And off they all went to the great cage. CHARLIE! CHARLIE! Wake up, you’re wanted! CHARLIE!

Chapter Eight

Charlie the chimp is a help!

Tinker came to the big cage first. He peered inside. Charlie the Chimp was there all right, sitting at the back of his cage, his brown eyes looking at the children with curiosity. He got up and went over to where Tinker was peering in, and pressed his nose against the strong wire, almost against Tinker’s. Then he blew hard, and Tinker backed away, surprised and cross.

“He blew at me!” he said to the others, who were laughing at Tinker’s disgust. The chimp made a funny noise that Mischief the monkey immediately tried to imitate. The chimpanzee stared at Mischief, then he grew very excited. He rattled his cage, jumped up and down, and made some very queer noises indeed.

A boy came running up at once. It was the boy who had knocked Tinker down. “Hey — what are you doing to the chimp?” he called. “Oh — aren’t you the boy who shouted at my Grandad — the one I knocked down?”

“Yes. And don’t you dare try that on again, or you’ll be sorry!” said Tinker, in a fierce voice.

“Shut up, Tinker,” said Julian. He turned to the boy. “Your name’s Jeremy, isn’t it?” he said. “Well, we’ve just been talking to your Grandad over there, and he said we could get the chimpanzee to help us with our camping gear. It’s all right for him to come out of his cage, isn’t it?”

“Oh yes — I take him out two or three times a day,” said Jeremy. “He gets bored in his cage. He’d love to help put up your tents — he’s always helping us circus folk with things like that. He’s as strong as a lion.”

“Is he — er — is he safe?” asked Dick, eyeing the big animal doubtfully.

“Safe? What do you mean — safe?” asked Jeremy, surprised. “He’s as safe as I am! Charlie, come on out! Go on, you can undo your cage perfectly well, you know you can!”

The chimpanzee made a funny little chuckling noise, put his hand through the wire, reached the bolt, pulled it, took his hand back — and pushed open the cage door.

“See? Easy, isn’t it?” said Jeremy, grinning. “Charlie boy, come along. Your help’s wanted!”

Charlie lumbered out of his cage, and went with the children to where they had left their tents and ground-sheets and the rest. He walked with his fists on the ground in a most inelegant manner, making a funny little groaning noise all the time. Mischief was rather afraid of him, and kept well to the back — but the chimpanzee suddenly turned round, caught hold of Mischief, and sat him up on his shoulder! Mischief held on, not knowing whether to be scared or jubilant!

“I wish I had my camera here,” said Anne to George. “Just look at them — Mischief is as pleased as can be!”