3 The search is on

Chapter Three THE SEARCH IS ON Now that Ollie and Kiki knew what their mission was, there was no time to lose. They rushed outside, determined to find Fig. The Beagle was waiting for them on the landing strip. No matter what sort of mission the Secret Explorers were sent on, the Beagle always had the right gear for the job. Ollie and Kiki opened the storage compartments.

They were packed to the brim with rainforest trekking equipment. "Okay, Rainforest Explorer," Kiki said to Ollie, "what should we bring?" Ollie carefully picked out what they would need. "Let's start with one good, strong pair of hiking boots each, plus waterproof gear to help keep us dry." Next came some trekking poles, which are special sticks you could use to keep your balance on uneven ground. Then come hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, and insect repellent. Last of all, they grabbed a map and compass so they could find their way, and plenty of water and food packs to keep their energy up. "All set?" Kiki asked Ollie gave her a thumbs-up. "Let's go find Fig!"

Together they walked off the landing strip, away from the safety of the Beagle and into the tangled, shadowy green mystery of the rainforest. Ollie felt like he was stepping into the beating heart of the world. The rainforest filled up all of your senses at once. Heat and humidity sent sweat trickling down your face. Soft ground below your feet squelched and sucked. The rich, damp smells of earth and plants rose to meet you.

All around were the sounds of birds, insects, monkeys, and frogs, chittering and shrieking and slithering. And the sights were like nothing else on earth: huge towering tree trunks with roots tangled around them, ferns and orchids growing on the branches, the brilliant colors of the flowers and the leaves. Everything here was lush and wet and full of life. A chuffing sound came from above them, as if a steam train was passing over the rainforest. Ollie looked up, and through a gap in the trees he saw a bright flash of orange and a flurry of big, dark wings. A rhinoceros hornbill! Through another gap, he managed to spot the gigantic beak and the hornlike growth above it that gave the bird its name. "Wow," he whispered.

"Hey, Ollie, look at these!" Kiki called. She pointed excitedly at a group of weird- looking purple plants. They were hanging from the trees on tendrils, were shaped like small milk jugs, and had liplike openings at the top. "Pitcher plants!" Ollie said. "Good thing we're not bug sized, because they'd eat us." He gently showed Kiki the pool of digestive liquid inside one of the plants. "This part is

like a stomach. Insects fall in, and the plant eats them." An unusual-looking tree branch caught Ollie's eye. "Speaking of eating, I think Fig's stopped here for a snack! See how the leaves have been stripped off? Orangutans pull tree branches through their mouths to tear off the leaves." "We're on the right track!" Kiki cheered. "Hang in there, Fig. We're coming!" Now Ollie knew what to look for, they could follow Fig's trail. They searched around for more stripped branches and quickly spotted some. They followed branch after branch until they couldn't find any more. Then, suddenly, they smelled a horrible smell. Kiki held her nose. "It's like poop and onion stew!"