In Search of Goliathus Hercules Read Online Free Page A

insects pollinate flowers, which in turn produce seeds?” asked Mrs. Black in an almost accusatory tone.
    “Yes I did. I…I hadn’t thought about it that way.”
    Rising, Mrs. Black said, “Come with me, On- ree . I have something I want to show you.”
    She led him to an adjoining room. It must have once been a conservatory for indoor plants, but the glass panes had all been painted black. There was no natural light. Henri could hear something that sounded a bit like the fluttering of birds’ wings. Mrs. Black lit a candle.
    Henri saw a shelf holding two glass tanks, like the kind people kept tropical fish in; but these contained no water. Mrs. Black ushered him closer as she held up the candle to the first tank. Staring out with unblinking eyes was a very large red, black, and white striped snake. Henri felt his heart speed up, and he took several quick breaths. The snake in turn seemed to stick out its forked tongue in time to the rise and fall of Henri’s chest.
    “It’s a king snake,” announced Mrs. Black.
    Moving to the other case, she held up the light and said, “And this is a monitor lizard.” Henri faced a gigantic lizard that was clearly too big for its tank. He had no desire to move nearer.
    “And up here”—Mrs. Black raised her arm to a wire cage mounted on the wall—“are my beauties!” She said this with genuine enthusiasm. The fluttering sound stopped as the light hit the cage, and Henri could see at least six bats dangling from the top by their feet. “It’s feeding time. I thought you would like to help me,” Mrs. Black said. She grinned—or perhaps it was a sneer, Henri couldn’t tell.
    “Um…thank you for the opportunity. What do they eat?” he inquired.
    “Their diet varies. Rodents, frogs, insects. Today they will be dining on crickets.” Mrs. Black picked up a small wire box and pulled out a wriggling, very unwilling cricket. She moved to the lizard’s tank. She was about to drop the cricket in when Henri heard a noise. It sounded like high-pitched wailing.
    “Do you hear something?” asked Henri.
    “No,” said Mrs. Black as she dropped the cricket in. A second later, the sound was gone. Henri looked at the lizard in time to see it suck the cricket’s last leg into its mouth, like a person slurping a length of spaghetti (not Henri, of course, since that was considered poor dinner table etiquette).
    “Ready to give it a try?”
    Henri moved forward and Mrs. Black dropped a struggling cricket into his hand. He quickly cupped his other hand over it so it could not escape.
    The creature thrashed about in desperation, seeming well aware of its fate. Again Henri heard the high-pitched wail. “I hear it again! Someone’s crying,” said Henri. “Maybe it’s Great Aunt Georgie. Perhaps she’s fallen!”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about, On -ree . I hear nothing. Now, go ahead and drop that cricket in.” Henri turned toward the tank, but the wailing was becoming even louder. The fluttering of the cricket in his hands sent tremors up his arms, and he realized that he could feel the insect’s fear. “Do it!” commanded Mrs. Black.
    Henri looked at Mrs. Black, blinked, and then felt himself falling. Suddenly everything went black.

The Escape
    H enri opened his eyes. He was lying in his bed at Woodland Farm. Something wet and cold was on his forehead. He reached up and touched it. “Ouch!” It must have been a compress and underneath it was a very large bump. His head hurt! Just then Henri felt a tickle on his hand.
    “Good. You’re awake at last.” Henri looked down to see a fly sitting on his hand.
    “Dom?”
    “The one and only! At your service.”
    Though it hurt, Henri couldn’t help but smile because, after all, how could a fly be the one and only? And how could Dom possibly be of any help? Actually, he might be able to answer some questions. “What happened? Why am I here?”
    “As I understand it, you fainted and cracked your head hard on