“We—ll, perhaps three or four months. We want to get as much done as possible. You see,” he explained, “as I said before, our stay is limited to the supply of provisions we have with us. If it were possible to carry enough, I would like to spend at least six months there. What a wonderful opportunity to study primitive man in his everyday life.”
“Should think it would be rather dangerous,” remarked Joe. “He might object and study you instead. Headhunters, I mean.”
“It’s a chance we have to take,” was the reply. “But after all, if we treat them kindly there is little danger. Human nature is much the same all over the globe.”
“I’ll trust you to come out all right,” Bob said.
“We hope to,” the scientist returned. “And we also hope to add greatly to the world’s knowledge of Brazil and its animal inhabitants.”
“At present that isn’t very much, is it?” Joe asked.
“You can’t exactly say that,” Mr. Holton answered, “for a large amount is known about different sections that have been more or less frequented by civilized man. But when you refer to the deeper, more inaccessible regions, then it’s different. Of course there have been numerous expeditions sent out to explore these unknown sections, but even now there is a large and interesting field open to the scientist.”
“Well,” said Bob, after a short silence, “I only hope that Joe and I may go with you.”
“We’ll see about it,” his father replied. “But I can assure you that consent from your mothers will not come without considerable—— Well! Look who’s here. Come on the porch and sit down, Ben.” He referred to Joe’s father, Mr. Lewis, who, as usual, was to be his intimate companion during their stay in Brazil.
Mr. Lewis was a man of medium height, with sparkling blue eyes and a complexion that was extremely bronzed.