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Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

The old wizard motions that we should all stay still. Then he dives over the side and swims to shore. He walks up the bank dripping wet, smiling and shaking water out of his white hair. They surround him, and he explains the situation to them in their own language. I don’t know how he got this gift of tongues, but it works miracles in gaining the trust of skeptical warriors with spears.

This tribe has heard rumors for generations of the People of the Forest. We are welcomed with great respect, and soon seated in their ceremonial clearing enjoying a big feast. Eko and I get a lot of attention for our height and exotic looks, but Kidah remains the star of the show.

According to Eko, he can perform miracles with his magical mind, but he doesn’t choose to impress them that way. Instead, he picks a far more mundane way of helping them.

They are having a problem with architecture. Their medicine lodge, twice the size of the biggest hut of the People of the Forest, is built on muddy ground and has nearly buckled. Kidah surveys the site and finds three poles that have rotted through and need to be replaced.

In a few hours the work is finished and the home of their spirits is as good as new. The repair job wasn’t difficult, but apparently it made just the right impression. Six of their warriors agree to come along with us in two dugout canoes.

This scenario, with minor variations, unfolds again and again as we make our slow way toward a showdown with Colonel Aranha. Each time we encounter a suspicious tribe, Kidah finds a simple way to win their trust. He cures a sick elder or he removes an infestation of giant rats. The grateful tribe listens to his explanation of our mission, and decides to contribute manpower.

From a dozen men our ranks soon swell to more than a hundred. I notice that while the tribesmen are fascinated by each other, they travel with their own clans. I wonder how long this quickly assembled ragtag army can hang together, and how well we’ll fight when the time comes.

It gradually dawns on me that Kidah is not merely recruiting warriors. Majestic birds of prey fly spirals over our convoy—I see eagles and hawks and condors with wingspans like jumbo jets. Jaguars follow our progress on treetop highways. On the opposite bank a squadron of simians swing along in a chattering group that literally makes a monkey out of military discipline.