CHAPTER XVII—DEEPER INTO THE JUNGLE
“Why, it’s a boy!” exclaimed the horrified Bluff, as he stared at the object from which the sounds proceeded.
“And tied to a tree, too! You know him, Bluff; look again!” remarked Frank.
“Say, it’s sure Tom Somers, one of Pet Peters’ crowd. What under the sun does it mean, Frank?” exclaimed the other, startled and mystified.
“Just what I said. They must have had a monkey-and-parrot time among themselves, and the Tom Somers’ section got the worst of it. You see the result—they’ve gone off and left this fellow fastened here as a punishment for his rebellion.”
“But—this ain’t out West, or in the Cannibal Islands. Wake me up and tell me if I’m seeing things. What! do you mean to say those savages would leave Tom here to starve to death?” gasped Bluff.
“Oh! no, some of them would come back by to-night or to-morrow to let him off. I imagine this is only some of Pet’s miserable work. He’s a cruel monster. I thought Andy Lasher bad enough, but it turned out that he had a speck of good in him, and Jerry touched it when he saved his life that stormy night. But Pet is mean and revengeful, a sneak, and a coward at heart.”
“There. I believe he has just discovered us,” said Bluff.
The boy who was fastened to the tree gave a groan, and then called out:
“Say, fellers, you wouldn’t go and leave me here like this would you? Set me free anyway, and I kin shift for myself somehow; but it’s tough to be tied up like a dog, an’ all because I knocked Pet down when he called me a name I won’t take off any man or boy. Jest slice a knife over these ropes, won’t you, please?”