"Johnny, you're safe!" Jeb suddenly exploded. He swept the boy into his arms and swung him about. He stopped, pushed the boy away from him, and tousled his hair. "I can't believe it, but you're safe!"
"Sure am," Johnny said, with a grin. Then he became serious. "How is Baba? Is he all right?"
"He's been kind of sad and upset, poor little feller," Jeb said. "But how in thunder did you get here? Last we heard you were being held for ransom. Your folks have been worried sick."
"Oh, I got away from the outlaws and some friends brought me. Please call everybody in the colony, will you? Tell them to come to the gate. I have something important to show them. I've got to go back out to my friends now. 'Bye." He started toward the door.
"Friends! What friends?" Jeb called.
"You'll find out," Johnny said, with a laugh.
"Hey, you can't go outside without armor," one of the other guards shouted. But Johnny had slipped out before he could be stopped. He took the stairs at a run, and was out of the heavy steel wall doors before the men could follow him.
As he skipped across the open space back to the jungle, he turned his head, waved to the men in the tower, and smiled.
"Come back here, you little devil!" Jeb shouted through the loudspeaker the guards used to guide tanks in.
But Johnny shook his head and went back into the brush.