"I do not altogether agree with you," responded John. "My view is that we should proceed against the Tuolos, as they have committed the most serious offense, in killing the Brabos."
"You speak wisely," said Muro. "The Brabos are not as well protected as my people."
This observation, coming from Muro, was a most[p. 83] pleasing one to John and the Professor, and Blakely was instructed to muster a force of two hundred. Notices were sent to all the allied tribes, and within a week they arrived, all eager to engage in the expedition.
"While engaged in that work the business must not cease here," observed the Professor. "It will be your duty, Blakely, to thoroughly drill the men, and instruct them in the uses of the weapons. For reasons which you will understand, John will accompany the expedition."
During all this time there was not a day but the Professor, as well as George, Ralph and Jim, whenever opportunity offered, scouted about in various directions, and brought in new specimens of woods, flowers, vegetables, and samples of ores.
The Professor's eyes were gladdened many times at the odd parcels left on his table, that excited the curiosity of the boys. Jim was an indefatigable gatherer of vegetable products, and one thing which attracted him immensely was the branch of a tree which bore a number of star-leaved clusters, each leaf being feather-veined, and the stems carried numerous yellowish purple-spotted flowers, and also nuts about the size of pigeon eggs.
"Down near the large river the banks are full of these. Can we make any use of them?" asked Jim.
"Why that is a variety of Chica," he answered.
"What is Chica, anyhow?"
"The seeds are good for making burning oil. The inner bark furnishes a fiber which resists all[p. 84] moisture; and the nuts possess a substance which is well known all over the world as mucilage. It is recognized in commerce as gum tragacanth."