Bomba was in a frenzy of rapture. He wanted to shout, to dance, to sing. Now he had another effective weapon, a formidable addition to his machete and his bow and arrows.
“I gave the white man burial, and he has given me these,” he said to himself. “He knew that Bomba, too, was white! He knew that Bomba was his brother!”
Where there were cartridges there were likely to be weapons, and Bomba scanned the surrounding spaces carefully. But neither rifle nor revolver was to be seen. Bomba conjectured that natives, passing, might have found and appropriated these as curiosities, though they did not know how to use them. The fact that the cartridge belt had not been disturbed was probably due to a superstitious repugnance to touch a dead body for fear it would bring evil fortune.
It was with a vastly increased confidence that Bomba at last betook himself from the scene.
His steps now turned toward a trail about which he had learned from the caboclos of the district, a trail that after long journeying would lead him to the river and to Jaguar Island, where Japazy dwelt.
If Bomba could find and keep to this trail, it would lead him more quickly to his destination and lessen the danger of his becoming lost in a section of the jungle into which he had not yet penetrated.
It was two days later that Bomba came upon the trail he sought. He recognized it with a feeling of joy and thanksgiving.
“Bomba is sure now of finding the way to Jaguar Island,” he told himself. “If Japazy is there, all may be well. If not, Bomba will have his long journey for nothing.”
As he struck out along the trail the lad was seized by a desire for speed that was almost panic. Again and again the thought came to him, giving new stimulus to his steps:
“I may be an hour too late. I may be only a minute too late. If I reach the island and find Japazy gone, what then? He is Bomba’s one hope. Without the knowledge Japazy has, Bomba is doomed to live in the jungle forever. Bomba will never know about Bartow and Laura and the boy they called Bonny. Bomba must put wings to his feet.”