don’t want anything to happen to you. Hereafter I’m going to stay close to you whether you want to be guarded or not.”
“Thanks. With you nearby I know I’ll be safe,” she said with a smile. “Well, I feel all right now. Let’s go back up to the party.”
Nancy brushed her dress. Then she tidied her hair with a comb from her purse, which had not been disturbed by her attacker.
The couple walked up the steps. As they reached the top terrace, they were met by their friends. George inquired why Nancy had not joined them. When they heard what had happened, Bess, George, Burt, and Dave became alarmed.
“It seems,” said Bess, “as if you aren’t safe anywhere, Nancy. Somebody must be following you every minute, waiting for a chance to harm you.”
Nancy smiled and said, “I hereby appoint all of you as my bodyguards. Surely no one could get at me with you five brave people surrounding me.”
George grinned. “Not with us facing outward at all times!”
Bess looked at Ned. “I think we’d better put you inside the ring too: I haven’t forgotten yet that you were kidnapped and left to starve.”
Nancy noticed Mr. and Mrs. Northrup coming toward them. “Let’s not say anything to them about what happened,” she begged, and the others nodded.
“I’m fascinated by your lemur,” Nancy told the couple. “Did you bring it from Madagascar?”
“No, a friend brought it. She travels a great deal. She is particularly keen on safaris.”
This gave Nancy an idea. “By any chance have you or your friend ever heard of a guide named Tizam?”
Mrs. Northrup looked surprised. “Did you know him?”
“No,” Nancy replied, “but I had the pleasure of meeting his sister Madame Lilia Bulawaya. We heard her sing at Emerson College and she told us about her brother.”
Mrs. Northrup said that her friend, Mrs. Munger, had mentioned the sad fate of the guide. “The story is he was attacked by a lion.”
“Yes,” Nancy answered, “but Tizam’s sister believes he may still be alive. She asked us to try to find out what we can while we’re traveling around Kenya.”
“Would you like to meet Mrs. Munger and learn more about what happened on the safari?” Mrs. Northrup asked.
“Yes, indeed,” Nancy replied.
Mrs. Northrup offered to telephone her friend immediately and make an appointment.
“Our group,” said Nancy, “is leaving tomorrow morning for Treetops Inn. We’ll be staying there overnight. May we see Mrs. Munger when we come back?”
“I’ll try to arrange a meeting two days from now,” Mrs. Northrup said. She went off to telephone but soon returned. “Mrs. Munger has invited you and your friends to tea that day.” Nancy thanked her for making the arrangements.
A few hours later she and the others said good-by to the Northrups, thanking them for their delightful hospitality. Everyone slept soundly and was up early for the next part of their safari. All of them looked forward to staying at Treetops Inn, built into the branches of enormous fig trees. From there, they would watch wild animals come to the nearby water hole.
The drive was long and hot. A stop was made at the Outspan Hotel, where they had lunch and deposited their main baggage in a large room. Only flight bags were allowed to be carried for their overnight stay at Treetops.
In the middle of the afternoon, the three black-and-white-striped buses traveled up a winding road through a woods and came to a halt at a fence. Everyone climbed out and a tall gate was opened for the visitors. Some little distance beyond stood a man in a belted khaki suit, a stout rifle slung over one shoulder.
“This is Mr. Zucker, our White Hunter,” Professor Stanley called out.
“Please form a circle,” said the man, who had a broad British accent.
The Emerson group gathered in front of him,
“We have between quarter and half a mile to walk to reach the inn. I must caution all of you to be as quiet as possible. Otherwise you will scare
“Thanks. With you nearby I know I’ll be safe,” she said with a smile. “Well, I feel all right now. Let’s go back up to the party.”
Nancy brushed her dress. Then she tidied her hair with a comb from her purse, which had not been disturbed by her attacker.
The couple walked up the steps. As they reached the top terrace, they were met by their friends. George inquired why Nancy had not joined them. When they heard what had happened, Bess, George, Burt, and Dave became alarmed.
“It seems,” said Bess, “as if you aren’t safe anywhere, Nancy. Somebody must be following you every minute, waiting for a chance to harm you.”
Nancy smiled and said, “I hereby appoint all of you as my bodyguards. Surely no one could get at me with you five brave people surrounding me.”
George grinned. “Not with us facing outward at all times!”
Bess looked at Ned. “I think we’d better put you inside the ring too: I haven’t forgotten yet that you were kidnapped and left to starve.”
Nancy noticed Mr. and Mrs. Northrup coming toward them. “Let’s not say anything to them about what happened,” she begged, and the others nodded.
“I’m fascinated by your lemur,” Nancy told the couple. “Did you bring it from Madagascar?”
“No, a friend brought it. She travels a great deal. She is particularly keen on safaris.”
This gave Nancy an idea. “By any chance have you or your friend ever heard of a guide named Tizam?”
Mrs. Northrup looked surprised. “Did you know him?”
“No,” Nancy replied, “but I had the pleasure of meeting his sister Madame Lilia Bulawaya. We heard her sing at Emerson College and she told us about her brother.”
Mrs. Northrup said that her friend, Mrs. Munger, had mentioned the sad fate of the guide. “The story is he was attacked by a lion.”
“Yes,” Nancy answered, “but Tizam’s sister believes he may still be alive. She asked us to try to find out what we can while we’re traveling around Kenya.”
“Would you like to meet Mrs. Munger and learn more about what happened on the safari?” Mrs. Northrup asked.
“Yes, indeed,” Nancy replied.
Mrs. Northrup offered to telephone her friend immediately and make an appointment.
“Our group,” said Nancy, “is leaving tomorrow morning for Treetops Inn. We’ll be staying there overnight. May we see Mrs. Munger when we come back?”
“I’ll try to arrange a meeting two days from now,” Mrs. Northrup said. She went off to telephone but soon returned. “Mrs. Munger has invited you and your friends to tea that day.” Nancy thanked her for making the arrangements.
A few hours later she and the others said good-by to the Northrups, thanking them for their delightful hospitality. Everyone slept soundly and was up early for the next part of their safari. All of them looked forward to staying at Treetops Inn, built into the branches of enormous fig trees. From there, they would watch wild animals come to the nearby water hole.
The drive was long and hot. A stop was made at the Outspan Hotel, where they had lunch and deposited their main baggage in a large room. Only flight bags were allowed to be carried for their overnight stay at Treetops.
In the middle of the afternoon, the three black-and-white-striped buses traveled up a winding road through a woods and came to a halt at a fence. Everyone climbed out and a tall gate was opened for the visitors. Some little distance beyond stood a man in a belted khaki suit, a stout rifle slung over one shoulder.
“This is Mr. Zucker, our White Hunter,” Professor Stanley called out.
“Please form a circle,” said the man, who had a broad British accent.
The Emerson group gathered in front of him,
“We have between quarter and half a mile to walk to reach the inn. I must caution all of you to be as quiet as possible. Otherwise you will scare
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