“What in tarnation was it?” Chow gulped. “A gorilla?”
“Not around herel” Gathering his wits, Bud
THE GIANT FIGURE 55
spurted forward. “Come on! Let’s see where it went! I want a closer look!”
Together, they reached the plane and plunged into the underbrush where the giant form had disappeared.
“Leapin” rattlesnakes!” Chow quavered, as they groped about among the tangled creepers and head-high jungle growth. “It’s so dark in here I can’t tell which is you an’ which is me!”
His nervous wisecrack seemed hardly an exaggeration. Scarcely a ray of moonlight pierced the darkness, now that they had left the beaten trail.
“Guess you’re right,” Bud agreed. “We don’t stand much chance of finding him-or it-now.”
Giving up the search, they made a quick check of the paraplane. Everything seemed to be in order.
“What do we do now, pardner?” Chow asked.
Bud shrugged helplessly. “Not much we can do, I guess, except go back to the village. Whatever that was we saw, I have a hunch it won’t risk a return visit-not tonight, anyhow.”
“An’ if it does, I’d jest as soon not have to fight it!” Chow confessed.
“You and me both.” Bud chuckled ruefully. “Well, I guess we scared him away. Just the same, Chow, I believe we’ve picked up a clue to the mystery of who tampered with our helium tanks.”
Still discussing the giant figure, the two tramped back through the jungle.
When they
56 ELECTRONIC RETROSCOPE
reached the village, they were surprised to find Hutchcraft in his hammock, sound asleep.
“Wai, I’ll be a bobtailed bronc!” Chow exclaimed. “Wonder where he went?”