Read Online Get Smart 5 - Missed It By That Much! by William Johnston - Free Book Online Page B

didn’t say anything, Max.”
    “You just did! Quiet!”
    A moment later, a large lion wandered into the clearing, crossed it, then disappeared into the jungle.
    “Oh, Max,” 99 said, disappointed. “Did you see what happened? That lion stepped into the loop, but the trap didn’t spring.”
    “And good thing. What would we do with a lion, 99?”
    “But, don’t you see? If the lion didn’t trip the trap, Whitestone won’t either.”
    “Oh. Well, let’s not jump to conclusions, 99. After all, it’s not a lion trap, it’s a Whitestone trap. That may make a difference.”
    “I doubt it, Max.”
    “Let’s give it a chance,” Max said.
    Again, they waited. Soon, they heard a sound on the trail once more. Then a leopard strolled into the clearing. The leopard stopped at the point where the loop had been camouflaged. It sniffed, then stepped into the loop, then out of it, and loped off into the jungle.
    “Oh, Max . . .”
    “99, I refuse to jump to conclusions. We’ll wait.”
    Minutes passed. Then a gorilla emerged from the jungle. It reached the loop, dug it up from under the vines and branches and peered at it quizzically, then began playing a game with it, pretending to lasso imaginary smaller animals. But after a while the gorilla tired of the game, dropped the rope, covered it with the vines and branches, then ambled on along the trail.
    “Well, Max?”
    “I’m willing to admit, 99, that it may not be working perfectly. I’ll check it out.”
    “Max, no! Don’t go out there!”
    He peered at her puzzledly. “Why not, 99?”
    “Max, you know exactly what will happen. You’ll trip that trap, and, the next thing you know, you’ll be dangling in the air.”
    “99, give me credit for some intelligence, will you? I know exactly where that loop is. I’m not going to blunder into it.”
    “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Max.”
    “For goodness sake, 99, you’d think I was a child!”
    Max scrambled out of the underbrush, and very cautiously crossed the clearing toward where the loop was hidden. “See?” he called back. “I’m approaching it very slowly, step by step by step by—”
    Max suddenly vanished.
    99 leaped from the underbrush and rushed to the edge of the pit. “Max! Are you all right? Speak to me!”
    “Careful, 99,” Max replied. “That fourth step is a doozy!”
    99 reached down into the pit. “Take my hand, Max.”
    “Watch it, 99. You’re getting a little too close to—” There was a snapping sound, then a twan-n-n-n-n-ging sound.
    “—to that trap we set for Whitestone,” Max finished, peering up at 99, who was dangling overhead.
    “Oh, Max, I’m sorry,” 99 moaned, swinging to and fro.
    “It does present a bit of a problem,” Max said. “With you up there, you can’t help me out of this pit. And with me in this pit, I can’t help you down from up there.”
    “Max, telephone the Chief. Maybe he can send help.”
    “I will not!” Max snapped.
    “But, Max! We’re trapped. Why not?”
    “Because he might send Arnold!” Max said. “That would be the last straw!”
    “Well, then . . . Wait a minute, Max . . . I think I can pull myself up by the rope and unfasten this loop from around my ankle . . .”
    “Good girl, 99!”
    Using all her strength, 99 arched her body upward until she could get a hold on the rope. Then, clutching tightly to the rope with one hand, she used the other hand to untie the loop.
    “You did it, 99! Now, drop to the ground!”
    “Max, I’m right over the pit. If I drop, I’ll drop into the pit. Then we’ll both be trapped again.”
    “99, I don’t like to criticize, but you’re not handling this too well.”
    “What do you suggest, Max?”
    Max sighed. “I guess I better phone the Chief.”
    “No, Max! Listen!”
    Max cocked an ear. “Something . . . or someone . . . is coming . . .”
    A giraffe stepped daintily into the clearing.
    “It’s a giraffe, Max,” 99 reported.
    “Great. I’ll mention that to the