The Wonder Island Boys: Exploring the Island

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The ship, although far away, was plainly made out, but its character
could not be determined. It was evidently a large sailing vessel. Just
imagine what must have been the feelings of the party at the sight of
the ship, although so far away. Would they see the signal?

In the commotion that followed, what was the Professor doing? He quickly
placed two stakes in line with the ship, and watched it patiently. "It
is moving to the west."

George's curiosity induced him to look over the Professor's shoulder,
and thus enable him to follow the movement of the boat, and by means of
which he could see the sails slowly move past the distant stake.

The Professor scarcely moved. "What is Harry doing? Is he still
signaling?"

"Yes; he hasn't stopped since he reached the hill."

The stake nearest the Professor was again moved over a trifle as the
ship moved on, and they watched and waited.

"Why, the ship hasn't moved for the last ten minutes."

"It seems not," was the Professor's response. Again they waited. George
walked to the stakes and back again. He stepped aside to look at Harry
on the hill, and again returned to the observation stakes.

"Singular that the ship hasn't moved in twenty minutes or more."

Then, enthusiastic at the mere thought, he cried out, as he ran toward
the Professor: "Do you think they have seen our signal? Have they
stopped; and are they returning?"

"Either that or they have changed their course, and are now leaving us
dead ahead."

This was a blow to the poor boy, whose hopes, brought about by the
apparently checked motion of the ship, were now dashed to the ground,
when the Professor continued: "They are sailing away, I am sorry to
say."

He left the observation stakes. Poor Harry was still signaling
frantically. The Professor told Harry that further effort in that
direction would be useless, and he slowly and sadly came down the hill.

They looked at each other most sorrowfully, and the boys could scarcely
restrain their tears, while the Professor carefully avoided their gaze,
or seemed not to notice their grief.

"It is one satisfaction to know," said Harry, as he dolefully looked
across the broad sea, "that vessels do come this way, and that it is not
out of the world entirely."

George quickly recovered. "Why not make a big signal flag for
Observation Hill?" This was seconded by the Professor.

"And while we are about it why not make a good old American flag?" was
Harry's comment.

The cave had been forgotten in this incident. When their wondering and
questionings had ceased, the descent was made around the point, and the
entrance soon reached.

The two lamps were now lighted, and the explorations began.

"I think it is advisable," was the Professor's first observation, "that
we go in a hundred feet or so, and then mount one of our lamps in a
conspicuous place. We can then proceed with the other as far as the
water, and if any accident happens it will not cause trouble to both of
the lights. We can always have one of them to fall back on."

When they had gone the distance determined on, a secure ledge was
selected, and Harry placed the light so it would cast its beams along
the cave.

"Be careful now, we are near the water."

The Professor had now the other light, and the boys led the way, so the
beams from the light shone past ahead of them. They went beyond the
point where the water had been found previously, but there was no sign
of it. The course of the cave now changed to the right, and the floor of
the cave went downwardly at a slight descent.

The Professor suddenly restrained the boys. "Wait a moment; the light
behind us should be brought forward to this point."

George went back and brought it up, and after some delay a place for it
was found. The two lights now plainly showed a sudden enlargement in the
area of the cave, and above them hung what appeared to be huge icicles,
giving the interior a weird appearance. Still no water was in sight.

"The white substances we see all around us indicate that above us the
rocks are limestone, and water, in coming through, has acted on the
stone so as to form carbonate of lime, or chalk."

The single lamp was now sufficient to light up the interior, which
looked like a domed iceberg, with all sorts of fantastic figures
standing out in bold relief, which were contrasted by the many dark
recesses irregularly scattered about everywhere.

"I see an opening beyond," was Harry's remark, in a suppressed tone.

The contracted opening was to the left, and he quickly made his way over
the uneven floor to that point. "The water is beyond, and I hear
something there."

George quietly moved forward. The light from the Professor's lamp
glistened on the surface, and rippling waves were easily distinguished.

"What has become of the light we had on the perch?" was the Professor's
startling inquiry.

The boys looked back. It was not there. Probably it had gone out.

"We must not go on until we have relighted it," was the Professor's
caution.

George went back. The light from the Professor's lamp still threw its
rays back to the ledge, which was not more than a hundred feet from
their present location. "I can't find it. It is not here, and I know I
put it on this ledge. Here is the piece of lime I put up against it."

Too startled for words, Harry drew back from the opening. Without
further conversation he and the Professor retraced their steps toward
George, who was now frantically searching every crevice.

"That is too bad. Are you sure this is the place?"

"I am positive of it."

The boys looked at the Professor. He knew they mentally asked whether
they should proceed with the single light. "I think it would be unwise
to go farther with one light only. If we can do no better we can make a
half dozen lights, and light up the whole cave. I am just as much
interested in it now as you are."

They were about six hundred feet from the mouth of the cave, as nearly
as could be estimated.

"Before we return we might as well chart the cave, so we shall have some
idea of its crooks and turns. Have we anything to measure with? If not,
have you a cord, so we can get some idea of distances?"

George held out one of the spears, which was about five feet long.

"That will answer," said the Professor. "Let us call this five feet long
for the present. The first thing we must do is to establish a base line.
But what shall we do for something to mark our chart on? I haven't a bit
of paper."

Here was another difficulty. It would be impossible to make tracings on
their clothing. Harry's wit came to the rescue. "I have it. Why can't we
break off a piece of this chalk. Probably we can find some smooth piece
that will answer."

"That might be done," was George's answer, on reflection; "but what can
be used to mark on chalk?"

The Professor was now highly amused. "Can't you think of anything we
have here which will answer?"

"I haven't had a pencil, or anything except charcoal, since we touched
this wonder island."

"We have something here that is used among all civilized people the
world over for marking purposes." The boys opened their eyes in wonder.
"I have it here," said the Professor, looking at the lamp.

"The lamp?"

"No, not the lamp, but what is in the lamp."

"The oil? Where can we get anything to mark with in the oil?"

"We have been making a marking material all the time we have been in the
cave, and you are just as well acquainted with it as anything you know.
It is the soot from the burning oil."

The boys laughed, not at the information, but at their stupidity.

"Yes; the soot is carbon, and the best soot is made by imperfectly
burning oil, or fat, or any other fuel which has a large amount of
carbon."

The boys found several pieces of flat chalk, one of them a little over a
foot long. This was held above the flame of the candle until covered
with soot.

"The first thing to do is to establish a base line. This we will mark A
on the drawing. Now, starting from the point here where we lost the
light, you may measure along the line to the west, we will say, until
you get to the other end of the chamber. Twenty-five measures of the
spear? That makes the chamber 125 feet long, and it is about 90 feet the
other way. Let us roughly outline the floor plan. Now go out toward the
mouth of our cave, and measure off 50 feet. Stop there. You see, I have
marked the line A and have laid down the slate slab so that this line is
exactly on a line with the one you have measured along the chamber. The
point B, 50 feet from here, which you have just measured, makes an
angle, C. I will now take the slab to the point B, and you may measure
off 50 feet more, and we will call that D. That gives us another angle
line, E. You see, at every point we establish a new base line. C is the
base line for the line E, and so on all through the cave."

[Illustration: _Fig. 32. The Cave, and how it was charted._]

All the measurements were made on the plan outlined, and scratched on
the sooted slab.

"One thing more we must observe. As we are marking the successive
points, you will notice that I took particular care to observe the side
walls of the passageway, so that I could roughly outline them, noting
the distances from the various points, and in a crude way marking out
the irregularities between the points."

The chart interested the boys so intensely that the disappearance of the
light did not again recur to them until they emerged from the mouth of
the cave, when it all came back again, with added wonder and
speculation. How many more mysterious things would present themselves!

CHAPTER XIII

THE EXCITING HUNT IN THE FOREST

They returned to their home with conflicting emotions. It had been an
eventful day. They had a glimpse of the outside world, and an experience
below the surface of the earth. Both were unsatisfying. They could
explain the one far away on the sea; but the other, close at hand, was a
mystery.

"How do you account for the water being so far away from the mouth of
the cave?" was George's inquiry after the evening meal.

"Haven't you noticed that we have had no rain for the past five weeks?"

Such was, indeed, the case. The boys had not been observant, like the
Professor.

"Evidently the water is supplied from rains, and the floor of the cave
permits more or less of the water to leak through, so that, in time, if
we had no rains, the cave would be entirely free of water."

"But how about the animal in there; if it is a water animal, how did it
get in; and if the water ever dries up, how can it live there?"

"There may not be any subterranean connection directly with the sea, and
the animal has been trapped there; or it may be able to reach the sea in
the cave at any time, by some underground channel."

"How far do you think the cave goes in?"

"That is one of the impossible things to say. It may extend for miles.
Like yourselves, I am curious to know all about it, as soon as we can
make further investigations. In the meantime, don't forget about the
flag."

"I had forgotten that. I am willing to start on it in the morning. How
large should it be made?"

"We should make it a regulation flag, by all means."

"Let me see; how many stripes must we have?" said Harry.

"I know; thirteen."

"Yes; and they must be red and white."

"That is correct," responded the Professor; "but do you remember how
many of each?"

The boys were silent.

"The top and the bottom stripes are red, and the intervening ones white.
What do these stripes represent?"

"The original States."

"I see you have a pretty good recollection. I remember a class of over
forty boys, on one occasion, which had only three boys who recalled
that. Then we must have a field of another color, up in the corner."

"That is the blue field, with stars on it."

"Yes; but how many stars?"

"A star for each State."

"And how many States are there now?"

There was no response to this. How many boys or men, even, can tell
offhand the number at the present time?

"There were 48 before we sailed. How many, if any, were added since I do
not know."

The next day the boys were anxious to set to work on the flag. There was
plenty of the ramie cloth at hand, but it was quite yellow. George
noticed this, and said: "It seems to me we shall have to be content with
making the flag red, yellow and blue, that is, if we can get the red and
the blue."

"No," was the Professor's rejoinder; "we must make it red, white and
blue."

"But how can we make the ramie cloth white?"

"By bleaching it."

That was a new idea; to make white cloth.

"How can we do it?"

"Wet it and put it in the sun. If we want to hurry it up we can use some
chloride of lime."

"But where is the chloride of lime?"

"Do you remember that black ore we have in the laboratory, which is
called manganese? If we put some of the sulphuric acid on that a gas
will be formed, called chlorine, one of the most powerful bleaching
compounds known. We can use it in that form, or subject some of our lime
to the gases, and in that case make chloride of lime."

The decision was to make the flag sixteen feet long and nine feet nine
inches wide, so that each stripe would be nine inches wide. The blue
field would be five feet wide and seven feet long.

This was certainly a task, and the boys were directed to prepare four
strips of red and three strips of white, each nine feet long, and also
three strips of white and three strips of red sixteen feet long. Four of
the short strips and three of the long strips were then laid aside to be
dyed red. The other strips were put out to bleach.

When all this was prepared George was troubled about the colors.

"Professor, I do not see what we can use to make the blue and red
colors."

"I think we are fortunate in having one of the varieties of the madder
plant all about here."

"Is that a good dye plant?"

"It is a plant that is more extensively used for dyeing than any other
in the world. For many years, until the products from petroleum began to
come in, it was the only source for the red colors, because of its
permanence. The dye is so powerful that it will turn the bones of
animals red, if they are fed on it, and it also colors the claws and
beaks of birds."

"Have you seen any of it here?"

"There is plenty of it growing here. You cannot mistake it. It is the
plant with the elongated, smooth-edged leaf, which grows on the main
stem, from which the small, thin stems branch out that carry the little
red flowers."

"I know what you mean; let me get some of them at once." And George was
off after the plant.

Meanwhile Harry was busily at work cutting out the double set of stars
required for the blue field.

Several days before this George had prepared the roots of the chicory
plant, as will be remembered, and it had been dried, and was ready to be
ground up. At the noon meal he served the first cup of "coffee," to the
delight of Harry, who was completely taken by surprise, and afforded
much amusement for George and the Professor.

"It seems to be rather strong," was Harry's only comment, "and even if
it isn't real coffee, it is good enough, I assure you."

"Wouldn't it be injurious to take too much of it?"

[Illustration: _Fig. 33. Betel Nut._]

"Exactly with this as with everything else. It is not the use, but the
abuse, that causes trouble. Of course, chicory does not have the
soothing and hunger-staying qualities of the real coffee, but the bitter
principle in the root is a tonic, and the extract is used as a medicine
for that purpose. The leaves of the endive, of which we are using the
roots, make a most delicious salad."

"Don't many people use this as a kind of an intoxicant?"

"If used to excess it has an exhilarating influence, on account of its
tonic properties."

"I have often thought it was wonderful," said Harry, "that people all
over the world have some kind of a weed or plant that they use to
stimulate themselves with."

"There seems to be a universal instinct in man to select the strong and
bitter principles for that purpose. The aborigines of Central America
used rolled tobacco leaves ages before Columbus was born; and the coca
leaf, chewed by the lowest orders of the Peruvians, was for ages, and is
now, their main source of strength and comfort. So opium, hemp and the
betel-nut have been used by eastern Asiatics from the remotest
antiquity; and the same is true of the pepper plants of the South Sea
Islands and the Indian Archipelago; also of the thorn apples used among
the natives of the Andes, and on the slopes of the Himalayas. In
northern Europe the ledum and the hop have been so used, and in Siberia
the narcotic fungus has been eaten from time immemorial."

At that moment Baby appeared on the scene, his hands and one side of his
head dyed a beautiful red, presenting a ludicrous appearance. The first
glance at him was one of astonishment; but realizing that he had been
testing George's newly made dye, all burst out in laughter at the
amusing sight.

"You really look like a red angel," was George's greeting, and Baby
seemed to relish the joke. From that time forward Baby's name was "Red
Angel," but it took him some time to learn what the new title was. It
took him much longer to acquire it than it did to learn what honey
meant.

"Red Angel is certainly a very smart little chap," said the Professor,
with a laugh, "because he was really doing what is done in the dyeing
art and in chemistry every day, furnishing a test sample."

"Test sample; what is that?"

"In the art of dyeing it is the custom, before commencing to dye goods,
to make a test sample, and all goods dyed must come up to the standard
set by that sample. That is called the 'test sample.'"

"But how do the chemists use it?"

"In the analyses of chemicals one of the processes is by what is called
the color metric test--that is, the test by color. The chemist makes a
solution with a known quantity of the element in it which is of full
strength and purity, and is therefore of a well-defined color. Now, if
any substance is to be analyzed, the same reagent is used in the tested
sample as was used to make the well-known sample. The color of the
unknown sample is then compared with the known sample, and the quantity
determined by the difference of color in the two."

"What do you mean by reagent?"

"A substance used to effect a chemical change in another substance. For
instance, what is called Nessler's Reagent is a substance which, if put
into water, will detect one part of ammonia in twenty million parts of
water, and give a perceptible reddish-yellow tinge."

"Well, Red Angel has certainly made a good test sample for us; isn't
that a good color?"

The blue color was still wanting when the other parts were ready, and
the Professor came to the laboratory with a sample of bitter-sweet, the
common hedge plant of North America. The boys both recognized the plant
and were surprised to learn that it contained a dye suitable for their
purpose.

"We can use this or take some of the copper ore, that is, the blue
vitriol part of the ore, and by putting it in a lime-water solution a
beautiful blue color can be obtained."

The flag, when completed, was really a work of art. They gave many days
to the task, and were proud of it. The question of a suitable pole or
flagstaff was one which now absorbed their energies. As nothing of the
kind was found in the immediate neighborhood, it was suggested that on
their regular hunting day it should be made a part of their duty to find
a staff worthy to be installed. The trips to the cave, and the absorbing
work of preparing the flag, had so taken up the time, that they had
entirely forgotten the regular outings.

On this occasion they insisted that the Professor should accompany them,
and George declared that the only place available for a good pole would
be in the forest below the South River, where they had shot the ocelots.

The yaks were prepared, as usual, and it was a merry party which started
off on that bright morning for the forest. They did not, you may be
sure, forget the spears and the guns, and before leaving home Harry
thought it would be a good idea to provide a small two-wheeled truck,
which could be used as a trailer, for the pole.

On the way down, Harry said: "How large a pole shall we get?"

George had his opinions, as usual: "Let us get a pole at least 50 feet
long. We must have something which will match the flag."

"A pole that length will be a difficult matter to raise; have you
thought of that?" was the Professor's observation.

"Can't we rig up something to raise it with?"

"Yes; and for a pole a hundred feet long, if necessary."

The Professor made no further objections. Reaching the South River the
yaks were tethered, and taking advantage of the raft which they had used
on the first trip, they were soon on the way into the forest. On this
occasion they took a course to the right of their former exploits, the
desire being to acquaint themselves, as much as possible, with the
topography of the country toward the falls. Soon they came within sight
of game, squirrels, woodchucks; and many familiar varieties of birds
were seen on all sides.

What interested the boys most was an animal about three and a half feet
long, and almost three feet high, which they saw at a distance.

"What is that, Professor?"

"It is a giant ant-eater, found in many parts of South America."

"What a big bushy tail he has."

"He uses that in a peculiar way. When he sleeps he lies on one side,
rolls himself up so that his snout lies on his breast, places all his
feet together, and covers himself with that bushy tail. As the hair of
the tail resembles hay, or the surrounding dried grass, it is likely to
be passed by without being noticed."

"I wish we could get a shot at him."

"There is a fine pole," said Harry, whose keen interest was as great in
that quarter as in the hunting.

[Illustration: _Fig. 34. THE GIANT ANT-EATER_]

It was an exceptionally fine specimen of shell-bark hickory, and the
base was nearly six inches in diameter, but it was as straight as a
line, apparently, and it was fully thirty feet to the first limb.

"You couldn't get a better pole; but hickory is one of the heaviest
woods, and being green, it will be a task to raise it. It weighs, dry,
about 45 pounds per cubic foot."

"What is the weight of a cubic foot of water?"

"About sixty-four pounds."

"How much do you think that pole will weigh when it is trimmed up?"

The Professor, after carefully surveying the tree for a time, answered:
"It will weigh fully 400 pounds, but I am in favor of taking it, as we
know shell bark is a good American tree, and it is the kind of wood we
usually select on account of its strength. I know it will resist any
winds likely to come our way."

It was at once cut down, and on measuring was found to be 58 feet up to
the branching top, at which point it was not less than two inches in
diameter.

"Cut it off above the last crotch, as we shall want that part to attach
the top pulley between."

Now that it was cut and trimmed, the problem was to convey it back to
the river.

"Do you think we can induce the yaks to swim across the river?"

"That's a capital idea, Harry, let us go back and try it."

"While you are getting the animals I shall do some investigating," said
the Professor.

The boys crossed the river and took the two-wheeled truck across. "It
might be amusing to the Professor, if he found we had taken the truck
across before we knew whether the yaks could be induced to go over."
Harry laughed at George, and answered: "How shall we manage it? We had
better keep them yoked, I suppose."

After some urging, they were driven to the water, the boys having tied a
rope to the yoke before they went into the river. To their great
surprise and relief, the yaks made no objections, and immediately
started out at a great rate for the opposite shore, and before they had
gone twenty feet were swimming. The boys in the raft held on tightly and
were drawn across without further trouble.

As they left the river for the trip, they distinctly heard a shot.

"I wonder what the Professor has shot? Did you hear him?" They listened
intently. The shot appeared to come from a point considerably to the
left of the place where the pole had been cut, but they paid little
attention to that. After they had gone halfway another shot was heard,
this time at a point which indicated that the Professor must be some
distance away.

As anticipated, the Professor was not in the location of the pole.

"I don't think the Professor expected us back so soon," was Harry's
suggestion. "Let us rig up the pole and hitch the team, and by that time
he may be back."

In less than a half hour this was done, ready for a start; still no
signs of the Professor.

"I think we had better fire a shot to let him know we are here."

"Singular we didn't think of that before; here goes." Waiting fully a
quarter of an hour after the shot, they were surprised at not hearing
any response from him. "I wonder," continued Harry, "if he has met with
some accident?"

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