The next morning Zoe’s friend Nicola was coming to spend the day at the zoo. Zoe was really excited as Nicola had been away for most of the summer holiday so she hadn’t seen her for ages.
“I’ll have to take her to see the meerkats and show her the banners for the treasure hunt,” Zoe said to her mum as she sliced some banana for Meep’s breakfast. “And then we can check the treasure-hunt map and start writing the clues and go and get ice creams from the café and look around the gift shop and feed the elephants and pet the goats and—”
“Slow down.” Lucy laughed. “If you’re not careful poor Nicola will be so tired after her day at the zoo she’ll need another holiday!”
Zoe grinned. “Well, I’m definitely going to take her to see the meerkats.” She put Meep’s breakfast bowl on the table and Meep pounced on it hungrily. “Mum, do you think Mo would let us bring one of the meerkats back to the cottage for a while?” Last night, when she’d been trying to get to sleep, Zoe had been thinking of ways to make things fun for Max.
“I don’t see why not,” Lucy replied as she put a plate of hot buttered toast on the table. “But check with Mo first and if he says yes then make sure he gives you a travel basket to carry the meerkat in. And you’ll have to look after him properly; we don’t want any more runaway meerkats! And I’ll be here at lunchtime to see how you’re getting on.”
Zoe nodded and grinned. “OK. Thanks, Mum.”
As soon as Nicola arrived and Lucy had gone to work, the girls set off for the meerkat enclosure with Meep perched on Zoe’s shoulder.
“I can’t wait to see the meerkats,” Nicola said excitedly. “They’re my favourite animal in the whole world!”
Zoe was excited to see the meerkats again too, but as soon as they got to the enclosure her heart sank. Max’s dad was barking crossly.
“Uh-oh,” Meep chirped in Zoe’s ear. “I think Max might be in trouble again!”
Zoe looked through the glass wall of the enclosure. Max was standing by one of the logs, his fur covered in dirt and sand. His dad was standing on top of the log barking at him. There was a huge mound of sand in the centre of the enclosure and Max’s mum was crouching beside it, making a sad chirping sound. There was no sign of the babies.
“Ah, look at that little meerkat with all the dirt on his fur!” Nicola cried, pointing at Max. “He’s so sweet.”
“Good morning, Zoe!” Mo called as he came out of the shed beside the enclosure.
“Good morning, Mo,” Zoe replied. “This is my friend Nicola. She’s come to visit for the day. Is it OK if she comes in to see the meerkats with me?”
“Of course,” Mo replied. “I’m just going to give the hippos their breakfast. I’ll be back soon.”
Using her special paw-print pendant, Zoe opened the gate to the enclosure and they went inside. She needed to find out why Max was in trouble again but it was going to be hard to talk to him with Nicola there.
“I wonder why that meerkat is making that noise,” Nicola said, pointing to Max’s dad, who was still barking.
Zoe moved closer so she could hear him properly. Max was being told off for digging a new twisty-turning tunnel that went round and round in circles. The baby meerkats had gone into it and they were having so much fun they wouldn’t come out again!
As Nicola went over to see what Max’s mum was doing, Zoe crouched beside him.
Max gave a little yelp.
“I know you didn’t mean for them to follow you into the burrow,” Zoe whispered, stroking the top of his head. “But can you think of a way to get them to come back out again?”
Max tilted his head to one side thoughtfully, then he grinned and scampered over to the burrow entrance. He started barking softly.
“What’s he doing?” Nicola asked.
“I think he’s calling to his baby brother and sisters,” Zoe replied. She held her breath and watched the entrance to the burrow. She really hoped Max’s plan would work! There was a scuffling sound and then a tiny pointy nose appeared in the entrance to the burrow, followed by another, and another.
“Aww, look at the babies!” Nicola cried as they emerged from the burrow. Their fluffy pale fur was covered in dirt.
When the babies saw Max they chattered and started rolling around on the ground. His twisty tunnel had got them all overexcited!
Max’s mum nuzzled the babies and Max’s dad yelped contentedly. Max looked much happier.
When Mo got back from feeding the hippos, Zoe asked him if she and Nicola could take Max to the cottage for a while.
“I think that’s a great idea,” Mo said. “Let me go and get something for you.”
“He’s probably going to get a travel basket for us to carry him in,” Zoe said to Nicola as they watched Mo go over to the shed by the enclosure. But to her surprise Mo came back with a collar and lead.
“This little guy is so confident and friendly, I’m going to use him in my demonstrations,” Mo explained, as he carefully placed the collar around Max’s neck. “It’ll be great to get him used to being on a lead.”
The little meerkat hopped about with excitement. Zoe felt like hopping about with excitement too. She couldn’t believe she was going to be taking a meerkat for a walk!
“Make sure you keep the lead on at all times when you’re outside and don’t let him eat anything,” Mo said as he handed the lead to Zoe.
“OK!” Zoe wrapped the end of the lead round her hand tightly.
“You’re so lucky, Zoe.” Nicola smiled as they began making their way along the red-brick path past the different enclosures. “It must be so much fun living in a zoo.”
“It is loads of fun,” Zoe replied. She looked down at Max. He certainly seemed to be having fun too now he was out of his enclosure – looking at all the different animals and tugging on his lead.
Just as they were passing the elephants Mr Pinch appeared, marching up the path towards them. A frown spread across his face when he saw Max.
“What is this animal doing out of his enclosure?” he said crossly.
“We’re just taking him for a walk,” Zoe replied.
“Taking him for a walk?” Mr Pinch spluttered.
“Yes. We’re going back to the cottage for lunch and to finish the map for the treasure hunt,” Zoe said.
Mr Pinch sighed. “I don’t know what this zoo is coming too,” he grumbled. “Meerkats on leads and treasure hunts!”
“He was a bit grumpy,” Nicola said as soon as Mr Pinch was out of earshot.
“He always is,” Zoe replied with a grin. “Although sometimes he can be quite nice.”
She opened the door to the cottage and they stepped inside.
“Hello, girls,” Lucy called from the kitchen. “Come on through. Your lunch is ready.”
While Zoe and Nicola tucked into a lunch of cheese sandwiches and cupcakes, and Meep tucked into a bowl of blueberries, Zoe put Max in the back garden, attaching the end of his lead to the pole of the washing line. She was so pleased that the little meerkat was having fun and really seemed to be enjoying his adventure!
Once they’d finished lunch and Lucy had gone back to work, Zoe fetched her paint set. Lucy had left the treasure-hunt map on the dining-room table for the girls to colour in.
“I’ll just go and check on Max,” Zoe said, as Nicola started sorting through the paintbrushes.
Meep scampered after Zoe as she went through to the back garden.
“Uh-oh!” Meep chirped.
“Oh no!” Zoe exclaimed.
Max was grinning happily on top of a huge heap of earth where one of the flowerbeds used to be. The grass beside him was littered with uprooted flowers and he had a pansy stuck behind one of his ears.
Max scampered over and chattered excitedly to Zoe.
“Oh, Max,” she sighed. “I’m sure you have dug a lovely burrow, but I’m not sure what Mum’s going to say when she sees her flowerbed!”