SH Fanfic: Noddy Boffin, Private Ear. 3/6

[goldvermilion87]

Chapter 3

"Those kids were great!" Jack remembered. "I really liked Penny—she was so cute."

"Well, she seemed to give her mother plenty of trouble…"

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Outside the two rabbits could still hear the frazzled mother. "No Penny, not there, in your bed!"

"Well, you seem to do well with children!" Noddy smiled to Jack.

"Being the youngest of twelve, I still remember how much I loved it when Warren gave me piggyback rides. I figure if he had to drag me around like that every day I can manage to pass on the favor every now and then."

Noddy laughed. "Well, we need to think about the case now."

"His friends weren't mice, Michael saw them."

"Huh?"

"I believe, from the description Michael gave me, that they were raccoons."

"I see, do you know anything about where they might hang out."

"Yes. I think that I could take you to the place if you like."

Noddy was beginning to think that Jack was not going to be much trouble to teach.

"Why don't you tell me about it first."

"When Mrs. Fieldmouse said that her sons had been hanging out with 'tough guys' I immediately thought of the Bandits."

"Who are they?"

"It's just a gang that hangs out up the road. My brother Ralph got involved in it once, so I know a bit about it."

"Go on," said Noddy, seeing the embarrassment on Jack's face.

"Well, Michael said that he was glad that Bob, Dan, and Joe were gone because then the big black-faces wouldn't come to give him nightmares anymore. If he wasn't talking about those night prowlers, I don't know a thing about the Bandits."

"Do they allow other kinds of animals in their gang?"

"Well, any that are sufficiently mean are allowed in, but those that aren't raccoons are definitely only second-class members. They tend to be smaller, and they are usually picked on a lot. For Ralph, being accepted by the 'big guys' was enough to make up for the injuries he got. He started doing stuff he really didn't want to because they threatened him. He finally told our parents and got out of it when they started threatening our family."

"So they wouldn't pick on a full-grown rabbit, then?" Noddy wondered.

"I don't think so," answered Jack. "Like I said, our parents were able to get Ralph out of the Bandits very easily."

"Well then, why don't we go to their hide-out right now."

"Okay Mr. Sherlock. Sounds good to me."

Jack led the way up a hill. Noddy loping behind him thought he saw a shadow pass through the trees, but when he looked closer, he saw nothing. Still it sent a shiver through him. Ahead Jack seemed okay, so Noddy tried not to think about it. What had gotten into him? Noddy could never remember a trip where he had been so nervous. It upset him to think that he should be so ridiculous. He was just making a visit on a gang of half-grown boys! Ahead Jack stopped.

"What is it?" Noddy's voice shook.

Jack looked at him strangely. "Nothing, we just got to the entrance."

"OK, I'll follow you." Noddy did not see an entrance anywhere nearby, but he trusted Jack to get him in.

Jack whispered something at a knothole in a tree. Suddenly part of the bark swung open. Sounds of shouting and rowdy laughter came from inside. A raccoon peered out.

"Waddaya want? Is that you, Jack?"

"Yes, Keith, it's me. And I want to get in with my friend."

"Why?"

"Because we are looking for some missing friends of ours."

"Why should I let you in?" Keith sneered.

"Because I am here with Mr. Sherlock, and he can get in if he wants to."

Keith looked scared for a moment. "M-M-Mister Sh-Sherlock?"

"Yes, let us in!"

"Yessir!" And Keith opened the door wide to let the two rabbits in. They went down a sloping tunnel towards the noise, leaving the raccoon behind.

As they got further down the passageway the shouts got louder. They turned a corner and they saw the source of the noise: Some raccoons, some rats, some moles, and even a nasty looking hare were sitting in a circle around three little mice.

"So, are you going to do it or not?" asked a particularly foul-looking rat."

"No!" squeaked the three little mice in unison.

"Oh yes you are! We'll make you, won't we Max." The rat turned to the biggest raccoon.

"Yes Clyde, we have ways."

"You wouldn't really eat them, would you?" pleaded one of the mice.

"Yes we would! That's why we brought you here. We know how many siblings you have. You don't like them—or else you wouldn't hit them, and be so mean to them. So it's either them or you."

The little mice whimpered. "

I wish I hadn't come Bob," said one.

"It's okay, Joe, they wouldn't really do it. I know they wouldn't they're probably just trying us, before we get into the gang, you know?" answered the other. But his voice sounded less confident than his words.

"I see they don't really believe us," Max said. I think we need to bring out the convincer." One mole went into the nearest tunnel. He brought out a tiny skeleton.

"See this!" He laughed evilly. "This was someone's little sister—just like yours. We have plenty more skeletons in that closet over there." The other members laughed raucously at the little joke, but Dan and Joe looked really scared. Bob still tried to maintain that "it was a test."

Jack looked at Noddy in horror. "I can't believe they would do that! We need to stop this right now."

"I'll deal with this later right now I just want to get the boys home—I think they've had enough of these 'tough guys' for the time being. I want you to take the boys home while I look more closely into this matter."

"You want to stay here by yourself?"

"Of course! I've been in worse situations before. This isn't dangerous for a full-grown rabbit like me!"

"Okay, I'll do it Mr. Sherlock."

Noddy hopped into the room. "BOYS!" he shouted.

The whole gang stopped in astonishment. "What is going on here?" Noddy thundered.

"Nothin' at all Mr. Sherlock," stuttered the hare.

"It is not 'nothing' Raymond. You should be ashamed of yourself! If your mother could see you she would be so heartbroken. However I won't inform her of this if you leave right now and don't come back."

The mangy hare made a start for the door, but he was intercepted by the big raccoon, Max. "Don't worry about it Ray, he'll never tell your mom about this. And even if she did know, what is the worst she could do—yell at you?"

"B-but, Max, he's the police! We could all get killed. I mean we ate all those little mice!"

"No police is ever goin' to find out about this Ray."

"He's Mr. Sherlock."

"I don't care who he is! I bet he's no match for all of us and Keane"

"Ya, ya, you're forgettin' about Keane, Ray. You know that ain't nobody a match for old Keane."

"I don't know what you are talking about boys, but I want Bob, Dan, and Joe right now. They are going home. You are all coming with me to the office."

Ray still looked ready to come with Noddy. "Mr. Sherlock" was famed among rabbits for his many feats. Noddy's stern composure was beginning to make an impression on the gang-members. "We'll give you the little mice, we were only teasing them."

"I'm not so sure about that." Noddy turned to Jack. "Take these boys back to their mother. I'm sure they won't be much trouble to her anymore."

The three field mice shook their heads.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Sherlock," said Jack. "C'mon guys, we're going home." The little boys followed gratefully. "You want a ride, little guy?" Jack asked Joe.

"Yes please!" and they left.

Once Noddy could not hear any noise in the passageway he turned to Max. "Now sir, why don't you explain this little business to me."

"It's just what you heard."

"No it isn't," shrieked Clyde. "We were only tryin' to scare them, weren't we men?"

"Yes, it was a joke," agreed the gang.

"Shut up!" growled Max, "or I'm goin' to report you to Keane. See what he says about it."

At this, the other gang members looked more scared that before, and they listened to their leader in silence. "As I was sayin' before, we've scared a few other field mice before. They've given us their siblings to save their own scrawny necks. There's plenty of field mice in the world for us to eat a few, and no one to know the difference."

"I had been under the impression that one is not allowed to steal the baby field mice. In the office we call it murder."

"Well, I could care less what you guys call it, because your guys will never find out. Keane should be here any minute to take care of you."

"I want all of you to come to the office with me at this moment!" said Noddy turning to the rest of the gang. "You sir, will need to wear handcuffs, but I will trust the others, they seem to be frightened enough."

"I will not, Keane is coming right now!"

Noddy saw terror in the faces before him—even Max looked frightened.

"Hi, Keane." Max gulped.

"Where are the mice!" hissed a voice behind Noddy.

"Well, they got away," Max said quickly, "but we have Mr. Sherlock here, sir."

"What?" gasped the voice.

Noddy turned around and found himself face to face with a fox!