'Sure you can. In a little while I'll bring you some soup.' She leaned closer. 'Don' worry – I checked. There's no dog in it.'
Alec managed a weak chuckle.
'Of course,' said Ethan, 'we didn't know if it was a friendly village, but we knew if we didn't stop here, it would be the end of the line for you.' He shrugged. 'The gamble paid off. Father Ortega is also a pretty good doctor. He fixed you up. The first twenty-four hours were touch and go, but it looks like you're on the mend. He figures you'll be back on your feet in a couple of days.'
Somebody else came into the hut. It was Frank. A huge grin spread across his face when he saw Alec. 'Oh good!' he said. 'You're feelin' better, are you?'
'Yes, thanks,' said Alec. He looked at Coates. 'So how far are we from civilization?'
Coates smiled. 'Still a fair distance. But the good news is that in three days' time there's a steamboat calling here to drop off provisions. We'll be able to grab a ride with them back to a place called Salinas. And from there, we'll be able to pick up another boat to Veracruz.'
'And we'll be able to telegraph your father – tell him that you're safe,' added Ethan.
Frank moved closer to the bed. 'And I might be able to get a telegraph to Louis B. Mayer – tell him why Conchita never turned up for that screen test.'
Everyone looked at him.
'He might still be in Tonala,' protested Frank. 'And when I tell him my idea for a new scenario, he's going to fall about.' He lifted his hands to frame an imaginary title. 'Conchita Velez in City of the Aztecs !' he cried. 'What d'you think of that?'
'Sounds good,' said Alec. 'If a little far-fetched.'
They all laughed.
Ethan looked slyly at Frank. 'You going to tell Alec about your other news?' he asked.
Frank smiled. 'Why not?' He reached across the bed and took Conchita's hand. 'Miss Velez has done me the great honour of agreeing to be my wife,' he said.
Alec was delighted. 'That's . . . wonderful news . . . But' – he looked at Conchita – 'don't you already have a husband?'
She chuckled. 'I don' think it is official when he is only twelve years old,' she said.
'Well, Alec, I'm glad you're on the mend,' said Frank. 'Now, if I can drag my fiancée away for a moment, I've a few things I need to discuss with her.'
'Of course,' said Alec.
Conchita smiled down at him. 'I come and see you later,' she said. 'I bring you that soup. You know, Frank and me, we have already decided we want you to be our pageboy. I hope you will say yes.' She leaned down and kissed him gently on the cheek. Then she and Frank went out hand in hand.
'Pageboy?' muttered Alec.
'Yes, Master Alec,' said Coates with a malicious smile. 'I believe it involves wearing a rather fetching velvet suit.'
Alec grimaced. 'I suppose I'll have to say yes . . .'
'I'm afraid so.'
Ethan was gazing after Conchita. 'Can you believe the change in that dame?' he said. 'A few days ago she had the disposition of a grizzly bear sitting on a cactus. Now she's a regular sweetie pie. I guess there's nothing like being in fear for your life for making you realize what's really important.' He turned back to Alec. 'Well, kid, looks like we made it out of there in one piece. Didn't I keep telling you it ain't over till it's over. All you need to do for the next few days is rest up and get your strength back.'
'And then go back and face my father,' said Alec apprehensively.
'Oh, I'm sure you'll be all right,' said Coates. 'Especially when we tell him how close he came to losing you.'
Alec could feel sleep overtaking him again, but there were still a few questions he needed answers to. 'And what do we tell Father when we see him again? About . . . about what happened to us,' he asked.
'The bare minimum,' said Coates. 'We crashed in the jungle . . .'
'We came up against hostile Indian tribes,' added Ethan.
'And after making a desperate run for it,' concluded Coates, 'we escaped with our lives.'
'And . . . Colotlán?' murmured Alec.
'There's no such place any more,' said Ethan. 'As I remember, it just kind of . . . fell into a hole in the ground.'
'And the . . . the children of . . . Mictlan?'
Ethan and Coates exchanged looks of exaggerated innocence, then turned back to look at Alec. 'The what?' they said together.
Alec smiled and nodded. Sleep was crowding in on him again, and try as he might, he could resist it no longer. But he was happy to rest now. All in all, he felt he'd earned it.
EYE OF THE SERPENT
by Philip Caveney
Alec Devlin's adventures begin in this fast,
furious and sometimes terrifying adventure.
Egypt 1923.
Fifteen-year-old Alec Devlin is on his way to the Valley of the Kings to spend his summer holidays working on his Uncle Will's archaeological dig. It's not the first time he's spent his summer this way . . . but this year things are different.
Uncle Will and his young assistant, Tom Hinton,
have recently made an amazing discovery – an ancient tomb
hidden deep below the earth. But only hours after opening its
doors, Uncle Will falls mysteriously ill and Tom seems
to have disappeared without trace.
Alec sets about unravelling the tomb's mysteries. Seemingly
harmless animals have turned into rabid killers . . . long
dead mummies are rising from their tombs . . . and Alec
must confront a terror that has waited three
thousand years to be reborn.
RED FOX
ISBN 978 1 862 30608 0
Sebastian Darke: Prince Of Fools
By Philip Caveney
Sebastian Darke has the world on his narrow shoulders.
The son of a human father and an elvish mother,
he is desperately trying to become the family bread
winner and has taken on his late father's
job – celebrated jester, Prince of Fools.
Trouble is, Sebastian can't tell a joke to save his
life. Dressed in his father's clothes and accompanied
by his talking (and endlessly complaining) buffalope,
Max, he sets off for the fabled city of Keladon,
where he hopes to be appointed court jester to
King Septimus. On the way he encounters a tiny
but powerful warrior called Cornelius; blood-thirsty
Brigands and enough perils to make him wonder
why he ever decided to leave home.
A hilarious and swashbuckling adventure!
RED FOX
ISBN 978 1 862 30251 8
Sebastian Darke: Prince of Pirates
by Philip Caveney
Sebastian, Max and Cornelius are ready for another
adventure and heading to the bustling port of Ramalat.
Once there they intend to embark on a perilous sea
journey in search of the fabled lost treasure of
the pirate King, Captain Calinestra.
But when they finally reach Ramalat, a feisty female
sea captain; an infamous young pirate; ravenous sea
creatures, giant lizards; furious sea battles and
breathtaking action await them.
Will they discover the lost treasure? Will Sebastian live
to tell the tale? Will Cornelius be beaten in armed
combat? And will Max EVER stop moaning?
RED FOX
ISBN 978 1 862 30257 0
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