The Mysterious Benedict Society: Chapter 10 Summary & Analysis

The only way to get to Nomansan Island is via a narrow bridge hidden by woods. Rhonda drives the children of the Mysterious Benedict Society through the woods, pointing out where Mr. Benedict and the others will watch for the children’s signals. She instructs the children to keep their messages cryptic, in case they are seen by outsiders; when Constance asks what “cryptic” means, Rhonda rephrases that the messages should be vague. She reminds the children to be careful, because even with precautions, their situation is extremely dangerous.

Rhonda pulls into the Institute, where two friendly young guards greet them. Reynie is incredibly anxious. He thinks back to leaving Mr. Benedict’s house, when all the adults looked exhausted and sad, but also hopeful. Reynie cannot muster hope through his fear, and beside him, the other children are visibly afraid. Finally, though, the guards verify the four children as new students and allow them into the Institute.

Rhonda drops the children off, and they are told to wait on the side of the loading area, in order to avoid interfering with the many workers in white uniforms. Reynie notices that several of the workers appear to be working on the island’s turbines. Sticky and Kate notice this as well, but Constance is confused and asks if the workers are trying to repair the water. She cries out when two men in suits pass by, both wearing shock-watches like the men in the maze. Kate shushes Constance as the group’s escorts arrive. The escorts wear matching uniforms and introduce themselves as Jackson and Jillson. Reynie tries to introduce himself, but Jillson cuts him off, which makes Reynie feel foolish.

Jackson and Jillson lead the children to the dorms, where the boys and girls are forced to separate. Reynie and Sticky’s room is a standard dormitory, though it surprisingly includes a television. It has a window through which they can send messages in Morse code, and thinking about this makes Reynie’s stomach churn. He knows that he is a secret agent, but it still doesn’t feel real. Jackson tells Sticky and Reynie of the school hierarchy: Messengers are students who enjoy secret, special privileges, and Messengers who excel at their jobs can be hired as Executives like Jackson and Jillson. Jackson adds that after the orientation tour, the children will meet Mr. Curtain.

Jackson leaves, and Sticky and Reynie plan to find the girls. Before they can, however, Kate and Constance come through a panel in the ceiling. They discuss what they’ve learned, and they all decide that the voices delivering the messages must be Institute Messengers. Reynie notes that Messengers’ responsibilities are secret, so they will have to become top students and earn the rank of Messengers themselves to learn Mr. Curtain’s plan. Kate suggests exploring before their tour. The boys agree, but Constance is tired. She eventually lets Kate give her a piggyback, and the Mysterious Benedict Society leaves the dorms.

The Institute is a beautiful place, and its appearance does not at all betray its sinister inner workings. Once the children are outside, Kate pulls out her “spyglass in disguise” and locates a window above the Institute flag, which is the highest window on the island. She concludes that something important must be there and plots a way to climb up. Reynie stops her, reminding her of Mr. Benedict’s warning against unnecessary risks. The children remain outside for some time. Kate is especially reluctant to go inside; exploring is what she does best, and she likes to do what she does best. She has spent her whole life trying to prove that she doesn’t need anyone’s help, and she genuinely believes this when she is doing what she is good at.

As the children walk back inside, Sticky notices a patch of a rare plant called drapewood. He points out that some of it was planted more recently than the rest, which he can tell by the color of the stems. Constance surmises that something has been buried there, and Kate asks Reynie if they should investigate. Reynie is pleasantly surprised that Kate wants his opinion. He tells her they should investigate, but the plant makes him uneasy somehow. Sticky regrets bringing it up and says the plant is probably nothing. He walks into the patch of drapewood, and the vines seem to swallow him.