Chapter I: The Fight at the Savages’ Camp

The Professor, Harry and Tom were dumbfounded at the excited condition of Ralph, as he emerged from the wood and told them to reach the wagon as quickly as possible.

“Where are John and George?” asked the Professor, as all hurriedly ran to the rear.

“George had already gone forward to take his position, when we saw a large number of the savages appear to our left, and he asked me to tell you at once, while he went after George to inform him of the danger.”

“It will not do to leave them in this way. Go back to the wagon and get all the guns ready, and I will remain here, so that at the first sign I may be ready to aid them. If we do not return for some time, or in the event you hear any firing, two of you must come to me with the reserve guns.”

The boys hurried to the wagon, all the reserve weapons were taken out, and the ammunition put in order for instant use. They waited impatiently for the first sign which would be the signal to act, but fully a half hour passed, and, after consulting, it was decided that Ralph and Tom should go to the Professor at once, and take with them four extra guns, leaving Harry, who knew most about the yaks and how to handle them in an emergency.

In order to make the situation clear, it will be necessary to make a digression from the story.

About fourteen months previous to the opening event of this chapter, an aged Professor and two of the boys, named George Mayfield and Harry Crandall, who were shipmates on the schoolship _Investigator_, were wrecked at sea, and stranded on an unknown shore. They were stripped of everything but their clothing, and of that had only a scanty supply.

Without tools of any sort, or any of the means to procure food or clothing, they did not despair, but set to work, in the most primitive way, to dig the different things from the earth, and to make clothing, tools and other requirements.

They found the various metals and vegetable products; constructed a water wheel; a sawmill; put up a small shop in which were installed the various tools, such as lathes, grindstone, drilling machines, and the like; a loom was eventually devised, to utilize the vegetable fibers, and by means of which clothing was provided.

During the work which necessities forced upon them, they were desirous of knowing something of the land which had received them, and several trips were made into the interior, during which time evidence was found of the existence of tribes of savages as neighbors, but could not learn definitely where they were located, nor had they any means of determining the number.

Fortunately, some yaks, a wild species of cattle, were captured, and these they turned to use by taking advantage of the milk of the animals, and also by utilizing the fur for making felt, as well as tanning the hides for footwear.

But one of the most important uses was in training them for work, and a wagon was built, which served in several trips into the interior.

During the excursions they learned of the existence of others who had been shipwrecked, and later discovered that one of the boats made in the early occupation of the island, and which was left by them in a large river, about ten miles to the south of their home, had been taken by some one, who had put different oars and a rope in the boat, which they discovered after it had been found. This, together with the finding of a lifeboat, companion to the one in which they were wrecked, was sufficient evidence that some of their fellow-voyagers were on the island, and this was confirmed when a message was found in the lifeboat, which stated that certain ones were captured by the savages.

Before they had an opportunity of making any exploring trips, the boys discovered a mysterious cavern, not far from their home, and this was explored, with the Professor, and they were startled to find the skeletons of a number of pirates who had inhabited the cave, and the position of the skeletons, and the weapons, showed conclusively that the entire band had been wiped out in a terrific fight.

In the caverns also were found the skeletons of chained captives, the existence of a regular arsenal of weapons, and an immense hoard of treasures, which had been hidden within the recesses of the cave, for centuries.

Many mysterious things occurred to them, too long to relate, but all of them bearing on the things which interested them, and the first serious attempt to discover the savages, was to build a boat twenty feet long, equipped with a sail, and with this, and an ample supply of provisions on board, the course was directed to the northwest, and along the western coast.

During the three days’ cruise, the weather was fair, but on the fourth day a terrible storm came up and drove them back around the northern point of land, and in the height of the storm they were cast ashore, and their boat wrecked, fully seventy miles from their home.

Just before being driven back by the storm, they had the first view of lights, which showed the location of the savages. They laboriously made their way home, and on returning found John, one of the present party, who suffered loss of memory, and had also an attack of aphasia, or inability to speak.

His full name was John L. Varney, and for two months did not utter a word, nor did he seem to recognize the existence of those around him. Singularly enough, he was a first-class mechanic, and during hunting trips showed himself to be expert, as well as in fishing, and did anything and everything which he had seen others engage in.

Together with John, the Professor and the two boys built a first-class wagon, and undertook a trip in the direction of the savages. In the meantime they made several guns, so that they had ten muzzle-loaders, which, while they took time to reload, were better than bows and arrows, that the boys had formerly made and used.

Several months after landing they captured a baby orang-outan. This had now grown to be strong and active, and as these animals have great imitative qualities, George undertook to educate it to do many things, and it succeeded, on its own initiative, in doing many mischievous tricks, which afforded amusement for all the party.

He was called Red Angel, or more commonly Angel, and as he had a wonderful instinct for scenting danger, was always taken on trips, and was with them on the first extended tour made with the new wagon. During that trip the two boys, Ralph Wharton and Tom Chambers, were rescued from the savages, and it was found that both boys were companions on the ill-fated _Investigator_, and were captured by several tribes of natives, after they had been on the island over nine months.

During this trip they had a half dozen fights with the natives, which so depleted their stock of ammunition that it compelled their retreat, and finally returned, with determination to manufacture a new lot of guns, and lay in an ample supply of ammunition.

After their return John’s memory was restored, and he related his wonderful history, and together the six set to work preparing the new equipment. This comprised twenty-five guns and two hundred and fifty rounds of ammunition. The wagon carried with it a portable fort which could be set up on one side of the wagon to protect the team of yaks, as well as themselves, and it was also so made as to serve as a float for enabling them to cross streams.

The particular reason for the present trip was not revenge, but to rescue the other boatload of their companions, and also some of the companions of John, who must be somewhere in the interior, unless sacrificed by the natives.

They were now on this trip, and had gone about twenty miles from home, and after crossing the South River, the day before, set out in the direction of the savages’ village, which lay to the southwest.

Early in the morning of the day, after discovering a half dozen savages encamped less than a half mile away, it was determined to surprise and capture them, so as to afford a means whereby they might treat with the inhabitants.

While in the act of surrounding their camp, John discovered a band approaching from the southwest, so that he was compelled to notify the others of the danger, and Ralph was sent back hurriedly with the warning, as related.

As they approached the Professor, the latter held up a warning hand, and whispered: “I do not think John and George will be able to make their way back by the left, as the new band has just come in, and they are now all together, so that if you will remain here I will go to the right. Await my coming, unless there should be firing, in which event go back to the wagon and prepare it to receive us.”

Before he had taken a step a shot rang out, and the Professor continued: “Go at once and get the wagon ready.”

The boys rushed back, and informed Harry, and the wagon was at once turned around into an advantageous position, the yaks unyoked, and the portable fort taken from the wagon and set up in position. The place selected was in the open, so as to compel the savages to travel over the open spaces before reaching the wagon.

In the meantime, let us see what John and George were doing. When John told Ralph to inform the others, he had seen the newly arriving warriors coming up slowly from the southwest, and as George had already gone on to take up his position to his left, he followed after him, and as he caught up, said:

“We cannot carry out our movement, as a number of savages are now coming up, and I have sent Ralph to warn the others. We must now make our way around the camp to the north, and then strike east. Move as quietly as possible, and follow me.”

Before they had gone three hundred feet, John held up a warning hand. “There is another lot of them coming from the northwest. What does all this mean?”

Their only salvation now was to move directly to the west, and this took them just the opposite direction from the wagon.

When the Professor left the boys he moved cautiously to the northwest, and before he had gone far saw the savages approaching from that quarter. As the band which John had advised them about, was coming in from the southwest, he was, for a time, mystified, but soon reached the conclusion that it must be a force not noticed by John, so he circled to the north, in wonder why John or George should have used the gun which they had just heard.

When George and John moved to the west, the band which they originally sighted, arrived in sight of the camp, and they at once changed the course to the south, and thus enabled them to make their way back to the wagon in that direction; but before the trail was reached, John said: “We must approach the trail cautiously, as there may be stragglers, or some who are following behind.”

At that instant, two warriors crossed the path directly ahead of them, the brush being so close at this point that they could not see fifty feet ahead. The savages saw them instantly, and John held up his hand, as though to speak, but they did not wait to parley, and as one of them raised his spear to throw it, the other fitted an arrow to his bow, but before the spear left the native’s hand, George drew his gun and fired.

The other savage did not wait to shoot, as he saw his companion fall, but bounded forward, in the direction of the camp. The shot, of course, aroused the entire camp, and it also accelerated the movement of the tribe approaching from the northwest.

“Follow me quickly,” whispered John. “Let us go south, and then make our way east.”

In a short space of time the savages were at the scene of the shooting, and, as they had no means of knowing in which direction their enemies had gone, began the process of trailing. This was, necessarily, slow work, and it gave John and George time to make their way by a wide detour around to the wagon, to find that only Harry was there, but gratified to think that the precaution had been taken to erect the fort.

“Remain here, George, while I go forward to the Professor.” As he said this he darted forward, and soon reached the position of Ralph and Tom, and the latter at once informed him of the direction the Professor had taken.

“Too bad, I am afraid he has fallen into the hands of the band which has just come in from the northwest.”

This was, indeed, surprising news for the boys, but he did not wait for their comments.

“Do not wait for us long, but go back to the wagon. I do not intend to come back until I get the Professor,” and he was away.

“I do not understand what to make of the different forces all concentrating at this point. There must be something up, sure.”

John followed the direction the Professor had taken, making a wide detour to the north, and it was well he did so, as the savages, having lost the trail, were now in consternation at the condition of things. They knew the white men must be lurking somewhere near, but the direction was a mystery.

The search was continued by John for over a quarter of an hour, when a shot rang out in the direction of the wagon, and as he turned to go back, was gratified to see the Professor several hundred feet away, waving to him, and together they started for the wagon.

When Ralph and Tom returned to the wagon and reported the situation, they were all in great excitement. They had no doubt but the savages would, sooner or later, discover the trail left by John and George, and this would lead to the wagon. In this they were not mistaken, for while it took some time to trace out the tracks made by them, they soon reached the wagon, and, in fact, entered the clearing before they had an idea they were so near the whites.

Harry showed himself above the top of the fort, and the savages, unused at the sight of such a spectacle, stood in amazement. He held up his hand, as several of the savages fitted arrows to their bows, as a signal not to fight, and they withdrew a short distance in consultation.

“If they only knew it, we could plug them without any difficulty at this distance,” remarked Harry. “What do you suppose they will attempt to do?”

“I only wish the Professor and John were here,” answered George.

“They are going to fight, that is sure,” observed Ralph.

“Let’s make a big show, anyway,” cried Harry. “Put a gun through each one of the portholes.”

The fort had four portholes on each side, and a gun was thrust through each and balanced in position.

It now appeared that an enveloping movement was taking place on the part of the savages. After disappearing, they could be seen at different quarters, as they again approached.

Without a word of warning a shower of arrows came from all sides, and Harry cautioned them to be cool and shoot only when a distinctive mark could be seen.

All was quiet within the fort, until Harry said: “See that chief near the large tree? I will make a try for him.” Carefully taking aim, he fired. This was the shot which John and the Professor heard.

They did not wait for any explanations. “I hope the boys are safe,” the Professor remarked, as they hurried forward.

“They are no doubt at the wagon. I advised them to go there and not wait for us.”

“Do you suppose that shot means they have discovered the wagon?”

“I have no doubt of it. They would be very stupid, indeed, not to be able to trace us, and that was the reason I admonished them to go to the wagon.”

As they approached the savages could be seen skulking about to surround the wagon. “Well, Professor, I suppose we shall have to give them a little surprise?”

The Professor smiled, as they crawled up to get a close position. The tactics were now well understood by both, and that was to rush the wagon from all sides, and thus hope, by overwhelming numbers, to succeed.

“The boys are pretty smart, after all,” said the Professor, as he noted the guns at the portholes, and John could hardly refrain from bursting out in laughter at the sight.

At a signal the savages sprang forward, and there was a volley from the fort. “Brave boys,” exclaimed John. “Shall we take a hand?”

“It would do me good to do so; but would it not be better to wait for the next movement on their part. That shot staggered them.”

It was too apparent that the savages had not counted on such a disastrous result of the charge; but they were determined now. As they were springing forward, and before those in the fort had delivered the second volley, the Professor quietly said: “I think we can risk it now.”

Both fired at the same instant, and two of the warriors fell. The attack from the new quarter dumbfounded them. Neither John nor the Professor appeared in the opening, but reloaded as rapidly as possible, and while the boys were immeasurably surprised, kept their wits, and at the order of George, fired a second volley.

This was too much for the natives, and they scampered from the vicinity of the wagon, and away from their lurking enemies. John and the Professor deliberately walked over the intervening space, as the boys cheered them.

The result of the shots, for ten in all had been fired, were four dead and four wounded, two of them so severely that they were unable to move.

[See p. 33] ]