This second book, THE SANDS OF TIME continues the adventures of Hermux Tantamoq, mouse and watchmaker in the imaginary city of Pinchester. When the museum announces a show of Mirrin Stentrill's latest paintings - monumental, visionary portraits of cats - Mayor Hooster Pinkwiggin vows to shut it down. Cats are a touchy subject amoung Pinchester's mostly small-rodent population. Complications arise when a mysterious chipmunk named Birch Tentintrotter claims to have a map to the royal library of an ancient kingdom of cats. When Birch recruits Hermux to help him find the library, they discover they're not the only ones looking for it.