CHAPTER XVIII
THE JUNGLE OPENS ITS ARMS
“Waiting for something to happen is the hardest thing in the world,” Tom declared. He, and Nicky and Cliff sat in the shade of a small awning on the forward deck.
“Especially waiting when nothing does happen,” Nicky put in.
“I don’t think anything will happen unless we make it happen,” he added. “The Indians didn’t pay the least bit of attention to us all day yesterday.”
“Well,” Cliff argued. “The day before, when Tom won the chief’s interest with the cigar lighter, the big man told him that the Indians don’t want to have anything to do with us.”
“I suppose he thinks he has done all that he needs to,” Tom said, dejectedly. “They are just waiting for us to go away.”
“I hope Bill and Jack get some results,” Nicky said. The two he mentioned had carried gifts to shore early in the morning of this, the second day following the audience with the chief; they hoped to win him over, to get his confidence. But while they tried they felt, from the start, that it was a hopeless attempt.
“If only we had something to do!” Nicky argued.
“Don’t you suppose we could row to the mainland?” Cliff suggested.
“Let’s ask,” Nicky cried, jumping up.