The Hunters Read online

  Produced by Greg Weeks, Jana Srna and the Online DistributedProofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net

  THE HUNTERS

  BY WILLIAM MORRISON

  ILLUSTRATED BY VAN DONGEN

  To all who didn't know him, Curt George was a mighty hunter and actor. But this time he was up against others who could really act, and whose business was the hunting of whole worlds.

  There were thirty or more of the little girls, their ages rangingapparently from nine to eleven, all of them chirping away like a flockof chicks as they followed the old mother hen past the line of cages."Now, now, girls," called Miss Burton cheerily. "Don't scatter. I can'tkeep my eye on you if you get too far away from me. You, Hilda, give methat water pistol. No, don't fill it up first at that fountain. AndFrances, stop bouncing your ball. You'll lose it through the bars, and apolar bear may get it and not want to give it back."

  Frances giggled. "Oh, Miss Burton, do you think the polar bear wouldwant to play catch?"

  The two men who were looking on wore pleased smiles. "Charming," saidManto. "But somewhat unpredictable, despite all our experiences, _muyamigo_."

  "No attempts at Spanish, Manto, not here. It calls attention to us. Andyou are not sure of the grammar anyway. You may find yourself sayingthings you do not intend."

  "Sorry, Palit. It wasn't an attempt to show my skill, I assure you. It'sthat by now I have a tendency to confuse one language with another."

  "I know. You were never a linguist. But about these interestingcreatures--"

  "I suggest that they could stand investigation. It would be good to knowhow they think."

  "Whatever you say, Manto. If you wish, we shall join the little ladies."

  "We must have our story prepared first."

  Palit nodded, and the two men stepped under the shade of a tree whoselong, drooping, leaf-covered branches formed a convenient screen. For amoment, the tree hid silence. Then there came from beneath the branchesthe chatter of girlish voices, and two little girls skipped merrilyaway. Miss Burton did not at first notice that now she had an additionaltwo children in her charge.

  "Do you think you will be able to keep your English straight?" asked oneof the new little girls.

  The other one smiled with amusement and at first did not answer. Thenshe began to skip around her companion and chant, "I know a secret, Iknow a secret."

  There was no better way to make herself inconspicuous. For some time,Miss Burton did not notice her.

  * * * * *

  The polar bears, the grizzlies, the penguins, the reptiles, all wereleft behind. At times the children scattered, but Miss Burton knew howto get them together again, and not one was lost.

  "Here, children, is the building where the kangaroos live. Who knowswhere kangaroos come from?"

  "Australia!" clanged the shrill chorus.

  "That's right. And what other animals come from Australia?"

  "I know, Miss Burton!" cried Frances, a dark-haired nine-year-old with apair of glittering eyes that stared like a pair of critics from a smallheart-shaped face. "I've been here before. Wallabies and wombats!"

  "Very good, Frances."

  Frances smirked at the approbation. "I've been to the zoo lots oftimes," she said to the girl next to her. "My father takes me."

  "I wish my father would take me too," replied the other little girl,with an air of wistfulness.

  "Why don't you ask him to?" Before the other little girl could answer,Frances paused, cocked her head slightly, and demanded, "Who are you?You aren't in our class."

  "I'm in Miss Hassel's class."

  "Miss Hassel? Who is she? Is she in our school?"

  "I don't know," said the other little girl uncertainly. "I go to P. S.77--"

  "Oh, Miss Burton," screamed Frances. "Here's a girl who isn't in ourclass! She got lost from her own class!"

  * * * * *

  "Really?" Miss Burton seemed rather pleased at the idea that some otherteacher had been so careless as to lose one of her charges. "What's yourname, child?"

  "I'm Carolyn."

  "Carolyn what?"

  "Carolyn Manto. Please, Miss Burton, I had to go to the bathroom, andthen when I came out--"

  "Yes, yes, I know."

  A shrill cry came from another section of her class. "Oh, Miss Burton,here's another one who's lost!"

  The other little girl was pushed forward. "Now, who are _you_?" MissBurton asked.

  "I'm Doris Palit. I went with Carolyn to the bathroom--"

  * * * * *

  Miss Burton made a sound of annoyance. Imagine losing _two_ children andnot noticing it right away. The other teacher must be frantic by now,and serve her right for being so careless.

  "All right, you may stay with us until we find a policeman--" Sheinterrupted herself. "Frances, what are you giggling at now?"

  "It's Carolyn. She's making faces just like you!"

  "Really, Carolyn, that isn't at all nice!"

  Carolyn's face altered itself in a hurry, so as to lose any resemblanceto Miss Burton's. "I'm sorry, Miss Burton, I didn't really mean to doanything wrong."

  "Well, I'd like to know how you were brought up, if you don't know thatit's wrong to mimic people to their faces. A big girl like you, too. Howold are you, Carolyn?"

  Carolyn shrank, she hoped imperceptibly, by an inch. "I'm two--"

  An outburst of shrill laughter. "She's two years old, she's two yearsold!"

  "I was going to say, I'm _to_welve. Almost, anyway."

  "Eleven years old," said Miss Burton. "Old enough to know better."

  "I'm sorry, Miss Burton. And honest, Miss Burton, I didn't meananything, but I'm studying to be an actress, and I imitate people, likethe actors you see on television--"

  "Oh, Miss Burton, please don't make her go home with a policeman. Ifshe's going to be an actress, I'll bet she'd love to see Curt George!"

  "Well, after the way she's behaved, I don't know whether I should lether. I really don't."

  "Please, Miss Burton, it was an accident. I won't do it again."

  "All right, if you're good, and cause no trouble. But we still haveplenty of time before seeing Mr. George. It's only two now, and we'renot supposed to go to the lecture hall until four."

  "Miss Burton," called Barbara Willman, "do you think he'd give us hisautograph?"

  "Now, children, I've warned you about that. You mustn't annoy him. Mr.George is a famous movie actor, and his time is valuable. It's very kindof him to offer to speak to us, especially when so many grown-up peopleare anxious to hear him, but we mustn't take advantage of his kindness."

  "But he likes children, Miss Burton! My big sister read in a moviemagazine where it said he's just crazy about them."

  "I know, but--he's not in good health, children. They say he got junglefever in Africa, where he was shooting all those lions, andrhinoceroses, and elephants for his new picture. That's why you mustn'tbother him too much."

  "But he looks so big and strong, Miss Burton. It wouldn't hurt him tosign an autograph!"

  "Oh, yes, it would," asserted one little girl. "He shakes. When he hasan attack of fever, his hand shakes."

  "Yes, Africa is a dangerous continent, and one never knows how thedangers will strike one," said Miss Burton complacently. "So we must allremember how bravely Mr. George is fighting his misfortune, and do ourbest not to tire him out."

  * * * * *

  In the bright light that flooded the afternoon breakfast table, CurtGeorge's handsome, manly face wore an e
xpression of distress. He groaneddismally, and muttered, "What a head I've got, what a head. How do youexpect me to face that gang of kids without a drink to pick me up?"

  "You've had your drink," said Carol. She was slim, attractive, andefficient. At the moment she was being more efficient than attractive,and she could sense his resentment. "That's all you get. Now, lay off,and try to