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“Once we leave the boat itback to it,” she said “Let’s wait a few more minutes and see what happens”
Paul nodded “Maybe they’re taking a siesta Let’s wake them up” He cupped his hands to his mouth and came out with a loud “Hallooo!” The only reply was the echo of his voice He tried again Nothing stirred
Gahed “They would have to be sound sleepers not to hear a bellow like that”
“Spooky,” Paul said with a shake of his head “It’s too da to look around Can you watch my back?”
“I’ll keep one hand on the cannon Dr Ranition Don’t be a hero”
“You know ”
Trout eased his lanky form out of the seat in front of the propeller screen and onto the deck He had every confidence in his wife’s ability to cover hiht to shoot skeet by her father and was an excellent marksman with any kind of firearm Paul contended she could shoot the eye out of a sand flea in , only to freeze He had seen est hut A face had peered around the corner and disappeared There it was again Seconds later a reeting and started down the slope toward them
He arrived at the river’s edge and mopped his da h flat crown of a wide-briy white cotton slacks were held in place around his corpulent belly by a length of nylon rope, and his long-sleeved white shirt was buttoned up to his Adam’s apple The sun reflected off a monocle in his left eye
“Greetings,” he said with a slight accent “Welcome to the Paris of the rain forest”
Paul looked past the man’s shoulder at the sorry collection of hovels “Where’s the Eiffel Tower?” he asked casually
“Hah-hah Eiffel Tower Marvelous! Look there, it’s not far from the Arc de Triomphe”
After the long river journey in the damp heat Paul had little appetite for witty repartee “We’re looking for someone called the Dutchman,” he said
Thea tonsured mop of unruly white hair “At your service But I’hted place seven years ago I said I was ‘Deutsch’ I’m German My name is Dieter von Hoffman”
“I’m Paul Trout, and this is my wife, Gamay”
Hoffman focused his monocle on Gaallantly “We don’t get many white women out here, beautiful or otherwise”