Evening star., 1925-11-15


He fumbled again against the ca bin
wall while from deeper within the
darkness there sounded a soft cooling.
This followed by shutting sound and
humping against the floor. The n
Cap'n Moat found the switch. the
small light dspla wing tidy cabin.
An old-fashioned. ed-plushhd patent
rocker still moved slowly from the ac-
tion Of something which had just de
parted from it. In the center OF the
floor. Grot esque. hairy thing stood
on all tours. his forearms straight and
extended in crutch ashton upon black
bent buckles. the heavy pent- houses
over his long lips pursed in cooling
of welcome as he looked up with
almost childike amia bility toward the
stodgy captain and the larger. more
fashily dressed man who accompa MED
him. Cap'n Moat gestured awkwardly.
Now. Mr.. -" he began.
"Ainsworth. cap'n." supplied the
other man. Him Ainsworth.
That's right. That's right. Aims
worth. Amt much on remembering
names. But. he scraped al his throat
with an expulsion OF breath. there
he is. just like ] SD id you'd find him
Sound in limb and body. Good and
tame. too"
Jim Ainsworth. of the Great Aims
worth Shows. nodded and pulled again
at his cigar.
He's gorilla all right" came
finally. Cap'n rubbed his hands.
That's what | thought. That's
what they told me-
Yep" Jim Ainsworth extended his
cigar. Gorilla. Them ridges over
his eyes. and the way the hair bristles
on his forehead. Cut like a pompa
dour. II you'll ever notice when he
gets mad. they stick straight up and
twitch.''
So" Then Cap'n Moat shook his
head. Il ain't ever seen him mad"
That's good trait. bout five
years old then. | reckon"
Something like that. Let's see. l
bought him in Cape Lopez off niger
about year and half ago. He said
he was little over three then. Yes.
] guess that's right. I'd have thought
about selling him before. only this is
the first time I've touched here. China
trade. You know"
again AT his cigar. What's his
name
Big Boy" said Cap'n Moat, and
gave one of his few indications of q
smile. The crew named him that.
After an apprentice we had. All mus
cles and no brains. Every time they
wanted anything done they'd call for
Big Boy. Didn't know any more'n 10
do everybodys work. Hes kind of
thai way" the capn nodded iowa rd
the huddled gorilla.
It's a way they have. Like to do
what humans do. Crazy about hu
mans. them apes. Usually fasten to
one person. Like with you. Funny
how attached you get 10 EN-, YOUR
self"
Cap'n Moat rubbed his chin.
"Oh. / don't know. l never thought
much about it. An animals just an
animal to me-.
Jim Ainsworth puffed again.
That's good-from your standpoint.
Because once they're off one of these
ships where they've kind of looked on
il as home, they die pretty easy. Just
like condemnin' 'em to sell EN-. |
always like to be straight on those
things. Saves a lot of trouble after
ward. What're you holding him att"
A SLIGHT sparkle came into the
hlue-gra eyes of Capn Moat: the
trader instinct to the fore.
Now, that something to talk about
What would YOU say?'
Got me on bad ground there" He
pDffed slowly. still regarding the hairy
beast. which Al last had gone to the
EdDldIn, raised It's long Didch nduuS,
fondled the freckled. stubby ones Of
Capn Moat in unrecognized affection,
laid his heavy head and grotesque lips
against them and then shuffied away
tn crouch. half-fea rful of the visitor,
in corner II don't know just what
to say. You see, there's never been
hut one gorilla in this country"
So" The sparkle became keener.
"Nhatd they pay for him.?
oil ,lxant l,a.y
around $1,000 Then. as the other
mans eyes widened: But you
couldn't sell this'n for anything like
that-nOt TO anybody in the show
business. That case was an expert
ment. First place. he's just like that
first one-too young. Amt big
enough yet to look fierce-any big
rhimp'd he a better attraction, and a
lot cheaper. Then there's the other
sngle-about him diving"
Awful healthy, Mr.. Ainsworth.'
''Yeh. Here on the ship. But ships
and shows are different things. These
apes-they just like us. Look on a
cage like we look on a jail. Takes all
the heart out of EN-. Then the
changes of climate-they're down in
the mouth and grieving and not caring
specially whether they bump off OF
not, and the next thing a guy knows
wouldn't give more'n couple of grand
for him"
That's how much? Two thousa nd
dollars?'
''Yeh. I'd he taking a risk at that.
Young like this-people don't care
nothing about species. What they
want is fash. l could show 'em thai
nose and them eyes and all until
was black in the face, and 1t wouldn't
do any good. They'd rather see a
good python or bunk wild man
Takin him now. he'd live about six
weeks, and | wouldn't get my money
out Of him. But" and Jim .Ainsworth
hitched suddenly forward in the patenl
rocker tell You what III do. II
give you 500 bucks and take an option
on him when he's 10 years old He'd
he a n attraction then-the gorilla stun
ont on him plain. Weigh three III
four hundred-twice as big as any
thing else that'd ever been on the
road. He'd live longer then-might
last season. That'd be worth while
could climb high on something like
that. Around 80 grand"
Cann Meats bue-gray eyes mar
rowed and opened again. Fifty CRANE
meant $4,000. II that were the first
offer
Tell YOU what I'll do" he said
after long hour Of argument had
followed. "TlI think # over. | won't
give you an option, but | wont sell
him to anybody else unless they Offer
10000 moren n you. Now" fl haG
bsen a long speech for Cap'n Moat-
would that sound farm aboveboard?'
SIm nodded.
y guess it's the best / can get" he
answered Now just remember what
I've told you-a lot of this stuff about
apes being fierce-they don't get thai