CHAPTER IX
THE GIANT CHIEF AND HIS "PALACE"
We must now return to George and see how he fared during the first nightof his captivity. After the Chief had seated himself, and had begun toexamine the articles taken from George, the latter had an opportunity toexamine the surroundings more closely.
The Chief made no remarks to him, nor did he ask him to be seated. Atthe moment he entered the room he noticed the chair. As the Chief didnot pay any attention to him after they entered, George walked over anddeliberately sat down on it.
The two attendants who carried in the articles, stared at him, and thewomen and children, particularly the latter, seemed to be paralyzed athis attitude seated in the chair. It was covered with dust, an evidencethat it was never used for the purposes of a seat. On reflection, hethought that must be the reason they looked at him so queerly.
The Chief, however, gave no indication that his act was a rude orquestionable one. He tried on the cartridge belt, but it was far tooshort for his corpulent body, and George could hardly repress a laugh,as he noticed the attempt to adjust it.
The field glasses came in for a share of attention, then the silvermatch box, and the women craned their heads forward, as it glittered.The Chief held it off from his eyes, so he could properly view it; justas George had often seen women do in trying to match articles.
All the while the Chief was emitting grunts betokening pleasure andsatisfaction. The adjusting screw on the field glass next attracted hisattention. The turning moved the barrels in and out, and this was, inall probability, the most remarkable thing he ever saw.
George could stand it no longer. He left his seat, the younger childrenshrinking back as he arose, and quietly walked to the Chief, and satdown in front of him. As he did so he pointed to the match safe whichthe Chief held in his left hand.
The latter did not resist the attempt to take it, but looked onwonderingly as George pressed the point, and the lid flew open. Then,taking one of the matches from the receptacle, he held the box in onehand, exhibited the match in the other, for a moment, and then drew thematch across the box, and ignited it.
The Chief actually drew in a breath that was audible everywhere in thatneighborhood. He nodded with approval. Harry closed the box and handedit back; he then directed the Chief's attention to the little point, andpressed it, when the lid again flew open.
This time the Chief closed it, and he pressed the point. The success ofthe experiment was so great that he eventually called his wife towitness it, for she came over, while he performed the miraculous thing.
He took out a match. Its use was just as great a mystery. He was taughtjust what to do, and the primitive man sat there and struck the matches,one after the other, in the greatest delight. What amused George morethan anything else was, that every time a match was struck, he closedthe box, and then opened it before extracting another.
George noted the imitative quality so marked in all savages. It did not,apparently, occur to him that he could strike two matches without thelid flying open in the period intervening the two operations.
It was now growing dark, and soon an attendant came in with severalcuriously-arranged lights, made from some sort of weed or vegetation,the smoke of which appeared to be most agreeable. From an adjoiningroom, an appetizing odor reached George and, staring in that direction,the Chief noticed the boy's expectant attitude.
The Chief arose, his mighty frame towering above the rest, and a commandwas given. Almost immediately two servitors came through the opening,one of them carrying a large bowl of the most savory stew. The bowl wasnot of native manufacture, and George, observing this, suddenlyremembered what John had said, that the Chief was always sure to get thebest and most valuable parts of the wreckages along the shore, and hefelt sure that this was salvage from some shipwreck.
The Chief smiled, as the bowl was set before him. It was smoking hot,and George smiled back as he noticed the friendly look, and saw that theChief's wife graciously arranged the accompanying vegetables, althoughhe had no idea what the latter were.
A second attendant brought pointed sticks, and two paddle-shaped blades.The Chief without ceremony dived into the mess and speared a piece ofthe meat, and waved it to and fro, to cool it. Here was an opportunityto follow the example thus set, and George was glad to take the hint.
He didn't look around to inquire for a plate, nor did he ask for anapkin. The meat was good, the vegetables appetizing, and theconversation lagged so much that there was no chance for unseasonableinterruptions during the meal.
If George had never before that hour witnessed a savage eat, he wouldhave been mortified at the small amount he himself was capable ofputting away, when he compared the relative amounts consumed. He was ofthe opinion, before they began, that the bowl was intended for the wholefamily, but the Chief ate all of it, except the small part that Georgedisposed of in the meantime.
But he was perfectly content. He ate until he could eat no more, andthen to his extreme disgust, a wooden platter of fruit was set beforethem. Bananas were the only things he recognized. A small pear-shapedfruit attracted him, and then an egg-shaped, brown-colored fruit, with asweet, strong perfume, was among the varieties.
The Chief was graciousness itself, exhibiting not one trait ofselfishness, as he forced the fruit on George. When the Chief hadfinished the fruit George was relieved, but uncomfortable. He had eatenbeyond his capacity. The articles containing the food were removed, andthe Chief, who, during this time, was in a reclining position, slowlysank down, and was soon asleep.
The family sat around for a time, and then all slowly disappeared and hecould hear the jumble of voices in the adjoining apartment, as they wereundoubtedly engaged in their meal.
What a peculiar position to be placed in. Alone with the sleepingsavage! Still, he did not seem to be so very savage. There was no one insight. He arose and walked toward the opening. Not even a guardprevented him from leaving.
He stepped out. He still had his revolver, but that was all. Now was thetime to effect his escape. He turned the corner of the main structure,and there stood one of the Chief's girls, the one who had attractedGeorge's attention when he was first ushered into the palace, as Georgenamed the place in his mind.
As this girl will have an important place in reciting this history, itmay be well to describe her. She was about the height of George, with amuch lighter skin than the majority of those whom he had seen thus far.Her eyes were large and beautiful, and while her hair, intensely blackand very profuse, was not at all kinky. It should be said that thesavages on the island, like those on Wonder Island, while dark, did nothave curly hair of the Ethiopian, so that they were not of the negroidtype but more nearly allied to the Malay family.
She smiled, and George, abashed for the moment, went up to her, and shedid not at all shrink from him. Now that he had made the advance he wasat a loss what to do. The only thing that both perfectly understood, wasto smile, and smile they did.
But why not say something. He tried it, and those great eyes appeared toopen still wider. George turned and waved his hand, and affrighted,apparently, she darted into the side entrance. The darkness preventedhim from seeing what was there, and he dared not enter. The moon wasshining brightly.
The desire to escape again took possession of him. But why try toescape? He felt sure the Chief meant no harm, and then he wandered tothe other side of the building, and there lay the great ocean, the shoreof which was not a thousand feet away.
He sat down on a log, and pondered and, feeling fatigued from theunusual efforts of the day, he lay down for a nap. How long he remainedthere it was impossible to tell, for when he awoke, he found himself bythe side of the trunk, and near him two of the body guard whoaccompanied the Chief the day before.
He sat up, rubbed his eyes, arose, and without any suggestion or commandon the part of the watchers, marched back to the Chief's palace, andentered the room to see the latter awake and reclining at his place onthe floor.
He
offered a salutation to George, and the latter smiled and bowedgraciously. One of the attendants touched him on the arm, and he was ledto a room, adjoining the court; but there was no door, by means of whichhe could close the room, nor did he discover a window, or anythingsuggesting an opening at the other side of the apartment.
A delightful odor came from some kind of grass which was piled in onecorner. He examined it, and concluded that it had been placed there forhis particular benefit. This was indeed a thoughtful thing on theChief's part. They were making a home for him, that was evident.
But he was too tired to reflect long on these things. Without removinghis clothes he threw himself down on the sweet, clean grass, and he knewno more until, when the morning sun flooded the court, he could peerout, and see the family moving to and fro, but the Chief was nowhere insight.
While they had not ventured to tell him what was just the correct thingto do, he walked out, and then wandered to the open portal at the front.No one seemed to heed him. He walked down toward the ocean, and saw somewomen carrying water in curiously-shaped gourds.
He followed the path, which led to a spring; delicious, cool andrefreshing. Then he bathed his face, and washed his hands. But he missedthe soap. He had not, however, forgotten the early days on WonderIsland, when the Professor found the soap tree.
He glanced around. There, sure enough, was the identical bush, andbreaking off several twigs, the small branches were crushed up togetherwith the leaves, and with these he returned to the brook and had a goodsoap wash.
This peculiar action was witnessed by some of the women, and the talewas quickly told, and became current in the village. When George visitedthe same spot, the bush had entirely disappeared.
The Chief had not returned when he went back, but his breakfast wasready, and the maiden with the great round eyes, and the mother,evidently, waited on him.
George looked toward the Chief's place. She understood, and pointed tothe west. He mused awhile. What could she mean! It must not be supposedthat during all this time George was not thinking of Harry, and John,and the boys who came over with them on this trip.
They always called each other "boys." All the natives on Wonder Islandwere boys to them, and it was amusing to hear them say the word inreturn. They were all boys, Uraso, and Muro, as well; all but theProfessor, John and Blakely.
When George went out after breakfast he was surprised to note theabsence of the men. No one but women and children were about. Then thetruth flashed on him. The Chief had gone out, on hearing of the approachof John and his party.
He rushed out toward the western path that led from the village, and hehad not gone three hundred yards before the men, all armed with spears,came back, with the Chief at their head. All were in consternation.
George knew what this meant now. He held up his hand as they hurriedlymoved toward him, and pointed to the west. He did this smiling to assurehim of the friendly character of the visit. The Chief stopped. Georgemoved through the group and beckoned the Chief to follow.
He hesitated but a moment, and then gave the necessary command. Comingthrough the forest beyond were John and the "Boys." When they were stilltoo far for hailing distance George raised his hat and waved it.
When John and his party were still a hundred yards away, they stopped atthe unusual sight. Meanwhile George and the Chief moved on. Harry couldnot restrain himself, and broke from the party, in his mad rush towelcome George.
"Bow, Harry; bow; he is a dandy Chief."
Harry obediently made a gracious bow, and the Chief acknowledged thesalute.
All that Harry could say, was: "Oh, George!"
John and the company came up, and George rushed to John, as he said: "Ihave had the nicest time in the world, but I am afraid the Chief doesnot know whether you are friends or enemies."
John turned to the men, and quietly said: "This man is a friend, and wemust treat him as a Chief. All give him a respectful greeting." TheChief stood still, as all the warriors ranged themselves in front andall bowed low, to the obvious relief of the savage.
Then John brought Uraso and Muro forward, and by well timed gesturesindicated to the Chief that they were also Chiefs, and he instantlyshowed that he recognized the pantomimic language, and deferentiallybowed, as he had seen George do.
Uraso stepped forward and went up to the burly form, and pressed hisnose against his nose. Then, he spoke a few words. The Chief looked athim for a moment, and then answered. Muro was not slow to follow theexample, and he also addressed the Chief.
When Uraso turned and took John's hand and in a dialect, which bothseemed to understand, he told about John and the boys, the Chief turnedto his men and said a dozen words, which were instantly recognized byUraso and Muro. They smiled.
"What did he say?" asked George.
"He told them to go to the village and prepare food."
All but a half dozen of the immediate followers of the Chief turned anddarted back to the village.
"Do you know the Chief's language?" asked Harry, as Uraso gave way toMuro.
"We can understand each other pretty well. There are many words whichare the same, but he uses some which are new to me."
"Do you suppose they are the same people as are on our island?"
"I do not know that. We have heard that all the people in the differentislands came from the same place, but where we do not know."
Then the boys crowded around George, and insisted on having him tell hisstory. Did you ever hear a boy tell a thrilling story of his ownadventures? Well George was in his heaven of delight as he told of histreatment, and how he had dined with the Chief, and slept in his palace.
"His palace?" queried Harry.
"Yes, palace! It isn't a common house!" And George dilated on it to suchan extent that Harry actually grew envious at the big time that Georgehad at their expense.
The party wended its way down the hill, and when the village was reachedthe sight there astounded George. He had left it a sleepy place. Now allwas bustle. Fires were being built; the men and women were busypreparing food. A species of hog, well known on Wonder Island, was beingprepared and spitted, and hung over the heated coals.
They saw the favorite native vegetable, the Taro root, and also, totheir surprise, an abundance of Uraso's poison bulb, the Amarylla, whichhe had tried to prepare in stealth after he had been captured, and thetelling of which was the occasion of many jokes at the expense of Georgeand Harry.
John, the two boys, together with Uraso and Muro, were ushered into theChief's house.
"And this is what you call a 'palace'?" remarked Harry.
"Why not?"
"From your description I thought it might be on top of a big hill withgraded steps leading up between rows of flowers, and the rooms filledwith statuary, with a large fountain playing in the center of a finebanquet hall."
George laughed at the joke. "The trouble with you is that you are not aphilosopher, Harry. If you had been as well treated as I have been youwould think the same as I do."
John overheard the conversation, and remarked: "I must say that there ismore philosophy in that view than even you, George, appreciate."
"Have I said anything unusual?" he asked with a sort of mock gravity.
"Quite so; have you ever heard the saying 'Handsome is, as handsomedoes'? Well, that is the root of all true actions in life. From thenoble manner in which this Chief treated George, giving him the bestthat he had, and installing him in the finest room in the house, isdoing all that any one can do."
"That is the way I really felt about it at the time. I was tired andhungry, and instead of meeting an enemy, I met a friend."
"Do you see, Harry? George did right in calling this a palace. If it soappears in his heart, and he feels that impulse, isn't that just as realas though you see it with your eyes?"
"I didn't think of it in that way," said Harry, apologetically. "I likethe old fellow. He is good enough to be a white man."