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    Basil and the Lost Colony
    Basil and the Lost Colony
    Basil and the Lost Colony
    Ebook77 pages59 minutes

    Basil and the Lost Colony

    By Eve Titus and Paul Galdone

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Named one of “13 Detective Book Series You Obsessed Over as a Kid” by Buzzfeed.com and the inspiration for a hit Disney film, the masterful Great Mouse Detective is back and scurrying off to solve the mystery of a Lost Colony in Switzerland.

    Basil of Baker Street—mouse detective genius—is off on a perilous expedition leading thirty-two mice up a towering mountain. Their objective: to locate and rescue a famous colony of mice that have been missing for six centuries! A clue in the form of an arrow with strange markings has sent Basil scurrying off to Switzerland in search of the lost colony.

    But the path is not smooth for our Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World. Before he can solve this baffling mystery, he must confront the mysterious snow mouse and the sinister plots of evil Professor Ratigan, ruler of the mouse underworld!
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAladdin
    Release dateMay 16, 2017
    ISBN9781481464154
    Author

    Eve Titus

    Eve Titus (1905–2002) wrote many books for children during her long career, including the Basil of Baker Street books and the Anatole series.

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    Reviews for Basil and the Lost Colony

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      This series is intended for grade-schoolers, but adults who are familiar with the Holmes tales will appreciate them, too. The stories contain aspects of the originals, in this case, a falls, as well as puns referring to Doyle’s series. Well written and superbly narrated by Ralph Lister, this mystery series is quite entertaining.
    • 4/5
      Basil is off to Switzerland to search for the lost colony of the Tellmice, who have been isolated from mouse civilization for hundreds of years. In search of this colony, Basil must battle his old foe Professor Ratigan, assemble a team of mouse mountain climbers, rescue some missing twins, and scale Mount Emmentaler. He does all with aplomb, I daresay. I haven't read any Sherlock Holmes (blasphemy I know) so I'm not sure if he comes across as kind of annoying in his perfection - Basil does, a bit. He knows how to do everything and is honored by all who meet him - not a very interesting hero! Anyway, it's still cute and if you don't ask for much subtlety in your early chapter books, it's a good, very mild animal adventure that you can share with your intermediate readers.

    Book preview

    Basil and the Lost Colony - Eve Titus

    1

    AMBUSHED!

    AN ARROW WITH STRANGE MARKINGS was the clue that sent Basil of Baker Street scurrying off to Switzerland in search of the Lost Colony.

    Some mice claim that the Sealed Mousehole Mystery best displayed Basil’s genius. I beg to differ. The Case of the Lost Colony was clearly the most extraordinary exploit of this extraordinary detective.

    Did it not take him to another land, to lead an expedition of thirty-two mice up a towering mountain? Was he not pursued by Professor Ratigan, sinister ruler of the mouse underworld?

    And what of the shaggy mouse? Were it not for Basil, the giant creature might never have—

    But I fear I am scampering ahead of my tale. . . .

    It all began in London, England, on a chill April afternoon in the year 1891.

    I, Dr. David Q. Dawson, sat alone before the fire. The cozy flat Basil and I shared was in the model mouse town of Holmestead, erected on a high shelf in the cellar of Baker Street, Number 221B.

    Abovestairs lived Basil’s hero, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. There my friend learned all his detective lore by listening as the great man discussed his cases with his associate, Dr. Watson. It was not surprising, therefore, that Basil came to be called the Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World.

    This afternoon he prowled the streets of London, tracking Professor Ratigan’s gang. He had jailed all but the Professor and two gangsters. Suddenly I heard unsteady steps on the stair—could it be Basil? I flung the door wide—it was he!

    Face scratched, clothes torn, he staggered inside.

    Ambushed! Ambushed by a starving Siamese!

    His whiskers twitched. "I turned a corner on Stilton Square, and two blue eyes met mine. A voice said, ‘Basil of Baker Street, I presume?’ I nodded.

    " ‘I’ve been expecting you,’ said the Siamese softly.

    "Then it sprang, but I sprang faster, down through a crack in the pavement. Back and forth above me moved the kitten’s claw. ‘This cat-and-mouse game is not for you,’ I told myself. I raced along underground and climbed up on James Street.

    But the Siamese spied me! My dear doctor, have you ever seen a kitten coming toward you at a full gallop? It’s a sight I would sooner forget!

    He sighed, and sank back in his chair.

    End the suspense, Basil—how did you escape?

    He winked. I didn’t. The cat ate me.

    Stop joking, Basil. What did you do?

    Dawson, I am always prepared for emergencies. In my pocket was a packet of catnip. I tore it open, tossed it at the monster, and fled. Clearly, the cat preferred catnip to mousenip, else I should not be here to tell the tale.

    His eyes narrowed to slits. That ambush was arranged! In all England, there is only one mouse who can bargain safely with cats, only one mouse who owns a suit of armor—the villainous Professor Ratigan!

    Armor stolen from the British Mousmopolitan Museum, said I. It’s a pity that this brilliant Ratcliffe graduate chose a life of crime. You’ve been trailing him and his gang for weeks, and you’re exhausted. Let the police finish the job. The International Society of Mouse Mountaineers meets in Switzerland next week. Climbing an alp or two will make a new mouse of you!

    "No doubt, Dawson, but the old one will have to do. I’ll not leave London until Ratigan is

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