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ren Ross felt herself plunged into a world entirely different from the exploitable world of mineral resources； this was an environment in which plant life reigned supreme。 It was no wonder； she thought； that the Egyptians called this the Land of Trees。 The rain forest provided a hothouse environment for plant life； an environment in which gigantic plants were much superior to…and much favored over…mammals； including the insignificant human mammals who were now picking their way through its perpetual darkness。
The Kikuyu porters had an immediate reaction to the forest： they began to laugh and joke and make as much noise as possible。 Ross said to Kahega； 〃They certainly are jolly。〃
〃Oh； no；〃 Kahega said。 〃They are warning。〃
〃Warning？〃
Kahega explained that the men made noise to warn off the buffalo and leopards。 And the tembo； he added； pointing to the trail。
〃Is this a tembo trail？〃 she asked。
Kahega nodded。
〃The tembo live nearby？〃
Kahega laughed。 〃I hope no；〃 Kahega said。 〃Tembo。 Elephant。〃
〃So this is a game trail。 Will we see elephants？〃
〃Maybe yes； maybe no；〃 Kahega said。 〃I hope no。 They are very big； elephants。〃
There was no arguing with his logic。 Ross said； 〃They tell me these are your brothers；〃 nodding down the line of porters。
〃Yes； they are my brothers。〃
〃Ah。〃
〃But you mean that my brothers； we have the same mother？〃
〃Yes； you have the same mother。〃
〃No；〃 Kahega said。
Ross was confused。 'You are not real brothers？〃
〃Yes； we are real brothers。 But we do not have the same mother。〃
〃Then why are you brothers？〃
〃Because we live in the same village。〃
〃With your father and mother？〃
Kahega looked shocked。 〃No；〃 he said emphatically。 〃Not the same village。〃
〃A different village； then？〃
〃Yes； of course…we are Kikuyu。〃
Ross was perplexed。 Kahega laughed。
Kahega offered to carry the electronic equipment that Ross had slung over her shoulder； but she declined。 Ross was obliged to try and link up with Houston at intervals throughout the day； and at noon she found a clear window； probably because the consortium jamming operator took a break for lunch。 She managed to link through and register another Field Time…Position。
The console read：
FILD TME…POSITN CHEK…10：03 H
They had lost nearly an hour since the previous check the night before。 〃We've got to go fester；〃 she told Munro。
〃Perhaps you'd prefer to jog；〃 Munro said。 〃Very good exercise。〃 And then； because he decided he was being too hard on her； he added； 〃A lot can happen between here and Virunga。〃
They heard the distant growl of thunder and minutes later were drenched in a torrential rain； the drops so dense and heavy that they actually hurt。 The rain fell solidly for the next hour； then stopped as abruptly as it had begun。 They were all soaked and miserable； and when Munro called a halt for food； Ross did not protest。
Amy promptly went off into the forest to forage； the porters cooked curried meat gravy on rice； Munro； Ross； and
Elliot burned leeches off their legs with cigarettes。 The leeches were swollen with blood。 〃I didn't even notice them；〃 Ross said。
〃Rain makes 'em worse；〃 Munro said。 Then he looked up sharply； glancing at the jungle。
〃Something wrong？〃
〃No； nothing；〃 Munro said； and he went into an explanation of why leeches had to be burned off； if they were pulled off； a part of the head remained lodged in the flesh and caused an infection。
Kahega brought them food； and Munro said in a low voice； 〃Are the men all right？〃
〃Yes；〃 Kahega said。 〃The men are all right。 They will not be afraid。〃
〃Afraid of what？〃 Elliot said。
〃Keep eating。 Just be natural；〃 Munro said。
Elliot looked nervously around the little clearing。
〃Eat！〃 Munro whispered。 〃Don't insult them。 You're not supposed to know they're here。〃
The group ate in silence for several minutes。 And then the nearby brush rustled and a pygmy stepped out。
2。 The Dancers of God
HE WAS A LIGHT…SKINNED MAN ABOUT FOUR AND A half feet tall； barrel…chested； wearing only a loincloth； with a bow and arrow over his shoulder。 He looked around the expedition； apparently trying to determine who was the leader。
Munro stood； and said something quickly in a language that was not Swahili。 The pygmy replied。 Munro gave him one of the cigarettes they had been using to burn off the leeches。 The pygmy did not want it lit； instead he dropped it into a small leather pouch attached to his quiver。 A brief conversation followed。 The pygmy pointed off into the jungle several times。
〃He says a white man is dead in their village；〃 Munro said。 He picked up his pack； which contained the first…aid kit。 〃I'll have to hurry。〃
Ross said； 〃We can't afford the time。〃
Munro frowned at her。
〃Well； the man's dead anyway。〃
〃He's not pletely dead；〃 Munro said。 〃He's not dead…for…ever。〃
The pygmy nodded vigorously。 Munro explained that pygmies graded illness in several stages。 First a person was hot； then he was with fever； then ill； then dead； then pletely dead…and finally dead…for…ever。
From the bush； three more pygmies appeared。 Munro nodded。 〃Knew he wasn't alone；〃 he said。 〃These chaps never are alone。 Hate to travel alone。 The others were watching us； if we'd made a wrong move； we'd get an arrow for our trouble。 See those brown tips？ Poison。〃
Yet the pygmies appeared relaxed now…at least until Amy came crashing back through the underbrush。 Then there were shouts and swiftly drawn bows； Amy was terrified and ran to Peter； jumping up on him and clutching his chest…and making him thoroughly muddy。
The pygmies engaged in a lively discussion among themselves； trying to decide what Amy's arrival meant。 Several questions were asked of Munro。 Finally； Elliot set Amy back down on the ground and said to Munro； 〃What did you tell them？〃
〃They wanted to know if the gorilla was yours； and I said yes。 They wanted to know if the gorilla was female； and I said yes。 They wanted to know if you had relations with the gorilla； I said no。 They said that was good； that you should
not bee too attached to the gorilla； because that would cause you pain。〃
〃Why pain？〃
〃They said when the gorilla grows up； she will either run away into the forest and break your heart or kill you。〃
Ross still opposed making a detour to the pygmy village； which was several miles away on the banks of the Liko River。 〃We're behind on our timeline；〃 she said； 〃and slipping further behind every minute。〃
For the first and last time during the expedition； Munro lost his temper。 〃Listen； Doctor；〃 he said； 〃this isn't downtown Houston； this is the middle of the goddamn Congo and it's no place to be injured。 We have medicines。 That man may need it。 You don't leave him behind。 You just don't。〃
〃If we go to that village；〃 Ross said； 〃we blow the rest of the day。 It puts us nine or ten hours further back。 Right now we can still make it。 With another delay； we won't have a chance。〃
One of the pygmies began talking quickly to Munro。 He nodded； glancing several times at Ross。 Then he turned to the others。
〃He says that the sick white man has some writing on his shirt pocket。 He's going to draw the writing for us。〃
Ross glanced at her watch and sighed。
The pygmy picked up a stick and drew large characters in the muddy earth at their feet。 He drew carefully； frowning in concentration as he reproduced the alien symbols： E R T S。
〃Oh； God；〃 Ross said softly。
The pygmies did not walk through the forest： they ran at a brisk trot； slipping through the forest vines and branches； dodging rain puddles and gnarled tree roots with deceptive ease。 Occasionally they glanced over their shoulders and giggled at the difficulties of the three white people who followed。
For Elliot； it was a difficult pace…a succession of roots to stumble over； tree limbs to strike his head on； thorny vines to tear at his flesh。 He was gasping for breath； trying to keep up with the little men who padded effortlessly ahead of him。 Ross was doing no better than he； and even Munro； although surprisingly agile； showed signs of fatigue。
Finally they came to a small stream and a sunlit clearing。
The pygmies paused