Part 34 (2/2)
”That's a bad enough t.i.tle for anybody,” said Sam with a shudder.
”I suppose his job is to poison their enemies if they can't overcome them in regular battle.”
”Um tell de thruf,” put in Cujo. ”Once de Mimi tribe fight King Susko, and whip him. Den Susko send Poison Eye to de Mimi camp.
Next day all drink-water get bad, an' men, women, an' children die off like um flies.”
”That's cheerful information,” said Tom.
”And why didn't they slay the poisoner?”
”Eberybody 'fraid to touch him--'fraid he be poisoned.”
”I'd run my chances--providing I had a knife or a club,”
muttered Tom.
”Or a pistol,” finished Sam. ”Such rascals are not fit to live.”
d.i.c.k, as can readily be imagined, was hungry, and before the party started back for the lake, the youth was provided with some food which Aleck had very thoughtfully carried with him.
It was learned that the two parties were encamped not far apart, and d.i.c.k Chester said he would bring his friends to, see them before the noon hour was pa.s.sed.
”I don't believe he will bring Josiah Crabtree,” said Tom. ”I reckon Crabtree will take good care to keep out of sight.”
Tom was right. When Chester came over with his friends he said that the former teacher of Putnam Hall was missing, having left word that he was going around the lake to look for a certain species of flower which so far they had been unable to add to their specimens.
”But he will have to come back,” said the Vale student. ”He has no outfit with which to go it alone.”
He was right. Crabtree put in an appearance just before the sun set over the jungle to the westward. He presented a most woebegone appearance, having fallen into a muddy swamp on his face.
”I--I met with an--an unfortunate accident,” he said to Chester. ”I fell into the--ahem--mud, and it was only with great difficulty that I managed to--er--to extricate myself.”
”Josiah Crabtree, you didn't expect to see me here, did you?” said d.i.c.k sternly, as he stepped forward. And then the others of his party also came out from where they had been hiding in the brush.
The former teacher of Putnam Hall started as if confronted by a ghost.
”Why--er--where did you come from, Rover?” he faltered.
”You know well enough where I came from, Josiah Crabtree,” cried d.i.c.k wrathfully. ”You dropped me into the hollow for dead, didn't you!”
”Why, I--er--that--is--” stammered Crabtree; but could actually go no further.
”Don't waste words on him, d.i.c.k,” put in Tom. ”Give him the thras.h.i.+ng he deserves.”
”Thras.h.i.+ng!” gasped Crabtree.
”Yes, thras.h.i.+ng,” replied d.i.c.k. ”If we were in America I would have you locked up. But out here we must take the law into our own hands. I am going to thrash you to the very best of my ability, and after that, if I meet you again I'll--I'll--”
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