Cheetah by Wendy Lewis Page B

won’t get loose in the house. Please, please, PLEASE?”
    â€œOkay,” said Dad. “You can take care of it for a week. We’ll bring it back next weekend.”
    â€œAww...”
    â€œIt’s a wild animal, Mia. It doesn’t belong in a box. One week. That’s the deal.”
    Mia didn’t like the deal. She wanted to keep Cheetah forever. But having Cheetah for a week was better than not having her at all.
    They walked back to the drop zone. Mia carried Cheetah in her hands. She asked the man at the snack bar for an empty box. He washed one out that said
Bean Salad.
    â€œYou need some holes in the lid so he can breathe,” the man said. “And put some mud in to keep him moist.”
    â€œCheetah is a
her
,” said Mia. “I’m pretty sure.”
    â€œThat’s a good name for a leopard frog,” the man smiled.
    â€œYou’re a leopard frog!” Mia whispered to Cheetah. “Isn’t that great?”
    She set Cheetah gently in the box.
    â€œShe might miss her friends,” the man said.
    â€œShe’ll have me,” said Mia.
    â€œWe’re bringing it back next weekend,” said Dad.
    Mia hoped they wouldn’t have to come back. She’d show Dad and the snack bar man. Cheetah would love her new home. She’d never want to leave.

Cheetah’s New Home
    â€œYikes!” said Mom.
    â€œIsn’t she the most beautiful frog you ever saw?” said Mia.
    â€œI never saw one this close,” said Mom.
    â€œCan I play with her?” Maggie asked.
    â€œIf you’re gentle,” said Mia.
    â€œI’m always gentle,” said Maggie.
    â€œNo, you’re not. What about when you ripped off Fred’s head? And threw him under the bed?”
    Fred was Maggie’s monster doll. “He likes that,” Maggie said.
    â€œMia,” said Mom, “are you going to keep the frog in that box?”
    â€œI think it’s too small,” Mia said. “She can’t hop very far in it.”
    â€œNo, she can’t,” said Mom.
    â€œI can let her hop around my bedroom.”
    â€œNo, you can’t,” said Mom. “Let’s see if we have a bigger box.”
    They found a large plastic box with clear sides. Dad drilled breathing holes in the lid. Then Mia and Mom filled it with things for Cheetah. They put stones in the bottom. They covered them with dirt. They planted some grass and moss. Mia put in a stick. It looked like the sea serpent log at the pond.
    â€œA pond!” she said. “Cheetah needs water to swim in!”
    She filled a bowl with water and set it in the dirt.
    â€œCan I put something in?” Maggie asked. She held up one of her shells.
    â€œThat would be perfect.” Mia smiled. “Thank you.”
    Maggie put the shell beside the pond. The girls sighed happily.

    â€œIf you were a frog, Maggie,” said Mia, “wouldn’t you love to live in there?”
    â€œI wouldn’t like to be a frog,” said Maggie. “But I would like to live there. I’d have to be a lot smaller, though.”
    â€œSee if Cheetah likes it as much as you girls do,” Mom said.
    Cheetah hopped right into the bowl of water. She floated like a bath toy. Mia clapped her hands.
    â€œShe loves it!”
    â€œNow, what do you think she likes to eat?” Mom asked.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Mia.
    â€œPizza’s good,” said Maggie.
    â€œFrogs don’t eat pizza,” said Mia. “Frogs eat...bugs, I think.”
    â€œLet’s see if we have a book that will tell us,” Mom suggested.
    They went to the bookshelves. There was a whole shelf of books about animals. But none of the books said what leopard frogs like to eat.
    â€œI’m sure Cheetah will be fine for tonight,” said Mom. “Tomorrow we’ll find out what we can feed her.”
    Mia put a quilt on the floor beside Cheetah’s box. Cheetah snuggled