The twins turned around. A little boy was talking to his dad. He looked upset.
“Hey, that’s the boy from yesterday!” Ella said to Ethan.
Ethan nodded.
The mother of the family glanced up and waved to the Briars.
“Hello! You were in our tour group at the salt mines,” she called out. “We’re the Novaks. This is our son, Dylan, and our daughter, Deanna.”
Mrs. Briar smiled and introduced her family.
Dylan tugged on Mrs. Novak’s jacket. “Mom! This is an emergency! We have to find him now!”
“Find who?” Ethan asked Dylan curiously.
“Slither. He’s the fiercest anaconda in the whole wide world!” Dylan cried out.
“We just returned from the Temple of the Sun. Dylan thinks he lost his toy snake there,” Mr. Novak explained to the Briars.
The Temple of the Sun? Ella elbowed Ethan. He elbowed her back.
“We have to go back there right this second!” Dylan told his parents.
“We can’t do that, honey. We’re going to the museum now,” Mrs. Novak said patiently. “Maybe later.”
“Museum? What museum?” asked Mrs. Briar.
“There is a museum with exhibits about the history of Machu Picchu,” Mr. Novak replied. “I teach history at Addison College,” he added.
Mr. Briar beamed. “Really? I teach history at Brookeston University!”
“You should come to the museum with us!” Mrs. Novak suggested. “Hey, I have a good idea. Deanna, why don’t you take your brother back to the Temple of the Sun to look for his snake? We can meet back here at ten o’clock.”
“Really, Mom? Do I have to?” Deanna complained.
Ella elbowed Ethan again. He turned to their parents.
“Can we go with Deanna and Dylan? Please?” Ethan begged.
“Please?” Ella echoed.
“Deanna is sixteen. She’s very responsible. And she knows the way to the temple and back because we were just there,” said Mrs. Novak.
Mr. Briar pushed his glasses up on his nose. “Well . . . I don’t see why not,” he said after a moment.
Mrs. Briar nodded. “You must stay with Deanna the whole time. Okay, kids?”
Ethan and Ella grinned at each other.
Temple of the Sun, here we come! Ethan thought excitedly.
