Forest Fire Read Online Free Page B

got a glimpse of cold reptilian eyes and a scaly snout edging towards them.
    â€œCrocodile!” gasped Ben, pulling Zoe back. “We have to get off the ground – now!”
    â€œBut how?” Zoe looked round wildly.
    â€œThere’ll be a ladder up to the platform.” Ben stumbled through the ferns to reach the numbered trunk. Zoe was close on his heels. Behind her the ferns swayed and flattened as the crocodile followed.
    Ben leapt up the first rungs of the wooden ladder. He reached down and grabbed Zoe’s hand, hauling her up to safety just as the crocodile launched itself at the base of the tree, snapping at the empty air beneath her feet.

    â€œThat was close!” breathed his sister, scrambling up as high as she could. “I thought we were safe with our scent dispersers on.”
    â€œCrocs have really acute hearing,” Ben told her, as he looked down at the enormous scaly creature that was still searching for its prey. “We weren’t exactly silent back there. Did you know,” he went on, as they climbed towards the platform, “the saltwater crocodile can grow up to seven metres long?”
    â€œFascinating,” panted Zoe, following on behind. “Plenty of room inside for a couple of kids then!”
    At last they were on the platform. Down below they could see the distant shape of their attacker sliding back towards the dark sweep of the river that lay beyond the trees.
    â€œThis will be a good place to try the call,” said Ben.
    He pulled out his BUG and pressed some buttons. A loud chirruping noise filled the air and echoed far into the trees.
    â€œIt would have been better to do this in the day when Kawan was awake,” said Zoe.
    â€œWe’ve got no choice,” Ben replied. “And I’m sure he’ll forgive us if it means he comes home.”
    They sat as still as they could, carefully scanning the area through their goggles.
    â€œFruit bats, otters and one or two monkeys,” reported Zoe. “I think they were silvered langurs. No orang-utans.”
    Ben played the call again and again.
    â€œLooks like we’re going to be unlucky,” he said at last. “Perhaps we should be making our way back –”
    He stopped. There was a rustling in the branches above their heads, followed by a loud chomping sound. Zoe quickly held out her BUG towards it to analyse the sound. “It’s an orang-utan!” she whispered.
    â€œI’ve read about their vocalisations,” said Ben. “That sound means it feels threatened.”
    â€œKeep still then,” said Zoe. “It has to be Kawan, doesn’t it? He’s responded to the call. And after all we’re in his territory so none of the others would dare to be here.”
    â€œGoggles on zoom,” Ben reminded her, adjusting his as he spoke.
    â€œWow!” murmured Zoe. “He’s right above our heads.”
    A dark shape was stealing through the high branches.
    Ben wriggled round and held his BUG above the leaves, activating its camera function. “Got a photo,” he whispered. They peered down at the screen. The face of a familiar-looking young orang-utan stared back at them. He had a distinctive tuft of hair sticking up on one side of his head, just like they’d seen in the film.
    â€œAwesome!” breathed Ben. “It is Kawan!”

CHAPTER
SIX
    The young orang-utan sat in the branches above their heads, gazing at Ben and Zoe, his eyes flickering nervously.
    â€œI’ve got a rusk in my backpack,” Zoe said quietly. “Let’s see if we can tempt him down and make him feel safe in his territory again.”
    â€œMat’s going to be so happy,” said Ben.
    Moving in ultra slow motion, Zoe stood up and held the rusk above her head.
    Kawan began to swing gracefully down from branch to branch. He waited just out of reach, hanging from one long, shaggy arm and gazing around as if searching for