Project Mastodon
Public Domain
Chapter 12
The night editor read the bulletin just off the teletype.
“Well, what do you know!” he said. “We just recognized Mastodonia.”
He looked at the copy chief.
“Where the hell is Mastodonia?” he asked.
The copy chief shrugged. “Don’t ask me. You’re the brains in this joint.”
“Well, let’s get a map for the next edition,” said the night editor.
Tabby, the saber-tooth, dabbed playfully at Cooper with his mighty paw.
Cooper kicked him in the ribs--an equally playful gesture.
Tabby snarled at him.
“Show your teeth at me, will you!” said Cooper. “Raised you from a kitten and that’s the gratitude you show. Do it just once more and I’ll belt you in the chops.”
Tabby lay down blissfully and began to wash his face.
“Some day,” warned Hudson, “that cat will miss a meal and that’s the day you’re it.”
“Gentle as a dove,” Cooper assured him. “Wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“Well, one thing about it, nothing dares to bother us with that monstrosity around.”
“Best watchdog there ever was. Got to have something to guard all this stuff we’ve got. When Wes gets back, we’ll be millionaires. All those furs and ginseng and the ivory.”
“If he gets back.”
“He’ll be back. Quit your worrying.”
“But it’s been five years,” Hudson protested.
“He’ll be back. Something happened, that’s all. He’s probably working on it right now. Could be that he messed up the time setting when he repaired the unit or it might have been knocked out of kilter when Buster hit the helicopter. That would take a while to fix. I don’t worry that he won’t come back. What I can’t figure out is why did he go and leave us?”