Field Trip to Niagara Falls

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Field Trip to Niagara Falls Page 4

by Geronimo Stilton


  I looked around. We were surrounded by

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  Just then, I remembered a story that I had

  read about Niagara Falls. I told it to the

  class.

  I

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  any years ago, a tribe of Native Americans lived

  peacefully near the Niagara River. In order to

  protect themselves from diseases and hunger,

  the tribe always asked the god of thunder, who

  lived in a cave under the falls, for protection.

  One day, the god saw Lelawala, the daughter of the

  great chief Eagle Eye, and decided to keep her for

  himself. The Native Americans offered him canoes full

  of flowers, fruit, and game, but the god insisted on

  marrying her. Lelawala was courageous and decided to

  protect her tribe by marrying the god. She showed up

  dressed in white, with a garland of flowers. She boarded

  a white birch canoe and bravely hurled herself over the

  falls. But when she fell from the top, the god stretched

  out his arms and saved her. The

  courageous young girl remained

  forever in the cave under the

  falls. She was called the Maid

  of the Mist, because at the

  base of the falls, there is

  always a dense mist

  made of droplets

  of water.

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  don’t Move,

  Punk rAt!

  When I finished telling the STORY, I

  looked up. The boat was returning to shore.

  Right then, I noticed something. It was quiet.

  Too quiet. I began to get the feeling that

  something —or someone — was missing.

  I ran up and down the boat counting the

  little mice.

  I was right. We were short one rodent.

  Can you guess who was

  missing? Here’s a hint: He’s the loudest

  mouse in the class and a pain in my tail.

  That’s right, it was Punk Rat.

  Suddenly, I spotted the little pest on the

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  shore. He must have been left behind when

  the boat took off.

  “Don’t move, Punk Rat!” I yelled. “It’s

  dangerous!

  We’ll come and pick you up.”

  “

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  But at that moment, disaster struck. Punk

  Rat slipped on a wet rock. He tumbled into

  the water.

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  A dive . . .in the

  icy WAter!

  A little voice inside my head began

  screaming at me. “Don’t just stand there!

  Save him!” it yelled. I dove into the

  wat e r. That’s when the other little voice

  began screaming. It shrieked,

  Icy-cold water soaked into my ears, my

  nose, even my throat. It blocked out the

  voices. All I could think about was SAVING

  Punk Rat.

  I swam desperately toward him. I could

  “

  Geronimo, are you crazy?

  Y

  ou

  ’re not

  a swimmer. You can barely do two

  laps at the Cheddarville

  Y

  !

  ”

  see his little head bobbing up and down in

  the waves. His

  little paws

  waved in the air.

  He looked like he was doing a perfect water

  ballet dance. I wondered if he had ever

  thought about taking lessons.

  I was still thinking about water ballet

  when things went from bad to worse. Yep,

  Punk Rat went under.

  U

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  What could I do?

  It was dark under the water.

  I could

  hardly see a thIng

  . Everything was so fuzzy.

  Everything was so blurry. Maybe I need a

  new pair of glasses, I thought. Then I realized

  I wasn’t wearing glasses. I had lost them in

  the water!

  Luckily, my paw felt something. It was

  Punk Rat’s tail. I grabbed it. I pulled him

  up.

  Someone threw me a life buoy from the

  boat. Then they pulled us in.

  Cheesecake! We were saved!

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  crunching

  scraggly

  You Are Not

  A Mouse . . .

  You Are A Hero!

  The boat’s captain patted me on the back.

  “Nice going, Mr. Stilton!” he exclaimed.

  Then he led the crowd in a chorus of

  cheers.

  they shouted.

  A

  large

  ,

  beefy

  tourist threw his paws

  around me. “That was beautiful,” he squeaked.

  “Who would think a little rodent

  like you could do something like that?” He

  embraced me in a hug. I felt all

  the bones in my body sna
pping. Then he

  accidentally stepped on my foot.

  66

  I screamed at the top of my lungs.

  I quickly wrapped my foot in my nephew’s

  bandanna.

  Next, a little old lady mouse gave me a

  kiss. She had tears in her eyes.

  “Bravo, young man! You are not a

  mouse . . . you are a hero!” she exclaimed.

  While she was kissing me, the handle of

  her purse went into my eye.

  I screamed at the top of my lungs. My eye

  felt like it was on fire. I tied a handkerchief

  around my head to soak up the tears. Now I

  looked just like a PIRATE.

  The whole class stared at me. I could

  tell they were impressed. Little mice love

  pirates.

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  HOT

  “You’re so lucky to have such a

  cool

  uncle

  ,” Sakura told Benjamin.

  My nephew BEAMED with pride.

  Punk Rat and I were wet and shivering. A

  sailor wrapped us in a blanket. He gave us

  each a cup of chocolate.

  My paws were shaking so much I spilled

  mine all over me. I

  screamed at the top of my lungs.

  Oh, when would this day come to an

  end

  ?

  Friends . . . Furever!

  When Punk Rat stopped shivering, he

  wrapped his paws around my neck.

  “Thank you, Geronimo! You saved my life!

  I’m sorry I played all those dumb tricks

  on you,” he gushed.

  I tried to say something, but I couldn’t

  squeak. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

  Punk Rat was squeezing my neck so

  tightly I was choking!

  At last, he let go. Then he

  shook my paw.

  “Friends    the

  little rodent squeaked.

  I gave him a weak smile.

  FUREVER I

  croaked, still gasping

  for breath.

  F

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  The Adventure Seekers of Niagara Falls

  Many people have come to Niagara Falls seeking fame and

  adventure. Here are just a few of the most famouse.

  splash!

  Isn’t It

  MagnIfIcent,

  geronIMo?

  Before we got off the boat, Benjamin

  spotted something floating in the water. It

  was my glasses. I reached over the side to

  fish them out, and . . .

  I fell in.

  I swam to shore. I was wet. I was cold.

  But I could see! I was in mouse heaven! I

  wondered if my glasses had missed me as

  much as I missed them.

  We hiked back toward the camp.

  We took a

  I looked around. The leaves on the trees

  were

  such beautiful colors

 

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