The Wonder Island boys

by Roger T. Finlay

It was John’s idea, on returning to the wagon, to undertake the capture of the village, and he made the proposal at once. This seemed to be a wise plan, as it would put the women and children in their power, but Stut suddenly imparted the information that there was another village to the southwest, belonging to the same tribe, and this at once settled that plan, and it also answered the problem which bothered John.

Blakely, who had acquired considerable acquaintance with that region and the various tribes, was in favor of capturing the village, but the Professor was insistent that there was no desire to shed blood unnecessarily, and that the trip was not for the purpose of revenge, and the taking of the village, with the knowledge that the warriors might be reinforced by a great number, would mean war to the end.

“In your wanderings,” asked the Professor, “did you ever hear of any boys who were held in captivity by any of the natives?”

“Yes; a singular thing occurred about six months ago. I was then in the forest, and in my usual pilgrimage into the opening I stumbled on a band of one of the tribes to the east of the forest. They were on the large river which flows along the eastern boundary of the woods. They had several captives, and when they left the river carried a boat with them across the country from the river.

“The proceeding was one which I could not understand at the time. I was taken, on three different occasions, twice by the same band. I escaped each time. The fourth time was four days ago, when the Brabos got me. I was in captivity nearly three months with the Osagas, but they suffered a terrible defeat at the hands of the Tuolos, who live to the northwest.”

“We had a severe fight with them on our last trip, and we rescued the two boys here from them,” remarked the Professor.

“You were lucky to get away from them, as they are the terrors of the island. But allow me to proceed. While with the Osagas I acquired their jargon, for it is little better than that. Some of the tribes have practically the same language, and I judge that they were under the same chiefs in earlier times. The language of two of the tribes, at least, seems to be different, and it is probable that this may account in a measure for the continual enmity between them, arising from their misunderstandings.”

“I was captured by the Osagas, and regretted afterwards that I left them; but it is fortunate I did, as it was the means of taking me to the Professor and his friends,” remarked John.

“But I started out to tell you about the transportation of the boat,” continued Blakely. “From the Osagas I learned that several boys had been captured with the boat, and that they were in turn taken from that tribe by the people who live to the east of the Kurabus.”

“Do you know of anyone by the name of Wright or Walters?”