The Wonder Island Boys: Adventures on Strange Islands Part 12

Suddenly he thought of the match safe. What a jolly trick that would be to spring on them. But it would be more effective at night, he reflected, and so he refrained from taking it out. It was evident, however, that he was making a hit of some kind. Whether it would aid him in escaping he did not know, but he tried every means possible to ingratiate himself, and to show that he had no fear. The view of the village which he had accidentally discovered impressed itself on him with startling force. If he once reached the village escape would be difficult, and consequently he viewed the searching eyes of his captors with great uneasiness.

This was evident by the cat-like action of the one who got the knife. If he made the slightest move of his hands, he could see the eyes following them. Once he stumbled as they were marching along. This was purposely done, in the hope that during the time he was recovering his erect position he could draw the revolver.

He had his course of action all planned out. He had no desire to kill, and he made up his mind that he would first cover them and then by motions wave them away, but it would be necessary to depend upon mimicry for this.

He had learned from John that savages are naturally the most expert pantomimists, and are able to express many things by gestures, this faculty having been made the more acute because the different tribes are frequently brought into contact without any connecting link in the dialects or languages.

If they refused, or made any attempt to seize him, he would then shoot the leader, and thus strike terror into the others. But while he was thus arranging all the details in his mind, he was startled at seeing a whole group of savages leap from the side of the ill-defined path, which they were now traveling, and they speedily surrounded the captor and captive.

Then began a bedlam of explanations as they crowded around George. Some came up and felt his arms, and other portions of his body. He smiled meanwhile. It was the only thing he could do, and he knew it would be useless to look troubled.

The next moment the visitors were examining the gla.s.s, the cartridge belt, the knife and the watch, and George was, temporarily forgotten, although surrounded so that he could not possibly force his way through.

He thought it a remarkable thing that they should thus hold and watch him with such tenacity. While thus discussing him, a new party appeared, and now for the first time there was an attempt to show deference.

The leader of the party was the most powerful savage George had ever seen. Uraso was a powerful warrior, and Chum was also noted for his strength, but it seemed that the man now coming up must be a giant. Some of the immediate party rushed up to him, and after making a respectful bow, told him of the capture.

He approached with dignity, and those around George moved away.

Without a moment's hesitation George moved toward the Chief, and when ten feet away, he stopped, straightened himself erect, and with a most courtly bow smiled as he recovered his position.

The strong and resolute manner in which this was done was really a cause for marvel in the savage. He looked at his people, and spoke a few words, and those who had been his guards came forward most deferentially, and, so far as George could understand, told of the circ.u.mstances surrounding his capture.

But there was one thing which struck George as a peculiar thing. The three men who had partic.i.p.ated in the loot of his valuables did not exhibit them while talking to the Chief.

There was a long palaver, and many gestures indulged in. The question occurred to him: What had become of the articles which they had taken?

Did they purposely hide them?

At the close of the conversation two of the Chief's immediate a.s.sociates came forward, and began to investigate his belongings. The first thing they brought out was the revolver, and at this George was almost on the point of breaking down. Then he grew bitter.

The silver match box was the next to attract the attention of the searchers; and so they went through from one pocket to the other in the most approved style.

These were laid before the Chief who grunted his approval at the different things, and his admiration, judging from the character of his remarks, was unbounded at the silver-plated revolver.

From the curious way in which he handled it George was alarmed. It was an automatic, and if the Chief once pulled the trigger there would be trouble for some one. George held up a warning hand, and the Chief looked up from the weapon.

The only thing he could do was to point to the revolver, and vigorously shake his head. The Chief looked around as though inquiring the meaning of such a sign. He was not interfered with as he walked up to the savage, and held out his hand. The Chief handed him the weapon.

Then, picking up a leaf, he motioned to one near him to place it on the side of a tree. At a word from the Chief the man did so, but George motioned to him to carry it still further away. He took deliberate aim, and thanks to his long and regular practice, the leaf received the impress of the bullet, while the savages jumped in all directions at the report.

Only the Chief remained impa.s.sive. He never moved, but when the leaf was brought to him, he looked on the youth with a kindly smile. George was quick to notice this. He again walked over to the Chief, and placed the weapon in his hand, and guided his finger to the trigger, while at the same time holding up his hand so as to sight it.

This time the shot was directed to the nearest tree. The savages scurried to give them room. When the Chief pulled the trigger and the discharge followed, George caught him by the arm, and took him to the tree, pointing out the hole made by the bullet.

There was a wondering look on the Chief's face. He looked at the weapon, and then at the hole. There was a question in the peculiar guttural sounds of his language, which slowly came from his lips. Evidently the Chief wanted to know something.

Ah! he knew what it was. What made the hole? George took the weapon, and extracted one of the bullets, and then pointed to the hole in the tree.

It was plain that even this did not satisfy him. Better still; why not dig out the bullet; and as he thought of it he instinctively reached in his pocket for the knife.

Then he remembered. One of his captors had it. Without any ceremony he walked over to the man who had it, and by motions indicated that he wanted the knife. The savage was mute. He boldly searched the folds of the rude clout, and without a protest on the part of the savage he brought forth the coveted knife.

This action was indeed a surprise to the Chief. A frown gathered on the Chief's face. George saw it, and really trembled for the first time, as he saw the eyes of the Giant riveted on the knife, and then turned to the culprit. The latter fell to the ground, and muttered something, and instantly the two others were also seized, as they uncovered the other belongings and laid them before the Chief.

George looked on the scene with genuine regret. The culprits were led away, and he speculated on their fate. But the Chief's eyes immediately returned to the hole in the tree, while the gaze of the others rested on the cartridges, the watch and the field gla.s.ses. The knife was in George's hand, and he slowly opened it whereat the appearance of the blade startled the Chief. He was all eagerness now, so George closed the blade and opened it again, and then cut a circle around the bullet hole and chipped the wood away.

There was the bullet, and he slowly drew it forth, a shapeless bit of lead. When he had deposited it in the Chief's hand, he laid one of the cartridges alongside, and also showed the empty sh.e.l.l. Then he quietly laid the closed knife in the Chief's hand and stood back with his arms folded, as though he owned the entire Island.

If the action of the Chief counted for anything the boy did have everything in sight. The Chief returned the revolver to George, and then began to examine the articles before him. The most interesting appeared to be the cartridge belt. He looked at the revolver and cartridges, and then turned over the revolver bullet and sh.e.l.l which George had exhibited.

It was now plain that the Chief could not understand the use of the large cartridges. George's mind was working by this time. He did not recall that the gun was in evidence at any time after they met the first crowd on the road.

The Chief pointed to the cartridges, and George looked toward the group which had captured him. This was enough for the wily savage. A stern command was issued, and in an incredible short s.p.a.ce of time the gun appeared. Where it could have been hidden was a marvel. Certainly these people must be adepts in the art of concealment.

The Chief handled the gun in a most awkward fas.h.i.+on and George politely took it from his hand, and after glancing about for a moment, saw a bird on a branch. This he brought down, upon which one of the men ran forward, picked it up and brought it to the Chief. After this the weapon was turned over to him, and the peculiar chuckle that followed was, undoubtedly, the savage's way of expressing delight.

One of the attendants then came forward at the order of the Chief, who, after the articles were gathered up, indicated to George that he should follow, and turned toward the village. George did not regard the prerogatives of royalty, but he took up a most democratic position by the side of the Chief, to which the latter did not object.

It required nearly an hour before they reached the village. Women and children, and boys his own age were in evidence everywhere. They came out of the huts and followed the procession, on the way to the Chief's quarters.

Singularly George did not now feel the slightest bit of fear. On the other hand, there was confidence, a sort of a.s.surance that he could not express. This feeling came to him, not so much from the general demeanor of the Chief, as on account of the one act, namely, the return to him of the revolver.

The Chief's home was an entirely different sort of affair from the other dwellings. It was noted that, the homes of the ordinary people were made singularly like those of the tribes on Wonder Island, usually of twigs braided and brought together at the upper end so as to form cone-like enclosures, and all were covered with clay, so as to keep out the rains.

Outside of these houses appeared to be the sleeping quarters, and a glance at some of them impressed George as being exceedingly filthy. The houses were intended only for the rainy season, apparently, as was the custom in many places on their own island.

But the Chief's dwelling was a most pretentious affair, judged by the surrounding homes. It had a large interior court, without a roof, but the immediate dwelling had four or more rooms. The Chief walked through one room, and entered the court, where George was embarra.s.sed to see two girls, and several boys, together with three women, all of whom stared at him, the girls giggling exactly as he had seen them do at home.

The articles taken from him were then deposited upon the floor, and the Chief reclined on a sort of raised couch. George glanced around and the first thing that his eyes met was a chair, in one corner of the room, and then some articles that he knew could not have been made on the island.

This was his introduction to the home of the Chief. He then fell to wondering how it would be possible to talk and tell him about his friends.

CHAPTER VIII

FIGHT OF THE NATIVES FOR THE TRINKETS

Scouting in an unknown country, with a.s.surances that foes may be in ambush at every turn, is not a rapid way of marching. Ordinarily, in the open road, a man will walk three or four miles an hour. But in a forest, where every tree may conceal a foe, it is quite different.

Muro was an expert in scouting work. He had had years of experience in this sort of life, and, moreover, was a chief of one of the most powerful tribes on the island.

He and his companion went directly east, in the most stealthy fas.h.i.+on, and, a half mile beyond they circled to the south, next swinging around to the north, so as to take in as wide a sweep as possible.

Before dark they obtained the first real traces of the tramp of feet, and as it was now too late to enable them to follow up the trail they went back toward the scene of the capture, so that they might thus be able to follow the trail easily the next morning.

It was very dark when they crept in and were halted by the sentries which John had posted. Harry was the first to greet Muro. "Have you found anything?"