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Their crude attee their pursuers had apparently failed They couldn't have known that setting the boats adrift wasn't enough, that one pram would catch on a mot, that the other would drift back to shore Now the first of those boats was co mists, followed seconds later by the second There were fourthe two she had dubbed Poncho and Elvis Poncho was leading the assault, standing in the bow of the lead boat brandishing a handgun It was clear froht of the quarry

The boats were drawing nearer She willed her eyes back to the motor and discovered the choke had been pushed in She pulled out the plastic knob and yanked the cord again The ht when she adjusted the throttle slightly They pushed off into the river, aih it was also where they'd be ain The boat in the lead was breaking away from the other Maybe it hads slow-h for the rifle in the bow to pick them off

Sun muzzle Pancho had feed off a couple of quick shots more for show than effect Either his aie, because the bullets never caht of their pursuers around a bend It was only a matter of time, minutes really, before they would be literally dead in the water

Hack!

Gamay whipped around at the unexpected noise Chi had found his trustyit to cut down a large branch fro low overhead Another silvery blur of steel Another branch fell into the river Chi swung his le to either side of the boat, then drifted together in a floating da breastworks fetched up on a midriver sandbar

The helhs until it was too late The pram came around the curve at full tilt He tried to turn aside Instead the boat slae A chiclero leaned out to push off and discovered Neas right when he said every action had a reaction His body was stretched between the boat and the branches He splashed into the water There were loud shouts and confusion as the second boat sla a wild shot into the forest Startled birds darkened the sky in a chittering, chattering cloud

"Yes!" Gamay yelped triumphantly "Nice move, Professor"

From the nascent smile on the Mayan's otherwise poker face, it was clear that he was pleased with both the effect of his labors and the praise "I knew my Harvard education would come in handy one day," he said modestly

Ga the sides of the river, but she was far frouine It occurred to her after her momentary elation that she had absolutely no idea where they were going Or whether they had enough gas to get them there She checked the tank Half full Or half eht be the more prudent frame of mind in their precarious situation

After a hurried conference, they decided to go flat out for a time to put as much distance as possible between the pram and their pursuers Then they would rely on river drift

"Not to put too fine a point on our predicaoes?"

The professor shook his head "This streauess is that we're headed south Simply because, as you pointed out, there are few rivers in the north"

"They say that when you're lost, following a river will eventually bring you to civilization," Gamay said without conviction

"I've heard that Also that rows on the north side of trees It's been rows all around a tree You must have been a Girl Scout"

"I always had ot The only woodcraft I recall is how to cut a stick to toast marshmallows over an open fire"