Roger T. Finlay

“ 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. ”

“ 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." ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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." ”

“ 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 ”

“ 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?" ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 [39] among the shrubbery in the immediate vicinity showed the presence of the advance scouts which Angel had undoubtedly scented an hour before. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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?" ”

“ 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 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. ”

“ 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? [45] 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. ”

“ 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." ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 Pro [100] fessor, 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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! ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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." ”

“ 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." ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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?" ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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." ”