It was a Tuesday morning and everything was just as it usually was. As usual, Howard Armitage arrived at his office at a quarter to nine. As usual, he bought a cup of coffee and two sausages from the office canteen. Then, as usual, he set off down the long Corridor⦠to his room.
Suddenly there was a booming voice behind him.
âARMITAGE!â it said.
It was Mr Bullerton, Howardâs boss.
âHello, Mr Bullerton,â said Howard.
âHmph,â said Mr Bullerton, crossly. âIâve just been in your room, and itâs a mess. As usual.â
âOh, Iââ began Howard.
âWhy is it?â said Mr Bullerton.
âWell, errââ
âI wonât have it,â said Mr Bullerton.
âNo, Iââ
âTidy it!â said Mr Bullerton.
He gave Howardâs sausage-box a nasty look and his nostrils, which were large, gave a twitch.
âWhatâs in the box?â
âSausages,â said Howard.
âSausages?â spluttered Mr Bullerton. âI hope youâre not intending to eat sausages in your office.â
âErr, Iââ
âNo eating at desks!â said Mr Bullerton. âItâs unhygienic!â
âYes, Mr Bullerton,â said Howard.
âAnd untidy!â
âYes, Mr Bullerton,â said Howard.
âDesks are for working on, not eating off. Any eating to be done will be done in the canteen and in the canteen only.
said Mr Bullerton. âWell, go on then.â
Howard went back to the canteen, waited until Mr Bullerton had gone, and then took his breakfast to his room, just as he always did. He was about to take a large bite of sausage when there was a rustling noise.
âThatâs unusual,â said Howard, and the noise stopped. Then it started again, loudly.
There was something under the desk, and it was movingâ¦
Howard sprang upwards and backwards and peered underneath. There was a bag, and it was twitching. He prodded it and something small and round SHOT out.
âSqueeep!â it said.
âTut,â said Howard. âA mouse.â
The mouse hurtled off into the corner and Howard sat back down. He was about to take a large bite of sausage when there was another rustling noise.
âNow look,â said Howard. âIâve had just about enough of this.â He kicked the bag and another mouse popped out, smaller and rounder than the first. It started to trundle away, glancing nervously at Howard over its shoulder.
âYou may well glance at me nervously,â said Howard, picking up an empty water glass and placing it over the mouse. âYouâll stay in there so I can eat my breakfast in peace. I shall deal with you afterwards.â
It was the first mouse, back again.
âLet him out!â squealed the mouse, pummelling.
Howard choked on his coffee, and the mouse stopped pummelling.
âPlease, I mean. Please let him out, Howard Armitage,â said the mouse.
Howard made a gargling noise, and the mouse giggled.
âHere, youâve got coffee all down your chin,â he said, passing Howard a small tissue.
âSo would you, if youâd been sprung at all over the place and pummelled,â said Howard, mopping.
âSorry,â said the mouse. âIt was the biscuits.â
âWhat was the biscuits?â said Howard.
âThey were in that bag,â said the mouse, âand we, err, borrowed some, and fell asleep. If I get you some more, will you let my brother go?â
âI donât want biscuitsâ said Howard. âI want sausages.â
âIâll get you some sausages then,â offered the mouse.
âIâve already got sausages,â said Howard. âAll I need now is a bit of calm in which to eat them. Is that too much to ask?â
âNot at all,â said the mouse.
âWell, quite,â said Howard.
Sighing, Howard lifted the water glass and the smaller, rounder mouse scuttled out, looking a bit hot and very relieved.
âThank you,â said the first mouse. âWeâll be off then,â and he started bundling his brother away.
âOne second,â said Howard. âHow do you know my nameâs Howard Armitage?â
âThereâs a sign on your door that says:
âHoward Armitageâ, said the mouse, âso I assumed.â
âDid you now?â said Howard, narrowing his eyes.
âIsnât it then?â asked the mouse, sounding confused.
âAs a matter of fact it is,â said Howard. âI think youâd better tell me who you are.â
âHeâs Mickey Thompson,â said the mouse, poking his, brotherâs tummy.
âI can tell him,â said Mickey Thompson, wriggling, and poking his brother back.
âIâm Mickey Thompson,â announced Mickey Thompson, to Howard.
âPleased to meet you, Mickey Thompson,â said Howard.
âAnd Iâm Purvis,â said the first mouse, thumping himself on the chest.
âPurvis what?â said Howard.
âPurvis what?â said Purvis.
âOr what Purvis?â said Howard.
âThat Purvis,â said Mickey Thompson. âThereâs only one, and heâs him.â Mickey Thompson prodded Purvis in the ribs, and there was a small scuffle.
Howardâs head was beginning to throb. âThatâs enough, you two,â