Back at the car, I remarked about the heat.

“Let’s go to the lake,” said the guide. “There’s more there, if we’re lucky.”

The lake was shallow and warm as bath water, but clear and clean. Alyx and I had bathing suits with us, and we took a swim. As I was looking at the mountains, something plopped in the water between us. Alyx laughed. “A fish just jumped. It made an upside-down U, like in a cartoon.”

“What kind of fish? A trout?”

“I don’t know. It was silver, about this long.” She held her hands six inches apart.

I’d thought the water would be too shallow and warm for fish.

Back at shore, the guide said, “Did you see it?”

“The fish?” asked Alyx.

“That was no fish,” said the guide.

On the way to the car, we found a large toad in the dust, still wet, head smashed by some vehicle. The guide picked it up by one flipper and took a plastic bag from his pocket. He stuffed the toad inside.

I wanted to ask, but I didn’t.