THE ARROW ON THE SHEET
When the boys reached their rooms they set to work to decipher the colored paper. It was about four by six inches in size, and had been folded twice, as the creases plainly showed. Assuring themselves that it was paper which had been crossruled, as suggested by John, they tried to decipher the straggling letters and form them into some coherent form.
The paper had the following appearance when they received it:
The words, or parts of words "dire," in the first line, and "30 gues" in the second line, together with[p. 39] the letters "Walt" are the only absolutely clear things to be noticed.
"The writing is right across the V-shaped marks, and the arrow is plain enough. It may be though, that the arrow has nothing to do with the V-shaped mark." And George held the paper away from his eyes to get the proper effect at a distance.
"I wonder how close the mountain is to the sea?" ventured Harry.
"I don't see what difference that would make," replied George. "That 30 must mean some measurement. It is either feet, or miles, or yards, or,—"
"Why can't you see that 'gues' is a part of the word 'leagues.'"
Harry jumped up as though shot. "Well, that was stupid of us, sure enough."
"With that key before us, we can make some headway. I believe the V-shape is the lower end of the mountain, probably a headland, and the arrow points to a place 30 leagues to the,—see here, in the last line is a W. and there is a blur before it and after it. That may be SWE, EWS, SWW, SWS, and,—"
"Don't go so fast," shrieked Harry. "What do you suppose the capital I stands for at the beginning of the third line?"
"I—I—, why,—Island, of course," said George, with an air of superiority. "But it cannot be west."
"Well, the arrow points southeast."
"How do you know?" asked George, dubiously.
"Why, that word at the extreme top must be 'north,' and if so then the arrow is pointing south,[p. 40] and the 'W' belongs to something in that direction."
"There, in the second line is a word that looks like 'land.' Can it be a part of the word 'Island'?"
"It doesn't seem so, as there is too much space before the letters. It seems to me though, that it reads 'land 30 leagues' but what does 'se' mean?"
The boys were up late that night, and they went to bed with the missive still unsolved. Before retiring Harry said: "Let us wait until daylight. The sun may help us out."
When they awoke the first thing that occurred to George was the original Walter letter, so that the writing could be compared. It was found, and George came in with an exultant bound.
"I am sure now that it was Walter. Here it is." The original letter was as follows:
"Compare the two and you will see they look alike," said George.
"What shall we tell the Professor!" asked Harry.
"Well but I am not yet through with the paper. Suppose we moisten it, and that may bring out something we didn't see before."
This was done, but it made the entire document worse than before.
"Too bad we have spoiled it," remarked Harry, "but I think we are safe in telling the Professor and John what we have found out."
For the time being, however, the boys had other urgent work to do. The day for launching had been set, and every working hour was valuable, so they were over at the ship yard early, and the boys did not see either John or the Professor during the day.
The vessel as designed by Harry, and supervised by John, was ninety feet long, and had a beam of eighteen feet, with a very deep keel, and high bulwarks. It was constructed of a species of oak, found in abundance in the forest west of the town, and was cut up into boards, and dried in specially-prepared kilns which were put up for the purpose.
While lumber dried in this way is not the best for ordinary uses, it will serve for shipping purposes, because there is always more or less moisture present in the hull of the vessel, and the object was to enable them to get the material in the speediest way.
The saw mill was one of their first experiments in building machinery, and it was in constant service[p. 42] from the day it was first erected, getting out lumber for building purposes.
The engine was designed only for auxiliary purposes, and the boiler was intended to use coal, of which they found an ample supply in the northern portion of the island, as explained in a previous book.
When the boys returned to their rooms late that afternoon, the first thing that interested them was the message. When it was brought in it was dry, and a slight change was noticed in its appearance. Now, what appeared to be the first word of the message, was discernible, the word "Take," and the word "Head" could be made out before and as a part of "land," in the second line.
"We have it," cried Harry, as he jumped up. "Now let them know about it."
They were across the open space, without any ceremony, and without taking trouble to announce themselves, were in the Professor's room.
"We have it,—we have made it out," was the announcement, as Harry held up the message.
"Does it tell you where the Copper mine is located?" asked the Professor.
"Copper mine!" exclaimed George. "What has a copper mine to do with it?"
"John and I concluded, from certain markings on the paper, that it contained a diagram of the mine!"
"Well, you were mistaken," said Harry with a chuckle. "It is something about an island, thirty leagues to the southeast, somewhere."
"Is that so?" exclaimed the Professor in surprise. "Get John. He will be surprised."
John came hurriedly at the announcement, and the contents of the missive pointed out. "This is certainly good news," he said. "That was fine work on your part."
"You see the arrow, and the part of the word 'leagues.' That couldn't mean feet or yards, or miles."
"Quite evident," said John, as he mused for a while. "This confirms, in a measure, the information that we have as to the proximity of these islands, but the charts show them farther away."
"Undoubtedly, if Walter knew what he was talking about, we have an interesting problem to decipher, and the determination to make the voyage is a wise and timely one," interposed the Professor.
"Now for the ship," said Harry. "Every day is a hundred, in my mind."
As may be imagined, the boys now worked with feverish haste. Other islands here, and waiting for them! Sometimes they were almost tempted to give up the trip home, but the Professor would not hear of it.
"Do not change your plans, if you have any good conclusions when you start out. Don't oscillate from one thing to another. Always make up your minds and then take a wise, persistent course. It is that which always serves you best."
"No; we will go home first, and then for the islands," said Harry, who felt relieved that the im[p. 44]petuous nature of George could be brought to their way of thinking, although George was by far the most homesick of the entire lot.
All the boys were on hand when the vessel was launched. It rode the water beautifully, and the natives were the most enthusiastic helpers. They felt proud of their work. Uraso and Muro, the two chiefs, who were the most prominent men in the community, and particularly Sutoto, the intelligent Beree, and Stut, the brother-in-law of Muro, were on hand.
It was a great feast day for the people. Tears actually flowed from the Professor's eyes, as he saw the women and children crowd about him. He was almost a God to them. They were accustomed to receive visits from him in his weekly rounds, and how at such times he loved to tell them how to make and arrange things about the house, which contributed to their comfort.
Everybody was at work; all were happy, and no one appreciated this more than the women, who had been lifted out of the bonds of slavery and elevated through the wise administration of the Professor.
Angel, too, was in evidence. He was the first to climb the mast, as the ship floated in the stream.
"I wonder whether Angel remembers the first trip he took with us on boat No. 1?" asked Harry.
Angel bestowed a knowing look on Harry. "I believe he knows what you said," remarked George.
In another week the rigging had been put up, and the boiler and engine were installed before the[p. 45] launching, so that the necessary work required to enable the ship to sail, was the provisioning. John suggested that what was of far more importance would be the work of training a crew to handle the ship, so they turned their minds toward the solution of this question.
The selection of a crew was a most difficult task, because all the men were willing to volunteer. It was decided, however, that only the unmarried men should be taken, and this at once eliminated many who might otherwise have been selected.
For three days the ship was taken out to sea, under sail only, and John found no trouble in maneuvering the vessel with his new crew. John was a sailor, and had once been owner of a vessel, so that they were in competent hands.
But the final day came, when they must go. It was a most trying time for the poor boys. Almost at the last moment, Harry and George walked back to the Professor's room, and broke out into tears.
"Everybody is leaving you," said Harry, "and I cannot bear to go and leave you in this way."
All the rescued boys were on board, as well as Blakely, since the Professor had insisted that the latter should go, for business reasons, so that the Professor was left alone, the only white man on Wonder Island, when the ship sailed down the river.
True, there was no reason to fear for his safety. The natives loved him too devotedly, but the boys felt that he must often be lonely in his new surroundings, with no one but the natives about him. They[p. 46] little knew that the solace and comfort of the grand old man was the knowledge that he had helped his fellow man, though the color of the skin was darker than his own.
Their voyage was accompanied by favoring winds and perfect weather. Valparaiso, Chile, was the first port at which they landed, and as a trip around the Horn, or even through the Straits of Magellan, and up along the Atlantic coast, would mean several months, with their own vessel, they shipped in one of the line steamers, and within seven weeks they saw Sandy Hook lightship, and then the forts which lined the opposite shore at the Narrows.
Telegrams to their parents created paroxysms of joy in many homes which had been robbed when the Investigator went down. There were no happier homes than the ones Harry and George were welcomed to.
The papers told the stories of the boys in pages and pages of descriptions, and they showed the photos, and told what the boys had done in their temporary home. The hero of all this wonderful home-coming was Angel.
The people, the houses, the wonderful automobiles which he saw on every hand, at first alarmed him, but when he saw that George did not seem a bit afraid, he reconciled himself to the situation.
His first automobile ride was a revelation to him. He held on tightly to George, at first, but soon the sensation became one of joy, and he could not get[p. 47] enough of it. The boys were certainly fêted, but when they told their parents that they must go back, the proposition met with strong opposition.
The parents forgot that the boys were now over two years older than when they went away, and it seemed singular that the surroundings did not seem the same to them as before the happy boyhood days before they left home.
For business reasons the parents knew that it would be prudent to permit them to return and they were influenced by the remarkable change they saw in the manners and actions of the boys. They saw the youths were strong and self reliant, ever ready to act and to carry out their resolutions. These boys had been transformed into men.
They spent many days going over old scenes and visiting friends. They enjoyed to the utmost the reunion with their families, but they could not cease talking about the Professor. They now realized in full what he had been to them, and what his example and teaching meant to them. There was really a feeling amounting almost to jealousy on the part of the people at home against the Professor, but it was not one of bitterness.
One who could exert such a healthy influence on the lives of the young, as he possessed, was worthy of the adulation that the boys bestowed. But John was not forgotten in these periods of happiness.
They were never happy when telling the tales of their adventures except when John was present, and the latter was the most sought-for individual, be[p. 48]cause when he once began to tell some of his vivid tales the people would not let him stop.
Finally the time for departure came. A merry party gathered upon the dock when the explorers were about to depart. They would write at least once a month, as Blakely had assured them that he would arrange to have a steamer run a round trip each four weeks, to take care of the commodities which would be made up by the natives.
The steamship Panama slowly moved out into the bay, and the boys remembered the memorable event which took place at that same dock thirty months before. Then they left with a sort of half joy in their hearts, and now they were going away to finish up the great adventures which they had started when they reached the island of Wonder.
All hearts were anxious as the ship neared Valparaiso, because there they would leave the liner from New York, and again ship in the boat they had built. They keenly scanned the pier as the vessel was being warped in.
"Ah! there is Blakely on the dock," said Harry.
"But I don't see the Pioneer here!" responded George.
Pioneer was the name of the vessel they had built, and which brought them to that port from their island home.
The moment the vessel came alongside the dock, George called to Blakely: "Where is our boat?"
"At Wonder Island," was the reply.
"At Wonder Island?" said Harry, and the boys[p. 49] looked at each other in amazement. And now they must wait several weeks, probably, until it returns. This was disappointing, indeed.
The boys rushed off. "And where shall we go now?" asked Harry.
"Over to our ship," replied Blakely.
They followed his gaze to a dock beyond, where lay a beautiful vessel, a steamer, all decked out with flags.
"Is that our vessel!"
"Yes, and I have been to Wonder Island on her since you left. We just arrived two days ago. We are ready to steam out within two hours."
"Then don't let us waste a moment's time," said Harry.
"I thought you might want to take a look over the town," said Blakely.
"I have no wish to do so, as long as we have the islands in view," remarked George. "And how is the Professor," he continued in an eager tone.
"He is well and happy. But I have no doubt he longs for you, as he frequently goes over to your rooms, and wanders around the shop, a thing which he never did while you were there."
This was joyful news to the boys. How they longed to sail up Enterprise River. The steamer which Blakely had bought, and which was destined to ply between Wonder Island and the nearest trans-shipping point, was called the Wonder, a thing which the boys had not noticed until they were nearing the vessel.
It was a saucy little steamer, and as they drew near Blakely said: "What speed do you think she will make?"
"Fifteen miles at least," remarked Harry.
"I am guaranteed eighteen miles an hour at the least."
"Isn't that fine," said George. "What does she burn?"
"Either wood, coal or petroleum."
"Now would be the time to look up the oil deposits on the island," remarked Harry.
Within an hour the ship was under way, greatly to the delight of the boys.
Notwithstanding the ship was sent forward under full steam, the speed was far too slow for the impatient boys. They were on the bridge most of the time with the Captain who had been employed to run the vessel. He proved to be a jolly, red-faced tar, who loved the antics of the boys.