Chapter 9

Antonio thought fast. “Why don’t we climb a tree?” he said.

“The ants climb trees. But not one kind! There’s one tree they can’t climb,” Rafael said. “It’s called the ironwood. The wood is as tough as iron. Saws can’t cut it. Axes bounce off of it. The ants can’t climb it. We have to find that tree now. Spread out, guys. Look for a tree that has a dark, black trunk.”

The number of ants doubled. The Silvas searched. They needed the ironwood tree.

Everywhere they walked, they had to step on ants. Soon the ants started to run up their legs. Their bites stung. Rafael finally found an ironwood tree.

There was a low branch. It was still high. Franco threw the rope over the branch.

Franco climbed up. He pulled Lilia up to safety. Antonio came next. Then Rafael got off the ground. His legs were covered with ants. He brushed them off. Too late! His legs were covered with bites.

They watched in wonder. Millions of ants passed below them. The Silvas sat for hours. They watched the army of ants.

Finally, there were fewer ants. Rafael was sure there would be no more ants. He slid down the rope. One by one, the kids came after him.

Tired and hungry, the Silvas found a soft spot away from the river. Within a few minutes, they settled down. And they fell deeply asleep.