CHAPTER VII
CAPTURE OF GEORGE BY THE NATIVES
Let us now follow George. He went along the stream on its westerly side,while Harry was examining the eastern shore. Coming to a little rivulet,which flowed into the main stream at this point, he passed alongside theprojecting ledges of rock, that for the moment hid him from the view ofHarry.
Here he saw some peculiar rocks, and outcroppings, which reminded him soforcibly of the early days on Wonder Island, when the Professor sostrongly impressed on them the value of investigation. The gun was stoodup, leaning against the rocks, when he was seized by two strong arms,and a hand placed over his mouth.
In the struggle his hand touched the gun, and as his captor drew himback, he took the gun with him, and no effort was made to dispossess himof the weapon. He was carried along, one hand pinioned to his side,while the other hand carrying the gun was free, but he was unable to useit.
He could not have been carried more than a hundred feet, before he heardJohn's whistle. This startled his captors, for he now saw that therewere two burly specimens, almost wholly naked, and for the moment thehold on the imprisoned arm was relaxed.
Quick as a flash he drew up the gun and fired. This was the shot heardby John and Harry. The shot was such a surprise that the savages werealmost paralyzed, and dropped their hold, but it was only for aninstant. Realizing that the noise was made by George's weapon, and notcaused by any of the boy's companions, the nearest savage swung aroundviciously, and poor George was knocked unconscious by the blow.
How long he remained in this state he did not know. When consciousnessreturned he was lying, on some tufted grass, and a half dozen viciouslooking savages stood around him. Then he remembered the circumstancesof his capture.
He eyed them for a time, and then slowly sat up. One of the party hadGeorge's field glasses slung around him, just as he himself had them onwhen captured. One of them was fondling the gun, but it was evident fromthe manner in which he held it that he had no knowledge of its uses.
His cartridge belt graced the form of one of the other savages, and itwas evident that they considered the things thus taken more in thenature of ornaments than as weapons. He slowly felt his pockets and wassurprised that they had removed nothing.
While he was rising to a sitting posture he could feel his revolver, andwondered why he had not been disarmed. A glimmer of joy shot throughhim. His hands were free, and he had no pain, except the sore feelingthat was keen on the side of his head, and which was, no doubt, causedby the blow.
Not a word was spoken by either. He hoped something would be said andprobably he would be able to recognize the language, as his two years'experience in Wonder Island gave him a fairly good understanding of thenative tongues.
He pronounced some words, in the Saboro and also in the Illya dialect,but they stared at each other, and answered in some words that wereutterly unlike anything known on their own island.
Soon, after a conversation among themselves, he was raised up and urgedforward. The first thing that George did was to note the position of thesun, and he then stealthily drew out his watch.
When the savages, who were closely watching him, saw the watch two ofthem pounced upon him, and in the struggle, one of them tore it from thechain. The holder of the chain threw it away, and attacked the one whohad the watch.
This was certainly an interesting struggle for George to witness. He hadhis thoughts, however. Now was the time to make a strike for liberty, sohe quietly moved his hand toward the revolver. George was not aware thata pair of eyes was intently watching him while the struggle was goingon.
Before the hand reached the revolver, the savage leaped forward. Hisheart sank. The opportunity was lost. He dove down into the pocket andbrought forth a knife, and it was hardly out of his pocket until theprying native had it in his hand.
George gave a forced smile. The native saw it, and looked admiringly atthe beautiful handle. He turned it around and viewed it from everyside, and then deftly drew a strand of material from his clout and,winding it around the knife, threw the loop of the strand over his head.
This, too, then, was an ornament! They did not know the uses of theknife. George kept up the smile, and soon the savage smiled in return.This was a good beginning, surely! But what surprised him most of allwas the perfectly natural manner in which the defeated party in thecontest after the watch took his loss.
The victor fashioned it as a pendant, and the other looked calmly onwhile his opponent admired it. There was not a particle of resentment inthe loser.
George did not show any alarm to the savages, although it would be toomuch to say that he was entirely at ease. The instructions received fromJohn, the experiences of Tom and Ralph when they were captured, werelessons for him, so, when the savages smiled back at him he pointed tothe knife, and made motions as though he intended to open the blade.
All savages are curious. Many of them have this trait developed to aremarkable degree. George's motions attracted the man. Then he leanedforward, and removed the knife from the loop. He held it up, exactlylike a magician would exhibit some article that he intended shoulddisappear.
Then, as the savage's mouth was now open, he inserted his thumb nailinto the crease of the large knife, and opened the blade. Then heextended out his hand, and offered the open knife to the savage.
To say that he was merely surprised is putting it mildly. He could notpossibly open his eyes wider, and instead of taking it, drew back. ThenGeorge quickly closed the blade again, and offered it in that way, andhe was induced to slowly take it back, while he glanced at Georgesuspiciously.
The burly individual who carried the field glass was then approached byGeorge. The latter took the glasses and put them to his eyes. At thisact the savages set up a whoop, and the glass was snatched from him.Evidently they thought it was something like the gun.
George smiled, and again made the motion, as though he desired to takethe glass. The savage took the loop from his neck, and handed theinstrument to George. The latter put it to his eyes and pointed them tothe east, carefully adjusting them to get the proper focus.
To his surprise he saw the evidences of a village in the far distantlandscape, and, beyond it, the sea. What a discovery this was, indeed!
The glasses were then presented to the burly savage, who now claimed itsownership, and tried to induce him to look through it. In this Georgefinally succeeded, and after he saw the effect of the distant landscape,the attitude of the man changed, and he looked on George with a speciesof admiration and wonderment.
George walked about them, in the most careless manner imaginable, butthey never took their eyes from him. He smiled at them, again took theknife and performed the feat over and over again, and then instructedthe savage how to do it.
Suddenly he thought of the match safe. What a jolly trick that would beto spring on them. But it would be more effective at night, hereflected, and so he refrained from taking it out. It was evident,however, that he was making a hit of some kind. Whether it would aid himin escaping he did not know, but he tried every means possible toingratiate himself, and to show that he had no fear. The view of thevillage which he had accidentally discovered impressed itself on himwith startling force. If he once reached the village escape would bedifficult, and consequently he viewed the searching eyes of his captorswith great uneasiness.
This was evident by the cat-like action of the one who got the knife. Ifhe made the slightest move of his hands, he could see the eyes followingthem. Once he stumbled as they were marching along. This was purposelydone, in the hope that during the time he was recovering his erectposition he could draw the revolver.
He had his course of action all planned out. He had no desire to kill,and he made up his mind that he would first cover them and then bymotions wave them away, but it would be necessary to depend upon mimicryfor this.
He had learned from John that savages are naturally the most expertpantomimists, and are able to express many things by gestures, thi
sfaculty having been made the more acute because the different tribesare frequently brought into contact without any connecting link in thedialects or languages.
If they refused, or made any attempt to seize him, he would then shootthe leader, and thus strike terror into the others. But while he wasthus arranging all the details in his mind, he was startled at seeing awhole group of savages leap from the side of the ill-defined path, whichthey were now traveling, and they speedily surrounded the captor andcaptive.
Then began a bedlam of explanations as they crowded around George. Somecame up and felt his arms, and other portions of his body. He smiledmeanwhile. It was the only thing he could do, and he knew it would beuseless to look troubled.
The next moment the visitors were examining the glass, the cartridgebelt, the knife and the watch, and George was, temporarily forgotten,although surrounded so that he could not possibly force his way through.
He thought it a remarkable thing that they should thus hold and watchhim with such tenacity. While thus discussing him, a new party appeared,and now for the first time there was an attempt to show deference.
The leader of the party was the most powerful savage George had everseen. Uraso was a powerful warrior, and Chum was also noted for hisstrength, but it seemed that the man now coming up must be a giant. Someof the immediate party rushed up to him, and after making a respectfulbow, told him of the capture.
He approached with dignity, and those around George moved away.
Without a moment's hesitation George moved toward the Chief, and whenten feet away, he stopped, straightened himself erect, and with a mostcourtly bow smiled as he recovered his position.
The strong and resolute manner in which this was done was really a causefor marvel in the savage. He looked at his people, and spoke a fewwords, and those who had been his guards came forward mostdeferentially, and, so far as George could understand, told of thecircumstances surrounding his capture.
But there was one thing which struck George as a peculiar thing. Thethree men who had participated in the loot of his valuables did notexhibit them while talking to the Chief.
There was a long palaver, and many gestures indulged in. The questionoccurred to him: What had become of the articles which they had taken?Did they purposely hide them?
At the close of the conversation two of the Chief's immediate associatescame forward, and began to investigate his belongings. The first thingthey brought out was the revolver, and at this George was almost on thepoint of breaking down. Then he grew bitter.
The silver match box was the next to attract the attention of thesearchers; and so they went through from one pocket to the other in themost approved style.
These were laid before the Chief who grunted his approval at thedifferent things, and his admiration, judging from the character of hisremarks, was unbounded at the silver-plated revolver.
From the curious way in which he handled it George was alarmed. It wasan automatic, and if the Chief once pulled the trigger there would betrouble for some one. George held up a warning hand, and the Chieflooked up from the weapon.
The only thing he could do was to point to the revolver, and vigorouslyshake his head. The Chief looked around as though inquiring the meaningof such a sign. He was not interfered with as he walked up to thesavage, and held out his hand. The Chief handed him the weapon.
Then, picking up a leaf, he motioned to one near him to place it on theside of a tree. At a word from the Chief the man did so, but Georgemotioned to him to carry it still further away. He took deliberate aim,and thanks to his long and regular practice, the leaf received theimpress of the bullet, while the savages jumped in all directions at thereport.
Only the Chief remained impassive. He never moved, but when the leaf wasbrought to him, he looked on the youth with a kindly smile. George wasquick to notice this. He again walked over to the Chief, and placed theweapon in his hand, and guided his finger to the trigger, while at thesame time holding up his hand so as to sight it.
This time the shot was directed to the nearest tree. The savagesscurried to give them room. When the Chief pulled the trigger and thedischarge followed, George caught him by the arm, and took him to thetree, pointing out the hole made by the bullet.
There was a wondering look on the Chief's face. He looked at the weapon,and then at the hole. There was a question in the peculiar gutturalsounds of his language, which slowly came from his lips. Evidently theChief wanted to know something.
Ah! he knew what it was. What made the hole? George took the weapon, andextracted one of the bullets, and then pointed to the hole in the tree.It was plain that even this did not satisfy him. Better still; why notdig out the bullet; and as he thought of it he instinctively reached inhis pocket for the knife.
Then he remembered. One of his captors had it. Without any ceremony hewalked over to the man who had it, and by motions indicated that hewanted the knife. The savage was mute. He boldly searched the folds ofthe rude clout, and without a protest on the part of the savage hebrought forth the coveted knife.
This action was indeed a surprise to the Chief. A frown gathered on theChief's face. George saw it, and really trembled for the first time, ashe saw the eyes of the Giant riveted on the knife, and then turned tothe culprit. The latter fell to the ground, and muttered something, andinstantly the two others were also seized, as they uncovered the otherbelongings and laid them before the Chief.
George looked on the scene with genuine regret. The culprits were ledaway, and he speculated on their fate. But the Chief's eyes immediatelyreturned to the hole in the tree, while the gaze of the others rested onthe cartridges, the watch and the field glasses. The knife was inGeorge's hand, and he slowly opened it whereat the appearance of theblade startled the Chief. He was all eagerness now, so George closed theblade and opened it again, and then cut a circle around the bullet holeand chipped the wood away.
There was the bullet, and he slowly drew it forth, a shapeless bit oflead. When he had deposited it in the Chief's hand, he laid one of thecartridges alongside, and also showed the empty shell. Then he quietlylaid the closed knife in the Chief's hand and stood back with his armsfolded, as though he owned the entire Island.
If the action of the Chief counted for anything the boy did haveeverything in sight. The Chief returned the revolver to George, and thenbegan to examine the articles before him. The most interesting appearedto be the cartridge belt. He looked at the revolver and cartridges, andthen turned over the revolver bullet and shell which George hadexhibited.
It was now plain that the Chief could not understand the use of thelarge cartridges. George's mind was working by this time. He did notrecall that the gun was in evidence at any time after they met the firstcrowd on the road.
The Chief pointed to the cartridges, and George looked toward the groupwhich had captured him. This was enough for the wily savage. A sterncommand was issued, and in an incredible short space of time the gunappeared. Where it could have been hidden was a marvel. Certainly thesepeople must be adepts in the art of concealment.
The Chief handled the gun in a most awkward fashion and George politelytook it from his hand, and after glancing about for a moment, saw a birdon a branch. This he brought down, upon which one of the men ranforward, picked it up and brought it to the Chief. After this the weaponwas turned over to him, and the peculiar chuckle that followed was,undoubtedly, the savage's way of expressing delight.
One of the attendants then came forward at the order of the Chief, who,after the articles were gathered up, indicated to George that he shouldfollow, and turned toward the village. George did not regard theprerogatives of royalty, but he took up a most democratic position bythe side of the Chief, to which the latter did not object.
It required nearly an hour before they reached the village. Women andchildren, and boys his own age were in evidence everywhere. They cameout of the huts and followed the procession, on the way to the Chief'squarters.
Singularly George did not now feel the sli
ghtest bit of fear. On theother hand, there was confidence, a sort of assurance that he could notexpress. This feeling came to him, not so much from the general demeanorof the Chief, as on account of the one act, namely, the return to him ofthe revolver.
The Chief's home was an entirely different sort of affair from the otherdwellings. It was noted that, the homes of the ordinary people were madesingularly like those of the tribes on Wonder Island, usually of twigsbraided and brought together at the upper end so as to form cone-likeenclosures, and all were covered with clay, so as to keep out the rains.
Outside of these houses appeared to be the sleeping quarters, and aglance at some of them impressed George as being exceedingly filthy. Thehouses were intended only for the rainy season, apparently, as was thecustom in many places on their own island.
But the Chief's dwelling was a most pretentious affair, judged by thesurrounding homes. It had a large interior court, without a roof, butthe immediate dwelling had four or more rooms. The Chief walked throughone room, and entered the court, where George was embarrassed to see twogirls, and several boys, together with three women, all of whom staredat him, the girls giggling exactly as he had seen them do at home.
The articles taken from him were then deposited upon the floor, and theChief reclined on a sort of raised couch. George glanced around and thefirst thing that his eyes met was a chair, in one corner of the room,and then some articles that he knew could not have been made on theisland.
This was his introduction to the home of the Chief. He then fell towondering how it would be possible to talk and tell him about hisfriends.