Mom and the twins waved good-bye to Carmen. Charlie closed the door just as Elvis strutted into the reception area.

“I guess he smelled the cupcakes!” Meg giggled.

But Elvis ignored the cupcakes and walked right up to Matilda’s carrier instead. He strutted around it, then peered through the bars and raised his crest.

“Tuk tuk tuk,” he muttered, bobbing his head up and down. “Tuk tuk tuk . . .” Using his beak and claws, he pulled himself up the wire on the front of the carrier, scrambled up on top, then bent his head down so that he could see Matilda sitting inside.

“TUK!” he announced cheerily.

Charlie picked up the carrier.

Elvis lowered his crest and gave an angry squawk as he hopped down.

“Elvis didn’t want you to move Matilda,” Meg said as they brought the tabby’s carrier upstairs to the cat guest room. “I think he likes her!”

Charlie put Matilda’s carrier down in the pen next to Cookie’s and opened the door at the front. Cookie meowed a welcome.

“Come on out, Matilda,” Charlie said.

But there was a hissing noise from inside the carrier.

The twins peered in. Matilda was hunkered down at the very back.

“I don’t think she wants to make friends,” Meg commented.

“If she’s having a tough week, maybe she just needs peace and quiet,” Charlie said thoughtfully. “Let’s see if she likes it next door, in the box room.”

He closed the door to the carrier and brought it into a small room lined with suitcases, packing crates, and old boxes. The twins put Matilda’s carrier in a quiet corner, then went to get food, water, and a litter box.

“Here you go, Matilda. Your own private hotel suite,” Meg joked when they came back. She opened the door to the travel carrier again. The big gray-and-brown cat looked up at her and blinked — but didn’t budge.

“I know!” said Charlie suddenly. “I bet some treats will tempt her out.” He ran downstairs to grab a packet of Kitty Krunchies, then made a trail of treats leading from the carrier when he got back upstairs. First Matilda’s nose poked out, sniffing, then the rest of her slowly emerged. Her big belly hung almost to the floor.

“I love her stripy fur,” Meg murmured as Matilda gobbled up the trail of treats.

“After this, we’ll cheer her up by playing some games,” Charlie whispered. But as soon as Matilda finished eating, she turned and slunk back to her travel carrier.

“Maybe she’s upset about something,” Meg suggested.

“We need to take her mind off it, then,” Charlie said. “But how?”

The twins were silent for a moment.

“Remember when Paco ran away to the Pet Bakery?” Meg said. “There was one thing that took his mind off all those dog cookies. . . .”

“Saffron’s feather boa!” said Charlie. “Maybe Matilda will like it, too!”

He rushed off again and came back with the turquoise feather boa — and Elvis perched on his wrist.

“Look who was hopping up the stairs!” Charlie said, lowering his arm so that the cockatiel could jump to the floor. “I guess he was trying to find Matilda.”

Sure enough, Elvis squawked happily when he saw Matilda’s travel carrier.

“You ain’t nothing but a hound dog!” he screeched.

“Matilda’s a cat, not a hound dog,” Meg joked.

“You ain’t nothing but a hound dog!” Elvis hopped toward the carrier. Inside, Matilda flattened her ears. Meg quickly scooped Elvis away. Elvis stopped singing and looked over at the tabby, his head tilted to one side.

“I’m not sure Matilda wants to be friends right now,” Meg told Elvis gently.

The cockatiel’s beady eyes watched as Charlie wriggled the boa along the floor in front of the carrier. Matilda squeezed out again and sniffed at the turquoise feathers. She lifted her head and looked around the room.

“It’s working!” Meg whispered to Charlie.

But Matilda just gave a mournful cry. “Meee-ow!” She walked past the feather boa, headed for a dark, cozy-looking space between two suitcases, and curled up.

“Maybe she’d rather play with a cat toy.” Charlie rushed off to the Egyptian room and came back with a feather on a string, a catnip mouse, and a Ping-Pong ball. But Matilda ignored those, too.

“She’s acting so strange,” Meg said. Her forehead creased in a worried frown. “Why can’t we cheer her up?”