Frontier Boys in the South Seas Part 32

"No. I have never seen him. Know of him only by hearsay. He is rather well educated, and, I hear, sometimes speaks with a southern drawl, but he even varies that to suit himself."

"I shall be better satisfied when I know Jim is safe," concluded Jo.

"Indeed we all shall," said the professor, and addressing Juarez, "What do you make out about the natives, whom you observed as you were coming down the cliff side?"

"I knew that they were natives by their dress, or lack of it," said Juarez. "They had but very little clothing on, and I believe that two of the party were ill, for the other four at times a.s.sisted their comrades."

"Likely you were right," a.s.serted the professor. "Probably it was a pilgrimage to the sulphur spring."

With occasional help and the aid of a stick which Jo cut to a proper length and fashioned in the form of a crutch, Juarez was able to get back to the boat with comparative ease, and they were soon rowing toward the yacht.

Arriving on board they found that the steward had not yet returned.

"A good thing for him," a.s.serted Tom. An opinion which no one could gainsay.

"Now, boys," advised the professor when a late supper had been eaten and a short consultation had been held, "you had better get off to your bunks. Even if you don't feel inclined to sleep, you will get some needed rest, and that is important, as we are likely to have a hard day's work ahead of us for to-morrow."

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE CHIEF OF RARIHUE.

Before dawn of the next morning the party were all on deck ready for a start as soon as it was light enough to see their way through the woods.

Hardly had they a.s.sembled, however, when there came one of those sudden terrific storms which are so frequent in the southern seas. The downpour lasted about a half hour to the regret of Jo and Tom, who had hoped to readily strike and follow the trail of Jim and his captors. Some other plan would now be necessary.

"I think," said the professor, who, in the absence of Jim, had tacitly a.s.sumed the leadership, "that we had better go prepared for an overnight stay."

"Why do you think it will take us so long?" questioned Jo.

"That is something we cannot tell," responded the professor. "We don't know what we may have to contend with. We have a powerful and wily enemy in Captain Beauchamp, and we will have to accomplish our ends by strategy rather than by force."

"Have you got any plan, professor?" asked Tom.

"Only in a general way," replied the professor. "We shall have to act as seems best as things turn up."

"What is the first thing to be done?" asked Tom.

"I propose," answered the professor, "that we go to the place where you saw the column of smoke."

"What do you expect to find there that we did not?"

"Nothing, perhaps, but I think that that is the highest point on the island," explained the professor, "and from there we ought to be able to get a fair idea of the size and shape of the place and the character of the country."

"And from that we can plan our campaign," said Berwick.

"Exactly. Now, then," he went on a moment later, "if you are all ready we will get away. Be careful, boys, for it is more than likely that our movements are watched."

The first faint light of the coming day was beginning to show, and the stars were fading before the coming dawn. Away off to the right of the yacht as she swung at her anchor on the incoming tide the sh.o.r.e loomed heavy and black, a thick blot in the inky darkness. There was almost an unnatural stillness over the harbor, the only sound to break the quiet being the soft lap, lap, of the ever restless waves beating against the side of the vessel.

Their voices sounded so unnaturally loud when they spoke to one another that they all unconsciously dropped their tone to a whisper.

Despite his protests that he was in fit condition to accompany the others, it was decided that Juarez should remain on the yacht.

"You are really not able to travel," insisted Tom.

"And you will be in shape to-morrow when we will need you more," added Jo in an effort at consolation.

"Beside," explained the professor, "you may possibly be of more service here than if you went along. The captain might need your aid, for we cannot tell what may happen, and you are the only one beside Mr.

Berwick who knows anything about the engine."

"If you really think so," reluctantly acquiesced Juarez.

"Most decidedly," affirmed the professor. "I would advise that you get up enough steam in the boiler to sound the whistle if necessary. I don't know that there will be any occasion for it, but if, for any reason, you should want to call us, you can give three blasts upon the whistle, and we will act accordingly."

During this time the boys had been silently taking their positions in the small boat; Tom, by direction of the professor, in the bow, while Jo and Berwick took the oars.

"You need to keep a sharp lookout ahead," advised the professor when they started. "We are liable to run into almost anything, and we don't want to be caught unawares."

"All right," responded Tom. "I've got my eyes and ears wide open."

As silently as a spectral boat, the little craft slipped through the darkness, the rowers dipping their oars almost without a creak or jar.

Nevertheless they advanced rapidly toward the sh.o.r.e that loomed up grim and forbidden like a wall of impenetrable darkness.

It was but a few minutes before the boat was run up on the beach at the foot of the cliffs and the party disembarked. The boat was then carried a sufficient distance on to the sh.o.r.e and hidden in the heavy underbrush.

"Now, boys," began the professor when they had completed their preparations, "you are our scouts and we have to depend upon you to thwart our enemies, if they are about. Tom, you had better take the lead, and Jo will cover the rear. Instead of the long way around that you took when you last sought the smoke signal, I think we will adopt the direct and more rugged climb, as less liable to ambush. When you are ready, go ahead."

Without making any reply, Tom, with his rifle in his hand ready for immediate use, slipped away among the bushes. Berwick followed, then the professor and Jo last. It was light enough at this time for Tom to make his way among the rocks, which at this point were piled up in great ma.s.ses, covering the ground just as they had fallen from the cliffs above.

There was a semblance of a path or way through the rocky defile which led with many turns and twists along the course of what, in the wet season was apparently the bed of a stream, but although this roadway was less difficult to negotiate, Tom ignored it and kept to the more rugged way, skirting the bed of the water course.

Pushing on energetically, Tom opened up a gap between himself and the others for whom the professor set the pace, a less rapid one. Glancing ahead they saw that Tom had halted and was signaling for a cautious advance.

A little farther on the hum of voices broke upon their ears. They were approaching the sulphur spring, and from that direction the sound emanated. There was a babble of tongues, jabbering in some unfamiliar language.

"A party of natives at the spring," concluded the professor.

A cautious approach brought the islanders under observation, though the professor and his party were hidden from the others. There may have been a dozen of the tribe men grouped about the spring. The one, most impressive appearing of the lot, had evidently but just completed a bath and just resumed his scanty garments which he was then adjusting. This person was not as dark of skin as those about him, and from the servilent actions of the others it could readily be a.s.sumed that he was their king or chief. None of the party were armed.

The professor viewed the scene for a brief interval, then, without hesitation stepped from behind the barrier of leaves. Instantly the islanders were alert and calls and exclamations filled the air. All were, however, silenced by the chief, who turned now for the first time and faced the visitors. To the latter's great astonishment the chief immediately sprang forward, advancing toward the professor. Jo and Tom quickly raised their rifles, but as quickly lowered them again, when they saw that the approach was without menace.

The onlookers' astonishment was greater still when they heard the chief in the best of English say, "My dear friend, what are you doing here?"

"Rather, may I say," was the prompt reply, "what are you doing here, my dear Jranvin? What in all reason brought you to this end of the world?"