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He rose easily； lazily； and began strolling down toward the beach where the dugouts were beached。 In a panic Philip turned his eyes from him to the soldiers。 They were still playing cards； oblivious。 From where they were sitting； at the base of a tree； they could not see the boats。
What should he do？ He felt paralyzed。 A monumental decision had been thrust on him without warning or preparation。 It was crazy。 Could Hauser really be that cold…blooded？ Was Ocotal himself trying to pull a fast one？
Ocotal was now sauntering along the beach； casually looking up into the trees。 He stood by a boat and with his knee； slowly and without seeming to do so； began edging it into the water。
It was happening too fast。 Really； it hinged on what kind of man Hauser was。 Was he really capable of murder？ He wasn't a nice man； that was true。 There was something wrong with him。 Philip suddenly remembered the pleasure he'd taken decapitating the agouti； the smile on his face when he saw the spot of blood on Philip's shirt； the way he'd said you'll see。
Ocotal now had the boat in the water and with a smooth motion stepped into it； picking up the pole at the same time and getting ready to shove off。
Philip stood and walked quickly down to the beach。 Ocotal was already offshore； pole planted； ready to shove the boat into the channel。 He paused long enough for Philip to wade out and climb in。 Then； with a strong pression of his back muscles； Ocotal planted the pole into the sandy bottom and silently propelled them out into the swamp。
26
The following morning the fine weather had e to an end。 Clouds gathered； thunder shook the treetops； and the rain came pouring down。 By the time Tom and the rest had set off； the surface of the river was gray and frothing under the force of a violent downpour； the sound of rain deafening among the vegetation。 The maze of channels they were following seemed to get ever narrower and more convoluted。 Tom had never seen a swamp so thick； so labyrinthine； so impenetrable。 He could scarcely believe that Don Alfonso knew which way to go。
By afternoon； the rain ended suddenly； as if a spigot had been turned off。 For another few minutes the water continued running down the tree trunks； with a noise like a waterfall； leaving the jungle misty； dripping； and hushed。
〃The bugs are back；〃 Sally said； slapping。
〃Jejenes。 Blackflies；〃 said Don Alfonso； lighting up his pipe and surrounding himself with a foul blue cloud。 〃They take a piece of your meat away with them。 They are formed from the breath of the devil himself after a night of drinking bad aguardiente！〃
At times their way was blocked with hanging vines and aerial roots that grew down from above； forming thick curtains of vegetation that hung to the very surface of the water。 Pingo remained in front； hacking them down with his machete while Chori poled from the back。 Every blow of the machete dislodged tree frogs； insects； and other creatures that dropped into the water； providing a feast for the piranhas below； which thrashed and boiled around every hapless animal。 Pingo； his great back muscles working； slashed left； right； then left； flicking most of the vines and hanging flowers into the water。 In one particularly narrow channel； while Pingo was slashing away； he suddenly gave a cry； 〃Heculu！〃
〃Avispa！ Wasps！〃 Don Alfonso cried； crouching down and putting his hat over his head。 〃Do not move！〃
A pact； boiling cloud of black came racing out of the hanging vegetation； and Tom； crouching and protecting his head； immediately felt a tattoo of fiery stings on his back。
〃Don't slap them；〃 Don Alfonso cried。 〃It will make them madder！〃
They could do nothing but wait until the wasps had finished stinging them。 The wasps left as quickly as they had e； and Sally doctored the stings with more sap from the gumbo…limbo tree。 They pushed on。
Around noon； a strange sound developed in the canopy above them。 It sounded like a thousand smacking； gurgling noises； like a crowd of children sucking on candies； only much louder； acpanied by a rustling in the branches that grew in volume until it was like a sudden wind。 There was the flashing of black shapes； just seen through the leaves。
Chori shipped his paddle； and instantly a small bow and arrow was in his hand and pointed skyward； tensed and ready to go。
〃Mono chucuto；〃 Don Alfonso whispered to Tom。
Before Tom could say anything； Chori had loosed his arrow。 There was a sudden motion above and a black monkey came falling out of the branches； still half alive； grasping and clutching and sliding through the foliage as it fell； finally landing in the water five feet from the dugout。 Chori leapt up and snatched the bundle of black fur out of the water； just before a large swirl from underneath indicated something else had the same idea。
〃Ehi！ Ehi！〃 he said with a vast grin。 〃Uakaris！ Mmmm。〃
〃There are two！〃 said Don Alfonso； in a high state of excitement。 〃This was a very lucky strike； Tomasito。 It is a mother and her baby。〃
The baby monkey was still clinging to the mother； squealing in terror。
〃A monkey？ You shot a monkey？〃 Sally said； her voice high。
〃Yes； Curandera； are we not lucky？〃
〃Lucky？ This is awful！〃
Don Alfonso's face fell。 〃You do not like monkey？ The brains of this monkey are truly a delicacy when roasted lightly in the skull。〃
〃We can't eat a monkey！〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Why； it's 。。。 it's practically cannibalism。〃 She rounded on Tom。 〃I can't believe you let him shoot a monkey！〃
〃I didn't let him shoot anything。〃
Chori； understanding nothing and still grinning proudly； dumped the monkey on the floor of the boat in front of them。 It stared up at them； eyes filming over； tongue halfway out。 The baby leapt off the dead body of its mother and crouched in terror； hands over its head； making a high…pitched scream。
〃Ehi！ Ehi！〃 Chori said； reaching to grab the baby monkey with one hand while raising the machete with the other； ready to deliver the coup de grace。
〃No！〃 Tom snatched the little black monkey up into his arms。 It nestled down and stopped screaming。 Chori； his machete half raised； stared in surprise。
Don Alfonso leaned forward。 〃I do not understand。 What is this about cannibalism？〃
〃Don Alfonso；〃 Tom said； 〃we consider monkeys to be almost human。〃
Don Alfonso said something sharply to Chori； whose grin vanished in a look of disappointment。 Don Alfonso turned back to them。 〃I did not know monkeys were sacred to North Americans。 And it is true they are almost human； except that God put hands on their feet。 I am sorry。 If I had known； I would not have allowed it to be killed。〃 He said something sharply to Chori and the boat moved on。 Then he picked up the mother's body and tossed it into the water； there was a swirl and it was gone。
Tom felt the monkey nestling more vigorously into the crook of his arm； whimpering and trying to burrow into the warmth。 He looked down。 A little black face peeped back up at him； eyes wide； and a tiny hand reached out。 The monkey was small…no more than eight inches long and weighing no more than three or four pounds。 His hair was soft and short； and he had large brown eyes； a tiny pink nose； little