But proceed, Ralph."

"After several months of hunted life we became expert at eluding our enemies, but we were hungry and starving many a time, and once we were so much reduced to the starvation point that we boldly but stealthily entered a village in order to capture food, and escaped. About two months ago we were unfortunate enough to wander between two conflicting forces, and in the attempt to escape, were finally taken by the victors and conducted to their village in grand style. From our appearance it was probably difficult to judge whether we were white or black, but as we had the freedom of a small space adjoining our hut, and were encamped by the running stream, where water was handy, we had an opportunity to take a bath, which so changed our appearance that the natives could hardly believe we were the same captives they had taken two days before. We since learned that this alteration in our appearance is what caused them to postpone the sacrifice. They are intensely superstitious, and could not understand why the transformation had been made. Then the round silver match box which Tom incautiously exhibited, excited their curiosity, and its glitter attracted them, so that everything we had was taken away, particularly the buttons which we had about us."

"That," remarked the Professor, "is also a trait common with all savages, to regard all articles which have a luster, as a charm. The Druids, in ancient times, used balls of crystal as part of their superstitious worship, and even in the present day, in our own civilized country, we have plenty of people who have an idea that hypnotism can be brought about by gazing at a brightly polished sphere. It can be seen how much these articles are prized by a low order of people, because of the varied colors which are formed at the different parts of the globular surface. It is for the same reason that the eye becomes the most attractive part of the human form, and why some are actually overcome by a piercing glance, or subdued by the genial beams of a kindly eye."

"But I have little more to add to the tale. We were kindly treated by those people, and given a greater share of liberty as time wore on, and when the watchfulness was not so keen we took the first opportunity offered, to escape, and after wandering about from place to place, often without food, we were almost ready to return and throw ourselves on their mercy. For fully a month we kept out of their way, and when we saw them coming, and knew what a struggle we would have to elude them without food, we boldly marched into the midst of the warriors, only to find that we had been hiding from an entirely different tribe of savages. The knowledge of this made us desperate, but we were hungry, and we had read of instances where men had acted boldly when in great danger from enemies; so that we concealed our fears, and demanded something to eat. Catching sight of a roast fowl we took it from the spit on which it was hanging, and began to eat it without asking leave, and with an air of superiority that simply stunned them. The chief came forward; dangling from a chain on his neck was a watch. Tom went toward him, looked at it and quietly took it in his hand, without a protest. As he pressed the stem the case flew open, and the chief started back in wonder and surprise. This performance so new and startling to him was a fortunate occurrence for us. Tom saw the effect of his action, and then wound the watch. When he put the timepiece to the ear of the chief, he became frightened and tore the chain from his neck in terror. The ticking timepiece was then carried around to the assembled warriors, who exhibited the same fear at its 'talking.' An ample supply of food was then instantly set before us, and Tom went up to the chief, and tried to tell him what the instrument was for, and turned the hands to midday to show how it would tell the time of day. He finally put the chain around the savage's neck, which the latter permitted."

"Did the watch have any mark by which it could be identified?"

"Nothing but the initials 'J L V' on the inside of the case."

"J L V," cried Harry and George in unison, as they looked at John. Ralph and Tom in turn stared at the boys in amazement.

"Do you know whose watch it is?" asked Tom.

"Not positively; but we believe it belongs to John here," said Harry, as he delved down in his pocket and brought out the silver match safe he had found after the attack at the river.

When he held it up Ralph glanced at it, and declared that the monogram was a perfect copy of the one on the watch.

This was, indeed, getting interesting to the Professor, as he motioned to Ralph to proceed.

"We were with this tribe nearly two weeks, and were treated like brothers. Bows and arrows were given us, and we became a part of their fighting force, but, unfortunately, they were a small and weak tribe, and when several weeks ago the devils around us pounced down upon us, half of them were killed and we were made prisoners. The others who were captured with us were sacrificed last week, and our turn would undoubtedly have been the next, as we had been captured fighting against them."

This narrative greatly impressed the boys, and it showed what suffering they had undergone, and they could not help but contrast their lot with that of their unfortunate companions.

The story made clear another thing: That there must have been another boatload of their wrecked ship on the island.

CHAPTER VII

He was absent more than a half hour, and although the watchers in the wagon kept up a vigilant guard in every direction, John reappeared, and was almost at the wagon before he was noticed. He had returned by way of the north bank of the stream, and entered the wagon on the same side from which he had left.

As stated previously, the extreme height of the wagon bed enabled them to make a small closet-like enclosure, which would not expose any light, and to this place the Professor drew John, and lighting the lamp the latter showed by signs that no savages were in the immediate vicinity.

The Professor by signs motioned that they should take up their flight along the bed of the stream, and to this John gave his immediate approval. The boys were informed of the decision, and all consented. It would certainly take them nearer home, and delay would mean only waste of ammunition, and if a fight was necessary they were as well able to defend themselves by night as by day.

As silently as possible the yaks were put in marching order, and John, without a word, started off ahead, keeping well to the left, and at a considerable distance from the river bed, and thus acted as a scout for the party.

To their astonishment their progress was not opposed, and for more than an hour the quiet movement was kept up. Before them was a mass of undergrowth, which seemed to come nearer the river than at any other place on their route, and John approached the wagon and signaled a halt.

The Professor went forward, and without a word John started for the underbrush, the Professor following. They passed entirely through without any signs of the savages, and as they returned and emerged from the other side, John tried to give the Professor some advice, but the darkness prevented him from grasping his ideas. As a last resort John went up to a small tree and made the motions of cutting it down, and it at once dawned on him that a raft should be built, and this so impressed the Professor as a wise course that they hurriedly returned to the wagon.

"Boys, get the bolos at once, and drive the wagon forward until I tell you to stop. Harry and George follow John, and cut poles for a raft. We must cross the stream. While you are doing this I will examine the river bank and find the best place to launch our raft."

"What," exclaimed Ralph, "are you going to make a raft large enough to float the wagon on?"

"No," said Harry, "but we intend to make the wagon a part of the raft," and he hurriedly told them how they had forded the stream before.

Before they had an opportunity to cut many of the poles the Professor appeared with the welcome information that he had found an immense pile of driftwood not far below, and this was communicated to John as best they could and the Professor took him by the arm and led him to the river bank and sent Harry up to bring down the team.

The accumulated mass was a fortune to them, as the wood was comparatively dry, and singling out the most available pieces, the material was ready within a half hour, and the shallowest shelving part of the beach selected for the launching.

It was singular that during all these proceedings not the least sign was heard of their pursuers. It could not be possible that they had given up the chase, but it seemed so. The party now consisted of six, and Harry had doubts of the sufficiency of the floating timbers to sustain them, but this fear was dispelled as the noble yaks slowly drew the wagon forward, and it was found that it floated.

By repeated urging the stream was soon crossed, and when the wagon had been denuded of the logs, they were in as good condition as before to go on. As on the previous occasion, they pushed out from the river, as fast as the darkness would permit, and soon came to gently ascending land, and finally the underbrush appeared, when the Professor called a halt.

"This will take us far enough from the view of the savages, and we must make camp and get some rest for the morrow may be a trying day."

As nearly as could be determined it was two o'clock in the morning and the watches were appointed so that two would be on guard, for an hour at each watch. The morning came too soon for all of them. It had been a strenuous time for all and a particularly joyous one for the two boys.

An early start was not necessary. They were about a quarter of a mile from the river, and as the light broke were surprised to find that the camp was selected at a peculiarly secluded spot. Their first subject of conversation was concerning the natives. They were nowhere in sight, but shortly afterwards John pointed to the right, and there plainly seen were the entire tribe waiting along the shore of a tributary which flowed into the stream from the west.

"It is now plain to me why they were fooled," and the Professor laughed at the situation. They evidently knew that sooner or later the wagon must make its appearance and attempt to ford the stream, and that would be their opportunity.

"They are certainly smart in some things, and particularly with regard to the character of the streams. That tributary is very deep and they counted on that giving us trouble."

"Why do you know it is a deep and not a shallow stream?"

"The conformation of the shores indicate that. It can generally be determined in this way: If the sides of the ground near the shore are steep, it is pretty sure to make a contracted channel, and that means depth. On the other hand, if the beach is sloping the stream may be wide, but is always shallow at that point. See the steep sides running close down to the mouth?"

The savages did not wait long for the supposed appearance of the wagon, but the scouting parties cautiously spread out and moved up the stream. They passed through the thick undergrowth where John and the Professor had passed the night before and were, apparently, nonplussed at the disappearance.

This recalled the former experience farther up the river, and all had a merry laugh at the discomfiture. They saw the tracks of the wagon, and it ceased at the undergrowth, and this was the puzzling feature to them, but in time the tracks were followed up leading to the river bank, and the evidences of the driftwood all about was sufficient information to them to stop all further pursuit.

"What should we do if they attempt to cross?" was George's inquiry.

"That would be our chance to go for them," responded Harry.

They remained on the bank for two hours, constantly looking across for signs of the retreating wagon, and then slowly filtered back through the woods beyond.

"Isn't this the place we saw the lights during our first trip to the river?" asked Harry.

"No," answered the Professor; "we were fully six or eight miles north of this point, but it might be some tribes are found that far down the river."

Breakfast had been forgotten in the interesting watching of their enemies, and when they had fully disappeared from view the party had an opportunity for the first time in a whole week to get a sample of cooked food.

"I am sorry to say," said George, "that we haven't any fresh meat, and the best we can do is coffee and corned beef."

Harry and John had their guns in an instant, and started out on the quest for food.

"Where did you get the coffee and corned beef?" asked Ralph.

"We put up the beef ourselves, and there is plenty of this kind of coffee on the island."

"But you have sugar, too."

"Yes; we made that and also have plenty of honey."

This was surprising information for the boys.

"But how did you make the guns? Where did you get the iron?"

"We dug it out of the ground and put up our own foundry, and have a water wheel and a machine shop."

All this was said with a show of pardonable pride; and he continued: "Wait until you see where we live and how we have things fixed up."

The shots which were plainly heard indicated something good to eat, and before the hunters arrived the stove was removed from the wagon, and George had a good fire started.

A woodchuck and two pheasants were the trophies. What a feast they made. The chief was now inclined to be more communicative. The neat trick of crossing the river was a most enjoyable spectacle for him, and he tried to exhibit his delight. Ralph and Tom didn't have much use for him; as they were no doubt thinking of the miseries that the islanders had given them, and the Professor smiled as he appreciated their feelings.

The disposition of the warrior was a leading subject of discussion, and some favored letting him go, but he was not in a condition to travel, and they were now fully ten miles or more from the point where he was captured. Humanity prompted them to take him with them rather than set him adrift in his condition, which might mean exposure to his enemies, and as a result the subject was dropped.

Red Angel was a source of wonder to the boys. He had so many attractive ways, and it was the first time that either had been thrown into close association with such an animal, and besides Angel was not an ordinary orang. He had been educated, and it amused the boys to see how much intelligence he exhibited when he was told to do certain things.

After the meal the march was taken up, and Harry, ever solicitous for his team, as he called them, was anxious to get water for them. He was assured that during the day they would without doubt cross some of the streams which they had previously found in that section of the country.

While thus moving along Ralph and Tom were inexpressively happy at their liberty. Weak as they were they frequently got out of the wagon, trudging along, running races with Angel, and jolly as boys out of school.

And this gives the first opportunity to describe them. Ralph was tall, and strongly built, but his emaciated frame did not show his full strength. Tom, on the other hand, was shorter and bulkier, so that the two boys were really the counterparts physically, of Harry and George, respectively. Both were educated fully up to their years like the average youths who had graduated from the high school.

Tom was the most observant of the two, and in that respect resembled George, and as they moved through the forest and over the table land, he would frequently stop and look around, and finally went to the Professor and said: "This part of the island looks very familiar to me." Then calling to Tom, he continued: "Isn't this the place we traveled through after we were wrecked?"

Tom looked about him, and finally answered: "It does look familiar like. We came from that direction." And he pointed to the north.

"If that is the case you landed on the island fifty miles west of our position, and it is a remarkable thing that we never ran across your tracks," answered the Professor.

The wagon was driven forward slowly, because there was now no need for haste. The part of the country through which they were passing was free from savages, so there was no anxiety from that source, and the Professor, as well as the boys, took delight in examining the country through which they passed, and in trying to discover new vegetables and fruit, as well as learning all about the mineral resources of the different sections.

Before night they came to a small stream, which was an admirable camping spot, and the yaks fairly reveled in the sweet, fresh water. There was no hesitancy in building a fire for the evening meal, and the hunting bags showed a good supply of game. That evening sitting under the great southern dome, with its glittering stars, the Professor had a most attentive audience when the various questions were brought up for discussion.

To those who are fairly observant, the heavens in southern latitudes cannot fail to attract attention because of the different arrangement of the stars. People living in the northern hemisphere have never seen the southern cross, nor the great fixed stars, Canopus or Achernar; and those below the equator have never viewed the polar star, and do not know the beauty of the brilliant star Vega.

The most intent listener, on all occasions of this kind, was George. "Tell us, Professor, how the mariner knows the direction of the south pole when there is no south polar star to show him?"

"Practically the same method is used as in the northern hemisphere. The north polar star does not in itself indicate which is north, but it is one of the points used in connection with another star which points out the direction.

"In the northern hemisphere there is a star called Alpheratz and another called Zaph, which are in direct line with the polar star. The two first stars named are exactly on what is called the equinoctial line. But the southern hemisphere of the heavens does not have a polar star to indicate the south, so that if you will now look directly above us you will notice two very bright stars. One of them is the fixed star Sirius, the most brilliant in the heavens; the other is Canopus, and a line along these two stars would go around the celestial sphere and point to the poles."

"But suppose we should be on the sea, and would not have anything else to guide us, what would there be to show which way is north and which direction south?"

"Sirius is easily distinguished, because it is, apparently, the largest of all the fixed stars. It cannot be mistaken. By taking that as a starting point, and following with the eye along past Canopus, you will be looking to the south pole."

"Isn't Sirius called the Dog Star? And hasn't it some connection with the dog days?"

"Yes; in the remote ages of the world, when every man was his own astronomer, the rising and setting of this star was watched with deep solicitude. The astronomers of Egypt determined the length of the year by the number of its risings. It foretold to them the rising of the Nile, which they called Siris, and admonished them when to sow. At that season of the year Sirius rises with the sun, and owing to its intense brilliancy, the ancients supposed that it blended its heat with the sun and thus was the cause of the intense heat; hence during that time were called dog days. At present what are so designated are the days between the 3d of July to the 11th of August."

CHAPTER VIII

The Professor smiled. "You have at last found the real rubber tree. This was taken from one of the small trees, but they grow to considerable height, and many of the trees yield about eight gallons of milk, when first cut, which produces two pounds of rubber.

"But," continued the Professor, "I have something here that is more of a curiosity than anything else." He drew forth a stem with a number of leaves, and peculiarly marked. "Do you notice anything odd about this?"

All of them examined it intently, and finally Tom remarked: "Why don't you remember, Ralph, we saw these branches in the savage huts frequently, but I have no idea what they used them for."

"This is the carricature plant. If you will look closely the outline of human faces can be seen. Look at this leaf, the resemblance is plain. Among the savages these leaves are plucked as charms, and the more distinctly they are marked the more potent they consider them. It is something like the ideas of many people about the four-leaved clovers. So civilized people are not so very far above the savages, after all."

In the afternoon of the third day they approached the vicinity of the Cataract, and Harry and George were wild to make their way forward, so the yaks were constantly urged to go on, and it frequently made traveling difficult for those who were walking. Ralph and Tom were kept in the wagon, but insisted that the Professor and John should take their places there, and would not listen to their protestations.

About three o'clock Observation Hill was sighted, and there, proudly floating, was the flag. When the attention of the boys was called to it they almost wept for joy at the sight.

"Oh, how good it feels to see that old flag again," was Tom's comment, as he tried to brush away something that looked like a tear. "How far are we away now?"

"Not more than two miles from home, but the hill is three-quarters of a mile farther."

Angel was in his element now, as the home was sighted, and he danced and capered, just as George did. The Professor and John were in the wagon, and Harry asked the Professor to take the reins, and before any of them knew what he was about was out of the wagon and on a run down the hill, followed by George and Angel.

Ralph and Tom followed suit, and they made a procession that gave great pleasure to the Professor, as he saw their joyous spirits exhibiting themselves.

John's eyes lighted up, and the Professor noted the look of pleasure on his face. It was so good to see the steady increase in the developing intelligence. When they left two weeks before John was listless, and often entirely without any indications of what was going on all about him. The only characteristics were shown at intervals, where he would, probably, recall something, or instinctively be brought into contact with a former phase of his life; but now those periods seemed to be vanishing, and he became a more normal being at all times, without showing the marked eccentricities.

The boys reached the home, and Harry opened the door, and stood ready to receive and welcome their new companions.

When the wagon came up John and the Professor marched up, and the latter approached with the deference of a courtier, and John, noting the attitude of the Professor, made a like obeisance, and this act, so gracefully performed, was such a wonderful and startling thing that the boys were completely stunned. After making a show of welcome to the Professor, they walked over to John and offered him a welcome that was most touching to him.

The Professor and the boys now felt that they could not, in their future conversations, make any allusion to him, as there was an evident dawning of his intellect, and nothing must be said to attract his attention to it by discussing his condition.

Angel was in the rafters for a moment only, and then down and darted into the kitchen. Not for a moment did he rest content at any spot until he had investigated every corner. Wasn't that a boyish trait? When the whole house had been exhausted, he was over at the water wheel, and the boys followed, but they did not take in every arm and blade of the wheel, as he did. Then to the shop, and always leading the boys, who were after him with shouts of merriment.

"Oh, isn't this wonderful!" exclaimed Tom. "What a glorious time you must have had in building these things? And just to think of it, we were so near you, and in misery all the time;" and he said it in such a regretful manner that it drew forth the sympathy of all.

Nothing in the world could have hindered John and the Professor from following up and witnessing the scene. Angel didn't try to run the sawmill, or to turn the lathe, but he did the next best thing, he jumped on the grindstone and sent it spinning while running over the top, a trick he had learned and which was one of the ways he had to help out George and Harry when at work.

If you should argue from now until you get to the end of this book that Angel did not know what he was doing during these exhibitions, and that it was only the act of an animal, it would not have convinced the boys. From the shop they visited the laboratory, and here the boys got their first real shock, as they saw the skeletons which had been taken from the cave.

It was all so remarkable to them that they did not know what to say or think. Here was intelligence directed from the first. How different had they utilized the intervening time. It was a momentous lesson, they were smart enough to appreciate what they saw and learned.

"I am so happy to know that we have been permitted to become a member of your family," said Ralph, as he grasped the Professor's hand. "All this around here is certainly worth seeing, and it makes me long to take a hand and help, and I know that Tom feels that way, too."

Before the Professor could reply George stepped up and put his arm around the Professor. "If you boys only knew how beautiful he has been, and how patiently he has urged us to carry out this work, you would almost wish, as has been our desire many times, never to leave this place; but—of course, we—we want to see home—and," and the tears came, and Ralph and Harry and Tom broke down and wept, and they turned away from each other to hide their emotions.

When they turned and tried to be very brave again, the Professor, who was not ashamed of the tears which fell, smiled through them, and his voice rang out with a cheer that made every face bright, as he said: "The most satisfying thing in life is appreciation. My boys have been heroes. I have done nothing; it is their work. I have felt ashamed, sometimes, to know how little has been the work of my hands. Occasionally they have been directed, but it is because they wanted to know so many things and the reasons for everything they started out to do. You can see, therefore, that if they had not possessed the spirit to accomplish these things, the little that I have tried to impart to them would have been of no use. I merely allude to this to show you that it is not knowledge or information that makes the world move or induces men to progress, but it is the spirit which takes hold of and utilizes the intelligence."

The new additions to the family now necessitated an entire rearrangement of their quarters. The house, which had been built up in sections, so to speak, contained three rooms, one, the original portion, being now the store room, to which was added a living room and a kitchen.

Commenting on this, and with all together, to get some understanding of the plans, the Professor outlined his views: "We have been putting up our structures here in the way usually followed in all rural communities, where there is plenty of room, by first erecting a little shanty, and then adding another room to that, and a little lean-to on the other side, and as the family grows, enclosing the lean-to to make another room, and then adding to that, and so on, until the whole mass makes a more or less picturesque structure, and a fine thing for artists to rave over. But the interior comfort is quite another thing. We should change that in this civilized community, and put up a building that will be not only comfortable and adapted for our necessities, but also artistic, and it will cost us no more than to do it in a slovenly, inartistic way. I imagine we can make good terms with the carpenter and the bricklayer and the decorator so as to reduce the cost as much as possible;" and all enjoyed the Professor's little joke.

It was Harry's turn to offer a few suggestions: "We have about everything we need now, except food. The barley is all gone—"

"What, all that we left in the bin?" asked George.

"Something has gotten into it and carried it all away."

"We shall have to investigate that the first thing," suggested the Professor. "Fortunately we haven't threshed out one of the stacks, and that will give us plenty of exercise for a day."

"What, have you a stack of barley here?" was Tom's eager question.

"Oh, yes," replied George, "and we make the finest kind of bread. I am sorry we can't offer any to-day."

It was so long since they had tasted bread that its name was almost forgotten.

All returned to the house. The Chief was still there, and he looked at the group in a curious way. Everything in sight attracted his curiosity, and the Professor tried to make him feel at home in his new surroundings. His wounds were progressing favorably, and he was now able to stand on one leg without much pain. At the suggestion of the Professor, Harry made a pair of crutches, which were brought in early the next morning, and he took them and imitated the act of walking with one of his legs raised up. This was a novel proceeding for the savage, and after they had been offered to him several times the Professor urged him to try them.

Comprehending what was wanted he struggled to his feet and reached for them. When they were adjusted he leaned forward for the first step, and a look of surprise came over him. It was a revelation to his poor untutored mind. It lighted up into an expression he had never exhibited before, and he thus received the first lesson on the route to civilization.

It was amusing to see him make one attempt after the other, and before night he could travel about fairly well. What must have been his thoughts as he saw the busy workshops and the surroundings of the home to which he had been so unwillingly brought? At every opportunity the Professor cultivated his acquaintance. As time wore on he became communicative in his way, but it was difficult to bring things to his mind and comprehend the language used.

He was first taught to name certain things, such as the different foods; and it did not take long to learn what "Yes" and "No" meant, and when handed anything particularly appetizing it was finally associated in his mind with "good." Thus step by step he acquired a small vocabulary of words.

The first task in the morning was the threshing out of barley. Chief, as he was called, witnessed the task, and picked up and fondled one of the flails, like a child caressing a new toy, but he did not have the remotest idea what the threshing of the barley meant until the beaten straw had been removed and the golden grain was winnowed out.

And there was another thing that interested him immensely, and that was the grist mill, composed of the two stones, and when the water wheel was set in motion and the upper stone began to whirr, he stood with mouth and eyes open, and watched the meal running from the spout like one entranced. Usually these people are too stolid to pay attention to such things, but his intense interest was so pronounced that it attracted all who witnessed it.

He followed every step in the preparation of the flour and in the making of the bread, and when the loaves were finally deposited on the table, it was some time before he could gain sufficient composure to taste it. When he did so eventually the amount he ate was enough commendation of its quality to satisfy the most egotistic baker.

Tom became the constant companion of Harry in the workshop, as he was a lover of the mechanical arts. Ralph had the spirit of adventure, and was the counterpart of George, who liked to investigate. These two became the animated question marks of the party. On every subject they took a leading part.

The second evening George brought out his home-made violin. This was the occasion for another surprise. Red Angel was at the feet of George in an instant. Tom could not keep his hands still, as he had also learned to play the instrument, and ventured to suggest that he would like to assist in building a bass viol, and not to be outdone Ralph offered to construct a flute.

The violin that evening was another link in the chain which was to eventually convert a savage into an instrument of untold value to the people of that island. At first Chief could not understand it. He tried to see where the wailing noise came from and pressed closer and closer to George as he played. When George played another tune in quick time he became animated, and slow, plaintive music seemed to subdue him.

"Do you know," said the Professor, "that what we call music does not appear as such to savages. Noise and sound are not distinguished by them. The beating of their crude tom toms is the only thing that appeals to their ears. That is simply noise. Rhythm and time are recognized, principally because all their music is associated by some act of dancing."

"I have often wondered why it is that dancing is such a universal custom?" ventured Tom.

"Among all ancient peoples it formed the integral part of religious ceremonies, and is even to-day practiced by many of the eastern Christians in that manner. It was the custom of the Jews from their first historical account, as shown in the account given in Exodus, where Miriam the prophetess, sister of Moses, took a timbrel in her hand and went out with the other women with timbrels and dances. The Hebrews had a regular chorus in the Temple, with dancing performers of women; and the dance was adopted as a fitting close to the feast of the Tabernacle, when the rulers of the synagogues, the doctors of the schools, and even the members of the Sanhedrin, accompanied the sacred music with their voices, and leaped and danced with torches in their hands until morning."

"Do you think the savages even in these western islands use the dance as a religious ceremony?"

"All tribes in the Island of the Pacific, and I might say, over the entire world, associate these dances with religion, with war, and with some festive commemoration of events. I dare say that you boys have witnessed some of those rites."

Ralph responded to this: "We saw that happen on the occasion the victims were sacrificed by the savages who captured us, as I related in my story the other day. The other tribe also had a dance, but it was so entirely different that we both noticed it at the time."

"Your observation was correct. As in clothing, and in the matter of decorations, so different peoples show their dancing characteristics by different traits. This is true of all civilized people as well. Of these, the best known, which I might mention, are the tarantella of the Neapolitans, the bolero and fandango of the Spaniards, the mazurka and cracovienna of Poland, the cosack of Russia, the redowa of Bohemia, the quadrille and cotillion of France, the waltz, polka and gallopade of Germany, the reel and sword dance of Scotland, the minuet and hornpipe of England, the jig of Ireland, and the last to capture America is the tango."

CHAPTER IX

In the morning the Professor called the working force together, and suggested that as good living was a necessity, and could also be made a pleasure, they should so divide the different occupations as to make each feel that he had some special responsibility.

He pointed out four things which were essential to their welfare. First to replenish their store of vegetables; second, to secure game or meat of some kind; third, the cultivation of the garden; and fourth, the manufacture of clothing, of which all stood in need.

When John came to their home he was supplied with practically all of the surplus goods on hand, and a new stock of ramie fiber had not been prepared since that. The boys' clothing had been supplemented by the goods taken from the wagon top, and while heavy garments were not required, it was noticed that the articles first made from the ramie were growing threadbare.

Footwear was really of more immediate necessity than clothing. Ralph and Tom had no shoes whatever, as the only ones they had were taken away when first captured. It is singular how hard the feet can become when deprived of protection. Throughout Africa, where the natives never wear them from the cradle to the grave, the soles of the feet become hard and bony, and thus enable them to travel over any kind of surface without injury.

It was fortunate that they had three tanned hides, and when John looked at the denuded feet of the boys, and at his own condition, the sight of the hides was enough to set him to work. The first thing that engaged his attention was the making of a set of lasts, and then the ramie fiber was twisted for threads; after which he sought out the lumber pile to make pegs, and selected some of the dried shellbark hickory for this purpose. Thus he imposed one very needed duty on himself.

At George's suggestion a new stock of the ramie fiber ought to be supplied, and he, with Ralph, took the yaks, and their guns, in order to do double duty, to bring in a new quantity, and at the same time supply the table with game. As they were leaving the Professor called out: "If you go near the ledge of iron ore bring in a few hundred pounds, and also some clay. You ought to take the picks and shovels along."

Harry and Tom went across the river to visit the garden, which was now overrun with weeds, and the entire day was spent in putting that in order, as they hoped within a few weeks more to commence gathering supplies from that source. The garden had been started before they sailed away on the voyage which ended so disastrously to their vessel.

While all this was going on it must not be thought that the determination to again visit the enemy's country had been relaxed. Before going on another trip preparations must be made, and they did not intend to run short of ammunition the second time.

With that object in view, the moment the present need for food and clothing was provided for it was agreed that all efforts should be made in the direction of preparing weapons and ammunition. There was still a good supply of copper at hand, as well as lead, which had been previously extracted.