“We got separated from Bud and the other bearer when we were chasing the peacock,” Creel reported. “But don’t worry-I’m sure they’ll turn up safely tomorrow.
Incidentally, the whole thing was a washout. We never got a single picture.”
Chow growled angrily at Creel for ever having gone off on a “wild-goose chase.”
Tom said little, but inwardly he was seething with worry.
An anxious night of waiting followed. Next morning as they were eating breakfast, Tom sprang up with a shout of relief when a party of giant Wanguru tribesmen came trudging up to the camp. Bud and the other porter were with them!
Bud looked pale and shaken. “Wait’ll I tell you what I saw, Tom!” he gasped. “You’ll never believe me!”
CHAPTER IX
TALKING DRUMS
BUD was wild-eyed, and his khaki shirt and shorts were badly torn.
“Relax, pal.” Tom smiled. “We’ll believe you, but have something to eat first.”
“Stop acting as if I’m goofy!” Bud roared. “We saw a dinosaur!”
“A dinosaur!” Tom’s jaw dropped open. “You’re kidding.”
“You heard me-we saw a dinosaur!” Bud’s face flushed with excitement as the words came pouring out. “The thing came blundering up to our camp last night. Just about scared us green. Tom, that thing was as big as a house! Long neck -head like an overgrown lizard. Jumpin’ jets! When I saw that face zooming down at us from between the trees, I nearly went up in smoke!”
The native porter nodded his head vigorously.
“We cleared out-but fast,” Bud reported. “We were afraid it was going to come after us-maybe trample us or gulp us down for a midnight snack. But it didn’t. We could hear the-the thing clump-78
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