按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ght； too； their hands clamped around the switch。
Ulu's spear blade was close。 〃Trust us； will you？〃 Rook said； not able to take her eyes off it。 〃They'll do it and be back。〃 The spearpoint edged closer； and a half dozen other warriors came after Ulu； to see that the job was done thoroughly。
The lever moved； an unbelievable quarter…inch； down its grooves。 Scott and Lunk braced their feet against the console； teeth gritted； heaving for all they were worth。 The lever moved another half inch。
〃I warned your panions that all of you…would pay the price of their failure；〃 the chief said。 The spear blades hemmed in the team members。
Suddenly there was a change in the sound of the water gushing through the gates and outlet。 The flow was lessening。
〃They did it；〃 Rand exulted。 〃They shut off the valve！〃 Annie managed a cheer。 As the team and the tribe watched； the flow was shut off； at both the top of the dam and the bottom。
〃The valley is saved；〃 the old chief said。 〃The river god is appeased at last！〃 His men were a little frightened by what they had seen； but joyous anyhow。
Scott and Lunk got back to the dam crest as fast as could； only to find that their teammates had been unshackled and were receiving the tribesmen's clamorous thanks。
〃We invite you to bee members of our tribe；〃 the old man said when Scott and Lunk got there。
〃Thank you； but first there's a missing brother of our tribe we have to find；〃 Scott deflected the invitation。
〃Hey！ Silverhair！〃 came a shout。 〃I did it！ I got myself a wife！〃
There was a barefoot kid in ragged cutoffs and T…shirt； maybe an undersized thirteen years old or so； ing their way。 〃I'm a man now！〃 he puffed； dragging a big； heavy old duffel bag after him。
〃It's Magruder；〃 said Silverhair the chieftain。
〃Did he say ‘wife'？〃 Rand murmured。
Magruder staggered to a stop before Silverhair and dropped the rope； as the warriors gathered round。 〃I captured myself a wife；〃 he panted again； 〃so according to tribal law； you have to make me a warrior！〃 He pushed his narrow chest out proudly。
Rook got the distinct impression that Magruder was more excited about the prospect of being a warrior than about having a wife。 Typical for his age； she decided。
Just then the duffel bag heaved and fell open。 Everyone there gasped。
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Protoculture Garden： Eden or Gethsemane？
Samizdat Reader's Digest article； November 2020
Rand found himself looking down at a familiar mass of purple hair。 〃Lancer！〃
Lancer； gagged； glared up at Rand and at the rest of the world。 Scott turned to Magruder with a rare smile。 〃I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you； kid。 Y'see； your fianc閑 is a man。 And not one that I'd like to have mad at me； if you catch my drift。〃
Magruder looked stricken。 〃It can't be！ That's my wife！〃
The tribesman were beginning to guffaw； and Annie was giggling a bit hysterically。 〃Is this the missing brother you were talking about？〃 Silverhair asked。
Rand nodded； 〃Yeah； his name's Lancer。〃
Magruder had knelt to undo the gag。 〃Uh…oh。〃
Lancer looked at him mildly。 〃It was an honest mistake； little man。 Now…〃 He drew a deep breath。 〃Get me out of this thing！〃
Scott and some of the others stooped to help； Magruder being too paralyzed。 Everyone was united in laughter now； at the expense of woebegone Magruder。 Rand was having trouble catching his breath。 〃I…I guess you haven't had much experience； huh； little guy？〃
Annie was among the loudest； until she saw how hurt and mortified Magruder was。 She stopped in mid…laugh； realizing that here was a mind of kindred spirit； another runt of the litter trying to make a place for himself and be accepted on equal terms。
The chief was ruffling the kid's hair； plainly； he was a sort of pest/mascot。 〃I hope you will forgive him； my friends。 Magruder； these are our guests。〃
But Magruder broke free； grabbed up a spear； and ran fleetly for the jungle。
Annie made a stop at the truck； then followed Magruder's trail。 She caught up with him in a little clearing at the edge of the stream where he had ambushed Lancer。 She could hear him crying； so she backed up some distance； then made a lot more noise。 〃Yoo…hoo！〃
He brought his spear around； swiping quickly at his eyes with the back of his hand。 〃Who is it？〃
She struggled through the undergrowth into the clearing； trailing the long skirt she had scavenged back in New Denver。 She was wearing a diaphanous top； and in her hair was a flower garland she had made that afternoon。
Annie struck a glamour pose； one hand behind her head； and batted her eyelashes at him。 She sang； 〃Hi…ya。 Magruder！〃 He gasped and dropped his spear； she sauntered over and sort of nudged her shoulder up against him。
He struggled to say； 〃Wh。。。what are you supposed to be？〃
She smiled coyly。 〃You poor thing！ You've got such a lot to learn about the opposite sex！ Y'need a real woman to show you what makes the world go round； hmmm？〃
He pulled away so fast that she almost toppled over； letting out a squawk。 〃And I suppose you're a real woman？〃
Annie's lower lip thrust out and she made fists。 〃Hey； listen； buster： don't forget your last girlfriend！ I'm a damn sight closer than he was！〃
He crossed his arms on his chest。 〃That's none of your business！ Why don't you go away and leave me alone？〃
〃You'll never get a wife； you lamebrain！〃 she bawled at him。 〃A woman'd have to be nuts to hook up with a dippy squirt like you！〃
〃Oh； yeah？〃
〃Yeah！ You're hopeless！〃
They were snarling at each other； when Annie reminded herself why she had e out there。 Hold your horses； Annie！ If you play your cards right； this guy could make you a jungle princess。 Or a queen。 Who knows？ They might even make you a goddess！
She turned from him； hands clasped to where her bosom was due to appear any day now。 〃I'm really sorry for shouting at you； Magruder；〃 she sniffed。 〃It's just that…it's so difficult when a woman bees emotionally involved。〃
Magruder looked like he'd been sandbagged。 〃Uhh！ You're not crying； are you？ Hey； don't do that！〃
Everything was going just swell； Annie figured。 In a week or two she would be running the valley。 But then her sc