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'Marguerite! Veronica! Challenger!' Roxton entered the tree house, finding it empty. He hung his riffle in the rack and saw that Marguerites riffle, hat and pack were gone. He walked over to the banister to look in Challengers lab. He found the scientist talking to himself. Roxton chuckled. 'Everything all right, George'? he shouted.

'Roxton, I think I have found the antidote for that poisonous snake we found last week'.

'Amazing, old boy', Roxton looked at the scientist with a lot of respect while making his way into the lab. He never saw a man so determined to his job and knowledge than professor George Challenger.

'Is there any chance you can make an antidote for snakes which goes by names as Marguerite and Veronica', Roxton chuckled.

'Haha, I don't think there will be an antidote for their stinging tongues', Challenger joked back. 'They had quiet a mood this morning, didn't they', he continued.

'They're giving me a headache sometimes', Roxton said with a scowl, 'Where are they anyway?'

'I don't know, didn't see them after breakfast. Didn't they leave a note'? The professor asked while pouring the antidote in a bottle.

'No, nothing, and Marguerites riffle, hat and pack are gone'. A slight feeling of concern came over the tall hunter. He didn't like it at all that the two women went out on an excursion of their own. The most of concern was for Marguerite. The insufferable and infuriating heiress that he became to love from the first day they met. Still three years after there depart from London they didn't reveal there love for each other. Oh, yes, he knew that Marguerite loved him too. He could see it in her eyes.

But Roxton was also concerned for Veronica. Yes, she survived on her own for about ten years, but still. In the past three years he became to love her as he would have loved a little sister. He felt responsible for her.

'I will go after them', Roxton said, 'maybe there is something wrong with them'.

'Why didn't they tell me they were going, or at least leave a note', Challenger said with concern in his eyes, 'I will have a discussion with them about that when they get back'.

'I'll get my things and go after them, I want to find them before it gets dark'. Roxton said as he walked up to the living room.

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'Please, can we take a break'? Marguerite pleaded.

'I thought you were so eager to find that treasure', Veronica said in a teasing voice.

'Just a few minutes, my feet hurt and I'm thirsty'.

Veronica rolled her eyes. 'All right then'. She sat next to Marguerite.

'How long do you think it will take us to get there'? Marguerite asked carefully.

'Another hour I'd say', Veronica noticed the tremble in Marguerites voice and couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She always gave everyone the idea that she wasn't afraid of anything but Veronica knew better. She knew there were a lot of things going on with Marguerite. She knew that she didn't know her parents and never experienced love while growing up. Veronica had heard her crying for several nights.

'I can't recall that I've ever been here at this place', Marguerite said watching over the lake they were sitting near.

'Malone and I went to this place several times', Veronica said with some grief in her voice.

Marguerite looked over to the blonde and felt sorry for her. She knew that Veronica liked the presence of Malone and Malone liked Veronica. According to Veronica they were good friends, but Marguerite wasn't sure about that. She put an arm around the jungle girl. 'He will be back, I'm sure he will', she said to comfort her.

Veronica gave her a little smile. 'We better go further she said'.

Suddenly two cannibals jumped out of the bushes near from them, quickly followed by four more.

'Run'! yelled Veronica. The two women jumped up and ran through the jungle with at least six cannibals behind them.

'Now what'? Marguerite cried.

'We will climb in that tree over there', Veronica yelled back. When they reached the tree Veronica helped Marguerite to get up and climbed after her. The cannibals didn't see them climbing up and ran passed them thinking that the ladies were still running.

'Could this day get any better', Marguerite hissed.

'Tell me about it', Veronica thought.

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'Marguerite! Veronica!', Roxton wandered through the jungle following the women's trail.

'Oh, when I find those two they're really in for it', he growled. To him it was totally clear, girls were nothing but trouble.

In their first week in the tree house every inhabitant promised to let someone know when they went away. That and the rule that no one would travel when it was dark were there to live up to. Marguerite broke those rules now and than, that was nothing new. But it was nothing for Veronica. Since Malone left them Veronica's behaviour did change. She was more touchy and more rebellious.

'You better get your ass back to the tree house, Neddy boy, One awkward woman I can handle, but not two'.

Roxton looked up to the sky, it would be dark now in a couple of hours and still there was no sign of the two runaways.

'What on earth are they up to', he snarled while continuing his path.