Strange Creatures of Dr. Korbo (12 page)

“That's right,” Josh said quickly. He took a deep breath and said, “We've got to keep him from doing that.”

Sarah looked amazed. “How could we do that, Josh?”

“Miss Viona said we were the Sent Ones. I think she knew something even then, and I think Goél is in all of this—even though he hasn't come around to give us any direct orders.” He said tightly, “I don't think it's an accident that we came to this place. Even though Goél never specifically told us to come.”

“Maybe you're right,” Jake spoke up. “If we hadn't gotten defeated on our last mission, we never would have come here. Maybe that's what Goél had in mind all along. Maybe good will come out of that defeat yet.”

“That's right, Josh,” Dave said warmly. “And you're back as leader again. I want to speak for myself and say I'm willing to do whatever you think is right. You're the leader.”

Josh flushed. “That's real nice of you to say that, Dave. I can't say that I've heard from Goél. He seems to be withholding himself right now.”

“I think he wants us to grow up,” Sarah said quietly. Then she asked, “What are you thinking, Josh?”

“We've got to go back,” he said, “and beard the lion in his den.”

“What does
that
mean?” Meta asked. Without waiting for an explanation, she said, “We can't go back! We'll be caught! Dr. Korbo will take the babies. We're almost out of his land now. It isn't too far to the border.”

“I don't think we're meant to leave yet. I don't think Goél would want
any
babies hurt by that crazy man. What we've got to do—” Josh took a deep breath and looked around “—is to arrest him.”

“Arrest him!” Reb's voice rose above the others. “You mean like we were sheriffs and he was an outlaw?”

“Exactly that!”

“But he's well guarded,” Meta cried. “He lives in a castle, and there are awful monsters guarding it. And his men—he doesn't have many, but they're evil.”

“We can't let that stop us,” Josh said. “It all came to me when I was holding Susie earlier today. She's so pretty and sweet, and I thought about what that magician might have done to her. It made me very angry. And then I thought,
Well, there are lots of other babies out there. He could hurt them, too.
”

“I believe you've hit it, Josh,” Sarah said. “Before we go, we've got to do something to save all the babies.”

“Are you all with me, then?” he asked. “It's going to be dangerous, and we may not all make it. But this looks like something we've got to do.”

A murmur of agreement went around the circle.

Suddenly Gus clapped his hands. “This calls for a poem,” he said. “It'll be called
The Saga of Gus,
and it'll be about how he stood up to the evil magician in his castle.”

“Just a minute. Before you start this ode,” Reb said, “are you intending to do this all by yourself, Gus?”

“Oh, no,” Gus said. “You can all come along. We'll probably all get killed, but it'll make a good poem. I'd better write it before we go.”

That brought a laugh from everybody.

“You write the poem, and you be the hero of it, Gus,” Josh told him. “If you hadn't taken us in, I don't know if we would have gotten this far.”

“Well, it all goes to show that there's more to me than just a pretty face.” Gus nodded contentedly and then began composing his poem.

 

 

T
he babies had all been fed and were sleeping quietly.The Sleepers,joined by Gus and Meta, sat around in a circle.Over the fire some deer stew bubbled quietly in a pot. Its delicious aroma drifted into the cave, and from time to time Reb went out and stirred it.“Just about right,” he said. “Nothing like venison stew—unless it's possum stew.”

Josh had been quiet and thoughtful. Looking around, he thought he saw doubt on the faces of several. “I know that this is going to be a tough mission,” he said, “but we all agreed we've got to do it.”

“The thing that bothers me,” Jake said, “is how we're going to fight and take care of our nursery at the same time.”

“I know,” Josh said. “That bothers me too, and so far I haven't come up with any answer for it.”

“I know what we
might
do,” Meta said. She rarely spoke up when others were talking, and everyone looked somewhat surprised.

“If you've got any ideas, Meta, let's have them,” Josh encouraged her. “You know this country better than anyone else.”

“There's a small village on the outskirts of the magician's kingdom. He knows it's there, but he doesn't send his men to it as often as he does most—because it's so far from the castle.”

“And are you thinking we might get these villagers to help with the babies?” Sarah asked quickly.

“They would be glad to do it, I think,” Meta said slowly. “They are terrified of Dr. Korbo—as everyone is—and they're good people.”

“What about the men in the village?” Josh said. “Do you think they would help us fight?”

“They might try. Some of them hunt with bows, so they could be of some help. But many are old, and some are too young.”

“Any help we could get would be appreciated.”

Then Sarah said, “Meta, who knows the inside of the castle better than anyone else?”

“As a matter of fact, there's an old man who lives in that very village I spoke of. He was a servant in the castle for many years. Dr. Korbo used him very badly, I'm afraid. And then when he got old and sick, he threw him out. The village took him in.”

“I'd like to talk to that man,” Josh said. “We need to know what's inside the castle. Assuming we could get in, we'll be lost if we don't know which way to go.”

“That's a good idea,” Dave said eagerly. “We could draw the castle plan on paper at his direction and memorize it.”

“Is everyone agreed then that we go to this village?”

“It is a very long way,” Meta warned. “It would take a long time with the babies.”

Josh said, “Well, one idea Reb had earlier might help with distance.” He turned to Reb. “Do you think the unicorns would carry us there?”

Reb looked surprised, but he said, “Why not? They like us. They're not afraid of riders. And they seem to love human company.”

“I think that's a wonderful idea, Josh!” Sarah said. Excitement brought color to her cheeks. “It would be an easy journey on the unicorns.”

“All right, then,” Josh said firmly. “If the unicorns seem comfortable leaving their valley, we'll do it.”

“When do we leave?” Wash asked. “I'd like to get this thing over with.”

“I don't know how long the trip will take, but I don't see why we couldn't leave in the morning,” Josh said. “Another good thing—if the unicorns will take us, we'll have fresh mare's milk.”

“The mares would have to bring their foals along,” Reb said. “You know, I think the whole herd might go. Flash is sort of the head unicorn. Wherever he goes, the rest will probably follow.”

“That would be great.” Now Josh grew excited himself. “Let's make some plans!” He stood and began to pace back and forth. “Now, the goats . . . the goats can't keep up with the unicorns . . . we can just turn them loose in the grassy valley where they can fend for themselves . . .”

Early the next morning, the Seven Sleepers, Meta, and Gus bundled up the babies and led the goats and walked to the valley of the unicorns. Flash and Lady and then the entire herd moved toward them at once.

“Hey, Flash, old buddy. Would you like to go for a nice little trip?” Reb asked.

Flash blew through his lips, making a blubbering sound, and Reb turned and grinned. “He says it's OK with him.”

It took some time to get everybody mounted. A rider would have to get on, and then someone else would hand up one of the infants.

“Real nice how easy all this is with these unicorns,” Reb said. “If you tried to do this with wild horses, they'd break your neck.”

“Just another sign that we're doing the right thing,” Josh said.

Only Gus was a little apprehensive. “I don't know about all this,” he said. He stood looking at the mottled brown unicorn that had evidently taken a liking to him. “I never was on a horse but once. And he up and threw me off and broke my leg.”

“Oh, come, Gus,” Meta said, smiling. “Get on. You can write a poem about it.”

Gus's face brightened. “That's right. I could.” He awkwardly struggled onto the back of the brown unicorn and began to mumble the lines of his poem.

It was as Reb had said. The entire herd of about twenty full-grown stallions and mares along with their foals did follow their unicorn leader. Reb, mounted on Flash, rode in front, and they set out at a comfortable pace.

“The unicorns make a pretty parade,” Josh said to Sarah, who was riding alongside him. Some of the unicorns were glistening white, others jet black, and others palomino. Others were colored still differently. Mares and stallions alike had the long silver horn that gave them such an unusual appearance.

“They are so beautiful and so
good.
”

“I hate to think what Dr. Korbo would make out of them if he had the chance. Something monstrous, I'm sure.”

“But we're going to stop him, aren't we, Josh?”

“You're right,” he said. “Korbo's day is over. He just doesn't know it yet.”

They made very good time that first day. It would have taken a week for them to go as far as they did had they been walking.

It was late afternoon of the next day when at
last Meta said, “The village is there. Ahead. You can see the houses.”

It was a small village, having no more than twenty huts, and the few villagers came out with fear in their eyes. They were small for the most part and dressed poorly. Although some of the men held staves and had bows, they were obviously not a fighting crew. Josh could see that they were awed by the sight of the unicorns.

Meta called out, “It's me—Meta! How are you, Chief Canto?”

The man she had spoken to was a little larger than the other men and held a sword in his hand. “Why, Meta,” he said, “where is your grandmother?”

Sadly, Meta told him. She slipped off the unicorn, holding her baby in her arm.

“They look very dangerous, these . . . horses,” Canto said. “Their horns could kill a man.”

“They're very gentle,” Meta assured him. She turned to the others and said, “This is Josh. He is the leader of this group.” She went around and introduced each one, then said, “Josh, perhaps you'd better explain . . . about us and the babies . . .”

Josh said, “Chief Canto, we have come to help you if we can.”

“Indeed, we need help,” Canto said. He seemed weary. “Our people are in poor condition here.”

“Is it the magician, Korbo?”

“Yes. He takes what he wants and leaves us to starve. And now he is threatening to take our children.”

“That's what we have come to stop,” Josh announced firmly.

Canto's eyes flew open. “I fear that you cannot stop the magician!”

“I believe we can—with your help. Meta tells me that you have an older man here who knows the inside of the castle well.”

“Yes. His name is Benti. He is very old indeed.”

“We would like to talk with him.”

Canto had no objections, and soon Josh and the other Sleepers were surrounding an old man who had been sitting in the sun outside a rude hut. He had white hair, and his face was creased with many lines.

“Yes. I lived in Dr. Korbo's castle for many years. I know every inch of it.”

“Can you describe it to us?” Dave brought out a sheet of paper and a pencil. He listened and drew lines as Benti described the interior of the castle.

When the elderly man had told all that he knew, both Josh and Dave said, “Thank you, Benti.”

“You are the enemies of the magician?”

“We feel he is bad for all people—even for the beasts.”

“Indeed he is.” Pain came into Benti's eyes as he looked around the village. “These are good people here, but they have had little chance.”

“They will have a chance now,” Josh said with more confidence than he felt.

When the Sleepers went back, Josh found Meta talking with Chief Canto. “The chief says that he will have the women here care for the babies while we arrest Dr. Korbo,” she said.

“That would be a great favor indeed, Chief.” Josh hesitated, then said, “Would it also be possible for some of your warriors to come and help us take the castle?”

Chief Canto seemed embarrassed. “They are very much afraid of the magician. They know that he can do terrible things to them.”

“That is why he needs to be removed from power,” Josh said.