-They were all in Muir Woods. Charles dozed on a blanket in the shade of one of the huge red wood trees. Will and Caroline were off somewhere, probably practicing their human mating rituals. And Caesar was, in all appearances, on his own for the moment.

He loved his family, though he was getting a little impatient, waiting for Will and Caroline to start having babies. Caesar wanted a little brother or sister. But he also loved these rare times when his family was occupied and he could explore the woods without them.

After checking that Charles was sleeping peacefully, he bounded off in to the trees. He climbed and swung and jumped, reveling in his freedom.

As usual, the young Ape lost all track of time. It was just occurring to him that he had better go back and check on Charles when sounds of raucous human laughter from up ahead drew his attention. There was something about this laughter that unnerved him

Caesar decided to follow the sounds. It didn't take him long to come upon the disturbing scene. As he watched from the top of the trees, several human boys and a girl were twirling another smaller girl around and around just off the ground. They'd set the girl down and laugh as she staggered about, then snatch her up again just as she seemed to be finding her footing and whirl her around again.

Caesar was seething with rage, gripping the tree so hard that he left marks in the wood. If this was some human game, it was a very cruel one. And the girl at its center certainly wasn't laughing and having a good time. When the other girl pushed the smaller one roughly to the ground and stood over her, Caesar had had enough. He opened his mouth, ready to let loose a roar that would echo all over Muir Woods.

At the last second, he thought better of that. He dropped down out of the trees amid the human children. Placing himself squarely between the tormented girl and the others, Caesar opened his mouth and gave a soft growl..

With terrified shrieks, Amanda Grace King listened as her tormentors ran away. Still feeling quite dizzy, she stayed where she was crouched on the ground.

She had heard the loud thud of something coming down from the trees, then the screams of her bullying schoolmates as they ran off in all directions.

Great! My so-called friends have left me here to be eaten by something, Amanda thought fearfully as she stayed on the ground, too afraid to move. Not that she could move very well yet anyway. The ground still seemed to be sliding beneath her, and she now had no idea where she was in this whole wood.

And she also had no idea what had come down from those trees, either.

Her first thought was snake, but that didn't feel or sound right to her. For one thing, she did not hear any slithering noises nearby or any hissing

or the sound of scales rubbing on scales. And if it were a snake, it would have to be a monster one to cause that thud, a big monster one.

Oh, very nice thought Amanda!

Amanda shivered. Her fevered imagination began to picture what it would be like to either be eaten or squeezed to death by a monstrously large Boa, or

maybe she'd just be ripped apart and eaten by a big hungry bear. She was still far too afraid to move.

"Not hurt," Caesar signed to the girl. They were so close it was hard to move his hands without touching the girl. "Caesar not hurt you?"

Nothing, no response.

Caesar could tell the girl was still terrified. He did not understand. He was crouched right in front of her. Even if she didn't understand his signs, could she not see that he was no threat to her?

Then, it hit him. She was not reacting to his movements except when he made the slightest of sounds. Could she be blind?

No! Why is a blind human female out here in the Woods, all alone and totally unprotected? Caesar wondered to himself.

Of course, he realized that she had not been alone until he had scared away the others, but they were hurting her. They needed to be scared away. But now what was he going to do with her?

Very carefully, Caesar reached out and put his hands on the girls trembling shoulders.

At the touch of two very hairy hands, Amanda gave an involuntary little cry. But nothing happened after that. The hands did not move. They did not tighten and no claws ripped in to her skin. But it was very close now. She could hear its breathing, slow and careful. The hands felt almost comforting.

Cautiously, Amanda lifted her head, and raised her hands to touch the ones on her shoulders. Except for being long fingered and covered with hair or fur, they felt very human like. There was something very familiar about that touch. But Amanda knew this was not either of her old friends. One lived in the San Fran zoo, and wasn't allowed out in the park, and the other ...

Amanda caught her breath. It still hurt too much to think about her other friend. She'd probably never get to see him again, anyway, even if he might still be alive.

Then, it hit her. She thought she knew what this might be after all.

"Bigfoot! Amanda exclaimed excitedly. Are you a Bigfoot?"

Caesar was not entirely sure what a Bigfoot was. His feet were not that big, but he thought the girl might be talking about one of the human myths of some large ape-like creature. He had seen some television show about the search for something the humans called Bigfoot.

The human girl seemed so excited about it that he hated to burst her bubble.

Caesar gave a gentle huff, and shook his head. Remembering at the last minute that she could not see him, he gently took one of her hands, placed it on his head, and then shook it again.

"Oh, so you're not a Bigfoot."

Amanda was visibly disappointed.

"Then, um, what are you? Who are you? I mean, you understand me, I guess-"

It occurred to the girl that this creature, whatever it was, was as bewildered as she was at this moment. That made her feel far less afraid, and much more curious.

Caesar gently took one of the girls' hands again, and began to trace letters on the back of her hand. Being blind, he had no idea if she would understand these letters, but he had to try.

He moved one finger very carefully and precisely.

"My name is Caesar," he traced on her skin. "I am a Chimpanzee."

"Really! A Chimpanzee? And, your name is Caesar?" Amanda repeated uncertainly. She was not as good with print as she obviously was with braille, but she thought that was what he meant.

"Hi, um, Caesar. I'm Amanda.""

She tried standing up again and almost fell. Caesar easily held her upright, one arm about her waist.

"Are you alone?" Caesar asked.

"No, I'm with my family, my parents and brother," she told the Chimp.

Her voice trembled. She was good and lost, and had no idea how to get back to

her family now.

"Help you find them," Caesar offered.

Amanda blinked. Could he really help her find her family?

He began to help guide the girl through the woods, getting closer and closer to the places where humans were most concentrated.

It did not take long before they both heard the anxious cries.

"Caesar, do you have any other Ape friends?" Amanda had just asked him as he guided her. "Do you know an Ape named— "

"Amanda! Amanda! Honey, where are you?"

"Mom," the girl gasped, relieved tears flooding her eyes. Then, her relief turned to sudden concern.

"Caesar, Go," she told the Ape quickly. "Now, before they see you!"

If he had escaped from somewhere, she did not want him recaptured. The thought of this gentle intelligent Ape being in a cage in someone's lab was more

than Amanda could bear.

Caesar hesitated.

Amanda gave him a quick hug.

"I'll be okay," Amanda reassured him. "That's my Mom and Dad. I know their voices. They'll be here any minute. Please, go, quick!"

The Ape only hesitated for another second. He cautiously released the girl and leaped in to the trees.

"Oh, Mandy!"

A plump dark-haired woman in her late thirties came running up and threw her arms around the girl.

"I'm all right, Mom," Amanda tried to sooth her distraught Mother.

"There, there, Evelyn," Amanda's Father also soothed, putting his arms around his wife and daughter both. "She's fine. I think those little brats were just pulling our leg. You don't look like you were mauled by a bear, Babe," he said with a chuckle, smoothing Amanda's hair.

"Can we go now?" Amanda asked plaintively. She wasn't sure, but felt as if Caesar were still nearby, and she wanted to be gone before her Dad, who saw

everything, noticed some sign of the Ape's presence.

As the adult humans led the girl away, Caesar watched until they were out of sight. Sighing, the Chimp went back to find his own family. He wondered

if he would ever see that girl again. She had the prettiest yellow hair he had ever seen on a human. Somehow, he knew that he would.