There it was again, something moving toward him through the undergrowth. It wasn’t a jaguar, he told himself that much, certain he wouldn’t have heard a big cat approaching at all. It was probably a peccary or a deer.

Even so, he reached into the side pocket and pulled out the knife, then got back to his feet. He couldn’t see anything, but the noise was still there, and it was definitely getting closer.

Finally he spotted some indistinct movement between the trees up ahead, little more than a shift in the light, and he gripped the knife tighter and his heart was beating fast again, though at least he knew why this time.

More noise, more movement, and quite suddenly she moved into view and he stared in amazement. His first thought was that they’d come back for him, but it was only one person.

Kate.

Kate had come back for him.

She saw him and her mouth formed into a broad grin and she laughed once and picked up her pace. Tom felt tears welling up again, but this time with a surge of joy and a relief greater than anything he’d experienced in the last few hours. She was laughing and crying by the time she reached him and they fell into each other’s arms.

He held tight to her, and was comforted that she held as tightly to him. Finally he pulled away from her, holding her at arm’s length and looking into her face, still astonished.

“You came back for me.”

She nodded, overwhelmed, then shrugged and said, “I knew I’d find you. I just couldn’t stand the thought of you having to spend the night alone out here. Alice wanted to come too, so did George, but I knew I’d be better on my own.” She looked over her shoulder. “You were heading the right way. I gambled on that: I was sure you would be.”

“That makes one of us. I wasn’t convinced, and I…” He shook his head. “We need to find somewhere to camp.”

She nodded. “The edge of the ravine’s only a few minutes back that way. We can camp there. And we’ll catch up with them in the morning.” She glanced down and took a step back, alarmed. “What happened to your leg?”

“A snake. It bit me. I found a clearing that looked like a good campsite, but then this snake came out of nowhere and bit me, and then kept coming at me. Even when I backed away, it kept coming after me.” He found it hard to describe how it felt to get attacked and to think he might be dying, but maybe he didn’t need to.

“Sit down. Let me look.” He sat, grateful for her sure commands. As she crouched down to look, she said, “It came after you? What did it look like?”