Free The Great Cat Caper by Lauraine Snelling Page B

different color on each finger—and was wearing long earrings that looked like they were made of feathers. Once she had joined them, Vee confirmed they were feathers. Turquoise feathers with beads.
    Hermann walked in, carrying a tall carpeted pole with several shelves on it and a solid base. One section was wrapped in rope. “A kot needs a kot perch. I make it for you. I come to vatch you tame the kot.” He set it in the corner.
    Hermann made something for our project?
Vee shot a look at the girls. They looked between the pole and Hermann and back again.
    Sunny, of course, had to know. “Why are you nice to us all of a sudden?” she asked, folding her arms.
    Hermann shuffled his feet, embarrassment all over his lined face. Glancing toward the door, he whispered, “Dot Cat Woman, she told me if I do not help you, she vould come to my house every day to cook my dinner.” He shuddered. “Every day.” Another low whisper. “My house. Every day dot voman vould come.”
    The girls, wide-eyed until the confession was finished, began to giggle. He drew himself up. “Every day she say. She vould, too. I can cook my own dinner.” He settled into a chair, folded his arms, and acted like he wasn’t a bit interested in what was going on.
    No matter
how
Hermann had become the cats’ friend, the cat perch would be a great addition as the cats grew tamer. Now they would have something to tell Mrs. Sissy when she asked—again—how much senior involvement the girls were receiving. Other than Hermann and the Cat Woman, not much. The girls didn’t know why, although they had already put up signs asking for volunteers.
    “Cool earrings,” she said to Esther, to calm her own nervousness.
    Esther grinned and shook her head. “I like how the feathers tickle my face. Watch.” She bent her head forward and wagged her head back and forth.
    Before Vee could notice whether they did, Momma Cat twitched her head toward Esther, shot out a paw, and snagged the feather.
    “Ow!” Esther shrieked, leaning forward farther to prevent the earring from pulling.
    “Momma Cat! Let it gooooo.” Sunny gently took the cat’s paw and disengaged the nails from the feather. Esther leaped back as soon as she was free. Momma Cat began to wash her face, but she kept an eye on those earrings.
    Esther’s face was crimson. Would it mean an explosion? Would Esther decide to dump the project? Vee hurried to Momma Cat’s defense.
    “You know it was just the movement. I think she was—” She didn’t get to finish because Esther was laughing. And laughing. And holding her stomach.
    “Oh, you guys,” she finally gasped. “That paw was so fast. Before I could jerk back, she’d grabbed it. It was like a blur!”
    Through their laughter suspended, they heard a rusty, creaky sound like an old gate. It came from Hermann’s direction. The old man was slapping his knee and chortling.
    “Dot kot is de fastest kot I see!” he fell against the chair.
    “Stop laughing,” Vee ordered the girls fiercely, concerned Hermann might actually die laughing, but that only set them off again.
    Sunny giggled. “It was a whapp attack,” she said, her chuckles rolling to full-blown Sunny laughter.
    More creaks and wheezing from Hermann.
    Whapp attack
sent Esther off again, this time with Aneta and Vee joining in. They laughed until Momma Cat got weirded out and looked like she might jump off the table. Then they pressed their hand over their mouths. Sunny stroked the cat to soothe her.
    “Are we ready?” Vee nodded her head in the direction of the trap cages. “I know today’s the day.”
Where is Dad?
“You guys go first. My dad is coming, and I want him to see me take out the curious kitten.”
    It only took a few minutes for both Esther and Aneta to attempt and fail with their cats. The cats loudly proclaimed their refusal. Both girls got a little teary. Frank, who had arrived during Aneta’s approach and denial, shook his head.
    Vee kept an eye on the door