Every one declared that Mr. Thorne was right and that they had never tasted anything to equal the roast venison, the boiled yams, the fried plantains and the pepper pot.
The boys were particularly enthusiastic over the last and also over the crisp, toasted cassava bread and were greatly surprised to learn that both were made from the deadly poisonous bitter cassava root.
“The juice is the poisonous part,” explained Mr. Thorne. “After it’s squeezed out through a cylindrical sieve called a ‘metapee’--that’s one hanging over in the corner--any traces of the poison, which is prussic acid, are driven off by baking the meal into these cakes. The poisonous juice boiled down makes the pepper pot. It has the property of preserving meat and giving it this delicious flavor. It’s really the national dish of Guiana.”
“Well, it’s good enough to be the national dish of any country,” declared Rawlins. “Just fill my plate up again, Mr. Thorne.”
The meal over, the party made themselves comfortable in the hammocks and, as pipes were lighted, the explorer told Colcord that they were going in search of an aircraft which had last been sighted flying to the south over Wismar.
“It’s of the utmost importance that we find it,” he said. “The men in it are desperate criminals and Mr. Pauling and Mr. Henderson are officials sent out by the United States Government to get them. They want those men dead or alive--alive preferably--and we expect you to help us. We have no idea where the machine is, but we have an idea they are hiding somewhere not far away. Now do you suppose we can trail that plane and get the men, Colcord?”
“Yes, Sir--Chief,” replied the Boviander confidently. “But we’ll never fin’ it over this side, Chief. That airship’s went up the Essequibo topside. I was makin’ a walk up beyon’ Malali for locus’ gum an’ I never cotch a glimmer of it, but ol’ Charlie--the Macusi what lives over Mule Pen side, you know--he was huntin’ pacu on the Tukumi Creek an’ he mek to get mos’ frighted to death when she fly over. Yes, Chief, I sure we make our walk up the Essequibo top side we boun’ for to find she.”
“Hmm, very likely,” agreed the explorer. “Can we get a boat at Rockstone?”
“I can’ say rightly, Chief,” replied Colcord. “But I ’spect you can. Le’s see, they’s seven of you, an’ we’ll need a plenty good size boat an’ ’bout ten men an’ bowman asides me. You got Joseph, an’ Billy an’ Bagot an’ Carlos an’ Theophilus an’ Abr’ham. That’s six, an’ I reckon I can s’cure free more boys an’ Boters for bowman, but I can’ rightly say ’bout the nex’ man.”
“Ah can paddle,” put in Sam who had been very silent. “Ah don’ lay to do narthin’.”