Part 27 (1/2)

”Nearly one year ago.”

CHAPTER XV

SAVAGE MARRIAGE CUSTOMS

It was impossible to describe the effect of these revelations on the boys. It was so different from anything they had been led to expect. It brought one thing forcibly to their minds; that because these people had committed some crime, or some wrong against society, they were still human beings, and were worthy of being treated as men and women.

John related to them that various governments had tried the plan of sending convicts to some foreign lands, and placing them in situations where they might work out their own salvation; that all such efforts were successful, where real opportunities were bestowed.

”The idea is,” remarked John, ”that they are banished from the society in which they resided, or in which they were raised, for the purpose of helping them. The reason for inflicting punishment on criminals has been to protect society but apparently no efforts have been made to cure the criminals or to help them to better themselves.”

”I heard the Professor say, at one of the trials at Wonder Island, that some scientists consider crime a disease,” said George.

”Exactly; now suppose we treated people suffering from smallpox, or scarlet fever, or some other like disease, just like we treat criminals, it would be regarded as brutal. To lock them up, and deprive them of the pleasures of living, simply to protect society, is wrong.”

”But the smallpox and scarlet fever patients are taken away so they will not give the complaints to others,” observed Harry.

”And that is right. I favor that and advocate that same thing with criminals. But the patients are not deprived of the things they have been accustomed to, and they are restored, when cured. It is not so with the poor unfortunate who errs. When he does come back he is hounded and looked upon as a tainted individual, although he may, in heart, be better than his accusers.”

During that day and the next, the natives and those who accompanied John a.s.sociated with each other, and had many conversations. What interested them was the presence of the unfortunate paralytic who was unable to speak for himself.

The boys did not believe that he was one of the crew of the school s.h.i.+p _Investigator_. What connection, if any, did he have with the skeleton they found the day before? was another of their queries.

On the second day they were taken to the beach where the white man was found. There, as explained, he was found, with wreckage all about, during one of the raging monsoons with which the boys were so well acquainted, but aside from that there was not a vestige to show his name or where he was from.

All the clothing worn by him originally, and of that there was scarcely any when found, had been worn threadbare, and he was now dressed in native garments. The chair in which he was reclining was undoubtedly from some wrecked s.h.i.+p, and had been in the possession of the villagers for years.

John spoke to the old man concerning the patient, and advised him that they would soon call to take him away. They would thus relieve them of the burden, and endeavor to restore him to health, if it were possible to do so.

The old man was thankful for the kind words uttered by John, and the latter a.s.sured him that before many moons pa.s.sed he would return and show his appreciation for their kindness to a fellow creature.

”But we do not feel that we have done anything which especially merits praise. He is one like ourselves, who was in distress, and we helped him.”

”Yes; you have done that which is right. We intend to reward you not that you should be paid for doing what is right, but to show that we appreciate your n.o.ble actions,” answered John.

The party, after many wishes and hearty good-byes, filed out of the village, some of them loath to go.

Calmo was silent. He was not the same as before they marched through the village. John noticed it, but he wisely refrained from commenting on the sights they had witnessed. There was cleanliness and order in Hutoton; and filth and disorder in Sasite. It was impossible to be unconscious of the difference between the industry in one place, and the utter s.h.i.+ftlessness in the other.

As it required two days to make the return journey, they were absent from Sasite nearly seven days, and, according to the calculations, the _Pioneer_ would be in from Unity within the next two days.

During the intervening time the boys roamed at will through the island, and on the second day went directly south, so as to scour the sea front below the village.

In the afternoon, as they were about to return, they saw a sail, George being the first to catch a glimpse of it. ”The _Pioneer_,” he cried, upon which they danced about in sheer joy and started for the village, which was distant several miles.

They were almost out of breath when they rushed through the village, and cried out the news. Everybody was expectant; all were eager to see the vessel come in and Sutoto was the first to reach the landing.

During the visit of the boys on the island, John had a crude dock constructed, and as the _Pioneer_ was of light draft, this was not a difficult thing to do, so that the pa.s.sengers could land from the s.h.i.+p directly on the solid platform.