CHAPTER XII Between Two Fires CHAPTER XII Biff’s first concern was for Kamuka. He managed to dart a quick look along the trail hoping to shout a warning to his companion. Then, Biff caught himself, fearful that such a call would turn attention in Kamuka’s direction. The warning wasn’t needed. Kamuka had witnessed Biff’s rapid capture and had taken action on his own. With uncanny instinct, Kamuka had found an opening in the seemingly solid wall of jungle and had already dived from sight. One man, however, had seen the green mass close behind Kamuka’s quick-moving form. That man was Urubu. He raised his rifle and fired into the thick foliage, three times in quick succession. As Urubu paused, Biff appealed frantically to Serbot: “Don’t let him shoot again—” Serbot ordered Urubu to lower his rifle, which the guide did. At the same time, Urubu grinned, for he had seen no ripple in the jungle leaves beyond the spot where he had first aimed. “Perhaps,” purred Serbot, “Urubu is trying to shoot an anaconda, the way he did the other day.” “Or some other jungle creature,” added Pepito, over Biff’s shoulder, “like those that we heard run away.” Biff guessed that they were trying to draw out facts from him, to learn if he and Kamuka had followed Luiz and listened in on the discussion that had shaped the later events. As Biff tightened his lips, determined not to answer, Urubu became impatient. “And maybe,” put in the leering guide, “I just now try to kill some person, the way Luiz was chased and killed.” “What happened to Luiz was his own fault,” Biff argued hotly. “He tried to kill my father first, with a knife.” “Your bearers did not tell us that,” stated Serbot smoothly. “We met them on their way back to Santa Isabel, and they told us that Whitman had fired at Luiz, who ran into quicksand—” “Where we tried to save him. Did they tell you that?” “Yes, they told us that. But not that Luiz had tried to kill your father.” “That happened before they even woke up. By then, Luiz had started to run, so
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