Books: Man with a Brass Neck

DANGER MY ALLY (278 pp.)—F. A.

Mitchell-Hedges—Little, Brown ($3.75).

The Maya Kekchi Indians furtively examined the big, bearded explorer in his Bedford-cord riding breeches and decided that here was the man to revitalize their dying tribe. They led to his jungle hut the fairest of their maidens, eyes downcast and breasts bare, and delivered a proposition from their chief: the girl was his, but if there were no sons, the explorer must give his breeches to the chief. "To refuse point blank would have insulted the whole tribe," explains doughty British Explorer "Mike" Hedges. "On the other hand, I obviously could not accept."...

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