Milo stared at the strange old man in the pet shop. Was this old guy crazy? Had he really said he was a wizard? And could he really read animal's thoughts-and Milo's? Milo didn't want to be in charge after all.

"Excuse me," he said hastily. "I-uh-I'll be right back." He practically ran back to the storeroom.

Mia was just coming out, her hands full of animal stickers. "Why are you back here? You're supposed to watch the shop when I'm."

"There's this weird guy out there," interrupted Milo.

"What do you mean, a weird guy?"

"He thinks he's a wizard," said Milo.

"Milo, have you been breathing too many cleaning fumes?"

"No, I'm serious," insisted Milo. "You have to come talk to this guy. You're supposed to be in charge, aren't you?"

Mia sighed. "O.K. Here." she handed him some animal stickers. "Help me carry these. I'll talk to him."

Milo followed her to the front. He saw Mia's eyes widen when she met the old man with his silvery knee-length beard.

"How do you do?" she asked in her most grown-up way.

The old man smiled. "Ah, the older sister," he said. "And a very take-charge kind of sister, I see."

"Tell her what you said before," interrupted Milo.

Mia glared at Milo. "I'm sorry, sir, my brother is acting a little strange today. He thinks you're a wizard, or something."

"Your brother is a very wise young man," said the old man. "Except, perhaps, when it comes to animals."

"Are you saying you are a wizard?" said Mia, in a let's-humor-him sort of voice. "I don't mean to be rude, but can you prove it?"

The old man said nothing. Still smiling, he reached inside his robe, pulled out a card, and handed it to Mia.

Milo leaned over her shoulder and read: The Wizard's Magic Chamber Finest Magical Tricks and Supplies

"Oh, I get it!" he exclaimed. "You're not a real wizard. You're a-a stage magician. Like Houdini, and David Copperfield."

"An illusionist," said Mia, showing off her big words again. "Like Siegfried and Roy-they're my favorites. Can you really do magic tricks?"

"Right here and right now?" asked Milo eagerly.

"If you like," said the old man. He took a sticker from Mia, made it disappear, then reappear as a shiny gold coin. He handed it to her.

"Thank you very much," said Mia politely, handing it back.

"I've seen that one before," muttered Milo, clearly disappointed.

The old man reached out and took the coin back. He blew on it softly, and the coin turned into a shimmering blue butterfly. It moved its wings back and forth, rose and fluttered around them for a moment, and flew away. Milo and Mia stared after it, their mouths hanging open.

"I-I-haven't seen that one before," gasped Milo.

Mia's eyes were shining. "Please-can you do another one like that?"

I'm sorry," said the old man gently, shaking his head. "But my time here is brief-like the butterfly. I am here only for an appointment."

"Appointment?" said Mia in surprise. "With who-I mean whom?"

"With a wise and honorable man named Peterson," said the old man.

"Fred Peterson? Uncle Fred?" both children exclaimed. "Are you sure?" asked Mia. "He's not wise, he's a goofball," said Milo.

The old man answered, "There are many types of wisdom."

"Is Uncle Fred buying magic stuff from you? It's probably his newest job idea," he added. Uncle Fred had been everything from a carpenter to a ski instructor. But he always got bored. Come to think of it, being a magician might be the perfect job for him.

"Sorry," Milo told the man. "Uncle Fred isn't here right now."

The old man shook his head. "I cannot wait," he said after a moment. But your uncle knows where to find me."

"Wait!" said Milo. "Please, one more magic trick before you go?"

"Magic has its own time and place. But perhaps a small reminder." He pulled out a second gold coin, and handed it to Mia. "For you." Mia looked at the coin. It had a picture of a parrot on it.

The old man said "A reminder that words are more valuable than gold. Use them carefully, for they can harm or heal."

"Uh-okay," said Mia, who had no clue what he meant. "Thanks."

"Cool!" said Milo. "Can I have a coin too?"

"For you, I have something quite different, my son," The old man handed Milo a small box . "A reminder that our animal friends have feelings, too, and must be treated with kindness."

"Animal crackers!" Milo said in dismay. "But-I wanted."

"Milo!" said Mia. "Remember your manners!"

Milo glared back at her. "Mind your own business!" he said. But he turned to the old man and said, "Uh, thanks. Will you come back again?" He really wanted to see some more of those cool magic tricks.

The old man smiled. "Perhaps we shall meet again. It will be up to you." The doorbell jangled as he left.

I never heard the bell when he came in, thought Milo.

"Wasn't that the strangest thing?" asked Mia. She went to the door and looked out. "Hey, where'd he go?"

Milo joined her. They looked up and down, but the street was empty.

"How could he disappear so fast?" wondered Mia.

"Who cares?" said Milo. Back to cleaning stupid cages again, he thought. He yanked the lid off the rabbit cage and shoved the nearest rabbits out of the way. "Move, you dopes." The rabbits crowded around his hand, and he shoved them away again, harder. "Get out of the way! You guys sure aren't smart! No wonder they call people 'dumb bunnies'!"

"Milo! Quit being so rough with them! They're sweet!" Mia reached in and began stroking the nearest bunny.

"Well, their cage isn't," said Milo. "Hey, Mia, can I see your coin?"

She handed it to him.

" A parrot. Perfect animal for you. You talk all the time," said Milo.

"Shut up," said Mia, snatching it back from him.

"I still think it stinks that you got a coin and all I got was these dumb crackers," said Milo, taking the box out of his pocket.

"Let me see them," said Mia, grabbing them. "Hey, these are really cute!" she said. "Look, Milo, they're not jungle animals, like the ones from the grocery store. They're pet shop animals! How darling! Look, here's a cute little hamster cracker, and a little bunny, and a dog, and a kitty.can't I have them? They're so sweet-I want to show them to my friends."

"No way!" said Milo, forgetting that he didn't want them anyway. "They're mine!" He pushed her, and she fell into the side of the bunny cage, knocking it sideways. He snatched the box out of her hand, opened it, and began shoving the crackers into his mouth.

"Milo, be careful! You'll hurt the rabbits!" cried Mia. She carefully straightened the cage. "You're the one who belongs in a cage! You're acting like an animal! I wish you were, so you could see what it was like!"

Milo swallowed the last of the hamster, lizard, and bird crackers. "You're pretty rude yourself!" He took a fistful of crackers-rabbit, fish, cat, and dog-and chewed them with his mouth open on purpose.

"Milo! That's gross! I'm telling Mom when she calls!" yelled Mia.

Milo started to say "go ahead", but his mouth was too full and he had to swallow. After swallowing, he got an idea. He grabbed the dirty cleaning rags, intending to swat her. But suddenly he felt dizzy, and he grabbed the hamster cage for support. Milo put his hand to his head.

"Milo?" Mia stared at him. "Is something wrong?"

"I feel really strange," gasped Milo. He dropped the rags.

The animal noises in the shop began to grow very loud. The dogs began barking. The cats meowed and spit, and their fur stood on end. Birds screeched and flew frantically around in their cages, and snakes hissed. In the cage under Milo's hand, the hamsters chittered wildly and began burrowing under their cedar chips.

"Hey!" cried Mia, looking around. "What's going on?"

"Mia," whispered Milo, "Help! I feel so funny." The shop began to spin, and everything grew bigger. The counters and cages seemed to tower above him and the ceiling rose and disappeared as he fell..

THWUMP! He landed on something soft. He was laying on his belly, with his hands and feet curled under him, and there was a strong smell of cedar wood. Dizzily, he rose up and shook his head, trying to clear it.

There was tan-colored fluffy stuff all around him. It looked like-giant cedar chips? He turned and came face to face with an enormous furry brown creature that was staring at him in alarm. It was as big as he was! Milo let out a yell-but all that came out was a strange loud squeak.

He stood up, put out his hands, and let out another loud squeal. He stared at his arms. His shirt was gone-and his arms were covered with fur! And at the end of each arm was a paw-with claws at the end. Somewhere far above him, Milo heard Mia's voice calling his name.

"Milo? Milo, where are you?"

Milo staggered across the sea of shavings on all fours, but suddenly he could go no further. In front of him were wide silver bars. He was in a cage! Beyond the bars were giant counters. Across the aisle, the cash register looked like a four-story building.

Milo turned around. A short distance away, six pairs of large beady eyes were looking at him curiously. Eyes that belonged to six large creatures with fur like his own. Something terrible had happened to him.

Milo was a hamster.