wasuselessandChallengernotmuchbetter.Theonlytimetheygottogethertheygotslangin'becausetheycouldn'tagreeuponthescientificclassificationofthesered-headeddevilsthathadgotholdofus.OnesaiditwasthedryopithecusofJava,theothersaiditwaspithecanthropus.Madness,Icallit—Loonies,both.But,asIsay,Ihadthoughtoutoneortwopointsthatwerehelpful.Onewasthatthesebrutescouldnotrunasfastasamanintheopen.Theyhaveshort,bandylegs,yousee,andheavybodies.EvenChallengercouldgiveafewyardsinahundredtothebestofthem,andyouorIwouldbeaperfectShrubb.Anotherpointwasthattheyknewnothin'aboutguns.Idon'tbelievetheyeverunderstoodhowthefellowIshotcamebyhishurt.Ifwecouldgetatourgunstherewasnosayin'whatwecoulddo.
"SoIbrokeawayearlythismornin',gavemyguardakickinthetummythatlaidhimout,andsprintedforthecamp.ThereIgotyouandtheguns,andhereweare."
"Buttheprofessors!"Icried,inconsternation.
"Well,wemustjustgobackandfetch'em.Icouldn'tbring'emwithme.Challengerwasupthetree,andSummerleewasnotfitfortheeffort.Theonlychancewastogetthegunsandtryarescue.Ofcoursetheymayscupperthematonceinrevenge.Idon'tthinktheywouldtouchChallenger,butIwouldn'tanswerforSummerlee.Buttheywouldhavehadhiminanycase.OfthatIamcertain.SoIhaven'tmademattersanyworsebyboltin'.Butwearehonorboundtogobackandhavethemoutorseeitthroughwiththem.Soyoucanmakeupyoursoul,youngfellahmylad,foritwillbeonewayortheotherbeforeevenin'."
IhavetriedtoimitatehereLordRoxton'sjerkytalk,hisshort,strongsentences,thehalf-humorous,half-recklesstonethatranthroughitall.Buthewasabornleader.Asdangerthickenedhisjauntymannerwouldincrease,hisspeechbecomemoreracy,hiscoldeyesglitterintoardentlife,andhisDonQuixotemoustachebristlewithjoyousexcitement.Hisloveofdanger,hisintenseappreciationofthedramaofanadventure—allthemoreintenseforbeingheldtightlyin—hisconsistentviewthateveryperilinlifeisaformofsport,afiercegamebetwixtyouandFate,withDeathasaforfeit,madehimawonderfulcompanionatsuchhours.Ifitwerenotforourfearsastothefateofourcompanions,itwouldhavebeenapositivejoytothrowmyselfwithsuchamanintosuchanaffair.Wewererisingfromourbrushwoodhiding-placewhensuddenlyIfelthisgripuponmyarm.
"ByGeorge!"hewhispered,"heretheycome!"
Fromwherewelaywecouldlookdownabrownaisle,archedwithgreen,formedbythetrunksandbranches.Alongthisapartyoftheape-menwerepassing.Theywentinsinglefile,withbentlegsandroundedbacks,theirhandsoccasionallytouchingtheground,theirheadsturningtoleftandrightastheytrottedalo