Fearless Master of the Jungle (A Bunduki Jungle Adventure by J.T. Edson Page B

become accustomed to their respective body odors, voices and
presence.
    At daybreak on the following
morning, the Earth couple had tested their
captives ’
willingness to be led. After only a brief demonstration of dissent
on the part of the stallion, which had allowed Dawn and Joar-Fane
to exchange pungent comments on the subject of masculine obstinacy,
they had been able to resume their homewards journey. Of necessity,
neither the mare’s nor her consort’s hobbles had been removed at
that stage. The omission had reduced the pace at which the party
could travel, yet they had considered any distance they could put
between themselves and Bon-Gatah was worthwhile. There had been no
sign of pursuit, but every hour that went by increased the danger
of a search being instituted.
    Nightfall had found the four
young people making camp within sight of the jungle. Once again,
Dawn and Bunduki had slept in close proximity to the quaggas. When
ready to move on the next day, they had made what proved to be a
successful gamble by removing the restraints from their
captives ’
front legs. Either because they were far from their original
territory or through a growing trust of their captors, the mare and
the stallion had behaved well and the party had been able to make
much better time. There had been a slight reluctance on the
quaggas’ part when it came to entering the jungle, but this was
smoothed over without causing any undue delay.
    On making camp somewhat earlier
in the afternoon than would otherwise have been the case,
particularly with the Jey-Mat Telongas ’ village being so near, the Earth
couple had commenced with the next stage of accustoming the quaggas
to a new way of life. Securing them to sturdy bushes in a clearing,
Dawn and Bunduki had started to place a blanket on the back of
each. As was to be expected, this had caused some initial
restlessness, but it was not prolonged. Nor had the girl and the
blond giant attempted to take the training any further at that
point.
    Reaching the village shortly
before noon on the third day, the party had been greeted by the
whole of the population and the news of their arrival had been sent
forth via the ‘talking drums’ by which the Telongas—and the other
nations—communicated rapidly over considerable distances. So
effective was the system that, within minutes, every other
community had been notified of their return.
    As on
Joar-Fane ’s
arrival following her first escape from the clutches of the
Mun-Gatahs’ People-Taker, the reception had been mixed. All of the
hunters, whether from Jey-Mat or those who had gathered in response
to the signal for defiance against their oppressors and were still
present, had been delighted at seeing that Dawn and Bunduki were
safe. They had regarded it as further evidence of the Mun-Gatahs’
fallibility.
    While pleased by the return of the
four young people, the Council of Elders—who were the leaders of
the community—and non-hunting citizens had had misgivings. However,
these had struck Dawn and Bunduki as being less pronounced than on
the earlier occasion. Not only had the people seen that the
hitherto invincible Mun-Gatahs could be defied and defeated, but
they also remembered the needless brutality which had characterized
the final and unprecedentedly large abduction. Loving their
children and respecting the aged, not even the most pacific of them
could forget or forgive what had happened. Mothers had been
compelled to leave behind their babies as an unrequired encumbrance
on the journey into slavery. Not only had the Elders been put to
torture with the result that two had died, those too aged to travel
had been deserted.
    Bearing those facts in mind,
the younger members of the community and the two men who had been
elected to replace the dead Elders were now willing to consider the
possibility of actively opposing further oppressions. The viewpoint
was shared by the hunters from the other villages, but they had
warned that their