Toulouse pushed out his chin.“Yes.”
“But why?”
“Because I have some great ideas. You and Claudette didn’t want anyone else on your team, but Nadine and Leon did. They wantedme.”
Marie rolled her eyes.“Oh, Toulouse. You’re great at art, but baking and cooking aren’t exactly your thing.”
Toulouse stared at her.“I can have more than onething, you know. I’ll show you how good I am at finding ingredients!”
Then he suddenly launched himself over the curb and headed for the next street.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Marie called from behind him. “I’m going to get to that market first!”
Toulouse raced along the sidewalk, with Marie right behind him. She was close enough that she kept batting at Toulouse’s tail as they ran. The sidewalk was like a big obstacle course, and the kittens weaved through human legs, baby carriage wheels, and dogs on leashes.
[Картинка: img_19]
After two blocks, Toulouse hit a bumpy patch of cobblestones and stumbled. Marie caught up and leapt onto his back.
“Gotcha…again!” she said. Before Toulouse could react, she hopped off him and started running. Now it was Toulouse’s turn to chase his sister.
Marie rounded the corner toward the market and tried to scramble around a man pushing a cart. Toulouse caught up and swatted at her tail.
“Now we’re even!” he cried, and kept racing down the street. Marie followed, and within a few seconds, they were running alongside each other.
Their finish line was up ahead: a market stand with a big sign reading BELLE JOUR FARMS. The stand was crowded with baskets full of all types of vegetables: green lettuce, red onions, yellow peppers, purple eggplants.
A huge fluffy gray dog lay stretched out on the ground under the stand.
Marie got to him first and caught her breath.“Hello, monsieur! Do you remember us? We usually come here with our friend Pierre.”
The dog lifted his head and peered at Marie and Toulouse.“Ah, yes. From the Purrfect Paw-tisserie?”
The kittens nodded, still huffing and puffing from their chase.
The dog gave them a sideways glance.“I have to say, I’ve never seen anyone—human or animal—so eager to buy vegetables.”
“We need just one today,” Marie said.
“Actually, two,” Toulouse said, correcting her.
The dog slowly stood up, stretching his front legs, then his back legs. Toulouse and Marie flicked their tails impatiently.
“All right, then,” he said. “What can I get youtwo of?”
“Sweet potatoes!” Marie and Toulouse said.
The dog frowned, then shook his head.“I’m sorry, but we’ve been very busy today and sold the last sweet potato a few minutes ago. We’ll have some more tomorrow, though. Come back in the morning.”
He flopped back down on the ground and closed his eyes.
[Картинка: img_8]
Disappointed and frustrated, Toulouse and Marie walked slowly toward home. After several blocks of awkward silence, Marie finally turned to her brother.
“So,” she said, “have you tasted Nadine and Leon’s treat recipe?”
“Not yet,” Toulouse admitted. “But it’s going to be delicious. It’ll definitelylook delicious with the decorations I’m planning.”
Marie flattened her ears.“Mine and Claudette’s, too.”
“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see which one the customers like more,” Toulouse said.
They were quiet for a few awkward moments as they turned up the path to the front door of Madame Adelaide’s mansion.
Finally, Marie mumbled,“I guess you were serious about wanting to help me with my baking.”
“Of course I was,” Toulouse said. “I thought it would be fun to try something new. You probably wouldn’t understand.”
“But I do!” Marie protested. “I don’t want to just be baking and cooking all the time, either. I would love to—”
Before she could finish, a horse trotted by, pulling a carriage. The wheels sprayed water into the air, and Marie jumped to avoid it. She landed in front of Toulouse. The two kittens just stared at each other, not sure what to say next.
“Guess what?” Toulouse said.
“What?” Marie asked.
“Last one through the cat door is a sticky-paw!”
Toulouse started running.
“Hey!” Marie called, chasing after him. They had just about reached the door at the same time when Berlioz’s head popped through from inside.
“Aaaah!” Berlioz said, then gave a little hiss as he pushed his way out.“You scared me!”
“Sorry,” Marie said.
“Also, sorry I was gone so long, Berlioz,” Toulouse added. “Do you want to finish our game?”
“Maybe later,” Berlioz said, running off down the path to the street. “Can’t talk now! I’m in a rush!”
[Картинка: img_20]
Toulouse and Marie watched their brother disappear around a corner.
“Why was he in such a hurry?” Marie asked.
Toulouse thought for a moment, flicking his tail up and down.“Hmmm. Earlier, he was about to tell me about a great new idea he has for the caf?. Maybe it has something to do with that.”
Marie narrowed her eyes.“Hmmm is right.”
All they could do now was wait and see how the Bake-Off would play out the next day—and maybe Berlioz’s big idea would be revealed then, too.
[Картинка: img_21]
DOG BISCUIT BAKE-OFF TODAY
TAKE A NIBBLE AND CAST YOUR VOTE
Toulouse stepped back from the banner to wipe his paws clean of blue paint and admire his work. Soon the Paw-tisserie would open its doors and lots of customers would arrive. Berlioz had been running around all morning, spreading news about the Bake-Off among the animals of Paris.
Toulouse hoped all those customers would think that the Country Days Delight was the tastiest treat. He had managed to find that sweet potato and the other ingredients in Nadine and Leon’s recipe. Then he’d had the idea that the puppies should bake the treats in a pie shape so they could serve them as slices. Toulouse used icing to draw a little red deer on each treat, beaming proudly at how they turned out.
Marie and Claudette emerged from the kitchen area, whispering to each other. They stopped when they spotted Toulouse.
[Картинка: img_22]
“Look, it’s my brother,” Marie declared. “A member of the losing Bake-Off team.”
Toulouse rolled his eyes and replied,“And hi to my sister, who’ll definitely win the award for Most Annoying.”
“I’m not overconfident,” Marie protested. “I’m just telling the truth.”
“The Bake-Off hasn’t even happened yet, and the truth might surprise you.”
Marie stared at her brother.“I really wish I could pounce on you right now. But I’m a lady, and ladies don’t tussle in caf?s. Especially ones that they run.”
“Lucky for us both, huh?” Toulouse said.
He walked away, his tail swishing back and forth behind him.
[Картинка: img_8]
A short time later, the caf? officially opened for the contest. Berlioz had apparently done a great job spreading the word, because it was quickly crowded with customers eager to taste and vote in the Dog Biscuit Bake-Off.
Pierre and Toulouse had arranged the tables to display the entries. Leon and Nadine’s biscuits were in a big flat basket, while Claudette’s biscuits sat on a fancy round plate decorated with fruit. Her treats were covered in yellow icing and shaped like bananas. The sign behind the plate read TROPICAL ADVENTURE TREATS.
[Картинка: img_23]
Pierre stood with Duchess and Thomas O’Malley, examining the two entries.
“I have to say, I’m impressed with these puppies,” Pierre said.
“Don’t forget the kittens who helped them,” Duchess added, flashing a smile at Thomas. She turned to Marie and Toulouse. “I’m so proud of you, Toulouse, for trying something different! And you, too, Marie, for working so well with a new friend. As for Berlioz…”
Duchess looked around.
“Berlioz? Where are you, darling?”
“He must still be out on the streets, spreading the word about the Bake-Off,” Toulouse suggested.