“I should not be at all surprised,” the doctor answered, then went on, “whatever ailed him, he has already paid the price of his folly. The natives thought that their wives and children had been killed or would never come out of the Black Woods, so they came back with other tribes, bent upon revenge. We can hardly blame them. They happened to find us all here; took possession of the weapons in camp, and before any of us realized the danger, they surrounded the women.”
Seaman’s lips were set in a tight line.
“I was busy attending to the pilot who has a bad infection, so did not know what was happening until I heard my wife scream. We were all surrounded, then Howard, who had our young American friends on a tour of inspection, appeared in the boat. Fortunately the lads had bombs in their pockets—”
“Bombs—”
“Yes and more in the boat,” the doctor answered emphatically, as if it was quite usual for American boys to go about with explosives. “The natives were reasonable and the Buddies promised to bring the women and children back. They did, and all is well—”
“Thank heavens for that—”
“Let us all forget it, dear,” Mrs. Seaman urged her husband. “The men were frantic with fear for their families, even as you were just a little while ago, and we cannot blame them for trying to retaliate. None of us was hurt, and now you find us quite safe.”
“Surely,” the captain agreed, then he saw Bradshaw. “How did you happen to be here?” he asked.
“I was looking for Mills, saw the expedition plane instead, and hung about to learn what was doing. After that, I did pilot duty and turned the helicopter into a passenger plane,” the Canadian grinned cheerfully, then added, “I take it that further details of the exploit can be made later.”
“All right. Now, Doctor, how about that pilot—should he be taken to a hospital?”