“One square for each number of birds,” he said. “All the way up to six!”
“I’ve seen this pattern before,” Hector said. They all jumped at his voice. He had been off looking at plants since they got back to the visitor center, and they hadn’t noticed him walk up. “It’s a pattern that represents the migration of condors. Numbers and patterns were very important in ancient Incan art.”
The children looked at the khipu. With all the knots and colors, it did seem like there was some kind of pattern to it.
“Ancient Incan, huh?” said Grandfather. “I wonder what language an ancient Incan message might be in. Would we even understand it?”
If anyone might have known the answer to that question, it would have been Hector—but the quirky botanist had already disappeared back among the rows of plants.
“All the tapestries here are based on ancient Incan art, but the khipu we have doesn’t look like it’s very old,” Henry said, examining the knotted rope. “The cord looks and feels like it’s made of nylon or polyester. And the colors look like the embroidery thread Violet used to make friendship bracelets in school.”
“Green, silver, and gold are the colors of Greenfield Elementary!” said Benny.
“And junior high,” Henry agreed. “They’re the colors of our gym and our baseball jerseys.”
“That can’t be a coincidence,” Jessie said. “So it was made recently, and in colors that had meaning for us. I don’t think this is an ancient artifact. It’s something made just for us!”
“Do you think the message is in English, then?” Violet asked, thinking about Grandfather’s question.
The four of them took a closer look at the khipu. They stretched the main cord out in a line so the dangling strands fell down toward the floor. Benny counted the strands out loud until he reached twenty-two.
“It would make sense if each strand represented a letter,” Jessie said. “It’s a bit of a guess, but we have to start somewhere.”
“Look. All of the strands have knots except for three,” Violet said, running her fingers down the strands. “Maybe the strands without knots aren’t letters, but spaces? I can’t think of a single twenty-two-letter word, at least not in English.”
“Good thinking, Violet. Let’s make a chart to keep track of this.” Jessie took out her notebook and pencil. She marked twenty-two spaces, one for each vertical strand of rope. Next, she drew a line through the spaces that represented ropes with no knots.
“It looks like a hangman game,” Benny said. “Except we don’t have somebody to say when we get a letter right.”
“Let’s assume it’s in English,” Henry suggested. “There is probably a pattern. The only thing that sets the vertical strands apart is the knots. Maybe we should start with counting the knots.”
It took them a while to count and record all the knots, but Benny enjoyed counting, especially when he could touch the knots as he went. In the end, they had written down a number under every space:
“All those knots almost made my eyes cross,” Benny said, looking at the numbers and spaces.
“Good job counting,” Jessie said.
“Hey, I’m noticing a pattern,” said Henry as he looked over the numbers. “None of these numbers goes higher than twenty-one.”
“What does that mean?” asked Jessie.
“Well, there are twenty-six letters in the English alphabet. If this message is in English, maybe the knots represent letters of the alphabet. For example, A is the first letter, so if one represents A…”
Henry borrowed Jessie’s pencil and made a few changes to the diagram:
“There aren’t any twos in the code, but there are a few threes,” Violet pointed out. Henry nodded. Violet started to mouth the letters of the alphabet, counting on her fingers as she went. “The third letter of the alphabet is C.”
The children went through each of the numbers and found out which letters went with which numbers. By the time they were done, they had a phrase: DR LUKANA MACHU PICCHU.
“After all that, I don’t recognize most of these words,” Henry said. “I wonder if we did it wrong.”
“DR means doctor,” Benny said. “Maybe the rest is someone’s name?”
“Well, it may just be Dr. Lukana,” Grandfather said. “Machu Picchu is a famous place in Peru. I’ve seen photos of it. It’s a stunning and sacred place. It’s looking like that’s the next place we’re traveling to, eh?”
“If there’s a Dr. Lukana in Machu Picchu, then yes,” Henry said.
“Let’s ask Hector if he knows of anyone by that name,” Jessie suggested.
They called Hector back. He had opened one of the cases and was tending to some yellow orchids with a water dropper.
“Did you figure it out?” he asked when Benny called.
“Yes. We think it says Dr. Lukana, Machu Picchu,” Henry said. “Do you know a Dr. Lukana?”
Hector straightened up and nodded, eyes widening.
“Yes! Of course, why didn’t I think of that? Dr. Lukana is a Peruvian botanist, highly regarded in the breeding of rare specimens. She would be the perfect person to care for the orange monkey orchid. I didn’t know she was in Machu Picchu now, but she has been known to do a fair amount of research in the Urubamba Province—quite near Machu Picchu, now that I think of it. It wouldn’t be surprising if she were there. The area has some extremely interesting plant life!”
They hadn’t known Hector for long, but this was the most excited they had seen him. He brought them to a map of South America near the welcome desk. It was a big map that included Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and a little bit of Chile.
“This is Peru, between the western side of Brazil and the Pacific,” Hector explained, pointing. “Machu Picchu is right here. Cusco is the nearest city with an airport. It is also the city where Dr. Lukana teaches. The last time I saw her speak, she was describing her research in the area around Machu Picchu. So really, if the clue is sending you that direction, it’s likely you will be able to find her.”
“Grandfather said that Machu Picchu is a sacred place,” Jessie said. “Is it a place that we’re going to be able to visit?”
“There is a citadel there, and the location contains many ancient Incan ruins. But there are tour buses, and many people travel there,” Hector said. “I think most people fly into Cusco and take a train to Aguas Calientes—which is also called Machu Picchu Pueblo. It’s a small town near the ruins. If Dr. Lukana is nearby, someone there will help you find her.”
“Thank you so much,” said Jessie. “With this information, we’re sure to find Dr. Lukana and return this orchid to her.”
“You’re welcome,” Hector replied. “You might want to take a photo of the map. Just in case you need it. Cell phone service doesn’t always work up in the Andes Mountains. Keep an eye on the weather too. It rains often, and the mud and everything can be tricky to get through.”
Jessie took a photo of the map with her phone. If they lost reception, having a map stored would be helpful.
“We’ll be careful,” said Henry. “And Grandfather will be with us. Right?”
Grandfather nodded. “You bet!”
Jessie packed up the khipu and her notebook into her backpack and pulled it over her shoulders. “Well, we’d better get going,” she said. “The flight to Peru won’t be a short one. If we can make it to the airport this evening, we can fly overnight and arrive by morning.”
“We could return the monkey orchid as early as tomorrow!” Benny added.
Hector handed Henry the glass case container that held the monkey orchid. Henry used both hands to carry it, knowing that if he dropped and broke the case, the orchid wouldn’t last long, especially once they left the nature reserve. It was exciting to have their last artifact in hand, but this was also the most fragile thing they’d had to return yet. They said thank you and good-bye to Hector, and he waved after them as they left the visitor center. Violet walked next to Henry so she could keep an eye on the little
orchid in the glass case.
“I can’t believe we’re already returning the last Reddimus artifact,” Violet said. “It seems like just yesterday we returned the little clay turtle to Christina Keene in New Mexico.”
“You’re right, it does.” Henry sighed and looked at the orchid too. “But we can’t get too excited. We still have a long way to go with this little guy, and we already know Mr. Ganert and Anna will be after it.”
“Are we going to fly on the Reddimus jet?” Benny asked. “What if Mr. Ganert sees that we have the orchid? He might try to steal it.”
“Do you think Emilio could manage the flight to Peru by himself?” Jessie asked. “What if we could somehow leave Mr. Ganert in Buenos Aires and fly straight to Cusco with Emilio? It’s our final destination. As long as we return the orchid to Dr. Lukana in Machu Picchu, we won’t need Mr. Ganert’s help piloting the jet any longer. We could wait for Trudy to find another pilot to help Emilio fly us home.”
Henry nodded. His eyes sparkled.
“I think I have a plan,” he said.
Into the Andes
When the Aldens got back to Buenos Aires, they thanked the taxi driver and returned to the city center. Henry wanted to do some quick shopping before they went back to the airport. They found a department store, and Henry gave Violet and Benny each some money he had saved from his own allowance.
“I want you both to pick out gifts for Emilio and Mr. Ganert to thank them for flying us all over the world,” he told them.
“Why would we want to buy anything for Mr. Ganert?” Benny asked. “All he’s tried to do is steal the artifacts from us!”
“That’s not true,” Henry explained. “He really did fly us to each of our destinations, even if he is a spy. That helped us return the artifacts, either way.”
Violet nodded. Then she waggled her eyebrows.
“Is this part of your plan, Henry?” she asked.
Henry winked. “Yes. But I still want you to pick out nice gifts for both of them. If it hadn’t been for them, we wouldn’t have been able to do such good work for the Reddimus Society.”
Henry held on to the orchid case while he, Jessie, and Grandfather followed Violet and Benny through the department store. The shelves were stocked with all sorts of fun gifts, from toys to travel books, postcards, snow globes, and keychains. In the end, Benny picked out a joke book for Emilio. Violet picked out a box of chocolates for Mr. Ganert.
“Maybe something sweet will make him smile,” she explained.
“Now, Jessie, why don’t you pick out some nice gift bags to wrap them in,” Henry said. “And be sure to get one extra gift bag that’s the same size.”
Jessie found some decorative bags and tinsel in the gift department. She even found two thank-you cards.
“What’s the third gift bag for?” she asked, but Henry only grinned.
“You’ll see!” he said.
Grandfather called a taxi, and they headed to the airport. When they arrived, Henry was the last person out of the cab. Jessie, Violet, Benny, and Grandfather waited patiently for him. Eventually he got out of the cab. In his hands were the three gift bags with the presents, topped with tinsel so no one could see inside.
“Where’s the orchid?” asked Violet, noticing that he wasn’t carrying the glass case.
“Don’t worry,” Henry assured her. “I have it.”
They went through airport security and found the tram that would take them out to the tarmac where the private jets were parked. After a few minutes, the Reddimus jet came into view. Emilio and Mr. Ganert must have seen the tram coming, because they opened the hatch and headed down the stairs to meet the children as they exited the vehicle.
“Finally,” Mr. Ganert said. “Did you find the artifact?”
“Here, Mr. Ganert, Emilio,” Henry said. He presented each of the pilots with a gift bag. “These are thank-you gifts from the four of us for all the help you’ve given in returning the Reddimus artifacts.”
Emilio looked touched, his nose turning a little pink. “Why, thank you!” he said.
Mr. Ganert was not impressed. He didn’t even look inside the bag.
“Yes, the artifact,” he said. “Did you find it?”
“Oh no!” Henry said suddenly. He looked around. The third gift bag was nowhere to be seen. “I must have left it on the tram.”
“Left it on the tram?” snapped Mr. Ganert, putting down his gift bag. He didn’t seem interested in it one bit. He hadn’t even said thank you. “You forgot a valuable artifact on the tram? No matter. I’ll get it!”
Mr. Ganert sprinted after the tram as it drove away. It already had a big head start, and Henry didn’t think Mr. Ganert would catch up to it until it stopped back at the airport gate.
“Come on, everyone,” Henry said, picking up the gift bag that Mr. Ganert had left behind. “We’ve got to get going before Mr. Ganert gets back!”
“What?” Benny cried. “But the orchid!”
Henry opened the gift bag Mr. Ganert had abandoned and showed Benny the inside. Safely padded in the gift tinsel was the glass case holding the monkey orchid. The four children, Grandfather, and a confused Emilio clambered up the stairs into the jet.
“We’re leaving without Mr. Ganert?” Emilio asked.
“Yes! We’re headed to Cusco, Peru,” Jessie explained, helping Henry close the hatch. Emilio nodded and saluted.
“Aye-aye, captains! I can make that flight by myself,” he said before ducking away into the cockpit.
“What a trick!” Violet said as they buckled into their seats. “Henry, how did you know it would work?”
“Mr. Ganert is only interested in the artifact,” Henry said. He took the orchid case out of the gift bag to make sure it was safe. “I knew he wouldn’t care too much about a gift from us. But when he finds out the gift bag on the tram has his chocolates inside, maybe he’ll decide to enjoy a sweet treat for himself while he’s stuck here in Buenos Aires!”
Emilio was quick at the helm of the jet, and within minutes, they were zooming down the runway. There was a roar of jet engines and a little bump, and then they were in the air, headed to the last destination of their Reddimus mission.
The flight from Buenos Aires to Cusco was a journey filled with green, jungle-filled valleys and blue, misty mountains. The children watched the sunset as it filled the cabin with brilliant red and gold.
“This is Captain Emilio speaking,” came Emilio’s voice over the speaker. “Our current time of arrival is seven hours and forty-five minutes. I suggest you all rest up. We’ll be landing in the morning, before you know it!”
Jessie found cozy blankets in one of the cabin storage compartments, and the four children and Grandfather curled up to sleep as the South American landscape passed by below.
The next morning, the Aldens awoke to their ears popping and the sound of the jet’s engines changing to descent mode. The plane gently dipped below the clouds, and the children could see the airport below. Emilio made a smooth landing, and soon enough they were saying their good-byes on the jet’s stairway.
“Good luck!” called Emilio as he waved to them. “Go get ’em!”
After they checked in with customs and had their passports stamped, Henry took out the map that Hector had given them.
“Hector said we can take a train from Cusco to a town called Aguas Calientes. From there, we take a shuttle up to Machu Picchu.”
“I already booked our tickets on the train,” said Grandfather, revealing five tickets that he’d hidden in his pocket. “I did it this morning while you were all still asleep! Come on, this way. We’ll take a taxi to the station.”
“I never realized traveling the world involved so many kinds of transportation,” Violet said as Grandfather signaled a taxi at the front of the airport. They all got in, and Grandfather told the driver where they were headed. “Taxies, ferries, rental cars, airplanes…”
“And camels!” said Benny with a laugh.
“Don’t forge
t the train that started our journey in Connecticut,” Henry said. “I can’t wait to see the train we’re going to take up into the mountains. I’ll bet it’ll be something special.”
The train was something special. When they reached the station, they could see it on the tracks. It was painted in a bright, royal blue with gold lettering and trim. Benny could hardly wait for Grandfather to check their tickets at the gate. When the five of them boarded, Benny and Violet gasped with delight.
The inside of the train was as fancy as the luxury restaurants they had seen on their journey, with velvety red seats and polished drink tables. Some of the cars had velvet-lined walls, while others were wood paneled with flowing white curtains. The passenger car in which their seats were assigned was wide and roomy, with big windows for looking through and tables between the chairs for playing games or reading books. In another car, they could hear a musician with a panpipe playing a cheerful tune.
“This is the best train I think I’ve ever seen!” exclaimed Benny as they took their seats. “Aside from our boxcar, of course.”
Henry grinned. “Ha ha! Can you imagine our boxcar with velvet-lined chairs and all that fancy silverware from the dining car?”
“Yeah, it wouldn’t be the same,” Benny agreed. “I would still use my cracked pink cup!”
The children laughed at the thought, and then the train let out a loud whistle and eased forward. Benny and Violet, who got seats closest to the window, watched eagerly as the train left the station. Henry and Jessie watched too, while Grandfather sat across the aisle and looked out his own window.
Cusco was not very big, and within minutes, they were outside the city. First the train took them through flat farmlands, where the valley within the surrounding mountains was cleared in rich brown patches lined with stick fences. The mountains grew around them as the train passed over rivers and through dense forests, and soon they were going up into the Andes Mountains. Although the train tracks ran very close to the steep cliffsides of the mountains, the train felt sturdy and secure.
“It’s almost like flying!” Benny said, looking out the window down the side of the mountain.