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Back Whirlwind Save as PDF
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

We soon start to encounter tribes who wear more clothing, and who have guns and even motorboats. We are now too numerous to all descend on a village, so Kidah, Eko, and I take a small delegation of tribesmen with us for the initial parley. On one such trip, when we swim to shore, we are confronted with a dozen rifles poking out of the underbrush, aimed at our chests.

Kidah looks a little dismayed and raises his arms. He shouts at them in their own language, and someone shouts back angrily from the foliage.

“What is it?” I ask. “Don’t they want to join us?”

Kidah shrugs. “No, they’re a very tough and solitary tribe. They say they don’t need friends. They’re especially eager to get rid of some friends of yours who are eating them out of house and home.”

I look back at him in shock. “What?”

Just then a familiar telepathic voice says: Well, if it isn’t the beacon of hope! I hope you’ve brought some food with you, because the rain forest cuisine, while providing ample sustenance in the nut and fruit areas, is not exactly what the Italians would call la gastronomia maxima.

Gisco! I shout, and run right for the rifle barrels. Eko tries to hold me back, but I pull free and charge ahead all by myself.

I burst through the branches and see a dozen tough-looking tribesmen expertly aiming guns at me, their fingers on the triggers.

But I barely give them a glance. I dive at the rotund dog and wrap him in a bear hug, or at least a fat-dog hug. I think I even kiss him on his hairy jowls, and I believe Gisco licks my cheek twice. Then I see Mudinho sprinting toward us and he jumps on Gisco’s back and grabs hold of my neck. Soon we’re rolling on the ground in a joyful three-way embrace that even a highly suspicious squadron of Amazon warriors can’t help grinning at.

82

82

How did you recover? I demand from Gisco when we finally break the hug. The last time I saw you, the colonel had turned your mind into mashed potatoes.

This paragon of boyhood nursed me back to health, Gisco replies, indicating Mudinho with an enthusiastic flick of the snout. He took care of me with the love and compassion that only a devoted lad can shower on a sick dog, and after a while the fog began to lift. I’m so glad I convinced you to bring him along with us.

That’s not exactly what happened … I start to object.