“Don’t worry about me, boys,” he advised as they took turns staying beside him. “The fever is down again. I feel better.”
At lunch time, the Scouts doled out only skimpy portions of the concentrated food Ino had given them.
“At least we have enough water,” Willie remarked, drinking deeply from one of the canteens. “We can refill these at the spring when we slip out tonight.”
“I wish we could find Ino again,” Ken said. “He might help us get a balsa.”
The thought kept nagging at him, and finally he went out through the tunnel to see what chance he would have of reaching the medicine man. He was gone three hours, so long that the others became very uneasy over his absence.
“No luck,” he reported as he rejoined the group. “I couldn’t get near the village. It’s swarming with natives, and they’re mighty excited about something!”
“Our disappearance probably,” War commented.
“It’s more than that, I think. They seemed to be entertaining a distinguished visitor—another chief probably.”
“Then maybe this is our chance to sneak away!” Willie proposed. “Did you find a balsa?”
“Couldn’t reach the river. Natives everywhere. I didn’t see Ino either. Until nightfall there’s nothing to do but wait here.”