The savages seemed in a good humor just then, however, for every once in a while they laughed among themselves, evidently at something humorous one of them was reciting. It was well for our heroes that they were so, for otherwise they could hardly have failed to notice signs of their recent presence on the trail. Fortunately this did not happen, however, and soon they were swallowed up in the dense jungle.
Shortly afterward the boys emerged from their places of concealment, and resumed their slow advance. They were soon at the edge of the clearing, and then halted to reconnoitre before venturing further.
The savages were encamped in a natural hollow, and had apparently made arrangements for quite a protracted visit. They had constructed rude huts or lean-tos of branches and leaves, scattered at any place that seemed convenient. Naked children shouted noisily as they played and rolled on the green turf, and made such a noise that the parrots in the woods were frightened, and flew away with disgusted squawks.
In the center of the encampment were two huts evidently constructed with more care than the others, and around both were squatted sentries with javelins lying on the ground within easy reach.
“I’ll bet any money they are keeping their prisoner in one of those shacks, fellows,” said Bert, “but what do you suppose the other one is for? It looks bigger than the others.”
“Oh, that’s probably the king’s palace,” said Dick. “Compared to the rest of those hovels it almost looks like one, at that.”
“That’s what it is, all right,” agreed Tom, “but how are we going to tell which one is the prisoner’s, and which the king’s? We don’t want to go and rescue the wrong one, you know.”
“No danger of that,” said Bert. “All we’ve got to do is to lie low a little while and see what’s going on down there. We’ll find out how matters stand soon enough.”
Accordingly, the trio concealed themselves as best they could, and in whispers took council on the best means of bringing about the release of the captive.
This proved a knotty problem, however, and for a long while they seemed no nearer its solution. It was Bert who finally proposed the plan that they eventually followed.