“Oh gosh. I hope Stuart’s all right,” said Wilf fretfully. “He’s been gone ages and—”
At that moment, a squillion gazillion dung beetles peered over the top of the pit.
“You did it!” cried Wilf. “Stuart, you’re a hero!”
Stuart leapt happily and safely back into Wilf’s pocket. Then the dung beetles climbed down into the pit, hoisted Wilf, Abi, and the Dung God onto their shoulders (plus the barrel and the recorder and the Tupperware) and carried them out of the pit to safety.
“Wheeeeeeeeeeee!” said Abi. “This is such fun! This is the best adventure ever!”
The dung beetles gently rested the three friends on the ground.
“Thank you so much,” said Wilf.
“Look!” said Abi. “Over there! It’s Alan with my snakes!”
On the other side of the river, Alan and Kevin were now getting out of the boat with the BOUNCY EXPLODEY BOMB and Abi’s snakes.
“How are we ever going to get across?” asked Wilf.
“I’m a brilliant swimmer,” said Abi.
“But Dot isn’t,” said Wilf. “And anyway, won’t it be full of crocodiles?”
“True,” said Abi. “But we have to do something.”
“The barrel!” said Wilf. “We can use the barrel as a boat. And if we tie my recorder to the Tupperware, we can use that as a paddle.”
“Brilliant!” said Abi. They unraveled one of the snake sleeping bags Wilf was carrying and used it to tie the recorder to the Tupperware. Then they all scrambled into the barrel and started paddling furiously to the other side of the river.
I expect you’re wanting to know what the river was like. Well, it was wet.
“This river is so deep!” said Abi.1
“Yes, and the water is so dark,” said Wilf.2
“And the current is so strong!” said Abi.3
“I know! I’m paddling as hard as I can and we’re moving in the opposite direction.”
“The Zambezi River moves through the land like a snake in the grass,”4 said Abi thoughtfully.
Finally, they reached the other side, and as they scrambled out of the barrel, they saw Alan and Kevin running through the trees toward a clearing. There was a big sign nearby saying BALLOON SAFARI. Wilf and Abi and Dot got there just in time to see Alan and Kevin climbing into an enormous hot air balloon with the Bouncy Explodey Bomb and the snakes.
“They’re going to Victoria Falls,” said Wilf. “We have to stop them!”
They rushed toward another hot air balloon and clambered in.
“Follow that balloon!” said Wilf urgently. And the balloon began to float slowly and gently up into the sky.
Wilf could see Alan’s balloon in the distance.
“Quickly! We’ve got to catch him!” cried Wilf.
Floaty floaty float, went Alan’s balloon.
Drifty drifty drift, went Wilf’s balloon behind.
“He’s getting away!” shouted Wilf.
Floaty floaty drift, went Alan’s balloon.
Drifty drifty float, went Wilf’s balloon.
“Hurry! Before it’s too late!” yelled Wilf.
Floaty drifty float, went Alan’s balloon.
Drifty floaty drift, went Wilf’s balloon.
It was really rather exciting.