking back and "Please
sit
down, Will," said Mrs.
Little.
forth.
"You're
making me nervous."
"Now worried,"
no reason
there's
said
Mr.
Little.
for
us
to
be
"The Biggs have
gone on vacation before." never
"But Mrs.
three
for
months,"
said
Little.
"And what about
this
new
Uncle Pete. "The Newcombs!" cane in the
"We
air.
"We
don't have
don't even to.
He
shook his
know them."
Uncle Pete.
^-'nS^" ./
family?" said
I
keep
telling
you
that," said
good enough
Mr.
Little.
for the Biggs, they're
for the Littles. Besides for three months.
We
— they'll
"If they're
good enough only be here
can stand anything for
three months."
"Why do
they want to rent the house for
only three months?" said Tom. "Isn't that kind of silly?"
"The Newcombs are from the Mr.
Little.
"Sometimes
city
in the country while the
city," said
people rent houses
owners are away on
vacation." "It's
live in the
like
a vacation for city people to
country for a while,
"I don't like it," said
'
said Mrs. Little.
Uncle Pete. "Suppose
they bring a cat with them?"
-S' '^--^"
13
m)
Lucy
Little
moved
closer to her mother.
"Oh, Mother! Suppose they bring a cat with
them?" Mrs.
put
Little
arm
her
around
her
daughter.
Granny
stopped rocking. "Did he
Little
say they have a cat?"
She nodded toward
Uncle Pete. "No,
no,"
said
suppose they had a "Oh,"
said
Mr.
Little.
"He
said
cat."
Granny
Little.
She
started
rocking again. "I hope they don't bring a cat."
"Aw — who's
afraid of an old cat?" said
Tom. "I
about
wish everybody would stop talking cats,"
said Lucy. "I'm afraid of cats."
She looked from person to person. "Please, let's
14
stop talking about cats."
'T'HERE was
a secret look-out place behind
the light switch in the hall of the Biggs' house.
One
was
of the screws
missing.
The empty
hole was large enough for a Little to look and listen through.
Mr.
Little spent all the next
look-out place.
Tom
They were waiting
Little
for the
day
at the
stayed with him.
Newcombs.
15
"When switch,
the
they come, be careful of that Hght said Mr. Little. "Likely as not,
Tom,"
thing they'll do
first
is
turn on the hall
light."
Sometime
in the late afternoon,
thought he heard a noise.
He
Mr. Little
looked through
the hole.
"Are they coming?" said Tom.
"Not yet key
.
.
.
in the front
come now
hold
it!"
Mr. Little heard a
door lock. "Yes
— here
— sh!"
"Where's the hall Hght, Charhe?"
It
a woman's voice. "I
they
have
it,"
said Charles
Newcomb.
was
There were sparks inside the look-out place as the light was turned on.
Tom
Little
jumped. His father turned from the peep-hol^
and put light
his finger to his lips. "Sh!"
from the
hall
The
bright
came through the peep-hole
into their dark hiding place. his father's face clearly.
Tom
could see
Mr. Little returned to
the hole.
17
"what sat
down
a drive!" said Mrs.
Newcomb. She
heavily on the suitcase. "Give
minute to
rest
and
me
a
help you with the rest
I'll
of the bags."
"No need
Newcomb. please.
Biggs'
"I'll
It's
to
Mrs.
N.,"
get the bags myself.
part of the
Summer
Mrs.
help,
service
Mr.
said
No
tipping,
here at the
Hotel."
Newcomb
laughed.
"Where do you
get the energy?" she said.
"From the country!" "I didn't realize
energy from space.
how much
I'd
Newcomb.
missed
it.
I
get
and
just looking at all the trees
We're going to be here three months.
Think of "I
said Mr.
it!"
am," said Mrs. Newcomb.
to get three meals a
day
"I'll still
— only now
have
it'll
be
in a strange kitchen."
"Listen, Liz," said Mr.
18
Newcomb. "You've
come here
Nothing
paint.
"Sure,
me
"Tell
And iVe come
to write. else
important."
is
Newcomb
Mrs.
sure!"
here to
that after eating
laughed.
hamburger
for
a
week."
mean
"I
Newcomb.
Mr.
said
Liz,"
it,
"Forget about housework. Write those stories
you want
around and did a house.
As
to write.
I'm
for
dance. "This
little
fixing
me — " He
nothing
and
twirled isn't
I'm
my
doing
nothing. If the faucets drip, let 'em drip!
may
not even take out the garbage."
"You Mrs.
really
mean
paint
I
do!" said Mr.
masterpieces,
going to do.
And when
going to do nothing!
and
it,
don't
you?"
said
Newcomb. "Sure
to
I
eat!"
Newcomb.
and
that's
"I'm here
what I'm
I'm not doing that, I'm
I'll
loaf!
Sit in
He laughed. "Hamburgers,
the sun
of course."
19
^>m
i^"4
A
WEEK had
passed.
was a bad beginning.
f
Uncle Pete thought "It
looks
as
it
though
Newcomb means what he says. The place is a mess since they came." He pushed his plate I
am
"It'll
be
over one day, and the Biggs will return.
No
away and threw down
his napkin.
"And
getting tired of hamburger."
"No
matter,"
harm done."
20
said
Mr.
Little.
"Something bad see," said
will
come
of
it,
you'll
Uncle Pete.
"Well, at least they don't have a cat," said
Lucy
Little.
"That's right," said Mrs. Little. She smiled at her family. side.
"Lucy
is
looking on the bright
Things could be worse." "Bah!" said Uncle Pete. "Right
now
I'd
rather have trouble with a cat than eat this
cooking."
"I
suppose
I
said Mrs. Little.
should have learned to cook,"
She looked around the
"Mrs. Bigg was such a good cook necessary for
me to cook too. I
it
table.
didn't
seem
guess she spoiled
us.
All the Littles nodded.
Suddenly Granny
Little
spoke,
"Watch
out for mice."
"Why do you Mr.
Little.
Granny?" said
say that.
"There are no mice in
George Bigg wouldn't stand
Granny
Little
for
this house.
it."
looked sharply at Mr.
"There will be mice,"
she
said.
Little.
Then she
straightened the shawl on her shoulders.
"Don't worry, Granny," said Mr. "You're thinking of the old days. This like the old days."
22
is
Little.
nothing
A LL day
Mrs,
Newcomb worked hard
at her
writing. In the evening, after dinner, she read
what she had written sat
in
the
hving
Newcomb drew
to
Mr. Newcomb. They
room.
Sometimes
Mr.
pictures of his wife while she
was reading.
The
Littles
became
interested in the story.
They would rush through
their
dinner,
so
they wouldn't miss anything.
23
The
Littles' living
room was
in the wall
next to the Biggs' living room, near the ceiling.
There was a Littles' living
The
hole, in
room and the
Biggs' living room.
hole was about the size of a quarter.
the Biggs' side
Mr.
the wall between the
Little
was covered with wallpaper.
it
had punched many
the wallpaper.
On
He
tiny holes in
used one of Mrs. Bigg's
needles.
Voices could be heard through the tiny
Most
holes.
up with the cork
was plugged
a cork on the Littles' side. As long as
was
the Littles. Littles
of the time the hole
in the hole,
When
the cork
no one could hear
was taken
would be very quiet and
out, the
listen.
The cork was always out when story time. Mrs. float
Newcomb's
up through the
hole.
soft voice
The
it
was
would
Littles
sat
comfortably in their favorite chairs and listened.
24
Sometimes Mrs.
Newcomb
read until
it
was past Lucy's and Tom's bedtime. They would beg
up
their
mother
until the story
Even
Uncle
"Wonderful Still,
was
he
to stay
finished.
Pete
story,"
be allowed
to
liked said.
the
readings.
"Very exciting!"
he wasn't happy with the Newcombs.
"The bad housekeeping
— it
worries me."
The Newcombs were indeed bad houseFood was
keepers.
left
around uncovered.
Floors were not swept after meals. Garbage spilled out of the can. it
When
the lid
fell
off,
wasn't put back on. "All
Granny
those
crumbs!
said, "there
One day
in
the living room.
WILL
Mark my words," be mice."
June Mr. Little rushed into
He slammed
the door behind
him. "Granny was right," he said. "I've been
26
hoping
it
wouldn't happen
— but it has!
They've
come! The mice are here!"
"What can we do?"
said Mrs. Little. She
locked the door behind her husband.
— you, Tom — see
"First
are locked!
he was
"
said Mr. Little.
that
all
Tom
ran to do as
told.
Mr. Little went quickly to the pulled a chest out from under
it.
out alone," he said. "Go armed at
Mr. Little opened the chest. his wife.
the doors
"Who would
of Littles
He
sofa.
He
"Don't go all
times."
looked up at
think that this generation
would have
to
open
this
')
weapons chest?"
i
:?:
i:
Mrs. Little shook her head sadly. "But, Father," said Lucy. "I don't
how
bow and
to use a
arrow."
"Uncle Pete will teach you and Mr.
to shoot," said
shot during the
my
Pete,
and
Tom how
"He was
Little.
Mice Invasion
father,
know
a crack
of '35.
Uncle
their brothers held off
room
the mice from this very
until help arrived
from the Smalls down the road." "That's
when
I
got this limp," said Uncle
"A huge three-inch mouse broke through
Pete.
the door and grabbed
dragged
God
me
out of the room.
bless him, "Is that
said
came
after
the foot.
My
brother Tim,
me and
when Uncle Tim
He
shot him."
lost his
life?"
Tom. "That's
Pete.
28
me by
"One
when
it
happened," said Uncle
of those big
mice jumped him from
behind.
but
it
I finally
was too
"Poor Tim.
chased
late."
it
with
off
my
Uncle Pete wiped
He was
the only Little
knife,
his eyes.
we
lost in
that terrible year."
"We
won't go looking for trouble with the
mice," said Mr. Little. "These weapons are for protection only."
He
brought out a
On
quiver of arrows from the chest.
bow was
carved,
"Made
in
bow the
with a
wooden
1825 by Chas. B.
Little."
"Suppose they come after
He
picked up the
string
on
bow and
us," said
Tom.
tried to put the
it.
"Maybe they
won't," said Mr. Little, "as
long as there's plenty to eat."
'
"I'm for going out and attacking them," said
Uncle Pete. "Teach 'em a lesson before
they start to bother us."
29
"The way
I
figure
"after a while the
find out they set traps,
30
and
Mr.
said
Newcombs
have mice. that'll
it,"
When
be the end
are
Little,
bound
to
they do, they'll of
it."
g^VERY
night for a
week Mr.
watched the Newcombs Little
wanted
to find out
seen the mice
were doing
— and
Little
and
Tom Mr.
at dinner time. if
the
what,
if
Newcombs had anything, they
to get rid of them.
Tom
and
his
father hid high above the dinner table in a secret look-out
They could
place near the
see everything that
ceiling
light.
went on
in
the room.
31
Below them, the Newcombs were their dinner.
saw a hummingbird outside
window
the study "It
"I
finishing
today," said Mrs.
was feeding on the
Newcomb.
iris."
"Marvelous!" said Mr.
Newcomb. "Would
you mind passing the butter? That's a thing to see, you
know — they're
rare
so tiny
and
timid."
"And
fast!" said
closer to the
was gone Mr.
Mrs.
window
Newcomb,
"I
for a better look,
moved and
it
in a flash."
Newcomb
sipped his coffee.
Dear, don't you think this coffee
is
"Mmm.
a bit
weak
agami^
Mrs.
Newcomb
nodded. "What's the bird
that soxmds like a rusty iron gate?"
Above them, the
Newcombs
32
talked about
Littles
many
listened.
things.
The
But as
^4^" A \ /Hi
e ^: .
I.
y>*-
/
?1 /
usual
neither
\
i
one said anything about the
mice. "Let's go," said Mr. Little to
Tom. "They
haven't seen the mice."
33
'>^99i8^»^,ikji)>cxB.>' .,«
%
moment Tom nose.
for
Tom
upset the milk dish under
That stopped the cat long to get
away.
"This plan of yours
too slow, Will," said
going
"We're
Uncle Pete.
is
else before that cat gets
something
"What can we do?"
"We need
to
do
one of
us."
have
to
said Mr. Little.
larger weapons,"
Uncle
said
Pete. "I don't
know
that's
if
the answer, Uncle
Pete," said Mr. Little. "Besides, that takes time
You're
too.
working.
though
— this
Newcomb
heard Mrs.
I
Newcomb
right,
not to get rid of the
plan
isn't
telling
Mr.
cat. She's afraid
the mice will return.
"And she "Thinks
it's
likes the cat,"
cute.
"Not only
that,"
said
it's
high-spirited."
Mrs.
Little,
break up everything in the house
can't
get rid of the cat.
"Why Tom.
68
She says
Mr. Little went on.
don't
It's
we
just to
the Biggs' house, after try
"We all."
taming the cat?" said
"what?"
said
"Let's see
if
Uncle Pete.
we can tame it," repeated Tom.
"Cats have been friends to
men
since the early
days of history."
Uncle Pete looked from Mrs. Little.
he
"Do you hear what
said.
the boy
is
Mr.
saying?"
"He's gone soft in the head."
"No
The
Little to
kidding, Dad," said
Tom.
early Egyptians thought cats
They had them "They
did,
all
"It's true.
were gods.
over the place."
did they?" said Uncle Pete.
"Where did you hear such nonsense?" "I
said
read
it
in
one of the Biggs' history books,"
Tom. Uncle Pete snorted. "A cat has never been
a friend to a Little.
"Maybe tried to
that's
tame a
I
can
tell
you
that."
because none of them ever
cat,"
said
Tom. "They were
always afraid of cats."
69
"What kind
of silly talk
Uncle Pete. "Look
said
Who
is
that,
boy?"
at the size of the beast.
could tame such a monster?"
"Men tame
Tom.
has an interesting idea," said Mr.
"Tom Little.
elephants," said
"Perhaps we're worried too
much about
the size of the cat. Because we're so small we've
always thought enemies.
all
Maybe
large
said Uncle Pete. Littles believe. like
making
"Tom said Mr.
wrong."
that's
way
"I don't like the
animals were our
"It's
this talk is going,"
against everything
we
friends with a cat
Making
is
friends with a rattlesnake."
is
saying
Little.
it's
not the same thing,"
"Cats are friendly to
men —
rattlesnakes are not."
None
of the Littles spoke.
"Now we may be
70
little,"
said Mr. Little,
we
"but
are men."
"Of course we
are," said
looked sideways at his
"Then why house
can't
tail.
Uncle Pete.
He
"We're not animals."
we have
a cat around the
people?"
just like other
"Of
all
"Oh
dear," said Mrs. Little. "It sounds all
right.
But
"Why,
the
silly
don't
I
Uncle Pete.
ideas!" said
know
..."
a wonderful idea!" said
it's
Granny
Little. "It's so simple."
'^^mv^le-mindedr said Uncle Pete.
"Why said
didn't
Granny
someone think
of
it
before?"
Little.
"Because
it's
a coo-coo idea, that's why,"
said Uncle Pete.
"Now Little.
see here, Peter Little," said
"Mind your manners." She stood
ball of knitting
yam
fell
from her
Granny up.
Her
lap. It rolled
71
between Mr.
days than you have. things than
Mr. tossed
could
it
you
Little
more
And
I
know
a few
more
do, too."
He "We
picked up the ball of yam.
gently in the air a few times.
start
present
a few
Little's feet. "I've lived
taming the cat by giving her a
— show
her
we mean
to
be
friendly."
"Give her something to play with," said
Tom.
t
,
I
"How is
Granny
fiddling with?" said
cats like to play
with things
"As a matter of Mr.
yam
about that ball of
fact,
your father
Little.
"Don't
like that?"
Granny, they do," said
Little.
"Will that
make her
friendly?" said Mrs.
Little.
"It
might help," said Mr.
yam at we have
a ball of
roll
happens. All
Little.
"We could
the cat and see what to
do
is
make
have room to get out of the way
if
sure
we
she doesn't
get the idea."
"I'm against
it,"
said
Uncle Pete. "Too
dangerous. Cats are cats — you can't change jy
y
em. "There's a large ball of
sewing basket." said Lucy. It's
lighter than
yam "I
in Mrs. Bigg's lifted
it
once.
anything."
73
get
"Let's it's
it,"
worth trying."
"That
is,
if
"Count stay here
no one
me
said Mr.
He
and sharpen
think
"I
looked at Uncle Pete.
else has
out,"
Little.
said
my
any better
ideas."
Uncle Pete. sword."
"I'll
#.
4
M^
'^^^'v^mTniiiumUf^
M
'J^HEY found the sleeping near the
cat in the cellar. She stairs.
and Mrs.
Mr.
Little
and the children
stood by the trap door under the all
was
stairs.
They
held onto the end of the yam. Mr. Little
rolled the
The
yam toward
cat
the cat.
opened one eye
past her nose.
Her paw
as the
yam went
shot out. She batted
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the ball of yam.
The yam
rolled to a stop in
front of the trap door.
dear," whispered Mrs. Little. "Will
"Oh
we be
able to get through the trap door
if
we
have to?" "Don't move!" whispered Mr.
The
76
cat
jumped up
to
Little.
run after the yam.
^i,
When went her
-1
she saw the Littles, she stopped. She
into a crouch.
Her eyes were hard, and
began twitching. The cat was getting
tail
set to attack.
Suddenly the cat.
he said
He
walked a few steps toward
held out his hand. "Nice kitty,"
in a soft voice.
"Tom!
"Come
Tom
Pssst!
"Come
here, kitty."
Tom!" Mr.
Little
hissed.
back! Don't be foolish."
"Here,
kitty, kitty," said
Tom
again.
77
The
cat's
stopped
tail
cocked her head and looked "Here,
"Come
twitching. at
kitty, kitty, kitty,"
here,
She
Tom.
Tom went
on.
girl.''
"Mee-ow!" said the "Amazing!"
said
cat.
Mr.
Her eyes Little
softened.
under
his
breath.
Tom
took a few more steps. "Nice kitty,"
he said over and over again.
Then the
Littles
coming from the
humming. The
cat
Now Tom He
cat.
heard a strange noise
A
deep,
soft,
pleasant
was purring.
was standing next
to the cat.
reached up and scratched her gently under
the chin.
The
purred louder.
cat closed her eyes slowly
Tom
kept talking to her
all
and the
while. "It
78
was the
talking that did
it,"
said Mr.
"The way
I figure,
the cat didn't
know we were people until Tom
started talking
Little later.
to her. I guess cats like
When city,
the
people to talk to them."
Newcombs
left to
the cat didn't go with them.
she had wandered hadn't. Littles,
The
cat
away and
had grown
return to the
They thought got
so
lost.
She
fond of the
she didn't want to leave. For one thing,
Tom had
taken to riding on the
two became great where together.
friends.
cat's
back.
They went
The
every-
The day
Newcombs
the
left,
the cat found
a hiding place and stayed out of sight. Mr.
Newcomb found
looked
her.
all
"It's
He
never
said
Mrs.
over the house. well,"
as
just
Newcomb. "She wouldn't have much fun
in
the city." "If she
shows up, George Bigg
care of her," said Mr.
will take
Newcomb.
The Bigg family came back from
their
vacation to find the cat sleeping next to the cellar stairs.
"That cat must have sneaked in
somehow," said Mr. Bigg. "We'll have rid of
it."
Tom help to
it,"
think
change story.
80
to get
Little
he
said.
had other
Tom knew
up something
his
ideas.
mind. But that
to is
"Not
if I
can
he would be able
make Mr. Bigg probably another
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