“The cookies are done!” Mrs. Noodlekugel said after a while. “Now they have to cool. We will decorate them with sugar frosting and raisins, and then we can eat the blobs and enjoy the scampering.”

“Scampering?”

“You will see.”

Decorating the gingermice and gingerblobs was fun. Nick and Maxine did some excellent decorations, as did Mr. Fuzzface and Mrs. Noodlekugel. The cookies and blobs decorated by the mice made no sense at all because they were so farsighted.

“They are finished!” Nick and Maxine said.

“Not quite,” Mrs. Noodlekugel said. “Just watch for a bit.”

Nick and Maxine watched.

“Is that gingermouse moving?” Nick asked.

“And that one! I am sure I saw it move!” Maxine said.

In another moment, all the gingermice were moving. They scampered all over the kitchen table. They spun like tops. They jumped up and down. Mr. Fuzzface, Mrs. Noodlekugel, and the four mice clapped their hands and paws and were delighted.

Nick and Maxine were amazed.

“How is this possible?” Nick asked.

“Why is it happening?” Maxine asked.

“Mr. Fuzzface, do we know why the gingermice scamper?” Mrs. Noodlekugel asked.

“No, we do not,” Mr. Fuzzface said. “I don’t think we ever knew.”

“It is just something that happens,” Mrs. Noodlekugel said.

The gingermice scurried down the legs of the kitchen table and scurried out into the garden.

“Where are they going? What will happen to them?” Nick and Maxine asked.

“I do not know,” Mrs. Noodlekugel said. “I suppose the crows will eat them.”

“Eat them!”

“They are cookies,” Mrs. Noodlekugel said.

“But they can move!”

“Yes! Isn’t it entertaining?”

“Well, yes. It is extremely entertaining — and weird.”

“We think so, too. Now, would you like tea with your gingerblobs?”