“You said there are around eight thousand snow leopards, right?” Henry asked Kayla.

  “We think between six and eight thousand,” she replied. “They’re so hard to find though. We need to confirm how many there are. That’s one reason we’re doing our studies. Even if their numbers are growing, we need to know how to protect them.”

  “That’s right!” The man handed a pamphlet to Kayla and introduced himself. “My name is Oliver Jacobs. I’m here with a group of activists. We’re trying to spread awareness about snow leopards.”

  Kayla flipped through the pamphlet. “Interesting. I work with an organization doing research on snow leopards.”

  Oliver gave pamphlets to Henry and Benny. “I’m always happy to meet other animal lovers,” the man said. “It’s hard to find anyone who cares as much as we do.”

  “If snow leopard numbers are growing, isn’t that good?” Violet asked.

  “Sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to remove the protections.” Oliver waved his arms. “We can’t wait until it’s too late to make more changes.”

  “What kind of changes?” Jessie asked.

  “Some people still kill snow leopards,” Oliver said. “Some people do it because leopards have attacked their livestock, but the leopards are just trying to survive. People also hunt the leopards’ natural prey, like wild sheep. That means the leopards have to kill livestock to eat.”

  Kayla nodded. “That makes the farmers unhappy. Losing even one goat or sheep is hard for them.”

  “That’s no excuse,” Oliver said. “My group is trying to get the local people to leave the leopards alone. People have done so much damage to the animals. Now we have to save them.”

  The children were happy to hear that Oliver was so excited about helping snow leopards. But Kayla gave a sigh. “It’s not quite so simple,” she said. “We have to work with the local people.”

  “We have to do whatever it takes,” Oliver said. Then he hurried toward another group of tourists, waving his pamphlets.

  “He certainly is passionate,” said Violet. “It’s good to see people talking about the problems snow leopards are facing.”

  “He must have been here for a while,” Jessie said. “He has lots of energy even at this altitude. I’m feeling a bit better though. What’s next?”

  “How about some history?” Kayla asked.

  On the other side of the market, they entered a narrow alley with fewer people. Here the buildings weren’t painted and didn’t look as new.

  “We’re entering Old Town,” Kayla said. “This area only opened to tourism in 1974. I suppose that sounds long ago to you kids. It’s actually quite recent. Few outsiders came here before that. Now more than two million people visit this area most years.”

  The group wandered through a maze of alleys. It was like stepping back in time. The buildings had low wooden doors warped from age, and tall, skinny windows with wooden shutters.

  Violet touched one of the rough walls. “This looks like mud.”

  “Yes, the walls are made of mud bricks,” Kayla said. “These buildings are centuries old.”

  “It’s hard to believe mud can last hundreds and hundreds of years,” said Violet. She took pictures so she could sketch the neighborhood later.

  “A lot of this area has been destroyed,” Kayla said. “Some buildings were knocked down to make room for newer buildings. Flash floods destroyed some buildings a few years back. But people are trying to protect some of these old buildings.”

  “Like they’re trying to protect the snow leopards?” Benny asked.

  Kayla hummed in thought. “We want to protect nature because it’s good for the planet,” she said at last. “For example, forests help make oxygen that all living things breathe. Animals that eat grass, like elephants and zebras, keep wildfires from spreading. Nature works better when we protect all of it—so every animal and plant can do its part.”

  “Besides, I like animals,” Jessie said. “Imagine a world without elephants or polar bears or dolphins. It wouldn’t be such a wonderful place.”

  “Absolutely,” Kayla said. “As for protecting history, that helps us understand the past. It helps us respect the cultures that were here before and that are here now. It helps us learn about each other.”

  “I like to learn about places by trying different food,” Benny said.

  Kayla laughed. “That’s a good way to appreciate different cultures too. Let’s head back and find some lunch.”

  After leaving the old part of Leh, the group found a restaurant, where they ordered bowls of soup with noodles and vegetables. It was the perfect way to warm up on a chilly day.

  As they were finishing up, Kayla suddenly set down her spoon and pulled out her phone. She studied the screen and frowned.

  “Is everything all right?” Henry asked.

  “I’m afraid not,” Kayla said. “This message is from one of the other researchers. She was tracking a cat called Tashi—the one I was telling you about—through its GPS collar. Late last night, it looked like Tashi was coming toward the village where the research center is located.”

  “That’s strange,” said Henry. “You said that the leopards like to keep their distance from humans.”

  Kayla nodded. “That’s not the strangest thing. As the GPS got closer, it suddenly stopped moving or sending a signal.”

  The children looked at one another. That did sound like bad news.

  “I think we should get back to the hotel.” Kayla pushed back her chair and stood. “I want to get to the research center and help look for Tashi.”

  The children rose. Benny grabbed the rest of his bread to eat as they walked.

  “Do you think someone hurt her?” Violet asked.

  “I don’t know,” said Kayla, hurrying along. “My friend says it’s probably just a problem with the tracking collar. I think she’s worried though. Even if Tashi is okay, we’re losing important data. I was going to stay here with you for a few days so you could adjust to the altitude, but I really need to get back there.”

  Henry looked at his siblings. “We want to go with you.”

  The others nodded.

  Kayla looked unsure. “It will be hard at the higher altitude,” she said.

  “We understand,” Henry said. “But maybe we can help.”

  Kayla was quiet for a moment. “All right,” she said finally. “You’ve adjusted well so far, and I can’t leave you behind. I’ll start making plans.”

  As Kayla led the way back to the hotel, the children hurried to keep up. They wanted to show they wouldn’t slow down the research team.

  “I hope nothing happened to Tashi,” Violet said. “Every snow leopard is important.”

  “It doesn’t sound good,” said Henry. “But whatever happened, we’ll help Kayla get to the bottom of it.”

  CHAPTER 3

  Give and Take

  As Kayla made plans that evening, the children rested at the hotel. They wanted to keep exploring the city of Leh, but they were tired from the altitude, and they wanted to be around to hear any updates from the research center about Tashi. No news came, but the following morning, after a tasty breakfast, the Aldens checked out and left the hotel.

  Outside, Kayla introduced them to a woman standing next to a large truck with huge tires. “This is Meera Dewan,” Kayla announced. “She’s a tour guide who has agreed to bring us up to the research station. We’re lucky to have gotten her on short notice.”

  Meera gave a small nod to the children before grabbing the Aldens’ bags and putting them into the back of the van. “Get in,” she said.

  Violet paused to look at the snow leopard painted on the side of the van.

  “Hurry now,” Meera ordered. “We have a long drive.”

  Kayla whispered to the children as they climbed into the van. “Meera isn’t really grumpy. She’s just always thinking about what needs to be done. She’ll drive us to the village today, and later she’ll help us look for snow leopards. She’s an excellent tour guide.”

  “Just one more now,” Meera said from outside. “A late addition.”

  Jessie wondered who might be joining them on the journey into the mountains.

  She got her answer a moment later as a man with long brown hair and a sunburned nose hauled his backpack up to the van. “I’m here! Don’t leave without me!” It was the man from the day before, Oliver Jacobs. He dropped his pack at the back of the van and then got into the front passenger seat. He twisted to look at the children. “Hello again. You’re heading into the bush too, I see.”

  “Bush?” Benny asked. He had hardly seen any bushes since arriving in India. “We’re going into the mountains.”

  Oliver laughed. “The wilderness. In Australia they call it the bush. I was there last year trying to save the wombats.”

  The tour guide, Meera, got in the driver’s seat in time to hear that. She snorted. “So you’re one of those people. You think you get to tell the locals what to do.”

  Oliver’s eyes opened wide. “I’m only trying to save animals.”

  “Sure.” Meera started the truck. “You are another tourist. Fine by me. Tourists bring in money.” She pulled out into traffic.

  “I’m no tourist,” Oliver said, crossing his arms. “I’m an activist.”

  Kayla tried to change the subject. “What brings you to such a remote place?” she asked. “We’re going because the village is the base of the leopard research program. What do you hope to do there?”

  “I’m joining some friends. We need to convince people to leave the cats alone.” Oliver scowled. “The snow leopards don’t need to be researched. They need people to stay away and let them live in peace.”

  “Wait a minute,” Kayla said, crossing her arms. “I thought we were on the same side. PAW is doing research to learn where the snow leopards live and travel. We want to find out what they’re eating and how often they need to hunt. We can’t protect them if we don’t know their behavior.”

  “If everyone stayed away, it wouldn’t be a problem.” Oliver faced forward and sank into silence.

  Henry and Jessie shared a look. Like the day before, the children could tell Oliver wanted to help the snow leopards. But something about the way he spoke to Kayla didn’t seem right.

  The truck sped through the streets of Leh, dodging the busy traffic. Soon they were on a road out of town. The children peered out the windows as the road passed between rugged hills. Mountains with snowy peaks rose in the distance. Some of the mountaintops disappeared into the clouds.

  Meera spoke over the noise of the engine. “Ladakh is the Land of High Passes. Once, ancient trade routes came through here. Caravans carried many goods: cloth, spices, coffee, and tea.”

  “Caravans?” Jessie asked. The word made her think of a line of travelers moving through the desert. “Like people on camels?”

  “Sometimes camels,” said Meera. “More often yaks, donkeys, and ponies. All traveling to the market in Leh.”

  The road started winding through sharp turns as it climbed higher. On one side was a steep slope that went up, and on the other, a steep slope led to a valley below, where a river curved between green fields.

  “It’s hard to imagine traveling through here before people had cars or paved roads,” said Henry.

  “People traveled without them for thousands of years,” Meera said. “The traders only came in the summer though. They couldn’t travel the high passes between valleys until the snow melted.”

  “Now you have tourists in the winter,” Oliver said. “So many tourists come to see the snow leopards. People race all over the mountains pestering the poor cats.”

  Kayla frowned. “You talk like a leopard can’t nap without someone taking its picture. Most people go home without ever seeing a snow leopard.”

  “That may be,” Oliver said, “but fifty thousand people come to Ladakh every month. You can’t have that many people without disturbing the leopards.”

  Jessie pulled out her notebook to make some notes on the conversation.

  “Meera,” said Henry, “do most people come here hoping to see the snow leopards?”

  “I don’t know about most tourists,” Meera said. “But my biggest business is snow leopards. Many foreigners want to see them. Kayla is right though—not everyone gets to see the big cats.”

  Oliver glared at her. “Tours like yours are part of the problem.”

  “Then what am I supposed to do?” Meera waved a hand in the air before grabbing the steering wheel again. “I make my living from people who want to see snow leopards. The old way of doing things is long gone.”

  She laughed. “Tourism is a big business! In fact, I don’t have time for all the people who want tours. When it’s busy, I have to hire other guides to help. I have two trucks and five snowmobiles. If I get any more, I will need a bigger garage. Maybe I should just open a zoo and charge a fee. That way everyone could see a snow leopard, and I wouldn’t pay so much for gas for my big trucks.”

  Jessie wrote down “zoo.” Then she crossed it out. Meera had probably been joking.

  “What other work do people do here?” Henry asked.

  “Most people are farmers,” Meera said. “They grow barley and wheat. They raise animals—sheep, goats, cows, yaks.”

  “Maybe everyone should go back to farming,” Oliver said.

  Meera snorted. “Easy for you to say. Farming is hard work, every day—with no vacation. You get to live in the modern world. You have running water, indoor toilets. You don’t make your food—you buy it at the shop. Why can’t we have those things?”

  Kayla leaned forward to tap Oliver on the shoulder. “You see what I mean about things being complicated? You want to make everyone start farming, but that wouldn’t solve the problem. Farms can be hard on the land. Farmers sometimes kill snow leopards that attack their livestock.”

  “I didn’t say it was easy,” Oliver grumbled. “I still think we have to put the animals first. Wild animals should be left alone. We shouldn’t hunt them. We shouldn’t capture them and put them in zoos. We shouldn’t even go out looking for them. How would you feel if strangers tromped through your house, watching you?”

  Violet made a face. “I wouldn’t like that.”

  “Tourists might scare a leopard away from its meal,” Oliver said. “Then it could starve or not be able to feed its babies. Even your research could change their behavior.”

  Jessie scribbled quickly, trying to keep up. “What do you mean?” she asked. “Can research change the thing you’re researching?”

  “It’s called the observer effect,” Oliver said. “Most animals change their behavior if they’re being watched. Studies show that zoo animals act differently when visitors are around. The animals are more alert and pay attention to the visitors.”

  Henry looked at Kayla to check her response.

  “That’s true,” Kayla said. “People also act differently when they know they’re being studied. Say you’ve been told it’s polite to cover your mouth when you yawn. You might not bother when you’re alone, but you do it if someone is watching.”

  “Ha!” Oliver exclaimed. “Even the researcher agrees with me. It gets worse. Some so-called scientists kill animals in the name of research.”

  “Are you saying we shouldn’t do research?” Jessie asked.

  “Yes!” Oliver shouted.

  “No!” Kayla said. “I mean, we should do research. The problems aren’t a reason not to do research. It only means we need to be careful how we do research. We shouldn’t disturb the animals any more than we have to. That’s why PAW tries to study animals in their natural habitats. We let them live their lives. We try to track their movements. We observe from a distance. The information we learn helps the animals.”

  “Tourism can help them too,” Meera said. “Some of the money goes to programs that protect snow leopards and their habitats.”

  Jessie bit her lip as she made notes.

  Henry spoke up. “Aquariums and zoos can help protect species too. They help educate people about the problems animals face. Sometimes they take in injured or sick animals and get them healthy enough to release again.”

  Oliver waved his hand. “Zoos are just an excuse to capture animals and take people’s money.”

  “But people need money to live,” Meera responded.

  “Meera is right,” said Kayla. “If we want to protect local animals, we need to think about local people too. They need a way to survive. Tourist money gives people a reason to protect the animals that tourists want to see. Tourists also learn about local people, culture, and history. Everyone wins.”

  Jessie looked at the notes covering her notebook pages and sighed. “It is complicated.”

  “You all made good points,” Henry said. He agreed most with Kayla, but he didn’t say that in front of Meera and Oliver. “We can find ways for the researchers, tourists, and locals to work together. At least we have to try.”

  But as he looked from Meera to Oliver, it didn’t seem like either of them was interested in listening to the other.

  CHAPTER 4

  A Sound in the Night

  Finally, the truck pulled into the village where the Aldens would be staying. It sat on a high plateau with mountain slopes all around. The village had only a few unpaved streets with low buildings.

  Meera parked the truck in front of a small lodge with walls made of stone. She started unloading bags. Oliver grabbed his and stomped away down the street.

  Jessie huddled into her coat. “I didn’t know it would be so cold,” she said.

  “We are up in the mountains,” Henry teased. “We’re not going to find snow leopards on the beach.”

  Jessie chuckled. It felt good to joke after such a tense car ride. “I know that,” she said. “The animals here have fur that traps heat. Their bodies are adapted to high mountains. I just wish mine was.”

  “Cold can be good,” Kayla said. “The best time to look for snow leopards is in winter, when snow covers the ground.” She frowned. “Or at least, snow used to cover the ground in winter. In recent years, climate change has caused problems here. They get less snow now.”