Jungle Hunt by Don Pendleton

Author:Don Pendleton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Worldwide Library
Published: 2012-11-08T05:00:00+00:00

12

Bolan led the rush toward the large group of villagers at the other end of the village, with Kelleson, Wilberson, Morgan and Etienne all close behind. They came across the trio of college students clustered around a skinny boy of about twelve years old. Thomas Bonell had just picked him up and was carrying him toward the nearest hut.

“No, take him to mine,” Kelleson said, pointing Bonell toward her hut, which had a corrugated metal roof. He headed for it, with her at his side.

Inside, she had Bonell lay the child on her bed and knelt beside him. “Everyone else out.”

“All right, you all heard the lady.” Bolan herded the rest of the volunteers toward the door.

“That means you, too, Cooper.” She didn’t look up as she checked the boy’s pulse. The child stared at her with wide eyes, not moving a muscle. His arms and legs were covered in scrapes, insect bites and shallow cuts.

“Not a chance—you may need me.”

“You’ve got paramedic training?”

“Close enough for here—you pick up a lot of survival skills in Third World countries.”

“All right, his pulse is erratic and thready, and his breathing is rapid and shallow. What’s that suggest to you?”

“That he’s in shock. We should keep him warm and try to get him to eat something.” Bolan felt the boy’s forehead, then touched his hand. “He doesn’t seem dehydrated, so an IV shouldn’t be necessary.” He pulled a brightly colored blanket over the boy’s legs and stomach. “I don’t suppose you know who he is or where he came from?”

“No, but I know who can find out.” She went to the door and asked for Etienne. “Also, have the women heat any broth or stew we’ve got right away.”

Etienne appeared in the doorway, and Kelleson waved him forward. “If you can, ask him who he is and where he came from.”

The small man knelt by the boy’s side and began talking to him in the Huaorani language. The boy just stared at him at first, but Etienne was patient and kept at it, eventually eliciting single words out of him.

“He says his name is Galo. He is from the village that is about thirty miles from here to the northwest. That is all I’ve learned so far.”

Bolan and Kelleson stayed out of the man’s way and watched. When a bowl of broth with chunks of tender pork and hominy swimming in it was brought in, Kelleson turned away to add the contents of a capsule to it, before slowly handing it to Etienne, who offered it to the boy.

Bolan, Kelleson and Etienne all remained silent as the boy reached for the bowl with trembling fingers and began to eat, picking chunks of meat out with his fingers. When he was finished, Etienne continued his questions, starting a dialogue with the boy that ran for a few minutes. When they were finished, Etienne pulled the blanket up

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