“That’s what happen, Sahib Jack. I sleep deep. This thing start screaming. Chuba jump, run fast, plenty scared, for help.”
“I suppose once it’s turned on, it keeps operating until the batteries run out.”
“That’s right,” Biff said. “Its action is set so it goes off once about every three minutes. You turn it off here.” Biff pointed to a switch on the bottom of the box.
“But how it get in my father’s house this morning?” Chuba demanded.
“I can answer that one.” Jack’s shoulders started shaking with laughter. Biff started laughing, too, partly from relief, and partly because when Jack laughed everyone joined in. Chuba, his eyes darting from Jack to Biff, decided his worries had passed. He giggled shyly at first, then added his high laugh to the chorus. The little white cabin shook with their hilarity.
“The ‘evil’ one, Chuba,” Jack said, “is a certain red-headed maintenance mechanic called Muscles.”
“Muscles! Him play another joke on Chuba. He much cool fellow. Him way in.”
“What’s this?” Biff thought. “Jive talk from a native boy? This kid’s all right.”
“You mean this Muscles is real cool; he’s way out, don’t you, Chuba?” Biff asked.
“That’s what Chuba say. He here, man, here.”