136. Caught in the Act! (9/19)

CAUGHT IN THE ACT!

Two villains, in the days of yore, were in a prison cell;

They didn't like the decor and they didn't like the smell!

So with plotting and with planning they came to a decision,

And Bert spelt out the moves they'd make with excellent precision.

'I've loosened bars a bit each day, so, in the dead of night,

The two of us can wriggle out and make a speedy flight.

We'll crawl across the roof-tops and then leap across the wall……'

But Cedric interrupted saying 'What if we should fall!'

'Just follow me' said Bert, 'You'll find it wont be very hard.'

Then Cedric bleated 'Bert! We might be captured by a guard!'

Laughed Bert 'We won't shout out to him " Hey! We're two acrobats!"

We'll simply act as though we two are slinky alley-cats!

There's no moon at the present time; the guard will see a shape.

He'll think we're cats and that is how we'll manage our escape!'

So Cedric worked on his 'Meeow' and got it down quite pat;

He felt that he was ready to be taken for a cat.

That night they crawled up on the roof after squeezing through the bars.

The night was dark and moonless and clouds hid all the stars.

They inched along the roof-tops, a really stealthy pair,

Till suddenly a shout rang out! They heard 'Halt! Who goes there!'

'Meeow! Meeow!; mewed Bert quite loud and very feline too.

'Oh, Just a cat' the guard remarked. 'Nothing for me to do'.

So Bert got to the other side and scrambled down in haste

Then ran off in the darkness; to liberty he raced.

Now came the turn of Cedric; he squeezed and climbed and crawled

Until the selfsame guard came out, by scratching sounds recalled.

He'd heard the muffled noises and he didn't turn a hair.

As bold as brass he cocked his musket shouting 'Who goes there?"

Now Cedric made a big mistake ! He stopped to have a chat.

'Take no notice!' he called out, 'I'm just the Second Cat!'