Their home consisted of one main building, containing four rooms, adjoining the original structure which had three smaller rooms. Distant from this, and less than fifty feet away was the shop and laboratory, adjoining the Cataract itself, and at one end of the shop was the sawmill. Below the shop was the rough building put up for the cattle, and adjoining this was a shed designated as the boathouse, and within which were the original boat they made, together with the lifeboat which was found on South River, and also the wrecked after part of their lifeboat.
“If I could only make the captive we have understand the subject a little better, we might still be in a position to get on treaty terms with the devils, but he seems to be too dense to understand
Fig. 3. The Cataract Home.
WONDER ISLAND.
my meaning.” But nevertheless John worked with him hour after hour, and the savage was not now loth to make himself more agreeable.
It was nearing five o’clock, and still no signs of either of the tribes. It might be possible they would not come, after all. A watch was kept up all night, two taking their turns every two hours, as all were tired from the two days’ exertions.
Morning appeared, and still there was nothing to indicate the intention of the natives to visit them. John had discovered that the Saboros learned of their existence from a neighboring tribe, and had joined forces with the Kurabus, who were also contemplating an expedition against them.
He also succeeded in drawing from him that the two tribes had not been on the best of terms, and was not surprised at the turn of affairs, and of course John did not explain the cause of the quarrel and fight in the forest. All hoped the Saboros would win in the fight, as the ability of John and the savage to make each understood might be the means of making friends of them.