Dr. Baker laughed and said, “They also thought that California was an island in the Pacific Ocean.”
“It is not?” Sacagawea asked, quite seriously. That was an easy question. I knew the answer, but translated and let Dr. Baker reply.
“No,” Dr. Baker replied, equally seriously. “It’s definitely attached.” She leaned forward to show the California coastline.
Jacob tapped the face of his watch, and we knew, no matter what Sacagawea had decided, it was time to go back to 1805. We told Sacagawea that we had to leave, but she kept staring at the computer images.
“So,” she asked at last, “if we cross these mountains”—Sacagawea pointed at the screen—“will we find the ocean?”
I translated her question. “Yes,” Dr. Baker confirmed. Sacagawea was looking at the Pacific Ocean.
“I want to see the ocean!” Sacagawea suddenly cheered so loudly, I was surprised she didn’t wake up Pomp. “The water looks so beautiful from outer space.” She reached behind her and patted Pomp on the head. “I cannot wait to see it up close.”
“Guess what?” I told the boys. “Sacagawea finally has a dream!”
“Sacagawea wants to see the Pacific Ocean,” Zack chimed over and over like song. He even made up a dance.
“Look who’s singing and dancing now!” I exclaimed.
We were very happy, but Sacagawea wasn’t finished dreaming. “I want to translate for Lewis and Clark. I want to travel over the mountains. I want to help them make their trades. I want—” She paused. And then, with a huge smile, she said, “I dream of helping Lewis and Clark map the West.”
“We did it!” Bo said happily. “Now, instead of no dreams, Sacagawea has lots of them.”
We thanked Dr. Baker. As we prepared to leave, Dr. Baker asked, “Can I see the time-travel computer?”
I didn’t know if we should show her . . . she was a scientist, after all. She might want to come with us. Or she might decide to try to make her own time-travel computer. So before we showed her, Jacob made Dr. Baker promise not to try to invent a time-travel machine. We already had a problem with Babs Magee.
Dr. Baker promised, and Jacob handed her our computer.
Dr. Baker took a quick look at it and gave the machine right back to Jacob. “It’s amazing, but I don’t want to time-travel,” she declared. “I make maps!”
“And, of course, computer games,” Jacob added, referring to LC Adventures.
“I wanted to make a game that teaches kids about the exciting adventures of Lewis and Clark,” she told him. And then she said, “If you have trouble winning the game, try asking the Sacagawea character for help.” She turned to Sacagawea and said with a wink, “She always knows what to do.”
Jacob smiled big and thanked Dr. Baker for the hint.
No one had come into the lab yet, so we decided to go ahead and leave from there. We only had nine minutes left and had to get Sacagawea back to 1805—and us back to school.
Jacob put in the computer cartridge, and the time-travel hole opened in the floor right beside Dr. Baker. She peered down through the green smoke and wished us luck on our journey.
Bo, Zack, and Jacob jumped in. I was going to go with Sacagawea, but before we left, Sacagawea turned around and said to Dr. Baker, “Your map will be the best map in your time. Lewis and Clark’s map will be the best map in my time.” I quickly translated.
Dr. Baker simply grinned. And without another word, Sacagawea and I blasted to the past.