Part 25 (1/2)

”Oh, yes; he says it is Henry D. Retlaw.”

All noticed that he stole furtive glances about him as he was being conveyed to the village.

”Were you ever here before?” asked John, as they neared the house of the magistrate.

He shook his head vigorously, and answered ”No!” with a vehemence that startled John.

CHAPTER XIV

RESCUE ISLAND

Orders had gone out to prepare to receive the visitors in true Hutoton style, but, in truth, the people did not need any urging. The remembrance of the last visit, when the gifts were so judiciously distributed, was sufficient to a.s.sure a generous welcome.

It was out of the question to leave that night, and John felt it to be a duty to cultivate their acquaintance, and confer with the chief magistrate about starting the people at work gathering the native products.

John announced that within a month it was proposed to establish regular sailings between that port and Wonder Island, which would enable them to get supplies and s.h.i.+p their products each week. This intelligence was then imparted to the people, who received it with the greatest enthusiasm.

”One of the objects of the present visit is to take you with us to Wonder Island,” said John, addressing the leader, ”so that you may learn what we are doing, and come back prepared to instruct your people.”

When this information was conveyed to him, he cast down his eyes, and said sorrowfully: ”But I am a convict, like the others, and I have been condemned to stay here. If I leave this place I disobey the law of the Chief.”

John smiled as he replied: ”I have provided for all that. You will meet your Chief Beralsea in Unity, the Capital of Wonder Island. Hutoton is no longer the terrible place that the Chief pictured to us. He told me that your a.s.sistance was necessary to him and to the people in the colony.”

This information was received in grat.i.tude, and his consent was thus readily obtained.

After a night of feasting, preparations were made for the departure.

Retlaw was brought to the place where the paralyzed man was discovered, and the leader Caramo accompanied them.

The moment Caramo saw him he turned to John and said: ”I have seen that face before. I am sure he accompanied another man when on one occasion a boat load came ash.o.r.e a long way to the south of us.”

”How long ago was that?”

”Not more than three suns ago.”

It must be understood that _three_ suns meant with these people, three years by our reckoning. When Retlaw was examined he denied that he had ever been on the island before, and, of course, there was no way to discredit his statements. After all, Caramo might be mistaken in identifying him, as they were some distance apart at the time the island was supposed to have been visited by Retlaw.

At noon of the following day the _Pioneer_ weighed anchor, and set sail for the southern port of the northern island, there to visit Chief Ta Babeda, of the Malolos.

While they were skimming the sh.o.r.e south of the village, George said: ”There is one thing we have neglected. We have had so much to do lately that we haven't found time for it, but there is an opportunity now.”

”What is that?” asked Harry.

”We have no name for the island to which we are now going. We might consult Ephraim. It would be hardly fair to impose any sort of name on his country,” suggested George, with a good humored laugh.

Ephraim was delighted at the idea. ”We must have a name, a.s.suredly, but it never occurred to me before. The natives called it Rescudada; at any rate that is as near as I can recall the p.r.o.nunciation of the word.”

”Why, that is almost like Rescue.”

”Why wouldn't that be a good name?” asked Ephraim. ”There has been considerable rescue work here, and it is going on all the time.”