17: Get Along, Little Rhino

FROM THE TOP OF THE ROCK, Hector saw the fire sweeping toward them through the dry grass. “It’s a lot closer,” he said.

Dad nodded. “We have to get the elephants, the hippo, and that rhino into the watering hole.”

They looked down at the rhinoceros below them. He had finally gotten enough undizzy (Is that a word?) to investigate Dad’s quad. He had staggered to it and was pushing and poking at it.

“Alright,” Dad said. “He looks busy enough for the moment. While he’s distracted, I’ll silently sneak down to your quad. Then I’ll fire it up and draw his attention to chase me.”

“You’ll be totally in the open,” Hector argued.

“Not to worry,” Dad said. “As soon as I draw his attention, you race down and hop on the other quad. Between the two of us, we should be able to herd him toward the watering hole.”

Hector wasn’t crazy about the idea —especially the part about Dad risking his life. But before he could answer, Dad took off, scampering down the rock.

Everything went according to plan. Well, except for the part about silently sneaking. It’s hard to silently sneak when loose stones slip under your feet and you

“WHOA!!!”

bam

bounce

bam, bam, bam

“OUCH! OUCH! OUCH!”

all the way to the bottom.

It’s even harder when a rhinoceros spins around, sees you, and decides to charge.

“Run!” Hector shouted.

It seemed like a good idea so Dad jumped to his feet and gave it a try. He was a little hurt —all that bounce-ing and bam-ming will do that to a fellow —but he finally made it to the quad and leaped on board. It was close, but he managed to fire it up and

vaROOOOOOOOOMmm . . .

take off just in time.

Now the rhino was following Dad, and it was Hector’s turn.

Hector scrambled down the steep rock, careful to avoid all the bothersome bounce-ing and bam-ming, and ran to the other quad.

“Hurry!” Dad shouted —which is just the thing to shout when a rhinoceros is five feet behind you and closing in.

Hector fired up his quad, hit the gas, and circled around to help Dad. Soon, he caught up to him, and together, they raced through the field, keeping the animal between them.

“¡Eh!” Hector shouted, waving to get the animal’s attention. “¡Eh, tú! ¡Tú!”

But rhinos don’t speak Spanish (at least not as well as Hector) so the big fellow just kept chasing Dad.

Hector slowed a little until he was beside the animal’s hind leg. “¡Eh! ¡Eh!” he shouted.

The rhino still paid no attention, so Hector did something very brave and (if he liked living) very foolish. He veered in nice and close, so close he could reach out and slap the rhino’s side. “¡Eh! ¡Eh!” he shouted. “¡Eh, tú!”

This definitely got the critter’s attention. He turned, saw Hector, and lunged for him. The rhino would have gotten him, too, if Hector hadn’t quickly veered away.

Dad saw what Hector was up to. He slowed his own quad until he was at the rhino’s other hind leg. “Hey!” he shouted. “Hey! Hey!”

The animal turned for Dad.

Then Hector moved in shouting, “¡Eh! ¡Eh!” and the rhino turned back for him.

“Hey! Hey!” Dad shouted and, growing more confused, the rhino turned for him.

It was a dangerous game as they raced across the field. Every time the rhino turned for one of them, the other would shout and draw his attention . . . always careful to stay away from his powerful head and deadly horn.

“Guide him to the watering hole!” Dad shouted.

“¿Qué?” Hector yelled.

“The watering hole!” Dad shouted back. “Guide him to the watering hole!”

“¡Sí!” Hector nodded. “¡Sí! ¡Sí!”

And so they continued for the next ten minutes (or ten hours) shouting:

“Hey! Hey!”

“¡Eh! ¡Eh!”

Until they reached the watering hole. Then at the very last second (or hour), they veered away in opposite directions. And since the rhino was too clumsy and heavy to stop in time, he shot off the bank and

SPLASH-ed

into the water.

Actually, more like

SPLASH-ed

(As I said, he was a big fellow.)

“Alright!” Dad shouted as he turned his quad back to join Hector. “We did it!”

“Will he stay in there?” Hector asked.

“Until he’s rested. By then the fire will be so close, he’ll stay in the water to be safe.” Turning to Hector, Dad grinned. “We did it, son!” he yelled. “One down and three to go.”

“Three?” Hector shouted.

“We still need to get the hippo and the momma and baby elephants in there!” Dad revved his quad and spun around to turn. “Come on!”

Hector nodded and followed.