ña , ▁and ▁Victor ▁form ▁a ▁wall ▁behind ▁Hop i . ▁Luther ▁orders ▁Hop i ▁to ▁stand ▁up . ▁He ▁comp lies . ▁Luther ▁pe els ▁off ▁his ▁sh irt ▁to ▁reve al ▁his ▁t atto os , ▁sc ars , ▁and ▁bullet ▁w ounds . ▁He ▁holds ▁his ▁arms ▁out ▁wide , ▁then ▁“ steps ▁forward ▁and ▁wal ks ▁on ▁water .” ▁ ▁Chapter ▁ 2 4 : ▁The ▁Four th ▁Cr ate ▁[ Is and ò r no ] ▁Ver ac ru z , ▁Mexico . ▁Is and ò r no ▁will ▁soon ▁arrive ▁at ▁“ The ▁R anch .” ▁Wait ing ▁for ▁him ▁there ▁will ▁be ▁three ▁cr ates , ▁Juan ▁Ern esto ▁Iz quier do , ▁his ▁wife ▁Maria , ▁and ▁their ▁children ▁N ast asia ▁and ▁Est ella ▁( who ▁refer ▁to ▁Is and ò r no ▁as ▁“ T io ” ). ▁He ▁has ▁known ▁the ▁family ▁for ▁years ▁and ▁he ▁always ▁gives ▁them ▁hard ▁c andy ▁when ▁he ▁sees ▁them . ▁The ▁cr ates ▁come ▁from ▁Africa ▁and ▁have ▁arrived ▁early . ▁The ▁first ▁cr ate ▁houses ▁a ▁small ▁hy ena , ▁the ▁second ▁a ▁baby ▁ele ph ant , ▁the ▁third ▁a ▁baby ▁g ira ffe . ▁Because ▁of ▁m ish and ling ▁at ▁the ▁do cks , ▁they ’ re ▁all ▁wounded ▁and ▁bare ly ▁able ▁to ▁move , ▁and ▁their ▁breath ▁sm ells ▁“ d amp ▁with ▁in fection .” ▁Is and ò r no ▁doub ts ▁they ’ ll ▁surv ive ▁the