Chapter 12

THE PROBLEM ABOUT THE CAVE

That evening they all had a jolly time in the living room, with music and stories, and it was a great contrast to the strenuous times of the past six days of absence.

"We got lost once," said George, "when we struck the river at least eight or nine miles too far south. I tried to make out the direction by the two stars you spoke about, but I am afraid there will be several more lessons necessary before I can get it in my mind."

"Couldn't you see the moon?" asked the Professor.

"Yes, but that didn't help me any."

"Get the map we drew the other night, and we'll try and make it plainer. Now, if you can imagine the moon making a silver streak along the heavens, it would pass along such a route that the following fixed stars would be in its path. Note them carefully, as follows: Hamel, Aldebaran, Pollux, Regulus, Spica, Antares, Arkat, Fomelhaut, and Markab."

"But how can we distinguish one of the fixed stars from the others? That is a matter which has always puzzled me."

"Because of the company it keeps. Isn't that like we judge people?"

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Each fixed star is set in the heavens with certain others stars arranged about it in such a way that it cannot be mistaken."

Angel's antics now attracted the attention of the company. He had been on the floor while the music was being performed, but disappeared shortly afterwards. He had his gun, and dodged from one chair to the next, and sighted his gun, and bounded away, as though attacking and running from an imaginary enemy.

This exhibition was a perfect mimicry of the boys' attitude during the previous week. The comical manner in which he fought and eluded the enemy brought out roars of laughter, but this did not affect him in the least; he sprang to the rafters, and began to chatter in imitation of the way he had warned the boys, and then sprang down and hid behind a chair.

But the acme of his exhibition was reached when he mounted the table and simulated the rocking motion of the wagon crossing the stream. George simply hugged him, and Angel joined in the laughter.

But the boys wanted to know about John and Chief. John was there to welcome their return, and Chief came up soon after, and held out a welcoming hand, as he had seen the others do. Of course, he had no idea what the party went away for, nor did he comprehend the failure to bring the boat back. His education had not yet advanced to such a state as would have made an explanation of that kind understandable.

But John seemed to realize the story, and his eyes often glistened as they had not done before. On all these occasions the Professor was ever on the alert to notice his symptoms.

During the following day, in conversation with the boys, he said: "There is every indication that John is beginning to make an individuality entirely apart from his former surroundings."

"But if he does not recall any of his former life, how is it that he goes ahead and does things which he must have learned before he reached his present condition?"

"That is plainly a manual act. For instance, I remember when the saw was put into his hand, the manner of holding it, and his act in starting the saw at the edge of the board, was a physical recollection of the former manner of doing certain things. It was so in the handling of the gun, and the adroit manner in which he stalked the savages, all go to show that certain things which are associated with purely physical acts are just as aptly done now as when in his other state."

"How is Chief getting along?"

"He is often an enigma to me. Each day he learns something new, and really seems to seek the information. Most of the time he has been helping John, but he always looks suspiciously at him. I can account for it in one way only. He has never seen John talk, and this may be a puzzle to him, and accounts for the strange looks he always gives him."

From the day that Chief saw the tree turned into lumber the mysteries of the workshop charmed him. This penchant was taken advantage of by the Professor, and when the day following the departure of the boys, the Professor started up the grindstone and ground one of the tools he edged up to it at once, and when the Professor reached for his bolo and put its edge on the stone, and finally showed him the result, he was as much excited as though he had discovered a lurking enemy.

He used the grindstone day after day in the same manner, and when it was noticed how he delighted in it, the Professor took one of the tools which had been ground and used it on a fine stone, to show how much keener the edge was made.

The saw was a marvel, and he tried it until he learned its use, and a line was drawn across the board, and when he failed to guide it the Professor smilingly corrected him, and he could not be induced to lay it aside until he had mastered the art of sawing along the line.

In the evening George again brought out the maps of the heavens and asked why he had made the band which was traced in curves on the two hemispheres.

"They show the course of the moon through the heavens, and in order to get the position, the mariner measures the degrees between the moon and the nearest fixed star."

"But if he hasn't any instrument to measure degrees, how can he tell how to make the calculation?"

"In that case he simply takes the yardstick of the heavens out of its box, and uses that as a measure."

"I never heard of such a thing before. Where is the box?"

"In the constellation Orion, which contains the most beautiful cluster of stars in the heavens, and is visible all over the inhabitable world, are four stars which form a parallelogram. See them on the map? Betelguese and Rigel, at the extreme opposite corners, are of the first magnitude, and the others that form the other corners are Bellatrix of the second and Saiph of the third magnitude. Two of the stars are in the northern and two in the southern hemisphere. Within the parallelogram thus formed, you will note three very bright stars in a line. These are exactly one degree apart, and is the yardstick the heavens are measured with."

Harry announced one morning that they had a new calf, and there was a rush of the boys down to the cattle range to welcome the newcomer. They had a fine herd, and seemed to be domesticated. From the time they acquired the first, of these animals there was always an abundance of milk, and that meant butter, a thing which was very welcome to Ralph and Tom.

Chief also enjoyed the luxury, but it was a remarkable thing that the savages had not anywhere in their observations utilized the herds which ranged to the north of them, and undoubtedly existed in the southern portions of the island. There was always plenty of beef on hand, and plenty of game was available whenever they had occasion to go for it, and their larder was well supplied with the wild vegetables, although they had to go considerable distances for them at times; but now that the garden was coming in they did not apprehend so much trouble in that direction.

There was one thing which none of them could understand in Chief. He would be seen frequently going over toward the forest, in the direction of the clay banks. He never tried to do this by stealth, but the Professor was anxious to ascertain the reason for it.

One day while he was on his way to the same quarter, Harry took his gun, as though on a little hunting trip, and followed him cautiously. Chief made his way directly to the clay bank, and Harry, on the opposite bank, sat down to watch him.

It will be remembered that in making their first experiments a considerable amount of clay had been dug out, for use in making the brick and the retorts required for the metallurgical processes. Chief took out a considerable quantity, and after selecting the amount which suited his fancy, sat down and ate it. Harry was almost disgusted at the sight, and made his way back hurriedly.

The Professor and the others were waiting.

"What do you suppose he was after? Clay! And he ate it!"

This remarkable proceeding could hardly be credited by the boys.

"Ate it!" exclaimed George. "I think you must be mistaken."

Ralph looked at Tom, and immediately answered: "That is just what they did with that stuff we saw that the first savages had; don't you remember, Tom?"

"I never stopped to inquire; but I know they had something that looked like clay mud. I wonder if that was eaten by them?"

"That is not so remarkable," observed the Professor. "It is a custom in many parts of the world."

"Where?"

"In Eastern Asia, in Java, in the Himalaya Mountains, in northern Europe, particularly the remote regions of Sweden, in Finland, as well as in many parts of South America, particularly in Brazil, Peru and Bolivia, and many instances are known of this habit among the savages of the Pacific islands."

"Can they live on the clay for any length of time?"

"Humboldt, the great geologist, relates cases of tribes in South America which live for at least three months at a time on this substance, without any apparent ill effect, but from all the analyses made there does not seem to be anything nutritious in it. I am not surprised that Chief should have a knowledge of it."

Chief returned after an hour, apparently well satisfied with himself.

Since their return Harry and George had many times thought and talked about the cave. They debated whether or not to advise the boys of its existence, but could not satisfy themselves of the proper course to pursue. They were not selfishly considering the entire possession of the treasure. In fact they were too generous for that, but the boys would know sooner or later, and it was a question whether to disclose it now or later on. In this dilemma they called on the Professor.

"I know just how you feel about it," was the Professor's comment, "and I am not competent to advise you. It is your own property, and you may dispose of it as you wish."

"But it isn't our property. Without you it would never have been discovered, and we shall refuse to take it unless you share with us" exclaimed George.

"No, Professor, I can never consent to that disposition of it," was Harry's determined expression, "and for my part nothing shall be done in the matter without you agree with us on the course to follow."

The Professor reflected a while, and then answered: "As for myself I have very little need for it, and there is no one near or dear to me that I would willingly leave it to." With his head bowed, he became silent, and then continued, in a most eager manner: "I had entirely forgotten. I have some who are near and dear to me; I ought to remember them, after all, and as you insist on it, you will pardon me, I know, if I consent to take a portion of it, at least."

"It must be divided into thirds. I am sure there is enough there to make a great many people happy."

"Weren't you boys happy before you acquired this treasure?"

"Yes; as happy as we could be in our condition."

"Do you think the treasure in the cave would make you any happier than you have been?"

"Well, if we ever get out of here we can use it to good advantage."

"That is the whole secret of happiness with wealth--the knowledge of how to use it."

When they left the Professor the boys wondered why at first he declared that he had no one that he cared to leave the money to, and then suddenly remembered that he did have some whom he cared for. The Professor was as much a mystery to them as many of the things which had come to them during their sojourn on the island. This was, in fact, the only information that they had ever gleaned from him concerning his home, his family, or his friends, and that was very meager at the most.

The boys were anxious to revisit the cave, and the Professor was pleased at their determination, but advised them to make the visit themselves, and to endeavor to find out the full extent of the subterranean windings, and also suggested that they should try to make a working chart of it for their own information.

It was a little difficult now, since the close association had grown up between Harry and Tom, on the one hand, and George and Ralph on the other, to find a suitable excuse for the absence of Harry and George, but the Professor arranged this without creating suspicion on their part.

"I think Ralph is a mighty fine fellow, and we get along splendidly, and I don't think I ever met a pair of more unselfish boys," said George, as they walked up the hill.

"That is my opinion, too. Tom is a most wholesouled fellow, and we find so much that is likeable in each other, that I tell you I do not feel like being so niggardly as to keep the knowledge of the cave and the treasure away from them; and I feel the more about it that way when I think of the terrible suffering they have gone through."

"Just my idea, exactly. How much do you really think there is in the cave? I mean, what do you think it is worth in money?"

"I am sure the Professor knows. It would be awfully interesting to know. Isn't it funny the Professor never said anything about the worth of it?"

"Yes, he did. Don't you remember, just before we left on the big trip he wanted to know whether we cared to take the risks among the savages, when we had so much treasure in sight?"

"Yes, but that didn't indicate whether there was a thousand or a million there."

When they reached the entrance to the cave, they sat down and talked over the matter again. The lamps were left unlighted, and they made no effort to enter it.

"I have half a notion to go back and talk to the Professor, and bring the boys over." George looked at Harry inquiringly.

"Do you really mean it?" asked Harry.

"I do."

"Look over there; see who is coming," said George, with a laugh.

Red Angel was on the way with his gun. "You little rascal! How did you find out we were over here?" He didn't answer, but he went up to George and looked up into his face, as though he didn't quite understand that kind of a greeting.

The boys picked up the lamps and went back to the house, and the Professor was surprised at the early return, but he did not make any mention of it to either of the boys, and nothing more was said about it during that day or evening.