"_The Mystery of the Dahomey Village deepens as the Investigation Progresses"_
_"The French proprietor avers that there was no attempt at Cannibalism, but he cannot make a coherent statement of the case"_
_"The supposedly bloodthirsty Dahomey men and amazons, said to be the most peaceful and mild in Africa. The natives contradict themselves and tell a dozen different stories. The Exposition management greatly alarmed, and the investigation being pushed with vigor. Horrifying disclosures supposed soon to be reached"_
She read it over, then she read it aloud to sorrowing Uncle Jeremiah and Aunt Sarah. The truth of the great unintended hoax and misunderstanding began to dawn upon them. Then she explained the situation, and Johnny was brought out to hear it fully discussed. It was now clear to all of them, but what should they do was the next question. They could not think of the newspaper notoriety that the avowal of the truth would give them. Anyway, it had gone too far for them to interfere. Surely it was wisest and best for them to say nothing. It was so decided. As ludicrous as it was, it had become too grave a matter for amus.e.m.e.nt.
"Of course you will help us keep this secret, you girls?"
Not a word was returned but Mary picked up her chair and sat down in front of the four girls.
"The n.o.ble and progressive a.s.sociation, C. C. of C. C. will now come to order."
Instantly each girl sat prim and upright in her seat.
"Is there any question before this deliberative body of girls?"
Nannie arose and said, "Madam President, I believe it is proposed that we add another secret to our list."
Leila had her note book out and was taking down the minutes of the meeting.
"Believing that this should be done," Nannie continued, "I move that what we have heard and now know concerning this newspaper sensation we forever keep secret."
Stella seconded the motion.
Here Kate got the floor and said she did not think it advisable to add another secret to their list for she now had so many that it was making her life a burden in trying to remember them every time she had occasion to open her mouth. Besides the case would certainly be a scoop for them against the boys and would make them famous and cause the "Weekly Express" to be circulated all over the globe if it published the first true version of the case.
[Ill.u.s.tration: "THE n.o.bLE AND PROGRESSIVE a.s.sOCIATION, C. C. OF C. C."]
There was a sharp discussion for a few minutes, in which parliamentary usage was dethroned and confusion seemed to rule but they were young women and therefore had not lost a word.
The vote was taken and there was but one voice in the negative. There was a motion to make it unanimous and it was unanimous. Thus the wish of their hostess prevailed and another great secret was forever closed In their hearts from the common herds of mankind.
_CHAPTER XIII_
SUNDAY AND CONSCIENCE
Johnny could scarcely wait for nine o"clock of the next morning to come around. He wanted to see if his friend Louis was really alive and if he would be at 60th street gate.
Louis was there dancing about in a fever of anxiety. At John"s appearance the two boys went off to talk about their mishaps. They had achieved more adventure than they had bargained for.
"Have you seen the papers?" said Louis.
"Yes."
"Have you told anybody yet?"
"No, and my folks thinks it"s best never to say anything about it."
"Then we never will."
"Say, Louis," said John confidently, "there was five of the alfiredest best looking girls around at our house last night you ever saw. f.a.n.n.y found them at the Beauty show a looking at the sights. They live in a town not very far from our farm and they are coming over to visit f.a.n.n.y before they have to go into school. You have to come down and visit me while they are there or I will have to live in the barn."
The agreement was closed and the boys pa.s.sed through the gates in quest of new adventures, as if nothing unusual had ever occurred to them.
However, they instinctively avoided Midway Plaisance, and decided to see what was on Wooded Island. They ranged through the hunter"s camp, through the j.a.panese Hooden, and all over the island in the vain attempt to find something equal to their educated fancies of fun. Somehow Louis learned that there was to be a religious dance in the Quackahl cabin.
Nothing else could have a place in the boys" minds until they had tickets for the show.
Inside the hut was a strange sight. Wanug had arranged four of his warriors on the east side of the hut, and these formed a quartet that produced the music for the fearful dance to follow. In the center of the hut a log fire burned briskly. The warriors had their faces smeared with Indian ink, and some of the beauty spots looked like demi-semiquavers on a sheet of music. The squaws, and even the papooses, were painted for the occasion, and everyone of the Quackahls were dressed in blue robes, ornamented with striking pearl b.u.t.tons.
At a signal Hammasoloe suddenly sprang on the boards and began the mythical movement known as the cannibal dance. It was symbolic of a curious legend current among the Indians of Vancouver island, of a strange spirit that dwells among the mountains and spends most of his time eating the fat members of the Quackahl tribe. Hammasoloe took the part of the spirit and crouched down as if ready to spring on his prey.
The sticks beat hard on the plank, and the music for the dance began.
A squaw pounded on a square box, which represented the Quackahl drum.
Two warriors were deputed to watch Hammasoloe while he circled around the fire, for the usual ending to the dance is startlingly realistic.
Usually the dancer becomes so excited that he bites the arms of those present in imitation of the actions of the great spirit on the mountains. Whenever his eyes glared and his looks became ferocious the warriors grasped his arms and quieted him. He disappeared behind a white curtain, and a few minutes afterward out sprang another warrior wearing a huge mask, representing a raven"s head. The raven is a slave of the spirit and is supposed to be represented by one man.
But Awalaskaius played the part of the raven. His body proved as supple as a professional contortionist. He twisted his legs and whirled his head around and snapped his jaws in a remarkable manner. Cries that made the ears ring accompanied the dance.
When Awalaskaius had finished, Hammasoloe sprang out from behind the white curtain wearing a blue gown on which the figure of the Quackahl sun was worked. The rays of the sun were blazing red, and the man in the orb was depicted winking in a gracious manner.
Louder grew the noise, and the quartet taunted the spirit so much that he again disappeared. Then came forth Awalaskaius with a duck"s head mask, which is the sign of the great spirit. Again he went through his curious contortions and scared some of the ladies, as he snapped his beak dangerously near them.
When the dance was done and the boys were once more outside they were quite satisfied with sight-seeing among savages and were quite contented to spend the remaining days of the week among the more prosaic and poetical scenes of the great Fair.
Uncle and Aunt had about walked themselves down in their sight-seeing, and were now enjoying the comforts of the rolling chairs and listening to the voluble information which the chair pushers thought it their duty to impart.
f.a.n.n.y was walking near them in a never ceasing enjoyment of people and scenery. As they pa.s.sed the Woman"s building a large number of women were seen coming out together. On going over the viaduct two well dressed men from the Emerald Isle could be heard in critical conversation.
One of them said:
"Look, Pat! It"s women again! Do ye mind that now. Look at um coom out ov that new building. It"s the Fair that"s bein" run by thim faymales.
Soon they"ll want to run the wurrld, and they"ll be votin". The divil will be to pay in a man"s home. They should be taught their places at once. If my wife should git that strong minded sure I"d be packin" her off. Dacent homes are bein" ruined, Pat, and soon there"ll be no homes.
They meet in clubs to worship the rich, and who will do our mending and cook our meals? It"s all wrong, all wrong. The women must be taught their places."
[Ill.u.s.tration: "VOLUBLE AND PERHAPS VALUABLE INFORMATION."]
And the poor man looked worried. He is probably teaching Bridget her place today.
Aunt was looking wistfully over toward Wooded Island as if it reminded her of home.
"I tell ye, I haven"t saw anything as nice as them flowers. They tell ye of the country, and its quiet over here. Ye get too much of a good thing sometimes out among the white buildings. It"s sort o" dreamlike over here, ye know."
She was right, it is dreamlike and it is restful. Din and noise are far away and nothing breaks the stillness but the faint music as it floats down from the plaza. The azalias are in full bloom, and orchids and pansies and nearly every other blossom meet you at every turn.