CHAPTER XIX
The Call for Help
"Quick!" yelled Mr. Holton to anyone who might hear. "Turn the headaround or we'll be swamped at once."
The Indian who was steering heard and was doing his best to swerve thecraft about, but he was having little luck. The terrible rapids wasreluctant to yield to the puny efforts of a mere human being.
Water was now dashing into the boat, and if this were to continuethere could be but one outcome--tragedy!
This time it was Bob who came to the rescue.
Pushing the Indian aside, he jumped into the seat and caught hold ofthe paddle, at the same time giving the rudder a swift turn about.
There was a roar and a swish, and the next moment the boat had swervedaround and was facing the current head first, leaving the treacherouswhirlpool far behind.
"Great work, son!" panted Mr. Holton. "You saved the day that time."
It was now evident that the worst was over, for the current wasgradually losing its terrible force. Slowly but surely they werepulling away from the perilous rapids, and if their good fortunecontinued, they would soon be in calm waters.
"Unless," said Joe soberly, "we strike another whirlpool."
But no other whirlpool barred their way, and soon they were safelyriding the calm ripples farther downstream.
For the first time they were given a chance to relax. Their faces werered from exertion; their bodies were dripping with perspiration. Inshort, they were greatly fatigued.
"The most thrilling adventure we've had since we started," remarkedBob, rubbing his forehead.
"It was a terribly narrow escape," affirmed Professor Bigelow, notbearing to think of the tragedy that was so closely averted.
"We owe our lives to you boys," praised Mr. Lewis. "It was yourthought and action that prevented the boat from being dashed topieces. First Joe came across with a plan that kept us from strikingthe rocks. Then Bob swerved the boat around out of the whirlpool. Ifit hadn't been for you----"
"Forget it!" Bob dismissed the subject as best he could, and thenasked his friends' opinion of where they now were.
"Probably halfway to the junction with the mainstream," replied Mr.Holton. "That rapids carried us along at a terrific speed."
His opinion proved correct, for they reached the Tapaua early the nextmorning and turned the boats to retrace the distance covered the daybefore.
"Might as well consider that much time wasted," said Joe. "For about aday the journey will be a repetition of what it was two days ago."
They did not mind the delay, however. That is, all but ProfessorBigelow, who was anxious to find the strange tribe that Otari hadspoken about. Every mile that went behind them lagged, to him, till itseemed that he was almost in a nightmare. Even after they had made upfor the lost time and were paddling several score miles fartherupstream, he was irritated. It was clearly evident that his impatientscientific enthusiasm was getting the better of him.
As they traveled on, his anxiety increased rather than lessened, forthey were getting nearer the region occupied by the savages.
"The old boy's so excited he can hardly wait," smiled Joe, aside tohis chum.
"He's anxious to test his wits against the cannibals," returned Bob."Wants to stay for dinner, maybe."
They camped that night on a wide sand bank, at the base of a rockyknoll. After the evening meal, they sat in a group about thefirelight, chatting merrily, despite the fact that they were near, orperhaps in, the cannibal country.
They turned in early, and the night passed without incident.
"Well," smiled Mr. Holton the next morning as he went about preparingbreakfast, "nothing happened to disturb our deep slumber."
"Perhaps we are not quite near enough the dangerous territory,"replied Professor Bigelow. "But according to Otari, we shouldn't haveto travel much farther."
That morning, for the first time, two of the crew began to show signsof uneasiness. It was Bob who first noticed them talking in muffledtones, and upon listening, he found that they did not like the idea ofgoing into this unknown country that was the abode of wild savages.But as they appeared to come to no conclusion, Bob turned to helpprepare the meal.
After breakfast they paddled on upstream in search of a suitablehunting area, for the naturalists wished to go ashore and add to theircollection.
At every point of the compass the scenery was beautiful beyonddescription. There were steep, jagged cliffs, densely overgrown withthe brilliant green of tropical vegetation; tall forest giants,towering a hundred feet into the sky; gorgeously colored flowers thatsent their sweet fragrance far afield.
Mr. Holton broke the enchanted silence. "Here we are," he said,singling out a stopping place.
The boats were turned into a little cove, behind which was a stretchof smooth country.
The naturalists and their sons picked out guns and prepared to leaveon a hunting trip, but Professor Bigelow announced that he wouldremain at the boats to read.
"Don't see how he can read on a morning like this," murmured Joe."This cool air gets under my skin and cries 'action, _action_!'"
They decided to take all but two of the crew with them to help carryin specimens, and strangely enough the two Indians who remained behindwere the ones Bob had heard talking about not liking the prospect ofpenetrating into this unknown country.
Bob wondered if it would be safe to leave things as they were. For amoment he thought of appealing to the others to change the situation,but thought better of it and followed on into the forest. After all,nothing would probably come of the happening.
"We want to get a jaguar today if it's at all possible," said Mr.Lewis, his keen eyes scanning the surrounding trees, as if he expectedto find one of the big cats lurking there.
"A jaguar!" repeated Joe. "Fine. We'll get one if there's any around."
They tramped on for about five minutes before seeing any game butmonkeys and bright-colored birds. Then Mr. Lewis caught sight of along, lithe body gliding over the tangled underbrush.
The others saw, too, and they raised their rifles and fired.
The snake was immediately made into pulp, and the hunters ran up toexamine it.
"Coral snake," said Mr. Holton, recognizing the striped body. "Whetherit's poisonous I don't know. Here is one reptile that cannot easily bedistinguished as to whether it is of the harmless or poisonousvariety."
The reptile was no good as a specimen, and they passed it by.
Suddenly Mr. Holton stopped still in his tracks and pointed to a lowtree bough not far away. The others looked and then shrank back inawe.
There, resting peacefully in the shaded depths of a limb, was a huge,powerful jaguar, its spotted coat showing in strange contrast to thesurrounding jungle.
"Back," whispered Mr. Holton, slowly raising his rifle.
Carefully the naturalist took aim, while the others stood by withready rifles.
Bang! The bullet sped true.
There was a terrific pawing and clutching at the bough, but to noavail. A second later the great cat fell to the ground, movedconvulsively for a moment, and then lay still.
"Hurrah!" cried Bob. "Our first jaguar."
"The biggest and most dangerous animal of South America," chimed inMr. Lewis.
At once the skin was ripped off and then placed in a bag carried bythe crew.
A little later Bob was several score feet behind the others, examininga peculiar plant that had small blue flowers. As he started to pluckone he suddenly heard a faint cry that seemed to come from thedirection of the river.
At first he thought it was some strange bird, but when he heard itagain he was immediately on the alert. That a bird? Absurd. But whatcould it be?
Then a thought struck him, and he almost turned pale. It was ProfessorBigelow!
He called to the others to follow and then turned and ran with allspeed to the boats.