In Chamomile Street, in a flat with windows overlooking a lime tree, evenings smelled of soap and mint. The bathroom had blue tiles, a cloud-shaped rug and a fish-shaped lamp that winked when someone turned on the tap. In the corner stood a mug with a smile on it. In the cup - toothbrushes. Zosia's toothbrush had glitter dots and was called Szu-Szu because it sounded like the wind in the grass when scrubbing. Next to it rested Stasio's red toothbrush with a picture of a rocket. - Time for teeth! - called out mum from the corridor. Zosia (aged seven) already knew what to do. She squeezed a pea-sized dot of toothpaste onto Szu-Szu. - Mint, my favourite - she whispered. Staś (five years old) did the same with his Rocket and burped with laughter as the paste made a white dot on his nose. - Ready? - Zosia asked. - We sing two stanzas of the song about teeth. That's just the right amount. They started: - Shu-shu, shu-shu, wheels here and wheels there.... Shu-Shu hummed quietly and evenly. Zosia brushed the upper teeth, the lower teeth, front and back, with little wheels. She looked at the back, at the 'strongies' - the big teeth that like to hide. Then gently over the tongue, because it too wants to be clean. Staś imitated his sister and glanced at the yellow hourglass on the shelf. The sand fell slowly like rain. And then Zosia noticed something. On the edge of the washbasin, tiny specks were glistening. They looked like grains of sugar. They formed a thin, shiny path leading from the soap dish to the toothbrush cup. - Staś! - she mumbled with foam under her breath. - Look! Staś jumped up and Brush, their brindle cat, wagged his tail and sat down in the threshold. With eyes like two lamps, he watched as Zosia and Staś finished brushing. They foamed up, rinsed their mouths with water and smiled at the mirror. Ten white teeth in Staś's case, in Zosia's - already new ones growing at the back. - And now... - Zosia started, but did not finish, because the cup with the toothbrushes vibrated as if someone had poked it from the inside. - Did you hear that? - Staś lowered his voice. From the cup came a... quiet sound: - Shu... shu... - It's me - said Szu-Szu so that only Zosia and Staś could hear. - There's something in here. I smell sugar... and glue! Zosia wrinkled her nose. There was another trace on the edge of the washbasin: a tiny smudge of sticky caramel. And next to the "Pastusia Mint" paste - a void. The cap was gone! - Dot! - cried Zosia, because that is what they called the paste cap. - Without the Dot, the Pastusia may dry up! The lamp-fish flicked restlessly. Mum looked into the bathroom. - Is everything all right? - She asked, putting the pyjamas back on the hanger. - I think someone took Dot - whispered Staś. - We'll find her soon. - Look carefully - said Mum. - And remember that the floss is only with Mummy. - She winked and went to the kitchen to get cups of water. - Smile team, into action! - Zosia picked up the Shu-Szu like a lantern. Staś switched on the dinosaur torch and Brush, curious as ever, went after the shiny crumbs. The sugar path led through the washbasin, past the soap dish, where a green leaf of cucumber-scented soap lay. Along the way stood a small blue tin marked 'Fifi's Thread'. The box moved and opened a centimetre. - Only with Mummy, only with Mummy! - chirped Fifi Flossie from inside and slammed the lid shut, as if she was policing the rules herself. - OK, Fifi - nodded Zosia. - Today we'll have enough Shu-Szu and a torch. A drop fell from the bathroom tap. Plink! A flickering circle appeared on the tiles. The sugar path turned towards the bathtub. On its edge sat three foam bubbles, like three white sheep. Right next to the drain, the foam formed a sort of grotto - a small, soft cave. And from there a quiet giggling could be heard. - Can you hear it? - Staś moved his ear closer. - Like a mouse... or.... - Plakosmyki - whispered Szu-Szu. - They're little sticky creatures. They love sugar and try to stick to your teeth. They are afraid of water, foam, toothbrushes... and they really dislike it when someone brushes after them thoroughly. The brush flickered, but in a friendly way, as if to say: "I don't like sticky things either". Zosia took a step and looked into the foam cave. Something white was shimmering inside. Something round. - It's Dot! - shouted Staś in a whisper, which is as loud as you can get without shouting. Zosia knelt down on the rug-cloth and held onto the edge of the bath. The foam smelled like candy, but from underneath she could smell mint. The trail of crumbs ended here, right at the drain, as if someone had jumped in. In the mirror behind them, their image was reflected: two children, one cat and one brave brush. - Ready, Shu-Szu? - whispered Zosia. - 'Always,' replied the toothbrush and trembled like a string. - I'm shining! - added Staś, raising the dino-light. A whisper came from the foam cave: - You won't make it... you won't make it... Sticky, sticky.... Zosia moved even closer. In the foam she saw funny footprints, as if someone was running on tiptoe. Something rustled. Something dripped. The fish-lamp blinked twice. The brush stopped its tail in mid-smash. And suddenly a tiny paw emerged from the depths of the foam, clamped down on Dot's missing nut and - pulled her straight into the depths of the cave!