“Not if he figured we’d be coming down the Orinoco.”
Whitman and Nara both turned to Mr. Brewster, to see if he could settle the argument. As he lighted his pipe, Mr. Brewster stated calmly:
“It’s about an even chance that Serbot came this way. If he did, he will probably be watching the road to see if we come through.”
“That’s right,” declared Nara. “We’d better keep a sharp lookout when we reach that portage.”
“Serbot may be watching for us,” agreed Mr. Brewster, “but he won’t be able to make trouble for us there.”
“After what he’s already done,” argued Nara, “he might give us trouble anywhere.”
When they reached Sanariapo, the tiny village at the head of the upper rapids, Biff and Kamuka noticed some natives watching Igo and Ubi carry sacks of ore up over the sloping rock between the river and the highway, where transport trucks were waiting to load the boats as well as the cargo.
The boys reported this to Biff’s father, who talked with the truck drivers and learned that the hangers-on were simply hoping to pick up a few bolivars in Venezuelan money by helping load the trucks. But that didn’t satisfy Joe Nara.
“If they can’t make a bolivar one way,” he argued, “they may try another. Like telling people about our gold ore.”
“Here at Sanariapo,” stated Mr. Brewster, “there is no one for them to tell.”