Samantha hopped off the conveyor belt and landed beside Nipper. Slidewalking was getting easier. The pug started squirming, so she let him go.

“Wruf,” Dennis yapped as he plopped onto a cement floor.

The bark, already amplified by his plastic cone, echoed loudly in the chamber. Samantha followed the sound as it bounced around them and slowly faded. They stood at the bottom of a concrete silo. Metal scaffolding rose from the center of the chamber, filling most of the cylindrical space. Flights of stairs zigzagged up to the top of the metal structure.

“One, two, three, Peru,” said Nipper, counting flights.

At the top of the third flight of stairs, a metal bridge extended to an open doorway. Light streamed in, along with the noises of a busy city.

“Ready, Sam?” Nipper asked, pointing at the steps.

“Almost,” she answered. “Hand lens, please.”

Samantha held out her hand. While Nipper passed her the magnifying glass, she used her other hand to pull the umbrella off her shoulder. She raised it high above her head and popped it open with her thumb. Holding the magnifier at arm’s length, she closed one eye and peered through the lens with the other.

“Just what I thought,” she said, and snapped the umbrella shut.

She was getting much better at figuring out the lines and shapes on the Plans. This, plus taking the time to prepare for their journey, made her feel confident. She was becoming an explorer. A true explorer.

“You’re becoming a show-off, Sam,” said Nipper. “A true show-off.”

“Just wait,” she replied. “It gets better.”

Together, they climbed the stairs.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about this,” said Samantha as they marched up the metal steps. “All those nights we spent listening to Uncle Paul, what did he tell stories about the most?”

“The Great Wall of China,” said Nipper.

“Okay, that’s correct,” she said. “But the slidewalk doesn’t go to China. What’s the other amazing place he talked about all the time?”

“A mountain city called Machu Picchu,” Nipper answered, waving his hands and imitating their uncle’s voice.

He stopped imitating Uncle Paul and wrinkled his forehead.

“Is that in Lima?” he asked.

“No,” she said. “But we’re close. It’s in Peru, and we’re on our way.”

When they cleared the second set of stairs, they stopped at a landing.

Across from the stairs was a wide, round hole, ten feet in diameter, in the concrete wall. A thick steel cable came out of the hole and connected to the scaffolding. Samantha leaned over the edge of the landing, tugged on the cable, and peered into darkness.

“What’s this for?” asked Nipper.

Samantha shrugged and shook her head.

“I haven’t the foggiest idea,” she said. “But let’s keep going.”

She pulled out the Peru guidebook. “I spent a lot of time studying the Plans and matching things up with this guide. I think I’ve found out a way to get to Machu Picchu in style.”

They continued up the stairs.

“Are you sure we’re headed in the right direction?” Nipper asked, looking back at the huge, dark hole.

Samantha stopped and took out the purple sunglasses. She put them on and looked around the silo.

Big yellow letters, each twelve inches high, pulsed on the concrete. They formed a message from the top of the chamber to the floor below:

Y

E

S

!

K

E

E

P

G

O

I

N

G

!

Samantha took off the glasses and put them back in her purse.

“Yep,” she answered.

At the top of the scaffolding, they walked across the metal bridge, through the doorway, and into a small, square nook. They stood in a drainage pit with a metal screen overhead. A short ladder was bolted to one of the cement walls. Nipper went first, pushing the screen open when he reached the top. Samantha hooked the Plans over her shoulder, picked up the pug, and climbed. At the top of the ladder, she passed the pug to Nipper, joined them on the surface, and closed the screen behind her.

The scene couldn’t have been more different from the market in Mali or the temple in Indonesia. They stood in a square plaza. Green patches of grass, dotted with palm trees and benches, surrounded a bubbling fountain.

Ornate buildings faced the plaza on all sides. Many were painted yellow, with white trim. Others were made of white stone. They were decorated with bell towers, flags, sculptures, and elaborate balconies.

“This is the Plaza Mayor,” said Samantha. “The historical center of Lima.”

From where they were standing in the plaza, they could tell that Lima was a bustling, modern city. Office buildings and apartment towers stretched in every direction. Taxis and buses clogged the streets. Horse-drawn carriages shuttled tourists about.

People walked through the plaza wearing everything from T-shirts and business attire to military uniforms and jogging suits.

A couple walked by wearing knit caps and ponchos crisscrossed with red and blue patterns. It reminded Samantha of the traditional Peruvian clothing shown in the guidebook.

She opened the book to a map of Lima and studied it. Then she looked across the plaza.

“The Government Palace,” she said, pointing to one of the white stone buildings. “The train station is just a few blocks that way.”

“I can’t help but notice the fountain over there,” said Nipper, gesturing toward the center of the plaza. “Do you need me to go poke something in the nose?”

“Not this time,” she said. “Just pick up the dog and come with me. I have a plan.”

Nipper grabbed Dennis and followed.

She waved to the driver of a horse-drawn carriage.

“A la estación, por favor,” she said.

The driver smiled, hopped off the carriage, and helped Samantha inside. He nodded at Nipper and waved for him to climb in, too.

“Impressive,” said Nipper, sliding beside her with Dennis on his lap.

“Not really,” she said. “I did my homework this time.”

Nipper shuddered. Then his eyelids started to droop. His head tilted forward. His breathing slowed. He let out a soft, croaking groan, like an old wooden door swinging slowly on its hinges.

“Not school homework, silly,” she said. “I meant that I took time to learn about Lima and to practice some Spanish phrases. I just told the driver ‘To the train station, please.’ ”

“Oh…okay,” said Nipper, shaking off his homework-triggered sleepiness.

“You see, I have a plan,” she added, and smiled.

The carriage pulled away from the plaza and the horse trotted forward along with the cars and buses. As they traveled through the city, hotels, museums, and palaces passed by.

According to the map in the guidebook, the station was only eight blocks away. They had been in traffic for at least ten minutes and they had only gone four blocks.

“Should we have walked?” asked Nipper.

“Just enjoy the ride,” said Samantha. “I have a plan.”

They arrived at the train station and headed up the stone steps. A woman in a uniform stood at attention. She smiled as she watched them climb the stairs. As they were about to enter the station, however, she held out a hand and pointed to a sign beside the open door.

NO SE PERMITEN PERROS

Nipper looked at Samantha.

“What’s that about?” he whispered.

“It says ‘No dogs allowed,’ ” she answered. “But don’t worry. I’ve got a plan.”

She picked up Dennis and cradled him like a baby. Then she looked at the guard with wide, soulful eyes.

“Are you trying to look like a chinchilla?” whispered Nipper.

“Shush,” she said quickly, and turned back to the woman in the uniform.

The guard, looking pleased, smiled at her.

“Por favor?” Samantha asked, as sweetly as possible. “Él es mi precioso bebé.”

The guard smiled again.

“Your Spanish is so good, young lady,” she said warmly. “I don’t know why you’re having trouble understanding…NO DOGS ALLOWED!”

The woman shouted the last words and slammed the door.

Nipper waited for Samantha to speak.

She blushed.

“Do you still have a plan?” he asked.

“No,” she said slowly. “But I have an umbrella.”