“Does he have to conduct the investigation in that particular spot?” Jim inquired with interest.
“They say he does not. My own men, who know anything of the subject assure me that what they want to study and observe can be found in hundreds of localities. Morley and other men of the expedition were of the same opinion, they got along well with the native workers by keeping off their toes and being careful not to infringe with hobbies or ideas. Martin has been bull-headed in the matter and wants us to order the Indians to go out with him and do what he says. There is something about this Butterfly Flight; what is it Doc?”
“I don’t know much more than you do except even if there isn’t a butterfly in sight for miles, the natives seem to know when they are coming. They just knock off what they are doing and wait until it is over. Whatever signs they read from the flight governs their actions but as a rule the majority of them resume their jobs,” he explained.
“We saw the flight,” Bob remarked.
“Yes, one day of it. It takes several days. If Martin is sensible he’ll take a week’s vacation, for not even the negroes will help him now. He may as well turn his attention to something else for the present. How do you feel since you had something to eat?” The doctor asked.
“Top hole,” declared Bob.
“Hadn’t you both better have a good sleep now,” Ruhel suggested.
“I’d like to tell you what we were doing before we go to bed. It may be hours before we wake up and in the meantime there’s a white man back there—”
“A white man?” Seaman started to his feet.
“Yes, his name is Mills and he’s gone crazy—”