Missed It By That Much!

once.”

“Really, Max?” 99 said, surprised. “I didn’t know you’d been to the jungle before.”

“I wasn’t in the jungle, 99. I saw it happen to a Great White Hunter in a Tarzan movie.” He turned back to Hassan. “I suppose, just by coincidence, you happen to know where we can find a guide,” he said.

“Just by coincidence, I happen to have one right here in my Arab costume.”

“Your burnoose, you mean,” Max said.

“Is that what it’s called? Okay, in my burnoose, then.”

Max leaned forward again. “Where?”

“Me,” Hassan grinned.

Max looked at him narrowly once more. “I don’t know, Hassan. Somehow, I don’t trust you. No offense intended, of course.”

“Perhaps if I tell you something more you will believe me,” Hassan said. “I will tell you why Dr. Livingstrom went into the interior. He went in search of a rare plant-the Dog Rose. It grows only here in New Ghirzy, and only in the interior. He needs it for a new dish he is inventing.”

‘That’s Dr. Livingstrom, all right,” Max said. “All right, Hassan, I believe you-you did meet him and you did talk to him. At first, frankly, I doubted you. But, you’re hired. Your information proves, I think, that we can trust you.” He extended a hand. “Shall we shake on it?”

Hassan took his hand and pumped it. “You have made me a very happy guide,” he said. “It is such a good feeling to be trusted.”

“Ah. . Hassan. .”

“Yes?”

“I’d like to have my ring back, please. It stuck to your fingers when we shook hands.”

“Sorry about that,” Hassan grinned. “It was a mistake. I recently removed some chocolate-covered cherries from a breast of white dove, and my fingers are still sticky.”

3

Early the next morning, by prior arrangement, Max and 99 met Hassan Pfeiffer at the edge of the jungle. Hassan, as he had promised, had brought the supplies they would need for the long trek into the interior.

“Let’s see what we have here,” Max said, inspecting the supplies. “A dozen cans of peaches. . a fly swatter. . a number of-” He looked back over his shoulder at Hassan. “A fly swatter?”

“For malaria,” Hassan explained.

“I don’t think I quite understand that.”

“With the fly swatter, you swat the tsetse fly before it bites you. That way, you don’t get malaria.”

“Good idea,” Max said. “I wonder why the scientists didn’t think of that.” He turned his attention back to the supplies. “Another dozen cans of peaches. A can of-”

There was a ringing sound.

“There’s the doorbell,” Hassan said.

“No, Hassan, that’s my shoe,” Max explained. “You see, actually, it’s a telephone. I think my chief is calling me.”

Max removed his shoe and put it to his ear.

Max: Yes, Chief?

Chief: Max, I was getting a little worried. I haven’t heard from you.

Max: We’re A-OK, Chief. Nothing to worry about. We’ve found out that Dr. Livingstrom has gone into the jungle, and we’ve hired ourselves a native guide and we’re about to set out to find him.

Operator: That’s not how Arnold would do it. Arnold would form a safari.

Max: Sure. And get himself tied up in a lot of paperwork. I don’t doubt it. Incidentally, Chief. . have you rejected Arnold yet?

Chief: I haven’t even seen him, Max.

Operator: That’s impossible. He started out for Headquarters two days ago.

Chief: Maybe he got lost.

Operator: No. His mother was with him.

Max: She’s right, Chief. 99 and I met Arnold and his mother outside headquarters two days ago. The last time I saw him, he was entering the building. But, frankly, judging from what I saw of him, if he hasn’t turned up, it’s no great loss.

Operator: Chief, look around-he must be there somewhere.

Chief: I’ll send out a search party. Max-are you still there? Have you seen that KAOS agent yet?

Max: Not exactly, Chief. But we have made contact. He lured us into a hamburger joint that wasn’t there and for a second we were in danger of drowning.

Operator: Arnold would never drown in a hamburger joint.

Chief: Keep your eyes open, Max. And don’t believe anything you see. It may be an illusion.

Max: I’ll remember that, Chief.

Chief: Good luck, Max.

Operator: Never mind about him, Chief. Go look for Arnold.

Max hung up and slipped his shoe back onto his foot.

“Well, are we ready?” he said to 99 and Hassan.

“You haven’t finished checking the supplies, Max,” 99 said.

“There’s no more time for that,” Max replied. “Besides, I trust Hassan. It’s very important, 99, to trust your guide. After all, when you go into the jungle, you’re putting your life in your guide’s hands. If you don’t trust him, you shouldn’t be going into the jungle with him in the first place. Right?”

“That makes sense, Max.”

“All right, then, as the natives say-‘Mush!’ ”

Hassan loaded the pack containing the supplies on his back, and led the way into the undergrowth. Max and 99 followed close at his heels. The going soon became extremely difficult. Jungle vines criss-crossed the trail, forming an almost impenetrable barrier. Hassan had to hack the path through the vines with a machete.

“It is very tough going,” Hassan panted.

“It’s a wonder they haven’t built a highway through here,” Max said.

“The highway is about a mile to the east of here,” Hassan replied.

Max halted. “There’s a highway? Then why aren’t we using it?”

“The traffic is terrible,” Hassan explained. “This way is faster.”

“I guess I know what you mean,” Max said. “We have the same trouble in Washington at rush hour.”

“Max. .” 99 said uneasily, “I know we’re supposed to trust Hassan, but. . Well, if Dr. Livingstrom came this way, didn’t he clear a path? And, if he cleared a path, why is it that we have to clear a path again?”

Max put a finger to his lips and shook his head.

“But, Max-”

“99, please,” Max said, speaking softly, “you’ll offend Hassan. You’re as much as intimating that he’s not telling us the truth.”

“But, Max,” 99 whispered, “I don’t understand. Why do we have to clear a path where a path has already been cleared?”

“It’s obvious,” Max replied. “This isn’t the way Dr. Livingstrom went. He probably took the highway. But, don’t forget, he’s days ahead of us. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

“That’s why we’re hacking our way through the jungle?”