The Wonder Island Boys: The Tribesmen Part 3

"Why is it that these savages pay more attention to their headgear than any other part of their clothing?"

"The savage regards the head as the most important part of the body. It is also the portion which is first seen by an enemy or recognized by a friend, hence he considers it a necessity to properly attire it for the purpose of inculcating fear in one, or admiration in the other. Vanity in the lower order of people leads them to excesses in the matter of dress or ornamentation, just the same as with many civilized people."

Long before morning dawned Angel grew restless, and could not be quieted by George. The latter believed that the savages had returned, if the actions of Angel were any indications; but as the sun came up and a careful scrutiny was made, nothing alarming was in sight.

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 ma.s.s of them coming up hurriedly, less than a half mile away, and a stealthy movement among the shrubbery in the immediate vicinity showed the presence of the advance scouts which Angel had undoubtedly scented an hour before.

The yaks were headed to the north, to give them ample opportunity to employ their weapons, and the chief was placed at the tailboard of the wagon, in full view of the pursuers, in the hope that his people would heed the warning given the day before. This seemed to have no effect in the warlike att.i.tude 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.

As the wagon surged forward the din increased, and soon a shower of arrows fell among them, none taking effect, because accurate aim was not possible while they were in motion. And now a concerted movement was apparent to surround the wagon. Over one hundred warriors were counted, and among them certain chiefs, recognized by their distinctive headdress.

"Go for the river, Harry," was the Professor's injunction.

The yaks were now beyond all control. Several of the arrows found their marks in the poor animals, and they were now vying with the foremost savages in making speed. Eventually the flanks of the attacking party outran the team, and the Professor made his way to the front, leaving George and John to take care of the rear.

When one of the prominent chiefs, who was leading the flanking party, presented a fair target, the Professor shot, and had the satisfaction of seeing him fall, and this temporarily checked the pursuit on that side.

Grasping Harry's gun, he fired into the party on the opposite side, with good effect. The opening shot by the Professor was a signal for George and John.

And now began one of the most exciting running duels between the contending forces. The Professor knew that if the river could be reached they would have only one side to defend, but they were fully three miles or more from the crossing point of the stream, and to make matters worse, the team was beyond control, and was traveling to the northwest, whereas the direct course to the river was to the north or northeast.

There was no help for it. They must keep cool, and reserve their fire.

After each shot the weapon of each would be reloaded, so that they always had a reserve force of guns. The arrows came spasmodically, and only a few of them from the trailing members of the band came near. The danger was from those who were attempting to encircle the wagon.

John was requested by sign to go to the forward end, and he promptly responded, and at every shot one of the pursuers went down. The main object was to keep them away from the team a sufficient distance to prevent injury to the yaks, and this required the greatest energy and watchfulness.

The attacking party began to have a wholesome fear of the guns, and kept at a distance, which prevented them from effectively using the arrows.

This pace was kept up for two miles, and the effect was now apparent on the poor animals. Harry noticed it, but he kept up a brave front, and did his share in the firing.

But now there was increased activity in the ranks of the enemy. Most of the advance party had gathered at a clump of bush ahead, and partly to the right, and Harry made every effort to divert the team to the left; but they were blind to the urging, and too excited to heed the tugging of Harry.

The Professor divined the purpose of the remarkable quiet on the part of the savages, and called to George to come to the forward end in antic.i.p.ation of a rush, en ma.s.se, from the shelter of the brush. By some instinct the yaks turned to the left before the danger point was reached, but the band nevertheless rushed forward in rage, and to the gratification of our party, they were so close together that aiming for the thick of the pursuers was sufficient to a.s.sure a mark for each shot.

They did not heed the fallen, or wait to care for them, but rushed on and endeavored to head off the yaks. Those in the wagon did not notice that before them, and close at hand, lay a broad river. Harry was the first to announce it with a shout, when he saw the party in the lead halt, and move to the rear.

"What stream is this?" exclaimed George, excitedly.

"This must be the West River."

"And see, there is another stream to the right."

What a lucky circ.u.mstance that the team had made its way to the forks of the two rivers, and that they were now protected by the streams on both flanks. It was also fortunate for them that the team was by this time so completely worn out, that as they were going out along the narrow tongue of land, and the danger from their foes was growing less, that Harry carefully crept along the wagon pole to the heads of the animals and by quieting words soon restored them, and succeeded in bringing them under control before the sh.o.r.es were reached.

Both animals had been wounded, and the first care of the Professor was to relieve them. One of the arrows still hung in the side of Jill, and when the wounds were dressed they did not seem any the worse for their experience, but they were very tired, and inflamed with the excitement.

The peninsula within which they lay was not more than fifty feet wide where the wagon was halted, and two hundred feet away its width was not over one hundred feet, so it will be seen they were in a position which could be easily defended. There was plenty of provision on hand, but the matter of ammunition was the immediate cause of alarm. At least thirty rounds had been fired in the running fight, and the first thing was to take stock of this necessary article.

Only eight rounds were left, for the guns, and twenty for the pistols, but as they were now safe from further attack this was not such a calamity as they expected.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 3. Scene of the fight at the River._]

Their captive was mute during the entire skirmish, and it was a remarkable exhibition of a savage trait for the pursuers to disregard the condition of one of their chiefs, by firing on him while in that condition. How many were killed or disabled they had no means of knowing, but many must have fallen, for when they lined up across the tongue of land behind them the number had considerably diminished.

"It seems as though they intend to make a siege of it," was Harry's comment, as he noticed them preparing a fire.

The wagon was drawn up so that its broadside was toward the enemy, and the boards which had been carried, let down so as to form a screen for the part below the body. This afforded a safe place for the yaks, if perchance during the night the attacking party should get near enough by stealth to use their arrows.

As night approached there was an evident movement on the part of the besiegers, which could not be understood, until it was noticed that they had taken a much closer position. This was considered most annoying, and with a view to giving them another lesson, a few shots were fired into the thickest groups. This was answered by howls of anger, as they rushed back beyond the line of their former camp fire.

"They will learn a good lesson if they keep after us much longer. They have a wholesome fear of us now, and if our ammunition holds out, we can wipe out the whole lot," was George's grim comment after the last incident.

"Fear is certainly a wonderful thing in this world," commented the Professor; "without it the entire history of the world would have to be changed and rewritten."

"Why do you think so?"

"If you stop to consider the element of fear you will see that it is at the bottom of almost every human aspiration. 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? 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.

On his return Harry noticed several objects which he carried back and was surprised to see they were the peculiar headdresses worn by the attacking party. It was a matter of wonder to him that John should make a prize of these things, but when the Professor was called, and he noticed them, his face lighted up, and nodding his head, said: "Well, this is a wonderful piece of information."

"What is it?"

"How stupid I have been, not to recognize that before."

"What is the matter with the headgears that John brought in?"

"Look at the topknot of the fellow we have in the wagon."

The moonlight was sufficiently clear to enable Harry to distinguish a p.r.o.nounced difference.

"So another tribe that our captive does not belong to has been pursuing us?"

This news was of so much importance that Harry waked up George, although it was not his hour for the watch.

"What do you think, George, the fellow we have does not belong to the attacking party." George was too sleepy to comprehend the intelligence at once.

"How do you know it?"

"John has just brought in several of the headdresses, and they are entirely unlike the one the chief has."

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."