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〃I certainly did read it；〃 said Tom。 〃I especially liked the part where you fell in the elephant shit。 That was hilarious。〃
Dunn paused。 〃Elephant shit？〃
〃Wasn't there elephant shit in your book？〃
〃There are no elephants in Central America。〃
〃Oh。 I must be mixing it up with another book。 Beg your pardon。〃
Tom saw Sally's green eyes fixed on him。 He couldn't tell if she was angry or suppressing a laugh。
Dunn turned in his chair； placing his square back to Tom； devoting his attention to Sally。 〃You might be interested to know I'm working on a new book。〃
〃How exciting！〃
〃I'm calling it Mosquitia Nights。 It's about the Mosquito Coast。〃
〃Oh； that's just where we're going！〃 Sally clapped her hands in excitement； like a girl。 Tom took a sip； regretting his choice of drink。 He was going to need something a little stronger to get through this。 He should never have agreed to let Sally do the talking。
〃There are more than five thousand square miles of swamps and highland rainforest in eastern Honduras that remain pletely unexplored。 Parts of it are not even mapped by air。〃
〃I had no idea！〃
Tom shoved the lemonade aside and looked around for the waiter。
〃My book chronicles a journey I took along the length of the Mosquito Coast； through the maze of lagoons that mark where the jungle meets the sea。 I was the first white man to make the trip。〃
〃Incredible。 How on earth did you do it？〃
〃Motorized dugout。 The only mode of transportation in those parts besides foot travel。〃
〃When did you make this amazing journey？〃
〃About eight years ago。〃
〃Eight years？〃
〃I've had a bit of publisher trouble。 You can't rush a good book； you know。〃 He polished off the drink and waved his hand for another round。 〃It's tough country down there。〃
〃Really？〃
Dunn seemed to take this as his cue。 He leaned back。 〃For starters； there are the usual mosquitoes； chiggers； ticks； blackfly； and botfly。 They don't kill you； but they can make life a trifle nasty。 I had a botfly bite once； on my forehead。 Felt like a mosquito at first。 It began to swell and turn red。 Hurt like the devil。 A month later it erupted； and inch…long botfly maggots started squirming out and dropping to the ground。 Once you're bitten； the best thing to do is let it run its course。 If you try to dig 'em out you only make a muck of it。〃
〃I sincerely hope the experience didn't affect your brain；〃 said Tom。
Dunn ignored him。 〃Then there's Chagas disease。〃
〃Chagas disease？〃
〃Trypanosoma cruzi。 An insect carrying the disease bites you and shits at the same time。 The parasite lives in the shit； and when you scratch the bite you infect yourself。 You aren't aware anything is wrong…until ten or twenty years later。 First you notice your belly swelling up。 Then you bee short of breath； can't swallow。 Finally your heart swells up…and bursts。 No known cure。〃
〃Lovely；〃 said Tom。 He had finally got the waiter's attention。 〃Whiskey。 Make it a double。〃
Dunn continued looking at Tom； a smile playing about his lips。 〃Are you familiar with the fer…de…lance？〃
〃Can't say that I am。〃 Gruesome stories of the jungle； it seemed； were Derek Dunn's stock in trade。
〃The most poisonous snake known to man。 Brown and yellow bugger； the locals call it a barba amarilla。 When young they live in trees and branches。 Drop down on you when disturbed。 The bite stops your heart in thirty seconds。 Then there's the bushmaster； the largest poisonous snake in the world。 Twelve feet long and as thick as your thigh。 Not nearly as deadly as the fer…de…lance…with a bushmaster bite； you might live； say； twenty minutes。〃
Dunn chuckled and took another gulp。
Sally murmured something about how dreadful it sounded。
〃Naturally you've heard of toothpick fish？ This isn't a story for the ladies。〃 Dunn glanced over at Tom； winked。
〃Do tell；〃 said Tom。 〃Sally's no stranger to crudity。〃
Sally flashed him a look。
〃Lives in the rivers around here。 Let's say you go for a nice morning dip。 The toothpick fish swims right up your Johnson； then flares out a set of spines and anchors itself in your urethra。〃
Tom's drink paused halfway to his mouth。
〃Blocks the urethra。 If you don't find a surgeon damn quick； your bladder bursts。〃
〃Surgeon？〃 Tom said weakly。
Dunn leaned back。 〃That's right。〃
Tom's throat had gone dry。 〃What kind of surgery？〃
〃Amputation。〃
The drink finally made it to Tom's mouth； where he took a slug； and then another。
Dunn laughed loudly。 〃I'm sure you've heard all about the piranhas； leishmaniasis； electric eels； anacondas； and that sort of thing。〃 Dunn waved his hand disparagingly。 〃The dangers of those are greatly exaggerated。 The piranhas only go after you if you're bleeding； and anacondas are rare this far north and don't eat people。 There is one advantage to the Honduran swamps： no leeches。 Watch out for the monkey spiders； though…〃
〃So sorry； but we'll have to leave the monkey spiders for another day；〃 said Tom； looking at his watch。 He realized that Mr。 Derek Dunn had his hand under the table； resting on Sally's knee。
〃Not having second thoughts are you； old chap？ This is not a country for pantywaists。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Tom。 〃It's just that I'd rather hear about your encounter with the toothpick fish。〃
Derek Dunn stared at Tom unsmiling。 〃That's a rather stale joke； my friend。〃
〃Well！〃 said Sally brightly。 〃Did you make the trip alone？ We've been looking for a guide and wondered if you could remend someone。〃
〃Where are you chaps headed？〃
〃Brus Laguna。〃
〃You are getting off the tourist trail。〃 Suddenly his eyes narrowed。 〃You're not a writer； are you？〃
Sally laughed。 〃Oh no； I'm an archaeologist； and he's a horse vet。 But we're just here as tourists。 We like to have adventures。〃
〃An archaeologist？ There aren't many ruins around here。 You can't build in a swamp。 And no civilized people would ever live in those interior mountains。 Up there in the Sierra Azul there's no denser rainforest on earth； and the hills are so steep you can hardly crawl up and down them。 There isn't a flat place to pitch a tent for a hundred miles。 You've got to cut your way through； and in a hard day of travel you're lucky to make a mile。 A trail macheted through there will knit itself up so tight in a week you'd never know it existed。 If it's ruins you're after； Sally； why don't you head over to Copán？ Perhaps I could tell you more about it over dinner。〃
The hand was still on her knee； squeezing and rubbing。
〃Right；〃 said Sally。 〃Maybe。 Getting back to the guide。 Do you have any remendations？〃
〃Guide？ Oh yes。 The man for you is Don Orlando Ocotal。 A Tawahka Indian。 Absolutely reliable。 Won't cheat you like the others。 Knows the country like the back of his hand。 He was with me on my last trip。〃
〃How do we find him？〃
〃He lives up the Patuca River； a place called Pito Solo； the last real settlement on the river before the big interior swamps begin。 That's forty； maybe fifty miles upriver from Brus。 Stay in the main channel of the river or you'll never get out alive。 This time of year the forests are flooded； and there're a zillion side channels going every which way。 That country is virtually unexplored；