The gorilla's fur was very black against the greenleaves. She had large nostrils and small ears. Herbright brown eyes were full of mischief.
"Bu, bu, bu," she said. "Bu, bu."Boo yourself," said Annie.
The gorilla hid behind the leaves again.
Then she poked her head out.
"Peek-a-boo!" said Annie.
The gorilla clapped her hands together.
She stuck out her tongue.
Jack and Annie both laughed.
"Bu, lint, lint!" the gorilla said. Then she boundedaway through the misty forest.
"Hey, Bu-bu! Don't leave us!" Annie called.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Don't name her Bu-bu," hesaid to Annie. "You don't have to--""Wait, Bu-bu!" Annie shouted. She took off after thesmall gorilla.
"--turn every animal into your best friend," Jackfinished. He shook his head. Then he made a list inhis notebook.
Gorilla behaviorPlays peek a booClaps handsSticks out tongueAs he wrote, Jack heard Annie laughing. But thenhe heard high shrieks.
He caught his breath. A leopard? he wondered.
Carrying his notebook, Jack hurried in the directionof the noise. He found Annie and the small gorillaperched in two trees.
"What's wrong?" said Jack, standing beneath thetrees.
"Nothing!" called Annie. "We're just playing."The small gorilla screeched again. Then shescratched her head and hiccupped.
Annie screeched, too. She scratched her head andhiccupped.
While they played, Jack studied the gorilla a bitmore.
He noticed she was about the size of a three-yearoldkid. Her fingers looked like human fingers. Theyeven had fingernails! He made a new list:
Young gorilla2Size of 3 year oldFingers like humansFingernailsJack heard the tree leaves shaking. He looked up.
Annie and the gorilla had both climbed higher.
"Hey, come down, Annie!" Jack called. "You mightfall. Plus, it's getting dark."Jack looked around. Light was fading quickly fromthe forest. Is night falling? he wondered. Or is a stormcoming?
The small gorilla screeched again and climbed evenhigher.
"Hey, Bu-bu! Where you going?" said Annie. Sheclimbed even higher, too.
"That's enough, Annie. Come down now!" said Jack.
"I'm serious."To his relief, the gorilla settled on a branch. Anniedid the same.
The gorilla broke off a piece of tree bark. Shenibbled it like a candy bar.
Annie broke off a piece of bark. She nibbled it like acandy bar, too.
The gorilla threw down her bark. She grabbed atree branch and swung to another tree.
"Don't try it, Annie!" shouted Jack.
But his warning came too late.
Annie threw down her bark. She grabbed a treebranch and tried to swing to another tree.
Annie didn't swing like a gorilla. She fell from thetree--and crashed down to the ground near Jack.
"Annie!" he cried. |