“Thank Heaven that is over,” said Mr. Jukes, as he sat on an old bench
in the fort after he and Jack had been released. “You may depend upon it
that I shall not forget the part that Salloo and all of you played in
our rescue.”
It was some two hours after the “battle,” if the rout of the rascals who
had captured Mr. Jukes and Jack could be termed such. The kidnappers’
larder had been ransacked and a good meal enjoyed by all hands,
especially, as may be imagined, by the two captives who had been without
food for almost twenty-four hours.
Donald Judson, looking hang-dog and abject, was huddled on a bench in a
corner of the room. He had been picked up after the fray, having shammed
insensibility to avoid being injured, and was easily captured by the
victors.
“You certainly came in the nick of time,” said Jack. “From what I could
hear them saying, that scoundrel Broom was actually contemplating
torturing us if that check was not signed by Mr. Jukes.”
The millionaire shuddered. His experiences had greatly affected him.
“That young ruffian over yonder,” he nodded his head toward Judson, “was
the instigator of the idea to get money out of me, I believe,” he said.
“He ought to be punished severely.”
“I didn’t,” whined Judson miserably, “I—I—that fellow Broom did it
all.”
“What’s the use of your lying, Judson,” exclaimed Jack, “you met Broom
at Bomobori. It’s as plain as day now, and furnished him with an account
of as much of our plans as we had confided to you.”
“Well, maybe I did,” mumbled Judson sullenly, “but I didn’t put him up
to getting money out of you.”
“Nonsense,” said Captain Sparhawk, “you are as bad as Broom is—worse,
in fact, for you are a lad of decent upbringing.”
No more was said to Judson that night, and they retired to catch a few
hours sleep, leaving the “carriers” under Salloo on guard. The Malay
amused himself by making hideous faces at the unfortunate Donald and
flourishing his kriss under his nose. By daylight the wretched prisoner
was half dead from fear. Captain Sparhawk sternly warned Salloo not to
tease him any more, at which the Malay appeared to be much surprised.
“Him enemy,” he said, “why no can do what like with him?”
Breakfast, of which Donald was given his share, was eaten in the fort,
and after that meal the natives were sent down to the river to bring up
all the supplies which had been left there. They reported that the
prisoner Salloo had made had succeeded, as they intended he should, in
loosening his bonds during the night and had vanished.
As soon as the boxes containing the wireless apparatus and the
hand-generator arrived, Jack lost no time in setting them up and as soon
as he raised the yacht sent a full account of Broom’s rascally conduct
to her. The first officer at once left to notify the authorities and ask
that a keen lookout be kept for Broom’s schooner.
“Broom will never guess that we have any means of communicating with
Bomobori,” the boy explained, “and if he returns there, will bungle into
a fine trap.”
“Begorry, I hope he does,” commented Muldoon, “shure that wireless is an
illigant invintion entirely.”
“If Broom is captured, as many other criminals have been, by its aid, it
will have proved its splendid usefulness once more,” declared Mr. Jukes.
“Ready, you might flash another message saying that I will give $1,000
to anyone who captures ‘Bully’ Broom.”
After this had been done, the question arose of what to do with Donald
Judson. They had no desire to have the young rascal as a traveling
companion, but at the same time they did not see how they could very
well turn him loose in the jungle in which he might starve to death. It
was a problem that they were still discussing when Donald himself spoke
up in the timid, fawning voice he affected when in trouble.
“See here,” he said, “if you won’t make trouble for me maybe I can help
you out.”
“In what way?” sharply asked Mr. Jukes.
“Why I saw Broom put a map or something that looked like one in a
cupboard in the room that door opens into,” said the boy, pointing to
the end of the room. “I thought maybe it might have something to do with
your brother, Mr. Jukes.”
“Come here at once and show me,” ordered the millionaire. “I don’t
suppose it was anything of great importance,” he added.
“Perhaps not,” whimpered Donald, “but if it is will you let it count in
my favor?”
“I shall consider that later,” said Mr. Jukes sternly, as they all
followed the boy into the room he indicated. In one corner was a rough
cupboard. Mr. Jukes opened this and took out a rolled-up paper. He
spread it out on the table and they all pressed about him.
“It’s a map!” cried Billy.
“Yes, and of this part of the country, too,” cried Jack. “See, there’s
that village, Taroo, where we stopped two nights ago.”
“And what’s this leading along the river from this place marked 'Fort’
on the map?” asked Mr. Judson, his eyes shining as his forefinger traced
a red ink line that zig-zagged along till it left the river and struck
inland to what appeared to be intended to show a range of mountains.
“The Kini-Balu Mountains,” he read out.
“The Kini-Balu Mountains!” echoed Salloo, “me know them. Me bet your
brother up there. One time ‘Bully’ Bloom he helpee Kini-Balu men fight
big battle 'gainst Tariani tribe. Kini-Balus win and now heap like
‘Bully’ Bloom hide your brother up there.”
“It is possible,” mused the millionaire, “and—yes, by jove! Look here.”
Indicated on the map in red letters, at a spot in the heart of the
Kini-Balu country, was a place marked “Cave.”
“Do you think it possible that that can be ‘Bully’ Broom’s hiding place
for the other Mr. Jukes?” asked Jack.
“I don’t know, but it appears probable,” rejoined the millionaire.
“Me membel now sometime ‘Bully’ Bloom go way from Bomobori long time,”
said Salloo, “nobody know where he go. That time when cruiser come look
for him. Maybe he hide up there.”
“It seems worth trying at any rate,” said Mr. Jukes, in the manner of
one who has reached a decision.
“It seems reasonable to suppose that if Broom had taken your brother and
his men anywhere on the island it would have been to some such
inaccessible spot as that,” said Captain Sparhawk.
“Well thin, what’s to privint us going up among the 'balloon’ men, or
whativer they call thimsilves?” asked Muldoon.
“It may be attended by some danger,” said Mr. Jukes. “From what Salloo
said the Kini-Balu men are a very war-like tribe. They might attack us.
How about that, Salloo?”
The Malay’s reply was not one calculated to reassure them.
“Kini-Balu men head hunters,” he said, “Maybe they no hurt us. But maybe
take our heads. Salloo no 'fraid, though.”
“Then, by golly, neither are we,” declared Muldoon.
After more discussion, it was decided to advance cautiously into the
Kini-Balu country and then do some scouting to see how matters lay. If
the natives were hostile, and if they were convinced that Mr. Jukes was
really a captive among them, guarded by their warriors at ‘Bully’
Broom’s orders, then they would return to Bomobori without risking their
lives and come back with a strong force. If everything appeared to be
pacific, then they would seek out the place indicated on the map and
settle the question of whether or no it was actually the place of the
pearl hunter’s confinement.