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turned over on the river during your journey here. Except Ian, of course. He finds you disgusting.”
    Jake ’s heart hammered, but he kept his eyes on Mawgis and said nothing.
    “ I and the men of the tribe will help in the search,” the Tabna said. “I will tell Joaquin that we concluded our trade before you disappeared and that I will honor our agreement. The film crew will call London on the satellite telephone. London will call World United, and they’ll send bureaucrats to wrap up the business. They’ll bring me presents. Won’t that be nice? I will supply benesha. Everyone will be happy.”
    The dryness in Jake ’s throat turned his voice into little more than a whisper. “The doctors will figure it out. As soon as people start falling sick, they’ll know benesha caused it.”
    Mawgis shrugged again. “Perhaps. Perhaps not. Benesha meat eaters don’t get sick right away, and only we Tabna and the unfortunate tribe we just visited have seen benesha sickness to recognize it.”
    “ What is the sickness like?”
    A half smile crossed Mawgis ’s lips, then fell away. “The people who will distribute the benesha meat want to be heroes. They’ll move quickly, dispensing it to the famished everywhere. Even if they do discover why people are dying, it will be too late. By then enough people will have eaten benesha meat to accomplish the goal.”
    Jake blew out a long, slow breath. “What are you going to do about me?”
    “ Nothing.” Mawgis untied the pouch on his hip. “In here are nets, a knife, a sling for throwing stones, some fishing line, and your can of insect repellent. I wish you well. Knowing you gives me pleasure.”
    Jake didn ’t take the bundle. “Why did you tell me about benesha meat’s effect on people? Why not keep it secret?”
    Tears suddenly clouded the man ’s dark eyes. “I have heard many, many stories, but none so beautiful and wondrous as yours. A boy with heart enough to stop his body’s growing, even if by accident, is worth respect.”
    Jake took that in. Were it not for his history, Mawgis wouldn ’t have told him the truth about benesha. It was the first time Jake was grateful for what he had done when he was five.
    “ Tell me something else,” he said, his mind spinning, stalling, hoping for information and for time. For a brilliant idea that would stop Mawgis from leaving him here. “Where does benesha come from?” No one but the Tabna knew whether benesha was mined, was found in the forest, or fell from the sky.
    Mawgis spread his hands, palms up. “That,” he said, “is a secret.”
    Mawgis stood, tossed the bundle on the ground, and dusted his hands against his thighs. “Some advice. When you come to shallow rivers with slow waters, stay out. Piranha. If you keep going, you will come to where you need to be.”
    Fear twisted Jake’s belly. Mawgis was going to leave him here. Lost. With nothing but a knife and a slingshot he didn’t know how to use. Piranha? What about caimans, every bit as fast and deadly as their alligator cousins? Jaguars? Starving to death?
    Mawgis held out his hand. “The translator.”
    Jake shook his head.
    Mawgis smiled. “You’re wondering why I want it. God is in the details, one of your people said. Or is it the devil? No matter. You wandered off alone; there would be no reason for you to take the translator. It should be found in your tent along with your things. If you won’t give it to me, I’ll say it must have been in your clothing, that you didn’t know you took it, but it would be better if you were reasonable and gave it back.”
    Jake pulled the tiny machine from his ear and dropped it into his pocket—a small and useless act of defiance.
    Mawgis shrugged. He turned and loped into the dense trees, lost to Jake’s sight in seconds. Chasing him was useless. The older man moved too quickly and knew the forest too well.

Four
     
    The forest , hot and green, pressed in on him like a predatory animal. Enormous trees