“But they would only let you go through the guarded circle,” he said. “And where would the rest of us get in?”
“He could take me as a sort of second-string medicine man,” Bill spoke up. “Two of us could do all that was necessary. If we found Tom’s sister at all, either two could help to get her free or it would be impossible.”
“Yes,” agreed Mr. Gray. “Numbers would not count; we couldn’t expect to fight against them in their own country. Those Indians still use the old, primitive bows and poisoned arrows.”
The three chums looked at one another disconsolately.
“It looks as though we’ll be left out,” Nicky said.
“We’ll have to make the best of it, then,” Cliff stated.
“After all, the main thing is to locate my sister,” Tom added.
Nevertheless, it cast a damper on their usually gay spirits for in every previous adventure the chums had been inseparable, had participated in every exciting episode and had really brought every adventure to a happy termination.
When they talked it over, however, they decided to make the best of the situation as it then appeared, burying their personal desires for the good of their cause.
Toward sunset they came to one of the first small islands of the archipelago, and saw three huts nestling among the palms. From a distance, with glasses, they made out a number of people standing on the shore.