THE ARROW ON THE SHEET
When the boys reached their rooms they set to work to decipher the
colored paper. It was about four by six inches in size, and had been
folded twice, as the creases plainly showed. Assuring themselves that it
was paper which had been crossruled, as suggested by John, they tried to
decipher the straggling letters and form them into some coherent form.
The paper had the following appearance when they received it:
[Illustration: _Fig. 1. The Mysterious Message._]
The words, or parts of words "dire," in the first line, and "30 gues" in
the second line, together with the letters "Walt" are the only
absolutely clear things to be noticed.
"The writing is right across the V-shaped marks, and the arrow is plain
enough. It may be though, that the arrow has nothing to do with the
V-shaped mark." And George held the paper away from his eyes to get the
proper effect at a distance.
"I wonder how close the mountain is to the sea?" ventured Harry.
"I don't see what difference that would make," replied George. "That
_30_ must mean some measurement. It is either feet, or miles, or yards,
or,--"
"Why can't you see that 'gues' is a part of the word 'leagues.'"
Harry jumped up as though shot. "Well, that was stupid of us, sure
enough."
"With that key before us, we can make some headway. I believe the
V-shape is the lower end of the mountain, probably a headland, and the
arrow points to a place 30 leagues to the,--see here, in the last line
is a W. and there is a blur before it and after it. That may be SWE,
EWS, SWW, SWS, and,--"
"Don't go so fast," shrieked Harry. "What do you suppose the capital I
stands for at the beginning of the third line?"
"I--I--, why,--_Island_, of course," said George, with an air of
superiority. "But it cannot be west."
"Well, the arrow points southeast."
"How do you know?" asked George, dubiously.
"Why, that word at the extreme top must be 'north,' and if so then the
arrow is pointing south, and the 'W' belongs to something in that
direction."
"There, in the second line is a word that looks like 'land.' Can it be a
part of the word 'Island'?"
"It doesn't seem so, as there is too much space before the letters. It
seems to me though, that it reads 'land 30 leagues' but what does 'se'
mean?"
The boys were up late that night, and they went to bed with the missive
still unsolved. Before retiring Harry said: "Let us wait until daylight.
The sun may help us out."
When they awoke the first thing that occurred to George was the original
Walter letter, so that the writing could be compared. It was found, and
George came in with an exultant bound.
"I am sure now that it was Walter. Here it is." The original letter was
as follows:
[Illustration: _Fig. 2. Walter Letter._
Go directly south from the large river which flows to the east,
west of the mountains. We are too closely watched to escape. The
tribe at war with our captors are to the west of. If I escape I
will follow the river to the sea so you will understand where I am.
Walter. ]
"Compare the two and you will see they look alike," said George.
"What shall we tell the Professor!" asked Harry.
"Well but I am not yet through with the paper. Suppose we moisten it,
and that may bring out something we didn't see before."
This was done, but it made the entire document worse than before.
"Too bad we have spoiled it," remarked Harry, "but I think we are safe
in telling the Professor and John what we have found out."
For the time being, however, the boys had other urgent work to do. The
day for launching had been set, and every working hour was valuable, so
they were over at the ship yard early, and the boys did not see either
John or the Professor during the day.
The vessel as designed by Harry, and supervised by John, was ninety feet
long, and had a beam of eighteen feet, with a very deep keel, and high
bulwarks. It was constructed of a species of oak, found in abundance in
the forest west of the town, and was cut up into boards, and dried in
specially-prepared kilns which were put up for the purpose.
While lumber dried in this way is not the best for ordinary uses, it
will serve for shipping purposes, because there is always more or less
moisture present in the hull of the vessel, and the object was to enable
them to get the material in the speediest way.
The saw mill was one of their first experiments in building machinery,
and it was in constant service from the day it was first erected,
getting out lumber for building purposes.
The engine was designed only for auxiliary purposes, and the boiler was
intended to use coal, of which they found an ample supply in the
northern portion of the island, as explained in a previous book.
When the boys returned to their rooms late that afternoon, the first
thing that interested them was the message. When it was brought in it
was dry, and a slight change was noticed in its appearance. Now, what
appeared to be the first word of the message, was discernible, the word
"Take," and the word "Head" could be made out before and as a part of
"land," in the second line.
"We have it," cried Harry, as he jumped up. "Now let them know about
it."
They were across the open space, without any ceremony, and without
taking trouble to announce themselves, were in the Professor's room.
"We have it,--we have made it out," was the announcement, as Harry held
up the message.
"Does it tell you where the Copper mine is located?" asked the
Professor.
"Copper mine!" exclaimed George. "What has a copper mine to do with it?"
"John and I concluded, from certain markings on the paper, that it
contained a diagram of the mine!"
"Well, you were mistaken," said Harry with a chuckle. "It is something
about an island, thirty leagues to the southeast, somewhere."
"Is that so?" exclaimed the Professor in surprise. "Get John. He will be
surprised."
John came hurriedly at the announcement, and the contents of the missive
pointed out. "This is certainly good news," he said. "That was fine work
on your part."
"You see the arrow, and the part of the word 'leagues.' That couldn't
mean feet or yards, or miles."
"Quite evident," said John, as he mused for a while. "This confirms, in
a measure, the information that we have as to the proximity of these
islands, but the charts show them farther away."
"Undoubtedly, if Walter knew what he was talking about, we have an
interesting problem to decipher, and the determination to make the
voyage is a wise and timely one," interposed the Professor.
"Now for the ship," said Harry. "Every day is a hundred, in my mind."
As may be imagined, the boys now worked with feverish haste. Other
islands here, and waiting for them! Sometimes they were almost tempted
to give up the trip home, but the Professor would not hear of it.
"Do not change your plans, if you have any good conclusions when you
start out. Don't oscillate from one thing to another. Always make up
your minds and then take a wise, persistent course. It is that which
always serves you best."
"No; we will go home first, and _then_ for the islands," said Harry, who
felt relieved that the impetuous nature of George could be brought to
their way of thinking, although George was by far the most homesick of
the entire lot.
All the boys were on hand when the vessel was launched. It rode the
water beautifully, and the natives were the most enthusiastic helpers.
They felt proud of their work. Uraso and Muro, the two chiefs, who were
the most prominent men in the community, and particularly Sutoto, the
intelligent Beree, and Stut, the brother-in-law of Muro, were on hand.
It was a great feast day for the people. Tears actually flowed from the
Professor's eyes, as he saw the women and children crowd about him. He
was almost a God to them. They were accustomed to receive visits from
him in his weekly rounds, and how at such times he loved to tell them
how to make and arrange things about the house, which contributed to
their comfort.
Everybody was at work; all were happy, and no one appreciated this more
than the women, who had been lifted out of the bonds of slavery and
elevated through the wise administration of the Professor.
Angel, too, was in evidence. He was the first to climb the mast, as the
ship floated in the stream.
"I wonder whether Angel remembers the first trip he took with us on boat
No. 1?" asked Harry.
Angel bestowed a knowing look on Harry. "I believe he knows what you
said," remarked George.
In another week the rigging had been put up, and the boiler and engine
were installed before the launching, so that the necessary work
required to enable the ship to sail, was the provisioning. John
suggested that what was of far more importance would be the work of
training a crew to handle the ship, so they turned their minds toward
the solution of this question.
The selection of a crew was a most difficult task, because all the men
were willing to volunteer. It was decided, however, that only the
unmarried men should be taken, and this at once eliminated many who
might otherwise have been selected.
For three days the ship was taken out to sea, under sail only, and John
found no trouble in maneuvering the vessel with his new crew. John was a
sailor, and had once been owner of a vessel, so that they were in
competent hands.
But the final day came, when they must go. It was a most trying time for
the poor boys. Almost at the last moment, Harry and George walked back
to the Professor's room, and broke out into tears.
"Everybody is leaving you," said Harry, "and I cannot bear to go and
leave you in this way."
All the rescued boys were on board, as well as Blakely, since the
Professor had insisted that the latter should go, for business reasons,
so that the Professor was left alone, the only white man on Wonder
Island, when the ship sailed down the river.
True, there was no reason to fear for his safety. The natives loved him
too devotedly, but the boys felt that he must often be lonely in his new
surroundings, with no one but the natives about him. They little knew
that the solace and comfort of the grand old man was the knowledge that
he had helped his fellow man, though the color of the skin was darker
than his own.
* * * * *
Their voyage was accompanied by favoring winds and perfect weather.
Valparaiso, Chile, was the first port at which they landed, and as a
trip around the Horn, or even through the Straits of Magellan, and up
along the Atlantic coast, would mean several months, with their own
vessel, they shipped in one of the line steamers, and within seven weeks
they saw Sandy Hook lightship, and then the forts which lined the
opposite shore at the Narrows.
Telegrams to their parents created paroxysms of joy in many homes which
had been robbed when the _Investigator_ went down. There were no happier
homes than the ones Harry and George were welcomed to.
The papers told the stories of the boys in pages and pages of
descriptions, and they showed the photos, and told what the boys had
done in their temporary home. The hero of all this wonderful home-coming
was Angel.
The people, the houses, the wonderful automobiles which he saw on every
hand, at first alarmed him, but when he saw that George did not seem a
bit afraid, he reconciled himself to the situation.
His first automobile ride was a revelation to him. He held on tightly to
George, at first, but soon the sensation became one of joy, and he could
not get enough of it. The boys were certainly fêted, but when they told
their parents that they must go back, the proposition met with strong
opposition.
The parents forgot that the boys were now over two years older than when
they went away, and it seemed singular that the surroundings did not
seem the same to them as before the happy boyhood days before they left
home.
For business reasons the parents knew that it would be prudent to permit
them to return and they were influenced by the remarkable change they
saw in the manners and actions of the boys. They saw the youths were
strong and self reliant, ever ready to act and to carry out their
resolutions. These boys had been transformed into men.
They spent many days going over old scenes and visiting friends. They
enjoyed to the utmost the reunion with their families, but they could
not cease talking about the Professor. They now realized in full what he
had been to them, and what his example and teaching meant to them. There
was really a feeling amounting almost to jealousy on the part of the
people at home against the Professor, but it was not one of bitterness.
One who could exert such a healthy influence on the lives of the young,
as he possessed, was worthy of the adulation that the boys bestowed. But
John was not forgotten in these periods of happiness.
They were never happy when telling the tales of their adventures except
when John was present, and the latter was the most sought-for
individual, because when he once began to tell some of his vivid tales
the people would not let him stop.
Finally the time for departure came. A merry party gathered upon the
dock when the explorers were about to depart. They would write at least
once a month, as Blakely had assured them that he would arrange to have
a steamer run a round trip each four weeks, to take care of the
commodities which would be made up by the natives.
The steamship _Panama_ slowly moved out into the bay, and the boys
remembered the memorable event which took place at that same dock thirty
months before. Then they left with a sort of half joy in their hearts,
and now they were going away to finish up the great adventures which
they had started when they reached the island of Wonder.
All hearts were anxious as the ship neared Valparaiso, because there
they would leave the liner from New York, and again ship in the boat
they had built. They keenly scanned the pier as the vessel was being
warped in.
"Ah! there is Blakely on the dock," said Harry.
"But I don't see the _Pioneer_ here!" responded George.
_Pioneer_ was the name of the vessel they had built, and which brought
them to that port from their island home.
The moment the vessel came alongside the dock, George called to Blakely:
"Where is our boat?"
"At Wonder Island," was the reply.
"At Wonder Island?" said Harry, and the boys looked at each other in
amazement. And now they must wait several weeks, probably, until it
returns. This was disappointing, indeed.
The boys rushed off. "And where shall we go now?" asked Harry.
"Over to our ship," replied Blakely.
They followed his gaze to a dock beyond, where lay a beautiful vessel, a
steamer, all decked out with flags.
"Is that our vessel!"
"Yes, and I have been to Wonder Island on her since you left. We just
arrived two days ago. We are ready to steam out within two hours."
"Then don't let us waste a moment's time," said Harry.
"I thought you might want to take a look over the town," said Blakely.
"I have no wish to do so, as long as we have the islands in view,"
remarked George. "And how is the Professor," he continued in an eager
tone.
"He is well and happy. But I have no doubt he longs for you, as he
frequently goes over to your rooms, and wanders around the shop, a thing
which he never did while you were there."
This was joyful news to the boys. How they longed to sail up Enterprise
River. The steamer which Blakely had bought, and which was destined to
ply between Wonder Island and the nearest trans-shipping point, was
called the _Wonder_, a thing which the boys had not noticed until they
were nearing the vessel.
It was a saucy little steamer, and as they drew near Blakely said: "What
speed do you think she will make?"
"Fifteen miles at least," remarked Harry.
"I am guaranteed eighteen miles an hour at the least."
"Isn't that fine," said George. "What does she burn?"
"Either wood, coal or petroleum."
"Now would be the time to look up the oil deposits on the island,"
remarked Harry.
Within an hour the ship was under way, greatly to the delight of the
boys.
Notwithstanding the ship was sent forward under full steam, the speed
was far too slow for the impatient boys. They were on the bridge most of
the time with the Captain who had been employed to run the vessel. He
proved to be a jolly, red-faced tar, who loved the antics of the boys.