Chapter 7

7 A flood of purple fog filled the room. When it cleared, a long table with two large black boxes were in front of the Makers. They were open on the top and each had a purple M drawn on the side. They were connected by a long clear tube. "Listen up, Makers!" began Dr. Crisp. "It's time to put that weather vane to use and figure out"—she paused and stuck her pointer finger in the air—"which way the wind blows. And why!" "How are we going to do that with those boxes?" asked Pablo, pointing to the strange setup.

"That's what you'll—" began Dr. Crisp. "Have to figure out!" Violet and Skylar finished together. Dr. Crisp laughed and said, "It's going to be a breeze!" Then she leaped into the air with her fist high and said, "READY! SET! THINK!" Violet, Pablo, and Skylar explored the two boxes. "I don't understand what is going on. Where's the wind?" Skylar wondered. She lifted her palm faceup. The air in the room was still. "Me either," said Pablo. He scratched his cheek. Violet bit her lip and thought for a moment. She went over to one box and stuck her hand in. "Brrrrrr!" she said, bringing it back out quickly. "That's cold! But I didn't feel any wind."

"Maybe we're missing something," said Pablo. He circled the table, looking at every corner. But he was stumped. "This is the strangest challenge ever. How can we learn about wind when there isn't any?" he mumbled.

Dr. Crisp walked around the room, whistling with her hands folded behind her back. "We can do this," Violet said. She went back over to the same box and stuck her hand in again. She shivered as she removed it. "Look at the goose bumps on your arm!" said Skylar. "I know! I told you it was super cold. Try it!" Violet replied. She rubbed her arms quickly with her palms. Both Pablo and Skylar stuck their hands inside. "Oh wow! That is super cold!" said Pablo. Then Violet hurried over to the other box. She slowly put her hand inside. "Aaaaaaah," she said. "This one is nice and toasty." Pablo and Skylar put their hands in, too. "So… one box is freezing, and the other is warm," said Skylar. She looked over at her brother. He watched them work with his chin in his hands. "Wait!" said Pablo suddenly. "The weather vane! We should use it to track down the wind!"

"Beep! Beep! Beep!" Dr. Crisp held her arms together and pretended to scan the floor with a metal detector. "You're right, Pablo," Violet agreed. "We got so distracted by the boxes that we forgot to use the tool we made!" Violet picked up the weather vane and paused. "Now what?" "I bet wind is blowing through that tunnel. Why else would it be there?" Skylar suggested. "Let's find out!" Violet reached into the warm box and placed the weather vane near the tunnel's exit hole.

"Look!" said Pablo, peering over the top of the box. "It's starting to move!" "That's so cool!" said Skylar. "There is some wind here!" "Yeah, but how?" Violet wondered. "Not sure, but we have to figure it out soon," Pablo reminded the group. "We only have fifty Maker Minutes left to finish this level and level three!"