CHAPTER XII
JERRY IS HURT
Breakfast aboard the _Wanderer_ was afterward voted by the boys as thebest meal they had ever eaten. The three girls who were jolly and fullof fun, made the occasion lively with the description of their travels,to which the boys added an account of some of their adventures.
"I wish I was a man!" exclaimed Rose, when Jerry had told of their tripto the buried city in Mexico. "That's what I should like to do."
"Maybe you'll find some ancient ruins where you are going," suggestedNed.
"We's going to Lake Okeechobee," responded Olivia. "I guess we'll findnothing but swamps."
"I believe there is a remnant of several tribes of Seminole Indiansthere," put in Jerry. "Perhaps you'll discover a prehistoric city."
"Oh, are there really Indians?" asked Nellie. "How perfectly terrible!I'd like to see a little pappoose, but I'd be afraid of a full bloodedIndian!"
While the young people talked in this strain Mr. Snodgrass and Mr.Seabury were discussing deeper subjects. Mr. Seabury, it developed, wasquite wealthy, and had helped to found several scientific schools. Hewas quite interested in the professor's nature studies, and wanted toknow all about the rare butterfly the scientist was seeking.
"I'll keep a lookout for it," promised the owner of the _Wanderer_. "IfI see one I'll catch it for you."
"So will I!" exclaimed Rose, who had listened to the ending of theconversation. "I'm fond of animals."
"The--er--butterfly isn't exactly an animal," spoke the professor witha smile. "But I would be very glad if you could catch one for me."
"I suppose you'll get to Lake Okeechobee ahead of us," said Nellie toJerry. "If you do we may see you there. It's rather a large body ofwater, according to the map, but I expect you will navigate most of it."
"We plan to make a circuit of it," answered Ned. "We may find some onewe know there."
"Who?" asked the girl, but before Ned could state that he referred toNoddy Nixon, Mr. Seabury called out:
"Now would one of you boys mind looking at our engine? I'd like to getunder way again."
"There's your chance, Bob!" whispered Ned, but Bob did not have toundertake the job, for Jerry, who had a natural fondness for machinery,was soon tinkering away at the motor. He found that the mechanism whichcontrolled the electric spark was out of order and, though it was noeasy matter to adjust, he soon had the machine working better than ever.
Mr. Seabury was very grateful, and pressed the boys and Mr. Snodgrassto spend several days aboard the _Wanderer_. The chums were half-mindedto, but the professor was impatient to begin the hunt for the rarebutterfly, the haunts of which were farther south, so they prepared toleave their island camp.
The hot sun and wind soon dried out the wetness of the night before,and when everything had been packed aboard the _Dartaway_ the boys badetheir host and his pretty daughters good-bye. Then, voicing the hopethat they would meet again soon, those in the motor boat started downthe lake toward the Kissimmee river, while the _Wanderer_ followed moreslowly.
"They're a nice lot of girls," observed Bob with a sigh, as a turn ofthe lake hid the houseboat from sight. "Very nice girls."
"Which one?" asked Jerry with a smile.
"All of 'em!"
"A very fine man!" was the professor's comment on Mr. Seabury. "He hastraveled much and has seen many strange insects. A very learned man."
They were now in a fine region, a country higher than the usual lowlevel of Florida, and noted for the variety of its crops. They passedthrough several large cattle ranges and again through long stretches ofdense forests. Now and then they would come to a little colony wherefruit growers had settled. At noon they went ashore near a littlevillage and had dinner.
"Boys!" exclaimed the professor, as they prepared to resume theirjourney, "I've had good news!"
"Did some one tell you where to find that butterfly?" asked Bob.
"No, but a man in the village said there was a curious mound about tenmiles below here, a mound erected by a prehistoric race, I believe. Imust investigate it. Who knows but I shall find some valuable relics?"
"You mean a heap of dirt such as the Ohio mound builders put up?" askedNed.
"The same, my boy, only I think this one will be richer in historicaltreasures. The man said it was seldom visited by any one in thisregion. He was guiding a hunting party one day and discovered it. Come,we must hurry off. I want to see it before dark."
Once more the _Dartaway_ was sent ahead. The river wound in and outin the dense forest, now broadening and again narrowing. Sometimes itwas quite shallow and then would come a deep place, in which severalvarieties of fish could be observed in the clear depths. Bob wanted tocatch some for supper, but the professor was anxious to keep on, so nostop was made.
"I think that's the place!" Mr. Snodgrass exclaimed after severalhours. "The man said when I saw three big palmetto trees on a littlepoint of land to go ashore and then walk due west. There are the threetrees," and he pointed to them.
"Doesn't look like a very inviting region," remarked Jerry as he sentthe boat over toward the little point. "But I suppose that makes it allthe better for the mound. Well, professor, we'll go ashore and see whatwe can find."
Mooring the boat to the bank, the boys leaped out, the professorpausing to take several specimen boxes and his butterfly net.
"Guess I'll take my gun," announced Bob, turning back. "I might get ashot at something."
He took his weapon, a combination rifle and shot gun, while the otherswent on ahead of him.
"Looks as though there was a path here," said Jerry, pointing to a sortof trail through the woods.
"So it does," admitted Mr. Snodgrass. "Well, so much the better for us."
"Unless it has been made by a band of Indians or some ugly negroes,"said Jerry in a low tone. "I've read there are some black men who livein the swamps about here, and that they are worse than Indians."
"Better call to Bob to come up front with his gun," spoke Ned.
"No, it might alarm the professor," replied Jerry. "But keep your eyesopen."
They followed the path, which wound in and out among the trees.Suddenly the professor, who had made his way to the fore, uttered a cry.
"What's the matter?" asked Jerry, looking to see that Bob, with hisgun, was close by.
"The mound!" cried the scientist, pointing to a large hill to be seenthrough the masses of moss hanging from the trees.
"It's a mound, sure enough," admitted Jerry. "Let's see what it's like."
As they approached they saw that it was undoubtedly the work of humanhands. It was shaped like a pyramid, and on either side stretched levelland, covered with a dense growth of forest or underbrush.
"There are steps leading to the top!" cried Bob, who had gone around tothe far side of the artificial hill. The others joined him and saw himascending a rude flight of stairs made of stones set into the side ofthe mound.
"Better go slow," advised Jerry. "No telling what's up there."
"Let me look for relics!" exclaimed the professor, and he hurried pastBob. "I'm sure there must be lots of them in this place."
Bob stood aside while Jerry, who, as usual, assumed the leadership whenthere was a hint of danger, took the rifle. Then he started to followthe professor.
Jerry had not taken half a dozen steps when he trod on a loose stone.He nearly fell backward but recovered himself by an effort. In doingso, however, he leaned too far to one side. The next instant he hadfallen and slid to the bottom of the mound.
The hammer of the gun came in contact with a stone or stick, and theweapon was discharged with a loud report. Fortunately the muzzle waspointed upward, and the bullet endangered no one.
"Are you hurt?" cried Ned and Bob, hurrying to Jerry's aid.
They noticed that his face was white and drawn.
"I'm--afraid so," he murmured, clenching his teeth to keep back amurmur of pain.
"Where is it?" asked Ned.
"My leg!"
/> They noticed that his left leg was doubled under him. As tenderly asthey could they lifted him up. As they did so Bob saw a stream of bloodtrickling from Jerry's foot.
"You're shot!" he cried. "Oh Jerry!"
"No, it isn't the bullet," said Jerry. "I think I ran a sharp stonethrough my shoe as I fell."
The two chums bent closer to look.
"It's an Indian arrow head!" exclaimed Ned as he saw the long sharppiece of flint piercing the side of Jerry's shoe. "I'll pull it out."
He tried, but it was imbedded in the flesh more firmly than he hadthought.
"Oh!" exclaimed Jerry, and then the terrible pain, as Ned tried towithdraw the ancient weapon, made him faint.
"Professor!" cried Bob. "Jerry's hurt!"
The scientist had disappeared on the top of the mound. Hardly had theechoes of Bob's voice died away than from the forest surrounding themound there emerged a band of ugly-looking negroes. They started to runtoward the boys just as Mr. Snodgrass, hearing the call of distress,began to descend the stone steps.