Chapter 15

CHIEF AND THE POISON PLANT

John was visibly exhausted from the effort he had made, and soon passed off into a quiet sleep. During the evening the Professor suggested that they might retire to the shop, so that he would not be disturbed, but John insisted that it was so good to hear their voices again, and would like to have them all present.

Harry and George kept them interested a great portion of the time with stories of their adventures. They told about the bear fight for the possession of the honey; the shooting of the wild animals in South Forest, the making of the flag, the capture of the yaks, the flagpole incident, the fight between the bulls, and the amusing affair connected with the removal of the yaks to their new home.

This latter occurrence is what amused John the most, and suggested that probably if they had adopted some of the hitches which sailors used the yaks could have been controlled more easily. This interested George.

"Won't you please tell us something about the hitches and knots which the sailors make?"

"They have a great many forms, each designed for some particular purpose, and if you get a rope I will try and give you some of the principal ones. Get a piece long enough so that the knots and hitches can be kept for future reference."

He then proceeded to make the knots, and continued: "The seven knots (Figs. 16 to 22, inclusive) are made at the ends of the rope, as you will notice, and are the forms used to attach the rope to an object. In the next three forms two ropes are attached to each other, and are usually called 'bends' (Figs. 23, 24, 25).

"Then, in addition to that, the sailor has several ways of attaching the rope by a hitch around a standard, or other object. Look at these two forms (Figs. 26, 27). Look at the boat knot, where the hitch is made in the rope itself; and the sheet bend toggle, where the ends of two ropes are attached together to a standard or cleat. And now I am making what are called hitches, and the three forms (Figs. 28, 29, 30) are the best examples."

Thus the conversation drifted from one subject to another, covering a variety of interesting topics. George reminded the Professor that he had not yet explained to them what the spectroscope was, and its uses. He laughingly responded:

"That instrument is one of the most wonderful in all the ranges of human discoveries. By its means the elements of substances are determined, and the composition of the heavenly bodies are ascertained."

"In what way is it done?"

"Simply by using light as the agency."

"Is it like a telescope?"

"No; entirely different. It depends wholly on one thing, and that is the breaking up or dividing the light that comes from an object. Let me make this a little plainer. If a ray of sunlight is allowed to pass through an orifice into a darkened room, and in the transit through the opening it goes through a prism, or three-sided piece of glass, the light produced on the opposite wall will show the seven colors of which sunlight is composed. The drawing (Fig. 31) shows how this is arranged. Now iron shows these colors differently arranged, aluminum in another way, and so on with all different substances, and the light projected from each is called its spectrum, its particular analysis."

John's recital during the day had produced a powerful impression on all, as well it might. It shows what wonderful trials men can endure. Ralph and Tom were frequently affected by it, and at times could not prevent tears from coming. They recalled their own sufferings.

The Professor thanked John that evening for his story, and said: "We must not tax the patient with any more talk to-night. We have learned a lesson of perseverance and trials. The history of man is always profitable, and we are thankful for the news it gives us of the people here but you must be patient and wait a more opportune time to hear our story, and then we can advise with each other as to our future course."

The boys were early in conference with each other after they left John, because there were some interesting things to them in John's story, which needed clearing up.

"Did you hear what he said about that cave?" was Ralph's first question.

"Yes; and I think I know where that cave is?" answered Harry.

"Where?" asked Tom and George in a breath.

"Right at the camp where we found you."

"Oh, you mean that cave we found at the hillside after we started for the river?"

"Don't you recall that John took me around to the mouth of the cave, and when we said that we might use that to hide in, he shook his head, and moved away?"

"I thought the Professor acted queerly about it, too, because he urged us away from the place."

All remembered the circumstance, and they also recalled that the Professor gave a vague reply when they asked him the reason why.

George cast a scrutinizing glance at Harry, who waited for him to speak. "Harry, do you think he found any treasure in that cave?"

Ralph and Tom now opened their eyes in wonder. Was that what he meant when he said there was something wonderful there? Harry looked at the boys for a moment, in the intensity of the situation, and said: "And we have also found a cave." But the eyes of George caught Harry, who suddenly stopped, because he recalled their agreement not to divulge it to the boys until the matter was mentioned to him.

"Where is it?" exclaimed Tom, eagerly.

"Not far from here."

"Will it be much trouble to visit it?"

"No; and we shall probably do so some day."

An island full of bitter and vindictive savages, and a handful of men to meet them. It looked, indeed, like a hopeless task. John's story left many things unsaid; many things that they longed to know. Who were Wright and Walters, whose names were in the note found in the _Investigator's_ lifeboat, and who was Will, the writer of the note?

The Professor was just as anxious as the boys to have those matters cleared up, but he knew it would be unwise to tax his strength with a further recital, and the inevitable questions which would be propounded, and it was well that his injunctions were followed, because he was not yet well by any means, and the further news which they awaited was postponed.

In the evening Ralph had the flute, but the bass viol was not yet ready, so that the two instruments gave a little diversion to the day of excitement and wonder.

John's illness did not now interfere with the work on the house. It was pushed forward with the greatest energy, the roof and sides enclosed, and they were now nearly ready for occupying it, by the time John was again able to be about.

Shortly after they had made the first samples of glass, some months before, the trip to the west had postponed the work in that direction, and the Professor, with the aid of George, turned out the first samples of glass, which they intended to use in the new building.

"Why can't we have a looking-glass? It would be such fun to set up several of them."

"I think we have sufficient mercury for the purpose," answered the Professor; so calling in Ralph they set to work, under the Professor's direction, to make some mirrors.

"The principal thing in mirrors is to get a white reflecting surface. Silver and mercury are metals which lend themselves to that use. If you polish anything bright enough it will serve as a mirror, but the whiter the surface is the better."

"Then why wouldn't white paper be the best?"

"It would if you could get a fine polish on its surface, but the finest surface on the densest paper is not as smooth as the polished surface of the metals."

"What is the best way to make the mirror?"

"The most available plan for us to follow is to make an amalgam of tin and mercury."

"But what do you mean by an amalgam?"

"It means the combination of mercury, or quicksilver, with any other metal."

"Will it be difficult to combine tin and mercury, so as to make an amalgam?"

"That is one of the simplest things in the arts. Tin and mercury unite by merely rubbing them together; see how easily they combine to form just such a surface as you want."

"Isn't that fine? But as that shines so nicely, what is the need of putting a glass over it?"

"Simply to protect the amalgamated surface."

The largest piece of glass thus far made was sixteen by twenty-four inches, and the boys selected the most perfect pane, and in a short time a very good mirror had been turned out.

"It has occurred to me that it would be good policy to make a number of small mirrors, say six inches square. They would be a valuable asset to us in our next expedition."

This opened the eyes of the boys to the commercial utility of the work they were engaged in for the first time. George rushed over and brought Tom and Harry to the laboratory, and exhibited the mirrors, and explained that they intended to make a number of small ones to take with them.

"That is a capital idea. Won't the natives go wild over them?"

They were at work at once, first cutting up some of the glass the requisite size, and before the afternoon closed they had several small ones in addition to the large one.

The large one was carried over to the living room, and when it was brought in and hung against the wall John's face lighted up, when they told him of the work required to turn out the glass, and to make the amalgam.

"What a glorious opportunity you boys are having. How anxious I am to get up and help you. What a splendid mirror that is. You surprise me with the character of your work."

"We are going to have real windows in the new house."

At this instant Chief appeared at the door, and as he moved forward in front of the glass he started back in fright as his own image appeared to him. All of them laughed, and as he was now at one side of the mirror he could not see himself. But Harry mischievously turned it, and then it dawned on the Chief that it was simply a perfect representation of himself.

All savages know of the glistening qualities of surfaces, but few of them, as was the case with Chief, had ever seen any made with the white amalgam, which, of course, made a perfect counterfeit resemblance.

But Harry delighted him beyond measure when he presented one of the small mirrors, and George took a piece of the ramie cloth and folded it around the mirror, a proceeding Chief could not understand until John showed him it was for the purpose of preserving it.

He kept it in the cover religiously from that day forward, except at such times as he was employed in examining it.

When Chief appeared it was not noticed that he carried a curious looking bulb, and when he sat down to experiment the mirror several of them fell from the pouch or pocket which was put in the garment which had been provided for him.

The Professor saw the bulbs and picked up one of them and glanced about the room, and then looked at John in a questioning way. The boys noted this. Nothing was said at the time, but as the Professor passed out George followed him.

"What was that bulb you picked up?"

"It is the root of the plant called Amarylla, and it is in the juice of this plant that certain savages dip their arrow-heads for poisoning them."

This information was not a little startling and disquieting to George, who rushed back and quietly called out the boys. "Do you know what Chief has been doing? Did you see the peculiar bulbs he had? The Professor picked up one of them, and what do you suppose it is? It is the root from which they make the poisons for arrow-heads."

Harry could not believe that the savage had any designs on them. "I suppose he will bear watching, so let us see what he intends to do with them!"

When Chief had admired himself sufficiently he took the bulbs to the kitchen and placed them in the oven, as the boys called it, and when George came in he was smiling, as he thought, in a very peculiar way. George did not disturb the bulbs, and when the meal was brought in Chief was on hand and went to the kitchen. He soon returned with the roasted bulbs and deposited them at the table.

The boys looked at the Professor, and he and John exchanged smiling glances, and both of them took the bulbs and began the meal with them in the most nonchalant manner. The boys could not understand the Professor's defiant manner in eating a poisonous bulb, and George cried out: "Didn't you say that the bulb was poisonous?"

"Yes, it is, for some things."

"Well, how can it be poisonous for some things and not for others. Don't the savages use the poisons of the arrows to kill people with?"

"Certainly; but it is used in that case as a blood poison. A blood poison is not necessarily a stomach poison. In truth, there are few poisons that are fatal to both the blood and stomach."

Chief had been slyly preparing this treat for them, as savages like the root, and all regarded it a welcome change, and it was that peculiar look which George wrongly interpreted. How often the motives of people are misjudged in the same manner, and without a more pronounced reason than Chief had!

When the meal was announced Angel, as usual, was the first to appear, and when he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror he thought one of his friends had come to visit him. It did not seem to startle him in the least, but like all children tried to look behind it.

The wall prevented that, so when George handed him one of the small ones, and he put his hand behind the mirror, the vacancy there is what alarmed him. When he did finally comprehend what it was, it so attracted him that he could not partake of the meal, but sat entranced before it.

After the meal he took the mirror to the rafters, and found a hiding place for it, and they would often notice him with it, but from that time forward he never brought it down into the room.