CHAPTER XXVI
A THRILLING ADVENTURE
Dave had fallen down a hole covered with a thin network of branches andleaves. He knew it to be a trap, a pitfall, as he began his descent.There was a strong rancid smell about the spot, and the earth and thebranches were thickly covered with grease.
Dave went shooting, feet first, down a smooth slant. He landed with ashock. Then he rebounded, lost his balance, and fell flat.
With a thrill he struck something moving, something that grunted, andtore away from him. It seemed covered with sharp, ugly bristles thathad penetrated his hands like thorns.
Dave sprang to his feet in alarm. Fierce echoing grunts filled theplace, a pit of considerable size. He quickly drew out a match andflared it.
"A wild boar," said Dave, and as he took in his situation he was sweptoff his feet with a new shock.
The momentary illumination had fully apprized Dave of his environment.The pit was a trap, its entrance scented and greased to attract victims.
A strong home-made rope was attached to a stake in its center. Its endwas a loop. This loop now inclosed the neck of the boar, choking andimprisoning it. In fact, the fierce animal was fairly frantic.
The loop must have been placed in some way near to decoy food,tightening and securing its victim at a touch.
Now rushing around, the boar had swept Dave off his footing with thetaut rope at which it struggled. It was upon him in an instant. Madwith pain and fright it tried to gore and crush him.
Dave managed to roll and squirm beyond its reach. Breathless andbewildered, he hurriedly drew out his pocket knife, opening its largestblade.
With blazing eyes the maddened animal made another rush at Dave. Hewent flat. Its tusk penetrated a double thickness of his clothing. Ittugged at him, panting, grunting, squealing.
Snip-snip--Dave was all mixed up in the rope, almost helplessly at themercy of the animal. He slashed out with the knife, but struck the ropeinstead of the boar.
The rope parted. Dave was dragged over the pit floor, his clothingfirmly held by the spike-like tusk of the boar.
He had to go along, whether he would or not. Dave grasped one bristlyear of the boar.
"Whew!" he uttered, mind and body in such a turmoil that he could notrealize what had happened till it was all over.
The boar, freed, had made a dash out of the pit. It seemed to Dave thatit took some avenue of exit different to the slant down which he himselfhad tumbled into the pit.
At all events, he found himself in the open air, but borne along at aterrific rate of speed. He could hardly cling to the animal.
He let go his grasp entirely as the boar scaled a rise and toppled over.Dave, however, could not disengage his clothing. Then he was consciousof rolling over and over. The big animal seemed to fade from view in aswift flight. Dave's head struck something and he lost his senses.
When Dave came back to consciousness, there was no mistake as to hissituation. A single glance enlightened him.
A dozen natives were working around a charcoal fire. They seemed to behardening spear-heads, darts, and other weapons used by the Windjammersas weapons of war.
Near by was a square hut. Its door stood open, the only aperture itcontained. Its top was flat and sunken, and leaning up against thesides of this parapet-like inclosure Dave noticed numberless weapons.
Dave lay flat on the ground, feet and hands both tied. The wild boarwas nowhere in evidence. The natives were going on with their work.
"Weapon-makers," said Dave. "They seem to be finishing up their work,for the fire is going out."
Finally one of the men--there were four of them--finished holding a lotof spear-ends in the fire. He came and looked at Dave, discovered hiseyes were open, and spoke some quick words to him.
Dave shook his head to indicate that he did not understand. A fewminutes later all four men piled the various articles they had beenburning upon a sort of litter.
They seemed about to carry this into the hut. Each took a corner of thelitter.
Here something happened. Dave almost imagined himself in a dream, as hesaw a swift form burst from some bushes near at hand.
It was Daley. He was armed with a great knotted club. Evidently he hadbeen watching for just this opportunity to interest himself in behalf ofhis young friend and overpower his captors.
The four natives employed at the litter had no time or chance to defendthemselves.
Whack! Whack! In turn two of them went flat with broken heads.
Whack! Whack! Their companions toppled over, and the litter fell tothe ground.
"Up with you," roared the giant sailor, a cyclone of strength andresolution now.
He grabbed up Dave bodily, ran towards the hut, dropped Dave, closed thedoor, barred it, and stood panting and trembling with excitement as heproceeded to release his companion.
It was then that Dave Fearless made that fervid remark:
"Mr. Daley, you are a brave man!"