Читать книгу The Hidden Kingdom - Tracey Hecht - Страница 30

Quicksand

Dawn, too, saw the animal’s strange behavior. Was it sick? Was there a predator nearby? “Everyone, stay back,” she warned.

But Bismark, unaware of the armadillo’s distress, jovially leaped toward it, determined to make a big entrance.

“Ahoy there, Señor Scale-Tail!” he shouted. “Come meet our scaly compañero.” He nodded over his shoulder to Tobin then looked back and forth between the pangolin and the armadillo, noting their similar, oblong shapes, short limbs, and taloned paws. “Hey, you two have a lot in common! Can you release a terrible stink from your rear end, too?” Warily, Bismark eyed the armadillo’s backside. He plugged his nose before continuing to move closer.

“Oy!” The armadillo suddenly let out a shout. “Hold it right there, little feller—don’t take another step! That there ground is a quagmire!” He pointed urgently toward a patch of sand just beyond Bismark’s feet.

Bismark didn’t know what a quagmire was, but he wasn’t about to admit it… or seem afraid of it. So, with a confident grin, the sugar glider took a giant step forward.

37