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motioning them to stay back in the trees。
〃What's wrong？〃 Tom asked。
〃There is a dead man across the river； under a tree。〃
〃An Indian？〃
〃No； it is a person wearing North American clothing。〃
〃Could it be an ambush？〃
〃No； Tomás； if it was an ambush we would already be dead。〃
Tom followed Don Alfonso to the riverbank。 On the other side of the river； perhaps fifty yards up from the crossing point； there was a small natural clearing with a large tree in the middle。 Tom could just see a bit of color behind the tree。 He borrowed Vernon's binoculars to examine it more closely。 A bare foot； horribly swollen； was visible； with part of a ragged pantleg in view。 The rest of him was hidden behind the trunk。 As Tom looked he saw a bluish puff of smoke drift from behind the tree； then another。
〃Unless a dead man can smoke； that man's alive；〃 said Tom。
〃Mother of God； you are right。〃
They felled a tree across the river。 The sound of the axe echoed through the forest； but whoever was behind the tree did not move。
After the tree had e crashing down； forming a wobbly bridge； Don Alfonso stared suspiciously across the river。 〃It may be a demon。〃
They crossed on the rickety tree using the pole。 On the far side of the river they could no longer see the man。
〃We must go on and pretend we have not seen him；〃 whispered Don Alfonso。 〃I am sure now it is a demon。〃
〃That's absurd；〃 said Tom。 〃I'm going to check it out。〃
〃Please do not go； Tomás。 He will steal your soul and take it to the bottom of the river。〃
〃I'll e with you；〃 said Vernon。
〃Curandera； you stay here。 I do not want the demon to take all of you。〃
Tom and Vernon picked their way along the polished boulders on the riverbank； leaving Don Alfonso muttering unhappily to himself。 They soon arrived at the clearing and stepped around the tree。
There； they beheld a wreck of a human being。 He sat with his back against the tree； smoking a briar pipe； looking at them steadily。 He did not seem to be an Indian； although his skin was almost black。 His clothing was in tatters； and his face was scratched raw and bleeding from insect bites。 His bare feet were cut and swollen。 He was so thin； the bones of his body stuck out grotesquely； like a starving refugee's。 His hair was stringy； and he had a short beard full of sticks and leaves。
He made no reaction to their arrival。 He merely stared up at them out of hollow eyes。 He looked more dead than alive。 And then he gave a start； like a little shiver。 The pipe came out of his mouth； and he spoke； his voice little more than a harsh whisper。
〃How are you； brothers of mine？〃
41
Tom jumped； he was so startled by hearing his brother Philip's voice ing from this living cadaver。 He bent down to scrutinize the face； but he could find no point of resemblance。 He recoiled in horror： Maggots were squirming in a sore on the man's neck。
〃Philip？〃 Vernon whispered。
The voice croaked an affirmative。
〃What are you doing here？〃
〃Dying。〃 He spoke matter…of…factly。
Tom knelt and looked into his brother's face closer up。 He was still too horrified to speak or react。 He laid a hand on his brother's bony shoulder。 〃What happened？〃
The figure closed its eyes for a moment； then opened them。 〃Later。〃
〃Of course。 What am I thinking？〃 Tom turned to his brother。 〃Vernon； go get Don Alfonso and Sally。 Tell them we found Philip and that we're making camp here。〃
Tom continued looking at his brother； too shocked to speak。 Philip was so utterly calm 。。。 it was as if he had already resigned himself to death。 It was unnatural。 There was the serenity of apathy in his eyes。
Don Alfonso arrived and； relieved to find that the river demon had turned out to be a human being； began clearing an area to set up camp。
When Philip saw Sally he removed the pipe and blinked。
〃I'm Sally Colorado；〃 she said； taking his hand in hers。
Philip managed a nod。
〃We need to clean you up and doctor you。〃
〃Thank you。〃
They carried Philip down to the river； laid him on a bed of banana leaves； and stripped him。 Philip's body was covered with sores； many of which were infected and some of which were crawling with maggots。 The maggots； Tom thought； examining the wounds； had actually been a boon； as they were consuming the septic tissue and reducing the chance of gangrene。 He could see that in some of the wounds where the maggots had been at work there was already fresh granulation tissue。 Others didn't look so good。
With an awful feeling he looked at his brother。 They had no drugs； no antibiotics； no bandages； only Sally's herbs。 They carefully washed him and then carried him back to the clearing and laid him down； stark naked； on a bed of palm leaves near the fire。
Sally began sorting the bundles of herbs and roots she had collected。
〃Sally is an herbal healer；〃 said Vernon。
Philip said； 〃I'd prefer an injection of amoxycillin。〃
〃We don't have any。〃
Philip lay back on the leaves and closed his eyes。 Tom doctored the sores； scraping out the necrotic flesh； irrigating and flushing out the maggots。 Sally dusted the wounds with an herbal antibiotic and bandaged him up with strips of pounded bark that had been sterilized in boiling water and then smoke…dried in the fire。 They washed and dried his tattered clothes and redressed him in them； having no others。 They finished as the sun was beginning to set。 They propped him up； and Sally brought in a mug of herbal tea。
Philip took the mug。 He was looking better。 He said； 〃Turn around； Sally； and let me check you for wings。〃
Sally blushed。
Philip took a sip and then another。 Don Alfonso； meanwhile； had pulled a half dozen fish out of the stream and was now grilling them on skewers at the fire。 The smell of roasting fish came wafting over。
〃Strange how I have no appetite；〃 said Philip。
〃That's not unmon when you're starving；〃 said Tom。
Don Alfonso served out the fish on leaves。 For a while they ate in silence； and then Philip spoke：
〃Well； well； here we are。 A little family reunion in the Honduran jungle。〃 Philip looked around； his eyes sparkling； and then he said： 〃G。〃
There was a silence and then Vernon said： 〃H。〃
Tom said 〃O。〃
Philip said 〃S。〃
There was a long silence and then Vernon said； 〃Goddamn it。 T。〃
〃Vernon has to wash the dishes！〃 crowed Philip。
Tom turned to Sally to explain。 〃It's a game we used to play；〃 he said with a sheepish smile。
〃I guess you three really are brothers。〃
〃Sort of；〃 said Vernon。 〃Even if Philip is an ass。〃
Philip let out a guffaw。 〃Poor Vernon。 You always did end up in the kitchen； didn't you？〃
〃Glad to see you feeling better；〃 said Tom。
Philip turned his hollow face to him。 〃I am。〃
〃You feel like telling us what happened？〃
Philip's face grew serious； losing all its archness。 〃It's a heart…of…darkness story； plete with a Mistah Kurtz。 Are you sure you want to hear it？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Tom。 〃We want to hear it。〃
42
Philip carefully filled his pipe from a tin of Dunhill Early Morning and lit it； his movements slow and deliberate。 〃The one thing they didn't take from me was my tobacco and pipe； thank God。〃 He puffed slowly； his eyes half closed； g