Dot suddenly had a thought. “Mr Mouse!” she whispered as they all peeped out into the busy restaurant area of Tommy’s through a special window in the office. “Won’t mum know I’ve gone…?” She felt panicky - <I>why</I> hadn’t she thought of this before????

Mr Mouse laughed, shaking his head. “What are you <I>like!”</I> he said, still chuckling. “No problemo, kiddo! ‘S long as we’re Internet voyaging, we’re on net-time. So, REAL time back home is like, standing still! Ain’t goin’ anywhere!”

Dot frowned. “So, you mean…”

“I <I>mean</I>, when we get back home, it’ll be ‘most exactly the same time as when we left - less than a thousandth of a single second will have passed! No-one will even know you’ve been gone. Capiche?” (which is kind of street talk from New York meaning, do you understand?)

“Capiche!” said Dot- but she didn’t really – it was all too much to take in at one go! Dot shook her head as she thought about it. Too difficult! “Must be nice for you to be back home…” she said to the mouse.

“Whaddya mean?” said Mr Mouse, looking at her with his head on one side and his sassiest expression on his face. “I’m from Canada – best country on earth! You surely haven’t been mixin’ me up with these Americans, now have you?”

“Oh… no… “ stammered Dot (Woops! she thought.) “It’s just that here we are in America, and I… er… ” Oh NO! But next moment Tommy’s Hamburger Heaven saved her from getting embarrassed – because Mr Mouse could smell hamburger!

“Mmmm that smells SOOO good!”  The cheeky little rodent was peering round a crack in the half open door into the restaurant. Wizzie and Dot joined him. It looked like lots of people liked Tommy’s burgers just as much as Mr Mouse – every table was busy, and there were waitresses zooming about everywhere, taking plates piled high with chips, crisp green salads and HUGE burgers to the tables, calling out fresh orders, clearing away plates and filling up steaming mugs of coffee – all with out even taking a breath, as far as Dot could see!

“Cool!” went Mr Mouse. “Looks like the coast is clear guys - and no sign of that fat cat that lives here either. Lookin’ good” he said. “Let’s go eat!”

Wizard, Dot and Mister Mouse slipped into the restaurant and sat down in one of the booths. “You’d better order for all of us,” said Wizard as he settled at Dot’s feet. Mister Mouse tucked in next to him.

“Just order a burger and fries for yourself and we’ll share” said Wizard.

“Hey! Who said anything about sharing!” said Mister Mouse indignantly. <I>”I</I> did,” said Wizard, glaring at him.

“It’s OK!” said Dot hastily, before a real row started. “Just look at the size of these things - we could probably share with everyone in our street and still have loads left!”

Dot ordered a double hamburger loaded with mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, fried onions, pickles, cheese and bacon.

“Sure honey, coming right up,” said the waitress, smiling at Dot. “You wanna Coke or a shake with that?”

“Oh a strawberry milkshake please” said Dot.

The waitress laughed. “No problem honey! But you tell me now – where you from? You talk sweet - is it one of those London England accents? ‘Cos if it is, there’s someone here who’d sure like to meet you.”

“Oh… yes… ” said Dot, a bit embarrassed. “It is a British accent.”

The waitress – who’d been quite softly spoken - suddenly opened her mouth and yelled. A real American waitress-style “I need a double fries on Table 17 right NOW!”  yell! Dot knew her mum would be really cross with her if she was ever that loud, but it still made her giggle.

“Hey Floyd!” went the waitress. “You get on out here honey - got a real nice surprise for you!”