At last, they came to a room with a tile floor and thick adobe walls. Dim lanterns and a chandelier of candles provided light. In the center of the room bubbled a three-tiered fountain. Water dribbled from a spout at the pinnacle and trickled down from one basin to the next. No taller than Nate, the fountain looked ancient, carved faces and vines almost worn away, the silty water tinted green. Lily pads covered much of the lower bowl.

  “Is this the right fountain?” Nate asked.

  “Edward didn’t mention others,” Summer pointed out.

  Nate took out a Carnie Coin. “What if he is just going to come along and scoop out whatever coins we’re dumb enough to throw in there?”

  “That would actually be pretty clever,” Summer said. “If he hopes to sell secrets, that won’t last long with a reputation for cheating people.”

  Nate looked around. They appeared to be alone. “Maybe we should try to scoop coins out of the fountain.”

  “Sounds like a way to get on the bad side of a wishing fountain,” Summer said.

  “Good point,” Nate said, craning his neck over the various basins. “Besides, I don’t see any coins in there.”

  “What should we wish for?” Summer asked.

  “World peace?” Nate suggested. “The ability to remake reality however we want? A thousand more wishes?”

  “If we go too big it might not work,” Summer said. “But wish for whatever you want.” She took out a Carnie Coin. “I wish we could learn exactly where to find some new secret places in this carnival.” She tossed the coin in the lower basin.

  “You went with the bottom pool?” Nate asked. “Lucky the coin didn’t land on a lily pad. I think the top tray takes more skill.” He held up a coin. “I wish we had magical candy that worked inside the carnival.” Nate pitched the coin into the top basin where it made a little plop.

  “Well done,” came a voice from behind them. They turned to find Edward emerging from a tiled niche in the adobe wall. “Very practical wishing.”

  “Were you there the whole time?” Nate asked.

  “I was spying from a covert spot,” Edward said. “That recess connects to a secret passage.” He walked up to the fountain. “I pledge to see these wishes granted.” Then he reached in and plucked out Summer’s coin.

  “Wait a minute,” Summer said. “Was this just a trick to get more coins?”

  “No trick,” Edward said, briefly stepping into the lower basin to retrieve Nate’s coin from the top one. “I’m a servant of the wishing fountain.” Standing on one foot, he shook some of the water from his wet pant leg and boot. Then he held out his palm, displaying the two coins. Both were now black with no markings.

  “What happened to the coins?” Nate asked.

  “Have you caught on that the Carnie Coins are magical?” Edward checked.

  “I guess that makes sense,” Nate replied.

  “The fountain really does grant wishes,” Edward said. “But it can take up to one week. And each individual only gets one free wish.”

  “That would have been nice to know so I could have made the perfect wish,” Summer said.

  “Not really,” Edward explained. “Had I warned you in advance you only got one wish, your wish would have been negated. Lots of little rules.”

  “Oh,” Summer said. “Then thanks, I guess. How do you know so much about this place?”

  “It’s what I do,” Edward said.

  “How long have you been here?” Summer asked.

  “You might be surprised to know,” Edward said. “I’ve made a lifestyle of it.”

  “Why did you pledge to grant our wishes?” Nate asked.

  “The fountain allows me one week to grant the wishes,” Edward said. “If I succeed, the coin used for the wish becomes an Enchanted Carnie Coin. It looks like white gold or platinum, but with extra sparkle. I can use Enchanted Carnie Coins to make additional wishes in the fountain, or I can use them elsewhere.”

  “And if you fail?” Summer asked.

  “If I fail,” Edward said, “I have to return the coins to the fountain and I’ll be cursed.”

  “Where else can you use the Enchanted Carnie Coins?” Nate asked.

  “That’s all I’m telling you for free,” Edward said. “The details about the fountain were generously given to me, and now I give them to you freely, with encouragement to do the same. If you want, after your wishes are granted, you two can pledge to grant the wishes of others as well.”

  “Maybe if we overhear somebody make a wish that we think we can grant,” Nate said. “I don’t want to fail and be cursed.”

  “You’re catching on,” Edward said. “Had you asked for world peace, I would have left that wish to the fountain.”

  “Would the fountain have provided world peace?” Nate asked.

  “Yes and no,” Edward said. “I’ve watched this fountain for some time, and there tend to be loopholes if you wish too big. For example, you may get world peace—but only for a minute.”

  “But you can give us magical candy?” Nate asked.

  “And show us other secret places?” Summer asked.

  “I can,” Edward said. “But we need to allow the carnival more time to open some candy stations. The magical candy will only work on kids. A lot of the magic here is like that.”

  “Interesting,” Nate said.

  “How did you know magical candy was an option?” Edward asked.

  “Um, strong hunch,” Nate said.

  “We’ve used some before,” Summer explained. “In other situations.”

  “Summer!” Nate complained. “He’s supposed to pay for that kind of info.”

  “Exchanging information can be a kind of payment,” Edward said. “When you share what you know, I’ll generally reciprocate. If you’ve used magical candy before, you are no ordinary carnival goers.”

  “We want to figure out this place,” Nate said.

  “Your wishes are already moving you in that direction,” Edward said. “You kids are in school?”

  “Yes,” Summer said.

  “Meet me at the Ferris wheel on Wednesday at four o’clock,” Edward said. “Think you can make it?”

  “We’ll figure it out,” Nate said.

  “You don’t need to pay to enter,” Edward said. “The booths are set up to look as if tickets are mandatory, but they’re not. Of course, you’ll be limited in what you can do without buying tickets or coins—or until you learn more secrets about this place.”

  “Four o’clock on Wednesday,” Summer repeated.

  “Bring tickets and coins,” Edward said. “At least twenty tickets and as many coins as you can manage. The things I want to show you should exist by Wednesday.”

  “Because the carnival is growing,” Nate said.

  “It’s off to the fastest start I have seen,” Edward said. “People in the Bay Area are really taking to it quickly.”

  “It grows faster when more people come?” Nate asked.

  “That’s a big part of it,” Edward said. “Right now, I have other places to be.” He gave a little bow. “I will see you on Wednesday.”

  He walked over to the niche, pressed certain tiles, and a tall section of the wall slid open. He went inside and the tiles closed behind him.

  “Do you think that goes anywhere?” Nate asked. “Or is he just hiding in a little closet waiting for us to leave?”

  “I can still hear you,” came Edward’s muffled voice beyond the wall. “And yes, it does go someplace.”

  “I’m starting to understand why people in the Grotto talk quietly,” Nate muttered.

  “Probably a good policy,” Summer agreed. “Let’s go.”

  “Sure,” Nate said. “If we find the easy secret places on our own before Wednesday, Edward will have to show us the really secret ones.”

  “Good thinking,” Summer said. “You get a genius point for that one.”

  “I do?” Nate asked. “Pigeon usually gets the genius points.”

  “They have to be earned,” Summer said. “Good job.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Swindler

  After exiting the Grotto, Nate and Summer found the family of acrobats performing tricks on a big trampoline in an open area between attractions. The teenage brother caught a bounce from the mustachioed dad and took off like a rocket, doing at least nine rapid flips before landing again. The dad and brother climbed down from the trampoline, and as a big finish, the mom jumped from the trampoline to land on their shoulders. And then the little daughter bounced from the trampoline to land on the shoulders of the mom.

  As the crowd applauded, men in flat caps started picking up the pads and moving the trampoline.

  Nate and Summer pushed through the crowd, making their way to Terror Castle. On the Regulars Map, the box with the question mark was on the ride itself. First, they walked around the exterior of the ride, scouring all surfaces for coin slots. Then they boarded the ride twice, scanning everywhere for hidden slots or other secrets. But they had no success.

  “What if we have to jump off mid-ride to find the secret way?” Nate wondered.

  “How do we manage that without getting booted from the carnival?” Summer asked.

  “I was timing it,” Nate said. “They send a new car every twenty seconds. Sometimes a little less.”

  “I’m sure they have cameras on the ride,” Summer said.

  “This feels like a dead end for now,” Nate said. “Let’s try one of the other locations.”

  The map showed a secret way at the Fun House, and a coin symbol as well. Nate and his friends had used Carnie Coins in the Fun House on Saturday, but he hadn’t seen any secret passages open up.

  He and Summer followed the same pattern as with the Terror Castle—combing the outside of the Fun House first, then paid tickets to go inside. They spent a couple hours roaming the labyrinthine Fun House in search of subtle coin slots. They found one behind a striped pillar that made the floor of the room spin and another one behind a painting in a hallway that engaged strobe lights through the whole area. But they found none that opened secret ways. Eventually they gave up and exited.

  “The coin slots are just distractions that waste coins,” Nate said.

  “We’re missing something,” Summer said.

  “Where is the last secret way?” Nate asked.

  Summer unfolded the map. “It’s on a smaller attraction called the Swindler.”

  “Small is good,” Nate said. “Less to search. What’s the Swindler?”

  “I have no idea,” Summer said. “It’s on the opposite side of the park from the entrance. Should we save it for another day? It’s a school night.”

  The sun was going down. Nate knew if they got home too late they could lose carnival privileges. “Let’s hurry,” he said. “We’ll give it a quick look. Like fifteen minutes.”

  “What if we find a secret passage?” Summer worried. “That could take hours to explore.”

  “We’ll mark it on the map and chase it down another day,” Nate promised.

  “Fine,” Summer said. “Fifteen minutes.”

  They hurried down a far walkway of the carnival, past the enormous Crafts Tent on one side and Livestock Central on the other. Toward the end of the thruway, they found a compact, fancy building with “Swindler” written in cursive neon and surrounded by sparkling casino lights. Signs on the outside of the building made bold proclamations:

  YOU NAME THE GAME

  YOU SET THE STAKES

  WE MAKE A DEAL

  THEN YOU LOSE

  CAN YOU OUTFOX A CON MAN?

  BEAT THE BEST AND WIN BIG!

  A middle-aged lady stood out front, wearing a fringed dress with a feathered hairpiece. “Hey, you two,” she called. “Want to test your skill against the best?”

  “Are you the best?” Summer asked.

  “No, sister, I’m just out here to reel you in,” the lady said.

  “Why would anyone want to challenge a swindler who guarantees he will win?” Nate asked.

  “Why does anyone box the champ?” the lady replied snappily. “It brings the most glory. The best prizes. Nobody can stay on top forever.”

  “What are the prizes?” Nate asked.

  “Best in the park,” the lady said. “By far. You have to talk to him to find out. We just opened up. No wait right now.”

  “All right,” Summer said.

  “Step this way,” the lady said.

  Nate and Summer walked up the ramp to the bright red door and went inside. The little room was neat and clean, with a counter covered by an orderly array of games—chess, checkers, backgammon, cribbage, Connect Four, marbles, playing cards, and numerous other games that Nate didn’t know. Behind the counter stood an older man leaning on a cane. He wore a dapper straw hat and a striped vest with a pocket watch.

  “Are you the Swindler?” Summer asked.

  “I sure am,” the man said. “Have you come to lose some wagers?”

  “That’s not a very good sales pitch,” Nate said.

  “Look, son,” the Swindler said, “I might be the only honest man at this carnival. Everyone here is trying to take your money through tickets and coins—you visit their attractions, eat their food, play their games. Do you think those games are designed to help players win? They want you to fail, and you usually do. I tell it straight. You can win prizes here. But you have to beat me at something.”

  “How does it work?” Nate asked.

  “Challenge me to a game,” the Swindler said. “You choose the contest. It has to be something we can do in this room, and it can’t involve my bum leg, so no cartwheels. You want to bring in a game from outside, introduce me to something new, be my guest. Or try one of the many games I have here. Let’s make a deal.”

  “What can we win?” Summer asked.

  “What do you want?” the Swindler replied.

  “How big can we go?” Summer asked.

  Wearing a faint smile, the Swindler turned. “You see that door in the back?”

  “Sure,” Nate said. It was the only other door in the place, made of wood so dark brown it was almost black.

  “I have access to just about any prize you can imagine back there,” the Swindler said. “Try me.”

  “A huge diamond,” Summer said.

  He gave a little nod. “Be right back.”

  Leaning on his cane, the Swindler crossed to the wooden door and unlocked it. Nate could not see inside, because the room was dark. The Swindler limped out of view, closing the door.

  “Do you think he really has treasure back there?” Summer asked. “Probably not a real diamond.”

  “He seemed confident,” Nate said.

  A moment later the Swindler returned. He closed and locked the door, then approached the counter. He held out his hand, displaying an egg-shaped diamond the size of Nate’s thumb.

  “Is that real?” Summer asked.

  “Oh, yes,” the Swindler said, holding it up, letting the light catch and sparkle in the many facets. “And much more valuable than a stuffed octopus, or whatever you can win at the other games.” He rubbed his hands together and held out two fists. “Play a simple game? Five tickets for the diamond. Which hand is it in?” His grin showed a single gold tooth interrupting his white smile.

  “Sure,” Summer said, tearing off five tickets and placing them on the counter. “That one,” she said, tapping a fist.

  The Swindler opened it to reveal an empty hand. He opened his other hand, and there was the diamond. “I always win,” he said, sweeping up the five tickets. “Want to challenge me for the diamond, son?”

  “How about for some Enchanted Carnie Coins?” Nate asked.

  “Sure, why not?” the Swindler said, pocketing the diamond. “How many?”

  “Ten,” Nate said.

  The Swindler reached into a pocket and produced ten silvery, glittering Carnie Coins. “What’s the contest?”

  “Give me a second,” Nate said.

  “Take a whole minute,” the Swindler offered.

  Nate weighed his options. He was pretty good at checkers, but he had to assume the Swindler was a master. He couldn’t play any of the Swindler’s games. It had to be something that put chance on his side.

  “How about this?” Nate proposed. “I think of a number between one and ten, and you have to guess it.”

  “Hmm,” the Swindler said with a little nod. “Interesting. I’ll play under these terms.” He reached behind the counter and withdrew a piece of paper and a pencil. “You write your number on this paper. Has to be a whole number. No decimals or fractions. If I either guess the exact number or come within one, I win. Otherwise, you win. For example, if your number is two, I win by guessing one, two, or three. The cost is ten tickets.”

  “More than Summer paid,” Nate said.

  “You have more control over the game,” the Swindler said. “And I consider the prize more valuable. Take it or leave it.”

  The Swindler would have only a three out of ten chance. Those seemed like pretty good odds. “I’ll take it,” Nate said, detaching ten tickets and setting them on the counter beside the sparkling coins.

  “Deal,” the Swindler said, turning around. “Shield the paper however you want. Then fold it up tight.”

  Nate took the paper and pencil, then crouched with his back to the swindler and carefully wrote a ten. If the Swindler had to come within one, a one or a ten left him only two winning guesses. He folded the paper in half three times, then stood up.

  The Swindler still faced away from him. “Ready?”

  “Yes,” Nate said.