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diff --git a/20753.txt b/20753.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..14ecf4e --- /dev/null +++ b/20753.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7551 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Wonder Island Boys: The Tribesmen, by Roger Finlay + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Wonder Island Boys: The Tribesmen + +Author: Roger Finlay + +Release Date: March 6, 2007 [EBook #20753] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WONDER ISLAND BOYS *** + + + + +Produced by Joe Longo and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + + BY ROGER T. FINLAY + +Thrilling adventures by sea and land of two boys and an aged Professor +who are cast away on an island with absolutely nothing but their +clothing. By gradual and natural stages they succeed in constructing all +forms of devices used in the mechanical arts and learn the scientific +theories involved in every walk of life. These subjects are all treated +in an incidental and natural way in the progress of events, from the +most fundamental standpoint without technicalities, and include every +department of knowledge. Numerous illustrations accompany the text. + +Two thousand things every boy ought to know. Every page + a romance. Every line a fact. + + * * * * * + + _Six titles--60 cents per volume_ + + * * * * * + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + The Castaways + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + Exploring the Island + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + The Mysteries of the Caverns + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + The Tribesmen + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + The Capture and Pursuit + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + The Conquest of the Savages + + PUBLISHED BY + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 Fourth Avenue New York + + + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + + * * * * * + + THE TRIBESMEN + +[Illustration: "_He poised his spear as he raised himself out of the +water_" [See p. 144]] + + + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + + THE TRIBESMEN + + BY + ROGER T. FINLAY + + ILLUSTRATED + + [Illustration] + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + NEW YORK + + + COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + + + +CONTENTS + + + +I. THE FIRST OF THE TRIBESMEN + + The first view of the savages. Excitement in their camp. The + story of the boys. What they had accomplished. Their home at + the Cataract. The fifth expedition. In the savages' country. + Some of the mysterious events. "Angel" one of the party. The + dense forest. The fight between the two tribes. Going closer + to the battle ground. The wagon as a means of defense. Taking + position on the shore of a stream. The defeated party + retreating toward the wagon. Close view of the natives. The + defeated tribe taking up position behind the wagon. The + victorious party attacking the wagon. Repelling the charge. + The fight witnessed by the defeated tribe. + +II. TWO SAVAGE ATTACKS + + Their two foes. Preparing for the night. Poisoned arrows. + Clearing away the brush. Angel restless during the night. + John's adventure as a scout. The shot in the darkness. The + result. John's second scouting expedition. Return of the + warriors. The arrow and the cap. The reappearance. The volley. + The slain warriors. The trophies. The different headdresses. + How tribes are distinguished. Determine to go forward. + Trinkets of civilized people found on the battlefield. Camp + the second night. Angel discerns the approach of a band. The + Professor tries to establish communications. Failure. A + position of defense. The attack and repulse. The second + volley. Charging the savages. Capture of a wounded chief and a + warrior. Treating the wounds. The chief advising his men not + to attack. + +III. A THIRD ATTACKING TRIBE + + Difficulty in communicating with the chief. Examining the + chief's pockets. Finding a photograph of George and Harry. + Hunting the pockets of the slain warriors. The match box. + John's startled look. The monogram. Human hair. Its part in + ornamentation. Scalps. Customs connected with human hair. + Going forward. Surrounded by the warriors. The running fight. + The yaks beyond control. The flight. The savages trying to + outflank them. Warriors on all sides. The river in sight. A + tributary to the West River. Getting the yaks under control. + The wounded animals. Heading for a peninsula. The mute + captive. The siege. Instilling fear. Learning the chief did + not belong to the attacking party. Consternation on + discovering that the attacking party did not belong to either + of the parties who first attacked them. + +IV. THE ESCAPE. ENCOUNTERING ANOTHER HOSTILE TRIBE + + War among the natives. John's ability with the gun. Cooped up + in the peninsula. Recollection in animals. A dual self. + Memory. No attack during the night. The savage attempt to + starve them out. Planning to escape. Determine to build a + raft. John and Harry's night adventure after material. + Crossing the tributary to the north. Bringing in logs. The + structure to imitate the wagon. Driving the team into the + river. Floating the logs under the wagon. Crossing the stream. + A safe passage. A good retreat. How the ruse affected the + natives. The amused captive chief. Starting northward. The + disapproval of the chief. Viewing a fight between tribes. + Short of ammunition. An unexpected native village. The + startled warriors. Attacked by the natives. + +V. THE RESCUE OF THE CAPTIVE BOYS + + The fight. Defeat of the savages. Charging them through the + village. The large hut. A cry from within. American boys + captive. Their own companions. Weak and hungry. Taken to the + wagon. Their terrible condition. The return of the savages. + Feeding the famished boys. The second attack. The flanking + parties. The first volley. Retreating toward the river. + Followed by the warriors. Outwitting the enemy. Flight of the + wagon to the hill. A peculiar rock formation. Discovery of a + cave. Peculiar actions of John and the Professor. Their advice + to go on. A hurried trip to the river. Arranging the weapon + for defense. Fearing a night attack. + +VI. THE TALE OF THE RESCUED BOYS + + Ralph and Tom. Cast ashore in the north of the island. Meeting + a band of savages with a captive. Poison berries. Sickness. + Hunting food. Captured by a tribe of natives. Peculiarities of + the native headdresses. Taken to the mountains. Escaped. + Recaptured by another tribe. Sacrificing prisoners. The round + silver match box. Savage charms. Kindly treated by the second + tribe. The second escape. Hunting food. Starving. Trying to go + back to the tribe. The mistake in going to the wrong tribe. + How boldness saved them. The watch in possession of the chief. + The initials J. L. V. Treated like brothers. Captured by + another tribe in a fight. Their last captors. + +VII. THE ESCAPE IN THE NIGHT + + John's search in the night. Return. Indicating by signs that + no savages were in sight. Continuing their flight in the + night. The course along the bed of the stream. John in the + advance pushes through the underbrush. By motions indicates + the possibilities of crossing the river. Finding driftwood. + The raft. The launching of the wagon. Camping on the opposite + side. Watching the savages. Deep streams. Shallow water + courses. Savage strategy. Hunting for food. Coffee and corned + beef. Woodchuck and pheasants. Discussing the wounded chief. + Conclude to take him to Cataract. Taking up the march for + home. Finding the direction of the south pole. The Dog Star + Sirius. + +VIII. THE CATARACT AND ITS MARVELS + + The tramp through the forest. Wonderful effect on the rescued + boys. New fruit and vegetables. The rubber tree. Carricature + plant. Sighting Observation Hill. The Old Flag. The change in + John. Angel happy. The visit of the boys to the shop. The + rambles about the place. A wonderful stimulus. Angel turning + the grindstone. Appreciation. The Professor's encomium. + Rearranging their quarters. Putting up new buildings. The + barley thief. Making bread. The chief at Cataract. Crutches. + The novelty to him. Learning to walk. His amazement at the + workshop. Trying to talk. Threshing barley. The grist mill. + The home-made violin. Dancing. A religious ceremony. Different + national customs in dancing. + +IX. THE WORK AT THE CATARACT. MAKING WEAPONS. + + Dividing the work. Hunting vegetables. Securing game. + Cultivating the garden. Making clothing. Footwear. John making + lasts. Ramie fiber. Preparing more weapons. Angel's new suit. + New ores and minerals. Cinnabar. Quicksilver. Poisons from + mercury. The boys' trip to Observation Hill. Angel's gun. The + talk of the boys. Desire to survey the island. Telling the + rescued boys their story. Savage traits concerning property. + Locks. Doing work on holidays. Recreation. The instruments for + surveying. The boathouse. Chief and the spear. His dexterity. + How the chief held the spear. The chief and the bolo. + +X. UNAWARES IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY. + + Observing the heavens. Degrees and what they mean. Angles. + Calculating position by the stars. The moon as a factor by + night. The fixed stars in the moon's path. Determine to + recover the wrecked boat. The boys inaugurate the trip. A + jolly lark. Through the forest. The alarm in the night. The + attack of an animal. Missed. Sighting the West River. + Miscalculation. Discovering their former tracks. In the + savages' country. The chatter of Angel in the trees. The + alarm. Savages. Eluding them. Escaping to the north. + Discovered by the natives. The pursuit. + +XI. THE RUSE TO ESCAPE THEIR PURSUERS + + Preparing for defense. Appearance of the savages. The charge. + Repelling the attack. Driving the team ahead. Harry and Tom as + rear guards. Harry's injunction to force the team on rapidly. + The warriors. Turning to the east. Eluding the enemy. The rush + for the river. Crossing. The savages at the river. + Reinforcement of the pursuing party. The ruse leaving the + river. Hiding the wagon. Returning to the river. The two + warriors swimming the river. Their surprise. Their effort to + escape. Recognizing the savages as the captors of the boys. + Consternation in the camp of the enemy. Determining to recross + the river. The flight to the north. Recrossing. Return home. + +XII. THE PROBLEM ABOUT THE CAVE + + Their happy reception at the Cataract. Why their observations + of the moon led them astray. Distinguishing fixed stars. How + Angel fought the savages. Individuality. The chief an enigma. + How he used the grindstone. His interest in machinery. The + yardstick of the heavens to measure degrees. The Constellation + Orion. The new calf. Milk and butter. The mysterious visit of + the chief to the clay banks. Eating clay. Observations by + Ralph and Tom. The clay eaters of the world. The cave and the + treasure. The Professor refuses to take a share of it. + Determination of the boys. Harry and George go to the cave. Go + back for Ralph and Tom. + +XIII. THE ACCIDENT TO JOHN AND THE RESTORATION OF MEMORY + + An island of abundance. Nuts and vegetables. Oils for + illumination. Unripe fruit. How nature protects her products. + Eggs. How good and bad are determined. Gases formed within the + shell. Building an addition to their home. Putting up the new + building. The accident to John. A terrible wound in the head. + Chief's solicitude for John. Watching the results of the + injury. The human traits in the chief. Danger point of the + fever. The wonderful difference in his eye. Recovers memory. A + deep sleep. His first words. Aphasia. The brain center. His + initials J. L. V. on the match safe. Recognizing the chief. + +XIV. JOHN'S WONDERFUL STORY + + Native of New England. Ran away to sea. Fortunately fell into + hands of a humane captain. Became chief clerk. Learned + navigation. The captain's interest in him. The return. The + meeting with the captain's daughter. The wedding. Sailing east + with his wife in the captain's vessel. A plague-infected port. + Death of his wife. Leaving the accursed port. Death of the + captain. Disposing of the ship. Travels through India. Enlists + at Gibraltar. Serves in Matabela campaign. Goes to England. Is + tutor to a Lord. Goes to Greece. Serves in two campaigns. + Returns to New York. Enlists for campaign against Indians. + Five years' service. Goes to Egypt to conduct explorations. + Returns fever-ridden. Accepts Professorship. Signs as + Professor in the schoolship _Investigator_. Sickness prevents + his sailing. Wanders to San Francisco. Engages with friends to + search South Sea Islands for treasures. Shipwrecked. Finding a + cave. Captured by savages. Escapes. Meets with an accident. + Loses all memory. + +XV. CHIEF AND THE POISON PLANT + + How John's story impressed them. How the boys entertained John + with the stories of their adventures. The story of the yaks. + John tells them how they could have controlled them with the + different knots and hitches. The spectroscope. Light as a + medium. The composition of the heavenly bodies. The solar + spectrum. The boys remember John's story of the cave. His + story confirming their knowledge about the savages. The + concert with the flute and violin. Making glass for windows. + Silver and mercury. Looking-glasses. Amalgam. Making small + glass mirrors for the inhabitants. The chief's surprise at the + mirrors. His contribution to the larder. The Amarylla. The + poison plant. The boys' suspicions of the chief. Good for + food. Stomach or blood poisons. + +XVI. A SURPRISING TRIP TO THE CAVE + + Completion of the house. Furnishing it. The chief recovers + health. Showing John the message from the lifeboat. "Waters" + one of his crew. The mystery of the photograph. Information + that others of the ill-fated _Investigator_ were on the + island. Reasons why certain tribes sacrificed white captives. + A new expedition planned. Determine to go overland. Making new + guns. Ammunition. The boys invite Ralph and Tom to visit the + cave. The surprise of the boys at the skeletons and the + treasure. Exploring the cave. A terrific roar. Alarmed. + Determine to investigate. Finding the Professor and John. The + surprise party. + +XVII. THE WONDERFUL PORTABLE FORT + + The boys ask John about his wonderful cave. The charted + treasure caves. Seeing the treasure in the cave on the hill + where the boys were rescued. An occupied cave. The medicine + men. The two entrances and the cross-shaped interior. How the + hoards were acquired. Piracy on the high seas. The gold and + silver of the world. The precious metals taken to Europe by + the Spaniards. Rushing work on the preparations. The gun + barrels. Chief showing the boys how to make and use the bows. + The disappearance of chief. The invention of a portable fort. + How it was made. Stocking the wagon. Experimenting with the + fort. Necessity as the mother of invention. The improvements + in the fort. A new suggestion. Using the fort as a raft. + +XVIII. TRAILING A WARRING PARTY OF NATIVES + + Weight and gravity. Acting in all directions. Proving the law + of universal gravitation. Drilling with the raft equipment. + Grinding barley flour. Making sleeping mattresses. The bustle + of final preparations. The good-by to their herd of yaks. The + march to the falls. John discovers a log in the drift and a + rope. The dense forest. Crossing the river to the south. + Finding a camp fire with fresh bones. Numerous traces of + inhabitants. A glowing fire. Following the trail. Trying to + catch them before night. Efforts to capture one as a means of + opening communication. Sighting the camp. Hurried + consultation. Surrounding the camp of the natives. + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + +"He poised his spear as he raised himself out of the water" + Frontispiece + + +"The main body of the savages broke for cover, but several, +more venturesome than the rest, sought to carry away +the chief" + +"'Come out into the light,' and Harry and George each put +his arms around one of the boys" + +"He started back in fright as his own image appeared to him" + +The First Boat +The Match Safe +Scene of the Fight on the River +The Wagon Raft +Savage's Hut +Deep Stream +Shallow Stream +Salsify +Rubber +Carricature Plant +Angel, His New Suit and Gun +Poising the Spear +Northern Hemisphere (Stellar Map) +Southern Hemisphere (Stellar Map) +Testing Eggs +Rope Knots +Rope Hitches +The Color Spectrum +Amarylla, Chief's Poison Vegetable +The Portable Fort +Gravitational Pull +Using the Fort as a Raft + + + + + +THE TRIBESMEN + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE FIRST OF THE TRIBESMEN + + +"They seem to be terribly excited about something, and many of them are +running back and forth," said Harry, from his perch on the wagon top. + +George made his way back again in time to see a half dozen of the +savages dart off into the bush to the left. They were from two to three +miles distant when first discovered, so that it was difficult to make +out their movements distinctly. + +The Professor could not see them clearly, so that he also took a +position on the top of the wagon. "Do you see any movement to the left +of their camp?" + +After gazing a while, Harry answered: "It seems that another party is +coming up." In a moment more he continued: "Yes, and they appear to be +waiting in ambush for them." + +George Mayfield and Harry Crandall, together with an aged Professor, had +been wrecked on an island, one year before the opening event in this +chapter. They were attached to a ship training school that met with +disaster in mid-Pacific, and when cast ashore had nothing whatever +except the clothing they wore. + +By extraordinary energy they began an investigation of the surroundings +and discovered many things which not only excited their intense +curiosity, but learned that the island was inhabited by one or more +tribes of savages. In this helpless state, with no means of defense, and +compelled to depend on nature for a supply of food and clothing, they +were truly in a pitiful state. + +The Professor was a man of profound learning, and knowing that such a +condition must be met in a manner which would enable them to cope with +the situation, gradually turned the attention of the boys to producing +things of use, first making the articles most needed in their +impoverished condition, and afterwards adding some wonderful things +which enabled them to become bold enough to attempt the exploration of +the island. + +A brief review of the situation was this: The first consideration was +food. A number of vegetables were found, some of them well known, but in +a wild state, as well as nuts and fruit. Barley was one of the cereals +early discovered, and from that bread was made. Then ramie, a well-known +fiber, was found in the early days of their occupation, as well as flax, +and a wild species of hemp. + +They were surprised to find various ores, clay and slate, and with these +began a series of experimental work which was wonderful in its +character, as every part of the work had to be carried on with the most +primitive sort of tools and appliances. + +Among the first adventures in the field of making the useful necessities +was the construction of a water wheel; the building of a sawmill, from +which lumber was turned out to make their dwelling; a loom was put up +which enabled them to weave clothing; and, finally, a wagon, which arose +from the desire to utilize a herd of yaks, which they succeeded in +capturing. + +Before the present adventure a number of useful articles and tools had +been made, among which might be mentioned a lathe, a foundry, in which +they turned out articles in iron and brass, and this gave them an +opportunity to make first a few pistols, and lastly, several guns, with +which the present expedition was equipped. + +All these things interested the boys, and they took delight in every +part of it, and it gave them satisfaction to see the results of their +work on every hand. But that which attracted them more intensely were +the series of exploits which brought to light the hidden mysteries of +the island, and which caused them to name it "Wonder Island." + +Four exploring trips had been made by land, and one by sea in a boat +which had been specially built for the purpose, and this vessel was +wrecked shortly after they had discovered the location of the savages. +In the previous expeditions they saw mysterious lights, and had +evidences of human beings by the camp fires used by them. + +The first crude boat turned out was left at the foot of a high falls in +a river to the south of their home, and after the return the boys set +out to get the boat. It was missing, and recovered several months +afterwards, but to their surprise, when found, it had two oars and rope +that were placed there by some one. + +On returning from one of the trips their flagpole and staff, which was +put up on a high point, called Observation Hill, was missing. Later on a +gruesome skeleton was found on the seashore not far from Observation +Hill, and the wrecked portions of a boat, and to this may be added the +discovery of a lifeboat, similar to their own, among debris on South +river, fully ten miles inland, which must have come from the interior. + +[Illustration: _Fig. 1. The First Boat._] + +In this boat was found, accidentally, a note written by a captive in +distress, showing that some of the party had been taken by the +inhabitants of the island, and this occurrence determined them the more +to put themselves in condition to aid the captives. + +The last important development grew out of the finding of a cave, or a +series of caverns, not far from their home, which contained numerous +skeletons and a vast amount of treasure, showing that it was a pirates' +cave, but up to this time it had not been fully investigated in view of +the more serious need of haste to relieve those who were in the hands of +the savages. + +Shortly before leaving on the present expedition, and after returning +from the expedition by sea, which had wrecked the boat, they were +surprised to find a man at their home, who had entirely lost his memory. +This happened six weeks before the occurrence in the opening page, and +during that time he had not uttered a single word, and seemed to be +entirely unconscious of his surroundings. + +He was evidently a cultured man, but how he came to the island, or in +what manner his faculties were lost, they could get no clue. He had +proven himself to be harmless, and in many ways he was of great service +to them, and was now with the party, this being the fifth day of the +journey, and the distance from their home was from sixty to seventy +miles. + +It should not be forgotten to mention Red Angel. Over eight months +before a baby orang-outan had been captured. He had grown rapidly, and +George, the elder of the two boys, had taken a special delight in +teaching or training him, and the result was that the imitative quality +of the animal made him useful to the party in many ways. Angel was with +them also, and was the only amusing element in their days of stress and +tension. + +The condition before them at this time was one of intense interest. For +the first time since their arrival, savages had been seen. From the +first view it was apparent that the party sighted were on the point of +meeting a hostile tribe, and while it was their intention to journey +west to the large stream called by them West River, it was concluded to +remain at the present camping place until they could more fully observe +the attitude of the natives. + +During two days previous the route had been through a dense forest, and +they emerged from this only a few hours before, their object being to +make their way to the river, as in the vicinity of the stream there was +not much wood, and the land was covered with comparatively little +underbrush. They felt that with the strongly built wagon, which had been +purposely made with a large, thick body, it would be more serviceable to +them as a means of defense than the woods, because the forest would +serve as places of concealment for their enemies, while adding nothing +to their security. + +The strange man, who, in the absence of his true name, was called John, +noting the different ones climbing to the wagon top, also made his way +there, and gazed in the direction pointed out by Harry. He glanced +toward the savages, and then looked wonderingly at the boys and the +Professor. He did not appear at all disturbed, nor did he venture to +indicate by any sign that he understood or comprehended any danger. + +And Angel, too, took a hand in the sights. He was beside George, and the +latter pointed out the savages, but if he knew what George meant his +face and actions did not show it. How little we know of the workings of +the human mind, and how should we know more of what passed in the mind +of that animal as he listlessly viewed the scene which so much +interested the others? We shall see, later on, how Angel profited by the +lesson which they tried to teach him. + +"They seem to be fighting; at any rate, I can see them going toward each +other, and others running wildly about." + +"Our better plan would be," said the Professor, "to go up nearer. In +that way we may be able to take advantage of their quarrel." + +This seemed to appeal to the boys, and they were down instantly. The +yaks had been unyoked, prior to this, but they were now hitched up in a +hurried manner, and the wagon moved forward. + +A word now as to the equipment of the wagon. It had been made with +unusually high sides, and was of thick boards, so that they did not fear +the arrows which, undoubtedly, were the only form of missiles which +would be hurled against them. Within were ten guns, each with a barrel +twenty inches long, and a three-eighths of an inch bore. All were +muzzle-loaders, as they had no facilities for making breech-loaders, so +that it would be impossible to fire rapidly, after the first ten shots; +but they counted on being able to hold out against a pretty strong force +of savages, armed as they were. + +The wagon went forward slowly, and was kept as much as possible within +the sheltering range of the underbrush. All were in the vehicle, as its +height gave them a better view, and in case of a surprise all would be +guarded and safe. + +It was somewhat of a relief to note that directly ahead of them was a +small stream, one of the tributaries of the West, and before reaching +the open area near the river, the Professor directed the wagon toward a +clump of brush, behind which the yaks were tethered. + +They were thus in a position where they had an ample water supply, and +the Professor remarked, that in campaigning two things were essential, +one was food and the other water, and of the two water was of most value +for a short period, at least. The yaks needed it, and as that was their +means of transportation, every consideration must be given them. + +"As we are now campaigning in earnest, we must have some system, and a +thorough understanding of what is to be done," said the Professor. "A +thorough watch must be kept at all times day and night. We must not +separate, but keep closely together, and in watching just as much care +must be taken of our rear and our flanks. We do not know from which +direction these people are likely to spring up. Remember, from our +experiences night before last, this is territory over which they +travel." + +It should be stated that in the night referred to a band of the savages +had passed their camp, going in the direction in which the wagon had +taken, and they were of the impression that those discovered to the +south of the stream were the ones who had come so near finding them. + +"There is also another matter that should be considered. While we do not +anticipate any disaster to our party, still we should at all times make +provision for any separation, should such a thing take place. I estimate +that we are now directly south of the mouth of West River, and that the +sea to the north is from fifteen to twenty miles away. Now, let it be +understood that in case we are defeated, or by any chance there should +be any separation, the place of retreat will be toward the location of +the wrecked boat, which is near the mouth of the river." + +The great difficulty was to impart this to John. He was interested, in a +peculiar sort of way, in the proceedings, and the Professor undertook to +make the situation, as just explained, clear to him. For this purpose he +made a chart to show the tributary stream on which they were encamped, +flowing into the West River, and its course to the sea, and by pointing +out the spot to the west of the river mouth, where the wrecked boat was +landed, he hoped the course could be fully understood. This explanation +seemed to be comprehended by him, but of this there could be no +assurance. + +Meanwhile they had not for a moment forgotten to keep in sight the +warring factions, for now that they were much closer the character of +the meeting could not be misunderstood. + +"Look at them," cried George; "the other tribe seems to be victorious. +They are coming this way." Such seemed to be the case. The retreating +forces were coming directly toward the wagon, and the situation now +began to take on a very grave aspect. + +"What shall we do, Professor, if they come on to us?" + +"We are here on a peaceful mission, and should fight only in +self-defense," was his reply. This did not exactly suit the spirit of +the boys, but they deferred to the wisdom of their friend. + +It was plain that the tribe first seen was defeated and was being driven +back to the river, and the Professor advised them to prepare for any +emergency. The camp was not more than one hundred and fifty feet from +the edge of the river, and they had a plain, open view before them. + +Beyond the river was a bare shore, the shrubbery did not grow near the +water, so that there was an open space of fully three hundred feet or +more on the other shore, thus giving them ample time to note and act, +whatever the circumstances might be. The Professor hoped that the +pursued might deviate from their path and bring them to the river below +their camp, but in this he was disappointed, as the first of the savages +made his appearance from the brush directly across the river, soon +followed by a dozen or more, all in precipitous retreat. + +They now had the first close view of the savages. They were almost +wholly naked, and had more the appearance of the North American Indians +than of the South Sea Islanders, which their fancy had pictured them to +be. Each carried a short spear and a bow, and the Professor called +attention to the apparent lack of arrows, as the bows were strung on +their backs, and they carried the spears as though they depended on them +for protection. + +"I think they have been beaten because they are out of ammunition. It +will not take them long, however, to make up a supply, and it is +possible that is what they purpose doing." + +The victorious party now came in view. Without waiting the defeated +party dashed through the stream not two hundred feet below the wagon, +and before they had fairly landed, espied the wagon. The surprise at +seeing it was almost paralyzing to them for the instant. They sheered +off down the stream, gesticulating wildly. + +The pursuers crossed the stream higher up, and, therefore, nearer the +wagon. "Watch the party which has just crossed, so we can see what their +course will be." + +"They are circling around behind us." + +As they did so the victors emerged from the stream and made direct +toward the location of the Professor and his party. Here was a situation +not counted on. The wise savages had calculated on this chance to arrest +the pursuers, and they showed wisdom in the move. + +"Now, boys, we must stop them, but do not shoot to kill at the first +shot. Before anything is done I will try to stop them by peaceful +methods." + +The Professor, with a gun in his hand, suddenly stepped out from the +brush, and held up a hand. It may well be imagined that an apparition +was as startling to them as it had been to the others. They stopped for +a moment, and then with a whoop, fitted arrows to their bows, and +darted forward. The Professor stepped back, and calmly said: "Now, boys, +shoot low, and don't get excited." + +At the word, and before the savages had gone twenty feet, the boys and +John leveled their pieces, and a volley rang out. Several were seen to +fall, but were only wounded, as they were at once taken in charge by +their companions. The moment the first round was fired, the Professor +ordered the relay guns to be grasped. But the savages, stunned by this +change of affairs, did not wait for the second shot, but rushed back to +the stream as fast as they could go, with the three wounded men. + +But where were the other savages? Had they seen the result of the fight? +The Professor hoped that the result would be such as to win them over. +They lurked at a distance beyond the wagon, and as the Professor +advanced toward them and held up a hand, they continued to retreat. He +beckoned to them; but in spite of all efforts they refused to come +near. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +TWO SAVAGE ATTACKS + + +To all intents and purposes they had two foes, one in front and the +other in the rear. They possessed a fine position, however, due to the +Professor's foresight. The river was close enough to get the needed +water for themselves and their yaks, and the thick clump of bushes, on +the river side of the wagon, afforded protection for the animals, while +the wagon itself served as an admirable fort. + +They could not believe that the band which had been driven across, and +which was now at their rear, would attack them, and it seemed that the +present danger of a night attack might be expected from the pursuing +party. Indeed, the actions of that tribe, after the attack, led the +Professor to believe that they must expect a fight during the night. + +The wagon was now brought up close alongside the clump, and with their +bolos a considerable space of the densest part of the brush was cut +away, so as to form a retreat for the yaks, and thus assure them from +harm by any attacks with arrows or spears. Before dark, Harry and John +went to the river several times to bring water for the cattle and for +their own uses, and with the extra boards which the Professor had +wisely brought along, the principal portion of the space below the +wagon body was closed up. + +When all had been arranged for defense all felt satisfied they could +withstand a hundred savages armed with spears and arrows. One thing had +to be considered, and that was, whether or not those people poisoned +their arrows, as many races in southern islands do. + +As a further precautionary measure, all protecting bushes within two +hundred feet of the wagon were cleared away, so as to afford an open +view in all directions. + +Darkness set in, and the eternal stillness all about was oppressive. Two +watched while the other two slept. John appeared in his element. At the +least sign of disturbance in any quarter, his hand was up, and to +further attract attention his hand would be laid upon the arm of his +fellow watcher. + +Thus passed away the first half of the night, and then for the first +time Angel began to grow restless. George, who was asleep at this time, +was awakened, as he interpreted Angel's actions with greater facility +than the others. + +"I am sure from his actions that something is coming near us. See, he is +motioning toward the forest side and not toward the river." It did seem +as though his perturbations came whenever George pointed toward the +woods. + +To the watchers, there was no sound to alarm them, for fully a half +hour, when John slowly moved his hand over to George, as he peered out +to the north, and as he laid his hand on his arm, arose and silently +moved out to the end of the wagon, and slipped to the ground. George +tried to restrain him, and immediately woke the Professor, to whom he +related the circumstance. + +There was, indeed, a movement in their front, at the margin of the +clearing. Forms appeared here and there, but the utmost quiet was +observed. Suddenly the report of a gun rang out, and with a shriek, a +form was seen to bound upwardly and fall, just as a shower of arrows +fell against the wagon. + +The shot came from John's gun, and he had fired from a position fully +fifty feet away from the wagon, and this is what disconcerted them. They +were expecting the defense to come from the wagon, and here was a shot, +away from it, and it undoubtedly appeared to them that there must be a +number of them defending it, to enable them to put watchers so far from +the wagon. + +"That was a shrewd action on the part of John, although it was a +hazardous one, in case they had determined to rush us. But the die is +cast, and we must now fight it out." + +John came back to the wagon, and took up the other gun mechanically. The +Professor patted him on the back, as he again stole out. This time he +boldly marched toward the fringe of the clearing, and the Professor +urged Harry to run after and detain him, but he did not heed. + +He remained there a full hour before any sign was made by him, but at +the end of that time he came back, and by signs indicated that the +savages were back again. + +"Which band do you think has attacked us?" + +"It looks to me as though the fellows who were pursued are the ones; +what is that John has brought back?" + +He held something in his hand. It was an arrow and a cap, the latter of +which had blood on it. This was determined when a light was struck in +the little compartment below the wagon top. + +"Do you think it is possible they could have gotten these arrows since +we saw them to-day?" + +"They undoubtedly manufacture them with great facility, and the lack of +them this afternoon would be no indication that they would be without +them to-night." + +John's intimation was right. They were seen beyond question, and without +waiting for the initial shot, as before, they bounded across the open +space, and the command was given to fire. The result of the shots was +plainly seen. The rush ceased, and before the Professor could give the +command for the second shot they reached the brush, and the ammunition +was saved. + +When morning broke, three forms were recognized lying in the clearing, +but there was no sign of the savages beyond. John, without waiting for +the word, moved toward them, and taking their weapons and searching +their scanty clothing, took something from each, and brought them to the +wagon. + +The trophies brought by John were two pocket knives of English or +American manufacture, and other small trinkets, such as any traveler +might carry. + +"This is interesting," said the Professor, as he looked over the +articles. "How is it possible they got these articles unless from white +people?" + +When Harry and John went to the river for water, the first thing that +caught Harry's eye was an arrow, which he carried back with him to the +wagon and handed to the Professor. + +"I think," said he, "there is another body lying over at the edge of the +clearing, the one that John shot at the first attack." + +The boys went over, after keeping a careful lookout as they advanced. +They secured his cap and the bow and arrow. When they returned the +Professor looked up, and announced that he had no doubt they had been +attacked by both of the parties. + +"Why do you think so?" asked George. + +"For several reasons: First, the headdress of the two bands differs, as +you can see by comparing the one you have just brought in, as well as +the peculiar differences shown in the arrows. This is one you found near +the river this morning, and was no doubt dropped by one of them at the +time they attacked us, and it is exactly similar to the one you have +just brought in. You will also notice that the three that were shot in +the last attack have the arrows and headdress different from the +others." + +It thus appeared that by force of circumstances they had been thrown +into the paths of these two warring factions, and had become the enemy +of both. + +But now something must be done to carry out the determination to rescue +their fellows. How to reach the savages was the problem. They had shown +hostility from the first. It was evident they were far from the usual +habitations of the tribes. They must have their villages farther to the +south and probably west of the present location. + +The only course was to go forward, in the hope that friendly relations +might still be established, notwithstanding the unfortunate +circumstances of the night. + +During the entire day there was not a sign of either of the parties. The +Professor gave his views by stating that if they went forward at once +the chances of getting into favorable communication would be improved, +and if they could capture one of them it would go far toward putting +them on the right track. + +They remained another night at the river, and early in the morning the +stream was crossed and the course of the wagon directed to the south. In +less than half an hour they came upon the scene of the fight between the +two tribes which took place the day before. + +Here it was made plain that the two tribes had different weapons and +dissimilar articles of clothing, and numerous odds and ends were +gathered in the hope that some clue might be discovered as to the white +people who were, no doubt, on the island. + +Nothing of value in this direction was picked up, although there was +confirmative evidence that the savages had in their possession trinkets +which were taken from captives, and which made the necessity of their +journey still more opportune. + +Directly to the front of them was a forest, and to the right an incline, +rather free from wood, and the course was changed in order to gain the +elevation. This was reached about four in the afternoon, and in another +hour they were at the crest of the hill. This gave them an unobstructed +view to the south and west, and there, in the distance, was made out +what appeared to be huts, or evidences of human habitations. + +The first care was to select a camping spot, which was as much in the +open as possible, and the utmost care exercised to guard against +surprises. + +But what had become of the savages in the rear? It was impossible to +obliterate the tracks of the wagon, so they might be easily followed. + +"I believe the hostile attitude of the two warring parties is, after +all, a factor in our favor, because if both try to follow us they are +bound to again come into contact with each other, so we may be free from +that worry." + +"Isn't it likely that one or the other may send messengers to the +village, if what we see beyond is any evidence, and thereby bring all of +them against us?" Harry ventured to ask. + +"That is a probability I have been considering, and our only course is +to resist their attacks, and, as I have stated, endeavor to capture one +of them, so we can establish communications." + +Camp was made for the night, but there was no disturbance, and there was +a visible relief in the minds of all as morning approached and no signs +of an enemy in either quarter. + +The yaks were hitched up shortly after breakfast, and the long, sloping +descent began. Angel was ahead swinging from tree to tree, and before +they had proceeded a mile began chattering from the tree top, in his +peculiar way betokening alarm. George ran up, called him down, and +started forward. Angel followed, chattering more vigorously, and when +George turned in another direction he ceased, thus showing conclusively +the direction of the alarm, and it was well they profited by it, for now +within fifteen minutes the savages were plainly seen. + +They came forward, fully fifty or more, working their way cautiously +along, and, no doubt, fully aware of the location of the wagon and its +occupants. The crucial time had come, and George rushed back to the +wagon, but before he had fully reached it a scouting party well in +advance of the main body came within hailing distance. + +The Professor, as before, walked out from the wagon, and held up his +hand as a token of peace, but to this they made no response, but +continued their cautious forward movement, creeping from one vantage +point to the next, and the wagon was then turned so that its rear end +was toward the oncoming savages. + +Harry was directed to drive the team toward a cluster of bush at the +right, and they were urged forward with all haste. The yak is a +fast-moving animal, and started forward on a run, soon gaining the +shelter selected. It should be stated that when the team, which had been +named Jack and Jill, was first broken in, the animals were taught to be +driven by means of lines, and this was now of great service to them. + +With their bolos they cut out a space at one side of the undergrowth, +into which the yaks were driven and thus afforded protection, and the +guns were taken out and arranged in order to enable them to be readily +handled. + +Before all preparations had been completed the main body came up, and +all breathlessly awaited the attack. They halted several hundred feet +away, and the Professor sought by means of signs to indicate his +peaceful intent, but this did not have the least effect, as arrangement +for an assault was manifested by the preparations which were now plainly +perceptible. + +The Professor retreated to the wagon, and his cautioning words were: "Do +not fire excitedly or wildly, and be careful not to fire at too long +range. Furthermore, shoot the leaders, or those who appear to take the +lead. Another thing, fire and reload. Do not take the loaded guns which +are in reserve, because we may need them later on, at a more critical +time. These will be very serviceable if they attempt to rush us. In that +event we shall have six guns and two pistols to meet them with." + +Contrary to expectations no immediate attempt was made to attack, and +the Professor again tried to attract them by signs. For a time no +further hostile movement was made, and it began to look as though his +efforts would win; but suddenly, with a concerted movement, the bows +were swung upward, and arrows began to fall dangerously near. + +As no movement was made on the part of the Professor and his party, the +savages mistook its meaning, and a charge was made. "Now deliberately +pick your man and fire." No sooner had the order been given before all +fired, and four fell, two of them being, without doubt, the chiefs, as +the howling was beyond all description. + +A second volley was not necessary. The two wounded men were surrounded +and carried off. The others lay where they fell, and after a short pause +another rush was made, this time much nearer to the wagon. It was +fortunate that the pause was long enough to enable them to reload. On +they came, and when within seventy-five feet, the Professor gave the +order for another volley. At this distance there was no excuse for a +miss. The leader was a powerful specimen, with a distinctive badge, and +the Professor announced that he intended to use him as a mark, and he +was the first to fall, together with three more. + +Thus, at two shots, one-fifth of their fighting force was disabled. "Now +let us charge," said the Professor, and John divining the meaning was +the first to leap from the wagon. The main body of the savages broke for +cover, but several, more venturesome than the rest, sought to carry away +the wounded chief. When one of them turned to discharge his arrow, John +raised his gun to his shoulder, as each of them had taken one of the +reserve guns, but before he could fire, the native turned and followed +his companions, leaving the chief to his fate. + +[Illustration: "_The main body of the savages broke for cover, but +several, more venturesome than the rest, sought to carry away the +chief_" [See p. 32]] + +The rush with the newly loaded guns was accompanied by shouts on the +part of the boys, who were instructed to do so by the Professor. "Don't +go far beyond the chief," was his order; "we need him, and you must not +venture into an ambush." + +The boys did not dare to go far beyond the wounded man, and the +Professor, with the aid of John, had now come up to him, and together +forced him to accompany him back to the wagon. He was wounded in both +legs, the shot having passed through the kneecap of one leg and through +the tendon of the other, thus completely putting him out of action. + +When the boys returned from the charge they assisted in conveying him to +the wagon, and the Professor at once applied bandages to his limbs. This +was getting an opportunity, at close range, to view one of their +enemies. + +The shot proved to be a glancing one, so that the bullet was still in +the tendon of the right leg. When the Professor applied the bandages the +savage was surprised at the proceeding. He evidently expected different +treatment, and glanced at his captors in amazement. During the first few +minutes of these interesting details, the boys had entirely forgotten +the savages, and the Professor called out a warning not to rest too +securely. + +When the natives saw that the pursuit was not kept up they halted and +slowly and cautiously, returned. It was evident that they were +preparing for another fight. The wagon top was removed at one side, and +the chief hoisted up and seated in plain view of his fellows, while the +Professor directed the boys how to secure him in that position. + +The entire band now appeared at the edge of the wood, not two hundred +feet away, evidently with the view to another attack. All the guns had +now been reloaded, and with the chief with them they had no fear of an +attack with arrows. + +The Professor placed himself before the chief, and by motions endeavored +to inform the chief that if his men made any attack on them he would +forfeit his life. The chief understood, and in a peculiar guttural +tongue informed his men of the danger he was in. + +Without further incident they disappeared, and now began the effort to +instil and extract information. He was entirely naked except a +distinctive headdress and a breech cloth, of very peculiar workmanship. +The color of his skin was not black, like the negro, but rather +copper-colored, like the Indian, thus confirming the impression which +was first obtained the night before. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A THIRD ATTACKING TRIBE + + +There was no common ground on which to start the mute conversation, and +the only replies volunteered by him were occasional grunts. Not a groan +escaped his lips when the Professor sought to remove the bullet, but he +sat there stoically, and bore it without a sign. The boys could not help +but admire his heroic mien throughout the trying hour, and when the +bullet was finally cut out and the wound carefully bound up, it looked +as though he tried to thank the Professor for the service. + +During the remainder of the afternoon the Professor persisted in the +effort to gain some information, but not the slightest glimpse of +intelligence was extracted. + +Finally George said: "I wonder if he has anything in those pouches? We +found some things in the others, you remember." This was a hint not to +be overlooked. A search was made, and among numerous trinkets was a +photograph of a dozen or more young men, and with a shout George +recognized it as one which had been taken on shipboard several weeks +before the explosion on board the _Investigator_, and which sent her to +the bottom. + +George and Harry were both in the picture, and were pointed out. Here +was the very thing which was needed as a connecting link in their +interview with the chief. With the picture before him the chief was +requested to look at George and then at the picture, and so in the case +of Harry. The chief saw, and recognized the similarity, and his eyes +opened in astonishment. This was a most remarkable discovery. + +When the Professor pointed to the others in the picture, and then to the +chief, the latter seemed for the first time to comprehend, but he slowly +shook his head and grunted, or made use of his own language to indicate +that he had no knowledge of them. The boys were fairly wild with +delight. + +"Why not hunt the pockets of the other fellows?" shouted out Harry, as +he scrambled over the tailboard. About a hundred and fifty feet beyond +were the two who had fallen at the first fire, and they were searched, +but nothing in any way connecting them with their companions was +revealed, and later they went over the contents of the chief's pockets +with greater care. + +An American coin, a matchbox, and several other articles, which were +apparently the relics of stickpins, were all that had any appreciable +value. There was nothing on any of the articles which had a name or even +the initials to give them a clue. As they were returning to the wagon +Harry picked up a small silver match safe, and on this were the initials +"J L V." "Who is J L V? Did you know of anyone by that name?" + +"I don't remember anyone by that name. The name is not an unusual one to +begin with a V." + +The Professor did not recall anyone by that name. The box was handed +around, and when John saw it, he started as though he had been struck. +He reached for it and almost grasped it from the Professor's hand, and +turned it over and over, and glanced at the initials, and then looked at +the Professor, and then at the boys, and his eyes ceased their +wanderings as he gazed at the chief. + +[Illustration: _Fig. 2. The match safe._] + +Could it be possible that his name was John L. V.? Was that his match +safe? What a wonderful possibility lay in these two happenings which +came so close together! + +The chief, too, looked at the match safe, and when the Professor pointed +to John and then directed the captive's attention to the match safe, he +did it with the view of ascertaining whether or not he had ever seen +John. But to all these questionings the savage shook his head and +grunted a plain negative. + +A careful watch had been kept during the entire day, in the hope that +the savages would reappear, and that the treatment of the chief would be +such as to predispose him in their favor, and thus open the way to +obtain such information as would be of service in aiding their +companions. + +As night approached preparations were made to guard against any night +attack, and the prisoner was securely bound to prevent him from +obtaining any of the weapons. One singular thing about all of the +headgear and other articles of wear was the profusion of human hair, +which was worked into many of the garments or formed a prominent +decorative feature. + +George was the first to notice this peculiarity. "Why is it that most +savage tribes take human hair or scalp their victims?" + +"The North American Indian was noted for the custom of taking the scalp +of his enemies. It probably grew out of the desire to use the locks for +the purpose of decorations, just as you see in the case before you. In +olden times it was the custom of the vanquished to indicate submission +by plucking out a handful of hair and offering it to the victim as a +token of submission, but whether this grew out of the custom of +scalping, or whether the latter was an outgrowth of the hair token, is +not known." + +"What interests me is, why they should take a portion of the skin if +they wanted the hair simply for decoration?" + +"Principally because that was the easiest way to keep the lock intact. +Spencer, in his 'Evolution of Ceremonial Forms of Government,' relates +some curious things growing out of this custom of taking tribute of +hair. Thus, the habit of stroking the mustache, a custom prevalent +among Spanish courtiers, arose from this habit. The stroking was done in +the presence of ladies and superiors to indicate submission, or as an +evidence of inferiority." + +"Why is it that these savages pay more attention to their headgear than +any other part of their clothing?" + +"The savage regards the head as the most important part of the body. It +is also the portion which is first seen by an enemy or recognized by a +friend, hence he considers it a necessity to properly attire it for the +purpose of inculcating fear in one, or admiration in the other. Vanity +in the lower order of people leads them to excesses in the matter of +dress or ornamentation, just the same as with many civilized people." + +Long before morning dawned Angel grew restless, and could not be quieted +by George. The latter believed that the savages had returned, if the +actions of Angel were any indications; but as the sun came up and a +careful scrutiny was made, nothing alarming was in sight. + +An early breakfast was prepared, and the yaks yoked up, preliminary to a +start for the south. With a chief in their hands they felt safer in +their position than before, and were now in a condition to treat with +the natives. + +Hardly had the wagon started before Harry ran up in haste and excitedly +whispered: "I see them coming; look to the south." Not far beyond was a +mass of them coming up hurriedly, less than a half mile away, and a +stealthy movement among the shrubbery in the immediate vicinity showed +the presence of the advance scouts which Angel had undoubtedly scented +an hour before. + +The yaks were headed to the north, to give them ample opportunity to +employ their weapons, and the chief was placed at the tailboard of the +wagon, in full view of the pursuers, in the hope that his people would +heed the warning given the day before. This seemed to have no effect in +the warlike attitude of the attacking party. + +"What I fear most is the possible attempt to surround us; to prevent +that it is better to drive the team forward at a pretty rapid rate." + +The yaks were urged along, and their motion considerably accelerated by +the shrieks and howls of the demons, as they brandished their arrows and +spears. Thus far not an arrow had been loosened, and the fire of the +party in the wagon was reserved. + +As the wagon surged forward the din increased, and soon a shower of +arrows fell among them, none taking effect, because accurate aim was not +possible while they were in motion. And now a concerted movement was +apparent to surround the wagon. Over one hundred warriors were counted, +and among them certain chiefs, recognized by their distinctive +headdress. + +"Go for the river, Harry," was the Professor's injunction. + +The yaks were now beyond all control. Several of the arrows found their +marks in the poor animals, and they were now vying with the foremost +savages in making speed. Eventually the flanks of the attacking party +outran the team, and the Professor made his way to the front, leaving +George and John to take care of the rear. + +When one of the prominent chiefs, who was leading the flanking party, +presented a fair target, the Professor shot, and had the satisfaction of +seeing him fall, and this temporarily checked the pursuit on that side. +Grasping Harry's gun, he fired into the party on the opposite side, with +good effect. The opening shot by the Professor was a signal for George +and John. + +And now began one of the most exciting running duels between the +contending forces. The Professor knew that if the river could be reached +they would have only one side to defend, but they were fully three miles +or more from the crossing point of the stream, and to make matters +worse, the team was beyond control, and was traveling to the northwest, +whereas the direct course to the river was to the north or northeast. + +There was no help for it. They must keep cool, and reserve their fire. +After each shot the weapon of each would be reloaded, so that they +always had a reserve force of guns. The arrows came spasmodically, and +only a few of them from the trailing members of the band came near. The +danger was from those who were attempting to encircle the wagon. + +John was requested by sign to go to the forward end, and he promptly +responded, and at every shot one of the pursuers went down. The main +object was to keep them away from the team a sufficient distance to +prevent injury to the yaks, and this required the greatest energy and +watchfulness. + +The attacking party began to have a wholesome fear of the guns, and kept +at a distance, which prevented them from effectively using the arrows. +This pace was kept up for two miles, and the effect was now apparent on +the poor animals. Harry noticed it, but he kept up a brave front, and +did his share in the firing. + +But now there was increased activity in the ranks of the enemy. Most of +the advance party had gathered at a clump of bush ahead, and partly to +the right, and Harry made every effort to divert the team to the left; +but they were blind to the urging, and too excited to heed the tugging +of Harry. + +The Professor divined the purpose of the remarkable quiet on the part of +the savages, and called to George to come to the forward end in +anticipation of a rush, en masse, from the shelter of the brush. By some +instinct the yaks turned to the left before the danger point was +reached, but the band nevertheless rushed forward in rage, and to the +gratification of our party, they were so close together that aiming for +the thick of the pursuers was sufficient to assure a mark for each shot. + +They did not heed the fallen, or wait to care for them, but rushed on +and endeavored to head off the yaks. Those in the wagon did not notice +that before them, and close at hand, lay a broad river. Harry was the +first to announce it with a shout, when he saw the party in the lead +halt, and move to the rear. + +"What stream is this?" exclaimed George, excitedly. + +"This must be the West River." + +"And see, there is another stream to the right." + +What a lucky circumstance that the team had made its way to the forks of +the two rivers, and that they were now protected by the streams on both +flanks. It was also fortunate for them that the team was by this time so +completely worn out, that as they were going out along the narrow tongue +of land, and the danger from their foes was growing less, that Harry +carefully crept along the wagon pole to the heads of the animals and by +quieting words soon restored them, and succeeded in bringing them under +control before the shores were reached. + +Both animals had been wounded, and the first care of the Professor was +to relieve them. One of the arrows still hung in the side of Jill, and +when the wounds were dressed they did not seem any the worse for their +experience, but they were very tired, and inflamed with the excitement. + +The peninsula within which they lay was not more than fifty feet wide +where the wagon was halted, and two hundred feet away its width was not +over one hundred feet, so it will be seen they were in a position which +could be easily defended. There was plenty of provision on hand, but the +matter of ammunition was the immediate cause of alarm. At least thirty +rounds had been fired in the running fight, and the first thing was to +take stock of this necessary article. + +Only eight rounds were left, for the guns, and twenty for the pistols, +but as they were now safe from further attack this was not such a +calamity as they expected. + +[Illustration: _Fig. 3. Scene of the fight at the River._] + +Their captive was mute during the entire skirmish, and it was a +remarkable exhibition of a savage trait for the pursuers to disregard +the condition of one of their chiefs, by firing on him while in that +condition. How many were killed or disabled they had no means of +knowing, but many must have fallen, for when they lined up across the +tongue of land behind them the number had considerably diminished. + +"It seems as though they intend to make a siege of it," was Harry's +comment, as he noticed them preparing a fire. + +The wagon was drawn up so that its broadside was toward the enemy, and +the boards which had been carried, let down so as to form a screen for +the part below the body. This afforded a safe place for the yaks, if +perchance during the night the attacking party should get near enough by +stealth to use their arrows. + +As night approached there was an evident movement on the part of the +besiegers, which could not be understood, until it was noticed that they +had taken a much closer position. This was considered most annoying, and +with a view to giving them another lesson, a few shots were fired into +the thickest groups. This was answered by howls of anger, as they rushed +back beyond the line of their former camp fire. + +"They will learn a good lesson if they keep after us much longer. They +have a wholesome fear of us now, and if our ammunition holds out, we can +wipe out the whole lot," was George's grim comment after the last +incident. + +"Fear is certainly a wonderful thing in this world," commented the +Professor; "without it the entire history of the world would have to be +changed and rewritten." + +"Why do you think so?" + +"If you stop to consider the element of fear you will see that it is at +the bottom of almost every human aspiration. Why does a man work to lay +up a store for a rainy day? Why does he toil day after day, and often +lose his life in the effort? What prompts the mother to guard her +infant in the face of every danger? You may say it is love, but behind +that love is fear which prompts the action." + +During the night, when John and Harry were on guard, John quietly stole +from the wagon, and as stealthily as a savage moved out over the ground +toward the Indian encampment. Heretofore there had been a protest +against his doing so, but in this case Harry did not offer any +objections. + +On his return Harry noticed several objects which he carried back and +was surprised to see they were the peculiar headdresses worn by the +attacking party. It was a matter of wonder to him that John should make +a prize of these things, but when the Professor was called, and he +noticed them, his face lighted up, and nodding his head, said: "Well, +this is a wonderful piece of information." + +"What is it?" + +"How stupid I have been, not to recognize that before." + +"What is the matter with the headgears that John brought in?" + +"Look at the topknot of the fellow we have in the wagon." + +The moonlight was sufficiently clear to enable Harry to distinguish a +pronounced difference. + +"So another tribe that our captive does not belong to has been pursuing +us?" + +This news was of so much importance that Harry waked up George, although +it was not his hour for the watch. + +"What do you think, George, the fellow we have does not belong to the +attacking party." George was too sleepy to comprehend the intelligence +at once. + +"How do you know it?" + +"John has just brought in several of the headdresses, and they are +entirely unlike the one the chief has." + +The utter disregard of the savages for the chief was now explained. + +When morning came the Professor turned to the boys, and remarked: "I +have still further information to impart this morning." + +"What is it?" was the query of both. + +"Last night when I made an examination of the articles John brought in, +I was under the impression that our pursuers were the other tribe that +we first met north of the river. On more carefully looking them over I +find that our late enemies are an entirely different tribe, so that we +must count on three distinct people in our further explorations." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE ESCAPE. ENCOUNTERING ANOTHER HOSTILE TRIBE + + +The boys did not know how to receive this news; whether it complicated +the situation or really offered an easier solution. The annoying thing +was that the natives were at war with each other, and, apparently, all +were at war with them. + +The Professor commended John for his intuition, or whatever it may be +called, in enabling them to gain this information. In his mute way he +made a place for himself in the hearts of all. His wonderful ability +with the gun, his caution and prudence, and the remarkable calmness and +ease that characterized all his actions in the most trying periods, were +such commendable traits that the boys could not help but show him their +admiration in every way, and he knew and seemed to appreciate this. + +Every day some new phase of his character would present itself, and the +Professor, ever alert to note any symptoms, quietly told the boys that +there was every evidence that he was now in the making of a dual self. + +"What do you mean by that?" + +"It is a term applied to one who has lost memory of his past, and in +that condition has begun life anew and gone on for years in the new or +dual existence, and perhaps ended his life in the dual personality. In +many cases, however, returning consciousness, which came just as +suddenly as they were deprived of it, caused them to forget all that had +taken place during the first period." + +"Under those conditions which is the real man or individual, the memory +he first started out with or the memory he got afterwards?" + +"You have asked a strong, leading question, George, and it may never be +answered satisfactorily. Supposing a man should live a period of thirty +years, and then have memory entirely obliterated, and should exist the +residue of thirty years more as another person, there would be as much +reason in calling one as normal as the other; but on the other hand, if, +during the latter period, memory should return, and he would be +rehabilitated into his former self, I am of the opinion that the first +period would be the normal one." + +"You seem to think that is what makes the person?" + +"What else is there to man but memory? Is it the flesh, or blood and +bones? Animals have those also. Memory is the greatest faculty in man, +and it has been argued that what is called the divine spirit is merely +the ability to recollect." + +"But animals recollect, and would you call them divine for that reason?" + +"No; for the reason that the lower orders of living creatures, as we +term them, do not remember all things, but only certain features of +events, and do not, except within a very limited range, reason from one +phase to another. Man is called divine by his own kind because he has +done things so far above what the brute has accomplished that it is +regarded as a divine attribute. But he has done these things because he +was endowed with a memory which enabled him to retain a consciousness of +things, and to follow up the stored knowledge, or the accumulated +essences of events which materialized in his remarkable works. Would it +make any difference if the being which does these wonderful things +should be in the form of a dog or a horse? If Red Angel could remember +all that is told him, and could thereby do the next day what he had +learned the day before, he would compare favorably with many human +beings who possess our forms, and are called human beings." + +No attack was made that night, and the next morning all were relieved at +the rest afforded them. The savages had too much respect to venture near +the camp, and a consultation was held as to a wise course to follow. The +captive was of no use to them, but it would have been inhuman to turn +him adrift, so that he should fall into the hands of the besieging +party. Eventually he might be of service to them. + +The main river to the west of them was fully two hundred feet broad, and +the stream which bounded the other side of their position was, at its +mouth, over a hundred and fifty feet in width, and it appeared to be +entirely too deep to attempt fording. + +No doubt the savages knew this, and counted on an easy capture when +their provisions should give out. Thus the second day neared its close, +and near evening there was an evident addition to the besieging force. A +close watch was kept during the night, but no attempt made to force the +situation. + +This inaction became most monotonous. It was exceedingly trying, and the +condition after the third day was now made plain; that they intended to +starve them into submission. + +During the early part of the evening, the Professor, realizing that +something must be done, decided on a novel plan to relieve them of the +savages. If, by any possibility, they could get some logs, sufficient to +build a raft to help sustain the wagon, he believed the yaks would be +able to swim the river and thus take the rafted wagon with them. + +The boys, when the idea was broached, were heartily in favor of the +scheme. Harry looked at John. "I only wish we could make our desires +known to him." + +The Professor took John by the hand, and led him to the brink of the +river, and then pointing to the stream and to the wagon, and motioning +in the direction across the river, he seemed to comprehend the meaning. + +When they returned to the wagon, the Professor said to Harry: "Do you +think you and John could cross the stream to the north of us, and find +sufficient poles and driftwood for the purpose?" + +Harry jumped at the opportunity. The moon was shining, but was +occasionally hidden by clouds. Motioning to John they took their guns +and bolos, and at the instance of the Professor, a quantity of rope. +Some driftwood had caught at the shore to their left, and this was +recovered, and from that a small raft was built sufficient to carry +both across the narrowest stream. + +To the north of them, less than a quarter of a mile away, was a quantity +of small timber, and the Professor suggested that it would be advisable +to go a considerable distance so the cutting of the logs would not be +heard by their watchers. + +They pushed the raft silently across the water, and drew it up for +safety, and then stole down to the water's edge to make their way beyond +the sight of the savages on the opposite side. All along the shore +advantage was taken of every piece of wood available to serve as a +floating structure, and when the wood was reached a few of convenient +size were selected and cut up into lengths which would enable them to be +readily rolled down to the river. + +This work occupied them until midnight, and four large trees were thus +prepared and lashed together, and one, wading in the water along the +beach, using a pole, the other, with the rope, they held it within +poling distance of the shore. In this manner the logs and detached +pieces were floated down to the mouth of the stream, and having tied the +small raft to the stern, it was finally poled across and landed at the +water's edge not far from the wagon. + +It was fortunate that the water was shallow and that the beach was +shelving at this point, as it materially aided in effecting the +launching. The moon went down before four o'clock that morning, and the +yaks were yoked up and led to the river. + +When Harry returned he was surprised at what he saw in their camp. The +Professor and George had been at work also. Several uprights had been +put up on the side of the wagon facing the besiegers, and over this had +been stretched an old canvas and parts of such goods as could be +dispensed with, so as to imitate the wagon, as nearly as possible. + +Their ramie fiber top was of a light yellowish color, which looked +bright in the moonlight. This had been removed and stored in the wagon, +so that when the wagon was driven away the sham arrangement did not +disclose the disappearance of the vehicle. + +The wagon was driven into the water nearly hub deep, and two of the +largest logs were then floated in under the axles, and the smaller ones +lashed inside, so that the sustaining power of the combined logs, +together with the wooden portion of the wagon and body, would be +sufficient to sustain their weights. + +Harry worked liked a hero, and took personal charge of the handling of +the team, which was his especial delight. His presence near the yaks +always gave them confidence, and on this occasion he took his position +on the pole between them and near the yoke, and thus gently urged them +forward. + +For twenty-five feet or more the wheels kept on the ground, but soon +thereafter the wheels were free, and they were delighted to find that +the timbers did not permit the body to go down very low into the water, +and this saved their bedding from becoming soaked. + +The yaks performed their work nobly. Some months before they had forded +the South River, at the time the flagpole for Observation Hill was cut, +so they had ample reason to believe that they would be dependable under +these circumstances. It did not require much urging on the part of +Harry, and the opposite bank was soon reached, and the cattle scrambled +up the beach, but were stopped before the wagon emerged from the water +so the logs could be cut adrift. + +[Illustration: _Fig. 4. The Wagon Raft._] + +The passage was made without a single mishap, and all wondered why this +plan had not been thought of before. + +"Let us move on into the interior a short distance, so as to deceive +them as to our direction. It is conceivable that they may have boats of +some kind which they have sent for, and we should, therefore, try to put +them off the track." + +All were now tired and needed rest. They had not slept a moment during +the night, and it was not yet daylight. Beyond was an elevation, toward +which the Professor directed them. There the wagon could be concealed, +and from that point they would also have a view of the future movements +of their enemies. + +When the sun arose the savages could be seen standing guard over the +sham wagon, at their old camp ground, and the boys enjoyed this bit of +humor in the extreme. "I feel so jolly at the trick that I want to go +down to the river and laugh at them," exclaimed George. + +Up to nine o'clock there was no indication that the ruse had been +discovered. The Professor was in his happiest mood at the good +imitation, and John had an unmistakable smile, and, as the boys' +laughter grew more boisterous, he broke into a laugh that actually +startled them. + +It was no less amusing to the captive. Beyond question it pleased him, +but whether on account of his own safety or because of the ludicrous +attitude of the besiegers, was beyond their comprehension. In his short +captivity he had taken a fancy to the Professor, on whom he kept his +eyes constantly. It was evident that more than the usual interest was +displayed in watching his movements. From the first there was no +sulkiness in the chief, nor did he exhibit any moroseness, or anything +which indicated a spirit of revenge. + +The kind and simple act of binding his wounds and making him comfortable +seemed to amend for everything. Occasionally the Professor would go to +him, and examine the wound, and sometimes pat him on the back--actions +which he seemed to understand. No doubt the Professor had a motive in +all this, as we shall probably see. The boys knew that he understood +human nature in all its aspects, and that in this, as in other things, +they felt he was merely preparing the way to utilize him in the future. + +They were now on the western shore of West River, and when they had +their full share of laughter at the deluded enemies, preparations were +made for a start. But where to? Directly to the east were the three +hostile tribes, and that direction was impossible. The Professor +attempted another conversation with the chief. As all were preparing for +the start, he pointed to the north, and at this the chief shook his head +to indicate disapproval. When he motioned toward the south it was even a +more vigorous negative. Here was a dilemma. What did he mean by such +peculiar actions? + +The start was delayed to give them an opportunity to discuss the evident +meaning of their captive. While this was going on Harry's attention was +directed to their old camp. Their late enemies had discovered the ruse, +and were now rushing to beat down the pretended wagon. + +"See the party on the north side of the river. I suppose that is a +scouting party and they found out our little joke," and George again +burst into laughter at the scene. + +The chief was interested now. The party from the north came into view, +and after passing up the river for a quarter of a mile or more, dashed +across, and came back on the same side of the stream that the late +besiegers occupied. + +"See, they are fighting each other. What does it all mean?" + +"It simply means," answered the Professor, "that the other tribe, or one +of the other tribes on the island, sent for reinforcements, and are now +taking a hand." + +The chief was consulted and asked by signs whether the attacking party +from the north side was his own people, and he shook his head in the +negative. This proved, beyond doubt, that at least three different +people inhabited the island to the south and southeast. + +"What puzzles me," said the Professor, "is the fact that our chief +opposes our traveling to the north and to the south as well." + +"Do you think there are any tribes on this side of the river?" + +"That is the only inference I can draw from his actions." + +A battle was in progress in the underbrush beyond the river. The +attacking forces were numerically superior, and within an hour had +driven their opponents far to the south, and the successful tribe could +be plainly seen, as they searched the hills to find the bodies of +victims, and to gather the trophies of their victory. + +"We might as well go north on our way home, as directly to the east," +was the final remark of the Professor. + +The boys were actually startled at this sudden announcement. But when he +pointed out that their ammunition was very low, owing to the fierce +resistance which they had to make, the wisdom of the course appealed to +them. + +"I am glad to go," was Harry's immediate response, "because when we come +back next time we'll have something that will give the whole lot a +better argument than we offered them this time." + +[Illustration: _Fig. 5. Savage's Hut._] + +The yaks started for the north, and the chief's eyes gave a warning +look, which they did not heed at that time. They afterwards remembered +how portentous that look was. All that day, over broken ground, and a +rough, hilly country, the team laboriously made its way. The best that +could be done over such a country was two and a half miles an hour. + +Late in the afternoon the party were startled on coming in sight of +numerous small huts, and a larger hut at one side of the cluster of +smaller ones. The approach was so unexpected that in spite of their +efforts, the team could not be turned around before their approach was +heralded throughout the tribal village. + +Here was the first view of the homes of the natives. The huts were very +crude, and were devoid of windows, all of them built round with more or +less pointed or conical tops. + +"Those huts don't look like the ones we saw to the south on the day we +had our first fight," was George's opinion. + +"You are correct in that, and if you notice, the people look +differently, as well. What is that? I believe they have firearms." The +Professor's brow gathered, as he said this, because now, that the alarm +had been given, the warriors were running to and fro, and among them +were several who carried guns. + +The wagon was hurriedly put into a posture of defense, and the cattle +protected as best they could. They approached cautiously, and the +Professor walked forward and held out his hand in token of friendliness. +They withdrew a short distance for consultation. This gave the party an +opportunity to study the new people. + +The first thing noticed was the entire difference in the clothing worn. +The other tribes had nothing but the breech clout, but these had other +garments, and their skin was darker in color. + +"I am afraid we shall have trouble in a fight with these people, because +their guns are first-class make," said Harry. + +"You need have no fear of their guns," answered the Professor. + +The boys looked at him wonderingly, as he continued: "They may have had +ammunition in the past, but it is evident that they have none now. See +how the fellows who have the guns carry them. They use them like +spears." + +They finally turned from their conference, and without a word or sign +opened hostilities with a volley of arrows. The gage of battle had been +thrown down. It was fortunate that the warriors were few in comparison +with their last enemies. Not more than twenty were counted as they were +waiting for the result of the consultation. + +This challenge could not well be misunderstood, and the Professor gave +the word to fire. Every shot took effect, and the result was a startling +one for the savages. Without waiting for the second round they broke and +fled, rushing down past the large hut and through the village, +gathering, as they went, the women and children which had previously +grouped together to witness the fight. This was too much for the boys, +who rushed down after them, followed by John and the Professor, until +the large hut was reached. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE RESCUE OF THE CAPTIVE BOYS + + +The boys were chattering and whooping as they ran, to the immense +amusement of the Professor. They had converted themselves into regular +American Indians for the occasion, and tried to imitate the yells of the +savages who had attacked them the previous day. + +Passing the large hut which stood in the foreground, the boys imagined +they heard a cry from within. Possibly it was a lure, and the Professor +advised them not to be too rash. + +"Here we are; inside the hut; hurrah for the United States." The boys +looked at each other in amazement. The Professor, too, was puzzled. +Cautiously approaching the opening, the Professor called out: "Who is +there!" + +Instantly came the cry from two voices: "We are American boys who were +captured by the savages." Nothing more was needed for the impetuosity of +George and Harry. With the bolos the enclosure was soon cut away, and +they rushed in, but the Professor and John remained outside. + +In one corner, and tied to stanchions which had been driven in the +ground, were two boys, badly emaciated, and covered with filth and rags. +When the ropes that bound them were cut away and assisted to rise they +were too weak to stand without support. + +"We are so hungry." + +"How long have you been here?" asked Harry, excitedly. + +"We don't know, but more than two weeks. We were captured by another +tribe and in the last fight were taken from the ones who first captured +us." + +"Come out into the light," and Harry and George each put his arms around +one of the boys, and as they came out looked at the Professor and John +in astonishment too strong for words. + +In the excitement they broke down and wept, and well they might. Our +boys were touched beyond description, and John went up to them and put +his arms around them, and this act so affected Harry and George that +they too joined the boys in tears that could not be kept back. + +The Professor was moved, as he turned away to hide his feelings, but he +recovered, and with a great show of unconcern, exclaimed: "Back to the +wagon, as quickly as possible." This brought them to a realization of +their position, and Harry and George almost carried the boys toward the +wagon, while John and the Professor lingered behind. + +He had anticipated the return of the savages, and surmising that a still +larger force might be within calling distance, did not consider it +prudent to tarry long at that spot. It was well that they did not +remain, as the rescued boys informed the Professor that the main body +was beyond the ridge, and not more than several miles away unless they +were on the warpath. + +[Illustration: "'_Come out into the light,' and Harry and George each +put his arms around one of the boys_" [See p. 62]] + +There was no time for many words. When the poor boys reached the wagon +another surprise was in store for them, as they gazed on the wounded +chief, who was bound in the wagon. + +The savages did not go far beyond the village, and this was observed by +the Professor, and was the moving cause of his sharp order when the boys +were brought out. While Harry and John were engaged in turning the team +around, George hurriedly set food before the famished boys, and they +were cautioned against taking too much. They were really almost starved, +and their appearance plainly showed the treatment they had received. + +The Professor called out: "They are coming; have all the guns ready." +Before they had fully taken all of the food the boys begged to be +allowed to assist in the defense, and George was thoughtful enough to +recognize the fact that the guns they had were not like the +breech-loaders, and without wasting time told the boys how they were +manipulated. + +"Where did you get these funny-looking guns?" asked one of the boys. + +"We made them," was the reply, and the boys looked at each other and +gasped in surprise. + +Beyond, the savages were gathering, and moving forwardly, evidently with +a view of attacking. The Professor turned to the boys and asked them +whether the natives had guns, and they answered that when they were +captured they saw a half dozen old weapons, but had never used them, as, +apparently, there was no ammunition. Where the savages obtained them +was a mystery. They believed the weapons were used as charms, to aid +them against their enemies, and that belief gained ground from the fact +that thus far the tribes, in whose territory they now were, had been +victorious in every battle that had been fought for the past year. + +This was indeed interesting news, and probably the actions of the +wounded chief, in appearing to discourage the trip to the north, had +some relation to this belief. + +The gathering warriors could be seen plainly, coming over the hill, +beyond the village, and gathered in a mass near the hut from which the +boys had been taken. A conference was in progress, which did not appear +to be harmonious, but eventually the party moved forward and divided +into three sections, with the view of enveloping the position of the +Professor and his party. + +"They will attempt to surround us, and we shall now have to attack them +by assaulting one party at a time. As suggested in our previous +encounters, the five guns must always be kept as a reserve for the last +emergency. Fire and then reload, and we should attack one of the parties +at a time, so the greatest execution at any one point will be most +likely to cause the greatest effect. Fire with the utmost care and +deliberation. Three will fire at a time, and then, after an interval, +three more can fire, first at one party and then at the next. Such a +course will be most likely to throw them into confusion. Furthermore, +care should be taken that all do not fire at the same individual. The +one on my left should aim at the one in the party to the left, and the +one firing on my right should select some one in the group to the right +of the center, while the center of our firing squad will aim at the +center of their band." + +These precautions were necessary with the new recruits. The two firing +squads were arranged in this order: The Professor, with George and one +of the boys at his sides, and John with Harry and the other boy +assisting him. + +The position of the wagon was a strong one, as it was flanked near both +ends by large trees, and it was fortunate that no large trees grew near +them, the position having been selected with the object of defense in +view; but they were liable to attack from all sides, which made the +position more difficult. + +The two flanking parties made their way carefully around, and at a +signal, a rush was made. The Professor ordered the first volley, and +three fell. This immediately checked the attacking party on that side, +but the other did not stop, and after deliberately holding their fire +until they came up much nearer, a fair target was obtained, and the +order to fire was repeated. + +The Professor had anticipated a rush from the center party, but the +terrible effect of the two rounds had demoralized them. The reserve guns +were ready had it been necessary, and without waiting for the renewal of +an attack the guns were reloaded, and Harry and George took it upon +themselves to load the boys' guns during the interim. + +The besieged played a waiting game. With ten shots at their command they +felt sure of being able to withstand anything but a rush, and even in +that case, they had the bolos and the spears all within reach. It was an +extremely hazardous, but not the most dangerous, position, since six +fighting men, in a safe position, could not be easily overcome, as the +Professor explained, and this gave all the boys the greatest confidence. + +The flanking parties withdrew, and joined the others, taking with them +the wounded. Two hours of quiet reigned. The night, which was now +approaching, was the most dangerous period, and they appreciated the +insecurity of the position to withstand a night attack. + +The river was to their right, and not more than two miles away, and the +boys saw the Professor frequently look in that direction. "I believe," +he finally said, "we can better afford to take the risk of a daylight +trip to the river, than to remain here another minute. The lesson we +gave is rankling within them, and they will attack us with different +tactics the next time." + +The yokes were still on the yaks, and it was the work of moments only to +bring them to the pole and when the ring had been slipped on Harry had +them in motion down the hill. The Professor and John dismounted, and +stood guard, and Harry was told to move directly toward the river and +pass to the right of a hill, which appeared to have a precipitous side, +which was not more than a half mile away. + +The parting injunction of the Professor was: "Go on without stopping +until you reach the clump of trees before you and just beyond the little +stream in your path. That will give you a good view of every approach." + +The wagon went down the hill at a rapid pace. The Professor and John +kept a vigilant watch on their enemies, and it was not long before the +disappearance of the wagon was noted, and then the utmost excitement +prevailed. It was evident that there was no concerted movement among +them. There was an aimless running to and fro, but the two stood there, +guns in hand, and that no doubt disconcerted the natives, who evidently +believed that the wagon had been removed to a more advantageous +position. + +The inaction did not continue long, for it was now noticed that parties +of two and three stole out from the shelter of the huts, some going to +the north and others to the south, with a view of surrounding and spying +the new position. The wagon was beyond the sight of their position on +the hill, and after John had looked inquiringly at the Professor several +times, both began a forward movement after the wagon, and by proceeding +at a rapid pace discerned it in the distance. + +After crossing the little stream referred to by the Professor, both +halted, in order to scour the country behind them. John clutched the +Professor by the sleeve and pointed to several moving figures to their +left, cautiously moving up the hill to the position previously occupied +by the wagon. + +This was a great relief, as it was evident the savages had no idea that +the wagon was in full retreat toward the river. Moving cautiously from +tree to tree the Professor and John traveled as rapidly as possible in +the direction of the wagon, and the boys were commended for their +forethought in keeping the wagon in a hidden position while awaiting +their arrival. + +"It looks as though we had outwitted them, at any rate for the time +being, and it will keep them back long enough to enable us to get a good +start, so hurry on as fast as possible. Make for the side of the hill +which I pointed out before. If they discover our absence, and can gather +their forces we may be able to use the precipitous side of the hill as a +protection. But remember, the river is our objective point." + +No urging was needed. On the way the second stream or running brook was +crossed. Harry called to one of the boys: "Get some of the copper +kettles from the wagon and get some water. If we are held up at the hill +the yaks will need it, as well as ourselves." George and the boys +recognized the importance of it, and weak as the two rescued boys were, +they dragged the filled kettles to the wagon, and George fastened the +wooden covers on them. + +Within ten minutes more the hill was reached. It was not high nor +difficult to mount, and at one point it seemed to spring up into a peak, +the southern side of the point presenting a steep outline. The boys saw +that on the side facing the river, which was less than a mile away, the +precipitous portion was formed by a wall of peculiar brownish-gray +rock. + +Behind this rocky fortress the wagon was driven, and the first care of +Harry was to water the animals, as they had not been allowed to quench +their thirst on the way. They waited an hour or more for the appearance +of the Professor and John. George went out on a quest back over the +trail which they had just made, and almost reached the stream before he +caught sight of them lurking through the trees and shrubbery. + +They were relieved to know that the wagon was in safety, and after the +stream was crossed the three delayed no longer, but hurried rapidly +forward and soon reached the wagon, to the great relief of Harry and the +boys. + +"Let us haste to the river," was the Professor's hurried order, as he +came up, and the yaks were at once urged forward, but as he passed the +rocky wall, he cried out: "Wait, let us examine this first." + +The boys knew that if, in such an emergency, he could call a halt, the +appearance of the rock would reveal something that might be of value. +The action of the Professor attracted the attention of John at once, and +he turned to the wall and glanced along its face in an inquiring manner, +and as he did so wandered along the rocky outline in a curious manner. + +While the Professor was engaged in examining the formation John came +back hurriedly into sight, in considerable agitation, and running up to +Harry, grasped him by the arm and led him back. Harry followed, +intensely interested, and the other boys also noted the movement and +rushed over to the narrow trail which they had taken. + +As they rounded a corner John and Harry had disappeared, and George was +astounded. In a moment more Harry ran back and cried out: "Tell the +Professor to come, quickly." + +He appeared, as the unusual sight of the boys running after John had +already attracted his attention, and when the boys reached the second +turn and saw the Professor coming up, the latter was curious to know +what the commotion meant. + +"It means," answered Harry, "that we have found another cave." + +The entrance was to the left, and was so hidden by shrubbery that only +the utmost scrutiny enabled them to distinguish it. + +They gazed at each other in astonishment. George was the first to speak: +"Why wouldn't this be a good place to hide?" + +There was no answer, but John heard, and immediately shook his head, and +the Professor, not noticing this motion of John during his intent +examination of the entrance, turned around and said: "We must leave this +place as quickly as possible." + +This startled all of them into activity at once, and they made a rush +for the team, with John in the lead. Without a moment's loss of time, +the way was made down the hill, and the Professor and John took up their +positions as rear guards. + +"Drive directly to the open space at the bank to the left, and unhitch +the team." + +The boys heard and started forward, urging them along as fast as the +condition of the ground would permit, and within fifteen minutes had the +team ranged behind the wagon in a manner similar to their previous +training for the purposes of defense. + +"I think one of you boys and George had better go back and assist in +case they are pursuing," and Ralph, the stronger of the two, +volunteered, and after taking a new supply of ammunition, followed back +in time to see a number of lurking savages on the hill beyond the last +stream. + +The escape had been discovered, and the savages collecting their forces +were in full pursuit. In an incredibly short space of time the shelving +path along the rocky wall, adjacent the cave, was filled with warriors, +who could now plainly see the wagon at the brink of the river, and the +Professor and John soon appeared and urged haste back to the wagon. + +Ralph ventured the opinion that while there might be fifty or more in +the party, he was sure that a still greater number were available, and +when Tom, the other boy, was appealed to, replied that there must be +considerably more than one hundred, if not a hundred and fifty in the +tribe who might be mustered to attack them. + +When the wagon was reached all were cautioned not to waste any +ammunition, as they had but little to spare. The savages came up and +took position far beyond the range of the guns, and the open space +afforded them a much better protection than would have been available, +even at the hill. + +It was evident, however, to George and Harry, that John and the +Professor had some other reason for urging the sudden departure from the +mouth of the cave. Neither could have seen the savages approaching from +that point, and they noticed the two looking at each other when the +savages made their appearance in front of the cave. + +There was no time for questionings now. Would they attempt an attack? It +was past midday, and hunger had been forgotten. While both of the +rescued boys had kept within the wagon as much as possible during their +flight from the hills, they were very weak, and had been given food in +small quantities, so as to accustom their contracted stomachs to the +stimulating action of the nutriment. + +Within an hour new parties approached from the rear. Reinforcements were +coming, and they probably intended to delay the attack until the entire +force was available. This looked very serious indeed, but through all +the Professor was grave and dignified, and showed no evidences of being +unduly disturbed at the gathering clans. + +"What we need fear more than anything else now is a night attack," was +the Professor's comment, as he watched their movements. + +Ralph stepped up to the Professor, and said: "I do not think they will +venture to do so, because I do not remember that they have ever +attempted to do so at night. The tribe that captured us always made +night sorties, but these people never did, and for that reason I do not +believe they will attempt it now." + +The Professor thanked Ralph for the information. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE TALE OF THE RESCUED BOYS + + +Night set in without a sign of attack. The heavens were filled with +stars, but there was no moon, and this afforded a cover for both +parties. + +And now, when they were at last quiet for the first time since the +release of the boys from their loathsome captivity, all were eager to +hear their history. + +Harry and John had both learned during the snatches of conversation that +they were able to take advantage of, that Ralph and Tom were companions +on the ill-fated _Investigator_, when she went down. They were not +remembered at the hut, and neither of the boys recalled the others, +because the emaciated condition of the two was such as to make +recognition impossible, and Ralph and Tom were too much excited to know +or care who had delivered them, but they recognized the Professor before +it dawned on them that the two boys were their former companions. + +But let us listen to the tale as Ralph told it: "We were on the after +part of the ship at the time the explosion took place. It was between +nine and ten at night. The explosion seemed to break the ship in two, +and an officer, a seaman, and three of my companions, including Tom +here, launched one of the boats, and when it was apparent that the +vessel was sinking, the officer ordered the boat away. We saw two of +the lifeboats, and made for the nearest one, when the wave from the +sinking ship nearly overturned us. Soon after a heavy fog covered +everything, and when that disappeared a high wind arose, and the sea +became choppy and the froth was blown over us so that all became +drenched." + +"All that tallies exactly with our experience," remarked George. + +"Instead of decreasing the wind grew more furious during the following +day, and Tom and myself became very ill and helpless. When I recovered +consciousness there was only Tom and another companion in sight, and +neither of them knew what happened, or how the others disappeared. We +were lashed to the boat, and just before I became unconscious I +remembered that the seaman gave me some biscuits and canned meat, as +well as a flask of water, and those I found beside me when I awoke. +During the night Tom also awoke and began to rave, and I tried to quiet +him, and after making a number of trials found the locker and gave him +some stimulating medicines, which you will remember were put up and in +the use of which we were instructed. Our other companion died of +exposure the fourth day." + +"Weren't the others lashed to the boat?" + +"I don't remember. How many days we were washed by the sea I do not +know, but it must have been fully a week, and we were both entirely +exhausted, when something happened to our boat, and everything appeared +motionless, but still I could hear a terrific roaring sound. When I +regained my senses, I recognized Tom bending over me, and the first +words I remember were: 'I thought you would never come to again.' I +learned that we had been cast ashore the night before, and we could see +the wrecked parts of our lifeboat strewn all about, as the winds had +died down, but the sea was still running high." + +Harry looked at him eagerly: "Didn't you save your boat or any part of +it?" And George was almost at the limit of nervous tension as he leaned +forward and waited for the reply. + +"No; our boat was crushed beyond all hope of recovery. We did not find +any of the food stored in it, and when we were able to leave the beach +on which we were thrown, we saw that not fifty feet to the left of us +was the first of a series of rocky projections running to the west, +against which we were no doubt landed when carried up by the immense +breaker." + +"Have you any idea where you landed--that is, on what part of the +island?" was the Professor's first question. + +"I haven't the slightest idea, for reasons which you will now learn." + +"But," broke in Tom, "don't forget to relate what we saw the first day, +before we had gotten a half mile from the shore." + +"Yes; I was coming to that. We were both hungry, and we wandered first +along the seashore, and then finding nothing that would answer for food, +went inland, and noticed all about us different kinds of vegetables, +none of which we recognized, and finally some berries. We were so +hungry that we ate and ate as fast as we could gather them, and felt +much better for a time; but along in the afternoon, we heard voices, and +soon a number of savages came in sight. We were paralyzed with fear. +They were almost entirely naked, and what gave us the greatest fright +was the appearance of a captive they were dragging along, with his hands +bound behind him." + +"Was it a white man?" + +"We did not know it at the time, but we afterwards learned, as I will +tell you, that he was a white man, and that he was taken over to the +main camp to be offered up as a sacrifice." + +"Did you recognize the particular tribe that had the captive?" + +"Not at that time, because we did not know that each tribe had its own +distinctive dress. But later on we learned which tribe it was." + +The Professor drew up the mattress and brought out two different +articles of headgear that had been taken four days before. "Do you +recognize either of these?" + +The boys started. "Yes; this belongs to the tribe that first captured +us. See that row of shells, and this colored band. That is the principal +distinguishing feature aside from the hair. This hair is a dark brown, +and all of the tribe wear that kind because their bitterest enemies have +that kind of hair, and they seem to take a delight in slaying an enemy +solely for the purpose of getting the hair necessary to make up the head +ornament with." + +"I noticed that the hair of the people who are around us now is very +black and curly." + +"Yes; this other headdress is made principally from the hair of our +enemies outside. Where did you get it?" + +"We captured it," answered the Professor, "in one of the fights we had +several days ago." + +"At the time you captured the chief here?" + +"Yes. And while we are on the subject, I wish you would see if you +recognize the headdress of the chief we have here." + +Ralph looked it over, and to the surprise of all announced that he had +never seen that kind before. + +"How many tribes do you think are on the island?" was George's question. + +"Probably a half dozen or more. Our means for learning these things were +very limited, although we have had a close acquaintance with them for +the past six months." + +"Before you go on with your story I want to ask a question or two," said +the Professor, as he glanced at John. "Did you ever come across a large +river, like this one, and which flowed in a different direction, say, to +the east?" + +Neither of the boys remembered such a stream. + +"Have you ever been near the range of mountains which we can see to the +east of us?" + +"Oh, yes; we were taken way down west of those mountains. After seeing +the captors a safe distance away, we started in an opposite direction, +and found ourselves on a little stream of water, and picked out a +resting place on one shore among the bush where a little overhanging +hill offered some shelter. Before night both of us became very ill, and +had taken to vomiting, and then imagined that the berries had poisoned +us. For two days we lay there, almost too weak to move, and afraid to +venture out, on account of the savages. We found nuts and ate sparingly +at first, as our stomachs were too weak to permit us to take much at a +time. Then we found some things like sweet potatoes, and Tom had a box +of matches which was a great boon to us." + +"Well, that is better than we had when we landed," and George laughed at +the reminiscence. + +"In our wanderings we lost all trace of time, of distance and of +direction. We knew that the sun came from the east and set in the west, +and we knew that the shadow of the sun was thrown to the north at noon, +but it didn't make much difference to us which way we went." + +George couldn't help interrupting: "Why, don't you know we are south of +the equator, and that at noon the sun throws its shadow to the south?" + +"In our condition we didn't stop to consider any of those things. We +were mostly hungry, and tired with wandering. We thought the proper +thing would be to go north, and so we traveled in that direction. As it +now turns out we went to the south, and marched right into the heart of +the occupied part of the island. For months we evaded capture. On one +occasion we stumbled on the camp of a lot of savages who were +sacrificing a victim." + +"Was he a white man?" + +"We did not know, and could not stop to inquire, but it is more than +probable that it was a captive from some other tribe, as that is a +common and universal practice. They never spare a captive. In our own +case, we knew what to expect, and our only salvation was that the time +for these sacrifices took place only at certain periods, or to +commemorate events at which the offering is made to their gods at +special seasons of the year. Of course we did not know when that +particular period would come in our case, but we knew what captivity +meant, and we often wished to be put out of our suspense." + +The Professor here interrupted: "The matter of commemorating certain +events or circumstances is something which comes down through the +history of all peoples from the most ancient periods. In the case of the +Israelites, it is said that they brought out the brazen serpent, which +Moses commanded to be kept in the ark for a memory, and offered before +it. Dixon, in his 'History of the Church of England,' states that it was +the universal custom in the early period of the church to demand +memories to be celebrated, and Spenser's tales refer to the +commemorations by + + 'Their memories, their singing and their gifts.' + +But proceed, Ralph." + +"After several months of hunted life we became expert at eluding our +enemies, but we were hungry and starving many a time, and once we were +so much reduced to the starvation point that we boldly but stealthily +entered a village in order to capture food, and escaped. About two +months ago we were unfortunate enough to wander between two conflicting +forces, and in the attempt to escape, were finally taken by the victors +and conducted to their village in grand style. From our appearance it +was probably difficult to judge whether we were white or black, but as +we had the freedom of a small space adjoining our hut, and were encamped +by the running stream, where water was handy, we had an opportunity to +take a bath, which so changed our appearance that the natives could +hardly believe we were the same captives they had taken two days before. +We since learned that this alteration in our appearance is what caused +them to postpone the sacrifice. They are intensely superstitious, and +could not understand why the transformation had been made. Then the +round silver match box which Tom incautiously exhibited, excited their +curiosity, and its glitter attracted them, so that everything we had was +taken away, particularly the buttons which we had about us." + +"That," remarked the Professor, "is also a trait common with all +savages, to regard all articles which have a luster, as a charm. The +Druids, in ancient times, used balls of crystal as part of their +superstitious worship, and even in the present day, in our own civilized +country, we have plenty of people who have an idea that hypnotism can be +brought about by gazing at a brightly polished sphere. It can be seen +how much these articles are prized by a low order of people, because of +the varied colors which are formed at the different parts of the +globular surface. It is for the same reason that the eye becomes the +most attractive part of the human form, and why some are actually +overcome by a piercing glance, or subdued by the genial beams of a +kindly eye." + +"But I have little more to add to the tale. We were kindly treated by +those people, and given a greater share of liberty as time wore on, and +when the watchfulness was not so keen we took the first opportunity +offered, to escape, and after wandering about from place to place, often +without food, we were almost ready to return and throw ourselves on +their mercy. For fully a month we kept out of their way, and when we saw +them coming, and knew what a struggle we would have to elude them +without food, we boldly marched into the midst of the warriors, only to +find that we had been hiding from an entirely different tribe of +savages. The knowledge of this made us desperate, but we were hungry, +and we had read of instances where men had acted boldly when in great +danger from enemies; so that we concealed our fears, and demanded +something to eat. Catching sight of a roast fowl we took it from the +spit on which it was hanging, and began to eat it without asking leave, +and with an air of superiority that simply stunned them. The chief came +forward; dangling from a chain on his neck was a watch. Tom went toward +him, looked at it and quietly took it in his hand, without a protest. As +he pressed the stem the case flew open, and the chief started back in +wonder and surprise. This performance so new and startling to him was a +fortunate occurrence for us. Tom saw the effect of his action, and then +wound the watch. When he put the timepiece to the ear of the chief, he +became frightened and tore the chain from his neck in terror. The +ticking timepiece was then carried around to the assembled warriors, who +exhibited the same fear at its 'talking.' An ample supply of food was +then instantly set before us, and Tom went up to the chief, and tried to +tell him what the instrument was for, and turned the hands to midday to +show how it would tell the time of day. He finally put the chain around +the savage's neck, which the latter permitted." + +"Did the watch have any mark by which it could be identified?" + +"Nothing but the initials 'J L V' on the inside of the case." + +"J L V," cried Harry and George in unison, as they looked at John. Ralph +and Tom in turn stared at the boys in amazement. + +"Do you know whose watch it is?" asked Tom. + +"Not positively; but we believe it belongs to John here," said Harry, as +he delved down in his pocket and brought out the silver match safe he +had found after the attack at the river. + +When he held it up Ralph glanced at it, and declared that the monogram +was a perfect copy of the one on the watch. + +This was, indeed, getting interesting to the Professor, as he motioned +to Ralph to proceed. + +"We were with this tribe nearly two weeks, and were treated like +brothers. Bows and arrows were given us, and we became a part of their +fighting force, but, unfortunately, they were a small and weak tribe, +and when several weeks ago the devils around us pounced down upon us, +half of them were killed and we were made prisoners. The others who were +captured with us were sacrificed last week, and our turn would +undoubtedly have been the next, as we had been captured fighting against +them." + +This narrative greatly impressed the boys, and it showed what suffering +they had undergone, and they could not help but contrast their lot with +that of their unfortunate companions. + +The story made clear another thing: That there must have been another +boatload of their wrecked ship on the island. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE ESCAPE IN THE NIGHT + + +The waiting savages showed no disposition to attack under cover of +darkness. Everything was quiet, and with reinforcements no doubt would +resume the aggressive in the morning. It was approaching midnight and no +one had retired. All were too busy listening and retailing stories to +think of sleep. + +But they now had to consider the important things connected with their +immediate security. Various plans were suggested, but none seemed to +meet the conditions, and the Professor suggested that it might be well +to make a careful reconnoiter of the enemy before deciding on a course. +Harry and the Professor took up the guns, and John, divining the object, +grasped one of the guns and held back both. He disappeared from the +wagon on the side facing the river, and then slowly worked his way +around toward the encircling band. + +When he had gone less than a hundred feet toward a point directly +abreast of the wagon, so that he was moving at right angles to the shore +line, he disappeared, and they could readily understand how his +crouching attitude would enable him to approach closely without being +recognized. + +He was absent more than a half hour, and although the watchers in the +wagon kept up a vigilant guard in every direction, John reappeared, and +was almost at the wagon before he was noticed. He had returned by way of +the north bank of the stream, and entered the wagon on the same side +from which he had left. + +As stated previously, the extreme height of the wagon bed enabled them +to make a small closet-like enclosure, which would not expose any light, +and to this place the Professor drew John, and lighting the lamp the +latter showed by signs that no savages were in the immediate vicinity. + +The Professor by signs motioned that they should take up their flight +along the bed of the stream, and to this John gave his immediate +approval. The boys were informed of the decision, and all consented. It +would certainly take them nearer home, and delay would mean only waste +of ammunition, and if a fight was necessary they were as well able to +defend themselves by night as by day. + +As silently as possible the yaks were put in marching order, and John, +without a word, started off ahead, keeping well to the left, and at a +considerable distance from the river bed, and thus acted as a scout for +the party. + +To their astonishment their progress was not opposed, and for more than +an hour the quiet movement was kept up. Before them was a mass of +undergrowth, which seemed to come nearer the river than at any other +place on their route, and John approached the wagon and signaled a halt. + +The Professor went forward, and without a word John started for the +underbrush, the Professor following. They passed entirely through +without any signs of the savages, and as they returned and emerged from +the other side, John tried to give the Professor some advice, but the +darkness prevented him from grasping his ideas. As a last resort John +went up to a small tree and made the motions of cutting it down, and it +at once dawned on him that a raft should be built, and this so impressed +the Professor as a wise course that they hurriedly returned to the +wagon. + +"Boys, get the bolos at once, and drive the wagon forward until I tell +you to stop. Harry and George follow John, and cut poles for a raft. We +must cross the stream. While you are doing this I will examine the river +bank and find the best place to launch our raft." + +"What," exclaimed Ralph, "are you going to make a raft large enough to +float the wagon on?" + +"No," said Harry, "but we intend to make the wagon a part of the raft," +and he hurriedly told them how they had forded the stream before. + +Before they had an opportunity to cut many of the poles the Professor +appeared with the welcome information that he had found an immense pile +of driftwood not far below, and this was communicated to John as best +they could and the Professor took him by the arm and led him to the +river bank and sent Harry up to bring down the team. + +The accumulated mass was a fortune to them, as the wood was +comparatively dry, and singling out the most available pieces, the +material was ready within a half hour, and the shallowest shelving part +of the beach selected for the launching. + +It was singular that during all these proceedings not the least sign was +heard of their pursuers. It could not be possible that they had given up +the chase, but it seemed so. The party now consisted of six, and Harry +had doubts of the sufficiency of the floating timbers to sustain them, +but this fear was dispelled as the noble yaks slowly drew the wagon +forward, and it was found that it floated. + +By repeated urging the stream was soon crossed, and when the wagon had +been denuded of the logs, they were in as good condition as before to go +on. As on the previous occasion, they pushed out from the river, as fast +as the darkness would permit, and soon came to gently ascending land, +and finally the underbrush appeared, when the Professor called a halt. + +"This will take us far enough from the view of the savages, and we must +make camp and get some rest for the morrow may be a trying day." + +As nearly as could be determined it was two o'clock in the morning and +the watches were appointed so that two would be on guard, for an hour at +each watch. The morning came too soon for all of them. It had been a +strenuous time for all and a particularly joyous one for the two boys. + +An early start was not necessary. They were about a quarter of a mile +from the river, and as the light broke were surprised to find that the +camp was selected at a peculiarly secluded spot. Their first subject of +conversation was concerning the natives. They were nowhere in sight, +but shortly afterwards John pointed to the right, and there plainly seen +were the entire tribe waiting along the shore of a tributary which +flowed into the stream from the west. + +[Illustration: _Fig. 6._] + +"It is now plain to me why they were fooled," and the Professor laughed +at the situation. They evidently knew that sooner or later the wagon +must make its appearance and attempt to ford the stream, and that would +be their opportunity. + +"They are certainly smart in some things, and particularly with regard +to the character of the streams. That tributary is very deep and they +counted on that giving us trouble." + +"Why do you know it is a deep and not a shallow stream?" + +"The conformation of the shores indicate that. It can generally be +determined in this way: If the sides of the ground near the shore are +steep, it is pretty sure to make a contracted channel, and that means +depth. On the other hand, if the beach is sloping the stream may be +wide, but is always shallow at that point. See the steep sides running +close down to the mouth?" + +[Illustration: _Fig. 7. Shallow Stream._] + +The savages did not wait long for the supposed appearance of the wagon, +but the scouting parties cautiously spread out and moved up the stream. +They passed through the thick undergrowth where John and the Professor +had passed the night before and were, apparently, nonplussed at the +disappearance. + +This recalled the former experience farther up the river, and all had a +merry laugh at the discomfiture. They saw the tracks of the wagon, and +it ceased at the undergrowth, and this was the puzzling feature to them, +but in time the tracks were followed up leading to the river bank, and +the evidences of the driftwood all about was sufficient information to +them to stop all further pursuit. + +"What should we do if they attempt to cross?" was George's inquiry. + +"That would be our chance to go for them," responded Harry. + +They remained on the bank for two hours, constantly looking across for +signs of the retreating wagon, and then slowly filtered back through the +woods beyond. + +"Isn't this the place we saw the lights during our first trip to the +river?" asked Harry. + +"No," answered the Professor; "we were fully six or eight miles north of +this point, but it might be some tribes are found that far down the +river." + +Breakfast had been forgotten in the interesting watching of their +enemies, and when they had fully disappeared from view the party had an +opportunity for the first time in a whole week to get a sample of cooked +food. + +"I am sorry to say," said George, "that we haven't any fresh meat, and +the best we can do is coffee and corned beef." + +Harry and John had their guns in an instant, and started out on the +quest for food. + +"Where did you get the coffee and corned beef?" asked Ralph. + +"We put up the beef ourselves, and there is plenty of this kind of +coffee on the island." + +"But you have sugar, too." + +"Yes; we made that and also have plenty of honey." + +This was surprising information for the boys. + +"But how did you make the guns? Where did you get the iron?" + +"We dug it out of the ground and put up our own foundry, and have a +water wheel and a machine shop." + +All this was said with a show of pardonable pride; and he continued: +"Wait until you see where we live and how we have things fixed up." + +The shots which were plainly heard indicated something good to eat, and +before the hunters arrived the stove was removed from the wagon, and +George had a good fire started. + +A woodchuck and two pheasants were the trophies. What a feast they made. +The chief was now inclined to be more communicative. The neat trick of +crossing the river was a most enjoyable spectacle for him, and he tried +to exhibit his delight. Ralph and Tom didn't have much use for him; as +they were no doubt thinking of the miseries that the islanders had given +them, and the Professor smiled as he appreciated their feelings. + +The disposition of the warrior was a leading subject of discussion, and +some favored letting him go, but he was not in a condition to travel, +and they were now fully ten miles or more from the point where he was +captured. Humanity prompted them to take him with them rather than set +him adrift in his condition, which might mean exposure to his enemies, +and as a result the subject was dropped. + +Red Angel was a source of wonder to the boys. He had so many attractive +ways, and it was the first time that either had been thrown into close +association with such an animal, and besides Angel was not an ordinary +orang. He had been educated, and it amused the boys to see how much +intelligence he exhibited when he was told to do certain things. + +After the meal the march was taken up, and Harry, ever solicitous for +his team, as he called them, was anxious to get water for them. He was +assured that during the day they would without doubt cross some of the +streams which they had previously found in that section of the country. + +While thus moving along Ralph and Tom were inexpressively happy at their +liberty. Weak as they were they frequently got out of the wagon, +trudging along, running races with Angel, and jolly as boys out of +school. + +And this gives the first opportunity to describe them. Ralph was tall, +and strongly built, but his emaciated frame did not show his full +strength. Tom, on the other hand, was shorter and bulkier, so that the +two boys were really the counterparts physically, of Harry and George, +respectively. Both were educated fully up to their years like the +average youths who had graduated from the high school. + +Tom was the most observant of the two, and in that respect resembled +George, and as they moved through the forest and over the table land, he +would frequently stop and look around, and finally went to the Professor +and said: "This part of the island looks very familiar to me." Then +calling to Tom, he continued: "Isn't this the place we traveled through +after we were wrecked?" + +Tom looked about him, and finally answered: "It does look familiar like. +We came from that direction." And he pointed to the north. + +"If that is the case you landed on the island fifty miles west of our +position, and it is a remarkable thing that we never ran across your +tracks," answered the Professor. + +The wagon was driven forward slowly, because there was now no need for +haste. The part of the country through which they were passing was free +from savages, so there was no anxiety from that source, and the +Professor, as well as the boys, took delight in examining the country +through which they passed, and in trying to discover new vegetables and +fruit, as well as learning all about the mineral resources of the +different sections. + +Before night they came to a small stream, which was an admirable camping +spot, and the yaks fairly reveled in the sweet, fresh water. There was +no hesitancy in building a fire for the evening meal, and the hunting +bags showed a good supply of game. That evening sitting under the great +southern dome, with its glittering stars, the Professor had a most +attentive audience when the various questions were brought up for +discussion. + +To those who are fairly observant, the heavens in southern latitudes +cannot fail to attract attention because of the different arrangement of +the stars. People living in the northern hemisphere have never seen the +southern cross, nor the great fixed stars, Canopus or Achernar; and +those below the equator have never viewed the polar star, and do not +know the beauty of the brilliant star Vega. + +The most intent listener, on all occasions of this kind, was George. +"Tell us, Professor, how the mariner knows the direction of the south +pole when there is no south polar star to show him?" + +"Practically the same method is used as in the northern hemisphere. The +north polar star does not in itself indicate which is north, but it is +one of the points used in connection with another star which points out +the direction. + +"In the northern hemisphere there is a star called Alpheratz and another +called Zaph, which are in direct line with the polar star. The two first +stars named are exactly on what is called the equinoctial line. But the +southern hemisphere of the heavens does not have a polar star to +indicate the south, so that if you will now look directly above us you +will notice two very bright stars. One of them is the fixed star Sirius, +the most brilliant in the heavens; the other is Canopus, and a line +along these two stars would go around the celestial sphere and point to +the poles." + +"But suppose we should be on the sea, and would not have anything else +to guide us, what would there be to show which way is north and which +direction south?" + +"Sirius is easily distinguished, because it is, apparently, the largest +of all the fixed stars. It cannot be mistaken. By taking that as a +starting point, and following with the eye along past Canopus, you will +be looking to the south pole." + +"Isn't Sirius called the Dog Star? And hasn't it some connection with +the dog days?" + +"Yes; in the remote ages of the world, when every man was his own +astronomer, the rising and setting of this star was watched with deep +solicitude. The astronomers of Egypt determined the length of the year +by the number of its risings. It foretold to them the rising of the +Nile, which they called Siris, and admonished them when to sow. At that +season of the year Sirius rises with the sun, and owing to its intense +brilliancy, the ancients supposed that it blended its heat with the sun +and thus was the cause of the intense heat; hence during that time were +called dog days. At present what are so designated are the days between +the 3d of July to the 11th of August." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE CATARACT AND ITS MARVELS + + +The tramp through the forest was a leisurely one, as constant stops were +made to examine the country. The rescued boys were wonderfully +recuperated by the influence of two days of good food and the peace of +mind and contentment that had come into their lives after a stormy and +hazardous fourteen months' struggle. + +Ralph brought in several specimens of fruit and vegetables, of the kind +they had seen the natives use, and one specimen which had a long, +tapering root. "Here is something they always had on hand," he remarked +as he handed it to the Professor. + +"That would be a valuable addition to our vegetable diet. It is a +species of Salsify, or vegetable oyster, and by some called Goat's +beard, on account of the peculiar top." + +"I should like to know what this is. It seems to me that we saw plants +of the same kind down near the South River." George produced a plant +with beautiful large leaves at the end of each stem, which grew in +clusters. + +The Professor smiled. "You have at last found the real rubber tree. This +was taken from one of the small trees, but they grow to considerable +height, and many of the trees yield about eight gallons of milk, when +first cut, which produces two pounds of rubber. + +"But," continued the Professor, "I have something here that is more of a +curiosity than anything else." He drew forth a stem with a number of +leaves, and peculiarly marked. "Do you notice anything odd about this?" + +[Illustration: _Fig. 8. Salsify._] + +All of them examined it intently, and finally Tom remarked: "Why don't +you remember, Ralph, we saw these branches in the savage huts +frequently, but I have no idea what they used them for." + +"This is the carricature plant. If you will look closely the outline of +human faces can be seen. Look at this leaf, the resemblance is plain. +Among the savages these leaves are plucked as charms, and the more +distinctly they are marked the more potent they consider them. It is +something like the ideas of many people about the four-leaved clovers. +So civilized people are not so very far above the savages, after all." + +[Illustration: _Fig. 9. Rubber._] + +In the afternoon of the third day they approached the vicinity of the +Cataract, and Harry and George were wild to make their way forward, so +the yaks were constantly urged to go on, and it frequently made +traveling difficult for those who were walking. Ralph and Tom were kept +in the wagon, but insisted that the Professor and John should take their +places there, and would not listen to their protestations. + +About three o'clock Observation Hill was sighted, and there, proudly +floating, was the flag. When the attention of the boys was called to it +they almost wept for joy at the sight. + +"Oh, how good it feels to see that old flag again," was Tom's comment, +as he tried to brush away something that looked like a tear. "How far +are we away now?" + +"Not more than two miles from home, but the hill is three-quarters of a +mile farther." + +[Illustration: _Fig. 10. Carricature Plant._] + +Angel was in his element now, as the home was sighted, and he danced and +capered, just as George did. The Professor and John were in the wagon, +and Harry asked the Professor to take the reins, and before any of them +knew what he was about was out of the wagon and on a run down the hill, +followed by George and Angel. + +Ralph and Tom followed suit, and they made a procession that gave great +pleasure to the Professor, as he saw their joyous spirits exhibiting +themselves. + +John's eyes lighted up, and the Professor noted the look of pleasure on +his face. It was so good to see the steady increase in the developing +intelligence. When they left two weeks before John was listless, and +often entirely without any indications of what was going on all about +him. The only characteristics were shown at intervals, where he would, +probably, recall something, or instinctively be brought into contact +with a former phase of his life; but now those periods seemed to be +vanishing, and he became a more normal being at all times, without +showing the marked eccentricities. + +The boys reached the home, and Harry opened the door, and stood ready to +receive and welcome their new companions. + +When the wagon came up John and the Professor marched up, and the latter +approached with the deference of a courtier, and John, noting the +attitude of the Professor, made a like obeisance, and this act, so +gracefully performed, was such a wonderful and startling thing that the +boys were completely stunned. After making a show of welcome to the +Professor, they walked over to John and offered him a welcome that was +most touching to him. + +The Professor and the boys now felt that they could not, in their future +conversations, make any allusion to him, as there was an evident dawning +of his intellect, and nothing must be said to attract his attention to +it by discussing his condition. + +Angel was in the rafters for a moment only, and then down and darted +into the kitchen. Not for a moment did he rest content at any spot until +he had investigated every corner. Wasn't that a boyish trait? When the +whole house had been exhausted, he was over at the water wheel, and the +boys followed, but they did not take in every arm and blade of the +wheel, as he did. Then to the shop, and always leading the boys, who +were after him with shouts of merriment. + +"Oh, isn't this wonderful!" exclaimed Tom. "What a glorious time you +must have had in building these things? And just to think of it, we were +so near you, and in misery all the time;" and he said it in such a +regretful manner that it drew forth the sympathy of all. + +Nothing in the world could have hindered John and the Professor from +following up and witnessing the scene. Angel didn't try to run the +sawmill, or to turn the lathe, but he did the next best thing, he jumped +on the grindstone and sent it spinning while running over the top, a +trick he had learned and which was one of the ways he had to help out +George and Harry when at work. + +If you should argue from now until you get to the end of this book that +Angel did not know what he was doing during these exhibitions, and that +it was only the act of an animal, it would not have convinced the boys. +From the shop they visited the laboratory, and here the boys got their +first real shock, as they saw the skeletons which had been taken from +the cave. + +It was all so remarkable to them that they did not know what to say or +think. Here was intelligence directed from the first. How different had +they utilized the intervening time. It was a momentous lesson, they were +smart enough to appreciate what they saw and learned. + +"I am so happy to know that we have been permitted to become a member of +your family," said Ralph, as he grasped the Professor's hand. "All this +around here is certainly worth seeing, and it makes me long to take a +hand and help, and I know that Tom feels that way, too." + +Before the Professor could reply George stepped up and put his arm +around the Professor. "If you boys only knew how beautiful he has been, +and how patiently he has urged us to carry out this work, you would +almost wish, as has been our desire many times, never to leave this +place; but--of course, we--we want to see home--and," and the tears +came, and Ralph and Harry and Tom broke down and wept, and they turned +away from each other to hide their emotions. + +When they turned and tried to be very brave again, the Professor, who +was not ashamed of the tears which fell, smiled through them, and his +voice rang out with a cheer that made every face bright, as he said: +"The most satisfying thing in life is appreciation. My boys have been +heroes. I have done nothing; it is their work. I have felt ashamed, +sometimes, to know how little has been the work of my hands. +Occasionally they have been directed, but it is because they wanted to +know so many things and the reasons for everything they started out to +do. You can see, therefore, that if they had not possessed the spirit to +accomplish these things, the little that I have tried to impart to them +would have been of no use. I merely allude to this to show you that it +is not knowledge or information that makes the world move or induces men +to progress, but it is the spirit which takes hold of and utilizes the +intelligence." + +The new additions to the family now necessitated an entire rearrangement +of their quarters. The house, which had been built up in sections, so to +speak, contained three rooms, one, the original portion, being now the +store room, to which was added a living room and a kitchen. + +Commenting on this, and with all together, to get some understanding of +the plans, the Professor outlined his views: "We have been putting up +our structures here in the way usually followed in all rural +communities, where there is plenty of room, by first erecting a little +shanty, and then adding another room to that, and a little lean-to on +the other side, and as the family grows, enclosing the lean-to to make +another room, and then adding to that, and so on, until the whole mass +makes a more or less picturesque structure, and a fine thing for artists +to rave over. But the interior comfort is quite another thing. We should +change that in this civilized community, and put up a building that will +be not only comfortable and adapted for our necessities, but also +artistic, and it will cost us no more than to do it in a slovenly, +inartistic way. I imagine we can make good terms with the carpenter and +the bricklayer and the decorator so as to reduce the cost as much as +possible;" and all enjoyed the Professor's little joke. + +It was Harry's turn to offer a few suggestions: "We have about +everything we need now, except food. The barley is all gone--" + +"What, all that we left in the bin?" asked George. + +"Something has gotten into it and carried it all away." + +"We shall have to investigate that the first thing," suggested the +Professor. "Fortunately we haven't threshed out one of the stacks, and +that will give us plenty of exercise for a day." + +"What, have you a stack of barley here?" was Tom's eager question. + +"Oh, yes," replied George, "and we make the finest kind of bread. I am +sorry we can't offer any to-day." + +It was so long since they had tasted bread that its name was almost +forgotten. + +All returned to the house. The Chief was still there, and he looked at +the group in a curious way. Everything in sight attracted his curiosity, +and the Professor tried to make him feel at home in his new +surroundings. His wounds were progressing favorably, and he was now able +to stand on one leg without much pain. At the suggestion of the +Professor, Harry made a pair of crutches, which were brought in early +the next morning, and he took them and imitated the act of walking with +one of his legs raised up. This was a novel proceeding for the savage, +and after they had been offered to him several times the Professor urged +him to try them. + +Comprehending what was wanted he struggled to his feet and reached for +them. When they were adjusted he leaned forward for the first step, and +a look of surprise came over him. It was a revelation to his poor +untutored mind. It lighted up into an expression he had never exhibited +before, and he thus received the first lesson on the route to +civilization. + +It was amusing to see him make one attempt after the other, and before +night he could travel about fairly well. What must have been his +thoughts as he saw the busy workshops and the surroundings of the home +to which he had been so unwillingly brought? At every opportunity the +Professor cultivated his acquaintance. As time wore on he became +communicative in his way, but it was difficult to bring things to his +mind and comprehend the language used. + +He was first taught to name certain things, such as the different foods; +and it did not take long to learn what "Yes" and "No" meant, and when +handed anything particularly appetizing it was finally associated in his +mind with "good." Thus step by step he acquired a small vocabulary of +words. + +The first task in the morning was the threshing out of barley. Chief, as +he was called, witnessed the task, and picked up and fondled one of the +flails, like a child caressing a new toy, but he did not have the +remotest idea what the threshing of the barley meant until the beaten +straw had been removed and the golden grain was winnowed out. + +And there was another thing that interested him immensely, and that was +the grist mill, composed of the two stones, and when the water wheel was +set in motion and the upper stone began to whirr, he stood with mouth +and eyes open, and watched the meal running from the spout like one +entranced. Usually these people are too stolid to pay attention to such +things, but his intense interest was so pronounced that it attracted all +who witnessed it. + +He followed every step in the preparation of the flour and in the making +of the bread, and when the loaves were finally deposited on the table, +it was some time before he could gain sufficient composure to taste it. +When he did so eventually the amount he ate was enough commendation of +its quality to satisfy the most egotistic baker. + +Tom became the constant companion of Harry in the workshop, as he was a +lover of the mechanical arts. Ralph had the spirit of adventure, and was +the counterpart of George, who liked to investigate. These two became +the animated question marks of the party. On every subject they took a +leading part. + +The second evening George brought out his home-made violin. This was the +occasion for another surprise. Red Angel was at the feet of George in an +instant. Tom could not keep his hands still, as he had also learned to +play the instrument, and ventured to suggest that he would like to +assist in building a bass viol, and not to be outdone Ralph offered to +construct a flute. + +The violin that evening was another link in the chain which was to +eventually convert a savage into an instrument of untold value to the +people of that island. At first Chief could not understand it. He tried +to see where the wailing noise came from and pressed closer and closer +to George as he played. When George played another tune in quick time he +became animated, and slow, plaintive music seemed to subdue him. + +"Do you know," said the Professor, "that what we call music does not +appear as such to savages. Noise and sound are not distinguished by +them. The beating of their crude tom toms is the only thing that appeals +to their ears. That is simply noise. Rhythm and time are recognized, +principally because all their music is associated by some act of +dancing." + +"I have often wondered why it is that dancing is such a universal +custom?" ventured Tom. + +"Among all ancient peoples it formed the integral part of religious +ceremonies, and is even to-day practiced by many of the eastern +Christians in that manner. It was the custom of the Jews from their +first historical account, as shown in the account given in Exodus, where +Miriam the prophetess, sister of Moses, took a timbrel in her hand and +went out with the other women with timbrels and dances. The Hebrews had +a regular chorus in the Temple, with dancing performers of women; and +the dance was adopted as a fitting close to the feast of the +Tabernacle, when the rulers of the synagogues, the doctors of the +schools, and even the members of the Sanhedrin, accompanied the sacred +music with their voices, and leaped and danced with torches in their +hands until morning." + +"Do you think the savages even in these western islands use the dance as +a religious ceremony?" + +"All tribes in the Island of the Pacific, and I might say, over the +entire world, associate these dances with religion, with war, and with +some festive commemoration of events. I dare say that you boys have +witnessed some of those rites." + +Ralph responded to this: "We saw that happen on the occasion the victims +were sacrificed by the savages who captured us, as I related in my story +the other day. The other tribe also had a dance, but it was so entirely +different that we both noticed it at the time." + +"Your observation was correct. As in clothing, and in the matter of +decorations, so different peoples show their dancing characteristics by +different traits. This is true of all civilized people as well. Of +these, the best known, which I might mention, are the tarantella of the +Neapolitans, the bolero and fandango of the Spaniards, the mazurka and +cracovienna of Poland, the cosack of Russia, the redowa of Bohemia, the +quadrille and cotillion of France, the waltz, polka and gallopade of +Germany, the reel and sword dance of Scotland, the minuet and hornpipe +of England, the jig of Ireland, and the last to capture America is the +tango." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE WORK AT THE CATARACT. MAKING WEAPONS + + +The directing hand of the Professor, assisted by John, who was present +everywhere when work was to be done, was manifested when the hour for +retiring came. There was an abundance of clean, sweet straw, and the +boys temporarily took up their quarters in the shop, while the +Professor, John and Chief occupied the living room. + +All this had been arranged for by John, so that when they went to bed +that night happy and contented, it was to take a rest that was free from +troubles and worries, and it was a welcome relief after two weeks of +wandering, coupled with the most exciting adventures. + +The boys had hardly quieted themselves for the night, when a peculiar +scratching and scraping noise appeared at their door. They intently +listened for a while, and George quietly slipped to the door. He heard a +familiar sound from without. Red Angel was there, and next morning the +Professor laughingly said that it is likely he did not relish the +company in the house, as he came down to the door after the boys left, +and by his peculiar style of talk said he wanted to get out. + +In the morning the Professor called the working force together, and +suggested that as good living was a necessity, and could also be made a +pleasure, they should so divide the different occupations as to make +each feel that he had some special responsibility. + +He pointed out four things which were essential to their welfare. First +to replenish their store of vegetables; second, to secure game or meat +of some kind; third, the cultivation of the garden; and fourth, the +manufacture of clothing, of which all stood in need. + +When John came to their home he was supplied with practically all of the +surplus goods on hand, and a new stock of ramie fiber had not been +prepared since that. The boys' clothing had been supplemented by the +goods taken from the wagon top, and while heavy garments were not +required, it was noticed that the articles first made from the ramie +were growing threadbare. + +Footwear was really of more immediate necessity than clothing. Ralph and +Tom had no shoes whatever, as the only ones they had were taken away +when first captured. It is singular how hard the feet can become when +deprived of protection. Throughout Africa, where the natives never wear +them from the cradle to the grave, the soles of the feet become hard and +bony, and thus enable them to travel over any kind of surface without +injury. + +It was fortunate that they had three tanned hides, and when John looked +at the denuded feet of the boys, and at his own condition, the sight of +the hides was enough to set him to work. The first thing that engaged +his attention was the making of a set of lasts, and then the ramie fiber +was twisted for threads; after which he sought out the lumber pile to +make pegs, and selected some of the dried shellbark hickory for this +purpose. Thus he imposed one very needed duty on himself. + +At George's suggestion a new stock of the ramie fiber ought to be +supplied, and he, with Ralph, took the yaks, and their guns, in order to +do double duty, to bring in a new quantity, and at the same time supply +the table with game. As they were leaving the Professor called out: "If +you go near the ledge of iron ore bring in a few hundred pounds, and +also some clay. You ought to take the picks and shovels along." + +Harry and Tom went across the river to visit the garden, which was now +overrun with weeds, and the entire day was spent in putting that in +order, as they hoped within a few weeks more to commence gathering +supplies from that source. The garden had been started before they +sailed away on the voyage which ended so disastrously to their vessel. + +While all this was going on it must not be thought that the +determination to again visit the enemy's country had been relaxed. +Before going on another trip preparations must be made, and they did not +intend to run short of ammunition the second time. + +With that object in view, the moment the present need for food and +clothing was provided for it was agreed that all efforts should be made +in the direction of preparing weapons and ammunition. There was still a +good supply of copper at hand, as well as lead, which had been +previously extracted. + +[Illustration: _Fig. 11. Angel, his new suit, and the Gun._] + +Thus the party put in several days of ardent work in the directions +indicated. One morning, while the garment-making was in progress, Angel +appeared wearing one of George's discarded jackets. He strutted around +in the most comical way, admiring himself, and, apparently, enjoying +the sensation of being clad. It was amusing to see him hunch his +shoulders as he looked at the jacket. + +George laughed, and so did Angel. "Well, we must make you a suit sure." +Everyone, even to the Professor, took a part in the proceeding, but John +couldn't see a way to fit him with a pair of shoes. + +As usual, whenever opportunity offered, the Professor was out +prospecting in the hills. When he returned several samples of new +minerals were deposited in the laboratory, and when the party gathered +there that evening Ralph was the first to notice a reddish ore which had +been found during the day. + +"What is that, Professor?" + +"It is a very fine sample of Cinnabar." + +"I never heard of it before. What is it used for?" + +"It is the ore from which quicksilver, or mercury, is extracted." + +"Wouldn't it be fun to make a looking glass?" + +"It is used for that purpose, but we have use for it in making a +thermometer, as well as a barometer," answered the Professor. + +"Will it be much trouble to take the quicksilver out of the ore?" + +"No, it is a very simple process. Metallic mercury is easily +volatilized, and separated from the gangue, at temperatures far below +redness. Our closed retort would be admirable for the purpose." + +"Do you mean by volatilizing that it is put into a steam?" + +"Volatilizing means to convert it into a gas, and this gas, on coming +into contact with a cooling surface, is converted into a mercury, which +we have in a liquid state, and is called the metallic mercury." + +"Are there other kinds besides metallic mercury?" + +"Oh, yes; it may be in the form of a nitrate, a sulphate, a chloride or +an iodide. The chloride is very poisonous, and is known as corrosive +sublimate. It would be just the thing to rid the stable of the rodents +that took the barley." + +One morning the Professor called the boys together and informed them +that it had been the custom to take a certain day each week for hunting +or other recreation, and suggested that they continue the practice. + +"I should like to go over to Observation Hill and see the flag you +made," said Ralph. All agreed to this heartily, and the merry party set +out, after being fully equipped, as was always the custom. Red Angel +formed one of the party, of course, and in lieu of a gun, George had +made a stick in imitation of one. He was immensely proud of this +acquisition, and actually hugged it when it was presented to him. From +that time forward it was his constant companion. + +When the Hill was reached, Angel made for the pole, and with his gun in +hand, scrambled to the top, giving out his peculiar chuckling noise, +which indicated delight. + +"Why the gun doesn't seem to make any difference in his climbing," +exclaimed Tom. + +They scanned the broad sea, and who shall say what their thoughts were +as they silently stood there. For some reason when they started to go +down the hill they were not so jolly as when going up. Their course was +directed to the east, but just why no one knew. It seemed as though they +were simply drifting, each with his own thoughts; but Harry soon +banished their reveries. + +"Let us follow the beach down to South River," he suddenly exclaimed, +and all were glad that something had been said or suggested. It was so +easy to turn them from gravity to cheerfulness, and probably Harry was +trying some of the Professor's medicine on the boys. + +At every step of the way, and in every action, the boys now realized +that the work of the Professor had been imprinted on them. Tom and Ralph +went along glancing superficially at the various objects, but it was +entirely different with Harry and George. Every depression, and each +succeeding elevation, or clump of trees, or any object beyond the +ordinary, was closely scrutinized by them. + +This course soon became noticeable to the boys, and called forth a +comment from Tom. "Yes, we are always hunting for something. That was a +trait which the dear old Professor taught us, and it would surprise you +to know how many things we found out by that quality. We have always +since found it a pleasure in doing so." + +Ralph reflected a moment, and he replied: "I can now see where we made +many mistakes during the past year by not adopting that plan." + +They passed to the east around the bend, and then followed the small +bay which indented the shore, and finally moved out along the peninsula, +which terminated in a cape east of the mouth of South River. + +"I have often thought," observed Harry, "since we have lived here that +it would be a good plan to name the different capes and bays, just as we +did with the rivers and streams." + +"Good idea," answered Tom; "but I think we ought to make a survey of the +place. Have you never done that?" + +"No; but we talked of it several times. Let us get the Professor to help +us with that on our next holiday trip." + +From the cape where they now stood an unobstructed view was had to the +south. To the southwest were the mountains, beyond which Ralph and Tom +had their bitter experiences. An explanation was made of the course of +South River, the mouth of which was plainly visible; the story was told +of their trip up the stream with the first boat which had been built by +them; how, after they left it at the foot of the high Falls, ten miles +inland, it had disappeared when they went for it; the recovery of the +boat at the beach to their left, some months afterwards, when it +contained strange oars and ropes; their second trip to the Falls, and +the finding of the _Investigator's_ lifeboat; and their hunting +experience in the forest below the river, and the discovery of the huts. + +All this made a wonderful impression on the boys. The story of the +lifeboat was the most remarkable to their minds, because it brought up +the first recollections of some inklings which they had heard about +other castaways. + +"Don't you remember, Tom, when the second tribe got us, we saw some +trinkets, and a few pocket knives, and when we tried to find out about +them they removed them?" + +"Yes, and Illoga, the Chief, I am now sure, tried to tell me about them, +because in the effort he held up four fingers, which we couldn't make +out. Don't you remember? I think they took the knives away, because they +were afraid we would take them. Didn't you ever notice how jealous they +always were of their own property?" + +The party now went inland, and devoted the rest of the day to hunting, +and brought home a splendid lot of game. + +That evening the foregoing conversation was related to the Professor, +who remarked: "If there is one thing savages and all low orders of +people are noted for, it is the tenacity in retaining their property. Of +course, that is not an uncommon trait with all people, but it is +particularly well developed in the savage. One phase of this came to my +attention some years ago, when a merchant told me that the poor people +of India bought more locks than all the rest of the world combined. He +further stated that in the principal cities there immense stores could +be found which handled nothing but locks. Those statements were so +remarkable to me that I inquired the reason, and learned that every +native, although he may have trinkets worth less than a dollar, would +invariably have a lock, worth half as much or more, to keep it +securely." + +"We have been thinking over the plan of surveying this part of the +island and giving names to the main points; what do you think of the +idea?" asked George. + +"The plan has my hearty approval." + +"It occurred to us that on our next holiday we could devote the day to +that purpose." + +The Professor burst into a fit of laughter, to the surprise of all. That +didn't seem to be very comical to them, and they looked inquiringly, as +they joined in the laughter. + +"So you are going to do work on your holidays hereafter." And he laughed +again. + +"Well, that wouldn't be work; it would be fun;" and, after reflecting a +moment, Tom continued: "Probably it wouldn't be fun to do it every day, +right along." + +"I think you have struck the keynote of the whole subject of recreation. +The word comes from re-create. It means the refreshment of the strength +and spirits by some diversion. The great difficulty with most people is +that the recreation they take is really a burden to them; when, +therefore, you can take a holiday, where you accomplish something, and +make fun out of that, you have solved the greatest problem of civilized +life." + +"Well if we are to survey the island we ought to have an instrument for +the purpose." + +"That is not necessary. It would be much better to have a theodolite, +but it will take some time and very careful work to turn out such an +instrument." + +"In what way is the instrument so much more useful than without, and how +can we do surveying without it?" + +"It does two very important things: First, the telescope, which is a +part of it, enables the observer to see much farther and with greater +accuracy; and, secondly, it has a graduated scale in degrees which shows +the angles. Without these two important qualities we should be compelled +to run our lines for short distances only at each sighting, and at each +observation it would be necessary to provide a means to get the exact +angle with reference to the last line projected. Those features, +together with the compass, make the instrument an important requisite +for correct surveying." + +The boat house was one of the places last to visit, because there was so +much to do in the various directions that they had little time to devote +to the marine end of their various enterprises. Harry suggested that +sailing would be a most desirable outing at different periods, and all +consented to the task of rigging out the lifeboat. + +The Chief was now so interested in everything he saw that he indicated a +desire to take a hand. The Professor was delighted at this beyond +measure. He was gradually acquiring the language, as a child would, and +his troublesome leg was healing rapidly. The one fear was that, as they +had no means of confining him, he might take the first opportunity to +leave them, and this was an occasion of more than one talk; but all +agreed that no serious consequences would result from his desertion, +since it was the belief that he would not attempt to bring his tribe +against them. + +The only possible danger from his returning was the likelihood that +sooner or later his captivity and the knowledge of their location on the +island would find its way from tribe to tribe, and in that way at least +two of the tribes with which they had come into contact might seek +revenge. + +Chief went to the boat sheds for the first time, after the events above +related, and the one thing which caught his eye was the lifeboat. He +started at first, and then made his way toward it, and looked at the +Professor, whose eye was quick to note the movement. He was asked if he +knew anything about it, and answered affirmatively, but when he was +questioned whether his tribe had possession of it at any time, no +intelligent response was made, as he evidently misunderstood what was +asked. + +One of the first weapons which they constructed, after iron had been +recovered from the ore, was a bolo, and a number were subsequently +manufactured. To this they added several spears. All weapons were kept +out of Chief's reach, and the boys were cautioned against permitting him +to learn the mechanism and use of the guns. He always looked longingly +at the bolos, from the time he had witnessed their dextrous use. + +On this occasion the Professor handed him one of the spears, and he was +not only pleased but appeared to be extremely gratified at the act. He +balanced it in his hand, and held it up in the attitude of throwing it. +When they were returning to the shop, Chief balanced the spear, and +without the slightest effort threw it fully fifty feet against a tree, +striking a light portion of the bark which he had evidently aimed for. +This was the signal for applause and clapping of hands. + +[Illustration: _Fig. 12. Poising the Spear._] + +Harry ran for the spear and returned it to Chief, and all ranged up +alongside to witness his performances. The boys secured spears, also, +and made the attempt to throw them, but they fell far short. When Harry +attempted to make the trial, Chief seized it, and took his hand, and +showed how to hold it to make an effective throw. + +The trick consisted in grasping the stem tightly between the thumb and +edge of the palm, with the little finger below the stem. The boys +watched the proceedings with interest, but could not understand why that +method of doing it was most effective. + +The Professor came to the rescue. "The throwing of the javelin, the +proper term for all weapons of this character, was an interesting thing +from the earliest times. The lighter weapons are thrown by grasping +them between the thumb and the two first fingers; but the heavy ones +like this need a firmer grasp, and on account of their weight are not so +easily kept in a horizontal position when in the act of impelling it +forwardly. When, however, the spear is grasped in the manner shown you, +the little finger, and the next finger to it, both act to guide the +stem, and by practice they can be thrown with great accuracy." + +This javelin-throwing match was the means of bringing the Chief and the +boys nearer together than anything else that had transpired, and it +began to make them take an interest in him, which was not the case +theretofore. What really affected Chief more than anything else was the +confidence imposed in him some days after, when Harry gave him one of +the bolos. It was almost touching to see the joy he expressed. The +Professor thought it would be a stroke of policy to have the present +come from the boys. + +Although he was still limping and unable to move around with any +celerity he was out using the bolo at every opportunity. Here was an +opportunity, as the Professor explained, to show how intelligent +direction would not only be serviceable to the Chief himself, but that +its possession would turn its use into channels that would be of value +to him. + +The gift made him particularly grateful, and so several days afterwards +Harry and Tom, by a concerted arrangement, took the yaks, and the truck +which had been previously made to haul in the flagpole, and, motioning +to Chief, set off for the woods. A fair-sized tree was selected, and +the boys, without a word to indicate that they wanted him to assist, +began to cut down the tree. + +He looked on wistfully for a time, and then edged his way over and made +a motion to take Harry's place, to which he assented. It was now +impossible for Harry to regain his place at the tree, and when it fell +he acted and looked like a conqueror, and Harry patted him on the back +as a token of his good work. A section of the butt of the tree was cut +off, and loaded on the truck, and dragged to the sawmill. The end had to +be squared off, and Chief insisted on doing this, the use of the +exceedingly novel tool being the greatest pleasure, evidently, that he +had ever enjoyed. + +The fixing of it to the reciprocating saw frame was a marvel to him, and +when he saw the boards cut off his joy knew no bounds. The proceedings +at the sawmill delighted the Professor. "I have always contended, as +heretofore expressed, that the same motive which prompts us to do things +with pleasure is to know that we are doing things which produce +results." + +And then Harry did another graceful thing. He turned up a number of +brass balls which he gave to Chief. If there is one thing a savage loves +better than another, it is something round. That is why beads are so +attractive, and buttons, and small trinkets of that kind. They are like +children in this respect. Put a cube and a ball, both of the same +material, before a child, and he will usually select the ball. It is a +psychological phase which has never been explained; and the same test +has been made with monkeys. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +UNAWARES IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY + + +During the evening, while engaged in their usual discussions the +surveying implement was brought up, and it was understood that a crude +instrument should be made, so that it would be ready within the next +week. + +While speaking on the subject of laying off the segments into degrees, +the former matter of observing the heavens was alluded to, and Ralph +inquired why all calculations of the heavens were made by degrees. + +"Because degrees mean angles and not measurements. Positions or +distances are determined by angles and by measurements in miles." + +"But in looking at the stars how can mariners tell where they are, +simply by getting the angles?" + +"That is a matter which can be calculated with such accuracy on the high +seas that the distance can be determined with absolute certainty to +within three or four miles. Furthermore, when the moon is shining, a +mariner, even without an instrument, will be able to make a pretty +accurate determination, if the moon is in sight." + +"This is interesting information, and I would like to know how it is +done." + +"Simply by noting how far the moon is from some fixed star. It is +difficult to explain this without making a drawing of the heavens or +drawing a map which shows the positions of the fixed stars, and the two +sketches (Figs. 13 and 14) that I have drawn out will, I hope, make it +clear to you. The first figure (13) is a map of the sky for the northern +hemisphere, and the second drawing (Fig. 14) of the southern hemisphere, +where we are. + +[Illustration: _Northern Hemisphere. Fig. 13._] + +"On the maps I have shown the fixed stars and named them, those of the +first magnitude being the largest, those of the second magnitude a +little smaller, and so on, but I have not by any means indicated all of +the second and third magnitude owing to their great number." + +[Illustration: _Southern Hemisphere. Fig. 14._] + +There had always been a secret grief in the hearts of Harry and George +at the loss of the boat at the mouth of South River, and the Professor +joined in their wish to recover it at the first opportunity. Harry again +alluded to it on this occasion, and it was decided that such a trip +would be a welcome change. + +The trip could be made in the wagon, and by consent the four agreed to +undertake the journey and bring it back. + +"I have often thought it might be done by taking the lifeboat," was +George's idea, "and we could fix it up there and sail it back." + +"It does not seem to me that would be practical, because it is too much +damaged to repair in such a way as to make it safe for such a journey, +and if that plan should be adopted all of us should go, and we cannot +leave for the length of time necessary to repair it." + +"Then we had better take the team. Do you think, Professor, we could +haul it back?" + +"If you can load it there will be no difficulty in that particular." + +It was decided to start the following morning, and a supply of +provisions was stored in the wagon, and before starting the Professor +made the following suggestions: + +"When you get there the top must be removed--that is the bows and +covering----" + +"Why, we haven't any covering to it now. We had to use it up for +clothing." + +"I had forgotten all about that. I supposed the top had been taken off +when we took it out to haul in the supplies. That being the case the +boat, when it is loaded in, upside down, will make a splendid top for +you for camping purposes." + +"How long will it take to make the trip?" inquired Tom. + +"Not to exceed five or six days, because we know every step of the way, +and we can push along pretty lively." + +The start was not made until about ten o'clock, and Angel was on hand +with his inevitable gun. They did not forget the usual accompaniments of +such trips, namely, guns and ammunition, together with the spears and +bolos. + +"This is certainly a jolly lark," sang out Ralph, as they neared the +forest. He and Tom had fully recovered from their weakened condition, +and were able to take their part in any of the work which was necessary. + +"Which way shall we take?" asked George. + +"The road directly through the forest, for the reason it is much better +than the route near the sea." + +The four young spirits made wonderful progress toward the goal, as they +had a light load, and every minute seemed to be precious. What hunting +was done was on the route itself, and they had mutually agreed that +there should not be any wandering on the part of either. + +The first night the camp was made on the banks of the Cataract, well +within the woods, and not far from the scene of their first exploits +with the two bears. + +"I wish we could come across more of the same kinds of bears that we met +in these woods," said George. + +"But the forests south of South River are the places for the animals. +Didn't George tell you about our hunting there?" + +"No," answered Ralph; "but I want to go there when we get back." + +During the first night Angel was restless, as usual in the woods at the +merest sound, and George tried to find out the cause of the uneasiness. + +"Wasn't it near here that the wildcat attacked us?" asked George. + +"I believe you are right. Possibly he has scented another one." + +"Suppose we take a peep out," Ralph whispered; and taking their guns, +they stole down from the wagon. + +They silently stood by the wagon, peering around in the darkness. + +"They will be up in the trees," said Harry. "Wait--I see something; look +up to the right, a little to the left of the opening through to the +sky." + +"Two balls of fire could be distinctly noticed. + +"That is one of them, if it isn't something larger. What shall we do?" + +"Ralph, you and I will aim and fire at it, and if it makes a dive for us +George and Tom can take the next shot. Get in the wagon quietly, and +prepare." + +"Now, ready, aim, fire!" Something came down from the tree faster than +an ordinary descent. + +"Get into the wagon, quickly," and suiting the action to the word, they +leaped up quickly. + +"Don't shoot, George, until you see something definite to shoot at." + +Something went crashing through the underbrush, and Angel, who was their +monitor, increased his alarm. + +"I believe it is making for us." + +The boys who had shot were now prepared with the newly loaded guns and +awaited the attack, but beyond the plain movement of the leaves, and +what appeared to be breaking twigs, nothing could be discerned, until +George almost screamed, as he saw the object above them, high in the +branches. + +"Here is a chance for a shot?" And Harry and Ralph both aimed and fired +at the same moment, and the animal came down with a crash and landed +near the wagon, but was up in an instant, and appeared to spring out +through the forest. + +Angel quieted down, and this gave George assurance that they were rid of +the animal. + +The second day was not filled with stirring events, and they went along +with considerable speed, and judging from their former estimates the +distance traveled during the two days must have brought them fully forty +or fifty miles from home, so they counted on being able to reach the +location of the boat some time during the following day. + +Before noon of the day they sighted the West River, but they reached it +at an unfamiliar point. + +George and Harry looked at each other in surprise. "It does seem to me," +said Harry, "that we must have made some miscalculation in coming from +the woods. If I am not mistaken we are miles south of the place we ought +to have aimed for." + +Beyond question the direction was to the north, and the team was headed +for that direction, their route being near the river, as the ground was +much smoother, and speed was thus made. + +"What is this?" asked Ralph in consternation. "Here are tracks." + +The trails were examined, and Harry solved the question by the assertion +that it was the tracks made by their own wagon when they escaped from +the savages on the other side of the river. + +"What idiots we have been to expose ourselves to the savages." + +"We must leave the river bed now, or we may be discovered," was George's +answer, and the yaks were guided to a higher elevation, and urged +forward at a higher speed. + +Selecting a secluded spot the noonday halt was made, and a hurried +luncheon provided, but before they were ready for a start, Angel, who +was in the branches of a tree, began his chatter, which caused George to +spring toward the direction of the tree. + +"Come down, Angel; come down!" This was always heeded by the animal, and +it was plain that the direction of the approaching danger was from the +north. + +Springing to a small, low-branching tree, he crawled up, and Angel +followed and looked to the north, and the sight that greeted him was +sufficient to cause a hasty descent, and he ran toward the wagon and met +the boys, who were coming toward him. + +"What is it?" asked all in excitement. + +"Savages." + +"And if I am not mistaken, they are the same tribe that had Ralph and +Tom." + +The two boys almost paled at the words. Ralph made his way back to the +wagon on a run. "If they attempt to take me again, I will never +surrender." + +"Are they coming this way?" + +"Yes; and they are not a quarter of a mile away." + +The yaks were unyoked, and had not been hitched up, so they were led +behind the wagon, following out the plan previously adopted, as it would +have been useless to attempt to avoid them. + +"Shall we attack them the moment they approach?" + +"I believe," answered Ralph "that is our only hope." + +"How many could you see in the party?" + +"About a dozen." + +The wagon had been camped behind a clump of shrubbery, not over twenty +feet from the small rivulet, and to the north of them the stream made a +slight turn, so that the party appeared in view to the watchers as soon +as they reached the wagon, and Ralph was the first to recognize their +late enemies. + +To the surprise of the boys, the savages stopped, not a thousand feet +away, but on the opposite side of the stream, and built a fire +preparatory to cooking some game which had fallen into their hands. + +"Well, this is interesting. They are going to have some luncheon, too. +Wouldn't this be a good time to slip away?" + +"I am afraid," answered Tom, "that it would be a dangerous business. The +creaking of that rear wheel would put them on our track at once. +Couldn't we grease the wheel?" Tom was very much in earnest now. + +As quietly as possible the wheel was removed, and some very good butter, +the only thing available, was used to ease it up, and the wheel was +gotten back in quick time. + +Unfortunately the wagon tongue pointed toward the river, the very +direction which they dared not go, for fear of exposing their presence, +so they had to push the wagon back, by their combined energy, and as +noiselessly as it could be done the team was yoked on and slowly moved +south, and after traveling a quarter of a mile or more, directed toward +the river, and then northwardly, thus making a wide circle in the effort +to avoid their camp. + +"I'd much rather shoot them than to run away," was Tom's opinion of the +situation. "The dirty rascals; they are known to be the meanest set on +the island, and we oughtn't show them any mercy." + +By this time the boys were worked up into a fighting fever. + +"I think we can lick the whole lot of them, and for my part, I am +willing to wait here and take a shot at them; what do you say?" Ralph +was really mad at the demons, as he called them. + +The boys looked at each other. Harry was the only one who seemed to have +the situation well in hand from a true hunter's standpoint. "If we stay +here you will certainly get an opportunity, or I am very much mistaken." + +"Why do you say so?" asked Tom. + +"For the plain and simple reason that they will cross our tracks in all +probability, and that will mean an easy trail." + +"But how will they know which way to go after us? They may go down to +the river." + +"Well, they wouldn't be such idiots as to go in the opposite direction +that the footprints of the yaks plainly show." + +The boys had not thought of that. + +"And then there is another thing, that just occurred to me. If they +follow our tracks from the camping spot they will know we have made the +detour in order to avoid them, and that will make them only the more +anxious to make our closer acquaintance." + +Harry had hardly stopped speaking before the voices of their enemies +were discernible. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE RUSE TO ESCAPE THEIR PURSUERS + + +The wagon was now driven behind the densest chapparal of trees, unyoked, +and tethered behind the wagon, and two of the boys took up a concealed +position with a pair of extra guns, at each side. + +Harry, who had, by common consent, assumed the command, now made the +following observations as to their course: "Remember the Professor's +instructions, to keep cool and not to fire until you are perfectly sure +the shot will count. And by all means don't use the reserve guns, except +as a last extremity. The moment you fire, retire out of sight, and +reload, and we should try and fire in separate volleys. Two shots at a +time, unless they attempt a rush, will, probably, be more effective, +than if all fire at the same time." + +In a short time the band appeared, and it was well that they had no idea +of the distance the boys had traveled, as they came along rapidly, +following the plainly made tracks of the wagon. + +"Now, ready boys; Tom and I will give them the first shot, and you may +fire the moment I give the command. Ready, Tom; fire." + +Both shots took effect, and the astonishment of the savages, was +exhilarating to the boys. George and Ralph could hardly restrain +themselves. The warriors were in the open, and had little brush to serve +as a shield. For a moment they were entirely at a loss to know which +way to go. + +"Give them a shot," whispered Harry, and as the two guns spoke, two more +fell, both wounded. Without waiting for another shot the rest of them +broke for the rear, and the boys appeared in the opening. + +This was not necessary, as the depletion of the fighting force was a +sufficient argument for them to retreat. + +"Hitch up the team as quickly as possible," and George and Ralph did not +wait to witness the flight. Harry and Tom remained on guard. + +"Move the wagon to the north, and stop at every good place of +concealment, and we will remain as a rear guard. We have no assurance +that they will not follow up the attack." + +After the wagon had gone on some distance, the two boys slowly effected +a retreat in the trail of the wagon. Only eight savages had been left +after the two fires. + +During one of the temporary stops Harry observed: "When they retreated +we saw eight of them, and there are now only six following. What do you +suppose that means?" + +"Those people are regular devils, and it is my opinion that there is +another force of them near, and the others have gone to bring +reinforcements." + +"Run to the wagon quickly and tell them to force the yaks forwardly as +fast as possible. Wait just a moment." And Harry looked to the north and +continued: "Do you see the two large trees in the distance, a little to +the left? Tell them to drive for that with the utmost speed, and await +our coming." + +Tom was off, and imparted the information, and Harry kept on retreating, +while the scouting party approached very cautiously, the apparent object +being to keep within sight of the trail. + +When Tom returned Harry said: "I suppose we had better give them another +shot, to hold them off as far as possible. At the next place of +concealment, let us wait for them, until they are near enough." + +The savages were now very wary, and did not attempt to come within +gunshot distance of the place of concealment for some time, but when +they had approached sufficiently near both fired, only one being +wounded. + +Without waiting to determine the results of the last volley, the boys +made a rush for the next available place of concealment, and as the +wagon was now in sight they selected another object far beyond the +present position of the wagon, and Tom was off to inform the boys at the +wagon. + +Thus, by a succession of marches, the wagon was placed fully a mile +beyond the pursuers, and when the last stretch was made Harry made the +following suggestion: + +"As we have now kept up our course for fully three miles in this +direction, tell the boys to turn abruptly to the east, and, if possible, +take the wagon over a trail which they cannot follow. Select some object +beyond so we will know where the line of retreat is, and I will keep +them at bay. In this way we may be able to throw them off the track." + +The team had made the last stop at the crossing of one of the little +streams, and he had the ingenuity, after Tom imparted the last +information to him, to drive the team to the west, for a distance, and +then turn it abruptly to the east, and by making his way over the most +rugged surfaces he could find, so effaced the tracks that it was hoped +they could not find the traces. + +When Tom returned, Harry had another ruse: "They are not following the +wagon trail now, as they are after us. Now let us direct our course to +the west, so that we will not go on the trail which the wagon had made, +and occasionally show ourselves, so they will follow, and when we have +taken them sufficiently far from the course of the wagon we must depend +on our own tricks to evade them." + +This plan was put into immediate execution, and by the time the two had +gone a quarter of a mile beyond the turn which the wagon had made, they +turned eastwardly, in the direction of the wagon, keeping well out of +sight, and it was a relief to see them finally pass along the trail far +beyond the turning point which they had made, and this was evidence that +they had been outwitted. + +Harry and Tom now sprinted for the direction of the wagon, and a course +was laid for the northeast, as they did not want to go too far from the +mouth of the river where the boat lay. + +They calculated the distance to travel at about eight miles before +reaching the river. The only fear now was, would their pursuers keep up +the hunt until the sea came in sight? If they did it meant another +fight, or a retreat, with the only hope of securing the boat gone. + +"We have a ticklish task before us. We must cross the river before we +get to the location of the boat, and if they are anywhere in the +neighborhood, our tracks will surely be seen," and Harry was at a loss +what suggestion to make in such an emergency. + +"It seems to me," ventured George, "that one should take the rear, as a +guard, the one front keeping within supporting distance of the wagon at +all times. In this way we will not run into the party, and we shall then +know whether they are still trailing us." + +This seemed the proper thing to do, and it was followed at once, Harry +taking the rear guard and Ralph acting as advance scout. + +Fully three miles was covered, before the sun admonished them that a +camp must be made for the night. The selection of a suitable place was a +matter of great concern, as may be imagined. + +They went on and on, ever in the search for a suitable place, and it was +beginning to grow dusk before their minds could agree as to a safe +place. Probably they passed a dozen spots more suitable than the one +finally selected, but it was that much nearer the river, and that was +some satisfaction. + +The utmost care was taken to put the wagon and the yaks in a protected +position, and all that night two were on duty. Angel, during the entire +time, was quiet, and did not scent the approach of an enemy. + +Early in the morning a hurried meal was prepared, and while the +preliminary steps were taken for a departure Harry and Tom made a +scouting tour to the southwest for nearly a half mile, and returned +satisfied that they had temporarily, at least, thrown them off the +track. + +It was a surprise to find the river within a half mile of their last +camping place. If they had known this they would have pushed on and +attempted the crossing during the night. But there was no help for it +now. + +"How far do you think we are from the mouth of the river, Harry?" + +"This part is unfamiliar to me, but it is no doubt south of the point +where we crossed it on our way home." + +"Do you think we ought to cross here or go down still farther?" + +Ralph and Tom both urged an immediate crossing, for the reason that as +the savages were not in sight, they might as well take advantage of the +situation, whereas if they continued down the river, they might again +come across the tribe, and which would by this time be materially +reinforced. + +This seemed the part of wisdom, and the work of getting out the raft +timbers was vigorously proceeded with, and within an hour the yaks were +driven into the water, and the wagon floated. + +The wagon had hardly left the shore before Ralph cried out: "See the +devils coming. They reached the clearing, but out of gunshot, and the +boys smiled at their discomfiture, and when the opposite bank was +reached the boys halted the wagon, removed the logs, and sat down to +witness the chagrin of the natives. + +"I wonder what they think of themselves by this time," said Ralph as he +heartily laughed. + +The savages had been reinforced, as was apparent, for more than thirty +were plainly visible, and their tactics in following up the wagon was +now apparent. + +"Let us give them another little shock." All eyes were now on Harry, as +he continued: "I suggest that we get into the wagon and move into the +interior, hiding the wagon in a safe place beyond, and then return to +this mass of brush here, where we will be entirely concealed. As this is +not more than thirty feet from shore we will be in good position to +watch the crossing and attack them if they attempt to venture across." + +The plan was adopted with alacrity, and seating themselves in the +vehicle, they waved a salute to the party and started off as fast as the +team could be urged on. + +Instantly there was commotion in the ranks of their enemies. They rushed +down to the bank, and engaged in an animated conversation. + +The boys carefully crawled back to the brush, and witnessed the evident +attempt to decide on a course to pursue. + +"Do you think they will cross?" + +"I wish they would try it," answered Ralph. "Oh, wouldn't that give us a +chance at them!" + +"I do believe they are going to try it." + +Two of the warriors started for the water, and plunged in, and the boys +looked at each other in surprise. + +"Ralph, do you think all of those fellows will try it?" + +"No, indeed; those fellows don't like water, and if our experience in +crossing the river, when they took us back with them, is any indication, +they have very few who can swim." + +"But the difficulty is that they can raft across." + +"That is just the reason why I thought a little surprise of this kind +might make them think better of it, and not try it." + +"You must remember," answered Tom, "they live on this side of the river, +and they are bound to get across some time." + +"I know that, but their rafts are no doubt miles up the river." + +It was now plain why they determined to follow up our party. Their own +territory had been invaded, and this came to all of the boys with a +shock. The getting of the boat was now a most hazardous operation. + +They saw the two savages swim from the shore, and remained quiet until +they came within thirty feet of the shore. + +"Now," said Harry, "the moment they start to wade, let us make a rush +for the bank, and we will have them at our mercy." + +Each of the warriors carried a spear, but no other weapon, but those on +the opposite shore had bows, as well. + +The surprise and consternation on the faces of the savages, when the +party appeared, was too remarkable to describe. Their first action was +to turn, but Ralph cried out: "Hola, hola," and Tom laughed as he now +remembered the savage word for "stop." + +They did "hola," but for a moment only, and then diving down in the +water, attempted to make their escape. + +The boys were now on the brink of the stream, and not more than twenty +feet away from the struggling men. "Hola, hola," shrieked Ralph and Tom +in concert, as they aimed their guns at them. + +"That devil in front is the fellow we want to get. He is the meanest of +the entire outfit. Oh, yes, you remember me, don't you?" Ralph +continued, talking to the savage. "I have a notion to bore a hole +through you." + +The savage raised himself, and evidently believing his hour had come, +did, as all savages do, poised his spear, as he raised himself out of +the water, and attempted to throw it. But before he could execute the +movement, a shot from Harry threw him back into the water and his spear +disappeared. + +During this commotion the other savage dived, and he must have been an +expert, because the boys shot three times before he showed any evidence +of being hit, and then it was only a wound. + +The boys ran back to their place of concealment to get the reserve guns, +and during that period the wounded one floated out into the stream and +the boys made no further effort to reach him. + +The chief, as Ralph called him, was undoubtedly struck in a vital spot, +as he disappeared and reappeared, while slowly floating down with the +current. + +The boys retreated behind their shelter, and sat down to rest and +recover from the excitement of the last fifteen minutes. + +Meanwhile, what were the savages beyond doing? Consternation seemed to +seize them. They ran back and forth, and shouted to their companions in +peril, and Ralph and Tom both tried to make out the meaning of the +warning cries, but were not sufficiently versed in their jargon to +comprehend. + +"Well, boys, we have kicked up a pretty serious muss, and we might as +well give up the boat." + +Tom, who seemed to have some very good ideas, suggested a plan that had +considerable merit, and they were now considering it. + +"My scheme is this: Let us now make a show of retreating into the +interior to the west, covering our tracks as best we can. Then turn to +the north, for a mile or two, and go back to the river and cross, and +then make for home as fast as we can travel." + +"That is a first-class plan," was Harry's reply; "but I think two of us +should remain here in order to keep up a show. We can exhibit ourselves +at intervals, while the wagon is proceeding on its way, and the moment +the wagon reaches the river, those with it can get the floats ready, so +that when the scouts reach the wagon it will be ready to cross." + +Ralph and Harry volunteered to act as the rear guard, and the wagon went +forward, making a wide detour to the north and finally veered around to +the east, reaching the river fully a mile below. Fortunately, a lot of +driftwood was in convenient reach, and the spot was hidden by a bend in +the stream, so that it was not at all likely the savages would see them +from their low position at the river bank. + +The wagon was on the brink of the stream, and the logs ready, still the +boys in the rear did not appear. + +"Don't you think I had better go back and let the boys know we are +ready?" + +"Yes, Tom, and tell them to hurry." + +The fact was that the providential pile of driftwood made the task an +easy one for the boys, and Ralph and Harry were only too much relieved +at the news to wait a moment longer than was necessary. + +The savages were still on the opposite bank. Was it likely they were +inactive? Harry did not think so, as they noted parties disappear at +various times, and again others came up, thus indicating there was some +movement on foot. + +"Before we start now, it would be a capital idea for all of us to show +ourselves, and then make a cautious break for the wagon." + +Without exposing themselves too ostentatiously, the start was made +directly to the rear, and then, as they left the river in the rear, and +beyond the sight of their pursuers, turned to the north, and relieved +George of the great tension of single-handed guarding the wagon. + +Without waiting for any explanations the yaks were driven in, and the +opposite shore reached. Quickly denuding the wagon of the raft timbers, +the trail was taken up for home but they were too hungry for words. + +"We can't stop to set up the stove and arrange our kitchen now. Let us +take such things as we can find, and eat on the way." + +Harry's advice was followed. And now they recognized the country through +which they were going. It was almost the same trail over which they had +traveled twice before, and it went through the roughest part of the +island, and when they made the first trip with the team they had to go +south to get into a part of the country which was better suited for easy +traveling. + +"The trouble is we cannot safely go south now, as it will bring us too +close to the savages, and we shall have to bear up with this bad ground +until to-morrow noon, at least." + +By night fully fifteen miles had been covered, but it was a terrible +strain on the poor animals, and not any the less wearing on the wagon. +The ground was broken up into little hillocks, and studded with +vegetable growth in such dense tufts, that constant detours had to be +made to get around them. + +When evening approached it was with a feeling of the greatest relief, +and they certainly craved the rest. A careful watch was kept up during +the entire night. They had, of course, no means of knowing whether the +savages had discovered the ruse, but there could be no question about +the determination to revenge the death of their chief and of the others +who had fallen during the day. + +As soon as it was light enough to see, and without waiting for the +preparation of a breakfast, in the usual way, the trip was continued, +and the western edge of the forest did not come near until near evening. +They had eluded their pursuers, and felt happy, and Ralph could not help +expressing his satisfaction over and over, at finishing the chief who +had treated them so vilely while in captivity. + +Shortly after noon of the following day they reached home, and related +their adventures. + +The Professor was not surprised at their failure to bring the boat back. +He was a little disappointed, but they were certainly in a better +position to build a boat now than when the old one was undertaken. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE PROBLEM ABOUT THE CAVE + + +That evening they all had a jolly time in the living room, with music +and stories, and it was a great contrast to the strenuous times of the +past six days of absence. + +"We got lost once," said George, "when we struck the river at least +eight or nine miles too far south. I tried to make out the direction by +the two stars you spoke about, but I am afraid there will be several +more lessons necessary before I can get it in my mind." + +"Couldn't you see the moon?" asked the Professor. + +"Yes, but that didn't help me any." + +"Get the map we drew the other night, and we'll try and make it plainer. +Now, if you can imagine the moon making a silver streak along the +heavens, it would pass along such a route that the following fixed stars +would be in its path. Note them carefully, as follows: Hamel, Aldebaran, +Pollux, Regulus, Spica, Antares, Arkat, Fomelhaut, and Markab." + +"But how can we distinguish one of the fixed stars from the others? That +is a matter which has always puzzled me." + +"Because of the company it keeps. Isn't that like we judge people?" + +"I don't understand what you mean." + +"Each fixed star is set in the heavens with certain others stars +arranged about it in such a way that it cannot be mistaken." + +Angel's antics now attracted the attention of the company. He had been +on the floor while the music was being performed, but disappeared +shortly afterwards. He had his gun, and dodged from one chair to the +next, and sighted his gun, and bounded away, as though attacking and +running from an imaginary enemy. + +This exhibition was a perfect mimicry of the boys' attitude during the +previous week. The comical manner in which he fought and eluded the +enemy brought out roars of laughter, but this did not affect him in the +least; he sprang to the rafters, and began to chatter in imitation of +the way he had warned the boys, and then sprang down and hid behind a +chair. + +But the acme of his exhibition was reached when he mounted the table and +simulated the rocking motion of the wagon crossing the stream. George +simply hugged him, and Angel joined in the laughter. + +But the boys wanted to know about John and Chief. John was there to +welcome their return, and Chief came up soon after, and held out a +welcoming hand, as he had seen the others do. Of course, he had no idea +what the party went away for, nor did he comprehend the failure to bring +the boat back. His education had not yet advanced to such a state as +would have made an explanation of that kind understandable. + +But John seemed to realize the story, and his eyes often glistened as +they had not done before. On all these occasions the Professor was ever +on the alert to notice his symptoms. + +During the following day, in conversation with the boys, he said: "There +is every indication that John is beginning to make an individuality +entirely apart from his former surroundings." + +"But if he does not recall any of his former life, how is it that he +goes ahead and does things which he must have learned before he reached +his present condition?" + +"That is plainly a manual act. For instance, I remember when the saw was +put into his hand, the manner of holding it, and his act in starting the +saw at the edge of the board, was a physical recollection of the former +manner of doing certain things. It was so in the handling of the gun, +and the adroit manner in which he stalked the savages, all go to show +that certain things which are associated with purely physical acts are +just as aptly done now as when in his other state." + +"How is Chief getting along?" + +"He is often an enigma to me. Each day he learns something new, and +really seems to seek the information. Most of the time he has been +helping John, but he always looks suspiciously at him. I can account for +it in one way only. He has never seen John talk, and this may be a +puzzle to him, and accounts for the strange looks he always gives him." + +From the day that Chief saw the tree turned into lumber the mysteries of +the workshop charmed him. This penchant was taken advantage of by the +Professor, and when the day following the departure of the boys, the +Professor started up the grindstone and ground one of the tools he edged +up to it at once, and when the Professor reached for his bolo and put +its edge on the stone, and finally showed him the result, he was as much +excited as though he had discovered a lurking enemy. + +He used the grindstone day after day in the same manner, and when it was +noticed how he delighted in it, the Professor took one of the tools +which had been ground and used it on a fine stone, to show how much +keener the edge was made. + +The saw was a marvel, and he tried it until he learned its use, and a +line was drawn across the board, and when he failed to guide it the +Professor smilingly corrected him, and he could not be induced to lay it +aside until he had mastered the art of sawing along the line. + +In the evening George again brought out the maps of the heavens and +asked why he had made the band which was traced in curves on the two +hemispheres. + +"They show the course of the moon through the heavens, and in order to +get the position, the mariner measures the degrees between the moon and +the nearest fixed star." + +"But if he hasn't any instrument to measure degrees, how can he tell how +to make the calculation?" + +"In that case he simply takes the yardstick of the heavens out of its +box, and uses that as a measure." + +"I never heard of such a thing before. Where is the box?" + +"In the constellation Orion, which contains the most beautiful cluster +of stars in the heavens, and is visible all over the inhabitable world, +are four stars which form a parallelogram. See them on the map? +Betelguese and Rigel, at the extreme opposite corners, are of the first +magnitude, and the others that form the other corners are Bellatrix of +the second and Saiph of the third magnitude. Two of the stars are in the +northern and two in the southern hemisphere. Within the parallelogram +thus formed, you will note three very bright stars in a line. These are +exactly one degree apart, and is the yardstick the heavens are measured +with." + +Harry announced one morning that they had a new calf, and there was a +rush of the boys down to the cattle range to welcome the newcomer. They +had a fine herd, and seemed to be domesticated. From the time they +acquired the first, of these animals there was always an abundance of +milk, and that meant butter, a thing which was very welcome to Ralph and +Tom. + +Chief also enjoyed the luxury, but it was a remarkable thing that the +savages had not anywhere in their observations utilized the herds which +ranged to the north of them, and undoubtedly existed in the southern +portions of the island. There was always plenty of beef on hand, and +plenty of game was available whenever they had occasion to go for it, +and their larder was well supplied with the wild vegetables, although +they had to go considerable distances for them at times; but now that +the garden was coming in they did not apprehend so much trouble in that +direction. + +There was one thing which none of them could understand in Chief. He +would be seen frequently going over toward the forest, in the direction +of the clay banks. He never tried to do this by stealth, but the +Professor was anxious to ascertain the reason for it. + +One day while he was on his way to the same quarter, Harry took his gun, +as though on a little hunting trip, and followed him cautiously. Chief +made his way directly to the clay bank, and Harry, on the opposite bank, +sat down to watch him. + +It will be remembered that in making their first experiments a +considerable amount of clay had been dug out, for use in making the +brick and the retorts required for the metallurgical processes. Chief +took out a considerable quantity, and after selecting the amount which +suited his fancy, sat down and ate it. Harry was almost disgusted at the +sight, and made his way back hurriedly. + +The Professor and the others were waiting. + +"What do you suppose he was after? Clay! And he ate it!" + +This remarkable proceeding could hardly be credited by the boys. + +"Ate it!" exclaimed George. "I think you must be mistaken." + +Ralph looked at Tom, and immediately answered: "That is just what they +did with that stuff we saw that the first savages had; don't you +remember, Tom?" + +"I never stopped to inquire; but I know they had something that looked +like clay mud. I wonder if that was eaten by them?" + +"That is not so remarkable," observed the Professor. "It is a custom in +many parts of the world." + +"Where?" + +"In Eastern Asia, in Java, in the Himalaya Mountains, in northern +Europe, particularly the remote regions of Sweden, in Finland, as well +as in many parts of South America, particularly in Brazil, Peru and +Bolivia, and many instances are known of this habit among the savages of +the Pacific islands." + +"Can they live on the clay for any length of time?" + +"Humboldt, the great geologist, relates cases of tribes in South America +which live for at least three months at a time on this substance, +without any apparent ill effect, but from all the analyses made there +does not seem to be anything nutritious in it. I am not surprised that +Chief should have a knowledge of it." + +Chief returned after an hour, apparently well satisfied with himself. + +Since their return Harry and George had many times thought and talked +about the cave. They debated whether or not to advise the boys of its +existence, but could not satisfy themselves of the proper course to +pursue. They were not selfishly considering the entire possession of the +treasure. In fact they were too generous for that, but the boys would +know sooner or later, and it was a question whether to disclose it now +or later on. In this dilemma they called on the Professor. + +"I know just how you feel about it," was the Professor's comment, "and I +am not competent to advise you. It is your own property, and you may +dispose of it as you wish." + +"But it isn't our property. Without you it would never have been +discovered, and we shall refuse to take it unless you share with us" +exclaimed George. + +"No, Professor, I can never consent to that disposition of it," was +Harry's determined expression, "and for my part nothing shall be done in +the matter without you agree with us on the course to follow." + +The Professor reflected a while, and then answered: "As for myself I +have very little need for it, and there is no one near or dear to me +that I would willingly leave it to." With his head bowed, he became +silent, and then continued, in a most eager manner: "I had entirely +forgotten. I have some who are near and dear to me; I ought to remember +them, after all, and as you insist on it, you will pardon me, I know, if +I consent to take a portion of it, at least." + +"It must be divided into thirds. I am sure there is enough there to make +a great many people happy." + +"Weren't you boys happy before you acquired this treasure?" + +"Yes; as happy as we could be in our condition." + +"Do you think the treasure in the cave would make you any happier than +you have been?" + +"Well, if we ever get out of here we can use it to good advantage." + +"That is the whole secret of happiness with wealth--the knowledge of how +to use it." + +When they left the Professor the boys wondered why at first he declared +that he had no one that he cared to leave the money to, and then +suddenly remembered that he did have some whom he cared for. The +Professor was as much a mystery to them as many of the things which had +come to them during their sojourn on the island. This was, in fact, the +only information that they had ever gleaned from him concerning his +home, his family, or his friends, and that was very meager at the most. + +The boys were anxious to revisit the cave, and the Professor was pleased +at their determination, but advised them to make the visit themselves, +and to endeavor to find out the full extent of the subterranean +windings, and also suggested that they should try to make a working +chart of it for their own information. + +It was a little difficult now, since the close association had grown up +between Harry and Tom, on the one hand, and George and Ralph on the +other, to find a suitable excuse for the absence of Harry and George, +but the Professor arranged this without creating suspicion on their +part. + +"I think Ralph is a mighty fine fellow, and we get along splendidly, and +I don't think I ever met a pair of more unselfish boys," said George, as +they walked up the hill. + +"That is my opinion, too. Tom is a most wholesouled fellow, and we find +so much that is likeable in each other, that I tell you I do not feel +like being so niggardly as to keep the knowledge of the cave and the +treasure away from them; and I feel the more about it that way when I +think of the terrible suffering they have gone through." + +"Just my idea, exactly. How much do you really think there is in the +cave? I mean, what do you think it is worth in money?" + +"I am sure the Professor knows. It would be awfully interesting to know. +Isn't it funny the Professor never said anything about the worth of it?" + +"Yes, he did. Don't you remember, just before we left on the big trip he +wanted to know whether we cared to take the risks among the savages, +when we had so much treasure in sight?" + +"Yes, but that didn't indicate whether there was a thousand or a million +there." + +When they reached the entrance to the cave, they sat down and talked +over the matter again. The lamps were left unlighted, and they made no +effort to enter it. + +"I have half a notion to go back and talk to the Professor, and bring +the boys over." George looked at Harry inquiringly. + +"Do you really mean it?" asked Harry. + +"I do." + +"Look over there; see who is coming," said George, with a laugh. + +Red Angel was on the way with his gun. "You little rascal! How did you +find out we were over here?" He didn't answer, but he went up to George +and looked up into his face, as though he didn't quite understand that +kind of a greeting. + +The boys picked up the lamps and went back to the house, and the +Professor was surprised at the early return, but he did not make any +mention of it to either of the boys, and nothing more was said about it +during that day or evening. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE ACCIDENT TO JOHN AND THE RESTORATION OF MEMORY + + +The island yielded an abundance of nuts of various descriptions, the +most prolific being the Brazil nut, which grows in the form of a large +sphere, from three to four inches in diameter, the shell being very +hard, like the cocoanut, and when broken open is found to be filled with +the segmentally formed nuts which we all know. + +This was gathered in large quantities, and was the principal source of +oil which was used for the lamps, as they had no other means of +illumination. To people in the habit of using the lighter mineral oils, +and electricity, this was certainly primitive enough. The difficulty, +however, with the gathering of the nuts was this: Unless gathered at a +certain time it is almost impossible to express the oil, and if kept for +any length of time, particularly in an unripe state, they would become +very rancid. + +George pondered over this for some time, and asked the Professor the +cause of it. In response, he said: "Nature has a very peculiar way of +protecting her products. It is the same with nuts, as it is with +potatoes and fruit. Have you ever noticed how unripe fruit withers, when +taken from the tree, and that potatoes shrivel up when they are dug up +before fully matured?" + +"That is the trouble with the whole batch of potatoes we now have." + +"Unripe fruit and vegetables have an exterior coating which is porous +and pervious to water when it is unripe. But when it fully ripens this +coating is chemically changed into a thin, impervious coating of a +cork-like structure, through which water cannot pass, and as a result +potatoes, and fruit, will keep through an entire winter and become +mellower and better as time goes on." + +The colony was dependent for its supply of eggs on the numerous flocks +of prairie chickens which were found in the abounding fields of grain, +particularly barley. It was no trick to bag a half dozen of these birds +at a shot, on account of their numbers, and, as before related, while +Angel never ate any of them, he was the most persistent gatherer because +the beautiful oval eggs attracted him, and George's cakes always +appealed to his fancy. + +The difficulty with Angel was he did not discriminate between the good +and the bad eggs, and George was desirous of knowing how to distinguish +between the fresh and spoilt ones. + +As usual, the Professor was appealed to and he gave a standard rule for +determining this: "As Angel brings in the eggs put them in a pail of +water, and select only those which fall to the bottom and rest on the +side. An egg several weeks old will remain at the bottom, but the large +end will be much higher than the small end. If it is several months old +the large end will be uppermost, with the small end pointing down; and +if it is thoroughly rotten it will float at the top of the water, with +the pointed side down." + +"That is a very curious way of finding it out. I would like to know why +the egg acts in that manner?" + +"After an egg is laid, a chemical change begins to take place, and more +or less gas is formed. This gas finds its way to the large end, and as +the decomposition increases the egg becomes lighter at the heavy end, +and finally enough gas is evolved to bring it to the surface." + +[Illustration: _Fig. 15._ TESTING EGGS] + +The most important work on hand was the construction of the addition to +their home. After considering the matter in all its details, it was +concluded to put up a building entirely separate from the other +structures, to contain four rooms, one of them to be large and utilized +as a common living room, and the others as sleeping apartments. + +The material had been taken out for the building, and the Professor, +John, George and Ralph were engaged at this work, while Harry and Tom +were engaged in the machine shop and were busy in turning out the +barrels for new guns, as well as preparing the ammunition. + +The tools in the machine shop were not numerous enough to advantageously +utilize more of them there, and the building was now very important to +them, as the four boys were compelled to sleep in the shop, for want of +room in the house. + +The joist had all been laid for the lower floor and the studding now +being put up and the upper joist laid on preparatory to erecting the +rafters. John was an expert in building, and was really the directing +hand at the various steps in the operation. While engaged in the drawing +up of the rafters, one of the floor pieces gave way, and John was +precipitated to the floor below, striking as he fell one of the lower +joist, which cut a terrible gash in his head and rendered him +unconscious. + +The Professor rushed over to the fallen man, and the boys were on the +spot to render assistance. Chief, who was also an interested worker, was +the first to grasp him with his powerful arms, and disdaining the +assistance of the others, carried him to the house and gently laid him +down, as the Professor directed. + +Without a word he rushed for the jar of water and brought it to the +Professor, who bathed his wounds, but the blow was so severe that he +exhibited no signs of returning consciousness. + +Harry and Tom rushed over to the house in consternation, and exhibited +the greatest grief. + +"Do you think he has been badly hurt? Do you think it is fatal?" + +"It is still too early to determine that. See this wound? It was a +terrible blow. As it is, directly above the ear, it may not be as +serious as if he had been struck forward nearer the temples." + +During the entire day John lay there, breathing with some degree of +regularity, but with a greatly accelerated pulse, and the Professor was +constantly watching this phase of the case. + +There was little sleep that night. All were too anxious to retire. Chief +was on hand without a moment's intermission. George prepared the meals, +but the native never left the room even for the purpose of taking +refreshment, and it was really pathetic to see this exhibition of +sympathy, which was constantly alluded to by the Professor. + +"The Chief has in him the making of a man. The surest indication of a +real human trait is just what he is showing. The lower man is the less +he cares for his fellows." + +During the night the fever was close to the danger point, and the +Professor never left his side. As the day advanced the fever abated, and +his breathing became more normal. Before noon there was a marked change. +On the day of the accident, and during the night, John lay there +motionless, and, aside from his regular breathing and a few periods of +spasmodic twitchings, there was nothing to indicate that he was living. + +But he now became restless, and occasionally opened his eyes, and all +stood intently watching him. All through this period his face was pale +and drawn, but a color began to come, and he turned his head from side +to side, and the intervals between the openings of the eyelids became +shorter. At first the eyes gave a glassy stare, but now at each +recurring stare the eyeballs would turn and search the room, and +although he would gaze in the faces of the watchers, the look did not +indicate recognition. + +Suddenly he opened his eyes wide, and grasping the covers drew himself +forward and upward slowly, turning his head around from side to side. +The Professor held out his hand, as a warning not to disturb him. He sat +up and gazed first at one and then at the other. + +What a wonderful difference was exhibited in the eye. It was bright and +lustrous, and every glance betokened a question. Not a word was spoken. +It was so tense that the boys appeared to be hypnotized. When he had +fully taken in his surrounding, he grasped the Professor's hand, and +said: "Where am I? Who are you?" Without another word he sank back on +the pillow exhausted, and the Professor leaned over him and quietly +said: "You are yourself again; and we are your friends." + +"Friends; friends," he muttered to himself. "Yes; yes, I remember," and +his eyes closed, his limbs relaxed, and he passed off into a quiet +sleep. + +The boys filed out of the room, and the Professor, with a smile, despite +the tears that fell, walked out without saying a word, nor did the boys +ask any more questions. The Chief never moved, but kept his eyes on +John, and he did not even heed Angel, who came down from the rafters +quietly, and passed out the door, and stood beside George, and leaned +his head against him, as the boys began to whisper to each other. + +The boys had witnessed a scene which it falls to the lot of few to +experience. The awakening of the faculty of remembrance is one of the +greatest mysteries of human existence. + +John slept for three hours, and there was no thought of work or play. +Barring the occasional visits of the Professor to see the patient, they +were together. It was one of the most remarkable events in their lives. + +"Isn't it singular," asked George, "that he has never been able to talk +since he has been with us?" + +"The medical term applied to the loss of that faculty is called aphasia. +The function of speech seems to have its seat in a portion of the left +side of the brain, and when that portion is diseased or injured, it +affects the speech in many ways. Sometimes the sufferer knows what he +wants to say, but cannot utter the word; at other times he will say the +wrong thing, knowing that he is doing so, but utterly unable to prevent +it; it also shows several other phases where the sentences become +disjointed, or meaningless, not due to lack of intelligence." + +"Has no way been discovered whereby the diseased part can be cured?" + +"Operations have been performed with remarkable results, but not with +uniform success. In some cases where the speech center is destroyed, a +new brain center has been developed, and the lost power of speech +recovered." + +"I cannot understand Chief's intense interest in John," said Tom. + +"That is a peculiar thing. The savage, no doubt, considers him demented, +and it is a singular thing that people of low intellectual order among +many people, believe the insane person is exalted, and are sometimes +treated as deities." + +Before noon the patient began to move about uneasily, and soon +thereafter awoke. The moment his eyes opened he looked at the Professor, +who said: "You are so much better. Are you hungry?" + +In anticipation of this event the Professor had asked the boys to +prepare some delicacies for him the moment he awoke. + +As he had eaten nothing since the morning of the day before he replied +affirmatively, and after he had eaten and the wound in his head was +dressed, he began a series of questionings on every conceivable subject. + +"We are on an island, and there are a number of tribes here, with +incessant tribal warfares between them, and it appears that the +principal occasion of the wars is due to the possession of the captives +which they take from the toll of the sea. I was one of several +unfortunates shipwrecked here over a year ago, during one of the worst +storms that I ever saw at sea." + +"It was undoubtedly the one which we experienced, although we were the +occupants of a ship which had an explosion, and we were left adrift +when this storm was brewing. But I must advise you to remain quiet for +the day, until you regain your strength, and we can then tell our story, +and we shall be glad to learn yours." + +It was a joy to all to know that John had recovered his memory, and +Harry was anxious to present the match box, to see whether it was his, +but the Professor advised against exciting him in the least until the +following day. + +The Professor had not even asked his name, as he wished all to be +present when the revelations were made. During the most of the day John +slept. It appeared as though nature had exhausted herself in bringing +about the cure. The wound, however, was a most serious one, and the +Professor knew that the utmost care must be taken with a fractured +skull, to prevent the setting in of complications which might +injuriously affect the brain. + +"Do not feel any alarm about him now," was the Professor's injunction; +"he is not at this time in a serious condition, and I believe his +remarkable constitution will pull him through without any further +trouble. In the meantime, let us proceed with our work, and give him +ample time to recover without any sort of harassment." + +All returned to their duties with more cheerful hearts. It seemed as +though something had been lifted from their minds. The second day after +the event following the restoration of his reason, John would not be +left in quiet any longer. + +He sat up in his couch, and looked over the boys, as he greeted them +heartily. + +"Do you remember me?" asked Harry, as he held his hand. + +"Yes, I remember all of you, but I cannot remember how you came to me, +or how I met you, or where. I know that we went together on a journey, +and I saw some things that made me think of things in the past. I don't +remember ever having been in this place before." + +"Don't you remember the shop, and the water wheel, and the building of +the house?" asked the Professor. + +He looked around in a bewildered way, before answering: "The shop and +the building? Where--when was that?" + +"At the time you fell from the building, four days ago?" + +"Fell from the building--what building?" + +"What do you remember about the trip we made?" continued the Professor. + +"I remember that we had a glorious fight, yes, several of them, and I +remember some brave boys, the noblest fellows I ever saw--and you are +the boys--I can remember you well--I never saw braver men in battle; and +I also remember seeing something which you gave me," and he searched his +pockets, and looked around to try and remember what it was. "Probably, +that was a fancy only--let me see," and he stroked his forehead, as if +trying to recall it. + +Harry reached down in his pocket and drew forth the match safe and held +it before him. "Is this what you mean?" + +He grasped it, and eagerly exclaimed: "Yes; that is what I mean." + +"Are those the initials of your name, and is your first name John?" + +"Yes; John Lewis Varney. But who are you, and how did you come here?" + +"My name is Harry Crandall, and this is the Professor who was with us on +the schoolship _Investigator_ when she went to the bottom of the sea, +following an explosion." + +"The _Investigator_ that was to have sailed from New York in +September"--and he looked around, "September, last year?" he asked +inquiringly. + +"Yes," answered the Professor; "and this is George Mayfield, and here +are Ralph Wharton and Tom Chambers. Do you remember we rescued them on +the trip?" + +He looked to the floor for a moment, and then slowly said: "I recall +that also, but I do not remember how we got away from the savages." + +At that moment his eyes fell on Chief, who had witnessed this remarkable +scene, and he started up and leaned forward, and spoke to the Chief in +his own language. This effect on the savage was electrical, who rushed +up to the couch and clutched John's hand. Then turning to the others, +John continued: "Uraso knows me, but I doubt whether he recognized me in +this bearded appearance, because when our acquaintance began my face was +smoothly shaven, and I had an entirely different attire from what I +acquired later on." + +"We are all intensely interested in knowing your history, and how you +came here; but first tell us what you knew about the _Investigator_. You +seemed to know about the sailing date." + +"I was booked to sail in her as one of the instructors, but a serious +illness, contracted in Africa, from the previous visit there, prevented +me from accepting the berth, and she sailed without me." + +"Isn't that a singular coincidence," exclaimed Ralph. "My uncle told me +that one of his tutors at college, by the name of Varney, would be on +the ship, and that is one of the reasons he so strongly urged me to sign +for the trip." + +"Your name--what was his name?" + +"Stratton; James Stratton?" + +"Jim Stratton, the big, healthy, jolly boy! Everybody liked him. And you +are his nephew?" + +Then turning to Chief the Professor asked: "Do you remember when and how +we captured him?" John looked and tried to recall the incident. "No, I +do not now think of anything which is familiar, nor do I remember seeing +him until a moment ago." + +"But if you are not too much exhausted, we would be interested in the +history." + +"I do not suppose that my history, previous to reaching the island, +would be very interesting, but as you have asked it I will briefly +relate it." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +JOHN'S WONDERFUL STORY + + +"I was born on the Atlantic seacoast in a small New England town. My +parents were the richest people in the community, and it was their +ambition, as it was mine, to finish my education at one of the great +universities there; but shortly after my entrance as a student the +entire fortune of my parents was swept away, and I was compelled to seek +employment. + +"I was provided with a place in a commercial house in which my guardian +was interested, and the only consideration shown me during the six +months I remained there was the amount of work they could get out of me. +Like many other boys I ran away, and took a position on a sailing +vessel. This was the turning point in my career. + +"I was fortunate enough to fall into the hands of a captain who was, +undoubtedly, an exception to his class, but he had in early years been a +pedagogue, and seeing the disposition on my part to make a constant use +of his library, of which he had a most wonderful store, he took me from +the drudgery, which was my early lot, and made me his assistant. + +"I was a good penman, and before long I was entrusted with the position +of recording and entry clerk for the ship, and I took charge of the +log, and did things of that kind under his supervision during the long +trip to Chinese waters. + +"The trip among the western islands occupied two years, and I became an +expert skipper as time went on, and many, many hours he and I sat up +together and perused the wonderful books he had, and discussed a wide +range of subjects which the readings suggested. It was a feast for me, +and it was such a pleasure to him, which I know was real and unaffected. + +"Three years after my sudden disappearance from New Bedford the ship +sailed into the harbor, and the first one to greet us was a beautiful +girl, the daughter of the captain, and the first most graceful act of +his was to bring her over to me, and I was presented to her. + +"I do not know how I ever passed the days of the following two weeks. +Everything was a dream to me after I saw her, and I often imagined that +the captain knew what my symptoms were. One day he called me to the +cabin and said: 'John, how do you feel about signing for another term of +three years?' My heart was so full that I answered: 'Why for three +years? Make it for as long as I live.' The captain smiled and stroked +his beard for a while, and then his countenance changed, and he said, +'John, you know I am blunt and open in all my dealings, and you haven't +been treating me in that way.' + +"That was the only time in the entire three years he had ever upbraided +me, or found any fault, and I was so dumbfounded that I did not know how +to answer, and when I recovered and inquired in what manner I had +offended him, he replied, 'I did not say you had offended me. But you +love Harriet, and I know you do, and you have been trying to hide it +from me.' + +"How had he learned that she and I loved each other from the moment we +first met, and that we saw each other at every opportunity, and made +mutual confessions of love? I started to apologize, but he began to +smile again, and I knew it was not so serious. 'Yes,' he continued, 'I +have charged Harriet with it, and she confessed, so it will not be +necessary for you to defend yourself.' + +"We were in port for three months, and Harriet told her father that she +could not bear to have us both go away, and before the ship sailed we +were married, a fine suite of rooms was set aside for our use, and I +became the first mate of the ship, as well as the first mate of the most +beautiful woman in the world. + +"Thus I passed a year of the happiest days that it was ever given man to +enjoy. Together we gleaned the library for our recreation, and with +music and song, it was one continual revel of bliss. But one day we +steamed into a plague-infected port, where quarantine regulations in +those days were not the best, and before we could take the proper +precautions the captain and my wife were stricken. + +"The terrible story that followed, the days of ravings, and finally the +death of my wife, are too tragic to repeat in detail. The captain +recovered, and, singularly, I escaped, and as soon as he had partially +recovered I ordered the ship to sail away from that accursed place. + +"When the captain recovered he was a changed man. His daughter was the +only thing to him in the world, and her happiness had been the greatest +delight and pleasure. But now he rarely appeared at meals, and the +handling of the ship devolved on me. I could not rouse him sufficiently +to learn what course to take or what disposition to make of much of the +cargo. + +"Two months after the sad event he called me to his cabin, and he was +lying down, weak and emaciated. 'I have asked you to come because there +are some things I want to place in your hands. I have no further use for +them, as the effect of the plague has never left me, and I am glad of +it. + +"'You may break the seal of this when I am dead.' This was most +heartrending, coming from a man I loved better than any one in the world +excepting my wife. He died that night, in silence, and without a soul +near him. + +"We were then on the broad sea, west of Australia, and before the +funeral services were to take place I opened the sealed package, and I +learned that the ship and cargo, together with all securities and funds +in the hands of his bankers, were willed to me, and I was enjoined to +commit his body to the sea. + +"I changed the course of the ship to the nearest port, and sought the +United States Consul, in order to register the papers, and to establish, +by the record there, the new ownership of the vessel. + +"When I returned to the ship something seemed to prevent me from going +aboard. It was such a weird and ghastly feeling that I did not rebel +against the warning. Indeed, I was relieved that the indescribable +something, which men sometimes in that condition feel, turned me away. +The only thing that remained close to my heart were the things that my +loved one wore, and those things she treasured, and the store of books. + +"All those I had removed, but I could never go aboard that ship again. I +advertised the ship for sale, and it soon found a purchaser, and I was a +wanderer on the face of the earth. My parents were both dead, and I had +no brothers or sisters living. + +"Where should I go, or what pursuit should I follow? I went through +India, listlessly, and from a Mediterranean port sailed for +England--anywhere. But we landed at Gibraltar. There I saw a troop of +smart English on the way to Africa. I was imbued with the spirit of +adventure, and I offered to join, but was refused, as I was not a +subject of the Queen. But later I knew how to correct that, and I sailed +with the next detachment to the south, and for two years I took part in +the Matabela campaign, where the fighting was more bitter and relentless +than in any colonial contest England had ever engaged in. I was severely +wounded, and sent to England at the close of my term of service and +received an honorable discharge. In the meantime I learned that all the +funds from the proceeds of the ship had been swallowed up in a bank +disaster, where they had been deposited, and I was left with nothing but +the little I had saved. + +"My discharge finally served the purpose of securing me a position as a +tutor to a young lord, and through him I later on obtained a berth as +instructor in a well-known institution. But this was too tame for me. I +went to Greece and entered the army, and fought through two campaigns +against the Turks, and when the war ended I took the first ship and +sailed for New York. + +"Within a day after landing in that city I joined the army and was sent +west, where, within six months, it landed me in a campaign under General +Crook against the Apaches of the Southwest, and was present at the +capture of Geronimo, the most bloodthirsty devil that was ever permitted +to live. From there we went to the north, and we had a repetition of the +experiences against the most skilled warriors on the American continent, +the Siouxs and the Arapahoes. + +"When my enlistment expired I had earned a lieutenancy, but I had tired +of the turmoil of the past six years, and returned east and then +accepted a position as Professor of Philosophy in the college where Jim +Stratton was a student. + +"I was always fond of tools, and the machine shop on board our vessel +was a constant source of enjoyment, and before I sold it I had become so +proficient in the use of tools that I could make anything in wood or +iron. + +"I enjoyed teaching, but the life was not free enough for me, and after +five years of that drudging life I sailed for Europe, and again visited +India, going to all the great ruins; then to the scenes of the vast +exploring fields of the Archeological Societies, in Arabia, on the +plains of Babylon, and in Syria. From there I turned to Egypt, the land +of the greatest mysteries on earth. I went up the Nile far beyond +Khartoum, and tried to interest myself in some of the interesting things +that men are constantly bringing to light, and which go to show the +great antiquity of men. I joined a caravan to traverse the White and the +Blue Nile, and to go over the trails made by Baker and Livingstone and +Stanley. + +"Here, at last, seemed to be my work. It had enough of the charm in it +on account of the hazard which accompanied us on every step, and this +for the first time put me on my mettle to learn to dig out the hidden +secrets, which caused it to be called the 'Dark Continent.' + +"Am I tiring you? Well, then, in company with another adventurous spirit +we traversed the most remote parts of that vast interior and met with +adventures which may some time interest you. Thus four years were spent, +without seeing civilization, and in a region where men hunted men for +the pleasure of it. + +"I was hunting them, too, but it was not living men, but those who had +died thousands and thousands of years ago. But that terrible sickness, +the jungle fever, took hold of us, and when we emerged from the forests, +and found our way to the nearest settlement my companion died, and I was +again thrown back on the world. + +"As soon as I could travel I sailed for New York, and the first man I +met was dear Jim Stratton, who insisted that I must take a position as +archeologist in the college with which I was formerly connected, but +this I declined, and seeing me in an emaciated condition suggested that +the position of professor of philosophy in the ship training school +would be the very place to give me the benefit of sea air and +employment--the latter, particularly, because he knew how I had always +been a fiend for work, and that I must be busy at something. + +"I accepted, but a month before the ship sailed I was taken down with +another serious attack, with complications of diseases, and recovered a +week after the _Investigator_ sailed. I took the train for the west, +expecting to take advantage of the mild climate of California during the +winter, and when I reached San Francisco I was greeted at the hotel by +an old acquaintance who invited me to his room for a talk on a very +important matter. + +"It turned out that he and a friend, who had considerable money, were +about to purchase either a good, strong sailing vessel, or a small +steamer, which was to go in quest of buried treasure which the chart had +indicated, this treasure being the freights of many of the Castilian +ships of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and in certain places +the hoards of the buccaneers that infested the western seas. + +"Here was an opportunity to recuperate, and it had plenty of action in +it to suit me, and I joined. We sailed from the port in the latter part +of December, about the time you were passing through the Straits of +Magellan. + +"We had a fast sailer and a staunch boat, but my friend was unwise in +the choice of the sailing master, but this did not hamper us much during +the ordinary course of sailing, but in a short time he with several +others of the crew attacked us and attempted to capture the ship. In the +battle which followed my friend was killed, and his friend dangerously +wounded. This was the condition of affairs when the terrible monsoon +struck the vessel. + +"That terrible sea and the danger to the ship settled all difficulties. +The master was too full of drink to take charge of the ship, and the +mate was not much better. I took command, and for four days we +maneuvered the ship to keep it from foundering; at the end of that time +the master recovered momentarily, and, securing possession of a +revolver, cleared the deck and prevented us from handling it. + +"He resisted every effort to capture him, and as a last resort I was +compelled to shoot him. This was a signal, notwithstanding our perilous +condition, for the intimate associates of the master to range themselves +against us, for we now had only four men against the seven who were in +league. + +"I did not want to take human life, and I refrained from this last step, +and as the ship was bare of sails and we were in position to control the +tiller we passed two days and a night, with only a few crackers for +food, and almost exhausted from the strain. + +"Night was approaching, and with not a star in sight, and in no +condition to take any reckonings, we made up our minds that we must +somehow fight our way through one more night before giving up. The +mainmast was a wreck; the shrouds on the port side having been torn from +the gunwale the second day of the storm, and the entire deck was one +mass of debris and wreckage. + +"It was a dangerous thing to move along from one part of the deck to the +other, as this loose accumulation of material, at each successive lurch, +would be tossed first one way and then the other. This was one thing +that kept the villains at bay, but it prevented us as well as themselves +from getting any food. + +"In desperation I took my revolver, and, at the risk of my life, at +every step, forced my way to the pantry and found some food. Before I +reached the bridge the roar of the breakers fell upon me, but the +darkness was now too intense to enable me to see anything, and I knew +that our next great catastrophe would be the rocks. + +"I never reached the bridge again, for the vessel struck, and with a +terrific grating sound it moved toward land, and then a giant hand +seemed to lift it upwardly, and I knew no more. When I awoke, which must +have been along noon of the following day, I saw one of the sailors +dead, not fifty feet away, and the master of the ship was close beside +me, with an indescribable mass of wreckage all about. + +"When I had recovered sufficiently to judge of my surrounding, I went +over to the master and to the sailor, and saw that their pockets had +been rifled, and I instinctively put my hand to my pockets, to find that +everything, my watch, this match box, which was a present from my wife, +my knife and everything in my pockets were gone. + +"From this I knew that such of my companions as had been saved had gone +off, without making any attempt to ascertain whether I was alive or not, +and had taken my things besides. + +"I had my clothing, which was still wet, but I was glad to be alive. +That seems singular, doesn't it, when I had thrown myself time and again +right into the jaws of death! I saw a barren shore, but found plenty to +eat as I advanced into the interior. I went to the south and southeast +for the first day, and soon saw the first signs of human habitations. + +"Then I came across a tribe of savages who were sacrificing some human +victims. It dawned on me that it might have been some of my companions, +and a spirit of revenge possessed me. But I had no weapons, but relying +on my experience in eluding savages, I crawled up to the village, during +the height of the orgy, and slew one of the warriors, and took his +weapons, as well as his headdress. + +"But I was discovered and brought the entire tribe down on me. I avoided +them, doubled on my tracks, and ran into another branch of what proved +to be the same tribe, as the headdress plainly showed me. I again +avoided capture, and in going through the hills discovered a cave, in +which I took refuge. + +"To my surprise the cave was tenanted by a certain class of savages, and +I had reason to believe that it was the abode of the medicine men of +the tribe, or the Hoodoos, because the warriors avoided it as they would +a pestilence. I found some wonderful things in that cave, in which I +secluded myself as best I could to avoid detection from those within. + +"But I needed food, and one night stole out, only to learn that they had +known of my entrance into the cave, and was driven back again, and +making my way into the interior, how far I do not know, lay down +exhausted, and, on awakening, not knowing which way to go, heard the +voices of the savages, and in going in the opposite direction was +surprised to see a streak of light ahead. + +"Approaching near the entrance, waiting there for hours, and not seeing +or hearing them, cautiously crept out, and found that the sun had risen +several hours before, but that the opening was to the western side of +the hill and I had entered it on the eastern side." + +"Won't you tell us, John, how you knew it was to the west, and that it +was morning?" The boys looked at George a little queerly, and so did the +Professor, and he quickly divined the reason, and continued: "Pardon me, +Mr. Varney, but we have been in habit of calling you John so long that I +forgot myself." + +"You have been calling me John? How did you find out my name?" + +"We simply took that as the most convenient name; but please go on and +forgive me for interrupting." + +"No apology is necessary. I hope you will know me as John only. But you +asked me a question. I examined the moss, which in the southern +hemisphere grows more abundantly on the south side of the tree; just as +in the north it grows only on the north side. As to the sun, if it had +been afternoon it would have been to the west of the hill and not to +east of it. + +"Having emerged from the cave in the vicinity of the last village +another flight was necessary, and I turned to the south, reaching a +large stream in my wanderings, and, in order to avoid capture, swam it +in the night. I still had the bows and a dozen arrows, together with a +crude hatchet, which was taken from the warrior. + +"The flight was continued to the south, and thus I lived from day to day +for over three months, occasionally seeing the various tribes. Then for +a period of two months more I was hunted over the entire southern +portion of the island, and finally driven into the mountain. Between six +and seven months after the shipwreck, in a moment of carelessness, I was +taken by a tribe in the south, and held in confinement for over a month, +when I was to be offered up as a sacrifice. + +"On the day appointed there was a terrible uproar in camp, and I could +see that a neighboring tribe had attacked, and escaped, only to be +captured by the successful invaders. This was the tribe that Osaga, +here, was a member of. Again escaping I secured one of their spears and +a bow with some arrows, and fought my first captors with such +determination that Osaga's people became my friends and I was given +limited liberty, and began to learn the language. + +"Before long the two most powerful tribes united and attacked us, and +defeated Osaga's people, and I escaped to the mountains. This was fully +eleven or twelve months after being cast ashore, and on the last day +they were in sight I can remember going down a steep precipice. The only +recollection of my former self came day before yesterday when I awoke +from a refreshing sleep." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +CHIEF AND THE POISON PLANT + + +John was visibly exhausted from the effort he had made, and soon passed +off into a quiet sleep. During the evening the Professor suggested that +they might retire to the shop, so that he would not be disturbed, but +John insisted that it was so good to hear their voices again, and would +like to have them all present. + +Harry and George kept them interested a great portion of the time with +stories of their adventures. They told about the bear fight for the +possession of the honey; the shooting of the wild animals in South +Forest, the making of the flag, the capture of the yaks, the flagpole +incident, the fight between the bulls, and the amusing affair connected +with the removal of the yaks to their new home. + +This latter occurrence is what amused John the most, and suggested that +probably if they had adopted some of the hitches which sailors used the +yaks could have been controlled more easily. This interested George. + +"Won't you please tell us something about the hitches and knots which +the sailors make?" + +"They have a great many forms, each designed for some particular +purpose, and if you get a rope I will try and give you some of the +principal ones. Get a piece long enough so that the knots and hitches +can be kept for future reference." + +[Illustration: _Fig. 16. Slip knot._] + +[Illustration: _Fig. 17. Overhand knot._] + +[Illustration: _Fig. 18. Flemish Loo._] + +[Illustration: _Fig. 19. Fig. 8 knot._] + +[Illustration: _Fig. 20. Stevedore knot._] + +[Illustration: _Fig. 21. Bowline knot._] + +[Illustration: _Fig. 22. Double knot._] + +[Illustration: _Fig. 23. Weaver's knot._] + +[Illustration: _Fig. 24. Carrick bend._] + +[Illustration: _Fig. 25. Reef bend._] + +He then proceeded to make the knots, and continued: "The seven knots +(Figs. 16 to 22, inclusive) are made at the ends of the rope, as you +will notice, and are the forms used to attach the rope to an object. In +the next three forms two ropes are attached to each other, and are +usually called 'bends' (Figs. 23, 24, 25). + +"Then, in addition to that, the sailor has several ways of attaching the +rope by a hitch around a standard, or other object. Look at these two +forms (Figs. 26, 27). Look at the boat knot, where the hitch is made in +the rope itself; and the sheet bend toggle, where the ends of two ropes +are attached together to a standard or cleat. And now I am making what +are called hitches, and the three forms (Figs. 28, 29, 30) are the best +examples." + +[Illustration: _Fig. 26. Boat Knot._] + +[Illustration: _Fig. 27. Sheet bend and Toggle._] + +[Illustration: _Clove Hitch Fig. 28._] + +[Illustration: _Half Hitch Fig. 29._] + +[Illustration: _Timber Hitch Fig. 30._] + +Thus the conversation drifted from one subject to another, covering a +variety of interesting topics. George reminded the Professor that he had +not yet explained to them what the spectroscope was, and its uses. He +laughingly responded: + +"That instrument is one of the most wonderful in all the ranges of human +discoveries. By its means the elements of substances are determined, and +the composition of the heavenly bodies are ascertained." + +"In what way is it done?" + +"Simply by using light as the agency." + +"Is it like a telescope?" + +[Illustration: _Fig. 31. The color Spectrum._] + +"No; entirely different. It depends wholly on one thing, and that is the +breaking up or dividing the light that comes from an object. Let me make +this a little plainer. If a ray of sunlight is allowed to pass through +an orifice into a darkened room, and in the transit through the opening +it goes through a prism, or three-sided piece of glass, the light +produced on the opposite wall will show the seven colors of which +sunlight is composed. The drawing (Fig. 31) shows how this is arranged. +Now iron shows these colors differently arranged, aluminum in another +way, and so on with all different substances, and the light projected +from each is called its spectrum, its particular analysis." + +John's recital during the day had produced a powerful impression on +all, as well it might. It shows what wonderful trials men can endure. +Ralph and Tom were frequently affected by it, and at times could not +prevent tears from coming. They recalled their own sufferings. + +The Professor thanked John that evening for his story, and said: "We +must not tax the patient with any more talk to-night. We have learned a +lesson of perseverance and trials. The history of man is always +profitable, and we are thankful for the news it gives us of the people +here but you must be patient and wait a more opportune time to hear our +story, and then we can advise with each other as to our future course." + +The boys were early in conference with each other after they left John, +because there were some interesting things to them in John's story, +which needed clearing up. + +"Did you hear what he said about that cave?" was Ralph's first question. + +"Yes; and I think I know where that cave is?" answered Harry. + +"Where?" asked Tom and George in a breath. + +"Right at the camp where we found you." + +"Oh, you mean that cave we found at the hillside after we started for +the river?" + +"Don't you recall that John took me around to the mouth of the cave, and +when we said that we might use that to hide in, he shook his head, and +moved away?" + +"I thought the Professor acted queerly about it, too, because he urged +us away from the place." + +All remembered the circumstance, and they also recalled that the +Professor gave a vague reply when they asked him the reason why. + +George cast a scrutinizing glance at Harry, who waited for him to speak. +"Harry, do you think he found any treasure in that cave?" + +Ralph and Tom now opened their eyes in wonder. Was that what he meant +when he said there was something wonderful there? Harry looked at the +boys for a moment, in the intensity of the situation, and said: "And we +have also found a cave." But the eyes of George caught Harry, who +suddenly stopped, because he recalled their agreement not to divulge it +to the boys until the matter was mentioned to him. + +"Where is it?" exclaimed Tom, eagerly. + +"Not far from here." + +"Will it be much trouble to visit it?" + +"No; and we shall probably do so some day." + +An island full of bitter and vindictive savages, and a handful of men to +meet them. It looked, indeed, like a hopeless task. John's story left +many things unsaid; many things that they longed to know. Who were +Wright and Walters, whose names were in the note found in the +_Investigator's_ lifeboat, and who was Will, the writer of the note? + +The Professor was just as anxious as the boys to have those matters +cleared up, but he knew it would be unwise to tax his strength with a +further recital, and the inevitable questions which would be propounded, +and it was well that his injunctions were followed, because he was not +yet well by any means, and the further news which they awaited was +postponed. + +In the evening Ralph had the flute, but the bass viol was not yet ready, +so that the two instruments gave a little diversion to the day of +excitement and wonder. + +John's illness did not now interfere with the work on the house. It was +pushed forward with the greatest energy, the roof and sides enclosed, +and they were now nearly ready for occupying it, by the time John was +again able to be about. + +Shortly after they had made the first samples of glass, some months +before, the trip to the west had postponed the work in that direction, +and the Professor, with the aid of George, turned out the first samples +of glass, which they intended to use in the new building. + +"Why can't we have a looking-glass? It would be such fun to set up +several of them." + +"I think we have sufficient mercury for the purpose," answered the +Professor; so calling in Ralph they set to work, under the Professor's +direction, to make some mirrors. + +"The principal thing in mirrors is to get a white reflecting surface. +Silver and mercury are metals which lend themselves to that use. If you +polish anything bright enough it will serve as a mirror, but the whiter +the surface is the better." + +"Then why wouldn't white paper be the best?" + +"It would if you could get a fine polish on its surface, but the finest +surface on the densest paper is not as smooth as the polished surface of +the metals." + +"What is the best way to make the mirror?" + +"The most available plan for us to follow is to make an amalgam of tin +and mercury." + +"But what do you mean by an amalgam?" + +"It means the combination of mercury, or quicksilver, with any other +metal." + +"Will it be difficult to combine tin and mercury, so as to make an +amalgam?" + +"That is one of the simplest things in the arts. Tin and mercury unite +by merely rubbing them together; see how easily they combine to form +just such a surface as you want." + +"Isn't that fine? But as that shines so nicely, what is the need of +putting a glass over it?" + +"Simply to protect the amalgamated surface." + +The largest piece of glass thus far made was sixteen by twenty-four +inches, and the boys selected the most perfect pane, and in a short time +a very good mirror had been turned out. + +"It has occurred to me that it would be good policy to make a number of +small mirrors, say six inches square. They would be a valuable asset to +us in our next expedition." + +This opened the eyes of the boys to the commercial utility of the work +they were engaged in for the first time. George rushed over and brought +Tom and Harry to the laboratory, and exhibited the mirrors, and +explained that they intended to make a number of small ones to take with +them. + +"That is a capital idea. Won't the natives go wild over them?" + +They were at work at once, first cutting up some of the glass the +requisite size, and before the afternoon closed they had several small +ones in addition to the large one. + +The large one was carried over to the living room, and when it was +brought in and hung against the wall John's face lighted up, when they +told him of the work required to turn out the glass, and to make the +amalgam. + +"What a glorious opportunity you boys are having. How anxious I am to +get up and help you. What a splendid mirror that is. You surprise me +with the character of your work." + +"We are going to have real windows in the new house." + +At this instant Chief appeared at the door, and as he moved forward in +front of the glass he started back in fright as his own image appeared +to him. All of them laughed, and as he was now at one side of the mirror +he could not see himself. But Harry mischievously turned it, and then it +dawned on the Chief that it was simply a perfect representation of +himself. + +All savages know of the glistening qualities of surfaces, but few of +them, as was the case with Chief, had ever seen any made with the white +amalgam, which, of course, made a perfect counterfeit resemblance. + +But Harry delighted him beyond measure when he presented one of the +small mirrors, and George took a piece of the ramie cloth and folded it +around the mirror, a proceeding Chief could not understand until John +showed him it was for the purpose of preserving it. + +[Illustration: "_He started back in fright as his own image appeared to +him_" [See p. 194]] + +He kept it in the cover religiously from that day forward, except at +such times as he was employed in examining it. + +[Illustration: _Fig. 32. Amarylla. Chief's Poison Vegetable._] + +When Chief appeared it was not noticed that he carried a curious looking +bulb, and when he sat down to experiment the mirror several of them fell +from the pouch or pocket which was put in the garment which had been +provided for him. + +The Professor saw the bulbs and picked up one of them and glanced about +the room, and then looked at John in a questioning way. The boys noted +this. Nothing was said at the time, but as the Professor passed out +George followed him. + +"What was that bulb you picked up?" + +"It is the root of the plant called Amarylla, and it is in the juice of +this plant that certain savages dip their arrow-heads for poisoning +them." + +This information was not a little startling and disquieting to George, +who rushed back and quietly called out the boys. "Do you know what Chief +has been doing? Did you see the peculiar bulbs he had? The Professor +picked up one of them, and what do you suppose it is? It is the root +from which they make the poisons for arrow-heads." + +Harry could not believe that the savage had any designs on them. "I +suppose he will bear watching, so let us see what he intends to do with +them!" + +When Chief had admired himself sufficiently he took the bulbs to the +kitchen and placed them in the oven, as the boys called it, and when +George came in he was smiling, as he thought, in a very peculiar way. +George did not disturb the bulbs, and when the meal was brought in Chief +was on hand and went to the kitchen. He soon returned with the roasted +bulbs and deposited them at the table. + +The boys looked at the Professor, and he and John exchanged smiling +glances, and both of them took the bulbs and began the meal with them in +the most nonchalant manner. The boys could not understand the +Professor's defiant manner in eating a poisonous bulb, and George cried +out: "Didn't you say that the bulb was poisonous?" + +"Yes, it is, for some things." + +"Well, how can it be poisonous for some things and not for others. Don't +the savages use the poisons of the arrows to kill people with?" + +"Certainly; but it is used in that case as a blood poison. A blood +poison is not necessarily a stomach poison. In truth, there are few +poisons that are fatal to both the blood and stomach." + +Chief had been slyly preparing this treat for them, as savages like the +root, and all regarded it a welcome change, and it was that peculiar +look which George wrongly interpreted. How often the motives of people +are misjudged in the same manner, and without a more pronounced reason +than Chief had! + +When the meal was announced Angel, as usual, was the first to appear, +and when he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror he thought one +of his friends had come to visit him. It did not seem to startle him in +the least, but like all children tried to look behind it. + +The wall prevented that, so when George handed him one of the small +ones, and he put his hand behind the mirror, the vacancy there is what +alarmed him. When he did finally comprehend what it was, it so attracted +him that he could not partake of the meal, but sat entranced before it. + +After the meal he took the mirror to the rafters, and found a hiding +place for it, and they would often notice him with it, but from that +time forward he never brought it down into the room. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +A SURPRISING TRIP TO THE CAVE + + +The house was completed and partly furnished. New bedding was prepared +for the bedrooms, the Chief installed in one, and the other two reserved +for John and the Professor. The new living room, which was commodious, +served as a dining room, and a door was cut through from the old kitchen +to the new dining parlor. + +The other rooms in the original building were reserved for the boys. +John was now fully recovered, and felt like beginning his task anew, +although he did not recall any of the previous work which he was engaged +in. Chief was progressing well in his education, and the constant source +of wonder to all was that he did not take the advantage his liberty gave +him to leave them. + +One day John had a long conversation with him on the subject, and +afterwards the boys were curious to know the result of the interview; +but the result of the talk was not, apparently, satisfactory to John, +and the subject was not pressed. He was entirely well, and took a keen +interest in everything around him, and participated in the work. Each +new phase had some special attraction, and as the days passed less +anxiety was felt on this score. + +In one of the evening conferences it was finally decided to make the +preparations for a trip to the portion of the island where the savages +had their homes. This meant a good supply of weapons and ammunition. + +The following circumstances determined them on this course: + +The Professor, addressing John, on this occasion, said: "We were +intensely interested in the review of your experiences on the island; +but there are several things which we are anxious to know about, and in +some particulars you may be able to supply the missing links. We have +not yet shown you the message which we found in the _Investigator's_ +lifeboat, so that if you will get it, Harry, you may be able to tell us +something about it." + +This was the little slip of paper which had on it the following +inscription: "We cannot hold out much longer. Wright and Walters were +captured yesterday. Will." + +Harry handed it to him, and he looked at it for some time. "I do not +know who Wright and Will are, but Walters was one of the crew of the +sailing vessel that we took from San Francisco." + +"Had you any knowledge of any of the boats of the _Investigator_ being +on the west side of the mountains during the time you were in that +neighborhood?" + +"No; during my stay with the tribe to which Chief belonged I tried in +every way to ascertain something about the fate of my companions. Only +once during that time did I get any sort of knowledge on that point. +When I tried to describe the men, all denied any knowledge of them; but +pointed to the youths of the village, and I could not understand what +they meant. That is now made plain to me, as, undoubtedly, they meant +the ones referred to were boys." + +"And, now, there is another thing I want to know from Ralph and Tom. Did +either of you have a photograph of some of the boys on the ship?" + +George found the photograph which they had taken from one of the +warriors in the second day's fight. + +Ralph and Tom both declared that it was the first time they had ever +seen the photograph, and on closer examination it was seen that while +Harry and George were shown on the picture, neither of the other boys' +features were there. + +"Did either of you boys know of any of those mentioned in the message?" + +"I knew a Will, but I do not remember his last name. I do not think +Wright was the name of anyone on shipboard. I am sure he was not one of +the boys," was Ralph's answer. + +This information pointed to two things clearly: That there were other +boys, belonging to their ship, castaway on the island, and that at least +one of the crew of John's vessel might be found. It also assured them of +the certain knowledge that there were others, either wandering about, or +sharing the captivity mentioned in the message. + +"I should state here," continued John, "I was informed by one of the +chiefs that their disposition to the shipwrecked mariners had been, in +the past, a friendly one, but that some time previously, how far back I +do not know, a crew had been saved, and instead of rewarding them for +the service, had murdered one of the chiefs and committed such excesses, +that in self-protection they slaughtered them, and, thereafter, took +prisoners only in order to use them for their sacrifices." + +The plans for the forthcoming expedition were now fully discussed in +every detail. The first proposal was to build a vessel of sufficient +size to accommodate the party, but to this John offered the same +objection which they had theretofore found so potent when the last trip +was undertaken. It would take too long, and when they reached the +savages it would be necessary to make a trip or trips inland. + +The situation now was entirely different. There was no longer a question +in their minds as to the existence of savages, and, furthermore, they +knew the location, and the knowledge of John was positive on another +point: They were not located near the sea, and the most powerful tribes +were far inland. + +All these facts compelled them to undertake the journey overland. The +wagon was the only means to transport their supplies, and as all except +the Professor, were vigorous, they would be far better able to cope with +the savages in that way than by the sea route. + +Now let us see what was necessary for the purposes of defense. They had +a force of six men, as Chief was not considered one of the force, +notwithstanding his friendly attitude. They had ten guns, and Ralph and +Tom had been engaged for weeks in turning out additional gun barrels, +for which the stocks had not yet been prepared. + +John suggested that twenty-five of the guns would be ample for almost +any force that might be brought against them, and that provision should +be made so that while in defense, each could carry two guns, by having +one of them strapped on the back. + +Ammunition was of more importance, really, than guns. They had learned +this at the last encounter, and it was lack of this that eventually +forced them to retreat. + +On that basis, namely, of twenty-five guns, ten rounds would mean two +hundred and fifty shells, and it was then considered that the most +important thing would be to utilize the time of two for the purpose of +making the shells. This was the most laborious process, as every step +had to be done by hand, the dies being in the form of separate punches, +held and driven by hand, as they had no such thing as a press for +manipulating the dies. + +One morning Harry said: "I know it isn't the proper thing to suggest it +while we are all so busy making the preparations for the expedition, but +I think we ought to make a trip to the cave before we start." + +Neither of them objected to the proposal, and George went to the +Professor, and told him that he and Harry had conferred on the subject +of the cave, and with his permission they would take the boys there. + +The Professor's assent was given with a smile of pleasure, and several +lamps were put into condition for the event. All was excitement now with +the young spirits, and the Professor assisted them in the preparations. + +It did not take long to reach the mouth of the cavern, and lighting the +lamps, descended slowly. Neither George nor Harry had informed the boys +of the treasure within the cave, nor of the skeletons which were +discovered, although, when the boys had asked the source of the +skeletons in the laboratory enough of an evasive answer was given to +make them suspect the source, and this was confirmed when Harry told +them, days before, that they had also discovered a cave. + +They descended the steps, and made their way along the passage leading +to the first recess. As the chamber came into view the boys were +entranced at the sight. It was a novelty to them. It was the first time +they had ever witnessed such a thing. + +To Harry and George it was no longer a thing to marvel at. They were +veterans in the exploring field. + +"This makes a fellow feel queer in here," exclaimed Tom, as he glanced +around at the magnificent stalactites. + +"Did we tell you," replied George, "about the mysterious thing that +happened to us the second time we came in?" + +"No; what was it?" + +"We entered from the other opening by the sea." + +"Another opening? Do you mean that this cave has two openings just like +the one John spoke about?" + +"Yes; but this is a mighty long one, and it had a lot of water in it +twice when we visited it, but I don't think we shall find any here now." + +"Why not?" + +"Because we have not had much rain for the past month." + +"But you forgot about the mystery." + +"That's so; we went in from the other end and had gone up nearly to +where the water began, when we put one of the lights on a ledge, and +went forward with the other, and when we had gone about a hundred feet, +it disappeared, and we have never found it to this day." + +"That does seem odd. Do you think it was taken by some one?" + +"Well, we could not possibly account for it in any other way but that it +fell off the ledge by some accident. How that could be possible I don't +know, as George declared he had placed it in a secure position." + +By this time they had reached the recess, and George suggested that the +entire cave should be examined, and Ralph was somewhat in the lead. +Everywhere was the universal whiteness of the calcareous deposit. As +they reached the vicinity of the chests, where the copper vessels were, +they formed a striking contrast to the whiteness all around. + +"What are those things there?" asked Tom, stepping back in surprise, +pointing to the vessels. + +Ralph peered forward, to get a better view. "It looks like kettles of +some kind." + +Harry passed the boys and walking up to one of the kettles, overturned +it, and as a shower of the coins slid out, and rolled about, they were +amazed beyond all description. + +Ralph was the first to recover, and he picked up some of the coins: +"Didn't you know about these? I believe they are gold; look, Tom. Did +you ever see anything like this?" + +Tom was stupefied. "I don't wonder that men will risk their lives to get +treasure like this. Here we didn't hunt for it and we found it." + +"Yes, but Harry and George knew all about it; didn't you?" + +And the boys laughed an assent. + +"Why don't you take it out of here?" + +"Well, it seems to be pretty safe in this place; and if we should have +been attacked by the natives, we should have a place of retreat and have +our treasure with us." + +After putting the coins carefully back, Harry said: "Probably we may be +able to discover something else." And he moved forwardly to the right, +with Tom following close, and the boys pressing up to see what else +might be found. There, at the place where the Professor had deposited +them in a row were the five skeletons, and they presented such a ghastly +sight that they shrank back in horror. + +"We found these in a little different position when we first arrived." + +"In what way?" + +"They were in all sorts of positions in front of the recess, and some of +them had the knives still sticking in their ribs, and one or two, one of +which the Professor has, had a big bullet in the skull, which we took +out and can show you." + +"Where did you find these?" + +"Right in front of the place where the treasure was found." + +"Well, did they have a fight, do you think, for the possession of the +treasure?" + +"Undoubtedly." + +"Now, let us go around to the other side of the cave." + +It will be remembered that in the other portion of the cave the +skeletons and the treasure, as well as the weapons, were left just as +they were found by the boys, because they had never informed the +Professor of their secret visit to the cave, when they discovered the +chained captives and the skeletons about them. + +The party passed around the first projecting wall which separated the +two large chambers, and as they were moving along something sounded in +the second chamber ahead. The boys stopped suddenly. In a moment more +the same peculiar dull and ominous sound was continued, and it seemed to +be very near. + +The boys looked at each other in amazement. During all of the previous +visits there had never been the slightest sound within the cavern. + +"Possibly," said Harry, "it may be running water." + +"It doesn't sound like water to me. I will--" but Harry did not have an +opportunity to say anything more, as a terrific roar, like a cannon +shot, rang out, and the boys were simply petrified. + +"What do you think that was?" whispered George. They drew close +together, and spoke in whispers. + +"This will never do," declared Harry. "If there is anything in this +place we might as well know it now as later. Will you join me in the +hunt?" + +And the boys responded with one assent. "Let us go to the second +chamber. Come on, boys." And they bravely stalked down the corridor. + +When the chamber was reached a hollow laugh greeted them, followed by +two hearty laughs. The Professor and John had entered the opening at the +sea end, and hurriedly made their way to the second chamber, where they +awaited the coming of the boys. + +The boys were intensely relieved, and the Professor was so happy to see +the determined and resolute spirit they manifested, that he complimented +them highly. + +John was no less profuse in his commendations. "I want to say, that men +can be brave when they know what they have to fight, and who their +enemies are; but it takes the stoutest heart to go forth and defend +yourself, or assume the offensive against an unseen and an unknown +enemy." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE WONDERFUL PORTABLE FORT + + +On the return of the party to their home that evening the events of the +day were discussed to the exclusion of everything else, and now was the +opportunity for the boys to learn something about the other cave, of +which John had given a meager account. + +"Would you object to telling us what the wonderful things were which you +saw in the cave at the western part of the island?" was Tom's inquiry. + +"Not in the least. The ship on which we sailed from San Francisco +contained the charts of several caves, one of which was that of the cave +I referred to. I saw the treasure there with my own eyes, and I can +direct you to it, because, notwithstanding the stress of my +surroundings, I took the bearings, on the following day, and it will not +be difficult to locate it." + +"Did you remember the circumstances of the visit to the place where we +were being pursued by the savages?" + +John looked at the Professor, and then at the boys. "I do not remember +such an occurrence," he answered. + +"But I would like to ask the Professor a question," exclaimed George. +"What was it that made you give us that quick advice to leave the mouth +of the cave when we wanted it as a hiding place?" + +"I saw from the carefully hidden, but trodden, path, that some one must +have used it as a place of refuge, and concluded that as it was so near +the village it might have been some of the clans of the tribe, either as +a place of concealment from their enemies, in case of attack, or by some +of the so-called religious communities which many of the tribes have." + +"In what way did you discover that this cave had been charted?" + +"First by the peculiarity, that it had two entrances, on opposite sides +of a hill, and secondly, by the singular internal arrangement, which +stated that within the corridors and the chambers constituted a cross, +and the treasures were to be found at the extremities of the cross +limbs, within the two large chambers." + +"Then you knew of the existence of this island, before you sailed?" + +"No; the chart merely described the characteristics of the caverns, but +stated they were located on islands in the South Seas." + +"Do you think our cave here is one of them?" + +"I do not think so, as I do not recall any description which would fit +this cave, except the two entrances, and that is not uncommon." + +"The chart stated that there was another cave fifteen leagues to the +southeast of that cave, which also contained treasure, and that was the +principal reason why I traveled in that direction, and thus found myself +in the savage-inhabited part of the island." + +"Fifteen leagues? How far would that be?" + +"Forty-five miles." + +Nothing more was needed as a stimulus for the boys. They had truly been +thrown on an island of wonder. + +"Why is it," asked Ralph, "that so much of the treasure of the world was +hidden in these out-of-the-way places by the pirates?" + +"I imagine," replied John, "that they didn't have much confidence in the +rest of the world. The manner in which they got most of the money was by +acts of piracy on the high seas, and it was necessary to hide the +proceeds of the robberies as fast as acquired, because if they should be +captured, its possession would at once seal their doom. These hidden +treasures are distributed over every part of the world. As to the other +part of your question, the vast hoards of gold and silver so +distributed, formed a very small part of the wealth of the old world. It +is not known how vast a sum Pizarro took from the Inca in Peru, but it +is estimated variously at from twelve to twenty tons." + +The boys opened their eyes in astonishment. + +"How much would that be worth in money?" + +"Counting it at the present value of gold, every pennyweight would be +worth a dollar." + +"Let me see; twenty pennyweights in an ounce, and twelve ounces in a +pound; that would be two hundred and forty dollars in a pound." + +"That is right." + +"And then twenty tons would be 40,000 pounds. And multiplying that by +240 would make $9,600,000. My, what a lot of money!" + +"Cortez, at about the same time, conquered Mexico, and secured a much +greater amount. All over the western hemisphere, from northern Mexico +down to Peru, untold millions of gold and silver were looted by the +Spanish and Portuguese navigators, and taken to Europe, and it is +estimated that as much more was disposed of in these hidden recesses, +and those who deposited them were swept off the seas, and all knowledge +of the caches were lost." + +"During what times was most of this money deposited?" + +"The pirates which infested the coasts of Spanish America and the West +Indies, flourished in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. +Originally the French and English during the wars against Spain used the +expedition against her ships, as acts of war, but later on, after peace +was established in Europe, the buccaneers continued in their +depredations, and it was made unlawful by all the great nations." + +From that day there was no cessation on the part of the entire working +force to prepare the necessary ammunition required for a campaign +against the savages. It should be stated that by this time Chief had +learned many things, and John took particular pains to teach him daily, +until he could pronounce many words very distinctly, and understood the +meaning of them. + +It was surprising to see how quickly his mind grasped the association of +a verb with some name, and the simplest and most common verbs of action +were taught. In this way it became apparent that all should be cautious +about talking of the proposed expedition in his presence. Nevertheless +all were anxious to enlist him in the enterprise. + +He never inquired about the gun barrels, and curiously enough seemed to +take no interest in any of the weapons but the spears and arrows. He was +a fine archer. This was demonstrated on several occasions, the only +difficulty being that the bows which the boys had were too small. + +Chief selected his own branches, for the bows, and showed the boys how +to hold the arrows, and the distance he could propel them was marvelous. +They were not by any manner of means a match, by comparison, with the +guns, but they would be dangerous missiles if attacked in the open, and +of this fact the boys had learned several lessons. + +The wagon, which was constructed before the first trip across the +island, had been through some tough places, and the wheels and axles +were in bad condition. These needed replacing, and that was a task which +would occupy some time. + +One day, at the evening meal, the boys asked about Chief. He had not +been noticed by anyone since noon. + +He was usually at work with Harry, who was asked concerning him. + +"The last I saw of him was right after lunch, and he was going in the +direction of the clay bank. As he was in the habit of going there quite +frequently I paid no attention to him." + +"Did he have anything with him, that you noticed?" + +"Nothing but the bolo and the bow and arrows that he always took." + +"Possibly he is on some mission," replied the Professor. "It does not +seem likely that he has determined to desert us; but it may be he has +grown tired of this existence. It is a curious phase of these matters, +however, which, I believe, will apply in his case, that when he goes +back he will find his old life a very disquieting one to him, and I +predict he will be here again within a month." + +"By that time we will be on our way toward his section, and I hope we +shall have the opportunity of meeting him," responded John. + +What required more attention than any part of the equipment, aside from +the ammunition, was the structure of the wagon. This had to be a fort +for them, and so arranged that it could be put up to meet an attack from +any quarter. + +But this, unfortunately, left the yaks exposed to the assaults of the +spears and arrows, and John suggested a novel addition to the wagon +equipment. + +"My idea is this: As we are all pretty strong, excepting the Professor, +to stand the march on foot, I would convert our wagon into a vehicle +which would carry the fort with us, and this fort, whenever we camped, +could be set up so that the yaks would be inside, and thus protected as +well as ourselves. + +"To effect this the more readily, my plan would be to make three +sections of boards, in the form of a fence, each section to be six feet +high and ten feet long. These should be either folded together in the +middle lengthwise, so they could be nested together and swung below the +axles between the wheels, and set up to form a square at one side of the +wagon. + +"One side of the wagon body could be made to be let down, so as to form +a protection below the body of the wagon. Within that enclosure the yaks +could be stationed, if we should be attacked, and for the purpose of +defense, four of us would be within the enclosure and two in the wagon +to protect it from that side. + +[Illustration: _Fig. 33. The Portable Fort._] + +"The sketch which I have made shows these features, in which you will +see (Fig. 33), the side boards (A) hinged along the middle line, as at +B. These would be held at the outer corners by posts C. In the sketch +the side board of the wagon body has been let down, so access can be +had to the wagon." + +The plan, so ingeniously contrived, pleased the fancy of the boys. + +"I imagine," said Harry, "this will be the first time people ever +carried their fort with them. It will be fun to meet the savages with +that kind of an outfit." + +"You must not think, however," continued John, "that this is all we +shall need. We must take in the wagon sufficient food for the yaks to +withstand a siege, so that with our own provisions, guns and ammunition, +we shall have a pretty good load." + +"How heavy will the three sections of fence weigh?" + +"I estimate that, as we shall want the boards made of good wood, the +weight will be thirty pounds per cubic foot, and as all the boards will +take fourteen cubic feet of lumber, the total weight, including the +posts, can be brought within 450 pounds, and I do not think our other +material will weigh much over 500 more." + +"That would not be a hard load," observed the Professor, "as we have +often hauled a ton, but it would be well to make a new set of wheels, +and we can then take with us an extra wheel for the front and rear." + +"I think we should take tools along also," said Tom, "because we can +always make our own repairs, in that event." + +"I am glad you referred to that. It is certainly a suggestion in the +right direction. Are there any more observations from any of the other +army engineers?" + +"I may be wrong," answered Harry, "but it seems to me that one of the +folding fences should be put on each side of the wagon body, and the +third under the wagon." + +"What is your reason for that?" asked Tom. + +"Because we may want to put up the fort in a big hurry some time, and by +having them at the three places, and have it understood who are to take +out each section, it would be the work of a few moments only to set it +up, because each set of workers could handle his section without +interference from the others." + +"That is really a stroke of genius. Certainly, that is the sensible +way," responded John. + +"It is simply another illustration," added the Professor, "how men, +looking at things from different standpoints, will see the defects in +each other's work. That is the story of every great invention." + +These conferences were of the greatest value to the boys. It pointed out +how men, through force of circumstances, were compelled to devise things +for their need. + +George had been an intent listener during these discussions. "It does +seem that the old statement, 'that necessity is the mother of +invention,' is true." + +The Professor turned to him smilingly, as he replied: "That may be so in +very many eases, it is true, but I imagine that in the vast majority of +instances the necessity was in the mind of the inventor to get some +money. The thought of that requirement was a more vivid thing to him +than the real need of the article as an economic necessity." + +"Do you really think that is the case?" + +"If my memory is not at fault, the people of England howled with +derision when the first locomotive was built; the men who put out the +first sewing machine had their stores broken into and the machines +smashed; and the telephone when first installed was considered simply as +a plaything and curiosity, and not as a useful improvement. It has been +the history of every age and of most of the great inventions. After the +inventions were completed, and their value shown, the merchant and the +manufacturer created the demand, and then the articles became a +necessity, and not before. For this reason I think the proverb should be +amended to say that 'the necessity of the inventor is the mother of +invention.'" + +Before starting on the trip the matter of clothing had to be attended +to. A quantity of ramie had been cut, and put in water, for the purpose +of rotting the woody fiber, and this was taken out of the water as fast +as it was ready, and cleaned and combed, and at times worked up into +threads, which were placed in the loom, and a coarse cloth thus woven. + +This was, necessarily, a slow process, and consumed considerable time. +This, together with the making of the percussion caps, was the tedious +part of all the preparations. Every energy was put forth to get the +different things required. Harry and Tom had made up the fort, and John +suggested the idea of having a drill exercise in setting it up, so that +the work could be performed without interference. + +During the day, when the posts and the fastenings were all ready, the +wagon was brought out and the yaks yoked up. The elements of the fort +were attached to the wagon, in the manner that they were to be +transported. As there were three sections of the fort, one on each side +of the wagon body and one below the axles, it was provided that the six +should form three divisions; the Professor and Ralph, John and Tom, and +Harry and George the couples for setting up the fort. + +As Harry and George were the most familiar with the animals, and knew +better than the others how to handle them, it was made a part of their +duty, when the signal was given, to unyoke and turn the yaks to the +proper place at the side of the wagon. + +While this was being done, the Professor and Ralph were to detach the +section on the side of the wagon where the fort was to be set up, and +carry it out at right angles and at the forward end of the wagon. At the +same time John and Tom would take the section on the opposite side of +the wagon and carry it around to form the end of the fort. + +This would then give Harry and George the opportunity to take the part +below the wagon and erect it at the rear angle of the wagon, while Tom +and Ralph were getting the posts for the outer ends of the fort. + +When all was ready, the signal was given, and the various divisions +sprang to their allotted work. They marveled at the celerity with which +the fort was put up. + +"I see a serious defect in the arrangement at one point," said Tom. + +"What is that?" was the question from all. + +"You see we have the fort ready, but it is adapted for one side of the +wagon only. It may be most important to have it arranged so that either +side of the wagon can be used for the fort." + +"A fine suggestion," answered John. "That change can be made by having +both sides of the body so they can be let down." + +George also had a good suggestion to make. "According to the +calculations we have fourteen cubic feet of material, and it is light +wood, at that. Why couldn't the fort be utilized as a raft, so as to +save the cutting of green timber, which is so heavy?" + +"Well," said the Professor, smiling, "we are developing this at an +immense rate. The new idea is the starting point for an invention to so +arrange the sections as to make them act as floats. Here is a great +opportunity for the genius." + +Tom and Harry conferred on this subject for some time, and after +luncheon, announced the plan: "It is fortunate that the axles of our +wheels project. It will be an easy matter to take the sections from the +sides of the body and attach one edge of each section to the projecting +ends of the axles, and then the two posts can be used as braces to run +up from the outer edges on the sections to the upper edges of the body. +The third section can be left under the axles where it now is." + +John was delighted at the simple solution of this problem. + +"I really believe," said Tom, "that we can adjust the sections in that +way while the wagon is moving, as it can be attached without any +difficulty." + +It is wonderful how one improvement marks the advance stride for the +next. Invention is really nothing but a step by step movement; a little +addition here, another accretion there, and so on, so that invention has +been shown to be, not a matter of quantity, but of quality. The mere +bending of a wire, if it produces a new and useful result, is just as +much entitled to the dignity of an invention, as a room full of +intricate mechanism. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +TRAILING A WARRING PARTY OF NATIVES + + +"Professor, won't you tell us what the difference is between weight and +gravity? We have been discussing that matter this afternoon." + +"Gravity is a force by virtue of which all bodies tend to approach each +other constantly; and weight is the measure of the effect of gravity +acting upon a body. The two are often confounded." + +"Now, the next thing we want to know is, does gravity act in all +directions?" + +"Yes; and the attraction of one body for another is in proportion to its +mass--that is to say, if two bodies, one weighing one and the other two +pounds, should be hung near each other, the heavy object would pull the +lighter one twice the distance it would itself move." + +"Do you mean to say that everything on earth attracts everything else? I +thought it was only the earth that had the power to attract." + +"The earth is no different from any other object in that particular, but +on account of its immense size everything goes toward it and its motion +toward the small object is not noticed." + +"Is there any way that such a statement could be proved?" + +"I suggest one plan: select two walls, close together, or two tall +trees, and run a wire across, as I show in the sketch (Fig. 32). From +that cross wire, A, suspend three objects by cords, B, C, D. The cord B +is exactly midway between the two walls, and the other cords C, D, and +so attached that the objects at their lower ends hang close to the +walls. It will be found that the cords C, D are farther apart at their +lower ends than at the upper ends, and that the cord B is exactly plumb, +as it is affected equally by the attraction of the opposite walls." + +[Illustration: _Fig. 34. Gravitational pull._] + +The new raft attachment was completed, and Harry made the suggestion +that it ought to be put to a practical test, and that a good place to do +this would be below the cataract, where it was wide and deep enough to +float. + +The drill was affected for attaching the sections, as shown in the +drawing (Fig. 35), in which A represents the section under the axles, +and B, C the two side sections, attached at their inner edges to the +ends of the axles, and with the posts D serving as braces. + +The yaks seemed to know their business instinctively, and moved down +into the water slowly, and the improvised raft not only prevented the +body from sinking into the water very low, but it had a wonderful +steadying effect, because the side sections served as wings to prevent +lateral swaying. + +[Illustration: _Fig. 35. Using the Fort as a Raft._] + +The crossing and the return were made without accident, and the sections +returned and fixed in place, and the wagon was now completed for the +journey. + +A considerable quantity of the barley flour was ground, and both honey +and cane sugar taken in the vessels which had been recovered from the +cave. The ammunition was stored in four boxes at convenient places +within the body, and the little metal stove, with the cooking utensils, +located near the rear end, where they could be conveniently taken out +and returned. + +The three sleeping mattresses were stored in the bottom of the body, +near the forward end, and as the sides of the body were three feet high, +it can be understood that there was an abundance of room for them, and +for the other things which were carried along for their convenience and +comfort. + +Everything was bustle and rush. Angel was as busy as the rest. It was +his joy to carry things to the wagon, at George's behest, and when the +hour for starting came, and the house was about to be locked, he rushed +into the room, before George could close it, and mount to the rafters. + +George followed his movements without a word. He was back in an instant +with the little mirror which George had given him some weeks before. It +was the only time he had taken it down or brought it within sight of +those around him. + +With this treasure in his hand he scrambled to the wagon, and found a +secure place in the top bows of the wagon, and then hung on the rear bow +and waited for the start. He loved these jaunts in the wagon, and they +had been frequently made during the past four weeks, but he had never +taken the mirror. How did he know that they were going for a journey? + +With a good-by to their herd, the jolly party of boys began the trail +through the forests, this time not for the love of adventure, or to +learn what they had about them, but to relieve their fellows and to be +of service to the benighted people who were their neighbors. + +As in former times, the Professor cautioned them against haste during +the initial portion of the journey, and until they became accustomed to +the rough part of the work. Much of the time during the first few days +could be devoted to hunting, so as to get a good supply of food, which, +later on, might be of great service to them. + +The course decided on was to go directly west, and after entering the +forest to move southwardly until the South River was reached, and thus +pass the falls. Ralph and George had never been in that section of the +island, and all were desirous of again visiting the spot where so many +of their experiences had taken place, and in a region that gave them the +most startling surprises and mysteries, some of which were not yet +unraveled. + +Shortly after the noonday hour the roaring of the falling water was +distinctly heard, and the boys hurried forward to see it, followed by +the wagon. + +"Here is the place we found the lifeboat--the one we have at +Cataract--right across the river, near that tree. A little farther up +we'll show you where we put our boat--that is the one we started out +with to explore the river, and the one which disappeared." + +While passing up toward the falls, John stopped suddenly at a mass of +the driftwood, and called to Tom, who was nearest, "Pull that log over; +I want to see what this is." + +Tom obeyed at once, and while he held up the log indicated, John, after +considerable exertion, drew forth a smaller log, which had evidently +been cut off with some dull tool, and when Harry came to the rescue the +entire log was extricated, and all saw a piece of rope attached, and the +indication at two places where evidently it had been in scraping contact +with some other timbers. + +"Did you see the rope?" asked the Professor, "before the log attracted +you?" + +"No; the end of the log could not have been broken off in that manner, +and when it was drawn out the rope followed." + +"It is the same kind of rope we found on our boat at the beach. The +boat, as you remember, was left by us a little above this place." + +"I do not remember ever having been here before," answered John. + +They had forgotten that John visited the place before he had recovered +his memory. + +The log was evidence that some one above the falls used it as a raft, +and from its position could not have been there many months, and +probably was washed there at the time of the last severe rains about ten +weeks previously. + +John removed the rope, and put it in the wagon, and the boys noted the +approving manner of the Professor as he did this. + +They passed up around the falls, and camped for the night on the bank of +the river. In the morning the stream was followed for ten miles, and the +Professor stated that, owing to the rough character of the country +adjacent to the stream, it would be advisable to leave the valley and +pass to the right. + +During one of the previous trips they were compelled to do this, but +that brought them to a dense forest, which was almost impenetrable in +many places, and they had to avoid this also. + +Before evening this forest appeared in view, and a halt was called for +the purpose of reconnoitering the position, and to ascertain if it could +not be avoided. John and Ralph made a long trip to the north, and it was +found that it extended in that direction too far to make the long +detour. + +"As the forest will be a very trying course to take, I suggest that we +turn directly south and either cross the river or investigate the +country on the other side in the direction of the mountains. We have +never gone there, and it is likely the country is not as rough, and what +little wood is in that neighborhood may not impede us much." + +The suggestion was followed, and before night they again encamped on the +shore of South River. + +"Before taking the team across let us make an investigation for several +miles, at least to see the traveling conditions, and if Ralph will +accompany me, it will be no difficulty to get back in time for a fairly +early start." + +Ralph was only too willing to accompany John, and a raft was improvised +for the occasion, and they plunged into the rising ground beyond. As +they advanced it was apparent that the surface was much better than at +any part of the journey from the falls, and the return journey was made +as quickly as possible. + +After crossing, the river was followed for a time, and then the rising +ground was considered more favorable, and good time was made during the +day. At the end of the second day the encampment was made for the night +by the side of a little stream which flowed from the mountains to the +left of their course. + +During the previous nights Angel was quiet, but as darkness set in his +uneasiness gave George sufficient information to indicate some trouble, +and the boys attributed it to the presence of the wild animals, which +they knew abounded on the south side of the stream. + +Two were delegated to watch during the night, and at recurring intervals +Angel manifested alarm. From midnight until the break of day he was +constantly awake, and showed his alarm, but when it was daylight a +hurried survey of the immediate locality betrayed no signs of an enemy. + +Within a mile of their camp they came across a camp fire, around which +was strewn the bones which were left from the feast. The Professor and +John were up in an instant and carefully examined the litter surrounding +the fire, as well as the indications of footprints. The latter were +unmistakable at many places, and both announced that the savages had +been there, beyond question. + +This meant the appointment of a scouting party for the advance of the +team, and John took this duty on himself, stipulating that the different +boys should alternately accompany him, and thus adapt themselves to the +serious work that scouting meant. + +Harry was the first detailed to go with him, and at intervals he would +go back and signal the team to follow, so that they made fair time along +the immediate vicinity of the stream, and thus progressed with some +speed, in what now appeared to be the country where the savages lurked. + +In the march John found numerous marks of the savages, and before noon +was halted at the remains of a fire still glowing, that the savages had +quitted not an hour before. + +"How many do you think are in the party?" + +"Not more than a half dozen." + +"It seems to me we ought to stop a day, so they could get ahead of us, +or we might run into them." + +"I am making every effort to catch up with them. We are out to meet the +savages, and the sooner we get a chance at them the better it will be." + +Harry had not taken that view of it, and concluded John's plan was the +proper thing to follow out. + +"I think myself it would be better to meet a half dozen than the whole +tribe." But that, even, was not John's purpose. + +When they reached the wagon, after the glowing camp fire had been +discovered, John hurriedly gave his views: "The band is in our immediate +vicinity. If we hurry up we can catch up with them before night. I have +trailed them now for three hours. I will continue the pursuit as fast as +possible, and it would be well to follow me as fast as the yaks can be +driven through the brush. We must meet them and capture them before they +reach their main band, so that we can get such information as they may +have for our guidance." + +John, Harry and Ralph now plunged forward, so that the two boys would +enable him to make a chain of information back to the wagon, and it was +understood that the moment they were sighted, the wagon was to be +hurried forward to the spot selected by John. + +It was not anticipated that the band would be numerous enough to require +them to establish their traveling fort, and the sole object was to +capture one or more of the savages in the first engagement. + +For some reason John did not report sighting them during the entire +afternoon, and they were again compelled to camp without getting a sight +of the enemy. On this occasion the fort was put up, but no attempt was +made to light a fire. + +As soon as darkness set in, John motioned to Tom to follow him, and +together they quietly made their way to the southwest, in the direction +of the trail they had followed during the day. + +Within an hour both returned, and announced that the camp had been +discovered to the front and right of their position, and George and Tom +went in that direction, after being cautioned by John to observe the +strictest care not to disturb them by approaching too close. + +The Professor and John had a long conference as to the wisest course +under the circumstances. "I am of the opinion that we should never allow +them to leave that camp," was John's observation, "because we are in a +much better position to dictate to them during the hours of darkness, if +we surround them." + +"My only doubts about that plan maybe summed up as follows: We can +easily defeat them in a hand-to-hand fight; but we do not want to +slaughter them. If we can make them captives we shall have a strong +lever to work with in treating with the main band. In the night time it +is always a hazardous enterprise, and we cannot afford to risk the lives +of the boys." + +"Then," John responded, "let us wait until morning, and before the sun +is up we can surround their position, and when it is light enough to see +approach them from the six quarters and demand surrender." + +"I like that suggestion better than the other. It looks like a safe +plan, and it will prevent needless bloodshed, without risking the lives +of any, unless they show a bitter fight." + +When the two boys returned the decision to surround the camp before +daybreak was announced, and the night was a long, long period of anxiety +to them. They had no fear of the results, nor would either hesitate for +a moment to engage in it, because all had become seasoned with the +perils of the past year. + +It was the unexpected, the exhilaration of knowing that they had the +strength to attack the savages, that made them restless and to long for +the morning hours. + +The first appearance of the slightest gray in the east was the signal +for preparation. + +John led the way. As they were starting, John said: "This is a most +important step, because if we succeed we may be able to dictate to at +least one tribe, and that tribe the most powerful and vindictive on the +island. When we approach within a certain distance the Professor, Harry +and Tom will remain at the spot selected, and you, Ralph and George must +follow me. In order that you may know the plans fully, I will state +that together we three will turn to the left and make a detour through +the woods around their position, and I will leave Ralph at one point in +the circle, and with George follow around to a point exactly opposite +this place, when he will go on around the camp toward your direction. + +"When you think we have about reached the positions indicated, Harry +will take up his position to the left of the Professor, in the circle, +and Tom to the right, so that our respective positions will be in this +order: First, the Professor, then in order to the left, Harry, Ralph, +myself, George and Tom. + +"Each has two guns, and I have also the pistol. The signal will be the +firing of the pistol. The moment you hear that all must rush forward in +the direction of the camp, and I will endeavor to reach the open so as +to attract them first and demand their surrender. After you have shown +yourselves, do not advance until I give the word, but have your guns +ready in case they attempt to make any resistance." + +The party stole forward carefully, and the Professor with the two boys +waited a sufficient time to be sure they had selected the proper places +in the circle, when Ralph appeared, and held up his hand in token of +silence, and all he said was: "Back to the wagon as quickly as +possible." + +The "Capture and Pursuit" will relate some of the most thrilling scenes +in the entire history of Wonder Island, following the adventure here +related. + + + + +GLOSSARY OF WORDS +USED IN TEXT + + Archeological. Pertaining to the study of man, or of relics. + + Attributed. To describe as belonging to; to refer, as an effect + to a cause. + + Amalgam. The unity of any metal with mercury. + + Accretion. To add to; an addition. + + Antiquity. Ancient. In olden times. + + Anticipation. The looking forward to the future. + + Analysis. To separate; to find out the principal parts. + + Aphasia. The term used to define the loss of memory. + + Abruptly. To cut off short; at once; speedily. + + Admonished. Warned; advised beforehand. + + Alacrity. Quickly; without delay. + + Animated. Lively, or quickened action. + + Attribute. A quality; as a kind act. + + Aspiration. A desire; a wish for another condition or state. + + Benighted. Not advanced, or civilized. + + Bolero. A Spanish dance illustrative of the passion of love. + + Brandished. A motion of the arms or body; the menacing motion of + a weapon. + + Caches. A hidden or concealed spot. + + Castilian. Pertaining to the Spanish. + + Calcareous. Lime formation. + + Celerity. With speed. + + Celestial. Pertaining to the heavens. + + Cereal. Any edible grass, seed or grain. + + Chaparral. A thick tangle of shrubbery or brush. + + Cotillion. A square dance for four couples. + + Cosack. A Russian dance. + + Contracted. Made smaller; reduced, compass. + + Conformation. In the same form; in the like manner. + + Concerted. By agreement; all together. + + Confirmation. A proven fact or thing. + + Consternation. Awe inspiring; fearful. + + Constellation. An arbitrary assemblage or group of stars, or a + portion of the heavens occupied by such group. + + Complication. Mixed up; without an intelligent or designed + arrangement. + + Coincidence. One thing happening with another. + + Commodious. Ample in size. Very large. + + Contend. To argue in favor of. + + Corrosive sublimate. A deadly poison; sulphid of mercury. + + Crouching. A low-bending attitude. + + Cracovienna. A graceful Polish dance. + + Crucial. The test; trying; decisive. + + Derision. To make the object of mockery or ridicule. + + Devolved. To throw the burden on. To assume the responsibility. + + Decomposition. To change; to put into its original form. + + Depletion. To take away from. To lessen. + + Denuded. To uncover. + + Disposition. To make the arrangements for. + + Discerned. Discovered; noticed. + + Discomfiture. Being beaten. + + Discarded. Thrown away; to dispense with. + + Diversion. To do something different; otherwise. + + Disclose. To show; to inform concerning. + + Disseminated. To spread broadcast. + + Disdain. To look down upon. + + Disjointed. Not in good condition; all awry. + + Divined. Understood; having knowledge of. + + Disquieting. Not at ease. + + Domesticated. Tamed; not wild, or in a wild state. + + Economic. Pertaining to the means or methods of living well. + + Effective. Well organized. Strong. + + Egotistic. Having a good opinion of one's self. + + Exhilarating. Joyful; brightening; happy condition. + + Elude. To evade; to circumvent. + + Enigma. Concealed; difficult to comprehend. + + Emaciated. Thin from want of food. + + Emergency. The appointed time for a difficult matter. + + Equinoctial. Referring to the time when the sun passes the + celestial equator. + + Eventually. Finally; when a certain time has arrived. + + Extricated. To rescue from. + + Factions. Parties; tribes; clans. + + Faculty. That quality or attribute of the mind or body, like + intelligence or strength. + + Fandango. A Spanish dance in triple time. + + Facility. Ease; without difficulty. + + Fixed star. A heavenly body, supposedly like our sun, around + which certain planets revolve. + + Flanking. Going around; at the sides. + + Foundering. To sink, or to plunge downwardly. + + Gangue. The dross matter in ore. + + Gallopade. A brisk German dance in rapid measure. + + Geologist. One who studies the structure of the earth. + + Genial. A pleasant disposition. + + Gravity. The attraction of mass for mass. + + Guttural. A sound issuing forth from the lower part of the + throat. + + Guardian. An individual appointed to care for the person of a + minor. + + Harassment. To cause difficulties, troubles or worries. + + Hemisphere. One half of a globe. + + Heralded. To advertise; to notify; to inform. + + Hornpipe. A very lively English country dance for one person. + + Horizontal. A line at right angles to the center of the earth. + The surface of water is horizontal. + + Hoodoos. Coined from the cry "hoo" of a child, and the Scotch + word "doo," meaning the cry of the dove. The general meaning + now being low characters. + + Hypnotism. That quality which enables certain persons from + influencing others by some power of the mind. + + Impervious. Of such a character that water will not go through. + + Imbued. To instill in; to convince. + + Impenetrable. So that it cannot be passed through or into. + + Intricate. Not easily solved. Difficult to understand. + + Installed. Set up; put into order. Built up. + + Interpreted. Made plain. To decipher a foreign tongue. + + Inevitable. Bound to come to pass; the natural course of events. + + Incessant. Continually; without stopping. + + Indescribable. Difficult to explain or set forth. + + Inflamed. To become heated; usually applied to a wound in the + process of healing. + + Intuition. The condition of the mind where conditions are easily + understood without explanations. + + Inaction. Not active; not disposed to take part. + + Integral. The principal element. A part of. Constituting a + completed whole. + + Impetuosity. Being prompt; quick. + + Iodide. A compound or salt in which iodine is used. + + Jungle fever. A malarial or intermittent fever, well known in + Africa and India. + + Jig. A light gay dance with a very lively music. + + Lashed. Beaten with a whip. + + Loathsome. Exciting extreme aversion or disgust. + + Matured. Complete in the mind; a perfect plant, flower, fruit. + + Magnitude. Largeness; immensity. + + Mazurka. A lively round dance resembling the polka, intended for + four or eight couples, based on the Polish national dance. + + Merge. To assimilate; to go into; to come together. + + Mechanically. Done with precision; partaking of mechanism. + + Metallurgical. Pertaining to the study of minerals. + + Minuet. A stately dance in triple measure, dating from the 17th + century. + + Mimicry. To imitate in a comical way. + + Morose. Not a happy or bright disposition. + + Monotonous. Without change; in one tone; a continual similarity. + + Momentarily. For the instant; immediately. + + Monsoon. A terrible wind that blows in the southern hemisphere at + regular intervals. + + Negative. No; the opposite of yes; not decisive. + + Nitrate. A salt of nitric acid. + + Nonchalant. A state of mind indicating lack of interest. + + Nonplussed. Confused or disconcerted. + + Numerically. Considered from the standpoint of numbers. + + Nutritious. Anything that has the quality of sustaining life, as + a food. + + Obeisance. An act of courtesy. + + Obliterate. To wipe out; to destroy. + + Orgy. Wild or wanton revelry. + + Ostentatiously. Open; to be readily seen. + + Quadrille. A square dance for four couples, dating from the 18th + century. + + Quarantine. A system of police and medical regulations, + established at frontiers and ports. + + Pathetic. Arousing tender emotions. + + Parallelogram. A figure longer than its width, with the two + opposite sides parallel with each other. + + Petrified. Turned into stone, literally; seemingly rigid. + + Ostentatiously. Having the appearance of doing certain things. + + Perturbations. Disturbances. Worried. + + Perchance. By the way; a chance happening. + + Piracy. On the high seas an act of robbery, or unlawful taking of + goods. + + Physics. The science of energy. That which treats of the + phenomena of all matter. + + Posture. Position; condition. + + Portentous. Important; making a show; greater than ordinary. + + Propounded. An offer; a question. + + Proficient. Ability; well equipped. + + Precipitated. Thrown down; settlings; coming from above. + + Primitive. The first; original way of doing a thing. + + Prolific. Many; a great variety. + + Providential. Very fortunate; a happening of great value or + importance at the right time. + + Protestations. To assert earnestly. + + Precipitous. Quick action; doing without waiting. + + Predisposed. Having the desire beforehand; a set opinion. + + Precautionary. Acting slowly and wisely; taking advantage of + something ahead of the time to act. + + Psychological. Pertaining to the science of the human soul and + its operations. + + Ramie. A fibrous plant, used in making fabrics of various kinds. + + Rankling. A feeling of resentment. + + Secluded. Hidden; carefully kept out of sight. + + Shrouds. One of the stout ropes, often made of wire, that are + stretched from the mast-head of a vessel to the sides or to + the rims of a top, serving as a means of ascent and as + lateral stays for the mast. + + Spasmodic. Not regular; in fits. + + Sortie. A term applied to rushing tactics in battle. + + Spectrum. The term applied to the scientific division of the + light rays projected from an object. + + Stoically. A brave exhibition during pain, or when unfortunate; + bearing up bravely. + + Strenuous. Vigorous; working diligently. + + Stipulate. Making an arrangement; a contract, or parts of an + agreement. + + Stupefied. Rendered dumb or speechless for a time. + + Stanchion. A standard, post, or other upright. + + Sulphate. A metal having sulphur as its principal element in + combination. + + Superficially. On the surface; not well considered. + + Tarantella. A lively Neapolitan dance in triplets for one couple. + + Tension. Stretched; a mind under stress. + + Tendon. The strong band or cord of connective tissue forming the + connections of the fleshy portions of the muscle. + + Temporary. For the time being only; for a little while. + + Terminated. Ended; the stopping of a certain thing. + + Tenacity. Strong; fixed in purpose. + + Theodolite. A portable instrument for measuring horizontal and + vertical lines. It comprises a telescope and a graduated + circle, showing degrees. + + Toggle. A pin or short rod, properly attached in the middle as + to a chain or rope, and designed to hold something by being + passed through a hole or eye. + + Traversed. Gone over; traveled over that area. + + Transit. Passed; going by. + + Trophy. Something captured; usually applied to spoils in war. + + Tribute. A compliment; a reward. + + Tributary. Something which applies as a smaller to a greater; as + a small stream which flows into a greater. + + Veered. Changed in direction; going aside. + + Vindictive. Bitter; hostile; with a desire for revenge. + + Volatilized. Changed from a solid into a gas. + + + + + +THE "HOW-TO-DO-IT" BOOKS + + +CARPENTRY FOR BOYS + +A book which treats, in a most practical and fascinating manner all +subjects pertaining to the "King of Trades"; showing the care and use of +tools; drawing; designing, and the laying out of work; the principles +involved in the building of various kinds of structures, and the +rudiments of architecture. It contains over two hundred and fifty +illustrations made especially for this work, and includes also a +complete glossary of the technical terms used in the art. The most +comprehensive volume on this subject ever published for boys. + + +ELECTRICITY FOR BOYS + +The author has adopted the unique plan of setting forth the fundamental +principles in each phase of the science, and practically applying the +work in the successive stages. It shows how the knowledge has been +developed, and the reasons for the various phenomena, without using +technical words so as to bring it within the compass of every boy. It +has a complete glossary of terms, and is illustrated with two hundred +original drawings. + + +PRACTICAL MECHANICS FOR BOYS + +This book takes the beginner through a comprehensive series of practical +shop work, in which the uses of tools, and the structure and handling of +shop machinery are set forth; how they are utilized to perform the work, +and the manner in which all dimensional work is carried out. Every +subject is illustrated, and model building explained. It contains a +glossary which comprises a new system of cross references, a feature +that will prove a welcome departure in explaining subjects. Fully +illustrated. + + + _Price 60 cents per volume_ + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK + + + + +THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUTS + + +A SERIES OF BOOKS FOR BOYS + +Which, in addition to the interesting boy scout stories by CAPTAIN ALAN + DOUGLAS, Scoutmaster, contain articles on nature lore, native animals + and a fund of other information pertaining to out-of-door life, + that will appeal to the boy's love of the open + +I. THE CAMPFIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL + +Their first camping experience affords the scouts splendid opportunities +to use their recently acquired knowledge in a practical way. Elmer +Chenoweth, a lad from the northwest woods, astonishes everyone by his +familiarity with camp life. A clean, wholesome story every boy should +read. + +II. WOODCRAFT; OR, HOW A PATROL LEADER MADE GOOD + +This tale presents many stirring situations in which some of the boys +are called upon to exercise all their ingenuity and unselfishness. A +story filled with healthful excitement. + +III. PATHFINDER; OR, THE MISSING TENDERFOOT + +Some mysteries are cleared up in a most unexpected way, greatly to the +credit of our young friends. A variety of incidents follow fast, one +after the other. + +IV. FAST NINE; OR, A CHALLENGE FROM FAIRFIELD + +They show the same team-work here as when in camp. The description of +the final game with the team of a rival town, and the outcome thereof, +form a stirring narrative. One of the best baseball stories of recent +years. + +V. GREAT HIKE; OR, THE PRIDE OF THE KHAKI TROOP + +After weeks of preparation the scouts start out on their greatest +undertaking. Their march takes them far from home, and the good-natured +rivalry of the different patrols furnishes many interesting and amusing +situations. + +VI. ENDURANCE TEST; OR, HOW CLEAR GRIT WON THE DAY + +Few stories "get" us more than illustrations of pluck in the face of +apparent failure. Our heroes show the stuff they are made of and +surprise their most ardent admirers. One of the best stories Captain +Douglas has written. + + +BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE TO BE FOUND IN THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUT SERIES + +Wild Animals of the United States--Tracking--in Number I. + +Trees and Wild Flowers of the United States in Number II. + +Reptiles of the United States in Number III. + +Fishes of the United States in Number IV. + +Insects of the United States in Number V. + +Birds of the United States in Number VI. + + +_Cloth Binding Cover Illustrations in Four Colors 40c. Per Volume_ + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE (near 14th St.) NEW YORK + + + + +THE Campfire and Trail Series + + +1. In Camp on the Big Sunflower. + +2. The Rivals of the Trail. + +3. The Strange Cabin on Catamount Island. + +4. Lost in the Great Dismal Swamp. + +5. With Trapper Jim in the North Woods. + +6. Caught in a Forest Fire. + +By LAWRENCE J. LESLIE + + +A series of wholesome stories for boys told in an interesting way and +appealing to their love of the open. + + _Each, 12mo. Cloth. 40 cents per volume_ + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE + NEW YORK + + + + +Christy Mathewson's Book + +[Illustration] + +_A Ripping Good Baseball Story by One Who Knows the Game_ + +This book has attained a larger sale than any baseball story ever +published. + +The narrative deals with the students of a large university and their +baseball team, the members of which have names which enable the reader +to recognize them as some of the foremost baseball stars of the day +before their entrance into the major leagues. + +One gains a very clear idea of "inside baseball" stripped of wearisome +technicalities. The book is profusely illustrated throughout and +contains also a number of plates showing the manner in which Mathewson +throws his deceptive curves, together with brief description of each. + +_Cloth bound 5-1/2 x 7-5/8 Price 50c. per volume_ + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK + + + * * * * * + + + + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES: + +Obvious printing errors, both spelling and punctuation, were repaired. +Errors and notes other than punctuation are noted here. + +Chapter VII Original text: would would + Correction: which would + +Chapter XI Original text: chapparal + No correction: spelling retained. + +Glossary Collation order in glossary is not fully alphabetized + No correction: original collation order in glossary + retained. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wonder Island Boys: The Tribesmen, by +Roger Finlay + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WONDER ISLAND BOYS *** + +***** This file should be named 20753.txt or 20753.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/0/7/5/20753/ + +Produced by Joe Longo and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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