THE HUNTERS
BY WILLIAM MORRISON
ILLUSTRATED BY VAN DONGEN
To all who didn't know him, Curt George was amighty hunter and actor. But this time he wasup against others who could really act, andwhose business was the hunting of whole worlds.
There were thirty or more ofthe little girls, their ages rangingapparently from nine toeleven, all of them chirpingaway like a flock of chicks asthey followed the old mother henpast the line of cages. "Now,now, girls," called Miss Burtoncheerily. "Don't scatter. I can'tkeep my eye on you if you gettoo far away from me. You,Hilda, give me that water pistol.No, don't fill it up first at thatfountain. And Frances, stopbouncing your ball. You'll lose itthrough the bars, and a polarbear may get it and not want togive it back."
Frances giggled. "Oh, MissBurton, do you think the polarbear would want to play catch?"
The two men who were lookingon wore pleased smiles."Charming," said Manto. "Butsomewhat unpredictable, despiteall our experiences, muy amigo."
"No attempts at Spanish, Manto,not here. It calls attention tous. And you are not sure of thegrammar anyway. You may findyourself saying things you donot intend."
"Sorry, Palit. It wasn't an attemptto show my skill, I assureyou. It's that by now I have atendency to confuse one languagewith another."
"I know. You were never a linguist.But about these interestingcreatures—"
"I suggest that they couldstand investigation. It would begood to know how they think."
"Whatever you say, Manto. Ifyou wish, we shall join the littleladies."
"We must have our story preparedfirst."
Palit nodded, and the two menstepped under the shade of atree whose long, drooping, leaf-coveredbranches formed a convenientscreen. For a moment,the tree hid silence. Then therecame from beneath the branchesthe chatter of girlish voices, andtwo little girls skipped merrilyaway. Miss Burton did not atfirst notice that now she had anadditional two children in hercharge.
"Do you think you will be ableto keep your English straight?"asked one of the new little girls.
The other one smiled withamusement and at first did notanswer. Then she began to skiparound her companion andchant, "I know a secret, I knowa secret."
There was no better way tomake herself inconspicuous. Forsome time, Miss Burton did notnotice her.
The polar bears, the grizzlies,the penguins, the reptiles, allwere left behind. At times thechildren scattered, but Miss Burtonknew how to get them togetheragain, and not one waslost.
"Here, children, is the buildingwhere the kangaroos live.Who knows where kangarooscome from?"
"Australia!" clanged the shrillchorus.
"That's right. And what otheranimals come from Australia?"
"I know, Miss Burton!" criedFrances, a dark-haired nine-year-oldwith a pair of glitteringeyes that stared like a pairof critics from a small heart-shapedface. "I've been here before.Wallabies and wombats!"
"Very good, Frances."
Frances smirked at the approbation."I've been to the zoolots of times," she said to thegirl next to her. "My fathertakes me."
"I wish my father would takeme too," replied the other littlegirl, with an air of wistfulness.
"Why don't you ask him to?"Before the other little girl couldanswer, Frances paused, cockedher head slightly, and deman