"Cheryl, do you know who Maggie is?"

     "Maggie? Maggie who?" Cheryl asked.

     "I don't know. I talked to Aunt Ida on the phone today, and she said that she will be bringing Maggie with her tomorrow. She said that Maggie can do magic tricks."

    Danny had been wondering all day what kind of tricks Maggie could do. Would she be better than him?

     "No. Don't know her," Cheryl said.

    Danny and Cheryl started back toward the house. Danny could hear his mother and father talking from the open kitchen window. Danny's mother said, "Maggie has a great appetite. She even likes to eat liver and broccoli. Isn't that weird?"

     "Very," Danny's father replied. "And she can do magic tricks?"

     "Yes. Ida said that Maggie's best trick is making her ball disappear. . . "

    Danny heard no more because his head was spinning. Make a ball disappear! He didn't know that trick! His shoulders slumped. Danny looked down at the ground as he walked into the house.

     "Hi," Danny's mother said when they came in. "When Aunt Ida comes tomorrow, she will be bringing . . . "

     "I already know all about it," Danny interrupted. He walked through the kitchen, toward his room. On impulse Danny turned and asked, "Will you make broccoli and liver for dinner?"

     "Um . . . I suppose. Do you feel okay?"

     "Just fine. Thanks Mom!" Danny flashed her a brief smile and left the room.

    Later, Danny sat cross-legged in the floor across from Cheryl.

     "I just can't do it!" Danny shook his head sadly.

     "Yes you can! You can do anything, Danny!" Cheryl was always looking on the bright side. She was always in a good mood. Danny wasn't so sure.

    At dinner that evening, Danny and Cheryl looked at each other across the table, their eyes wide.

     "This is delicious!" Cheryl said in amazement. She put another cheese-dripping forkful of broccoli in her mouth. "Yummy!"

    Danny thought so too. Even the liver wasn't too bad. At least not as bad as he had expected.

    But he still worried about the magic trick. He worried and practiced the rest of the day. No matter how hard he tried, Danny was unable to make a ball disappear.

    The next day, Danny could hardly wait to meet Maggie.

    Finally, Danny's mother called from downstairs, "Danny, Cheryl, come down and see Aunt Ida and Maggie!" He was downstairs in a flash. This was it. At last he would meet Maggie.

    When Danny walked around the corner of the den, he got a surprise. Maggie was a little puppy!

    A puppy? Danny was rooted to the spot. A puppy? Danny felt like laughing. He called the puppy over and petted its soft fur. "Hey, girl, I hear you can do magic tricks."

     "Woof!" Maggie shook her tail vigorously.

     "We will have to demonstrate," Aunt Ida said.

    Everyone gathered in the den to watch Maggie's magic tricks. Whenever Maggie was given a ball, she would lie down on it to "hide it."

     "Now, we have two magicians in our family," Danny's father said. He began to laugh. Soon everyone was laughing, but Danny laughed the hardest of all.