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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/22524-h.zip b/22524-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea8c507 --- /dev/null +++ b/22524-h.zip diff --git a/22524-h/22524-h.htm b/22524-h/22524-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cdbf746 --- /dev/null +++ b/22524-h/22524-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1755 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Hunters, by William Morrison</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + } + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + + h1 { text-align: center; + clear: both; + margin-top: 80px; + } + + hr { display: none; } + + em, q, cite { font-weight: normal; font-style: italic; } + + .center { text-align: center; } + + .figcenter { margin: auto; + margin-top: 60px; + margin-bottom: 60px; + text-align: center; + } + + div.spacing { margin-top: 3em; } + + p.blurb { text-align: justify; + margin: 3em auto 3em auto; + line-height: 1.3em; + width: 20.5em; + } + + p.tnote { text-align: justify; + border: 1px dashed #808080; + background-color: #eee; + padding: 0.5em; + width: 20.5em; + margin: 80px auto 80px auto; + } + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Hunters, by William Morrison + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Hunters + +Author: William Morrison + +Illustrator: Van Dongen + +Release Date: September 6, 2007 [EBook #22524] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HUNTERS *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Jana Srna and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<h1>THE HUNTERS</h1> + +<p class="center" style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 120%; letter-spacing: 0.15em;">BY WILLIAM MORRISON</p> + +<p class="center">ILLUSTRATED BY VAN DONGEN</p> + +<p class="blurb">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.</p> + + +<p>There were thirty or more of +the little girls, their ages ranging +apparently from nine to +eleven, all of them chirping +away like a flock of 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't +keep my eye on you if you get +too far away from me. You, +Hilda, give me that water pistol. +No, don't fill it up first at that +fountain. And Frances, stop +bouncing your ball. You'll lose it +through the bars, and a polar +bear may get it and not want to +give it back."</p> + +<p>Frances giggled. "Oh, Miss +Burton, do you think the polar +bear would want to play catch?"</p> + +<p>The two men who were looking +on wore pleased smiles. +"Charming," said Manto. "But +somewhat unpredictable, despite +all our experiences, <em lang="es" xml:lang="es">muy amigo</em>."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 406px;"> +<img src="images/hunters.png" width="406" height="600" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>"No attempts at Spanish, Manto, +not here. It calls attention to +us. And you are not sure of the +grammar anyway. You may find +yourself saying things you do +not intend."</p> + +<p>"Sorry, Palit. It wasn't an attempt +to show my skill, I assure +you. It's that by now I have a +tendency to confuse one language +with another."</p> + +<p>"I know. You were never a linguist. +But about these interesting +creatures—"</p> + +<p>"I suggest that they could +stand investigation. It would be +good to know how they think."</p> + +<p>"Whatever you say, Manto. If +you wish, we shall join the little +ladies."</p> + +<p>"We must have our story prepared +first."</p> + +<p>Palit nodded, and the two men +stepped under the shade of a +tree whose long, drooping, leaf-covered +branches formed a convenient +screen. For a moment, +the tree hid silence. Then there +came from beneath the branches +the chatter of girlish voices, and +two little girls skipped merrily +away. Miss Burton did not at +first notice that now she had an +additional two children in her +charge.</p> + +<p>"Do you think you will be able +to keep your English straight?" +asked one of the new little girls.</p> + +<p>The other one smiled with +amusement and at first did not +answer. Then she began to skip +around her companion and +chant, "I know a secret, I know +a secret."</p> + +<p>There was no better way to +make herself inconspicuous. For +some time, Miss Burton did not +notice her.</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>The polar bears, the grizzlies, +the penguins, the reptiles, all +were left behind. At times the +children scattered, but Miss Burton +knew how to get them together +again, and not one was +lost.</p> + +<p>"Here, children, is the building +where the kangaroos live. +Who knows where kangaroos +come from?"</p> + +<p>"Australia!" clanged the shrill +chorus.</p> + +<p>"That's right. And what other +animals come from Australia?"</p> + +<p>"I know, Miss Burton!" cried +Frances, a dark-haired nine-year-old +with a pair of glittering +eyes that stared like a pair +of critics from a small heart-shaped +face. "I've been here before. +Wallabies and wombats!"</p> + +<p>"Very good, Frances."</p> + +<p>Frances smirked at the approbation. +"I've been to the zoo +lots of times," she said to the +girl next to her. "My father +takes me."</p> + +<p>"I wish my father would take +me too," replied the other little +girl, with an air of wistfulness.</p> + +<p>"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."</p> + +<p>"I'm in Miss Hassel's class."</p> + +<p>"Miss Hassel? Who is she? Is +she in our school?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," said the other +little girl uncertainly. "I go to +P. S. 77—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Miss Burton," screamed +Frances. "Here's a girl who isn't +in our class! She got lost from +her own class!"</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>"Really?" Miss Burton seemed +rather pleased at the idea that +some other teacher had been so +careless as to lose one of her +charges. "What's your name, +child?"</p> + +<p>"I'm Carolyn."</p> + +<p>"Carolyn what?"</p> + +<p>"Carolyn Manto. Please, Miss +Burton, I had to go to the bathroom, +and then when I came +out—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, I know."</p> + +<p>A shrill cry came from another +section of her class. "Oh, Miss +Burton, here's another one who's +lost!"</p> + +<p>The other little girl was +pushed forward. "Now, who are +<em>you</em>?" Miss Burton asked.</p> + +<p>"I'm Doris Palit. I went with +Carolyn to the bathroom—"</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>Miss Burton made a sound of +annoyance. Imagine losing <em>two</em> +children and not noticing it right +away. The other teacher must +be frantic by now, and serve her +right for being so careless.</p> + +<p>"All right, you may stay with +us until we find a policeman—" +She interrupted herself. "Frances, +what are you giggling at +now?"</p> + +<p>"It's Carolyn. She's making +faces just like you!"</p> + +<p>"Really, Carolyn, that isn't at +all nice!"</p> + +<p>Carolyn's face altered itself in +a hurry, so as to lose any resemblance +to Miss Burton's. "I'm +sorry, Miss Burton, I didn't +really mean to do anything +wrong."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'd like to know how +you were brought up, if you +don't know that it's wrong to +mimic people to their faces. A +big girl like you, too. How old +are you, Carolyn?"</p> + +<p>Carolyn shrank, she hoped imperceptibly, +by an inch. "I'm +two—"</p> + +<p>An outburst of shrill laughter. +"She's two years old, she's +two years old!"</p> + +<p>"I was going to say, I'm +<span style="white-space: nowrap;"><em>to</em>welve</span>. Almost, anyway."</p> + +<p>"Eleven years old," said Miss +Burton. "Old enough to know +better."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, Miss Burton. And +honest, Miss Burton, I didn't +mean anything, but I'm studying +to be an actress, and I imitate +people, like the actors you +see on television—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Miss Burton, please don't +make her go home with a policeman. +If she's going to be an +actress, I'll bet she'd love to see +Curt George!"</p> + +<p>"Well, after the way she's behaved, +I don't know whether I +should let her. I really don't."</p> + +<p>"Please, Miss Burton, it was +an accident. I won't do it again."</p> + +<p>"All right, if you're good, and +cause no trouble. But we still +have plenty of time before seeing +Mr. George. It's only two now, +and we're not supposed to go to +the lecture hall until four."</p> + +<p>"Miss Burton," called Barbara +Willman, "do you think he'd give +us his autograph?"</p> + +<p>"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 kind of him +to offer to speak to us, especially +when so many grown-up people +are anxious to hear him, but +we mustn't take advantage of his +kindness."</p> + +<p>"But he likes children, Miss +Burton! My big sister read in a +movie magazine where it said +he's just crazy about them."</p> + +<p>"I know, but—he's not in good +health, children. They say he got +jungle fever in Africa, where he +was shooting all those lions, and +rhinoceroses, and elephants for +his new picture. That's why you +mustn't bother him too much."</p> + +<p>"But he looks so big and +strong, Miss Burton. It wouldn't +hurt him to sign an autograph!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, it would," asserted +one little girl. "He shakes. When +he has an attack of fever, his +hand shakes."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Africa is a dangerous +continent, and one never knows +how the dangers will strike one," +said Miss Burton complacently. +"So we must all remember how +bravely Mr. George is fighting +his misfortune, and do our best +not to tire him out."</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>In the bright light that flooded +the afternoon breakfast table, +Curt George's handsome, manly +face wore an expression of distress. +He groaned dismally, and +muttered, "What a head I've got, +what a head. How do you expect +me to face that gang of kids +without a drink to pick me up?"</p> + +<p>"You've had your drink," said +Carol. She was slim, attractive, +and efficient. 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 be +reasonably sober, for a change."</p> + +<p>"But those kids! They'll squeal +and giggle—"</p> + +<p>"They're about the only audience +in the world that won't +spot you as a drunk. God knows +where I could find any one else +who'd believe that your hand +shakes because of fever."</p> + +<p>"I know that you're looking +out for my best interests, Carol. +But one more drink wouldn't +hurt me."</p> + +<p>She said wearily, but firmly, "I +don't argue with drunks, Curt. I +just go ahead and protect them +from themselves. No drinks."</p> + +<p>"Afterwards?"</p> + +<p>"I can't watch you the way a +mother watches a child."</p> + +<p>The contemptuous reply sent +his mind off on a new tack. "You +could if we were married."</p> + +<p>"I've never believed in marrying +weak characters to reform +them."</p> + +<p>"But if I proved to you that I +could change—"</p> + +<p>"Prove it first, and I'll consider +your proposal afterwards."</p> + +<p>"You certainly are a cold-blooded +creature, Carol. But I +suppose that in your profession +you have to be."</p> + +<p>"Cold, suspicious, nasty—and +reliable. It's inevitable when I +must deal with such warm-hearted, +trusting, and unreliable +clients."</p> + +<p>He watched her move about +the room, clearing away the +dishes from his meager breakfast. +"What are you humming, +Carol?"</p> + +<p>"Was I humming?"</p> + +<p>"I thought I recognized it—<q>All +of Me, Why Not Take All of +Me</q>? That's it! Your subconscious +gives you away. You really +want to marry me!"</p> + +<p>"A mistake," she said coolly. +"My subconscious doesn't know +what it's talking about. All I +want of you is the usual ten per +cent."</p> + +<p>"Can't you forget for a moment +that you're an agent, and +remember that you're a woman, +too?"</p> + +<p>"No. Not unless you forget +that you're a drunk, and remember +that you're a man. Not unless +you make me forget that you +drank your way through +Africa—"</p> + +<p>"Because you weren't there +with me!"</p> + +<p>"—with hardly enough energy +to let them dress you in that +hunter's outfit and photograph +you as if you were shooting +lions."</p> + +<p>"You're so unforgiving, Carol. +You don't have much use for me, +do you—consciously, that is?"</p> + +<p>"Frankly, Curt, no. I don't +have much use for useless people."</p> + +<p>"I'm not entirely useless. I +earn you that ten per cent—"</p> + +<p>"I'd gladly forego that to see +you sober."</p> + +<p>"But it's your contempt for me +that drives me to drink. And +when I think of having to face +those dear little kiddies with +nothing inside me—"</p> + +<p>"There should be happiness inside +you at the thought of your +doing a good deed. Not a drop, +George, not a drop."</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>The two little girls drew apart +from the others and began to +whisper into each other's ears. +The whispers were punctuated +by giggles which made the entire +childish conversation seem quite +normal. But Palit was in no +laughing mood. He said, in his +own language, "You're getting +careless, Manto. You had no +business imitating her expression."</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, Palit, but it was +so suggestive. And I'm a very +suggestible person."</p> + +<p>"So am I. But I control myself."</p> + +<p>"Still, if the temptation were +great enough, I don't think you'd +be able to resist either."</p> + +<p>"The issues are important +enough to make me resist."</p> + +<p>"Still, I thought I saw your +own face taking on a bit of her +expression too."</p> + +<p>"You are imagining things, +Manto. Another thing, that mistake +in starting to say you were +two hundred years old—"</p> + +<p>"They would have thought it +a joke. And I think I got out of +that rather neatly."</p> + +<p>"You like to skate on thin ice, +don't you, Manto? Just as you +did when you changed your +height. You had no business +shrinking right out in public like +that."</p> + +<p>"I did it skillfully. Not a +single person noticed."</p> + +<p>"<em>I</em> noticed."</p> + +<p>"Don't quibble."</p> + +<p>"I don't intend to. Some of +these children have very sharp +eyes. You'd be surprised at what +they see."</p> + +<p>Manto said tolerantly, "You're +getting jittery, Palit. We've +been away from home too long."</p> + +<p>"I am not jittery in the least. +But I believe in taking due care."</p> + +<p>"What could possibly happen +to us? If we were to announce +to the children and the teacher, +and to every one in this zoo, for +that matter, exactly who and +what we were, they wouldn't believe +us. And even if they did, +they wouldn't be able to act rapidly +enough to harm us."</p> + +<p>"You never can tell about such +things. Wise—people—simply +don't take unnecessary chances."</p> + +<p>"I'll grant that you're my superior +in such wisdom."</p> + +<p>"You needn't be sarcastic, +Manto, I <em>know</em> I'm superior. <em>I</em> +realize what a godsend this +planet is—you don't. It has the +right gravity, a suitable atmosphere, +the proper chemical composition—everything."</p> + +<p>"Including a population that +will be helpless before us."</p> + +<p>"And you would take chances +of losing all this."</p> + +<p>"Don't be silly, Palit. What +chances am I taking?"</p> + +<p>"The chance of being discovered. +Here we stumble on this +place quite by accident. No one +at home knows about it, no one +so much as suspects that it exists. +We must get back and report—and +you do all sorts of silly +things which may reveal what +we are, and lead these people to +suspect their danger."</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>This time, Manto's giggle was +no longer mere camouflage, but +expressed to a certain degree +how he felt. "They cannot possibly +suspect. We have been all +over the world, we have taken +many forms and adapted ourselves +to many customs, and no +one has suspected. And even if +danger really threatened, it +would be easy to escape. I could +take the form of the school +teacher herself, of a policeman, +of any one in authority. However, +at present there is not the +slightest shadow of danger. So, +Palit, you had better stop being +fearful."</p> + +<p>Palit said firmly, "Be careful, +and I won't be fearful. That's all +there is to it."</p> + +<p>"I'll be careful. After all, I +shouldn't want us to lose these +children. They're so exactly the +kind we need. Look how inquiring +they are, how unafraid, how +quick to adapt to any circumstances—"</p> + +<p>Miss Burton's voice said, +"Good gracious, children, what +language <em>are</em> you using? Greek?"</p> + +<p>They had been speaking too +loud, they had been overheard. +Palit and Manto stared at each +other, and giggled coyly. Then, +after a second to think, Palit +said, "Onay, Issmay Urtonbay!"</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>Frances shrilled triumphantly, +"It isn't Greek, Miss Burton, it's +Latin—Pig-Latin. She said, +'No, Miss Burton.'"</p> + +<p>"Good heavens, what is Pig-Latin?"</p> + +<p>"It's a kind of way of talking +where you talk kind of backwards. +Like, you don't say, <em>Me</em>, +you say, <em>Emay</em>."</p> + +<p>"You don't say, <em>Yes</em>, you say +<em>Esyay</em>," added another little girl.</p> + +<p>"You don't say, <em>You</em>, you say, +<em>Ouyay</em>. You don't say—"</p> + +<p>"All right, all right, I get the +idea."</p> + +<p>"You don't say—"</p> + +<p>"That'll do," said Miss Burton +firmly. "Now, let's get along +to the lion house. And please, +children, do not make faces at +the lions. How would you like to +be in a cage and have people +make faces at you? Always remember +to be considerate to +others."</p> + +<p>"Even lions, Miss Burton?"</p> + +<p>"Even lions."</p> + +<p>"But Mr. George shot lots of +lions. Was he considerate of them +too?"</p> + +<p>"There is no time for silly +questions," said Miss Burton, +with the same firmness. "Come +along."</p> + +<p>They all trouped after her, +Palit and Manto bringing up the +rear. Manto giggled, and whispered +with amusement, "That +Pig-Latin business was quick +thinking, Palit. But in fact, quite +unnecessary. The things that you +do to avoid being suspected!"</p> + +<p>"It never hurts to take precautions. +And I think that now it is +time to leave."</p> + +<p>"No, not yet. You are always +anxious to learn details before +reporting. Why not learn a few +more details now?"</p> + +<p>"Because they are not necessary. +We already have a good +understanding of human customs +and psychology."</p> + +<p>"But not of the psychology of +children. And they, if you remember, +are the ones who will +have to adapt. We shall be asked +about them. It would be nice if +we could report that they are fit +for all-purpose service, on a wide +range of planets. Let us stay +awhile longer."</p> + +<p>"All right," conceded Palit, +grudgingly.</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>So they stayed, and out of +some twigs and leaves they +shaped the necessary coins with +which to buy peanuts, and popcorn, +and ice cream, and other +delicacies favored by the young. +Manto wanted to win easy popularity +by treating a few of the +other children, but Palit put his +girlish foot down. No use arousing +suspicion. Even as it was—</p> + +<p>"Gee, your father gives you an +awful lot of spending money," +said Frances enviously. "Is he +rich?"</p> + +<p>"We get as much as we want," +replied Manto carelessly.</p> + +<p>"Gosh, I wish I did."</p> + +<p>Miss Burton collected her +brood. "Come together, children, +I have something to say to you. +Soon it will be time to go in and +hear Mr. George. Now, if Mr. +George is so kind as to entertain +us, don't you think that it's only +proper for us to entertain him?"</p> + +<p>"We could put on our class +play!" yelled Barbara.</p> + +<p>"Barbara's a fine one to talk," +said Frances. "She doesn't even +remember her lines."</p> + +<p>"No, children, we mustn't do +anything we can't do well. That +wouldn't make a good impression. +And besides, there is no +time for a play. Perhaps Barbara +will sing—"</p> + +<p>"I can sing a 'Thank You' +song," interrupted Frances.</p> + +<p>"That would be nice."</p> + +<p>"I can recite," added another +little girl.</p> + +<p>"Fine. How about you, Carolyn? +You and your little friend, +Doris. Can she act too?"</p> + +<p>Carolyn giggled. "Oh, yes, she +can act very well. I can act like +people. She can act like animals." +The laughing, girlish eyes evaded +a dirty look from the little +friend. "She can act like <em>any</em> +kind of animal."</p> + +<p>"She's certainly a talented +child. But she seems so shy!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no," said Carolyn. "She +likes to be coaxed."</p> + +<p>"She shouldn't be like that. +Perhaps, Carolyn, you and Doris +can do something together. And +perhaps, too, Mr. George will be +pleased to see that your teacher +also has talent."</p> + +<p>"You, Miss Burton?"</p> + +<p>Miss Burton coughed modestly. +"Yes, children, I never told you, +but I was once ambitious to be +an actress too. I studied dramatics, +and really, I was quite +good at it. I was told that if I +persevered I might actually be +famous. Just think, your teacher +might actually have been a famous +actress! However, in my +day, there were many coarse people +on the stage, and the life of +the theater was not attractive—but +perhaps we'd better not +speak of that. At any rate, I +know the principles of the dramatic +art very well."</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>"God knows what I'll have to +go through," said Curt. "And I +don't see how I can take it +sober."</p> + +<p>"I don't see how they can take +you drunk," replied Carol.</p> + +<p>"Why go through with it at +all? Why not call the whole thing +quits?"</p> + +<p>"Because people are depending +on you. You always want to call +quits whenever you run into +something you don't like. You +may as well call quits to your +contract if that's the way you +feel."</p> + +<p>"And to your ten per cent, +darling."</p> + +<p>"You think I'd mind that. I +work for my ten per cent, Curt, +sweetheart. I work too damn +hard for that ten per cent."</p> + +<p>"You can marry me and take +it easy. Honest, Carol, if you +treated me better, if you showed +me I meant something to you, +I'd give up drinking."</p> + +<p>She made a face. "Don't talk +nonsense. Take your outfit, and +let's get ready to go. Unless you +want to change here, and walk +around dressed as a lion hunter."</p> + +<p>"Why not? I've walked around +dressed as worse. A drunk."</p> + +<p>"Drunks don't attract attention. +They're too ordinary."</p> + +<p>"But a drunken lion hunter—that's +something special." He +went into the next room and began +to change. "Carol," he +called. "Do you like me?"</p> + +<p>"At times."</p> + +<p>"Would you say that you liked +me very much?"</p> + +<p>"When you're sober. Rarely."</p> + +<p>"Love me?"</p> + +<p>"Once in a blue moon."</p> + +<p>"What would I have to do for +you to want to marry me?"</p> + +<p>"Amount to something."</p> + +<p>"I like that. Don't you think I +amount to something now? +Women swoon at the sight of my +face on the screen, and come to +life again at the sound of my +voice."</p> + +<p>"The women who swoon at you +will swoon at anybody. Besides, +I don't consider that making nitwits +swoon is a useful occupation +for a real man."</p> + +<p>"How can I be useful, Carol? +No one ever taught me how."</p> + +<p>"Some people manage without +being taught."</p> + +<p>"I suppose I could think how +if I had a drink inside me."</p> + +<p>"Then you'll have to do without +thinking."</p> + +<p>He came into the room again, +powerful, manly, determined-looking. +There was an expression +in his eye which indicated +courage without end, a courage +that would enable him to brave +the wrath of man, beast, or devil.</p> + +<p>"How do I look?"</p> + +<p>"Your noble self, of course. A +poor woman's edition of Rudolph +Valentino."</p> + +<p>"I feel terrified. I don't know +how I'm going to face those kids. +If they were boys it wouldn't be +so bad, but a bunch of little +girls!"</p> + +<p>"They'll grow up to be your +fans, if you're still alive five +years from now. Meanwhile, into +each life some rain must fall."</p> + +<p>"You would talk of water, +when you know how I feel."</p> + +<p>"Sorry. Come on, let's go."</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>The lecture hall resounded +with giggles. And beneath the +giggles was a steady undercurrent +of whispers, of girlish confidences +exchanged, of girlish +hopes that would now be fulfilled. +Miss Burton's class was +not the only one which had come +to hear the famous actor-hunter +describe his brave exploits. There +were at least five others like it, +and by some mistake, a class of +boys, who also whispered to each +other, in manly superiority, and +pretended to find amusement in +the presence of so many of the +fairer sex.</p> + +<p>In this atmosphere of giggles +and whispers, Manto and Palit +could exchange confidences without +being noticed. Palit said savagely, +"Why did you tell her that +I could act too?"</p> + +<p>"Why, because it's the truth. +You're a very good animal performer. +You make a wonderful +dragon, for instance. Go on, +Palit, show her what a fine +dragon you can—"</p> + +<p>"Stop it, you fool, before you +cause trouble!"</p> + +<p>"Very well, Palit. Did I tempt +you?"</p> + +<p>"Did you tempt me! You and +your sense of humor!"</p> + +<p>"You and your lack of it! But +let's not argue now, Palit. Here, +I think, comes the lion-hunter. +Let's scream, and be as properly +excited as every one else is."</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>My God, he thought, how can +they keep their voices so high +so long? My eardrums hurt already. +How do they stand a lifetime +of it? Even an hour?</p> + +<p>"Go ahead," whispered Carol. +"You've seen the script—go into +your act. Tell them what a hero +you are. You have the odds in +your favor to start with."</p> + +<p>"My lovely looks," he said, +with some bitterness.</p> + +<p>"Lovely is the word for you. +But forget that. If you're good—you'll +get a drink afterwards."</p> + +<p>"Will it be one of those occasions +when you love me?"</p> + +<p>"If the moon turns blue."</p> + +<p>He strode to the front of the +platform, an elephant gun swinging +easily at his side, an easy +grin radiating from his confident, +rugged face. The cheers +rose to a shrill fortissimo, but +the grin did not vanish. What a +great actor he really was, he told +himself, to be able to pretend he +liked this.</p> + +<p>An assistant curator of some +collection in the zoo, a flustered +old woman, was introducing him. +There were a few laudatory references +to his great talents as an +actor, and he managed to look +properly modest as he listened. +The remarks about his knowledge +of wild and ferocious beasts +were a little harder to take, but +he took them. Then the old +woman stepped back, and he was +facing his fate alone.</p> + +<p>"Children," he began. A pause, +a bashful grin. "Perhaps I +should rather say, my friends. +I'm not one to think of you as +children. Some people think of +me as a child myself, because I +like to hunt, and have adventures. +They think that such +things are childish. But if they +are, I'm glad to be a child. I'm +glad to be one of you. Yes, I +think I <em>will</em> call you my friends.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you regard me, my +friends, as a very lucky person. +But when I recall some of the +narrow escapes I have had, I +don't agree with you. I remember +once, when we were on the +trail of a rogue elephant—"</p> + +<p>He told the story of the rogue +elephant, modestly granting a co-hero's +role to his guide. Then +another story illustrating the +strange ways of lions. The elephant +gun figured in still another +tale, this time of a vicious +rhinoceros. His audience was +quiet now, breathless with interest, +and he welcomed the respite +from shrillness he had won +for his ears.</p> + +<p>"And now, my friends, it is +time to say farewell." He actually +looked sad and regretful. +"But it is my hope that I shall +be able to see you again—"</p> + +<p>Screams of exultation, shrill +as ever, small hands beating +enthusiastically to indicate joy. +Thank God that's over with, he +thought. Now for those drinks—and +he didn't mean drink, +singular. Talk of being useful, +he'd certainly been useful now. +He'd made those kids happy. +What more can any reasonable +person want?</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>But it wasn't over with. Another +old lady had stepped up on +the platform.</p> + +<p>"Mr. George," she said, in a +strangely affected voice, like that +of the first dramatic teacher he +had ever had, the one who had +almost ruined his acting career. +"Mr. George, I can't tell you +how happy you have made us all, +young and old. Hasn't Mr. +George made us happy, children?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Miss Burton!" came the +shrill scream.</p> + +<p>"And we feel that it would be +no more than fair to repay you +in some small measure for the +pleasure you have given us. +First, a 'Thank You' song by +Frances Heller—"</p> + +<p>He hadn't expected this, and +he repressed a groan. Mercifully, +the first song was short. +He grinned the thanks he didn't +feel. To think that he could take +this, while sober as a judge! +What strength of character, +what will-power!</p> + +<p>Next, Miss Burton introduced +another kid, who recited. And +then, Miss Burton stood upright +and recited herself.</p> + +<p>That was the worst of all. He +winced once, then bore up. You +can get used even to torture, he +told himself. An adult making a +fool of herself is always more +painful than a kid. And that +affected elocutionist's voice gave +him the horrors. But he thanked +her too. His good deed for the +day. Maybe Carol would have +him now, he thought.</p> + +<p>A voice shrilled, "Miss Burton?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear?"</p> + +<p>"Aren't you going to call on +Carolyn to act?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I was forgetting. +Come up here, Carolyn, come up, +Doris. Carolyn and Doris, Mr. +George, are studying how to act. +They act people <em>and</em> animals. +Who knows? Some day they, too, +may be in the movies, just as you +are, Mr. George. Wouldn't that +be nice, children?"</p> + +<p>What the devil do you do in a +case like that? You grin, of +course—but what do you say, +without handing over your soul +to the devil? Agree how nice it +would be to have those sly little +brats with faces magnified on +every screen all over the country? +Like hell you do.</p> + +<p>"Now, what are we going to +act, children?"</p> + +<p>"Please, Miss Burton," said +Doris. "I don't know how to act. +I can't even imitate a puppy. +Really I can't, Miss Burton—"</p> + +<p>"Come, come, mustn't be shy. +Your friend says that you act +very nicely indeed. Can't want to +go on the stage and still be shy. +Now, do you know any movie +scenes? Shirley Temple used to +be a good little actress, I remember. +Can you do any scenes that +she does?"</p> + +<hr/> +<div class="spacing"></div> + +<p>The silence was getting to be +embarrassing. And Carol said he +didn't amount to anything, he +never did anything useful. Why, +if thanks to his being here this +afternoon, those kids lost the +ambition to go on the stage, the +whole human race would have +cause to be grateful to him. To +him, and to Miss Burton. She'd +kill ambition in anybody.</p> + +<p>Miss Burton had an idea. "I +know what to do, children. If +you can act animals—Mr. George +has shown you what the hunter +does; you show him what the +lions do. Yes, Carolyn and Doris, +you're going to be lions. You are +waiting in your lairs, ready to +pounce on the unwary hunter. +Crouch now, behind that chair. +Closer and closer he comes—you +act it out, Mr. George, please, +that's the way—ever closer, and +now your muscles tighten for +the spring, and you open +your great, wide, red mouths +in a great, great big roar—"</p> + +<p>A deep and tremendous roar, +as of thunder, crashed through +the auditorium. A roar—and +then, from the audience, an outburst +of terrified screaming such +as he had never heard. The +bristles rose at the back of his +neck, and his heart froze.</p> + +<p>Facing him across the platform +were two lions, tensed as +if to leap. Where they had come +from he didn't know, but there +they were, eyes glaring, manes +ruffled, more terrifying than any +he had seen in Africa. There +they were, with the threat of +death and destruction in their +fierce eyes, and here he was, +terror and helplessness on his +handsome, manly, and bloodless +face, heart unfrozen now and +pounding fiercely, knees melting, +hands—</p> + +<p>Hands clutching an elephant +gun. The thought was like a director's +command. With calm efficiency, +with all the precision of +an actor playing a scene rehearsed +a thousand times, the +gun leaped to his shoulder, and +now its own roar thundered out +a challenge to the roaring of the +wild beasts, shouted at them in +its own accents of barking +thunder.</p> + +<p>The shrill screaming continued +long after the echoes of the gun's +speech had died away. Across +the platform from him were two +great bodies, the bodies of lions, +and yet curiously unlike the +beasts in some ways, now that +they were dead and dissolving as +if corroded by some invisible +acid.</p> + +<p>Carol's hand was on his arm, +Carol's thin and breathless voice +shook as she said, "A drink—all +the drinks you want."</p> + +<p>"One will do. And you."</p> + +<p>"And me. I guess you're kind +of—kind of useful after all."</p> + +<p class="tnote"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b><br/><br/> +This e-text was produced from <cite>Space Science Fiction</cite> February 1953. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright +on this publication was renewed. +</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Hunters, by William Morrison + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HUNTERS *** + +***** This file should be named 22524-h.htm or 22524-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/2/22524/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Jana Srna and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Hunters + +Author: William Morrison + +Illustrator: Van Dongen + +Release Date: September 6, 2007 [EBook #22524] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HUNTERS *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Jana Srna and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://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 ranging +apparently from nine to eleven, all of them chirping away like a flock +of 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't +keep my eye on you if you get too far away from me. You, Hilda, give me +that water pistol. No, don't fill it up first at that fountain. And +Frances, stop bouncing your ball. You'll lose it through the bars, and a +polar bear may get it and not want to give it back." + +Frances giggled. "Oh, Miss Burton, do you think the polar bear would +want to play catch?" + +The two men who were looking on wore pleased smiles. "Charming," said +Manto. "But somewhat unpredictable, despite all our experiences, _muy +amigo_." + +[Illustration] + +"No attempts at Spanish, Manto, not here. It calls attention to us. And +you are not sure of the grammar anyway. You may find yourself saying +things you do not intend." + +"Sorry, Palit. It wasn't an attempt to show my skill, I assure you. It's +that by now I have a tendency to confuse one language with another." + +"I know. You were never a linguist. But about these interesting +creatures--" + +"I suggest that they could stand investigation. It would be good to know +how 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 whose +long, drooping, leaf-covered branches formed a convenient screen. For a +moment, the tree hid silence. Then there came from beneath the branches +the chatter of girlish voices, and two little girls skipped merrily +away. Miss Burton did not at first notice that now she had an additional +two children in her charge. + +"Do you think you will be able to keep your English straight?" asked one +of the new little girls. + +The other one smiled with amusement and at first did not answer. Then +she began to skip around her companion and chant, "I know a secret, I +know 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 were +left behind. At times the children scattered, but Miss Burton knew how +to get them together again, and not one was lost. + +"Here, children, is the building where the kangaroos live. Who knows +where 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 a +pair of glittering eyes that stared like a pair of critics from a small +heart-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 of +times," 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 our +class! She got lost from her own class!" + + * * * * * + +"Really?" Miss Burton seemed rather pleased at the idea that some other +teacher had been so careless as to lose one of her charges. "What's your +name, child?" + +"I'm Carolyn." + +"Carolyn what?" + +"Carolyn Manto. Please, Miss Burton, I had to go to the bathroom, and +then 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_?" Miss +Burton asked. + +"I'm Doris Palit. I went with Carolyn to the bathroom--" + + * * * * * + +Miss Burton made a sound of annoyance. Imagine losing _two_ children and +not 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--" She +interrupted 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 resemblance +to Miss Burton's. "I'm sorry, Miss Burton, I didn't really mean to do +anything wrong." + +"Well, I'd like to know how you were brought up, if you don't know that +it's wrong to mimic people to their faces. A big girl like you, too. How +old 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 years +old!" + +"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 mean +anything, but I'm studying to be an actress, and I imitate people, like +the actors you see on television--" + +"Oh, Miss Burton, please don't make her go home with a policeman. If +she'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 let +her. 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 have +plenty of time before seeing Mr. George. It's only two now, and we're +not supposed to go to the lecture hall until four." + +"Miss Burton," called Barbara Willman, "do you think he'd give us his +autograph?" + +"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 kind +of him to offer to speak to us, especially when so many grown-up people +are 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 movie +magazine where it said he's just crazy about them." + +"I know, but--he's not in good health, children. They say he got jungle +fever in Africa, where he was shooting all those lions, and +rhinoceroses, and elephants for his new picture. That's why you mustn't +bother him too much." + +"But he looks so big and strong, Miss Burton. It wouldn't hurt him to +sign an autograph!" + +"Oh, yes, it would," asserted one little girl. "He shakes. When he has +an attack of fever, his hand shakes." + +"Yes, Africa is a dangerous continent, and one never knows how the +dangers will strike one," said Miss Burton complacently. "So we must all +remember how bravely Mr. George is fighting his misfortune, and do our +best not to tire him out." + + * * * * * + +In the bright light that flooded the afternoon breakfast table, Curt +George's handsome, manly face wore an expression of distress. He groaned +dismally, and muttered, "What a head I've got, what a head. How do you +expect 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, and +efficient. 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 be reasonably sober, for a change." + +"But those kids! They'll squeal and giggle--" + +"They're about the only audience in the world that won't spot you as a +drunk. God knows where I could find any one else who'd believe that your +hand shakes because of fever." + +"I know that you're looking out for my best interests, Carol. But one +more drink wouldn't hurt me." + +She said wearily, but firmly, "I don't argue with drunks, Curt. I just +go ahead and protect them from themselves. No drinks." + +"Afterwards?" + +"I can't watch you the way a mother watches a child." + +The contemptuous reply sent his mind off on a new tack. "You could if we +were married." + +"I've never believed in marrying weak characters to reform them." + +"But if I proved to you that I could change--" + +"Prove it first, and I'll consider your proposal afterwards." + +"You certainly are a cold-blooded creature, Carol. But I suppose that in +your profession you have to be." + +"Cold, suspicious, nasty--and reliable. It's inevitable when I must deal +with such warm-hearted, trusting, and unreliable clients." + +He watched her move about the room, clearing away the dishes from his +meager breakfast. "What are you humming, Carol?" + +"Was I humming?" + +"I thought I recognized it--_All of Me, Why Not Take All of Me_? That's +it! Your subconscious gives you away. You really want to marry me!" + +"A mistake," she said coolly. "My subconscious doesn't know what it's +talking about. All I want of you is the usual ten per cent." + +"Can't you forget for a moment that you're an agent, and remember that +you're a woman, too?" + +"No. Not unless you forget that you're a drunk, and remember that you're +a man. Not unless you make me forget that you drank your way through +Africa--" + +"Because you weren't there with me!" + +"--with hardly enough energy to let them dress you in that hunter's +outfit and photograph you as if you were shooting lions." + +"You're so unforgiving, Carol. You don't have much use for me, do +you--consciously, that is?" + +"Frankly, Curt, no. I don't have much use for useless people." + +"I'm not entirely useless. I earn you that ten per cent--" + +"I'd gladly forego that to see you sober." + +"But it's your contempt for me that drives me to drink. And when I think +of having to face those dear little kiddies with nothing inside me--" + +"There should be happiness inside you at the thought of your doing a +good deed. Not a drop, George, not a drop." + + * * * * * + +The two little girls drew apart from the others and began to whisper +into each other's ears. The whispers were punctuated by giggles which +made the entire childish conversation seem quite normal. But Palit was +in no laughing mood. He said, in his own language, "You're getting +careless, Manto. You had no business imitating her expression." + +"I'm sorry, Palit, but it was so suggestive. And I'm a very suggestible +person." + +"So am I. But I control myself." + +"Still, if the temptation were great enough, I don't think you'd be able +to resist either." + +"The issues are important enough to make me resist." + +"Still, I thought I saw your own face taking on a bit of her expression +too." + +"You are imagining things, Manto. Another thing, that mistake in +starting to say you were two hundred years old--" + +"They would have thought it a joke. And I think I got out of that rather +neatly." + +"You like to skate on thin ice, don't you, Manto? Just as you did when +you changed your height. You had no business shrinking right out in +public like that." + +"I did it skillfully. Not a single person noticed." + +"_I_ noticed." + +"Don't quibble." + +"I don't intend to. Some of these children have very sharp eyes. You'd +be surprised at what they see." + +Manto said tolerantly, "You're getting jittery, Palit. We've been away +from home too long." + +"I am not jittery in the least. But I believe in taking due care." + +"What could possibly happen to us? If we were to announce to the +children and the teacher, and to every one in this zoo, for that matter, +exactly who and what we were, they wouldn't believe us. And even if they +did, they wouldn't be able to act rapidly enough to harm us." + +"You never can tell about such things. Wise--people--simply don't take +unnecessary chances." + +"I'll grant that you're my superior in such wisdom." + +"You needn't be sarcastic, Manto, I _know_ I'm superior. _I_ realize +what a godsend this planet is--you don't. It has the right gravity, a +suitable atmosphere, the proper chemical composition--everything." + +"Including a population that will be helpless before us." + +"And you would take chances of losing all this." + +"Don't be silly, Palit. What chances am I taking?" + +"The chance of being discovered. Here we stumble on this place quite by +accident. No one at home knows about it, no one so much as suspects that +it exists. We must get back and report--and you do all sorts of silly +things which may reveal what we are, and lead these people to suspect +their danger." + + * * * * * + +This time, Manto's giggle was no longer mere camouflage, but expressed +to a certain degree how he felt. "They cannot possibly suspect. We have +been all over the world, we have taken many forms and adapted ourselves +to many customs, and no one has suspected. And even if danger really +threatened, it would be easy to escape. I could take the form of the +school teacher herself, of a policeman, of any one in authority. +However, at present there is not the slightest shadow of danger. So, +Palit, you had better stop being fearful." + +Palit said firmly, "Be careful, and I won't be fearful. That's all there +is to it." + +"I'll be careful. After all, I shouldn't want us to lose these children. +They're so exactly the kind we need. Look how inquiring they are, how +unafraid, how quick to adapt to any circumstances--" + +Miss Burton's voice said, "Good gracious, children, what language _are_ +you using? Greek?" + +They had been speaking too loud, they had been overheard. Palit and +Manto stared at each other, and giggled coyly. Then, after a second to +think, Palit said, "Onay, Issmay Urtonbay!" + +"What?" + +Frances shrilled triumphantly, "It isn't Greek, Miss Burton, it's +Latin--Pig-Latin. She said, 'No, Miss Burton.'" + +"Good heavens, what is Pig-Latin?" + +"It's a kind of way of talking where you talk kind of backwards. Like, +you don't say, _Me_, you say, _Emay_." + +"You don't say, _Yes_, you say _Esyay_," added another little girl. + +"You don't say, _You_, you say, _Ouyay_. You don't say--" + +"All right, all right, I get the idea." + +"You don't say--" + +"That'll do," said Miss Burton firmly. "Now, let's get along to the lion +house. And please, children, do not make faces at the lions. How would +you like to be in a cage and have people make faces at you? Always +remember to be considerate to others." + +"Even lions, Miss Burton?" + +"Even lions." + +"But Mr. George shot lots of lions. Was he considerate of them too?" + +"There is no time for silly questions," said Miss Burton, with the same +firmness. "Come along." + +They all trouped after her, Palit and Manto bringing up the rear. Manto +giggled, and whispered with amusement, "That Pig-Latin business was +quick thinking, Palit. But in fact, quite unnecessary. The things that +you do to avoid being suspected!" + +"It never hurts to take precautions. And I think that now it is time to +leave." + +"No, not yet. You are always anxious to learn details before reporting. +Why not learn a few more details now?" + +"Because they are not necessary. We already have a good understanding of +human customs and psychology." + +"But not of the psychology of children. And they, if you remember, are +the ones who will have to adapt. We shall be asked about them. It would +be nice if we could report that they are fit for all-purpose service, on +a wide range of planets. Let us stay awhile longer." + +"All right," conceded Palit, grudgingly. + + * * * * * + +So they stayed, and out of some twigs and leaves they shaped the +necessary coins with which to buy peanuts, and popcorn, and ice cream, +and other delicacies favored by the young. Manto wanted to win easy +popularity by treating a few of the other children, but Palit put his +girlish foot down. No use arousing suspicion. Even as it was-- + +"Gee, your father gives you an awful lot of spending money," said +Frances enviously. "Is he rich?" + +"We get as much as we want," replied Manto carelessly. + +"Gosh, I wish I did." + +Miss Burton collected her brood. "Come together, children, I have +something to say to you. Soon it will be time to go in and hear Mr. +George. Now, if Mr. George is so kind as to entertain us, don't you +think that it's only proper for us to entertain him?" + +"We could put on our class play!" yelled Barbara. + +"Barbara's a fine one to talk," said Frances. "She doesn't even remember +her lines." + +"No, children, we mustn't do anything we can't do well. That wouldn't +make a good impression. And besides, there is no time for a play. +Perhaps Barbara will sing--" + +"I can sing a 'Thank You' song," interrupted Frances. + +"That would be nice." + +"I can recite," added another little girl. + +"Fine. How about you, Carolyn? You and your little friend, Doris. Can +she act too?" + +Carolyn giggled. "Oh, yes, she can act very well. I can act like people. +She can act like animals." The laughing, girlish eyes evaded a dirty +look from the little friend. "She can act like _any_ kind of animal." + +"She's certainly a talented child. But she seems so shy!" + +"Oh, no," said Carolyn. "She likes to be coaxed." + +"She shouldn't be like that. Perhaps, Carolyn, you and Doris can do +something together. And perhaps, too, Mr. George will be pleased to see +that your teacher also has talent." + +"You, Miss Burton?" + +Miss Burton coughed modestly. "Yes, children, I never told you, but I +was once ambitious to be an actress too. I studied dramatics, and +really, I was quite good at it. I was told that if I persevered I might +actually be famous. Just think, your teacher might actually have been a +famous actress! However, in my day, there were many coarse people on the +stage, and the life of the theater was not attractive--but perhaps we'd +better not speak of that. At any rate, I know the principles of the +dramatic art very well." + + * * * * * + +"God knows what I'll have to go through," said Curt. "And I don't see +how I can take it sober." + +"I don't see how they can take you drunk," replied Carol. + +"Why go through with it at all? Why not call the whole thing quits?" + +"Because people are depending on you. You always want to call quits +whenever you run into something you don't like. You may as well call +quits to your contract if that's the way you feel." + +"And to your ten per cent, darling." + +"You think I'd mind that. I work for my ten per cent, Curt, sweetheart. +I work too damn hard for that ten per cent." + +"You can marry me and take it easy. Honest, Carol, if you treated me +better, if you showed me I meant something to you, I'd give up +drinking." + +She made a face. "Don't talk nonsense. Take your outfit, and let's get +ready to go. Unless you want to change here, and walk around dressed as +a lion hunter." + +"Why not? I've walked around dressed as worse. A drunk." + +"Drunks don't attract attention. They're too ordinary." + +"But a drunken lion hunter--that's something special." He went into the +next room and began to change. "Carol," he called. "Do you like me?" + +"At times." + +"Would you say that you liked me very much?" + +"When you're sober. Rarely." + +"Love me?" + +"Once in a blue moon." + +"What would I have to do for you to want to marry me?" + +"Amount to something." + +"I like that. Don't you think I amount to something now? Women swoon at +the sight of my face on the screen, and come to life again at the sound +of my voice." + +"The women who swoon at you will swoon at anybody. Besides, I don't +consider that making nitwits swoon is a useful occupation for a real +man." + +"How can I be useful, Carol? No one ever taught me how." + +"Some people manage without being taught." + +"I suppose I could think how if I had a drink inside me." + +"Then you'll have to do without thinking." + +He came into the room again, powerful, manly, determined-looking. There +was an expression in his eye which indicated courage without end, a +courage that would enable him to brave the wrath of man, beast, or +devil. + +"How do I look?" + +"Your noble self, of course. A poor woman's edition of Rudolph +Valentino." + +"I feel terrified. I don't know how I'm going to face those kids. If +they were boys it wouldn't be so bad, but a bunch of little girls!" + +"They'll grow up to be your fans, if you're still alive five years from +now. Meanwhile, into each life some rain must fall." + +"You would talk of water, when you know how I feel." + +"Sorry. Come on, let's go." + + * * * * * + +The lecture hall resounded with giggles. And beneath the giggles was a +steady undercurrent of whispers, of girlish confidences exchanged, of +girlish hopes that would now be fulfilled. Miss Burton's class was not +the only one which had come to hear the famous actor-hunter describe his +brave exploits. There were at least five others like it, and by some +mistake, a class of boys, who also whispered to each other, in manly +superiority, and pretended to find amusement in the presence of so many +of the fairer sex. + +In this atmosphere of giggles and whispers, Manto and Palit could +exchange confidences without being noticed. Palit said savagely, "Why +did you tell her that I could act too?" + +"Why, because it's the truth. You're a very good animal performer. You +make a wonderful dragon, for instance. Go on, Palit, show her what a +fine dragon you can--" + +"Stop it, you fool, before you cause trouble!" + +"Very well, Palit. Did I tempt you?" + +"Did you tempt me! You and your sense of humor!" + +"You and your lack of it! But let's not argue now, Palit. Here, I think, +comes the lion-hunter. Let's scream, and be as properly excited as every +one else is." + + * * * * * + +My God, he thought, how can they keep their voices so high so long? My +eardrums hurt already. How do they stand a lifetime of it? Even an hour? + +"Go ahead," whispered Carol. "You've seen the script--go into your act. +Tell them what a hero you are. You have the odds in your favor to start +with." + +"My lovely looks," he said, with some bitterness. + +"Lovely is the word for you. But forget that. If you're good--you'll get +a drink afterwards." + +"Will it be one of those occasions when you love me?" + +"If the moon turns blue." + +He strode to the front of the platform, an elephant gun swinging easily +at his side, an easy grin radiating from his confident, rugged face. The +cheers rose to a shrill fortissimo, but the grin did not vanish. What a +great actor he really was, he told himself, to be able to pretend he +liked this. + +An assistant curator of some collection in the zoo, a flustered old +woman, was introducing him. There were a few laudatory references to his +great talents as an actor, and he managed to look properly modest as he +listened. The remarks about his knowledge of wild and ferocious beasts +were a little harder to take, but he took them. Then the old woman +stepped back, and he was facing his fate alone. + +"Children," he began. A pause, a bashful grin. "Perhaps I should rather +say, my friends. I'm not one to think of you as children. Some people +think of me as a child myself, because I like to hunt, and have +adventures. They think that such things are childish. But if they are, +I'm glad to be a child. I'm glad to be one of you. Yes, I think I _will_ +call you my friends. + +"Perhaps you regard me, my friends, as a very lucky person. But when I +recall some of the narrow escapes I have had, I don't agree with you. I +remember once, when we were on the trail of a rogue elephant--" + +He told the story of the rogue elephant, modestly granting a co-hero's +role to his guide. Then another story illustrating the strange ways of +lions. The elephant gun figured in still another tale, this time of a +vicious rhinoceros. His audience was quiet now, breathless with +interest, and he welcomed the respite from shrillness he had won for his +ears. + +"And now, my friends, it is time to say farewell." He actually looked +sad and regretful. "But it is my hope that I shall be able to see you +again--" + +Screams of exultation, shrill as ever, small hands beating +enthusiastically to indicate joy. Thank God that's over with, he +thought. Now for those drinks--and he didn't mean drink, singular. Talk +of being useful, he'd certainly been useful now. He'd made those kids +happy. What more can any reasonable person want? + + * * * * * + +But it wasn't over with. Another old lady had stepped up on the +platform. + +"Mr. George," she said, in a strangely affected voice, like that of the +first dramatic teacher he had ever had, the one who had almost ruined +his acting career. "Mr. George, I can't tell you how happy you have made +us all, young and old. Hasn't Mr. George made us happy, children?" + +"Yes, Miss Burton!" came the shrill scream. + +"And we feel that it would be no more than fair to repay you in some +small measure for the pleasure you have given us. First, a 'Thank You' +song by Frances Heller--" + +He hadn't expected this, and he repressed a groan. Mercifully, the first +song was short. He grinned the thanks he didn't feel. To think that he +could take this, while sober as a judge! What strength of character, +what will-power! + +Next, Miss Burton introduced another kid, who recited. And then, Miss +Burton stood upright and recited herself. + +That was the worst of all. He winced once, then bore up. You can get +used even to torture, he told himself. An adult making a fool of herself +is always more painful than a kid. And that affected elocutionist's +voice gave him the horrors. But he thanked her too. His good deed for +the day. Maybe Carol would have him now, he thought. + +A voice shrilled, "Miss Burton?" + +"Yes, dear?" + +"Aren't you going to call on Carolyn to act?" + +"Oh, yes, I was forgetting. Come up here, Carolyn, come up, Doris. +Carolyn and Doris, Mr. George, are studying how to act. They act people +_and_ animals. Who knows? Some day they, too, may be in the movies, just +as you are, Mr. George. Wouldn't that be nice, children?" + +What the devil do you do in a case like that? You grin, of course--but +what do you say, without handing over your soul to the devil? Agree how +nice it would be to have those sly little brats with faces magnified on +every screen all over the country? Like hell you do. + +"Now, what are we going to act, children?" + +"Please, Miss Burton," said Doris. "I don't know how to act. I can't +even imitate a puppy. Really I can't, Miss Burton--" + +"Come, come, mustn't be shy. Your friend says that you act very nicely +indeed. Can't want to go on the stage and still be shy. Now, do you know +any movie scenes? Shirley Temple used to be a good little actress, I +remember. Can you do any scenes that she does?" + + * * * * * + +The silence was getting to be embarrassing. And Carol said he didn't +amount to anything, he never did anything useful. Why, if thanks to his +being here this afternoon, those kids lost the ambition to go on the +stage, the whole human race would have cause to be grateful to him. To +him, and to Miss Burton. She'd kill ambition in anybody. + +Miss Burton had an idea. "I know what to do, children. If you can act +animals--Mr. George has shown you what the hunter does; you show him +what the lions do. Yes, Carolyn and Doris, you're going to be lions. You +are waiting in your lairs, ready to pounce on the unwary hunter. Crouch +now, behind that chair. Closer and closer he comes--you act it out, Mr. +George, please, that's the way--ever closer, and now your muscles +tighten for the spring, and you open your great, wide, red mouths in a +great, great big roar--" + +A deep and tremendous roar, as of thunder, crashed through the +auditorium. A roar--and then, from the audience, an outburst of +terrified screaming such as he had never heard. The bristles rose at the +back of his neck, and his heart froze. + +Facing him across the platform were two lions, tensed as if to leap. +Where they had come from he didn't know, but there they were, eyes +glaring, manes ruffled, more terrifying than any he had seen in Africa. +There they were, with the threat of death and destruction in their +fierce eyes, and here he was, terror and helplessness on his handsome, +manly, and bloodless face, heart unfrozen now and pounding fiercely, +knees melting, hands-- + +Hands clutching an elephant gun. The thought was like a director's +command. With calm efficiency, with all the precision of an actor +playing a scene rehearsed a thousand times, the gun leaped to his +shoulder, and now its own roar thundered out a challenge to the roaring +of the wild beasts, shouted at them in its own accents of barking +thunder. + +The shrill screaming continued long after the echoes of the gun's speech +had died away. Across the platform from him were two great bodies, the +bodies of lions, and yet curiously unlike the beasts in some ways, now +that they were dead and dissolving as if corroded by some invisible +acid. + +Carol's hand was on his arm, Carol's thin and breathless voice shook as +she said, "A drink--all the drinks you want." + +"One will do. And you." + +"And me. I guess you're kind of--kind of useful after all." + + +[Transcriber's Note: + +This e-text was produced from Space Science Fiction February 1953. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright +on this publication was renewed.] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Hunters, by William Morrison + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HUNTERS *** + +***** This file should be named 22524.txt or 22524.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/5/2/22524/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Jana Srna and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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