Lost in the Wilds of Brazil

  CHAPTER XV

  Danger at Hand

  "Quick! Let's get to the boats at once!" cried Mr. Holton. "It won'tdo for them to find us here in the village."

  The explorers hastened to the river bank with all the speed they couldput into their legs. Not until they were safe in the boats did theydraw a breath. Then they cast glances about the shore.

  The shouting grew louder, and the next moment twenty-five or thirtysemi-naked Indians burst into the clearing and made for the huts. Butone that was evidently the chief called them back and pointed to theriver, where the explorers' canoes were moored.

  "Now's the time to act," muttered Professor Bigelow, getting out ofthe boat.

  He strode up to within fifty feet of the Indians, throwing his handsapart in a gesture of friendliness. Then he called out something thatthe other whites did not understand.

  Immediately there was a turmoil of excited chattering, in which thechief took the biggest part. Then the latter called back to theprofessor, who listened eagerly. In the end there was a smile on hisface.

  "It's all right," he said to the explorers, beckoning them to comeashore.

  "Sure there's no danger?" asked Mr. Lewis.

  "It will be safe. The chief welcomed us into the village."

  Mr. Holton was the first one out of the boat, followed by Joe, Mr.Lewis, and Bob. The crew trailed.

  They did not think it wise to bring their rifles, for the Indiansmight suspect them. But each had a revolver in his holster, and it wasMr. Lewis who warned them to be on the lookout for any treachery.

  Professor Bigelow waited for them to come nearer. Then he led the wayinto the village.

  For several minutes he carried on conversation with the chief andseemed to have little or no trouble in understanding him. The Indianregarded him soberly most of the time, but at several of theprofessor's remarks he smiled broadly.

  "The professor's building up a feeling of good will," grinned Bob, anew glow of respect for the scientist coming over him.

  "He'll manage those savages all right," said Mr. Holton, as herecalled some of the encounters with savage people that had been toldof Professor Bigelow.

  The conversation ended with an introduction of the other whites to theIndians, and after a few more casual remarks Professor Bigelowresolved to tell why they were there.

  While the remainder of his party waited in ignorance of what was beingsaid, he related the details of the expedition: why it had beenorganized, what its purposes were, and where it intended to explore.All this he put in the simple language of the natives, and although itwas difficult to convey many ideas correctly, he succeeded admirably.

  The chief's answer was that he and his people would furnishinformation about their daily life, and, if the whites so desired,they would also help in getting specimens. The big Indian stressedthe point that these were the first white people he had ever seen,although several of the older members of the tribe had met a party ofthem many years ago.

  Professor Bigelow translated what had been said, and the naturalistswere joyous. They could gain many things by remaining here with thesesimple people.

  As soon as the novelty had worn off, the chief, whose name was Otari,escorted the party to one big hut, where they were to remain at nightduring their stay at the village.

  "Plenty of room here," observed Joe, glancing about the thatchedwalls.

  "Yes," Bob agreed. "Not a bit crowded. It's one of the best dwellingsin the settlement."

  Much room as there was, however, there were only a few pieces ofnative furniture and implements. A large box-like table, assembledwith wooden pegs, stood in the middle of the room. Beneath it werefive or six clay pots and containers, each washed clean. In one cornerwere two bows and arrows and a blow gun.

  "They sure use poor taste in furnishing a house," grinned Bob. "But Isuppose for them it's sufficient."

  Professor Bigelow thought it wise to bring in their belongings fromthe boats, but the others were a bit dubious about the safety of them.

  "We can leave the crew to guard them when we are away," he said. "Idon't think even that will be necessary, for I have a light, portablesafe that I take on all expeditions such as this."

  He opened a large box and took out several flat pieces of metal. Tohis friends' astonishment they were easily lifted, although theylooked to weigh seventy pounds each.

  "They are magnalium," he explained. "About the lightest and strongestmetal there is."

  There were lock clamps at the edges of each piece, and these werefitted into each other. In a short time a large safe stood beforetheir eyes.

  Bob gasped in astonishment.

  "That's a new one on me," he confessed. "Never heard of anything likeit."

  "It's also new to me," said Mr. Lewis. "I knew there were such safes,but heretofore I have never seen one."

  "But," hesitated Mr. Holton, "what kind of an explanation will wegive the Indians? It occurs to me that they would take this as a kindof insult. Might get it in their heads that we thought they wouldsteal something."

  "Restrain yourself from worrying about that," the professor consoledhim. "I've used this before many times. As an explanation, we'llsimply say that the safe is a place to store the belongings where wecan have them easily at hand. Then, too, it will prevent any of thechildren from curiously straying into our hut to meddle with things.I've never yet had any trouble."

  The safe was large enough to hold the professor's typewriter, paper, afew books, and various other essential objects. In addition, there wasroom for rifles, ammunition, knives and preparations used in skinning,and several other articles that it was best to lock up.

  "It's just the thing," remarked Joe. "Now we can be sure that valuablepossessions will always be here when we get back from a hunting trip."

  "I will probably spend most of my time in here writing and conversingwith the natives," Professor Bigelow said. "So when you are out youcan be doubly sure that things will be all right."

  It was now about meal time, and the chief wanted to bring theexplorers dishes of native food, but they thanked him, saying thatthey would use their own provisions.

  "For my part I don't care for any of their delicacies," grinned Joe."You can never tell what you're getting."

  "True enough," laughed Mr. Holton. "For that reason we'll stick to ourown grub."

  After lunching bountifully, the explorers rested on the straw beds andfelt much better for it. When an hour had passed, Mr. Holton rose andwalked over to the supplies.

  "Let's go out specimen-collecting," he suggested, getting out a rifleand small shotgun.

  Bob and Joe were on their feet in an instant, their faces radiant withdelight. At last had come a chance to explore the jungle, with itsmany thrills, wonders, and tragedies. How they had longed for it!

  "Can't get there any too soon for me," said Bob, grasping his rifle.

  Mr. Lewis also agreed, and they started out toward the back of thevillage, Bob and Joe in the lead.

  There was a fairly well blazed trail at the edge of the last hut, andthe hunters resolved to follow it.

  "Probably won't be much large game along this path, but there willundoubtedly be others branching off from it," remarked Mr. Holton, ashe took the lead and plunged into the jungle.

  That jungle interested the youths immensely, for the variety oftropical vegetation was wide. Trees of all types grew one besideanother, their leaves coming in contact with each other. Many of thetrunks were encircled with parasitic vines, which, in many cases,caused the trees to be stunted. All about on the ground were shrubsand bushes and tall grass that hindered walking.

  "Have to be careful here," warned Mr. Lewis, carefully avoiding a lowshrub studded with sharp-pointed thorns.

  "Right," agreed Bob's father. "Keep a ready hand on your rifles, forthere are countless creatures that may be dangerous."

  Although the jungle seemed thick at the start, it was nothing to whatthey found it later on. Vegetation was certainly dense. Large clustersof fe
rns barred the way, their enormous leaves suggesting forests ofprehistoric times. Gay flowers loomed up here and there, tempting thehunters to stop and marvel at their beauty. Oddly shaped plants werenumerous, among them being a stalk that grew straight up for adistance of perhaps ten feet, then spliced and fell to the ground inseveral places.

  Bob and Joe had expected much, but this was beyond any of theiranticipations. Nature was certainly bountiful in displaying her art inthese little-known places.

  After a fifteen-minute hike they reached a region of thick bushes,many of which bore sharp-pointed thorns that were far from pleasant toencounter. Even with their heavy clothing, they emerged with torngarments and with bruises that stung and pained severely. But theunpleasantness was lost before the many tropical wonders thatpresented themselves.

  Suddenly a flock of white birds flew overhead, and Mr. Lewis and Bobfired their shotguns together. At once four fell to the ground, amidthe terrible screeching of the others.

  "Egrets," said Mr. Holton, upon examining the birds.

  As the hunters moved on they added many other birds and small animalsto the collection. One of the most remarkable of the latter was alarge ant-bear, with a long, slender head that terminated into atoothless mouth. The creature was about four feet long, with a bushytail protruding another two feet.

  Bob and Joe did their part in the specimen-collecting, and they atonce won the recognition of their elders for their accurate shooting.Bob was especially praised, for he was not far behind the men inmarksmanship.

  The hunters had been out several hours when Mr. Lewis suggested thatthey get back to the village.

  "Professor Bigelow and the others may worry about us," he said. "In myopinion we have been out long enough for the first time."

  The others agreed, and they were about to retrace their footsteps whenJoe caught sight of something that turned his blood cold.