The Hamster Who Went Out

Part One

Peanut was gone again. His cage was empty. The little door was open.

It was the third day. We looked under the desks. We looked behind the books.

Peanut was not in the room. Mia felt sad. “He could be lost,” she said.

But at lunch, he was back. He was in his cage. He was fast asleep.

“How does he do it?” asked Leo. “Who opens the door?” Nobody knew.

Mia would be a detective. The next day, she came early. She looked for clues.

The cage was empty. But on the floor was a white line. It was chalk dust.

Mia went along the line. It went out the door. It went down the hall.

There were tiny paw prints. They led to the music room. The door was open a crack.

Mia peeked in. A big drum sat on its side. It had a hole in the end.

Mia tiptoed close. She looked in the hole. There was Peanut, fast asleep!

It was warm and dark in the drum. “A good place to nap,” she whispered.

Mia took Peanut back to his cage. She told the class the secret. They all laughed.

Our teacher fixed the latch. Now Peanut naps in his cage. The drum is just for music.