"Well, Aladdin, or not Aladdin, I move now that we move up the hillside and take formal possession of the Portuguese old fort."
"I second the moving motion," said Conal.
So Duncan and Conal became the carriers; Frank, with Vike, remaining below on guard until everything was taken up.
It took them the whole of that day, and the next as well, to settle down in their new quarters, and to make everything snug and comfortable.
To their great delight, at the foot of a rock not far off they found a small well with a spring of the coldest water, bubbling up through the rocks.
It was partly no doubt on account of this very well, that the former inhabitants of the fort had chosen this spot as their habitat.
One room, and one only, of the ruin was roofed, and this they commenced to overhaul and thoroughly clear and clean.
They shuddered somewhat, however, when they came across human bones, and these had been charred by fire, and so told a terrible tale.
But Duncan and his comrades were not to be daunted, and determined to make this their living-room, for no matter how hard the rain might fall, their stores would be dry and safe.
Besides the door, there was one opening which had been a window.
It was at first proposed to barricade it up, but this would have prevented ventilation, and shown fear also.
"I have it!" cried Frank.
"Well?"
"Erect two skulls. There they are all ready to hand."
This was done.
The terrible relics were fastened to short poles, and one was stuck at each side of the window outside.
For a time, at all events, the boys might well consider themselves safe, for superst.i.tion is far more deep and rife in heathen lands than it is in Christian, and that is saying a good deal.
"I do think all this is rather jolly than otherwise," said Frank a morning or two after they had got nicely settled, as he termed it, "and I wouldn"t mind living here for some time."
"I"m afraid we"ll have to, Frank," said Duncan, laughing.
"Bar the vicinity of that ugly king, and his crowd," Conal put in.
"But you must admit, captain, that there is a spice of romance in this mode of life, and I wouldn"t mind much what happened to me, if there was a ground-work of romance in it."
Frank was reminded of these remarks by his fellows some time after this, and after a thrilling adventure, in which he happened to be first-person-singular.
"But I say," he added, "what shall we call ourselves? Crusoes? Eh?"
"I think," said Conal, "that a Crusoe must live on an island."
"Hermits, then."
"No. You can"t have a plurality of hermit. A hermit is a hermit, and he is all by himself. If a lot of people come and live in the same place he is a hermit no longer."
"Solitaires," suggested Duncan.
Conal laughed aloud.
"Why," he cried, "you stupid old Duncan, a solitaire is a sleeve-link or collar-stud or something."
"Foresters, then."
"Fiddlesticks! The forest is miles away."
"Treasure-hunters?"
"That"s better. And we"d best leave it at that."
"Well, having made everything snug, suppose we go and see the fat king again."
"Good! and then go and fish. There is a nice little stream down here, and we might even have a peep into the forest."
"Happy thought!" said Frank.
Frank"s mind, by the way, was partially built upon happy thoughts, and there was always one or two ready to bob up on the surface.
"What now, Frank?"
"We"ve lots of wine, and we won"t drink it. Suppose we take King Pig a bottle."
They did so, and also some more beads.
They marched--that is, Frank and Duncan, Conal being left at home to keep house--straight to the king"s kraal.
They sang as they entered the village, seeming to know by instinct what I had to learn from experience, that a happy, independent, and careless manner goes a long way to impress savages with one"s superiority.
The cannibal king was just getting up. He had eaten too much the night before, and overslept himself. But he seemed glad to see our heroes, smiled, and poked his black, fat fingers funnily towards them.
His hut was a big one, but something in it immediately caught Frank"s eye. It was a huge, black, and horribly ugly doll. The king"s G.o.d, without a doubt. It was as black as the ace of clubs, with red lips and white tusks. The eyes seemed to glare at the intruders, but the intruders didn"t mind.
Frank drew nearer to it, for something in this wooden G.o.d"s head shone with a light that was perfectly dazzling. Anyone could have seen it was a diamond of the purest water.
How could he secure it? that was the question. Why, that stone was a fortune in itself. Robbing a cannibal king might not be much of a crime, but the treasure-hunters recoiled from the idea.
Barter! Ha! that indeed. Finance is a fine thing!
Frank held out a handful of beautiful beads, and pointed to the G.o.d"s grinning head.
But the king looked frightened, and shook his head.