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"Those carvingsso strange The horse's head Did the hieroglyphics say anything about the inscriptions?"

"They tell of along voyage reat riches"

"Have you ever heard the story elsewhere in Mayan lore?"

"Only at the other sites"

"Why here, though, so far from the coast?"

"I've wondered the saht on the Gulf? Coht offer an explanation"

They packed up and walked to the far edge of the plain where the woods resuradual slope The air cooled a few degrees and took on ariver Pointing, Chi said, "You can see where the banks are eroded higher up, which means the river ider at one point"

"Someone on the research ship said there were no streams or rivers in the Yucatan"

"True The Yucatan islimestone slab Lots of caves and cenotes where there are holes in the limestone We're more south in Campeche where the terrain is a little different As youMayan cities are actually located on ays That's what I was thinking here, that perhaps the boat was a ferry between settlements"

"You're right, there was a river, but I don't think it was large enough for a vessel of that size With the high bow and sides, the rugged ste else What I first thought were fish are dolphins Saltwater creatures" She paused "What's that?"

The sun had glinted off so shiny in the distance She walked a few paces downstrea up behind her A battered aluminum pram powered by an old Mercury outboard was pulled up onto shore "This must have drifted in from somewhere"

Chi was less interested in the boat than in the footprints in the o," he said quietly Taking Ga course up the hill, his headback and forth like a radar antenna Near the top of the slope he halted, and his nostrils flared like a hound's

"I don't like this," he said in a hushed tone, sniffing the air

"What's going on?" she whispered

"I smell smoke and sweat Chickleros We must leave"