human
By George! exclaimed Gran'pa, running up to me.
gpt
It's . . . George!
human
What's left of him!
gpt
What on earth have you been doing now?
human
It's a new game, I observed, quietly.
gpt
When _you_ get lost in that damned jungle it may occur to even you! I've been up there looking for the nearest balloon. Thank God I found it--even if it did happen to be yours!
human
It was very foolish of you to come alone, he admonished.
gpt
And--where's your gorilla skin?
human
Half-way up a tree--such as there's left of it. . . . You've caught another gorilla, I see.
gpt
Yes! A beauty! How did you get on with the other three?
human
So--so! . . . One of them broke loose on the way back--and I had to shoot it.
gpt
But. . . .
human
For heaven's sake, don't argue! I said.
gpt
If I _hadn't_ shot the brute. . . . Well, as it was, Oakley very nearly crashed.
human
We do seem to be unlucky, George!
gpt
I think it's just the opposite. Four captures on the first day is far better than any of us expected. We're collecting _gorillas_--not monkey-nuts.
human
I agree. But Stringer and you should have paid greater attention to the bindings. There's really no excuse, George, for slipshod work in a dangerous job like this. We don't want any blood shed, either our own or the gorillas. Already, we've lost one life and it was apparently by the merest fluke that we didn't lose two others.
gpt
What about yourself and your silly monkey trick this morning? I retorted.
human
You nearly lost _your_ life! If ever a man had a beam in his eye . . .
gpt
Now, now, George! I'm only telling you what should be obvious to everyone of us. We _must_ exercise more care. We're getting far too matter-of-fact. Things have been too easy for us.
human
I'd like you to have ten minutes with that snake I met. You'd be a much better man for it--if you were spared!
gpt
Don't be so vindictive, George! It was your own fault. You shouldn't go wandering about the jungle alone! You ought to have known better.
human
Oh, rats! I exclaimed.
gpt
I'm fed up with this. I've had quite enough for one day--and I want my tea. . . . I'm going home.
human
Go back to the aerodrome by all means, but at least wait there until the rest of us are ready to return.