She looked back down at the fire. Say it quickly and get it over. “One of the reasons Margaret is such a good tracker is that she’s conscious of everything around her. She’s particularly aware of all the animals in her vicinity.”

“Yes?”

She braced herself. Stop hesitating, just say the words. “She can communicate with them,” she burst out. “Margaret told me she’s been able to do it all her life. She knows what they’re thinking, they know what she’s thinking.”

He burst out laughing. “Like Tarzan of the jungle? Do you think I’m crazy?”

“No, and I had the same reaction as you when I realized that’s what she was doing. It was all very subtle, but I could see the results, if not what was happening. Then when she told me, it all came together.”

He shook his head incredulously. “And you think I’ll believe this bullshit?”

“Do you know how much easier it would have been for me to lie to you? I hope you will, because it’s true. Animals and humans can communicate both by action and telepathically. After I met Margaret, I did research. The info is scanty at best, but it does exist. Koko, a lowland gorilla from the Gorilla Foundation’s preserve in California, used sign language and supposedly knew over three thousand words. Animals aren’t all that different from us. Primates have cognitive abilities that permit them to assess the qualities of prospective rivals, allies, and mates, just as we do. They recognize individuals, identify kin, keep track of past interactions with group members. They can even compute the value of resources and services.” She could see she was losing him. “And millions of pet owners believe they know what their dogs or cats are thinking. Are they all crazy? Though I do believe the telepathic link between people like Margaret and animals must be very, very rare, and that’s why we won’t accept it when it shows up. Margaret said she went through hell when she was a child until she learned to keep her mouth shut.”

He was frowning at her in disbelief. “You’re actually sincere about this.”

“It’s how we found Masenak,” she said simply. “That jungle is a complete nightmare. After the kidnapping, I was trying to track him and coming up with nothing. But when Margaret got here, she found his camp in a day and a half.” She smiled crookedly. “There are lots of animals in that jungle, and it appears they’re not at all averse to gossiping.”

He shook his head. “Bullshit,” he said harshly. “And madness.”