He had already selected the hill he was going to climb, and picked out the narrow valley that would lead him to its base.
A little scrambling over rough ground brought him to the valley. Projecting rocks, weather-stained and windworn, rose to right and left. Flocks of gulls rose out of them, alarmed by his approach, and winged away across the river.
The valley was not over twenty feet wide, and angled back and forth sharply on its way to the hill. Bob stepped off at a brisk gait, for he would have to be quick if he finished what he had in mind by the time Dick and the rest had cleared the propeller and got the boat once more in trim.
Bob was not expecting any trouble on the island, and, as usual, it was the unexpected that happened.
The flapping of the birds’ wings made a noise that drowned the crunch of his footsteps in the gravel. This, it may be, accounted for the surprise that met him as he rounded a sharp turn, for his approach was not heard, and he came suddenly face to face with a creeping savage. The native was nude, save for a short kirtle that hung from his waist, and he was carrying an ugly-looking spear.
It seemed clear that the fellow was creeping up on the boat. His surprise was as great as Bob’s, and for a brief space both stood staring at each other. Then, as Bob’s gaze wandered farther on along the valley, he saw four other natives, all of whom had been on their hands and knees and had leaped erect the moment the lad presented himself.
Then it was that Bob lifted his voice and shouted the warning heard by Dick and Glennie. Bob did not finish what he was saying, for a suggestive movement of the native’s spear hand made it necessary for him to take quick action to protect himself.
Like lightning he leaped forward, and his fist shot out straight from the shoulder. A grunt was jolted from the lips of the stricken native, and he staggered backward. This caused the hand holding the spear to rise quickly, and the spear point caught in Bob’s leather jacket, which was unbuttoned and flying open.
The native fell backward, keeping a convulsive grip on the spear, and dragging Bob down with him. In a twinkling the other four savages had surrounded Bob and were menacing him with their spears.