“What is it?”
“You’ll see.” Hans headed off in a new direction. Charlie wondered how Hans had picked it without the aid of a compass bug.
In a — few minutes they were going downhill. Hans stopped. “Hear it?”
Charlie listened, seemed to pick out a soft roar under the ever-present multiple voice of the jungle. “It’s not a dragonfly?”
“Of course not. You’ve got ears.”
“What is it?” Hans did not reply, led on. Presently they broke into a clearing, or rather a room, for the jungle closed in overhead. It enclosed a delightful, surprising waterfall; the muted roar was its song.
“Isn’t that swell?”
“It sure is,” Charlie agreed. “I haven’t seen anything so pretty in years.”
“Sure, it’s pretty. But that’s not the point. My land is just above. I’ll put a water wheel here and have my own power.” Hans led his two friends down near it, began to talk excitedly about his plans. The noise of falling water was so great that he had to shout.
So neither one of them heard it. Charlie heard Nixie bark, turned his head and saw it at the last moment. “Hans! Dragon!”
Too late — the thing nailed Hans between his shoulder blades. It laid no eggs; Charlie killed it, crushed it with his hands. But Hans had already been stung.
Charlie wiped his trembling hands. on his pants and looked down at his chum. Hans had collapsed even as Charlie had killed the thing; he lay crumpled on the ground. Charlie bent over him. “Hans! Hans, answer me!”
Hans’ — eyelids fluttered. “Get Paw.”
“Hans…can you stand up?”
“Sorry…Cbuck” — then very feebly, “My fault.” His eyes stayed open, but Charlie could get no more out of him. —
Even in his distress Charlie’s training stayed with him. He could not find Hans’ pulse, so he listened for his heart…was rewarded and greatly relieved by a steady, strong flub-a-dub!…flub-a-dub! Hans looked ghastly — but apparently it was true that they just paralyzed; they didn’t kill.
But what to do?
Hans had said to get his father. Sure — but how? Could he find his way to the house? Even if he could, could he lead them back here? No, he wouldn’t have to — surely Mr. Kuppenheimer would know where the waterfall was that Hans meant to harness. So what he had to do was simply get back. Now let’s see; they had come down the bank there — and after they had crossed the stream — it must be this same stream; they hadn’t gone over any watershed. Or had they?
Well, it had better be the same stream, else he was lost beyond hope. Back through the bush, then and across the stream — How was he going to-cut back in and hit the stream at the place where it could be forded? The bush all looked pretty much alike.
Maybe he had better go downstream along the bank until he hit it. Then cross, and if he could find a compass bug, he could strike off in the general direction of the Kuppenheimers until he came to civilization. He remembered which way base was when they had first started out; that would orient him.
Or would it? They had gone first to that place that couldn’t be passed without a flamer — but where had they gone then? How many turns? Which way were they heading when they reached the place where he had not quite seen a kteela?
Well, he would just have to try. At least he could get onto the same side of the stream as the plantation.
Nixie had been sniffing at Hans’ still body. Now he began to whine steadily. “Shut up, you!” Charlie snapped. “I don’t want any trouble out of you, too.”
Nixie shut up.
Charlie decided that he couldn’t leave Hans; he would have to take him with him. He kneeled down and started wrestling Hans’ limp body into a fireman’s carry, while wondering miserably whether or not Hans had told his mother where they were going? Or if it would do any good if he had, since they were not where Hans had originally intended to take them.