The Wonder Island Boys: The Mysteries of the Caverns Part 7

The Professor was just as much delighted as the boys at the sight of their first marine production, which had gotten away from them and stranded them on the cliffs three months before. "I am sorry now that you named the other boats, because this is really No. 1."

"Never mind; this is good enough to be No. 3. Just look at our navy!"

"Where did you find it?"

"Near the point, south of the bay."

"Then it must have been washed there during the late storms, because I do not think it is possible that it could have gone there at the time it escaped you, as the wind was blowing directly to the west at that time."

The boys now remembered the circ.u.mstance, and as they recalled the condition of the driftwood around it when they found it on the beach, it was plain that the storm had been their friend in this case.

"Have you been using oars on the boat?" was the Professor's inquiry, as he bent over the side and examined the notches which were made for the oars.

"No; why do you ask?"

"This boat has been used by some one, and not very long ago, at that.

Notice how the forward sides of these notches are worn. It also seems that civilized people have been using the boat."

The information was so startling that neither of the boys could answer for a moment. Did they have another mystery to contend with?

But George was alert on the questioning end of any proposition. "Do you really think white people have had the boat? I do not see anything that would make you think so."

"If they were savages they wouldn't use the oarlocks or notches, as they row free-hand, almost without exception; but get a white man in a boat, and the first thing he looks for is a place to put his oars in. This incident in itself shows one of the distinguishing features between the civilized and the uncivilized people."

"In what way is one civilized and the other not?"

"I did not say one was civilized and the other uncivilized. The most wonderful thing in the advancement of the human race from a state of savagery to civilization, was the discovery and utilization of a fulcrum. Whenever man, in an advanced state, undertakes to do anything, he uses a fulcrum of some kind."

"In what way is it so useful?"

"Primarily, in the form of a wedge, a pulley, a wheel and axle, an inclined plane, a screw or a lever. All these forms do the same thing as the simple lever; and what sort of mechanism could be made without some of these elements? The row-lock is simply the fulcrum for the oar, is it not? When Archimedes discovered the principles of the lever, he was so excited that he declared he could move the earth if he could find a fulcrum."

A careful examination of the notched gunwale showed conclusively that it had been used to a considerable extent. George sat and pondered over this. "I am sure we never used the boat enough with the oars to wear it in this way. Had you examined this when you said that the boat had not been long at the point where we found it?"

"No," answered the Professor; "I simply remembered that on the day you lost it the wind was blowing to the west, and as you found it to the east of the cliffs, I inferred it must have been carried around since that time."

"It is evident then that the people who used this boat live to the west of us?"

"That is my only conclusion."

"Then you think the fire in the forest, and the light which we saw that night beyond the West River, were made by those people?"

"I am sure the fire we saw was made by savages, but I am not so certain about the lights having been made by them."

Harry looked at the Professor, and then at George, and slowly shook his head. "Wasn't it lucky we didn't meet them when we made our trip to the river?"

That evening the inevitable subject of their forthcoming voyage was again discussed, and to the surprise of the boys, the Professor urged delay. His reasons were expressed as follows:

"While we have had some very severe storms of the kind which may be expected, we are not sure that the weather is yet fully settled. That is the only reason I urge delay. If, on the other hand, we should decide to take an overland journey, we could set out at once."

Harry was opposed to taking another trip by land. "We have really found out more by the water route than going by land. For that reason it would be well for us to make at least one adventure by sea."

These arguments prevailed in the minds of all, and while it would take some time before all preparations could be made, all were happy at the thought that when they did undertake the journey something definite would be learned to clear up a few of the mysteries of Wonder Island.

The Professor did find some samples of tourmaline, in a finely divided state, and this gem was used to polish the gun barrels, so that all the weapons were finally put into condition where they could be used. During an hour each day all took a part in practicing in a range specially prepared near the workshop. Distances were laid off accurately, and the regulation targets set up. In this manner they became accustomed to loading and firing with facility and a considerable degree of accuracy.

If anyone, not knowing the situation, had dropped in on this scene, he would have considered himself in the midst of a great naval and military camp. At the workshop were the guns, arranged in order; boxes provided for the bullets; small turned out wooden cups for powder, each cup carrying twenty little tubes of bamboo, each with a measured charge of powder, and longer bamboo tubes with percussion caps in them.

It was Harry's brilliant idea to separate each charge of powder and put it into a special tube. This tube had one end closed, and the other provided with a stopper, so that in loading the stopper could be drawn out and held by the teeth while the powder was poured into the gun. The caps were put into a bamboo tube which was just large enough to take the caps, which were dropped in, one after the other, and it can be seen that it would be an easy matter to turn the tube upside down, and thus bring out one cap at a time. This also facilitated the reloading of the gun.

During the practice with the gun one serious defect was found; and that was to remove the cap after each shot. Sometimes the body of the cap would not split, and as a result, a knife or some pointed instrument would have to be employed to dislodge it so as to make room for the new cap.

Harry found a way to remedy this. An opening was made through the stock at one side, and a sliding piece, like a collar, put over the nipple which holds the cap. A finger attached to this collar enabled the marksman to draw back the collar, and this would bring with it the cap, which would then fall out of the side opening.

All these little details may seem to be useless care, but rapidity in loading and firing, with muzzle-loaders, in an engagement might be their salvation.

A test was made of the improved firearm, to determine how fast the gun could be loaded and fired. The test made by Harry showed that it took two seconds, after a shot, to bring down the piece, and draw back the collar to release the cap; three seconds to grasp one of the powder tubes, remove the stopper and bring it to the muzzle of the gun; two seconds to pour in the powder; two seconds to drop the tube in its receptacle and grasp the bullet; two seconds to ram it home, and three seconds to put on the cap and c.o.c.k the gun for firing. That was nearly a quarter of a minute.

He was very much dissatisfied with this exhibition of speed--or rather of slowness, so after considering the matter for some time, hit upon the plan of reducing the rear end of the bullet, so he could wrap a paper tube on that and tie it. Then he purposed filling the tube with powder, and closing the rear end by folding over the end of the tube. In this way he would entirely overcome the need of the little bamboo tubes for holding the powder.

But no paper was available, nor could he think of anything which could be used as a subst.i.tute. In despair he repaired to the Professor.

"What is the difficulty now?" said the Professor, with a smile.

"No difficulty, particularly, but I wish we could have paper, or something like it. I want to make cartridges."

"I thought you had all that arranged for?"

"So I did, but it takes me a quarter of a minute to load, and I must do better than that."

He mused a while. "We could make paper, and I think we have the facilities at hand for doing it; but it will take quite a time to arrange for it. Aside from that I do not, at this moment, know of anything which will be a fair subst.i.tute."

He was chagrined at this failure. But, after all, four shots a minute were not so bad. The perfection of the guns must await their return.

Now, let us go down to the marine works, on the sh.o.r.e below the Cataract. Here were the three vessels lined up side by side, and also the after part of the lifeboat. The shed, which was the boathouse, had nearly all their tools, and besides the bench, was a forge and the primitive blower which the Professor and George had made and set up.

Wood, parts of planks, thin boards, of all sorts and description, were scattered about. It looked business-like, and Harry was intensely proud of it.

The sail was completed, and taken down to be bent on the cable. The jib had already been installed in place, and when the sails were hoisted and they walked out from the sh.o.r.e and glanced back to get a full view, the entire Naval Bureau congratulated itself on the magnificent appearance of the fleet, and particularly of the new creation in maritime architecture.

It is not out of place to say that the Professor and George both showered the highest compliments on Harry, for he deserved it. But the officials of the establishment were not the only ones to admire the fine sight. Angel came, and he took it in. It was the finest climbing he had enjoyed in many a day. The Professor took off his hat. "I propose three cheers for our ship."

They were given, and with each cheer the hats circled their heads. This was a new code of procedure to Angel. He couldn't understand it. Without waiting for explanations, he shot down the mast, and landed on sh.o.r.e. It was the most comical proceeding they had ever witnessed on his part, and when he looked at the group, and then at the ship, he said as plainly as though he had uttered it: "What does all this mean?"

When the laughter was over, George proposed three cheers for Angel. The hats came off and the cheers were given. Then the same smile which he had so well learned illuminated his projecting face, and he swung his long arm around as he had seen it done, and another step had been taken in his education.