1 00:00:05,867 --> 00:00:12,567 The person in the water turned out to be a boy. 2 00:00:12,568 --> 00:00:15,833 He was holding a large basket of mud. 3 00:00:15,834 --> 00:00:21,224 Coughing, Vinnie climbed back onto the tiny island. 4 00:00:21,225 --> 00:00:24,468 “Who are you?” the boy asked. 5 00:00:24,469 --> 00:00:28,109 “I’m Vinnie. This is my sister, Mandy,” 6 00:00:28,110 --> 00:00:33,480 Vinnie replied, shaking his wet hair. 7 00:00:33,481 --> 00:00:37,849 “Where is your family garden?” the boy asked. 8 00:00:37,850 --> 00:00:42,091 “We don’t have one,” admitted Vinnie. 9 00:00:42,092 --> 00:00:43,742 “We’re just visiting. 10 00:00:43,743 --> 00:00:46,094 Do you need help?” 11 00:00:46,095 --> 00:00:48,698 The boy thought a moment. 12 00:00:48,699 --> 00:00:51,083 “Yes,” he said. 13 00:00:51,084 --> 00:00:53,191 “Collect mud from the lake. 14 00:00:53,192 --> 00:00:55,537 Then pile it on here.” 15 00:00:55,538 --> 00:00:59,171 He pointed to the island. 16 00:00:59,172 --> 00:01:02,941 He had dark skin and was dressed like Vinnie. 17 00:01:02,942 --> 00:01:06,947 “Why do you need mud?” Vinnie asked. 18 00:01:06,948 --> 00:01:10,288 The boy looked at them, surprised. 19 00:01:10,289 --> 00:01:14,073 “It helps the crops grow strong,” he said. 20 00:01:14,074 --> 00:01:17,285 “Corn and beans grow best on this soil. 21 00:01:17,286 --> 00:01:20,278 Our corn was very good last year. 22 00:01:20,279 --> 00:01:24,423 So we are making more floating gardens.” 23 00:01:24,424 --> 00:01:27,042 “What a great name!” 24 00:01:27,043 --> 00:01:29,142 Mandy clapped her hands. 25 00:01:29,143 --> 00:01:33,424 The tiny islands did look like floating gardens. 26 00:01:33,425 --> 00:01:36,084 Each one had a different crop. 27 00:01:36,085 --> 00:01:42,426 For the next hour, Vinnie and Mandy helped the boy. 28 00:01:42,427 --> 00:01:45,334 They piled mud on the island. 29 00:01:45,335 --> 00:01:48,269 Mandy smoothed the mud with a stick. 30 00:01:48,270 --> 00:01:50,676 A canoe went by. 31 00:01:50,677 --> 00:01:53,738 “Look, Vinnie!” she called. 32 00:01:53,739 --> 00:01:59,727 “People use canoes to move from one island to the next.” 33 00:01:59,728 --> 00:02:04,028 “Who are you, little girl?” someone behind her asked. 34 00:02:04,029 --> 00:02:06,273 Mandy turned around. 35 00:02:06,274 --> 00:02:10,883 A man was sitting in a canoe with a big pile of corn. 36 00:02:10,884 --> 00:02:12,950 He had kind eyes. 37 00:02:12,951 --> 00:02:16,550 “We’re friends of . . .” Mandy paused. 38 00:02:16,551 --> 00:02:20,755 She didn’t know the boy’s name. 39 00:02:20,756 --> 00:02:23,545 “Of Mazatl? I see. 40 00:02:23,546 --> 00:02:26,618 Where is my son now?” he asked. 41 00:02:26,619 --> 00:02:31,340 “He’s getting mud from the water, sir,” she replied. 42 00:02:31,341 --> 00:02:36,135 Mandy thought Mazatl looked very much like his father. 43 00:02:36,136 --> 00:02:39,538 “Good,” Mazatl’s father nodded. 44 00:02:39,539 --> 00:02:42,201 “Tell Mazatl I will be at the market. 45 00:02:42,202 --> 00:02:45,417 I want to go early to get a good spot.” 46 00:02:45,418 --> 00:02:47,839 He paddled away. 47 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,236 As Mandy watched him leave, she wondered, 48 00:02:51,237 --> 00:02:53,817 “Where are we?” 49 00:02:53,818 --> 00:02:59,739 When the boys returned, Mandy told Mazatl what his father said. 50 00:02:59,740 --> 00:03:04,803 “I must hurry and join Papa at the weekly market,” said Mazatl. 51 00:03:04,804 --> 00:03:08,443 “May we come with you?” asked Vinnie. 52 00:03:08,444 --> 00:03:12,481 “Yes, but come to my house first,” said Mazatl. 53 00:03:12,482 --> 00:03:17,354 “We can take a bath and change our clothes.” 54 00:03:17,355 --> 00:03:20,412 “Thanks, Mazatl,” Mandy said. 55 00:03:20,413 --> 00:03:23,742 “What a great place this is.” 56 00:03:23,743 --> 00:03:25,457 Mazatl nodded. 57 00:03:25,458 --> 00:03:29,118 She really wished she knew where she was. 58 00:03:29,119 --> 00:03:34,137 “Our gods are good to us if we are good to them,” Mazatl said. 59 00:03:34,138 --> 00:03:38,934 “How are you good to the gods?” Mandy asked. 60 00:03:38,935 --> 00:03:41,881 “We make sacrifices regularly.” 61 00:03:41,882 --> 00:03:47,626 “What kind of sacrifices?” asked Vinnie. 62 00:03:47,627 --> 00:03:50,832 Mazatl stared at them suspiciously. 63 00:03:50,833 --> 00:03:59,371 “Our Aztec gods are offered only the best sacrifices—humans!” he said proudly. 64 00:03:59,372 --> 00:04:06,154 “Aztec? We’re in ancient Mexico?” gasped Mandy. 65 00:04:06,155 --> 00:04:12,918 “Human sacrifices?” cried Vinnie.