Fearless Master of the Jungle (A Bunduki Jungle Adventure by J.T. Edson Page A

companion’s
wife. ‘Even the men we helped aren’t going to overlook what I
did.’
    ‘ You’ve had the most to do with them, Dawn,’ Joar-Fane
declared, appreciating why the blond giant was so perturbed and
determined to prevent fears for her welfare interfering with her
friends’ plans to capture the quaggas. ‘How much danger is there
from them?’
    ‘ They
won’t be after us yet,’ the Earth girl answered. ‘From what you
said, Bunduki, Charole and Dryaka must have been killed by the
“Terrifier” Beryl threw after them when they fell from the balcony.
It will be some time before anybody else can gain sufficient
ascendancy to become the High Priest and Protectress.’
    ‘ What
if they weren’t killed?’ At-Vee asked.
    ‘ In
that case, having failed to sacrifice me as they promised,’ Dawn
replied, ‘they will be too busy trying to save their own skins to
start hunting for us.’
    ‘ All
right then,’ Joar-Fane said, placing her hands on her hips and
eyeing the men defiantly. ‘There’s nothing to prevent us from
staying here for a few days if necessary. Even if any of them do
come after us, we’ll be able to see them long before they get here.
Once we’re in the jungle, we should be able to cause them so much
trouble that they’ll turn back.’
    Looking at the Telonga girl, Bunduki
was amused and delighted by her attitude. At their first meeting,
he had thought of her as having no interest other than that of
making love at every opportunity and, to a certain degree, that had
been true. However, later events had shown that she possessed
intelligence, courage and fortitude. What was more, her association
with Dawn had fostered a sturdy independence of will which the
nature of her pacific nation had previously kept dormant. Prior to
coming into contact with the Earth girl, she would never have
thought of stating her opinion in such a forthright
manner.
    No more than five foot three
inches in height, Joar-Fane had an exceptionally well-developed and
curvaceous figure which enhanced her pert, very attractive brown
Polynesian features. Having anticipated the rigors of the quest
upon which she and her husband were embarking, she had made changes
to her appearance. She had cut her long black hair until it was
more manageable. Instead of the usual feminine attire of her
nation—a brief halter made from some kind of animal’s skin and a
grass skirt—she now wore a dress made from the hide of a
bongo xxvii which she had copied from
Dawn’s garment. A knife hung sheathed on the left side of her waist
belt and she had carried along Bunduki’s m ’ kuki in case he should need it.
    ‘ Very
well,’ Bunduki assented. We’ll stay—’
    ‘ I knew that you’d come round to our way of thinking eventually,’ Dawn declared.
‘Didn’t you, Joar-Fane?’
    ‘ It
was only a matter of time,’ the Telonga girl agreed.
    ‘ We’re
going to have to make something before we can hope to do the
catching,’ the blond giant warned and told the others what he
wanted them to do, finishing with, ‘So let’s make a start at
it.’
    ‘ May I
ask a question?’ Dawn said, in tones redolent of
suspicion.
    ‘ Please do,’ Bunduki consented, his air that of one who was
granting a favor.
    ‘ Thank
you, bwana
mkuba ,’ Dawn replied, using the Swahili term meaning “big master”
but with none of the respect the honorific should have received.
‘Why is it that Joar-Fane and I have to wade in the stream looking
for the kind of stones you want?’
    ‘ I
can’t see anything wrong in that,’ At-Vee commented with a
grin.
    ‘ Or
me,’ Bunduki seconded.
    ‘ Well we can!’ Dawn declared and Joar-Fane nodded
agreement.
    ‘ Do
you know something, brother?’ At-Vee asked, in a tone pitched so
that it was just loud enough for the distaff side of the quartet as
well as Bunduki to hear what he was saying. ‘I’d think twice before
marrying into that family if I was you. The women talk too much and don’t know
their