CHAPTER XXI
JERRY SEEKS AID
Jerry was up in an instant and soon lit a lantern. By the glimmer ofit he saw that Bob was indeed a very sick youth. The lad's face wasflushed, his hands were cold and clammy and his face and head were hotwith a burning fever. His eyes had an unnaturally bright look, hisbreath came fast, and in short gasps.
"Why Bob!" exclaimed Ned. "What is the matter?"
"It came on me suddenly," said the unfortunate lad, sitting down on theground in the tent. "I was going to eat some more of the mangoes when,all at once, I was seized with a fit of trembling."
As he spoke a series of tremors shook his body, and he seemed about tofall over. Jerry caught him.
"Quick, Ned!" he exclaimed. "Help me get Bob to bed. Then we'll seewhat we can do."
They undressed Bob, who continued to shake and shiver for he had achill alternating with his fever. Then, while Jerry and Ned wereworrying over the matter and pondering what to do, the poor lad'stemperature suddenly went up and he was in a higher fever.
"We've got to do something to bring that down," remarked Jerry. "Whatdid they give you when you were sick, Ned?" and Jerry looked at hischum.
"It's so long since I was sick I've forgotten," was the answer. "Havewe any medicine at all?"
"Mother made me bring some quinine along, and a few other things, likewitch hazel and sticking plaster, but I don't believe any of them aregood for fevers. I'll look in the box."
Jerry proceeded to investigate the small case of simple remedies hismother had packed, but which had never been opened. The chums wereseldom ill, and when they were they usually let nature adjust itself.But they realized that something must be done for Bob.
"'Spirits of nitre,'" read Ned from the label of one of the bottles."Say, Jerry, this is the stuff for fevers. I remember my mother used touse it when I was a little chap. Let's give him some."
Jerry read the label on the bottle. The nitre, according to thedirections, was good for fevers and they decided to give Bob a largerdose than was called for, as they had an idea the stuff was forchildren, and that a full grown youth would need more.
Anxiously they waited for the remedy to have some effect. Every now andthen they would place their hands on Bob's head or wrist to note thewarmth of his body. To their worriment he seemed to be getting hotterinstead of cooler. The fever indeed was rising fast and poor Bob was ina bad way.
"Doesn't seem to be strong enough," said Jerry after three hours ofdreary watching. They had dressed and sat in the tent which was dimlylighted by a lantern.
"Let's give him some more," Ned suggested.
Another dose was administered, though Bob fought against taking it. Theyouth was hardly conscious of what he was doing. He lay with closedeyes, his face red and flushed from the fever, and his breath coming inshort, labored gasps.
Suddenly the sick boy raised himself up on the cot where he had beenplaced.
"There he is!" he exclaimed.
"Who?" asked Jerry, thinking Bob saw some one.
"That alligator! He has the big snake and they are both being chasedby the sea cow! Where's my gun?"
"Out of his head," whispered Ned, as he gently pressed Bob back on thebed. "What shall we do?"
Jerry did not know what to say. This was a new complication, for theirjourneys heretofore had been free from the worry of serious illness.
"My, but he's hot!" went on Ned, feeling of Bob's hand. "We ought tohave an ice bag for him."
"No ice here, but I've just thought of something we can do."
"What?"
"Dip cloths in water and put 'em on him. That'll help some."
"Good idea."
They dipped several large handkerchiefs into the lake, wrung themout, and laid them on Bob's forehead, neck and chest. It was a crudeexpedient but it was the best they could do. In the hot climate thewater evaporated quickly and the cloths were made cooler from thiscause than they otherwise would have been. Bob seemed a little easier,though he continued to moan and murmur in his delirium.
It was a long, weary night and, when the gray dawn began to show, Nedand Jerry were two very much alarmed youths.
"If the professor would only come back!" exclaimed Ned. "He'd know whatto do for Bob. He always carries medicine with him. I wish he wouldcome."
"Maybe he left some of his medicines in the boat."
"If he did I wouldn't risk using them. We might give Bob the wrongthing."
"That's so. I wonder if anything could have happened to Mr. Snodgrass?"
"I hope not," responded Ned. "Still he ought to be back by this time."
"Give me some ice water!" suddenly called Bob, sitting up on the cot.
"I wish we had some," said Jerry in a low voice as he gently pushed hischum's head back on the pillow. "He's on fire," he added, turning toNed.
"Give him some more nitre."
The medicine was administered with considerable difficulty for, as thefever progressed Bob fought against taking it, as the stuff was notvery pleasant. Still Ned and Jerry knew it was the only thing they had,and they fairly forced Bob to swallow it.
The day was worse than the night, though at times the patient dozed andwas quiet. The two youths listened for every sound that might indicatethe return of the professor but he did not come. It grew hotter andhotter and then it began to rain.
With the storm came a cloud of mosquitoes that made life miserable forthe boys. It was stifling to stay in the tent, yet that was their onlyrefuge. They had mosquito netting, and this kept out the most of thepests, but Ned and Jerry had to make frequent trips to the lake forfresh water, and on these occasions the insects pitched on them withgreat violence.
Bob grew worse, and the two watchers were much alarmed. They did notknow what to do. They only had a little of the nitre left and it didnot seem to be doing any good. The truth was Bob needed a much strongerremedy than that which the boys had.
All day long the rain fell and the next night was one of the worstthe boys had ever put in. They took turns sitting up with Bob whocontinually cried for ice water when there was none to be had. Ned andJerry lived on cold victuals. As for Bob he only sipped a little waternow and then.
"Do you think he'll die?" asked Ned in gloomy accents, as Jerry awoketo take his turn at watching.
"No! Of course not. What makes you think that?"
"Because he doesn't seem to get any better."
"He can't get better at once. I think it was that yellow fruit he atewhich has made him sick. You and I didn't take any and we're all right."
"Then Bob is poisoned."
"I'm afraid so. Still this may be the worst of it. As long as he hasgotten along so far, with nothing more than a high fever, I'm surehe'll pull through."
But the fever was bad enough. Bob began to weaken under the attack. Thesecond day he could not raise himself in bed. He reclined there withclosed eyes and his breathing was more labored.
"Why doesn't the professor come!" exclaimed Ned.
"I tell you what I believe!" exclaimed Jerry. "Mr. Snodgrass is beingdetained by those negroes!"
"Do you think so?"
"I do. I believe they had a plot to get possession of all our things.We scared off those who came to the camp but the others have Mr.Snodgrass a captive, I'm sure."
"What are we going to do? If Bob doesn't get some other medicinesoon--he'll die."
"I know what I'm going to do!" said Jerry in determined tones.
"What?"
"I'm going to find the professor!"
"How can you?"
"I'm going to follow that little stream," and Jerry pointed to the oneup which the scientist had journeyed in the canoe with the negroes.
"But you have no boat. The _Dartaway_ draws too much to take up thatcreek."
"I know it. I'm going to walk. I see there is a sort of path along theedge of the stream. I'm going to see where it leads to. I may not findthe professor, but I'll try and find some one who can help us. MaybeI can run across a band of I
ndians and get some of their remedies. Ifonly Ottiby was here he'd be able to give Bob something to make himwell. Will you be afraid to stay here alone with Bob, Ned?"
"No, of course not. But hurry back. There's no telling what may happen."
"I'll bring the professor back with me, or some medicine for Bob," saidJerry, as he prepared for his journey.