[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 34. Gravitational pull._]
The new raft attachment was completed, and Harry made the suggestion that it ought to be put to a practical test, and that a good place to do this would be below the cataract, where it was wide and deep enough to float.
The drill was affected for attaching the sections, as shown in the drawing (Fig. 35), in which A represents the section under the axles, and B, C the two side sections, attached at their inner edges to the ends of the axles, and with the posts D serving as braces.
The yaks seemed to know their business instinctively, and moved down into the water slowly, and the improvised raft not only prevented the body from sinking into the water very low, but it had a wonderful steadying effect, because the side sections served as wings to prevent lateral swaying.
[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 35. Using the Fort as a Raft._]
The crossing and the return were made without accident, and the sections returned and fixed in place, and the wagon was now completed for the journey.
A considerable quant.i.ty of the barley flour was ground, and both honey and cane sugar taken in the vessels which had been recovered from the cave. The ammunition was stored in four boxes at convenient places within the body, and the little metal stove, with the cooking utensils, located near the rear end, where they could be conveniently taken out and returned.
The three sleeping mattresses were stored in the bottom of the body, near the forward end, and as the sides of the body were three feet high, it can be understood that there was an abundance of room for them, and for the other things which were carried along for their convenience and comfort.
Everything was bustle and rush. Angel was as busy as the rest. It was his joy to carry things to the wagon, at George"s behest, and when the hour for starting came, and the house was about to be locked, he rushed into the room, before George could close it, and mount to the rafters.
George followed his movements without a word. He was back in an instant with the little mirror which George had given him some weeks before. It was the only time he had taken it down or brought it within sight of those around him.
With this treasure in his hand he scrambled to the wagon, and found a secure place in the top bows of the wagon, and then hung on the rear bow and waited for the start. He loved these jaunts in the wagon, and they had been frequently made during the past four weeks, but he had never taken the mirror. How did he know that they were going for a journey?
With a good-by to their herd, the jolly party of boys began the trail through the forests, this time not for the love of adventure, or to learn what they had about them, but to relieve their fellows and to be of service to the benighted people who were their neighbors.
As in former times, the Professor cautioned them against haste during the initial portion of the journey, and until they became accustomed to the rough part of the work. Much of the time during the first few days could be devoted to hunting, so as to get a good supply of food, which, later on, might be of great service to them.
The course decided on was to go directly west, and after entering the forest to move southwardly until the South River was reached, and thus pa.s.s the falls. Ralph and George had never been in that section of the island, and all were desirous of again visiting the spot where so many of their experiences had taken place, and in a region that gave them the most startling surprises and mysteries, some of which were not yet unraveled.
Shortly after the noonday hour the roaring of the falling water was distinctly heard, and the boys hurried forward to see it, followed by the wagon.
"Here is the place we found the lifeboat--the one we have at Cataract--right across the river, near that tree. A little farther up we"ll show you where we put our boat--that is the one we started out with to explore the river, and the one which disappeared."
While pa.s.sing up toward the falls, John stopped suddenly at a ma.s.s of the driftwood, and called to Tom, who was nearest, "Pull that log over; I want to see what this is."
Tom obeyed at once, and while he held up the log indicated, John, after considerable exertion, drew forth a smaller log, which had evidently been cut off with some dull tool, and when Harry came to the rescue the entire log was extricated, and all saw a piece of rope attached, and the indication at two places where evidently it had been in sc.r.a.ping contact with some other timbers.
"Did you see the rope?" asked the Professor, "before the log attracted you?"
"No; the end of the log could not have been broken off in that manner, and when it was drawn out the rope followed."
"It is the same kind of rope we found on our boat at the beach. The boat, as you remember, was left by us a little above this place."
"I do not remember ever having been here before," answered John.
They had forgotten that John visited the place before he had recovered his memory.
The log was evidence that some one above the falls used it as a raft, and from its position could not have been there many months, and probably was washed there at the time of the last severe rains about ten weeks previously.
John removed the rope, and put it in the wagon, and the boys noted the approving manner of the Professor as he did this.
They pa.s.sed up around the falls, and camped for the night on the bank of the river. In the morning the stream was followed for ten miles, and the Professor stated that, owing to the rough character of the country adjacent to the stream, it would be advisable to leave the valley and pa.s.s to the right.
During one of the previous trips they were compelled to do this, but that brought them to a dense forest, which was almost impenetrable in many places, and they had to avoid this also.
Before evening this forest appeared in view, and a halt was called for the purpose of reconnoitering the position, and to ascertain if it could not be avoided. John and Ralph made a long trip to the north, and it was found that it extended in that direction too far to make the long detour.
"As the forest will be a very trying course to take, I suggest that we turn directly south and either cross the river or investigate the country on the other side in the direction of the mountains. We have never gone there, and it is likely the country is not as rough, and what little wood is in that neighborhood may not impede us much."
The suggestion was followed, and before night they again encamped on the sh.o.r.e of South River.
"Before taking the team across let us make an investigation for several miles, at least to see the traveling conditions, and if Ralph will accompany me, it will be no difficulty to get back in time for a fairly early start."
Ralph was only too willing to accompany John, and a raft was improvised for the occasion, and they plunged into the rising ground beyond. As they advanced it was apparent that the surface was much better than at any part of the journey from the falls, and the return journey was made as quickly as possible.
After crossing, the river was followed for a time, and then the rising ground was considered more favorable, and good time was made during the day. At the end of the second day the encampment was made for the night by the side of a little stream which flowed from the mountains to the left of their course.
During the previous nights Angel was quiet, but as darkness set in his uneasiness gave George sufficient information to indicate some trouble, and the boys attributed it to the presence of the wild animals, which they knew abounded on the south side of the stream.
Two were delegated to watch during the night, and at recurring intervals Angel manifested alarm. From midnight until the break of day he was constantly awake, and showed his alarm, but when it was daylight a hurried survey of the immediate locality betrayed no signs of an enemy.
Within a mile of their camp they came across a camp fire, around which was strewn the bones which were left from the feast. The Professor and John were up in an instant and carefully examined the litter surrounding the fire, as well as the indications of footprints. The latter were unmistakable at many places, and both announced that the savages had been there, beyond question.
This meant the appointment of a scouting party for the advance of the team, and John took this duty on himself, stipulating that the different boys should alternately accompany him, and thus adapt themselves to the serious work that scouting meant.
Harry was the first detailed to go with him, and at intervals he would go back and signal the team to follow, so that they made fair time along the immediate vicinity of the stream, and thus progressed with some speed, in what now appeared to be the country where the savages lurked.
In the march John found numerous marks of the savages, and before noon was halted at the remains of a fire still glowing, that the savages had quitted not an hour before.
"How many do you think are in the party?"
"Not more than a half dozen."
"It seems to me we ought to stop a day, so they could get ahead of us, or we might run into them."
"I am making every effort to catch up with them. We are out to meet the savages, and the sooner we get a chance at them the better it will be."
Harry had not taken that view of it, and concluded John"s plan was the proper thing to follow out.
"I think myself it would be better to meet a half dozen than the whole tribe." But that, even, was not John"s purpose.
When they reached the wagon, after the glowing camp fire had been discovered, John hurriedly gave his views: "The band is in our immediate vicinity. If we hurry up we can catch up with them before night. I have trailed them now for three hours. I will continue the pursuit as fast as possible, and it would be well to follow me as fast as the yaks can be driven through the brush. We must meet them and capture them before they reach their main band, so that we can get such information as they may have for our guidance."
John, Harry and Ralph now plunged forward, so that the two boys would enable him to make a chain of information back to the wagon, and it was understood that the moment they were sighted, the wagon was to be hurried forward to the spot selected by John.
It was not antic.i.p.ated that the band would be numerous enough to require them to establish their traveling fort, and the sole object was to capture one or more of the savages in the first engagement.
For some reason John did not report sighting them during the entire afternoon, and they were again compelled to camp without getting a sight of the enemy. On this occasion the fort was put up, but no attempt was made to light a fire.
As soon as darkness set in, John motioned to Tom to follow him, and together they quietly made their way to the southwest, in the direction of the trail they had followed during the day.