"No," said Charlie. "We're human."
"I know that," the man said impatiently "Where are your companions? No one's allowed in without an animal, bird, or reptile."
"Oh." Charlie's face fell.
"We've got a dog," Benjamin piped up. "He's over there, talking to a labrador ."
"One animal each," said the man. "Otherwise, out!" He pointed to the door.
Paton was finding it difficult to concentrate on his book. He held it even closer to his face in his efforts to avoid looking at the lights twinkling in the low ceiling. "Ahem," he muttered. And then, in a low voice, "Smells awful. Let's go."
Charlie was just wondering what to do next when Gabriel appeared, holding a large wooden box. He took two gerbils from the box, handed one to Charlie and popped another in Paton's top pocket.
. " Er no," Paton objected, touching a gerbil nose. But it was too late.
The large man said, "That's better," and ushered them up to the counter. Here they were faced with a difficult choice. All along the counter among plates of ordinary cookies there were bowls of sausages, cakes that smelled of fish, round pellets that could have been chocolate (or might not have been), and seeds of various sizes.
"I recommend the sausages," said Gabriel. "They're delicious."
"They look as if they could be for dogs," said Charlie.
"Probably are," said Gabriel. "They're still delicious. The gerbils love them."
"Cookies and three waters, please," said Charlie playing safe.
The man behind the counter said, "If it isn't Charlie Bone."
Charlie blinked. At last he recognized Mr. Onimous , the mouse-catcher. It was his pointy-toothed smile that gave him away He looked very different in his chef's white hat and apron. The last time Charlie had seen him he'd been wearing a fake-fur coat and a velvet waistcoat.
"What are you doing here, Mr. Onimous ?" Charlie asked.
"Giving my wife a helping hand," said Mr. Onimous . "It's her caf, you know Her idea entirely Good, isn't it?"
"Brilliant," said Charlie. "But do the flame cats mind all these other visitors? I mean, they live with you, don't they?"
"The flames?" Mr. Onimous raised his whiskery eyebrows. "They're not often here, bless ' em . Far too busy with their own particular duties. They pop in around midnight for a quick bite and a snooze, and then they're off again. Unless they need me, of course. In which case I have to follow them."
"I see." Charlie paid for the food. It was very cheap.
"Good to see you, Charlie," said Mr. Onimous . "You take care, now!"
"You, too, Mr. Onimous ."
The line behind Charlie was growing, so he took his tray to the table where his friends were sitting. He had to push his way through a crowd of dogs before he could reach the table. Gabriel had chosen a place right beside the window and they were able to watch the strange assortment of customers approaching the caf.
At the table beside them a tarantula crawled around a red straw hat. The woman wearing the hat seemed quite happy about the situation. Now and again she passed tidbits up to the tarantula. Fearing the tidbits were alive, Charlie looked away
"What have you got to show us, then?" he asked Gabriel.
Gabriel pulled a plastic bag from under the table. "Look!" He reached into the bag and drew out an old tweed coat and a battered cap.
" Asa's disguise!" said Charlie.
"Exactly I even found the mustache." Gabriel held up a strip of white whiskers. "They were lying in the lane outside our yard. I reckon the wind from the Thunder House blew them there. Asa probably hid them in the woods."
Charlie shuddered. "You mean it was Asa in the woods. Asa as a... whatever he can turn into when it's getting dark?"
"Does he have to take all his clothes off," asked Benjamin, "before he turns into a beast?"
Gabriel frowned at him. "This is serious, Benjamin."
"Sorry I just wondered."
"Why would Asa go all the way up to the Heights?" murmured Charlie. "Does he live there?"
"I don't know where he lives," said Gabriel. "But I think he was warning us off. He was trying to make sure we wouldn't go back to the Thunder House."
"But why?" asked Charlie.
Gabriel shrugged. "Perhaps it's got something to do with your cousin Henry That evil old man who sent him through time knows he's come back. He's probably furious."
"Of course," said Charlie. "Ezekiel has ordered Manfred and Asa to find Henry But they know that we'll protect him you, me, Lysander, and Tancred. So they're trying to split us up, weaken us. Have you told Lysander about the clothes?"
"Couldn't contact him," said Gabriel. "I'll see him tomorrow."
At that moment a body flung itself at the window Charlie looked up to see Asa Pike glaring at them through the small glass panes. His lips were drawn back in a horrible snarl, and his yellow eyes darted around the table until he saw the bag of clothes.
"Mine," he rasped. "Give them here, you wretches!
His sudden appearance caused an uproar in the caf. Terrified birds fluttered, screeching, to the ceiling; dogs threw back their heads and howled; cats hissed and spat; rabbits rushed under tables, and everything else hid behind the large potted plants standing around the room.
"He's not very popular, is he?" Benjamin said in a shaky voice.
"Keep reading, Uncle Paton," Charlie warned.
The caf was already in turmoil without his uncle breaking glass. Food was flying everywhere, plates had been smashed, drinks had been spilled, and anxious customers were tripping over frightened animals.
"Look out," said Gabriel. "Here he comes!"
Asa crashed through the door and walked straight into the man in the elephant shirt.
Animal?" said the man, who was evidently a sort of bouncer.
For a moment Charlie thought Asa was going to say he was an animal, but he just snarled into the man's face.
"That's it!" said the bouncer. "Out!"
He grabbed Asa by the scruff of his scrawny neck and thrust him out onto the pavement. Asa whipped around and was about to burst in again, when several large dogs rushed through the open door and set upon him.
Asa gave a high-pitched yell and ran off around the corner, followed by the pack of baying dogs. If Benjamin hadn't leaped up and grabbed Runner Bean's collar, he would have joined the chase. The big dog was very disappointed to miss the fun and whined monotonously until Mr. Onimous gave him a rainbow-colored bone to chew
The Pets' Caf was emptying rapidly Several customers had gone racing after their dogs, and the others, having caught and calmed their pets, had decided to leave before things got worse.
Charlie and his friends stayed to help Mr. Onimous and the bouncer, Norton Cross, clear up the mess.
"That tall fellow is a bit of a lazy layabout ," Norton remarked, glancing at Paton, who was still reading his book.
"He can have accidents," said Charlie awkwardly. "So it's best that he doesn't help."
"He's special," said Mr. Onimous , winking at Charlie
"Oh, no. Not one of them is he? We've got more than our fair share of oddballs in this city," grumbled Norton. "That one the dogs chased you could tell he was peculiar. Animals always know when something ain't right."
Mrs. Silk, who had finished her deliveries, came through a door at the back of the counter. She was followed by an extremely tall woman with pale wispy hair and a very long nose. Surprisingly this turned out to be Mrs. Onoria Onimous . She was a gentle, friendly person and seemed to like children almost as much as animals.
When, at last, the caf was restored to order, Mrs. Silk offered the boys a lift back to Filbert Street . And your father, too," she said, glancing at Paton. "If that is your father."
