“Like Siberian squirrelskin,” Jan whispered. “Are they real? Alive?”
“Oh, sure!” Gale moved back a step. “I just saw one blink his eye.”
“All the same, I’m hungry,” said Jan. “They can’t do more than eat me.” She took two steps forward. The “Monkeys of the Snows” followed her with their eyes, and that was all.
She struck a large gong that hung beside the door. A small, square window swung open, and like a Jack-in-the-box, a round head popped out. A pair of small eyes stared at them. A pair of lips said “Pst!” Then the head popped back and the window closed.
“What did he say?” Jan asked.
“Nothing.”
“What does it all mean?”
“Wait and see.” Gale sat down on a big rock.
Jan tried to make friends with the magnificent apes but they were indifferent to her charms.
“You’re not in their class,” Gale laughed.