…how an ordinary schoolgirl became an

INTERNET VOYAGER!

"Kaput!" My Search Engine is dead!"

Everyone suddenly stopped talking. Luis and Louise D stopped twirling about. Mr Mouse opened his mouth to say something then shut it again. Cursor the Cat went "Bad" vibe!", and lay down on the floor of the Search Zone, his sleek black head resting on his paws. Wizzie gave an anxious whine and licked his lips noisily, the way he always does when he's worried, then lay down too.

But one of the little group round Dot wasn't taking it lying down at all. A very angry "CRAAAACK!" burst out of Blackshanks' beak. "WHAAT???" he went, flapping his stubby little canary's wings - still all black - up and down in a rage. "WHAAT??? You've fouled it all up haven't you Adrienne, you bushy-tailed bozo!! You... you... red-faced furball! You FRENCH FREAK, you - you - glukk!"

Need to help you there... "Glukk!" may not be a word you know but it's what you're probably going to say if a large velvety paw, with some of the largest claws you've seen, suddenly comes down on you. Especially if you're only the size of a canary. All that was left of Blackshanks' ranting was a muffled mumbling, while his little canary body disappeared completely in Cursor's strong grip. The big cat smiled lazily at Adrienne.

"That's better" he yawned. "Can't stand all that noise round the place - a Net-person just can't think with that stuff going on. So, what's the log-on Ade baby? What gives?"

Adrienne shrugged and shook her head, so that the little tufts on top of her squirrelly ears bounced up and down. "I do not know" she muttered, chewing her lip and staring at her Search Engine. "Eet 'as never done zis before now. I just... have no idea how to fix it!"

"No problemo! I do!"

It was the little sad-eyed character Dot had rescued from void. He hopped up on top of the wounded search engine and twirled his moustache.

"You?" snorted Mr Mouse. "Thought you just did drains and faucets!" (It's a Canadian word for water taps. Weird isn't it?!)

"Huh!" said the little man, his moustaches twitching. "A lotta you know! A man like me can do anything he turnsa his mind to. That's what-a makes me a champion Net-person!"

"Champion net-moustache, more like!" sassed Mr Mouse - and then disappeared with a squeak into his favourite hiding place under the shoulder of Dot's T-shirt, as the little man jumped off the top of Adrienne's Search Engine, eyes blazing, and landed on Dot's left arm, obviously out to teach Canada's cheekiest rodent a lesson.

"Now STOP IT, you two!" said Dot firmly, putting her other hand out to stop him running up her arm to get at Mr Mouse. "This is no time for fighting! We all need to help Adrienne! How else are we going to find all that stuff for Dad and the Munchenmeat Awards - or get back to Samson the Server's place so we can go home?"

"Yeah, right!" said Louise D (though Dot couldn't help noticing the sleek Afghan hound was trying very hard not to giggle at the two little creatures' behaviour.) "Give a girl a hand - come on now!"

"All right, all right!" said the little chap grumpily. "For Adrienne, I will do it! Just-a keepa Topo Gigio way from-a me, is all!"

Ignoring an indignant grunt from Mr Mouse, who didn't like being described as Italy's favourite cartoon mouse, he jumped back from Dot's shoulder onto Adrienne's search engine. He stood on the top of its cab for a moment whistling quietly to himself. Then he swung round to Adrienne. "OK!" he said. "I can fix! Where ees your Hypo-drive Override port?"

Adrienne pointed to a little hatch just above one of her search engine's gleaming steam train wheels. "Zere!" she said. "But it will be locked mon ami - everyzing is!"

"Not-a for me!" said the little man proudly. He reached into a black leather holder on his belt, and pulled out a strange tool - one end of it was like a screwdriver, then it widened out into a keypad like a calculator. On the end of that, though, was the strangest thing of all - a mouthpiece like the ones you have for playing a trumpet or a bugle. It was all shiny and silvery and glittered brightly in the warm light of the Search Zone.

The little man hopped down again onto the Search Zone floor and knelt down by the hatch.

"What is he doing?" whispered Luis de la Zarpana to Louise D. "Crazy!"

"SSSSHH!" went the little man. Very carefully, he put the tip of the "screwdriver" onto the hatch on the search engine's side. Very quickly he tapped a stream of numbers into the keyboard. Then with his other hand, he reached into his pocket and pulled out an earpiece like you have for a mobile phone, and plugged into the side of the strange shiny gadget, still holding the tip of it against the hatch.

Dot held her breath. If ONLY he could...

Then she saw a smile spread over the little man's face sad moustachioed face. "Bene!" he said "Benissimo! Now I have-a him!"

Then he put his lips to the mouthpiece - and started to play a tune!