“We’ve been to Africa!”
“We found a Secret Mountain!”
“Paul was nearly made a sacrifice to the sun!”
“An eclipse came, and the people thought we had killed the sun!”
“Well, you’ll certainly kill me if you hug me like this!” said Dimmy, her eyes full of happy tears, because she was so thankful to see them again. She had been terribly worried and anxious when all the children had left her so suddenly — but now everything was all right!
That evening Captain Arnold had to go off to broadcast his story. It was to be at a quarter past nine, after the news. The children switched on the radio and listened in. It was fun to hear Captain Arnold’s deep voice booming into the room as he began the tale of their adventures.
Dimmy listened in amazement. She had already heard bits and pieces from the children, but here was the tale told in full, just as it might be written in a book. It was marvellous!
For half an hour the tale went on — and then it was over. Dimmy switched off the radio.
“Well, well,” she said, “we’ve been through some adventures together, children — but this one is the most exciting of all. Did it really happen? Could such things happen to ordinary children like you?”
“Well, they did!” said Jack, and he showed Dimmy his necklace of crocodile teeth. “Look here — these are teeth from a crocodile that nearly ate Mafumu one day. His father and uncles killed it, and gave Mafumu some of the teeth. And he gave them to me.”