The Wonder Island Boys: Treasures of the Islands Part 6

The Chief was bewildered, no less than those around him. No effort was made to prevent Tarra from escaping. The other Korinos did not even go forward to the relief of their slain comrade. He lay there motionless.

"I am sorry," said John. "I must have made a miscalculation, but I am afraid he is dead."

Then one of the Korinos moved toward the fallen man. "Stop!" cried John.

"It will be death for any one to touch him now!"

Uraso hurriedly informed the Chief of this new piece of information, which, in reality, caused more terror than the shot itself. What species of sorcery was this that they dared not even touch the victim who disobeyed the white Korino?

CHAPTER IV

RESCUING A WHITE CAPTIVE

"Did you deliver the message at the landing place?" asked George, after Tarra was freed.

"No; they captured me late last night. I tried for hours to get through, but they were within a mile of the landing," answered Tarra.

"But where have you been all this time?"

"They took me north to another village."

But more interesting things were now happening. The witch doctor who was about to go to his fallen companion, hesitated. He turned to the Chief.

The latter merely stretched out his hand, and with an impatient gesture appeared to order him on.

"I warn you!" said Uraso. "It will be death to touch him."

If there is one thing, more than another, that is liable to add terror to a low order of human beings, it is noise. It may be said that the most intelligent are not entirely devoid of the feeling of fear at inexplainable noises.

As an example, take the sensations produced by thunder and lightning, one which affects the ear, and the other the eye. During a thunderstorm, the feeling of fear becomes acute only when the roar is heard.

In this case we know what it is that produces the reverberations; but even under those circ.u.mstances many people are seriously affected by it.

A terrific explosion, of which we do not know the cause, is often the source of great terror.

This is particularly true with all savage people. The drums referred to, evidence this particular feeling of awe, and the louder and more violent, the more intense is it to the untutored mind. It is with this idea in their minds that they exercise the bad spirits by driving them away by making great noises, a practice true of most savage tribes.

When John returned to Wonder Island from the United States he had taken with him several of the well-known Silencers, which, when attached to the muzzle of a gun, will so deaden the sound that no explosion is heard.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 4. Silencer. Convolute Blades._]

For general use, John knew that the unm.u.f.fled gun would be far more effective than those equipped with the new invention. Smokeless powder was also used in the guns which John and his company carried. The absence of smoke thus centers the mind of the native on the sound alone, and he sees the effect on the victim.

To the savage the sound and the effect of the shot produce the sensation that there is something more than human in the discharge. It is hard for them to form an idea of the connection between the report and the mission of the bullet. It is some monster which speaks in a loud voice.

But it was more than that to the islanders when they saw the witch doctor fall. There was a white Korino who spoke with a voice of thunder.

They were not aware that he held something in his hand like a weapon, and the noise and the result of that noise stunned them.

John also carried a revolver with one of the silencers. When the Korino turned to the Chief, and the latter, determined not to be swayed by the power of the white man, there was but one thing for him to do. He must obey. He knew that if he shrunk from the task it would be a confession that his power was gone.

The man approached the prostrate form. "Stop!" again cried Uraso. "The white Korino will not again speak, but if he touches the body you will die!"

He stood there for a moment, irresolute, and then slowly stooped down, and with hesitation at every motion, finally touched the figure. In the meantime John had leveled the revolver with the silencer, and as the man again rose to an erect position, and glanced at John defiantly, he quickly threw up his hands and fell forward across his former companion with a shot through his arm, as it was not John's intention to kill him if it could by any possibility be avoided.

The white Korino had not spoken, as Uraso predicted, but the results were the same. The savages who were lined up on both sides of the Chief, began to waver. They were moving to the rear. The Korinos around the Chief, finally broke and fled, and when the people saw this evidence of fear on the part of their Wise Men, they could not be restrained.

The Chief followed them hurriedly. "Now, quickly, boys, fire two rounds.

No; not at the natives, but up in the air."

The boys could not understand what John could mean by such an order, but they did not have an opportunity to ask the reason for it.

After the volleys John turned to Muro and Uraso, and remarked: "As soon as the men come up you and Muro must contrive in some way to find out the direction that the Korinos have taken."

They now saw the object of the volleys. It would bring up those of their party who had remained at the rocky cove. The watch for the Korinos was equally plain. The experience on Wonder Island showed that the witch doctors inhabited the caves.

In the excitement they had entirely forgotten this part of their enterprise. They thought of the treasure. John had the treasure of the records in his mind. The hills all about; the limestone formations of the elevations were ample a.s.surance to his mind that some caverns would be found; and while they might, eventually, be able to locate the entrances, it would be better to find out where they were by watching and charting the direction they took on their way to the dark places where they hoped to rest in fancied security.

Within fifteen minutes their rear guard came into sight, rushing over the hills, all expectant to find an enemy in their front. Great was their surprise to see the village beyond, and John and his party bending over the two bodies, one of them moving and the other inert.

Apparently, he and his force were unconcerned, although many savages were in the village, and in plain sight.

An examination of the fallen men made John happy, because he feared that his aim had been untrue. Both had been severely wounded, and when an hour afterwards both men were able to move, thanks to the knowledge and care of John, they were carried into the village.

Before this was done, however, John ordered the force to march boldly into the village. On the approach of the party the Chief and his followers, together with the women and children, hurriedly fled to the north.

Among the huts were found a dozen or more sick and injured men and women, and a number of old people who were unable to be carried away.

John went to each, and after carefully examining them, administered medicine.

In one place they found two warriors, who had been wounded in the battle four days previously. These were given special attention, the villagers meanwhile looking on the proceeding with a feeling of awe, and wonder.

They could not comprehend the care and treatment which was being given them.

John's companions were most eager to render aid, and spoke to the patients freely, telling them that they were friends, and not enemies.

During this investigation into every corner of the village, George and Harry were the most active. They found many amusing things, but the care of the sick and the infirm was the first duty, and they had many willing helpers.

While thus engaged they reached a long, low thatched enclosure, so entirely different from the huts scattered about. There was no visible opening. They walked around the enclosure with more and more curiosity.

Some of their companions from Wonder Island then drew near.

"We have found it!" cried one of them.

"What is it?" asked Harry.

"This is the place where they keep the captives."

"But how can we get into it?" asked George, then adding, "Get one of the hatchets, quickly."

Several men ran back and opened the packages containing their equipment, and others followed to see the prisoners. Uraso was one of the first to come up, and he was soon followed by John, all in excitement over the news. George was the first one to get a hatchet. He soon chopped a way through, and Uraso was the first to crawl into the enclosure, followed by George.

The latter staggered back, as he saw the scene before him. The enclosure was fully fifteen feet high, and occupied a s.p.a.ce, probably, twenty feet each way. It was constructed of a species of bamboo, exceedingly hard, two rows of these paling being driven into the ground close together, so that it was impossible to see through the stockade at any point.