He handed the bowl to Tom and the two returned to the village plaza. Mr.
Swift and the others noted with relief that the giant’s belligerence was gone; he actually looked shamefaced.
“Just forget what I said about your son, eh pal?” Max told the elder Swift. He added with a puzzled look on his broad pug face, “But I still can’t figure out what happened to the stuff. If none of you guys took the treasures, who did?”
“Mebbe that skinny hombre is the thief,” Chow piped up. “Ever think o’ him?”
Max’s jaw dropped open in a look of surprised consternation. “Hey! Maybe you got something there, old-timer! I better get back and hide the rest of my treasures before that skinny sneak pulls another fast one!”
“It might be a good idea,” Tom agreed.
The giant lumbered off, pausing only long enough to call back over his shoulder, “Or maybe I’ll bring ‘em here for you to keep, Junior!”
As Max disappeared, Sandy gave a shudder. “Goodness! Where did that character come from?”
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Tom described the ex-wrestler’s background, explaining that he had come to Yucatan to recover from a long illness and then stayed on as a jungle hermit.
“He’s not a bad guy, really,” Tom added with a chuckle. “Just a bit mixed up. Bud calls him Magnificent Max.”
“Well, I think you were magnificent, the way you stood up to him!” Phyl declared. “He scared the wits out of me. I thought he was the missing link or something!”
Tom blushed at the admiring look in the girl’s brown eyes and said quickly, “Underneath, Max is scared of his own shadow. I was pretty sure he wouldn’t become violent.”