Workers went in twos, a cutter and a backer, equipped with a long pointed stick and a sharp machete.
The cutter would stick the banana plant below the bunch, so that it toppled slowly down within reach of the backer, who promptly shouldered it.
With swift strokes of the sharp machete, the cutter then severed the bunch from the plant. Off trotted the backer with his heavy burden, to deposit it along the card road. Bunches were protected from the sun with green banana leaves.
Wearying of the guide’s lengthy description of how bananas were harvested, Jack and War returned to the cart road to await the sightseeing party there.
Seating themselves on a mat of cut banana leaves, they watched as a worker with a cart gathered the deposited bunches and rattled off out of sight.
War became absorbed in watching tiny lizards which darted everywhere. “Say, isn’t it about time our gang got back here?” he demanded impatiently.
He arose and Jack trailed after him. But when they peered down the long row of banana plants where their party had been, no one was to be seen.
“Where’d everyone go?” Jack asked in alarm.
“They must have gone into another row. A good joke on us! We’d better find ’em.”
Walking quickly along the cart road, the two Scouts looked down one long green lane after another. Their friends were nowhere to be seen.