3. Julia
''Marguerite, will you hand me that hammer?'' Roxton asked the heiress who was sitting in the shadows of a group of trees. With some complaining she got up on her feet handing Roxton the hammer. ''Thanks, love'', he said with a grin. This earned Roxton a furious glare.
''Ah, we're doing fine'', Challenger said while climbing down a ladder next to the windmill. ''I'd say we take a couple of minutes to rest and have some lunch over there in the shadows''.
''We can use some rest, yes, but Marguerite has already rested long enough, didn't you Marguerite'', Veronica snarled.
''I did give you the tools when you asked for it, didn't I, you didn't have to come of that ladder once, Veronica, you know I have not the skills of making that stupid windmill'', Marguerite defeated herself.
''Ooooh, yeah, reaching tools to us is really a job, isn't it, we should call you are own tool-reacher!'' Veronica teased. Marguerite glowered at Veronica as she was ready to attack her.
''Come here, you little brat!'' she said while running after Veronica.
It didn't take long or both women were running after each other and laughing about their childish behaviour using Challenger as a cover shield by running in circles around him. Until he finally had enough of it.
''Since when am I a may pole!'' he asked while holding Marguerite's arm in one hand and Veronica's in the other.
''She started it!'' Marguerite pointed at Veronica who was caught into a fit of laughter again.
''Yes well I'm ending it now, okay?'' Both women were laughing now. ''I said okay?''
''Yes, sir'', Veronica said while saluting at the professor.
Releasing the women Challenger looked at Roxton, who was chuckling, muttering something about the behaviour of women and girls that he still didn't understand.
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Malone had a steady pace. The young girl could hardly keep up with him. Eventually she was gasping for air which Malone noticed.
''I think it's better if we take a break here'', he said to the girl who gratefully accepted his offer. They sat down near a lake and Malone gave his canteen to the girl. After a few minutes her breathing was back to normal.
''So, are you going to tell me what your name is?'' Malone asked carefully. He was wondering about the girls name for a while. She didn't introduce herself yet.
She smiled at him. ''I'm sorry, I totally forgot. I'm Julia Smith''. ''And you're from London, right?''
''Right''
''And you're what, thirteen years old?''
''How do you know I'm thirteen?'' she asked in surprise.
''A wild guess'', Malone grinned.
Before Malone could ask more questions, Julia decided to turn the tables. ''Are you here on your own, in this place?'' she asked Malone.
''No, I came here as a member of an expedition, the Challenger expedition''. Malone saw there was no recognition with the name of Challenger. ''We came here with five, professor Challenger, professor Summerlee, Lord Roxton, Marguerite Krux and me''.
''And you are living with this people here?'' Julia continued.
''Yes, unfortunately Summerlee disappeared, we don't know what happened to him''. Malone stared over the lake thinking about the professor he truly admired. Julia brought him back to the real world.
''But where are you living? In caves, in tents?''
''Oh, no, we live in a treehouse''.
Julia started laughing hysterically. ''A treehouse, sure!''
Malone looked at her seriously until she stopped.
''You really live in a treehouse, don't you?''
''Yes, we do. In Veronica's treehouse''.
''Who is Veronica?''
''She was born here, her parents came here years ago with an expedition. But her parents disappeared when Veronica was a little girl and she had to take care of herself. She took us in her home when we arrived here. Without Veronica we would never survived''. Julia looked at Malone, she liked this guy. She knew he was honest to her.
''I think we should move on, I'm pretty tired and hungry and I could use a bath'', Malone stated.
''Yes, me too, to all three things'', she laughed. Malone smiled back at her and they continued their path.
