5. Running Out of Time

Chapter 5 Running Out of Time On their way home, the twins' mom drove up Main Street. Brian sat up front and the other kids were in the back. Douglas's cage lay across their laps. Suddenly Bradley sat up. He tapped his mother's shoulder. "Mom, stop!" he shouted. "Here? Why?" his mother asked. "I want to take Douglas into the pet shop," Bradley said. "Mrs. Wong might know his owner!" "Great idea," his mother said. She pulled the car up in front of the Furry Feet Pet Shop. All four kids climbed out. Bradley and Lucy carried the cage through the front door.

"Hi, kids," Mrs. Wong said. "What have you got?" Mrs. Wong was dropping fish food into an aquarium. All along the walls were fish tanks and animal cages. "It's a rabbit, and he won't eat," Nate said. Mrs. Wong peered into the cage at Douglas. The kids explained how Douglas had been left in their classroom closet. Then they told her what Dr. Henry had told them. "So you want to know if I know the owner, right?" Mrs. Wong asked. The four kids nodded.

Mrs. Wong put her hand in the cage. She stroked the rabbit's fur. Douglas sat in a corner with his eyes closed. "I'm sorry, but I've never seen this bunny," she said. "And I don't know anyone in town who owns one like this."

Bradley felt awful. How would they ever find Douglas's owner? The kids thanked Mrs. Wong and carried Douglas back to the car. "Any luck?" Bradley's mom asked. She pulled into traffic. "No, she'd never seen Douglas before," Bradley said. "I'm sorry, hon," his mother said. "I have an idea," Nate said. "We could put an ad in the newspaper. We could ask whoever left Douglas at the school to get in touch with us." "But that could take days," Bradley said. "We need to find Douglas's owner soon!" Lucy said. When they got home, the kids carried Douglas back up to Bradley and Brian's room. "Come down in a few minutes," the twins' mom called up the stairs. "I'll make hot chocolate." "Thanks, Mom!" Brian yelled back. They set the cage on Bradley's desk.

"He doesn't look any different," Nate said. "Maybe we should leave him alone for a while," Lucy said. "Maybe he just doesn't like kids," Brian suggested. They all stared at the rabbit. His eyes were closed, and he didn't move. "Come on," Bradley said sadly. "Let's go downstairs." He picked up the three photos as they left the room. Bradley's mom was stirring a pot of hot chocolate on the stove. The kids sat and Bradley spread out the pictures of Douglas. "Where'd you get those?" the twins' mother asked. "They were in the cage," Brian said. "His owner must have left them." Lucy pointed to the picture that showed Douglas in someone's hand. "He was so cute

when he was little," she said. Suddenly Bradley had an idea. "Guys, these pictures could be clues!" he said.