second. You guys are not suggesting that I go?’
‘I couldn’t get in the canoe much less paddle it,’ Melanie said.
‘I could get in it, but I doubt I could paddle it in the dark,’ Candace
said.
‘And you two think I could?’ Kevin asked.
‘Certainly better than we could,’ Melanie said.
Kevin shivered. The idea of trying to get to the canoe in the dark
knowing the hippos were out grazing was a scary thought. Even more scary
was trying to paddle across the pond, knowing it was filled with
crocodiles.
‘Maybe you could hide in the canoe until it gets light,’ Melanie
suggested. ‘The important thing is to get out of this cave and away from
these creatures while they are sleeping.’
The idea of waiting in the canoe was better than trying to cross the
lake in the darkness, but it did not address the potential problem of
running into the hippos in the marshy field.
‘Remember it was your suggestion to come out here,’ Melanie reminded
him.
Kevin started to strongly protest, but he stopped. In a way, it was
true. He’d said that the only way to learn whether the bonobos were
protohumans was to come to the island. But from then on, Melanie had
been the one to call the shots.
‘It was your suggestion,’ Candace said. ‘I remember it well. We were in
your office. It was when you first raised the question about the smoke.’
‘But I only said . . .’ Kevin began, but he stopped. From past
experience, he knew he was ill-equipped to argue with Melanie, and
especially when Candace supported her as she was now doing. Besides,
from where Kevin was sitting, he could see a clear path of moonlight
along the cave floor all the way to the entrance. Except for a few rocks
and branches, there were no obstructions.
Kevin began to think maybe he could do it. Maybe it was best not to
think of the hippos. Maybe it was true that the creatures’ hospitality
could not be counted upon, not because of the bonobo part of their
heritage but because of the human part.
‘All right,’ Kevin said with sudden resolve. ‘I’ll try.’
‘Hooray,’ Melanie said.
Kevin pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. He was already
trembling with the knowledge that there were fifty powerful and wild
animals in the immediate environment that wanted him to stay where he
was.
‘If something goes wrong,’ Melanie said, ‘just get yourself back here in
a hurry.’
‘You make it sound so easy,’ Kevin said.
‘It will be,’ Melanie said. ‘Bonobos and chimps fall asleep as soon as
it gets dark and sleep until dawn. You’re not going to have any
trouble.’
‘But what about the hippos?’ Kevin said.
‘What about them?’ Melanie asked.
‘Never mind,’ Kevin said. ‘I’ve got enough to worry about.’
‘Okay, good luck,’ Melanie whispered.
‘Yeah, good luck,’ Candace echoed.
Kevin tried to stand up and start out, but he couldn’t. He kept telling
himself that he’d never been a hero, and this was no time to start.
‘What’s the matter?’ Melanie asked.
‘Nothing,’ Kevin said. Then suddenly from some place deep within
himself, Kevin found the courage. He rose to a hunched-over position and
began to pick his way along the path of moonlight toward the mouth of
the cave.
As Kevin moved, he debated whether he would do better to move at a
snail’s pace or make an out-and-out dash for the canoe. It was an
argument between caution and getting the ordeal over with. Caution won
out. He moved with painstaking baby steps. Every time his foot made the
slightest noise, he winced and froze in the darkness. All around him, he
could hear the stertorous breathing of the sleeping creatures.
Twenty feet from the cave’s entrance one of the bonobos moved so
suddenly, the branches in his bed snapped. Again Kevin stopped in
mid-stride, his heart pounding. But the bonobo had only stirred and was
still breathing heavily, a sign of sleep. With additional light from the
proximity of the cave entrance, Kevin could clearly see the bonobos
sprawled about him. The sight of so many sleeping beasts was enough to