Chapter 3

After a while in the tree, the cat decided that no help was coming. He needed to be brave. He planned his route, jumped, miscalculated, grabbed at branches, swung wildly, got caught in some leaves, scrabbled at the bark, came face to face with a squirrel – and finally landed on the floor.

Phew. He’d made it! Now for some food…

The cat followed the sounds of human activity into the village, and then followed the smell of food to the butchers. He slipped inside behind an elderly lady and a little girl, and scanned around for something tasty.

‘Well good afternoon Grandma Alice and little Phoebe!’ the shopkeeper was saying.

‘What can I get for you today?’

The little girl pointed excitedly at some sausages, but the elderly lady shook her head.

‘No Phoebe, we’re here for the Sunday roast remember! Maybe we can get some sausages from Mrs Henstock.’ She gestured to a large joint of beef, and the butcher started to wrap it up for her.

The little girl, meanwhile, was still looking at the sausages. The cat crept closer. They did look good!

Suddenly, the girl turned and spotted the cat. Her mouth dropped open in surprise. As she turned to call to her grandma, the cat made his move. Jumping onto the counter, he grabbed a sausage, and ran for the door. Too late, he realised they were all joined together! A long string of sausages was following him, bouncing along the floor.

‘Hey!’ shouted the butcher. ‘Come back here!’

But the cat was gone.

The Boat Inn used to be the butchers’ shop.

To follow the cat, return down Scarthin Nick to the marketplace, cross the road and find the shop Q Eye, next to Elements Beauty.

Your secret letter is T.

This is part of the Cromford Mills Story Trail: A Cat Comes to Cromford. For more information, visit https://www.cromfordmills.org.uk/event/a-cat-comes-to-cromford-story-trail/