Anton and Cecil, Book 2 (15 page)

Authors: Lisa Martin

BOOK: Anton and Cecil, Book 2

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“Let's wait and see if it comes back, like the fishing boats do,” said Cecil. “In the meantime, this is the perfect occasion for a snack.” He bounded happily down to the docks and soon returned with a crusty loaf of bread in his jaws for them to share. They tucked themselves between two buildings and dozed in the sunshine for a while, until Anton's ears pricked up.

“There's the sound again,” he said. “The splashing of the wheel boat.”

And sure enough, there it was, paddling across the inlet like a duck. This time the friends snuck aboard and hid under a tarp covering a dinghy on deck. The wheel boat set off and navigated a narrow band of water for half a day, arriving at a similar pier in an even bigger city than they had left. The most thrilling part was the view that opened before them as the boat docked and they emerged from the tarp.

“Oh, my whiskers!” gasped Hieronymus. “The story was true, after all.”

A wide, blue ocean stretched all the way to the horizon, the crests of the waves lit by the setting sun. A pod of dolphins played in the distance. Great ships plied the waters, their sails raised, their flags snapping. The nearby harbor was filled with the masts of schooners, barques and brigs, clippers and sloops, and the shorebirds swooped and gamboled in the wind. Above it all floated a welcome aroma: the briny tang of fish. The familiar feel of home washed over the three friends as they stood on the deck for a long moment.

Then quick as a wink they slipped down the gangway and through the crowded streets until they arrived at a high cliff overlooking the shore and the sea beyond. They stood side by side, overwhelmed by the sight, grateful that they were together and in one piece after all that had happened.

Finally Hieronymus heaved a contented sigh. “In all my days,” he said softly, “I've never seen the sun dipping
into
the ocean. Only rising out of it. We must be on the other side of the world.”

“Is this sea as big as the other seaâ
our
seaâdo you think?” Anton asked, his gaze sweeping over the water.

“Nah, couldn't be,” said Cecil, shaking his head. “Our sea is huge.”

Hieronymus stroked his whiskers thoughtfully. “Does this sight make you two eager for more adventures?”

The brothers answered at the same time. “NO,” said Anton. “YES,” said Cecil.

Hieronymus chuckled. “That's what I thought you'd say.”

“What about you?” asked Anton. “Now that you're free, will you go home again?” He sounded unabashedly hopeful.

“I'm getting on in mouse years, Anton. This may well be my last journey.” The cat and mouse exchanged a glance, and a look of understanding passed between them.

Cecil was distracted by something on the beach below the cliff. “What in the name of the Great Cat is
that
?”

The other two peered over the edge, following his gaze. Rising slowly above the sand close to the cliff wall was a contraption so unlikely that it left their jaws slack. An enormous basket, of the kind that fishermen used to store their catch but many times larger, swung gently in midair, kept aloft by a giant swollen balloon. The basket had no lid and held a man who watched the bright blue balloon carefully, pulling on the various ropes that connected the basket to the balloon, and tending to a stove that sent up a great
whoosh
of fire. As the basket ascended Cecil could see inside, and to his surprise it was furnished with chairs and a table spread with a cloth and what looked like sandwiches on a plate. Very slowly, chuffing rhythmically, the whole assembly rose straight up in front of them. As it passed the man spotted them and waved.

“Amazing!” cried Cecil. “In the space of one day I've seen two astounding thingsâa wheel boat, and now thisâa giant basket floating on air. I like this place!”

“I like that we're
together
in this place,” added Anton.

Hieronymus smiled. “We're agreed, then. We'll try our fortunes on this end of the world for a bit.” His black eyes gleamed and he grasped a pawful of fur on each brother.

But Cecil was gazing up at the big balloon as it caught the wind and bobbed landward. His eyes were wide and his heart throbbed with excitement.

“Cats in heaven, it's an airship,” he said softly. “What a way to travel!”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We want to thank our editor, Elise Howard, and our agent, Molly Friedrich, for their ongoing dedication to the cats. We're also grateful to the team at Algonquin Young Readers for their enthusiastic and tireless efforts to guide Anton and Cecil, as well as the humans who wrote about them, as they make their way in the wide world. Thanks especially to Eileen Lawrence, Emma Boyer, and Brooke Csuka for provisioning us with maps, supplies, and timetables for each new adventure, and to our meticulous copy editor, Dan Janeck, who lets nothing slip.

VALERIE MARTIN (right) is the author of many acclaimed adult novels. She lives in Millbrook, New York. Her niece, LISA MARTIN (left), has worked as an educator and children's poet in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Author photos, from left to right, by Nicola Stewart and Michael Lionstar.)