Part 6 (1/2)

This was pleasing to the boys, who liked Sutoto.

”And who are the others that went with him?”

”Why Lolo was one of them, and Stut and Chump. Oh, they had a jolly time; so they said, and I can believe it, because they are simply crazy to make another trip.” And the Professor beamed as he related many of the incidents which they told him of their experiences.

While they were talking, Sutoto appeared, and was immediately admitted.

After some talk, Sutoto said: ”The Professor said that when you returned you would have some work for me with the _Pioneer_.”

”Yes, and you shall command her,” said Harry.

Sutoto could not but show his pleasure. ”I knew you would come back, but so many here said you would not.”

At this point Professor explained that there were many rumors among the people to the effect that the boys would never again come back, and all showed grief at the news. I a.s.sured them that you were just as anxious to return as they were to have you and I then told Sutoto that I knew you had plans which would require his services, but I thought it would be more agreeable if you imparted the nature of it to him.

The boys were not slow to outline the plans to him, but advised him to keep the information to himself, which he promised to do. It was enough for him to know that he would command the s.h.i.+p. It was this that induced Sutoto to take out the s.h.i.+p, and finally to circ.u.mnavigate the island, so as to try out the sailors and properly to fit them for the work when the boys returned.

”Now that being settled, Sutoto, we are going to leave the work of provisioning the _Pioneer_ to you. We must take a supply of guns and ammunition, as well, and probably it would be wise to have a small troop of the best soldiers,” was Harry's instruction.

”Uraso wants to go. I am sure he would be the best one to take.

”What will Muro say to that?” asked the Professor.

”Oh, take him along, by all means,” said George, ”because I want Lolo to go with us.”

It was then settled that they were to take a small force, sufficient for immediate purposes, and if it was found that the islands discovered were too well settled with hostiles it would be an easy matter to remain aloof, or return for reinforcements.

While arrangements were being made for the departure of the expedition Blakely informed the Professor that it would be good policy to make up part of the cargo of the _Wonder_ with copper, and that both vessels could proceed to the southeastern part of the island, and the men aboard could be used to transport the copper to the sea.

In this way the expedition would serve a double purpose. No one attempted to go contrary to the wishes of Blakely on matters which touched upon the commercial ventures in which they were engaged.

John was only too glad that Blakely had hit upon that idea, as he was anxious to visit that part of the coast, contiguous to the copper deposit, and what was more, he wanted to see the place where Blakely found the missive which the boys had translated.

As there was still a week before the _Wonder_ would sail for its northern port of call, both of the s.h.i.+ps wended their way to the east, skirting the coast as closely as possible, John on the _Pioneer_ with the boys.

They now had an opportunity to see the Great South Mountains from the sea. They remembered when they last saw them on land, during the campaign against the Illyas, and also the wonderful village on the western side of the mountains. What would their present wanderings bring forth?

That evening they landed within a cove, both vessels being brought as near the sh.o.r.e as possible.

”We can safely go in close this evening, because the tide is now out,”

said John.

Sutoto, while he had navigated the vessel, and had shown remarkable skill, was, nevertheless, not well versed in tides and the action of the moon.

Quick to learn, he asked John why the tides thus changed. John explained the reason that the tides flowed in and out twice during each twenty-four hours, or a little less than that time, so that high water, or low water would always be at a time a little later each day, and then stated that it would be an easy matter to so make the calculations that they would be able to tell ahead for a whole year just when during each day the highest or lowest water would be.

While waiting on the s.h.i.+p during the hours of the evening they were interested in the magnificent fire flies which they saw on the sh.o.r.e and along the mountain side. This was not an unfamiliar sight to them as they had witnessed such scenes many times before.

But now they saw such sights as they had never before observed. They must have been giant glow birds, because some of the lights flew at least hundreds of feet emitting continuous streams of light, and this was not all, many of the lights were colored, particularly red and blue or simply faint tinges of those tints.