“I don’t know, Jem. I was in such trouble about you that I had almost forgotten the people at the village.”
“So had I. Pain always makes me forget everything, ’speshly toothache. Why, that’s the right way,” he cried, as they turned the corner of a steep bluff.
“Yes, and in a quarter of an hour we can be there; that is, if you can walk fast?”
“I can walk fast, my lad: look. But what’s quarter of a hour? I got muddled enough over the bells board ship—three bells, and four bells, and the rest of it; but out here there don’t seem to be no time at all. Wonder how near those fellows are as we see. I am glad I arn’t broke.”
In about the time Don had said, they came to the path leading to the ravine, where the cave pierced the mountain side. A few minutes later they were by the hot bath spring, and directly after, to Don’s great delight, they came upon Tomati.
“I was coming to look for you two,” he said. “You had better not go far from the whare. Two of the tribes have turned savage, and are talking about war.”
Don interrupted him, and told him what they had seen.
“So soon!” he said hurriedly.
“Is it bad news, then?” asked Don, anxiously.
“Bad, my lads! Bad as it can be.”