The Wonder Island Boys: Exploring the Island Part 30

"I wonder what it is made of? Here, rub it."

Only a few pa.s.ses were made over it, when he held it up in astonishment.

"Why, it looks like silver."

"So it does," broke in Harry. "But what is this on the side? See those initials: 'A.W.'"

"I must have a drink before I leave this," and Harry removed the little copper cup which he always carried. "What a peculiar water this is! It must be a kind of mineral water."

"Yes," responded George; "that is sulphur water, or it has considerable sulphur in it."

"I wonder if this was a health resort for the savages?" asked Harry, as he laughed.

"Let's start for home at once," remarked George, without noticing Harry's sarcastic fling at the poor inhabitants.

CHAPTER XVII

THE GRIM EVIDENCE IN THE HILLS

The boys secured a convenient pole, over which they slung the braces of game, and started out on the march for the river. It was fully three o'clock before they were ready to start.

"See here, Harry, there is something we have forgotten, and I begin to feel it now."

"What is that?"

"Our luncheon."

"I was so excited and interested that I forgot all about it until now.

Why not go back to the spring and take luncheon there?"

"With that water? I'd rather wait until we get to the river."

"Well, let's take something, anyhow. I am mighty hungry. Funny we didn't think of it before."

"Now for our direction. Do you think we can strike the river at the right place?"

"I'll be perfectly satisfied if we strike the river anywhere."

"Then why not go directly north, and we can reach it a mile or two sooner than the way we are now going."

"Good idea! Here we go!"

It was a lucky thing that they decided to take a different course from the river, because they soon discovered that the ridge they were on ran for a long distance almost directly north, and that the woods were not nearly so dense as they were in the course they had followed.

At frequent intervals they came upon new game, and brought down a number of additional specimens, until Harry protested against any further stopping.

"It seems to me we have enough to last a week, and it is getting mighty heavy at this end of the pole."

"Well, it does seem to be an awful distance over to the river. Are you sure we aren't mixed up in the direction?"

"Of course not. The mountains are right behind us, and the shadow at our right. You can't fool me the second time," answered Harry, as he s.h.i.+fted the pole to the other shoulder.

While thus talking they caught the first glimpse of the river, and it was hailed with delight.

"Whenever I get near the old river it feels like home. My! how I would like to put in several days in a further hunt over toward the mountains.

I am sure we would turn up something there."

They reached the river a considerable distance above the falls, and without stopping to rest, went down along the bank for a full hour before they came within hearing of the rus.h.i.+ng water.

They sat down on the craggy rocks alongside of the stream and took a good rest. "This will be interesting news for the Professor," said George, musingly, as he watched the rus.h.i.+ng stream.

"Indeed, it will. I should not be surprised to find that the natives are directly south of us, or rather west of the mountains."

"That may account for the fact that they have never been near our part of the island."

When they took up the load to resume the journey, it was still heavier, apparently, than before, and they were now so thoroughly tired that frequent stops were made, but in another hour they had the satisfaction of seeing the large trees that had been singled out for their guidance.

It was a great relief to deposit the load on the raft, and it did not take long to swing the raft under the wagon and start the yaks on the homeward journey. The Cataract came in sight before six in the evening, and the Professor was on hand to welcome them.

"Did you have a good time?" he inquired; but as he looked over the tailboard and saw the fruit of the hunt, exclaimed: "You must have gotten everything over there."

"Yes, and something else besides that," said Harry in such a tone that the Professor anxiously asked:

"What; have you made any discoveries?"

"Look at that," replied George, as he carefully drew out the discolored paper with the writing on it. "We not only found this, but we discovered some huts--two of them, fully six miles or more southwest of the falls."

The Professor's eyes opened wide. "This is, indeed, interesting. But never mind about telling me now. Let us get the team unhitched and examine this when we get inside. I had a suspicion that the other side of the river would give us some clue."

While Harry and the Professor were putting up the team George prepared several of the pheasants for the evening meal, and they were soon in the oven. By common consent the meal was of more importance than the new finds, and when the dishes were removed the paper was carefully examined.

"If I knew just what was used for the writing, I might suggest something that would bring it out more clearly. It is evident that the writer did not use ink."

"Why do you think so?"

"Simply for the reason that this name, Rogers, which is the most plainly written, has the words only on the surface of the paper. If ink had been used it would have penetrated the fiber, and the writing would thus have been preserved."

"Where did you find the paper?"

"It was among a ma.s.s of rubbish, which, on account of the poor light, was raked out to a point nearer the door, so we could examine the material better, and I don't know whether it was with the pile of bones or with the stuff on the other side."

"Was the gra.s.s about the hut as high as the gra.s.s round about the place?"

"It seemed to be. We made a pretty careful examination all over, so as to give us a fair idea of the condition of things."

"How far was the spring from the hut?"