“Before!” cried Tom. “Say, if you wanted to do that you ought to have gotten away last week.”
“Say, fellows,” cried Juarez at this moment, “what do you think that means?”
The party were soon gathered on the after deck and were looking with interest at the land.
“What is that?” asked Tom in turn.
“That smoke over there.”
“Smoke! Where?”
“See the top of that hill,” Juarez indicated with his outstretched arm. There was an elevation which must have been miles inland, and from which a thin column of smoke was rising into the still air.
“It is a signal of some kind,” said Jim. “I didn’t notice it before.”
“It has just started,” replied Juarez. “It wasn’t there a moment ago. I wonder what it means, and who is making it?”
“It is a common signal among uncivilized people,” replied Jim. “Savages the world over use smoke for signaling. They use it especially as a warning against the approach of an enemy or of strangers.”