Mark Foy has returned home from his surprising trip to Planet Zoron. Prince Zincor’s throne is safe. But is it? Who shows up but Zincor’s Uncle Blaylock, still determined to take over Zincor’s throne, and his partner, the evil scientific genius Fentar? They’ve been mistakenly transported to Mark’s very neighborhood by the Tappa Ray and now have Mark in their sights, certain he knows something they don’t—the way back to Zoron. Blaylock’s quest for Prince Zincor’s throne is not over!

Dozens of children went by before Fentar exclaimed, “There he is! I see him. The one in the blue jacket. There’s the boy! He’s the one. Oh, how I’d like to get my hands on him."

“Yes,” said Blaylock, his eyes on Mark. “So would I. And why don’t we? Let’s follow him.” The two men started out, hiding behind trees and cars, always keeping Mark in sight.

Blaylock grabbed Fentar by the shoulder. “Look, he’s left his friends. He’s walking alone. Go get him. Bring him here. Hurry! He turned the corner.”

Fentar rushed down the street in an odd tiptoed fashion. Nearby school children pointed and laughed at him behind his back. Blaylock rolled his eyes and shook his head as he watched.

Fentar poked one eye around the corner and saw Mark strolling alone.

“What’re you doing, Mister?” asked a small child also on his way home from school.

“Go away, little boy. Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“I’m not a little boy. I’m in first grade. My name’s Morris. I want to watch. Okay, Mister? What’re you gonna do?”

Fentar ignored the boy and tiptoed quickly down the street. No one stood between him and Mark.

Morris shouted after him. “Mister, I said I want to know what you’re doing. Hey, why’re you walking so funny?”

Mark turned when he heard Morris shout and saw Fentar coming at him from only a few feet away. He ducked and Fentar whooshed on by, grabbing at but missing him.

Fentar spun to face the boy.

“It’s you,” Mark cried.

Fentar made another grab, but Mark ducked again. His baseball cap ended up in Fentar’s hand. Fentar looked at the cap, puzzled for a moment, as Mark took off down the street and didn’t stop running until he burst through his own front door.

Fentar made his gloomy way back toward Blaylock. When he passed Morris, who’d stood on the corner and watched the encounter, the boy followed along at his elbow.

“What’d you do that for, Mister? How come you took his baseball cap?” Morris snatched his own cap off and clamped it tightly under his arm as Fentar scowled at him. They continued on down the sidewalk, Morris two steps behind.

“If you take my hat, I’m going to tell my daddy. He’s ten feet tall and has a million muscles.”

Fentar paused and scowled at Morris again. Morris stuck his tongue out in revenge. Fentar ignored the insult and kept walking down the sidewalk, the boy following at a safe distance.

A moment later, Fentar reported to Blaylock.

“Well? What happened? Where is he?” Blaylock growled.

“I didn’t get him, but I got his hat.”

“His hat! You moron! What am I going to do with his hat? Who are you?” Blaylock addressed his last comment to the little boy who stood nearby watching.

“I’m Morris. I’m in first grade so don’t try nothing.” Morris moved his hat behind his back and held on to it with two hands. “Who are you? You can’t wear Mark’s hat ’cause your head’s too big. How come you took the hat? Give it back. You better not take mine.” Morris took two steps back. “Don’t even think of it.”

Blaylock took two steps toward the boy. “Get out of here you.” Morris ran off down the street.

Curiosity got the better of Morris, though, and when he looked over his shoulder and saw that the men weren’t chasing him, he stopped running. The two men walked away, and as they walked, the bigger man beat the hat-snatcher over the head with the baseball cap the man had stolen.