In the Ice Age : In the Ice Age (9780307532497) Read Free

was.

  DOCTOR KRON-TOX!
    Floating outside was an enormous cube-shaped chunk of blackness. Lightning flickered around it and inside it.
    “It’s the Tick-Tox Box!” said Andrew.
    The Tick-Tox Box was Doctor Kron-Tox’s time-travel machine.
    “It looks a lot bigger now,” said Judy, peering over Andrew’s head.
    “The Tick-Tox Box grows to fit whatever’s inside it,” said Uncle Al. “Doctor Kron-Tox must be carrying a big load.”
    The lightning inside the Tick-Tox Box faded to a flicker.
    Suddenly a jagged crack split one wall of the Tick-Tox Box. Out of the crack stepped a tall, thin man in a black cape. Long white hair fell past his shoulders. His nose and mouth were covered by a white mask. In his fists he gripped fat chains.
    “It’s my uncle!” said Beeper, pushing in front of Uncle Al.
    “Creep-a-roony!” said Judy. “Why’s he wearing that stupid mask over his face?”
    “He’s allergic to many animals,” said Winka. “He wears the mask to keep from breathing in the dander.”
    meep …
“Dander is little skin flakes,” said Thudd.
    “Like dandruff,” chuckled Beeper, pulling Judy’s hair.
    “Doctor Kron-Tox can’t control himself when he’s sneezing,” said Uncle Al. “He’s helpless.”
    Eeeeeeeeee!
    From inside the Tick-Tox Box came a high-pitched scream.
    Doctor Kron-Tox flung himself toward the crack in the Tick-Tox Box. He seemed to be struggling with something inside.
    Andrew heard a voice that sounded like a hiss:
    “Not time to go,
    Not yet, I say.
    Just two come now,
    The rest must stay.”
    Doctor Kron-Tox yanked the chains. A boulder-like creature on stumpy legs crept out.
    “What is
that?”
asked Judy. “It looks like a Volkswagen Bug with feet!”
    “Look at that giant spiky ball at the end of its tail!” said Beeper.
    meep …
“Glyptodont!” said Thudd.
    “It’s a kind of giant armadillo,” explained Winka.
    “Doctor Kron-Tox must have stopped off in South America,” said Uncle Al. “That’swhere those glyptodonts live.”
    Following slowly behind the glyptodont was a furry thing as big as an elephant. But it was standing on its hind legs. It was so tall, it could look into your bedroom window, even if your bedroom was on the second floor of your house.

    “Santa Claus on a snow cone!” said Uncle Al. “It’s a giant ground sloth. Look how slowly it’s moving.”
    meep …
“Sloth mean laziness,” said Thudd.
    Unk … Unk … Unk …
    Grunty noises were coming from the Tick-Tox Box.
    “No!
NOOOOO!”
screamed Doctor Kron-Tox.
    Suddenly a crowd of furry pig-sized animals poured out of the Tick-Tox Box.
    “Hoo boy!” said Beeper, sticking his head out of the doorway. “They look like guinea pigs—
gigunda
guinea pigs!”
    “In a way they are,” said Uncle Al, pulling Beeper back inside.
    meep …
“Capybara!” said Thudd.
    “Right!” said Uncle Al. “Capybaras belong to the same family of animals as guinea pigs. They’re rodents, like mice and rats and squirrels.”
    The capybaras seemed frantic to get out. They were climbing over each other. They were climbing over Doctor Kron-Tox!
    “Back, back, you pigs,
    Into your pen!
    You brats

    Will never eat again!”
    The capybaras got tangled in Doctor Kron-Tox’s chains.
    “AKKKK!”
he cried as he toppled over and let go of the chains.
    The glyptodont scuttled down a hill and out of sight. The sloth lumbered slowly toward a pine tree.
    Doctor Kron-Tox picked himself up, dusted off his cape, and yelled after the escaping animals.
    “Go on, you beasts,
    Do as you please.
    Without my help,
    You’ll starve and freeze!”
    Doctor Kron-Tox caught up with the sloth. He grabbed its chain and tugged the enormous animal toward the glacier. He pulled something out of a pocket and pressed it. A huge slab of ice slid aside, revealing a secret door.

  EGGS-SPLOSION!
    “I’ve got to go after Doctor Kron-Tox now,” said Uncle Al. “He’ll lead me to where he’s hidden the other animals. I