Samantha, Nipper, and Dennis headed up and out of the magtrain station and back toward Thirteenth Avenue. They’d walked halfway down the block when Nipper stopped.

“Keep going,” he told Samantha. He pointed in the direction of their house. “Don’t come back for me. I’m one hundred percent angry with you forever.” He stood there waiting for Samantha and Dennis to walk away.

Samantha didn’t say anything. She walked quickly, and Dennis trotted along after her. As she neared their house, she broke into a run. She dashed down the driveway and through the side door to the kitchen. She headed straight through the living room. She passed her parents, sitting next to each other on the couch. Together, they were holding a big hardcover book with the word Chinchillas on the cover.

“Back so soon?” asked her mother. “I thought you went to a triple-feature movie party.”

“The sun is still very bright outside,” said her father. “The angle of incidence of the light rays is—”

“Sorry,” said Samantha, cutting him off. “I have many places to go and a lot to do!”

She ran upstairs.

Dennis stopped and watched her go. Then he sniffed around the living room and headed back to the kitchen in search of crackers or waffles.

In her bedroom, Samantha picked up two quarters from the top of her desk. Then she walked over to the window.

Her bedroom faced the front of the house and had a wide view of Thirteenth Avenue. She could see Nipper at the far end of the block. He was still standing there with his arms crossed, as if to make sure she wasn’t coming back.

Finally, she saw him turn and stomp off into the park.

Samantha headed back downstairs and into the kitchen. She grabbed the umbrella that was leaning against the wall, and went out the door.

Soon she was back at the edge of the park, standing in front of the ordinary-looking mailbox.

She grasped the handle and opened and closed the flap three times.