09 Lion Adventure (17 page)

‘But why were you so anxious to do us in?’ ‘It was all a misunderstanding,’ Ku said. He was not smiling now. ‘You remember the Mau Mau trouble when the Kikuyus started murdering white people. Many Englishmen along with their wives and children were tortured and killed. The whites began to fight back and many Africans died at their hands. My own wife and children were murdered. I had reason to believe that whites had done this and I was possessed by a terrible hatred of any man with a white skin. So when you came along I saw my chance to take revenge. I hoped the man-eaters would get you. When they didn’t, I waited for a storm to come up and then cut your line.’

Hal looked at Ku with deep sympathy. ‘I don’t wonder that you felt as you did after the murder of your wife and your children. But what has made you change your mind?’

‘I find that I was wrong,’ Ku said. ‘My family was not killed by whites. The man who did the killing has confessed. He was a member of the black Mau Mau. I had refused to join the Mau Mau and take their oath to kill whites. So, to punish me, they sent this man to wipe out my family. And ever since I have been hating the wrong people for that act.’

Hal extended his hand and Ku took it. ‘It doesn’t matter now,’ Hal said. ‘After all, your cutting us adrift gave us quite a thrilling adventure. And I’m relieved to know that Basa didn’t do it. Is he really going to go ahead with the school?’ ‘He is, and we’ll help him all we can.’ King Ku had no sooner gone than the boys had two other visitors - Warden Mark Crosby and a man whom he introduced as Dr John Teller, director of the Bronx Zoo.

‘Dr Teller has been staying with us at Kitani. He is interested in your Black Mane and the cub.’

Dr Teller shook hands warmly with Hal and then turned to Roger.

‘So this is the boy who took a man-eater single-handed. What a story! And what a magnificent lion! I’ve been anxious to get to you before any other zoo director makes contact with you. Ordinarily we don’t pay much for a lion - but this is a very special case. I’m prepared to offer you ten thousand dollars for Black Mane and his cub - provided you, Roger, will throw in a picture of yourself without extra charge.’

‘It’s a more than fair offer,’ Hal said.

‘But forget the picture,’ put in Roger.

Dr Teller said slyly, ‘Very well, forget the picture. Without the picture it’ll be one thousand,’

Roger stared. ‘Nine thousand dollars for a picture? What’s the idea?’

‘Don’t you see? Without your picture and your story, this is just a lion. But, with them, it’s a feature that will bring tens of thousands of people to the zoo to see a real live man-eater that was captured with kindness by a thirteen-year-old boy. It will be the main attraction of the zoo. So I advise you, young man, to swallow your modesty, and let us run your picture and story in the papers and on a marker that we will post wherever Black Mane is exhibited. Is it a deal?’

Roger objected, ‘But you must keep Black Mane and the cub together.’

‘Naturally. The cub is just as important as its father.

If it hadn’t been for your care of the cub you wouldn’t have won over Black Mane and there’d be no story. In fact, I’ll put in another five thousand for the cub.’

Hal laughed. ‘Let me hasten to accept your offer before you up your price any further. Usually I wire my Dad before selling. But in this case I know he’d only scold us for charging you too much.’

‘Don’t fool yourself,’ smiled the director. ‘This is not charity. I’m getting my money’s worth.’

Hal turned to Crosby. ‘Sorry we bunged up your balloon.’

‘Don’t worry about it. It’s been found and we’re sending a Power-wagon to pick it up. When it comes,’ he added with a twinkle in his eye, ‘perhaps you’d like to take another trip in it?’

‘No, thanks,’ said Hal.

The boys radioed a report to their father in New York. John Hunt replied promptly:

PROUD OF YOU AS ALWAYS. RINGLING CIRCUS WANTS GIANT GORILLA, BIG CHIMPS, PYTHON, GABOON VIPER, SPITTING COBRA AND OTHER TYPICAL WILDLIFE FOR JUNGLE EXHIBIT. WHAT CAN YOU DO?

This was certainly a thrilling and challenging assignment. Hal talked it over with Joro, chief of his thirty-man crew. Joro shook his head.

‘Very difficult,’ he said. ‘Those are bad snakes. And there’s only one place to find the giant gorilla.’

‘Where is that?’

‘Far away. Congo jungle. Between Congo river and Virunga Volcanoes. Wild country and wild people. Cannibals.’

‘Oh, come now,’ Hal protested. ‘Aren’t you putting it on a bit? The day of the cannibals is past.’

‘Along coast, no cannibals,’ said Joro. ‘Where tourists go, no cannibals. In the back country, cannibals. Tribes fight, white men die. Perhaps you tell your father, no.’

But the boys were not in the habit of saying no when their father asked them to do a job, especially when it was a job that offered excitement, adventure and a chance to learn more about Africa and its wildlife.

So their reply was an enthusiastic yes. And how that enthusiasm bobbed up and down like a yo-yo before the job was finished will be told in Gorilla Adventure.