"The Hunters" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morrison William)

THE HUNTERSTHE 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."



"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 creaturesЧ"
"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