Part 31 (1/2)

”I have suggested to the Chief that we shall return, and have invited him to accompany us, and I am gratified to say that he has accepted. We shall, therefore, be ready to return within a few days,” said the Professor.

”Have you said anything to him about the contemplated visit to Hutoton?”

asked John.

”No; but I shall do so at once.”

”Oh! that will give us an opportunity to take the paralytic back with us,” suggested Harry.

”Yes; that will be the reason for our stopping there.”

”Wouldn't it be a good idea to sail to the north, and investigate in that direction, on our way home?” remarked George.

”That has occurred to me.”

The Chief gave careful instructions to his son, Calmo, in view of his proposed trip, and informed the Professor that he was anxious to accompany them at the earliest opportunity.

Two days thereafter, the entire party boarded the s.h.i.+p, and the course was set for the northern part of the island. There the Chief had the first opportunity to see the dreadful place where the criminals of his community had been sent.

There was no resentment on the part of the convicts. On the other hand, there was the most effusive welcome extended, and when the Chief saw the happiness and prosperity there, which he could not help but contrast with his own people, he was amazed.

The unfortunate patient was carefully taken to the s.h.i.+p, and during his removal did not in the least indicate by any sign that he knew what was going on about him.

John took many stores from the s.h.i.+p, and particularly garments, and articles of food for the people. All partic.i.p.ated in the division, and the old man was delighted when he saw the gifts, the more so when John told him that they would soon be visited and other stores provided.

When the rolling motion of the boat was felt by the stricken man, he showed the first symptoms of consciousness. Sometimes he would look about him, and try to grasp something. On several occasions the Professor saw him open his eyes with a sort of questioning look.

But we cannot dwell too long on the result of the patient's progress, at this time. John felt, as did the Professor, that from that man they would be able to learn something, if he could ever regain his faculties.

The boys gathered that much from the conversation, so that, for the present, he must be left to the tender care of the Professor, until later events are recorded.

From Hutoton the s.h.i.+p sailed directly north, it being understood that if no land was sighted before evening it would be useless to go farther in that direction. The _Pioneer_ was a good sailer, and could easily, with a fair wind, make ten miles an hour, so they would have fully seven hours' run to test out their theory of land in that direction.

Before five o'clock John, who was constantly on the watch, came to the Professor and remarked that he believed the haze to the north indicated the presence of land. This was soon communicated to the boys, and there was no more idleness from that time on.

John's theory was correct. Slowly certain fixed objects appeared and some outlines that looked like mountains, and the boys could not repress their anxiety at the antic.i.p.ated sh.o.r.e.

”Then we were right, after all,” said Harry.

John smiled, as he replied: ”I do not know; the calculations have not yet been made.”

”I would like to know how our position can be found out from an examination of the sun,” remarked George.

”That will require a long answer to explain fully but I shall try to answer it in a simple manner. The sailor takes an observation of the sun in two directions, namely, north and south, and east and west. You know, of course, that the sun moves north in the summer and south in the winter, and that the extreme southern point is in midwinter, Dec. 20: that in the spring, or March 20, it is directly above the equator, and in midsummer, or, on June 20, it is as far north as it can go.”

”You mean,” said George, ”that it would be north of the equator.”

”As we have the same calendar over the entire world, it is true everywhere. The difference is, of course, that summer and winter, and spring and autumn are reversed, north and south of the equator. All estimates as to locations are made by measuring angles.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 15. Getting Angle from Position of the Sun._]