"I don't think Milo would eat the goldfish," said Uncle Fred. "After all, he's still Milo, even if he ends up in the body of a cat."

"That didn't keep him from biting me when he was a bird," grumbled Mia. "I'm going to set my alarm and get up early, just in case."

But alas for Mia's plans! Her alarm clock didn't go off, and she was awakened by a series of ear-splitting yowls from the shop below. Running down the stairs, she found a mess. Water from the fish tank was everywhere-on the tables, on the floor, and dripping from the walls. In the half-full tank, the remaining goldfish all huddled together. And on the floor in the middle of a puddle was a very wet and bedraggled-looking cat.

"Milo?" asked Mia, "Is that you?"

"Who do you think it would be? Garfield?" growled Milo. "It took you long enough to get down here. I almost drowned in there."

"Well, you sure made a mess doing it," sighed Mia, fetching a sponge.

"Can I help it if I panicked?" retorted Milo. "That's the second time in twenty-four hours that I couldn't breathe. Lack of air is not fun." Though he was cold and wet, Milo was actually pleased to be able to communicate again. Not being able to talk hadn't been fun either.

"Get Uncle Fred," he said to Mia when she had finished mopping up the water, and adding more water to the tank. "We have to talk."

When the three of them were together at the kitchen table, Milo said, "I've found out what the golden talisman is. It came to me when I saw that fake treasure chest in the fish tank. It's the golden coin the wizard gave you, Mia! Remember, the one with the parrot on it? That's probably why he gave it to you. It's the-anti-something. The cure for the spell."

"I think you mean antidote," said Uncle Fred. "That's a great idea, Milo. You could be right. Mia, let's have a look at that coin."

All through this conversation, Mia had been acting very peculiar. She had been squirming in her seat and biting her lower lip. Now, as Uncle Fred spoke to her, she turned very red in the face and hung her head.

"You can't," she muttered, staring down at her lap.

"Yes we can," said Milo, his fur bristling. "Hand it over, right now."

"I can't," said Mia miserably, turning even redder.

"Why not?" demanded her brother.

"Because I lost it, that's why!" she snapped.

Milo's back arched. His fur stood on end. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU LOST IT?" he screeched. He would have pounced on Mia with his claws, if Uncle Fred hadn't grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.

"Whoa, there," said Uncle Fred hastily, "let's not let this turn into a catfight. Let your sister talk."

"I'm sorry, Milo," said Mia miserably. "I had it in my hand, that day, when we were fighting by the bunny cage, but after that I don't know what I did with it. I've been looking for it, because I thought it might be the talisman, too. But I've been hoping it isn't-the talisman, I mean-because I've looked everywhere, and I just can't find it."

Milo's yellow eyes lit up. "Wait a minute! I know what you did with it! I saw you put it on the counter by the cash register!"

The three of them looked at each other, and then all rushed together over to the counter. Fred and Mia looked all over the counter. Milo leaped up onto the countertop and tried to help.

"Look out, Milo, your tail's in the way," said Mia. They looked very thoroughly. Uncle Fred even lifted the cash register so that they could look under it. But there was no coin anywhere. They searched all the shelves under the counter, and even on the floor. They looked all over the shop.

"It's no use," sighed Uncle Fred at last. "It must have fallen into the trash and got thrown away."

"Well, I'm not going through the trash again!" said Mia in alarm.

"Gee, thanks, Mia," said Milo sourly. "It's nice to know you'd be willing to do anything to help me."

"It doesn't matter anyway," said Uncle Fred before they could start arguing again. "That trash was hauled away three days ago, remember?"

"So where does that leave us?" asked Mia in discouragement.

Milo didn't say anything more. He just sat there on the counter, patting the empty cracker box with his paw.. He felt terribly depressed. By this time tomorrow he would be a dog. Unless they could find that coin, he'd probably have to stay a dog forever. I hope I can at least be a large breed, like a Husky or a German Shepherd. Please, please don't let me have to spend the rest of my life as a Chihuahua! Or one of those little fluffy dogs-I couldn't stand it!

"Oh, this is so frustrating!" Mia stomped her foot. "I just know I didn't accidentally throw it away. I was going to show it to Uncle Fred when he got here, but then I had to open the shop, and all those people came in, and then Mrs. Trimble came-MRS. TRIMBLE!" she yelped, slamming her hand down on the counter-and on Milo's tail, which caused him to meow in surprise. "Milo, that's it!"

"Ouch! What's it?" asked Milo.

"I think I know who has the coin!" Mia said excitedly. "Mrs. Trimble! Remember, she came here that morning-well, maybe you don't remember, because you were a hamster-but she bought a bunch of cat toys. She gave me a ten-dollar bill, but I gave her a whole bunch of quarters and and dimes for change, because I didn't have any one dollar bills."

"Get to the point!" said Milo irritably.

"But that is the point!" cried Mia. "There was a whole pile of coins on the counter, and she scooped them all off into her bag. What if she accidentally scooped my coin up with them?"

"Could be what happened," said Uncle Fred. "Good thinking, Mia!"

"All right!" meowed Milo. "Now all you have to do is ask her!"

And as if right on cue, the bell over the door jangled, the door opened, and there stood Mrs. Trimble herself.

"Good morning, dearies," she said cheerfully. "Time to buy a new bag of kitty food. My children are bored with tuna, so I need a new flavor."

"Oh, Mrs. Trimble, am I glad to see you!" gasped Mia.

"Really, dear? How nice of you to say so."

Mia helped the old woman carry her bag of cat food to the counter, and when the old woman opened her purse to pay for it, Mia, Milo, and Uncle Fred all craned their necks. They were trying to see inside her change purse as she paid for her purchase, but they saw no glint of gold.

Finally Mia asked, "Mrs. Trimble, do you remember the other day when you came in to buy cat toys?"

"Why yes, dearie. My darlings love their new playthings."

"That's good," said Mia, "but do you remember how I ran out of one dollar bills and had to give you lots of loose change back?"

"Why yes, but I didn't mind," said Mrs. Trimble. "Loose change is handy for pop machines." She winked. "I have a fondness for root beer."

"Well, I was wondering," said Mia desperately, "when you looked in your purse later, did you maybe find a strange-looking coin--a gold coin? Because I had one on the counter that day, and I've lost it. It was a-a very special souvenir that someone gave me. It had a picture of a parrot on it."

"Oh, dear," said the old lady. "No, I don't remember seeing such a coin." The old lady added kindly, "I'm sorry. I can see it's important to you. Funny how much sentimental value a little thing can have, isn't it?"

"If only you knew," muttered Milo, but fortunately the old lady, who was a little hard of hearing, didn't hear him.

"Now, I'll tell you what," said the old lady, "I'll just take a look in my purse when I get home and see if I can find that coin, shall I?"

"Yes, please!" said Mia eagerly.

But just then a frown crossed the old lady's face. "Dear, dear, I've just remembered. I didn't have my purse with me. It was my knitting bag instead, because I'd been sitting in the park and knitting before I came. I remember scooping those coins into my knitting bag and thinking I would put them in my purse later. But I never did. Oh, my, how unfortunate."

"Can't you look in your knitting bag instead?" asked Mia anxiously.

"Oh, I wish I could, dearie, but that's going to be a problem," said Mrs. Trimble regretfully. "You see, I've lost it-the knitting bag, I mean. I put it somewhere when I got home that day, but I'm afraid I don't remember where, and now I can't find it. I've been looking everywhere for it these last few days. It's most annoying, because I'm particularly anxious to finish that sweater I was working on. But don't worry, dear I'm sure it will turn up eventually, and then I'll be glad to look inside it for your little treasure.

Eventually isn't soon enough, thought Milo. We have to find that coin and get me turned back into myself before Mom gets back. Anyway, I don't want to be an animal any longer than I have to. Maybe Mia can go over and look for that lost bag.

Mia had been thinking along similar lines, but she was thinking- I can't search very thoroughly. Mrs. Trimble has such a messy house-so much furniture and so many knickknacks and things. What we need is someone small enough to get under the furniture and into all the nooks and crannies. And then Mia suddenly had an inspiration. Leaning over the counter, she scooped Milo up in her arms and said, "Mrs. Trimble, I need to ask you another favor. It's about this cat."

What is she doing? wondered Milo. She's not going to try and tell her the truth, is she?

"You see," said Mia in a rush, before Milo could do anything to try and stop her, "This cat is a stray. I found it outside this morning. I don't know what to do with it. I don't know if mom would want me to try and sell it until we find the owner, and we don't have room for it in the cat cage anyway. Can he go home with you for a day or two?"

What? Milo was so shocked he dug his claws into Mia's arms, and she let out a little yelp.

"Why certainly, dear," said Mrs. Trimble. "What a sweet kitty. Come here, kitty, kitty." She held out her arms.

What is Mia doing? Milo thought desperately. She's giving me away! She's trying to get rid of me! He panicked and clawed her clothes, trying to hang on to her as she struggled to give him to the old lady.

"Stop that!" hissed Mia into his ear. "You have to go with her, don't you see? You're the only one of us who's small enough to get into tight places. I'll bring you back later-but you have to go look for that coin!"

Milo gave in. The old lady carried him out the door and up the street.

"Don't worry, precious pussycat," she crooned as she cuddled him tightly. "Your new mama will take care of you. Now come home and meet your new family. They're going to love you."

Oh, brother, thought Milo. Mia, what have you gotten me into now?