“So now you’re stealin’ too?” said Smuffins. “Ain’t we already in enough trouble?”

Rolo enthusiastically ignored him. “C’mon, this way!”

They trotted across the street in the direction of the museum that the clerk had mentioned. Rolo tore open the bag of contraband pet treats.

“Want one?”

Smuffins squinted indecisively at the bag, then grabbed two treat sticks and bit them both. Rolo tossed Quiggles a treat and took one for himself.

“So we’re actually aliens?” mused Rolo. “Isn’t that weird? Like, ‘Take me to your leader.’” He chuckled.

Reluctantly, Smuffins chuckled too. He imitated an alien voice: “We come in peace.”

Quiggles joined in, squawking like a monotone alien with his arms and legs out stiffly.

Rolo asked, “What do you think our planet is like? Do you think earthlings are still there?”

Smuffins scoffed. “That’d be weird. Like livin’ in their own lil houses, goin’ to lil schools, goin’ on walks whenever they want, takin’ themselves on car rides.”

Rolo chuckled. “Yeah. That kinda sounds nice, actually.”

“Talkin’ in some weird alien language, prob’ly runnin’ round naked and dirty, covered with parasites, and hunted by wild animals,” added Smuffins.

The smile fell from Rolo’s face.

With a burst of excitement, Smuffins pointed ahead. “Look, there’s a sign to the subway!”

Panic fluttered in Rolo’s heart. “No, we need to go to the museum first!”

“What?! You crazy?”

He gave a wry smile. “Mmmaybee.”

“Those earthling catchers wanna take you away! And our owners gotta be so worried about us! I’m worried about us. And dinner is in two hours!”

“But I wanna find out more about our planet!”

“Find out when we get home!”

“I can’t,” Rolo whined in frustration. “Zira can’t find that information online. This is my only chance.”

“Then ask her to take you to the museum.”

“She’d just say no. She never really listens to what I want to do.”

“I don’t get you, dawg.”

“Look, there won’t be any earthling catchers in the museum, and it’s gotta be close to the subway, so what’s the harm?”

Smuffins squinted at him skeptically.

“C’mon,” said Rolo, “you’re my best friend.”

“Oh, so now you play the guilt card?”

But Rolo could see it worked, because now Smuffins was only half angry. Rolo gave a pleading look.

Smuffins sighed and gave in. “Ten minutes in the museum. And then we go home. Deal?”

“Deal!”