afreeer.HiseyesturowardsDimitriandasked,

    “What’syours,sir?”

    “PeoplecallmeDimitri.Ihavenostname.Iamavagabond.”

    “MayIknowthehislittlecockspaniel?”

    “Maureen.”

    “Thatagoodname”smiledthepoli.Thenhesaid,“Thisisnotthesafestpcetobe,especiallyatnight.Alsowearetryingtocapturetwodangerouscriminalswhoareontherun.Foryourowy,Isuggestyoutwohadbettergobae.”

    “Yessir”repliedCharinapolitely“We’resittingdowntocatchourbreathandwerejustintendingtoleave.”

    Asthepolicecardroveoff,Charina’scellphoinsistently.SheopeandhaoDimitriwhoaskednervously,

    “Richard?ThisisDimitri.Howarethingsgoing?”

    “Goodnews.Goodnews”cameRichard’sexcitedvoitheotherend.“Jamaz’ssurgerywentverysmoothlyandwasasuccess.Heisnotoutofthewoodsyetandisstillincriticalditiotwodayswillbecrucial.Ithinkhisstrongandrobustphysiquewillstandhimingoodsteadandgivehimagreatercetorecover.Why,heusedtorunaroundthewildsofAfrica,fightingwithleopards.Heisnotthateasytokill.Iamfidentofthat.”

    11

    “Yes.Yes”repliedDimitri.“Ihavefidenhim,too.Iamsurehewillsurvive…”

    “Jamazisnowinintensivecare”tinuedRichard.“WhenQueenAishasawthatthesurgerywentwell,shewasextremelyrelievedabaetorest.Maraisnowwithhimtotakecareofhiseveryneed.AfterthemembersoftheKingdomofDreamslearnedhowheroicallyJamazfoughtandriskedhislifetosaveQueenAishafrombeingharmedbytheserialrapist,theyregardedhimastheirheroandviedfortheprivilegehimbacktohealthagain.Theymadealist,takingturnstoetotheIdseetohisfort.”

    “That’sgreat”saidDimitrihappily“Thatiswhathumanbehaviorshouldbelike.Ohyes,anynewsofMr.FingerandVio?Theyhavenowmadethepolice“MostWanted”list.IthinkweshouldsendthembacktotheKingdomofDreamsbeforethepolicearrestthem.”

    “Big-OranafterMr.Finger”answeredRichard,“butwehaven’theardanythingfromhimyet.PerhapsDwarfMickeywillknowofawaytogettothesetwolittletrouble-makers.IiogonowtothetemplesandpceswhereDwarfMickeyusuallyfrequentsandseeifIfindhim.”

    “Good,good.That’sagoodidea.”saidDimitri.Thenheaskedsolicitously,“How’syourwound,Richard?”

    “Noproblem”repliedRichardproudly.“It’sonlyafleshwound.”

    “Good.Keepmepostedonhappeningsonyourend.Goodbye.”Dimitrihungupwithasighofrelief.

    “Well,that’sthat”saidCharinawithasmile.“Youdon’thavetoworryaboutthemanymore.”ButDimitrishookhisheadandsaid,

    “Howotworry?IfMr.FingerandVioarearrested,therewillbehelltopay…Ifthepolittoknowwheretheyarefrom,theeriousveilwouldbetornfromtheKingdomofDreamsaureofthenativeslivingtherewouldbeseriouslyjeopardized.Itwouldbehardtodetermiwouldhappenthere.

    “Let’sgoandwaitathome”saidCharinaandthenfortedhimsaying,“Whoknows?PerhapstheremaybegoodnewsfromtheKingdomofDreams.”Sayingso,shehelpedhimupfromthebendthetwoofthemtogetherwithMaureenquicklywentontheirwaybacktothehouse.Charinathenquicklywentandgottheblueballoon,filleditupwithair,tieditupwithathreadaflyhighupintotheskies.Sheinstinctivelyfeltthattherewillbegoodnews.

    11

    Mr.Fingerrolledintotheroomfromuhecrathedoor,hisbodycoveredincoldsweat.Hehadluckilyoncemoreescapedfromthejawsofde

afreeer.HiseyesturowardsDimitriandasked,

    “What’syours,sir?”

    “PeoplecallmeDimitri.Ihavenostname.Iamavagabond.”

    “MayIknowthehislittlecockspaniel?”

    “Maureen.”

    “Thatagoodname”smiledthepoli.Thenhesaid,“Thisisnotthesafestpcetobe,especiallyatnight.Alsowearetryingtocapturetwodangerouscriminalswhoareontherun.Foryourowy,Isuggestyoutwohadbettergobae.”

    “Yessir”repliedCharinapolitely“We’resittingdowntocatchourbreathandwerejustintendingtoleave.”

    Asthepolicecardroveoff,Charina’scellphoinsistently.SheopeandhaoDimitriwhoaskednervously,

    “Richard?ThisisDimitri.Howarethingsgoing?”

    “Goodnews.Goodnews”cameRichard’sexcitedvoitheotherend.“Jamaz’ssurgerywentverysmoothlyandwasasuccess.Heisnotoutofthewoodsyetandisstillincriticalditiotwodayswillbecrucial.Ithinkhisstrongandrobustphysiquewillstandhimingoodsteadandgivehimagreatercetorecover.Why,heusedtorunaroundthewildsofAfrica,fightingwithleopards.Heisnotthateasytokill.Iamfidentofthat.”

    11

    “Yes.Yes”repliedDimitri.“Ihavefidenhim,too.Iamsurehewillsurvive…”

    “Jamazisnowinintensivecare”tinuedRichard.“WhenQueenAishasawthatthesurgerywentwell,shewasextremelyrelievedabaetorest.Maraisnowwithhimtotakecareofhiseveryneed.AfterthemembersoftheKingdomofDreamslearnedhowheroicallyJamazfoughtandriskedhislifetosaveQueenAishafrombeingharmedbytheserialrapist,theyregardedhimastheirheroandviedfortheprivilegehimbacktohealthagain.Theymadealist,takingturnstoetotheIdseetohisfort.”

    “That’sgreat”saidDimitrihappily“Thatiswhathumanbehaviorshouldbelike.Ohyes,anynewsofMr.FingerandVio?Theyhavenowmadethepolice“MostWanted”list.IthinkweshouldsendthembacktotheKingdomofDreamsbeforethepolicearrestthem.”

    “Big-OranafterMr.Finger”answeredRichard,“butwehaven’theardanythingfromhimyet.PerhapsDwarfMickeywillknowofawaytogettothesetwolittletrouble-makers.IiogonowtothetemplesandpceswhereDwarfMickeyusuallyfrequentsandseeifIfindhim.”

    “Good,good.That’sagoodidea.”saidDimitri.Thenheaskedsolicitously,“How’syourwound,Richard?”

    “Noproblem”repliedRichardproudly.“It’sonlyafleshwound.”

    “Good.Keepmepostedonhappeningsonyourend.Goodbye.”Dimitrihungupwithasighofrelief.

    “Well,that’sthat”saidCharinawithasmile.“Youdon’thavetoworryaboutthemanymore.”ButDimitrishookhisheadandsaid,

    “Howotworry?IfMr.FingerandVioarearrested,therewillbehelltopay…Ifthepolittoknowwheretheyarefrom,theeriousveilwouldbetornfromtheKingdomofDreamsaureofthenativeslivingtherewouldbeseriouslyjeopardized.Itwouldbehardtodetermiwouldhappenthere.

    “Let’sgoandwaitathome”saidCharinaandthenfortedhimsaying,“Whoknows?PerhapstheremaybegoodnewsfromtheKingdomofDreams.”Sayingso,shehelpedhimupfromthebendthetwoofthemtogetherwithMaureenquicklywentontheirwaybacktothehouse.Charinathenquicklywentandgottheblueballoon,filleditupwithair,tieditupwithathreadaflyhighupintotheskies.Sheinstinctivelyfeltthattherewillbegoodnews.

    11

    Mr.Fingerrolledintotheroomfromuhecrathedoor,hisbodycoveredincoldsweat.Hehadluckilyoncemoreescapedfromthejawsofde