The Wonder Island Boys: The Mysteries of the Caverns Part 24

"Then why not use the madder dye which we made for dyeing the flag?"

"Just the thing. In addition we must have a dryer of some kind. I suggest that we distil some of the rosin, or the sap from the pitch pine trees, for that purpose."

"What kind of product shall we obtain from that?"

"Turpentine."

Thus day after day pa.s.sed in preparation, each hour, almost, suggesting some new addition to their stock, which would contribute to protection, comfort, or necessity. Among other things suggested, in order to relieve them as much as possible from carrying such a large burden in the way of provisions, was the making of synthetic foods.

George had this in mind for some days before he broached the subject to the Professor. "I understood you to say that if we had synthetic foods we could carry several weeks' rations about our persons, and the load would not be a heavy or perceptible one at that? If such is the case, why can't we prepare some of the food in that way as a matter of precaution? What is the meaning of the word 'synthetic,' and how is such food made?"

"The word is the direct opposite of 'a.n.a.lyses.' In a.n.a.lyzing, the elements composing any substance are separated from each other. In synthesis the different elements are put together to form the substance.

Thus, take water as an ill.u.s.tration: Its component parts are two parts of hydrogen and one of oxygen. Knowing this to be the case, the chemist takes that many parts of oxygen and hydrogen, and by uniting them water is formed which is just as much a true water as though it fell from the heavens or was taken from a well or spring."

We should not go far out of the way in stating that the Professor was putting in some time in this direction, while the other work was going on, and this was confirmed later on when he requested Harry to furnish a number of small tubes like those used for the powder, and it was noticed that a quant.i.ty of bamboo was taken to the laboratory and cut up into short sections.

The guns and ammunition were now ready, a supply of food had been prepared, and George insisted on baking a quant.i.ty of barley bread, which was carefully wrapped up, so that it would not be dried out or be liable to get wet. The wagon was admirably adapted for the purpose. The wheels were not extraordinarily large, but they had wide treads, and the body was high at the sides so as to serve as a fortress in case of trouble. An extra yoke was taken, a supply of sugar and also of honey put in the vessels which the cave supplied, and only a small store of vegetables, as they depended on finding these en route.

The start was agreed upon for the following morning. Observation Hill was visited, and a new inscription affixed to the pole, so that any pa.s.sing s.h.i.+p might know their plight, and be able to direct its course to the west. The value of the chart made by the Professor was now appreciated, as that was also tacked up in its proper place.

Jack and Jill were the yaks selected for the journey, as they were tried and true, and had now grown to be strong and well domesticated. Freedom was given to the cattle, and all the buildings closed up. This was done to secure the interiors from intrusion on the part of animals. An inscription was also placed on the door of the house.

Promptly at nine o'clock the company, consisting of the Professor, Harry, George, John and Angel, started on the journey across Wonder Island. This was their sixth trip, only one of them by sea.

Would this be any more successful than the preceding ones?

CHAPTER XVII

THE TRIP THROUGH THE DENSE FOREST

On the march up Cataract River, and out toward the forest, the same order was observed as on the previous trips. One must lead the way, and act as scout, while the others were to remain with the team. They did not antic.i.p.ate much difficulty during the first two or three days from savages, but it was always well to have some one in the lead so as to point out the most desirable paths, as it must be remembered they had to make their own trails through a wilderness. Much of it had been traveled, it is true, but there was nothing approaching such a thing as a road, or even a path, by which they could be guided.

It was amusing to watch Angel, as he glided along from one tree to the next, where the forests were in their paths. At other times he would be in the wagon, or shamble along, and sometimes leap on the backs of the yaks and ride there. The patient animals were so used to him that no attention was paid to his antics, even though he occasionally sat on the yoke between the animals.

John was an interested observer of all the preparations, and was one of the first to take his place alongside of the wagon. When the Professor urged him to take a seat he looked up inquiringly, but did not comply.

The Professor did not urge him, but after several hours of walking, he was again asked to mount, and he did so, thereby seeming to understand what was required of him.

When they camped at noon for the first meal, they were still on the banks of the Cataract, but here it took a decided turn to the west; and now the course for the afternoon must be to the southwest so the South River could be reached above the falls.

That river was reached early in the afternoon, and they recognized the trail formerly made on the first journey along its banks. The first encampment for the night was probably twenty miles from home, but the next morning, after they had struck into an entirely new section of the island, the journey grew more burdensome, as the land on both sides of the stream became rough, and in many places the small streams crossed offered such steep sides that frequent detours had to be made to enable the team to get across.

During the second day they did not, on account of this, cover more than ten miles, and near the close of the day a second falls was reached, showing that they were going up to a much higher alt.i.tude. Above the falls the river turned abruptly to the south, and within five miles of it the river forked, one branch going south and the other southwest.

They were on the branch going west, and that course was followed, but still the country was rough, and now became thickly wooded, which added to the discomfort of traveling with a team. Magnificent trees grew on every side, and in most places sprang up clear to the water's edge.

"You have here a good ill.u.s.tration," remarked the Professor, "as to the source of the debris which is found on the sh.o.r.es of the island. The streams carry down the logs, trees and leaves, which, after being washed out to sea, are finally left along the beaches."

Our voyagers had pa.s.sed many nights in the forests before, but this was the first time they had come across such impenetrable jungles. The large trees were actually so close together at many places that the wagon had to be backed and worked around for long distances to enable them to make any forward movements.

Before noon of the third day it became so discouraging that they stopped to consider the situation. Possibly a route away from the river would be much better, and that course was decided on, so that the direction agreed on was west, with a slight trend to the north.

The reason why the course along the river would be the most direct was judged from the fact that the lights, which they saw from their boat, made the location of the savages fully fifty miles or over from the northernmost cape where they had been cast ash.o.r.e a few weeks before.

The travel must, therefore, be to the southwest, and not to the west, but at the rate they were going, with every hour more difficult, it was hoped that the new course would in the end be quicker. All of that day the struggle was a strenuous one, and when night came all were exhausted, and were ready to retire as soon as the meal was over.

They were in the midst of the thickest forest, and up to this time all had retired, as they did on this occasion. The yaks were enclosed in a railing made of small trees, so as to protect them, and the two mattresses within the covered body made comfortable beds for all.

Strange sounds occasionally disturbed them, but caused no particular alarm, until Angel began to grow restless, about two in the morning.

George tried to quiet him, but he persisted in giving the alarm.

Suddenly a howl and a shriek awoke the occupants of the wagon and as each arose he instinctively grasped a weapon. The sounds came from two animals, one of which was close by; the other at a greater distance.

"The one near us seems to be a wildcat, or an animal which utters a characteristic shriek of that kind, but I am not sure as to the ident.i.ty of the other animal," remarked the Professor, as he listened intently to the hideous howls and shrieks.

It was pitch dark, so that it was impossible to recognize anything in the wagon, and of course the dense forests only added to the gloom, although the sky could be faintly seen directly above them through the scraggly leaves. The Professor searched for one of the lanterns, when he heard the yaks becoming uneasy, and running back and forth in the little enclosure.

John was awake, and his eyes seemed to have a sort of glimmer as the light flared up. The rear end of the wagon led directly into the pen where the animals were, and no sooner had the light rays illuminated the enclosure than a heavy object sprang from an adjoining tree and landed on one of the yaks.

The latter was thrown across the pen with the impact of the force, and the Professor, who had the lamp, could not level his gun, but without a moment's hesitation John's gun was at his shoulder, and he fired before either of the boys could recover themselves in the excitement.

The firing of the gun seemed to raise pandemonium. The sudden appearance of the light, as the animal made the leap, disconcerted him, and the shot following immediately, caused him to utter a terrific growl. John grasped the Professor's gun and shot the second time, and the shot was at blank range. The animal gave a slight spring forward, and fell across a tree trunk which was at one side of the enclosure, and on which they had arranged the cooking utensils the night before.

This was exciting enough for one night's adventure, but as John and the boys were about to descend a crash in the trees to the right caused them to halt. The Professor held out his light, but the thick wood and the dense underbrush prevented any examination more than thirty or forty feet beyond.

The eagerness of the boys to return to the wagon caused the Professor to loose his grip on the lamp, and before he could recover the hold, it fell to the ground and was extinguished. The yaks appeared to be in a frenzy now, and the howling beyond increased in intensity. After a search the lamp was relit, and the two others also brought out and lighted, and the appearance of the light caused a hurried retreat of the howling beasts.

"It is a puma," were the Professor's first words, "the most enormous specimen I ever saw."

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 30. PUMA_]

"Well, these woods must be full of them, by the way they howled."

The yaks were calmed down after some effort, and it was found that the shoulder of Jack had been lacerated by the claws of the puma, but beyond that no damage was done. Both of John's shots had taken effect, and it delighted the Professor to point to the wound and then indicate, as best he could, how they owed him a debt for his skill.

The carca.s.s was dragged out of the enclosure to keep the yaks quiet, and when this was done they seemed relieved.

"I would like to know what the other animal was?"

"It is my opinion that it was a companion to this one. They, like all animals, have a means for communicating their ideas to each other. Some English scientists have found that the hen utters twenty-three distinct notes, and that they convey different meanings. One single note, differing from another, may convey the meaning of an entire sentence uttered by man. The particular purring of a cat in one way means one thing, and when emitted in a slightly altered tone indicates something entirely different. Then, again, most animal sounds are accompanied by some distinctive movement, as, for instance, the striking squeal of a hen, accompanied by the crouching att.i.tude, together indicate the appearance of a hawk as plainly as though it uttered the warning in words. It is obvious, therefore, that all the sounds made by animals, such as cackling, clucking, crooning, purring, crowing, growling, and roaring, as well as modifications of these sounds, impart some meaning which can be distinguished by their kind, and are frequently recognized by others."

This explanation appealed to George. "I know the moment Angel is pleased, or when he is excited, and now that I think of it, I am sure that he has several ways of expressing his meaning, and I am going to try and see whether I can tell the difference hereafter when he tries to talk."

There was little sleep that night, except on the part of John, who was soon asleep. When morning broke they had an opportunity to examine the dead animal. It had a uniform gray color, fading into a white in the under part of its body, and with a very long, supple tail.

"The animal is sometimes called the panther, or 'painter,' as it is familiarly known; and it is regarded by some authorities as the cougar.