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stood back； looking into his brother's face…and now he could see himself in that face。 Himself； his father； his brothers。
Philip followed。 He held out his hand。 〃Borabay； I'm not one for hugging and kissing。 What we gringos do is shake hands。 I'll teach you。 Hold out your hand。〃
Borabay held out his hand。 Philip seized it and gave it a good shake。 Borabay's arm flopped around； and when Philip released his hand Borabay withdrew it and examined it； as if to check for damage。
〃Well； Borabay；〃 said Philip； 〃join the club。 The screwed…over…sons…of…Maxwell…Broadbent club。 Membership roster growing daily。〃
〃What this mean； this screwed…over club？〃
Philip waved his hand。 〃Never mind。〃
Sally gave Borabay a hug herself。 〃I'm not a Broadbent；〃 she said； with another smile； 〃thank heaven for that。〃
They settled back down around the fire； and there was an awkward silence。
〃What a family reunion；〃 said Philip； shaking his head with wonder。 〃Dear old Father； full of surprises； even after death。〃
〃But that what I want to tell you；〃 said Borabay。 〃Father not dead。〃
50
Night had fallen； but it made no matter in the depths of the tomb； where no light had reached for a thousand years。 Marcus Hauser stepped over the shattered lintel in the deep space and inhaled the cool dust of centuries。 Oddly enough it was a fresh； clean smell without a hint of decay or corruption。 He shined the powerful halogen beam around； and the scattered glint of gold and jade came winking back at him； mingled with brown bones and dust。 The skeleton lay on a stone burial platform carved with hieroglyphics； and it had once been richly adorned。
Hauser stepped over and picked up a gold ring； shaking out the fingerbone that it still encircled。 It was magnificent； set with a piece of jade； carved into the shape of a jaguar head。 He slipped it into his pocket and sorted through the other items left with the body…a gold collar； some jade pendants； another ring。 He pocketed the smaller gold and jade items as he took a slow turn around the burial chamber。
The corpse's skull lay at the far end of the burial platform。 Sometime in the span of centuries its jaw had e loose and fallen wide open； giving the skull a look of astonishment； as if it couldn't quite believe it was dead。 The flesh was mostly gone； but a mess of braided hair lay loosely on the dome of the skull。 He reached down and picked the skull up。 The jaw swung down； hanging by dessicated threads of cartilage。 The front teeth had been filed to points。
Alas； poor Yorick。
He swept the light over the walls。 Dull frescoes； obscured by lime and mold； were painted on the walls。 Pots lay in a corner； filled with dust； jostled together and broken by some ancient earthquake。 Small roots had penetrated the ceiling and dangled in tangled masses into the dead air。
He turned toward the teniente。 〃Is this the only tomb in here？〃 he asked。
〃On this side of the pyramid。 We still have the other side to explore。 If it is symmetrical perhaps there is another one like this。〃
Hauser shook his head。 He wouldn't find Max anywhere in the pyramid。 It was too obvious。 He had buried himself like King Tut； in an unobvious place。 That was how Max would do it。
〃Teniente； gather the men。 I want to talk to them。 We're going to search this city from east to west。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
Hauser found he was still holding the skull。 With one last look he tossed it aside。 It struck the stone floor with a hollow pop； bursting as if it had been made of plaster。 The lower jaw rolled； giving a few crazy turns before ing to rest in the dust。
A brute search of the city with dynamite； temple by temple。 Hauser shook his head。 He wished his man would get back from scouting the Broadbents。 There was a better way to do this； a much better way。
51
〃Father's still alive？〃 Philip cried out。
〃Yes。〃
〃You mean he hasn't been buried yet？〃
〃I finish story； please。 After Father stay with Tara for year； my mother born me。 But Father； he talk about White City； go up there for days； maybe weeks at a time。 Chief say it is forbidden； but Father not listen。 He search and dig for gold。 Then he find place of tombs； open tomb of ancient Tara king and rob it。 With help of bad Tara mans he escape down river with treasure and disappear。〃
〃Leaving your mother barefoot with a baby；〃 Philip said sarcastically； 〃just like he did his other wives。〃
Borabay turned and looked at Philip。 〃I telling story； brother。 You and flapper take five！〃
Tom felt the shock of déjà vu。 You and your flapper take five was a pure Maxwellism； one of his father's favorite expressions； and there it was ing out of the mouth of this outlandish； tattooed； earlobe…stretched； half…naked Indian。 His mind reeled。 He had gone to the very ends of the earth and what had he found？ A brother。
〃I never see Father again…until now。 Mother die two years ago。 Then little while ago； Father e back。 Big surprise。 I very glad to meet him。 He say he dying。 He say he sorry。 He say he bring back treasure he stole from Tara people。 In return； he want to be buried in tomb of Tara king along with treasure of white man。 He talk to Cah； chief of Tara people。 Cah say yes； okay； we bury you in tomb。 You e back with treasure and we bury you in tomb like ancient king。 So Father go away and later e back with many boxes。 Cah send men to coast to bring up treasure。〃
〃Did Father remember you？〃 Tom asked。
〃Oh yes。 He very happy。 We go fishing。〃
〃Really； now？〃 said Philip； irritated。 〃Fishing？ And who caught the biggest fish？〃
〃I did；〃 said Borabay proudly。 〃With spear。〃
〃Bully for you。〃
〃Philip…〃 Tom began。
〃If Father had spent any time with Borabay；〃 Philip said； 〃he would have e to hate him just as much as he hates us。〃
〃Philip； you know Father didn't hate us；〃 said Tom。
〃I almost died back there。 I was tortured。 Do you know what it feels like to know you're going to die？ This was Father's legacy to me。 And now we suddenly have this painted Indian as an older brother； who goes fishing with Father while we're dying in the jungle。〃
Borabay said； 〃You finish being angry； brother？〃
〃I'll never finish being angry。〃
〃Father angry man； too。〃
〃You can say that again。〃
〃You son most like Father。〃
Philip rolled his eyes。 〃Here's something new； a psychoanalyzing jungle Indian。〃
〃Because you most like Father； you love him most and he hurt you most。 And now you hurt again because you find you not oldest son after all。 I oldest son。〃
There was a short pause and then Philip broke into a harsh laugh。 〃This is too much。 How could I feel myself in petition with an illiterate； tattooed Indian with filed teeth？〃
After a pause； Borabay said； 〃I continue story now。〃
〃Be my guest！〃
〃Cah arrange everything for Father's death and funeral。 When day e； there is big funeral feast for Father。 Big； big feast。 All Tara people e。 Father there； too。 Father enjoy his own funeral very much。 He give many presents。 Everyone get cooking pots and pans and knives。〃
Tom and Sally looked at each other。
〃He would love that；〃 said Philip。 〃I can just see the old bastard lording it over his own funeral。〃
〃You right； Philip。 Father love it。 He eat； drink too much； laugh； sing。 Father open boxes so everyone can look at white man's sacred treasures。 Everyone love sacred Mother Mary holding baby Jesus。 White man have beautiful gods。〃
〃The Lippi！〃 cried Philip。 〃Was it in good condition？ Had it survived the journey？〃
〃It is most beautiful thing I ever see； brother。 When I look at it； I see something in white man I not see before。〃
〃Yes； yes； it's one of the finest things Lippi did。 To think of it stuck in a damp tomb！〃
Borabay went on： 〃But Cah trick Father。 At end of funeral； he supposed to give Father special poison drink to make him die painless death。 But Cah not do this。 Cah give Father drink to make him sleep。 No one know this except Cah。〃
〃This sounds positively Shakespearean；〃 said Philip。
〃So sleeping Father is carried into tomb with treasure。 They shut door； lock him in tomb。 We all think he dead。 Only Cah know he not dead； he only sleeping。 So he later wake up in dark tomb。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 said Vernon； 〃I'm not following this。〃
〃I am；〃 said Philip calmly。 〃They buried Father alive。〃
Silence。
〃Not 'they；' 〃 said Borabay。 〃Cah。 Tara people know nothing about this trick。〃
Philip said； 〃With no food and water 。。。 My God； how horrible。〃
〃Brothers；〃 said Borabay； 〃in Tara tradition； much food and water put in tomb for afterlife。〃
Tom felt a crawling sensation in his spine as the implications of this sank in。 He finally spoke。 〃So you think Father's still alive； then； locked in the tomb？〃
〃Yes。〃
Nobody said a word。 An owl hooted mournfully in the dark。
〃How long has he been sealed in the tomb？〃 Tom asked。
〃Thirty…two days。〃
Tom felt sick。 It was unthinkable。
Borabay said； 〃This is terrible thing； brothers。〃
〃Why in hell did Cah do this？〃 Vernon asked。
〃Cah angry that Father rob tomb long ago。 Cah was boy then； son of chief。 Father humiliate father of Cah by robbing tomb。 This is Cah's revenge。〃
〃Couldn't you stop it？〃
〃I not know Cah's plan until later。 Then I try to save Father。 At tomb entrance is giant stone door。 I cannot move。 Cah find out I go to Sukia Tara to save Father。 He very angry。 Cah take me prisoner and he going to kill me。 He say I dirty man； half Tara； half white。 Then crazy white man and soldiers e and capture Cah； take him to White City。 I escape。 I hear soldiers talk about you； so I e back for you。〃
〃How did you know we were here？〃
〃I hear soldiers talk。〃
The fire flickered as the night gathered about the five silent people sitting on the ground。 Borabay's words seemed to hang in the air a long time after he had uttered them。 Borabay's eyes traveled around the fire； looking at each one of them in turn。 〃Brothers； it is a terrible way to die。 This death for rat； not for human being。 He our father！〃
〃What can we do？〃 Philip asked。
Borabay spoke after a long pause； his voice low and resonant： 〃We rescue him。〃
52
Hauser poured over the crude diagram of the city that he had drawn over the past two days。 His men had surveyed the city twice； but it was so overgrown that making any kind of accurate map was almost impossible。 There were several pyramids； dozens of temples and other structures； hundreds of places where a tomb could be hidden。 Unless they got lucky； it could take weeks。
A soldier came to the doorway and saluted。
〃Report。〃
〃The sons are twenty miles back； sir； beyond the Ocata River crossing。〃
Hauser slowly laid down the map。 〃Alive and well？〃
〃They are recovering from sickness。 There is a Tara Indian taking care of them。〃
〃Weapons？〃
〃One useless old hunting rifle belonging to the woman。 Bows and arrows and a blowgun； of course…〃
〃Yes； yes。〃 Hauser； despite himself； felt a certain twinge of respect for the three sons； particularly Philip。 By all rights they should be dead。 Max had been like that； too； stubborn and lucky。 It was a potent bination。 A brief image of Max came into his mind； the man stripped to the waist； slashing his way through the jungle； his sweaty back peppered with chips； twigs； and leaves。 For months they had hacked their way through the jungle； bitten； cut； infected； sick…finding nothing。 And then Max had ditched him； gone upriver and found the prize for which they'd been searching for over a year。 Hauser went home broke and had to enlist 。。。 He shook his head； as if to throw off the resentment。 That was past。 The future…and Broadbent's fortune…belonged to him。
The teniente spoke。 〃Shall I send back a detail of soldiers to kill them？ This time we will be sure to finish them； jefe； I promise you。〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃Let them e。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
Hauser turned to the teniente。 〃Don't molest them。 Leave them alone。 Let them e。〃
53
Philip recovered more slowly than the others； but after three more days of Borabay's ministrations he was able to walk。 One sunny morning they broke camp and set off for the Tara village in the foothills of the Sierra Azul。 Borabay's herbal concoctions； ointments； and teas had had a remarkable effect on them all。 Borabay went first with his