IN THE NICK OF TIME
The jungle beasts came in swarms!
In the distance could be heard something like the soughing of a great
wind. It grew in volume until it swelled into a roar. Then the jungle
about the hut was alive with monkeys, scores of them, hundreds of
them, with every passing moment increasing their numbers.
They saw the burning hut, and sensed Bomba’s extremity. They saw the
lurking savages, and realized that they were Bomba’s foes.
Then there came pouring down from the trees a hail of the heavy
castanha nuts that felled whatever they struck.
The surviving savages fled, with wild screams, in a headlong rout.
And their demoralization was complete when Polulu, with a tremendous
roar, came bounding in upon them, his eyes glaring, his tail lashing,
his paws striking out like flails.
Bomba heard the shrieks of the affrighted savages, the jabbering of
the monkeys, and the roars of Polulu. His jungle friends had not
failed him. He and Casson were saved!
With smarting eyes he rushed to the door, threw off the heavy bar and
swung the door wide.
Then he ran back to Casson, who was in a half comatose condition,
pulled him to his feet and, half dragging, half lifting him,
staggered through the doorway and laid his burden under the trees.
What blessed coolness was in the night air as Bomba drank it in
deep draughts! And what added delight came to him as he felt on his
uplifted face the plashing of raindrops!
Casson was now in a state of complete collapse, and Bomba was
frightened at the ashen pallor of the old man’s face. He rushed to
the river behind the cabin and brought water, with which he bathed
Casson’s face. Then he chafed his wrists and slapped his hands, until
the naturalist opened his eyes with a feeble moan.
The monkeys were all excitement, and chattered their sympathy with
Casson and their delight at Bomba’s escape. They would have come down
and surrounded the pair, had it not been for the presence of Polulu,
who had returned from his pursuit of the savages and who now came up
to Bomba and rubbed his great head against him.
Then the puma stretched himself on the ground at a little distance,
and Bomba knew as well as if he had been told that his faithful
guardian was settled there for the night. Woe to any skulking savage
who might steal back there while Polulu was on guard!
But, as a matter of fact, there was no further attack to be
apprehended that night, nor for many more to come. The Indians had
paid heavy toll. Five lay dead on the ground, and probably twice that
number in wounded had crawled away into the forest or been carried
off by their comrades.
At least half of the raiders had been incapacitated, and among the
wounded had been Nascanora himself, and all the unwounded survivors
were at that moment rushing pell-mell through the jungle, frantically
eager to put as many miles as possible between themselves and the
cabin, where the white man’s magic had been capped by the calling of
the jungle beasts to help.
As soon as Casson had been restored to consciousness and Bomba had
bandaged his burns as well as he could, the lad turned his attention
to the cabin.
But there was nothing he could do that nature was not doing still
better. The rain was now coming down in torrents. It deluged the
burning front wall until the blaze died out and great clouds of steam
took its place.
Fortunately, the other three walls had caught in only a few places,
and here, too, the flames were quickly extinguished.
The monkeys gradually dispersed after Bomba told them how grateful he
was for their help and promised to soon see them again.
The storm increased in violence, and Bomba helped Casson into the
hut. The roof had held and the floor was dry. Bomba made the old man
as comfortable as he could in one of the new hammocks he had brought
with him, and then crept into the other to get the rest he so badly
needed and had so richly earned.
The last thing he was conscious of, as he dropped off to sleep,
was that Polulu had come in and stretched his huge form across the
doorway.
Bomba slept late, and when at last he opened his eyes the faithful
puma had gone. He had stayed until all danger was over and then gone
forth to his hunting.
Bomba himself was stiff and sore, but all concern for himself was
quickly lost in his anxiety over Casson’s condition. The terrible
experience through which he had passed had been too much for the old
naturalist, and he was in a high fever. He did not recognize Bomba,
and babbled incoherently in delirium. At intervals he would sink into
a stupor that would endure for hours, to be broken again by wild
tossings and meaningless phrases.
At times the words “Bartow” and “Laura” would escape his lips, but
though Bomba listened eagerly for what would follow, nothing came
that made more clear for him the mystery in which he was enshrouded.
The boy nursed Casson assiduously, using the simple but effective
remedies whose power he had learned from Candido, the half-witted
caboclo, and at the end of several days the fever broke.
From then on Casson mended rapidly, and Bomba was delighted to note
that with returning strength his mind seemed less clouded. He had
lost some of his apathy, and took a greater interest in the things
about him.
The “door” was still closed, but he was trying harder to open it than
he had before. At times a flash of memory seemed to come to him, and
he would begin to speak eagerly, but before he had fairly framed a
sentence the thought would elude him. At such times he was desperate,
and would break out into a passion of weeping.
One day he called Bomba to him.
“Bomba,” he said, laying his thin hand on the boy’s shoulder, “I have
tried and tried to tell you what you have a right to know, but I
cannot remember. Sometimes I almost recall it, and then it vanishes.
But there has come to me a name. There is someone who knows, and he
can tell you much, perhaps all.”
“Who is it?” cried Bomba excitedly.
“It is Jojasta,” replied Casson. “Mark well that name, Jojasta.”
“I will never forget it,” said Bomba solemnly. “But what is he and
where does he live?”
“He is the Medicine Man of the Moving Mountain,” replied Casson.
“The Moving Mountain?” repeated Bomba, in bewilderment. He had never
heard the term before.
“It is a long way off,” explained Casson. “And it is hard to reach.
But I will tell you how to get there. Yes, I know that now. But the
other is too far away. That I cannot recall. Through Jojasta is the
only way you can find out what you want to know, what you ought to
know. You must go.”
How Bomba went there, the fearful perils he met, and the obstacles
he surmounted on the way, will be told in the next volume of this
series, entitled: “Bomba, the Jungle Boy, at the Moving Mountain; or,
The Mystery of the Caves of Fire.”
Casson sank back exhausted, and Bomba knew there was nothing more to
be told just then. But what he had heard filled him with hope.
He must tell his friends and let them share his joy. He took
his harmonica and strayed off into the jungle, playing a dreamy,
plaintive tune.
Soon his jungle friends of the air and treetops were all about him,
Kiki, Woowoo, Doto, and scores of others. He smiled at them, talked
and played for them. He was in a joyous, exhilarated mood, and they
were glad for Bomba’s sake.
“You are all my friends,” he cried. “You helped Bomba when the men
with bad hearts came to the cabin. Bomba loves you all. He does not
want to leave you, but he must go. He will always think of you, and
some day he may come back to you. But Bomba must go. He must find the
men who have souls, the souls that are awake. For Bomba has a soul.
And he must find the white men. For Bomba is white.”
He tore the puma skin aside and displayed his chest.
“Look, Woowoo! Look, Kiki! Look, Doto!” he cried, in an ecstasy of
joy and pride. “Look, all of you! I will tell Polulu, too. I am
white! Bomba is white!”
THE END
_Dear Reader_:
If you have enjoyed this story and wish to follow the further
adventures of BOMBA, you may do so in the books listed on the
following page.
THE BOMBA BOOKS
By ROY ROCKWOOD
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. With Colored jacket._
_Price 50 cents per volume. Postage 10 cents additional._
_Bomba lived far back in the jungles of the Amazon with a
half-demented naturalist who told the lad nothing of his past. The
jungle boy was a lover of birds, and hunted animals with a bow and
arrow and his trusty machete. He had a primitive education in some
things, and his daring adventures will be followed with breathless
interest by thousands._
[Illustration: Book]
1. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY
2. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AT THE MOVING MOUNTAIN
3. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AT THE GIANT CATARACT
4. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON JAGUAR ISLAND
5. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY IN THE ABANDONED CITY
6. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON TERROR TRAIL
7. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY IN THE SWAMP OF DEATH
8. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AMONG THE SLAVES
9. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON THE UNDERGROUND RIVER
10. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE LOST EXPLORERS
11. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY IN A STRANGE LAND
12. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AMONG THE PYGMIES
13. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE CANNIBALS
14. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE PAINTED HUNTERS
These books may be purchased wherever books are sold
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THE JEWEL SERIES
By AMES THOMPSON
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in colors.
Price 50 cents per volume.
Postage 10 cents additional._
_A series of stories brimming with hardy adventure, vivid and
accurate in detail, and with a good foundation of probability.
They take the reader realistically to the scene of action. Besides
being lively and full of real situations, they are written in a
straightforward way very attractive to boy readers._
[Illustration: Book]
1. THE ADVENTURE BOYS _and the_ VALLEY OF DIAMONDS
In this book they form a party of five, and with the aid of a shrewd,
level-headed sailor named Stanley Green, they find a valley of
diamonds in the heart of Africa.
2. THE ADVENTURE BOYS _and the_ RIVER OF EMERALDS
With a guide, they set out to find the River of Emeralds. But masked
foes, emeralds, and falling mountains are all in the day’s fun for
these Adventure Boys.
3. THE ADVENTURE BOYS _and the_ LAGOON OF PEARLS
This time the group starts out on a cruise simply for pleasure, but
their adventuresome spirits lead them into the thick of things on a
South Sea cannibal island.
4. THE ADVENTURE BOYS _and the_ TEMPLE OF RUBIES
The Adventure Boys find plenty of thrills when they hit the ruby
trail, and soon discover that they are marked by some sinister
influence to keep them from reaching the Ruby.
5. THE ADVENTURE BOYS _and the_ ISLAND OF SAPPHIRES
The paths of the young jewel hunters lead to a mysterious island
where the treasures are concealed.
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THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES
By LESTER CHADWICK
_12mo. Illustrated. Price 50 cents per volume. Postage 10 cents
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[Illustration: Book]
1. BASEBALL JOE OF THE SILVER STARS
_or The Rivals of Riverside_
2. BASEBALL JOE ON THE SCHOOL NINE
_or Pitching for the Blue Banner_
3. BASEBALL JOE AT YALE
_or Pitching for the College Championship_
4. BASEBALL JOE IN THE CENTRAL LEAGUE
_or Making Good as a Professional Pitcher_
5. BASEBALL JOE IN THE BIG LEAGUE
_or A Young Pitcher’s Hardest Struggles_
6. BASEBALL JOE ON THE GIANTS
_or Making Good as a Twirler in the Metropolis_
7. BASEBALL JOE IN THE WORLD SERIES
_or Pitching for the Championship_
8. BASEBALL JOE AROUND THE WORLD
_or Pitching on a Grand Tour_
9. BASEBALL JOE: HOME RUN KING
_or The Greatest Pitcher and Batter on Record_
10. BASEBALL JOE SAVING THE LEAGUE
_or Breaking Up a Great Conspiracy_
11. BASEBALL JOE CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM
_or Bitter Struggles on the Diamond_
12. BASEBALL JOE CHAMPION OF THE LEAGUE
_or The Record that was Worth While_
13. BASEBALL JOE CLUB OWNER
_or Putting the Home Town on the Map_
14. BASEBALL JOE PITCHING WIZARD
_or Triumphs Off and On the Diamond_
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ADVENTURE STORIES FOR BOYS
By JOHN GABRIEL ROWE
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Colored Jacket._
_Price 50 cents per volume.
Postage 10 cents additional._
_Every boy who knows the lure of exploring and who loves to rig up
huts and caves and tree-houses to fortify himself against imaginary
enemies will enjoy these books, for they give a vivid chronicle of
the doings and inventions of a group of boys who are shipwrecked and
have to make themselves snug and safe in tropical islands where the
dangers are too real for play._
[Illustration: Book]
1. CRUSOE ISLAND
Dick, Alf and Fred find themselves stranded on an unknown island with
the old seaman Josh, their ship destroyed by fire, their friends lost.
2. THE ISLAND TREASURE
With much ingenuity these boys fit themselves into the wild life of
the island they are cast upon in storm.
3. THE MYSTERY OF THE DERELICT
Their ship and companions perished in tempest at sea, the boys are
adrift in a small open boat when they spy a ship. Such a strange
vessel!—no hand guiding it, no soul on board,—a derelict.
4. THE LIGHTSHIP PIRATES
Modern Pirates, with the ferocity of beasts, attack a lightship
crew;—recounting the adventures that befall the survivors of that
crew—and—“RETRIBUTION.”
5. THE SECRET OF THE GOLDEN IDOL
Telling of a mutiny, and how two youngsters were unwillingly involved
in one of the weirdest of treasure hunts,—and—“THE GOLDEN FETISH.”
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THE BOB DEXTER SERIES
By WILLARD F. BAKER
Author of “THE BOY RANCHERS SERIES”
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in colors. Price 50 cents per
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_This is a new line of stories for boys, by the author of the Boy
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are without the objectionable features of the impossible characters
and absurd situations that mark so many of the books in that class.
These stories deal with the up-to-date adventures of a normal,
healthy lad who has a great desire to solve mysteries, and the
volumes relate in an entertaining way how he does it._
[Illustration: Book]
1. BOB DEXTER AND THE CLUB-HOUSE MYSTERY
_or The Missing Golden Eagle_
This story tells how the Boys’ Athletic Club was despoiled of its
trophies in a strange manner, and how, among other things stolen, was
the Golden Eagle mascot.
2. BOB DEXTER AND THE BEACON BEACH MYSTERY
_or The Wreck of the Sea Hawk_
When Bob and his chum went to Beacon Beach for their vacation, they
were plunged into a strange series of events, not the least of which
was the sinking of the Sea Hawk.
3. BOB DEXTER AND THE STORM MOUNTAIN MYSTERY
_or The Secret of the Log Cabin_
Bob Dexter came upon a man mysteriously injured and befriended him.
This led the young detective into the swirling midst of a series of
strange events and into the companionship of strange persons.
4. BOB DEXTER AND THE AEROPLANE MYSTERY
_or The Secret of the Jint San_
Bob and his chums witness the mysterious disappearance of an
aeroplane and find excitement in their exploration of an unknown
cave. The adventures which result are packed with thrills.
5. BOB DEXTER AND THE SEAPLANE MYSTERY
_or The Secret of the White Stones_
Bob Dexter, while on a vacation, captures a band of criminals, and
solves a mystery in which millions of dollars in gems and jewelry had
been stolen.
6. BOB DEXTER AND THE RED AUTO MYSTERY
_or The Secret of the Flying Car_
A story of a mysterious red auto is packed with many hair-raising
adventures. Bob comes to the rescue and captures the criminals.
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Jerry Ford Wonder Stories
By FENWORTH MOORE
A new series with plenty of action and adventure. It is lively and
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12 mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in Colors.
Price, per volume, 50 cents.
Postage 10 cents additional.
[Illustration: Book]
1. WRECKED ON CANNIBAL ISLAND
Or Jerry Ford’s Adventures Among Savages
Jerry Ford’s inheritance was stolen by an unscrupulous lawyer, and he
had many thrilling adventures before the thief was finally captured.
2. LOST IN THE CAVES OF GOLD
Or Jerry Ford Among the Mountains of Mystery
The finding of the trunks in which the stolen fortune was hidden, and
the discovery of a Pirate’s treasure in some underground caves.
3. CASTAWAY IN THE LAND OF SNOW
Or Jerry Ford Among the Polar Bears
While returning home with the treasure, the ship is captured by
pirates in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Plenty of action and
excitement follows.
4. PRISONERS ON THE PIRATE SHIP
Or Jerry Ford and the Yellow Men
This story offers a thrill in a life time. Jerry Ford, and his pals,
recapture the pirate ship and again secure their missing treasure.
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SLIM TYLER AIR STORIES
By RICHARD H. STONE
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in colors._
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_A new group of stories for boys by a new author whose excellent air
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[Illustration: Book]
1. SKY RIDERS OF THE ATLANTIC
_or Slim Tyler’s First Trip in the Clouds_
Slim Tyler though but a boy, finds himself confronted by troubles and
by enemies that might well have dismayed a man. By pluck and straight
thinking he fights clear of entanglements and gains a place he has
long coveted among flyers.
2. LOST OVER GREENLAND
_or Slim Tyler’s Search for Dave Boyd_
Slim Tyler sets out in search of his friend and patron who is lost
over Greenland, and in so doing has many hair-raising adventures that
make an absorbing story.
3. AN AIR CARGO OF GOLD
_or Slim Tyler, Special Bank Messenger_
Quick-witted and resourceful, Slim, after strenuous efforts to
gain the world’s endurance record, faces more odds when he makes a
perilous trip carrying a cargo of gold.
4. ADRIFT OVER HUDSON BAY
_or Slim Tyler in the Land of Ice_
Blazing the great Northeastern trail against great odds, this story
will captivate the hearts of the boys.
5. AN AIRPLANE MYSTERY
_or Slim Tyler on the Trail_
The story of the rescue, after the flyers had been given up for lost,
was a “whale of a story.”
6. SECRET SKY EXPRESS
_or Slim Tyler Saving a Fortune_
A story of many episodes and thrills against great odds.
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THE MOTOR BOYS SERIES
By CLARENCE YOUNG
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors._
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_Bright up-to-date stories, full of information as well as of
adventure. Read the first volume and you will want all the others
written by Mr. Young._
[Illustration: Book]
1. THE MOTOR BOYS
2. THE MOTOR BOYS OVERLAND
3. THE MOTOR BOYS IN MEXICO
4. THE MOTOR BOYS ACROSS THE PLAINS
5. THE MOTOR BOYS AFLOAT
6. THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE ATLANTIC
7. THE MOTOR BOYS IN STRANGE WATERS
8. THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE PACIFIC
9. THE MOTOR BOYS IN THE CLOUDS
10. THE MOTOR BOYS OVER THE ROCKIES
11. THE MOTOR BOYS OVER THE OCEAN
12. THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE WING
13. THE MOTOR BOYS AFTER A FORTUNE
14. THE MOTOR BOYS ON THE BORDER
15. THE MOTOR BOYS UNDER THE SEA
16. THE MOTOR BOYS ON ROAD AND RIVER
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Transcriber’s Notes
pg 23 Changed: his memory of the way a similiar
to: his memory of the way a similar
pg 32 Changed: By Jove!” exclained Dorn
to: By Jove!” exclaimed Dorn
pg 130 Changed: crests of the trees showed a wierd
to: crests of the trees showed a weird
pg 196 Changed: undulating cry that rang wierdly
to: undulating cry that rang weirdly