On Adventure Island

by Bess Moyer

  CHAPTER IV

  Island Prisoners

  Prisoners on a desert island!

  Dazed by Joe Arnold's brutality, Terry and Prim looked about them for away of escape, but there seemed no way out. Apart from the few huts inthe cove where Joe Arnold had his camp, there was no sign of life. Theywere alone and at the mercy of these unscrupulous men who had everyreason to destroy them.

  Prim clung to her sister with a grip that hurt. "Whatever will we donow, Terry?" she asked in a hoarse whisper. "We're up against it forsure."

  But Terry did not hear her. She was watching with flashing eyes as BudHyslop worked over the plane. The next instant she was running down theslope in frantic haste with Prim at her heels.

  "You let that plane alone, Bud Hyslop! Take your hands off!" Terrypicked up a large stone, raised it above her head and with a wide sweepof the arm, she started to throw the missile, but at that moment herhand was seized from behind and a low, mocking voice said, "Not so fast,young lady!"

  Terry turned to face Joe Arnold.

  "Let me go!" she demanded.

  Joe Arnold released his grip with a vigorous shove that sent the girlspinning across the sands. Prim caught her as she staggered.

  "Terry, listen to me," said Prim with decision in her voice. "I don'tknow what we are going to do, but one thing sure is that you mustn'tmake that man angry. He's capable of anything. He'd think nothing ofleaving us here to starve. He'd even kill us if it suited his purpose."Prim shook her sister's arm. "Don't talk to him at all if you can't doit without getting angry."

  Terry was deathly white, not from fear but anger. "But look, Prim! Youdon't seem to realize that Bud is going to take our plane away from us.Now we'll be real castaways!"

  Prim searched the sky. "Oh, if Allan and Syd would only come! I'm afraidsomething terrible has happened to them. I didn't see them after thestorm struck our plane. Where did they go?"

  "Don't talk about it, Prim. Let's get busy and do something so we won'thave time to think. I don't dare!" Terry said with trembling lips.

  The girls stood watching as Bud and Joe wheeled _Skybird_ around to headaway from the beach and over the water. They started the engine. Itcoughed, it wheezed, it sputtered but at the same time the amphibiantaxied over the smooth blue waters and took to the air. _Skybird_ wasflying away without them.

  Joe Arnold waved his hand toward the departing plane, then turned andclimbed the hill, looking back at the girls with a triumphant grin, farmore menacing than an angry scowl would have been. Terry knew that hehad never forgiven her for her part in the rescue of Allan and Syd whenhe had kidnapped them in the far north.

  Now was his great opportunity to settle matters once for all. This washis chance. He had them at his mercy.

  Everything had worked out to Joe's advantage. Bud's plane had beenwrecked some weeks before and on that account they had worked under ahandicap, waiting to replace it. Now a fine little plane hadmiraculously dropped from the sky at their feet.

  Joe Arnold smiled. "Luck comes that way to me," he said to himself. "Ihave a few bad breaks, but often they work out for my good. If I hadsucceeded in getting the Dick Mapes Flying Field six months ago as Iplanned. I'd never have started this island base. At least not sosoon.--And this has turned out to be the best graft I've ever struck."

  Bud Hyslop had flown _Skybird_ around the tip of the island to the quietwaters of the little harbor. The engine was sputtering and protestingbut Bud was able to bring the plane down safely on the shore. As heturned to Joe, he saluted and exclaimed, "That was some trick youplayed! How did you do it. Chief?"

  Joe Arnold laughed heartily as he answered: "They thought they werefollowing Allan Graham's plane. I'm almost sure that the girls werestarting out to go to Peru to see old Peter Langley. When I was up thereAllan and Syd were away. Probably when they got back they learned that Iwas heading south and decided to catch up with the girls and go withthem as a protection against _me_."

  "What happened to the boys?" asked Bud.

  "That's the joke. Allan's and Terry's planes both got into a storm. Ididn't see Allan's plane when it was over, so I hope he went to thebottom of the Caribbean. Terry didn't see it either. But she saw mineand followed me, thinking it was Allan."

  "That was a neat dodge. How did you ever happen to think about it?" Budnot only thought his boss was smart, but took pains to tell him so.

  Joe Arnold might have told Bud that he had not planned the ruse and thatit had been entirely an accident. But instead of that he looked wise andsaid. "I think fast! That's how I always win!"

  Meanwhile his two captives had taken shelter from the sun under aspreading tree.

  "How I'd like to down that man!" exclaimed Terry with blazing eyes asshe watched Joe Arnold's figure disappear. "This is certainly the worstjam we've ever been in."

  "And Terry, this time there's no way out that I can see," said Prim, herbody trembling with fear and nervousness.

  But Terry was in a fighting mood. "There _is_ a way out, I'm sure of it,and what's more I'm sure we can find it! I had to bite my tongue to keepfrom telling Joe what I thought of him. He looked so smug andself-satisfied because he put something over on us."

  "You did well, Terry, not to talk to him. I was scared stiff you'd flyout at him."

  "I probably would have if you hadn't gripped my arm the way you did.Sometimes you spoil a good scrap that way. It might have done Joe Arnoldgood to know what people think about him."

  Suddenly a loud shriek broke the silence of the island. Terry and Primclung together but the next minute Terry pointed with a smile to twobrightly colored macaws above her head.

  "Did you ever see anything as gay as those birds? Aren't theybeautiful!" exclaimed Terry.

  "I'd like them better if they wouldn't squawk so loudly," said Prim. "Ido believe they have scared me out of a year's growth."

  The macaws shrieked again as if protesting at the intrusion of thegirls. Other strange birds took up the challenge and answered until theair was filled with their noise.

  "Let's go!" said Terry with the faintest glimmer of a smile. "They don'tseem to appreciate the honor of our company."

  Hand in hand the girls climbed the ridge but kept out of sight of Joe'scamp. Below them and around a sharp point of rocky shore, they lookeddown over a forest of tropical trees, tall, slender stems and around thelower part of their trunks wound a thick tangle of vines.

  "I wonder if we will ever get out of here alive, Terry?" whispered Primin a strained voice. "You've read stories of people who were stranded ondesert islands and lived there until they were old and ready to die."

  "Well, this wouldn't be such a bad place to live," answered Terry. "Ifwe had the family here and a nice house and books and things."

  "But I don't like the idea of starving to death and that's what we woulddo here."

  "We couldn't starve to death! Look down there, I've been waiting for youto say something. Those trees to the right are bananas, your favoritefruit!"

  "I'll say so! Let's go get them. I'm starved!" Suddenly Prim stoppedshort. "Terry," she said hopefully, "could two girls live on bananas alltheir lives?"

  "Possibly, but we wouldn't need to go on a full banana diet. There arecocoanut palms!" replied Terry.

  Prim brightened up. "And if it comes to the worst, we will try to catchsome fish."

  "Fish!" cried Terry. "You know I _hate_ fish!"

  "Well, clams, oysters! We might find them here!"

  "They're even worse," Terry declared. "_You_ can have my share. I'llstick to bananas."

  The girls were clambering down the rocky ridge to the clearing. As theyfound their way around a thick mat of low-growing bushes, they camesuddenly upon a collection of mud huts. They were among them before theyknew it.

  The girls drew back to the shelter of the vines, half expecting to besurrounded by a howling mob of savages. But not a sound came from thehuts. Everything was quiet. No sign of life!


  "Here's where we've got to watch our step, Prim! Savages have a way ofhiding in ambush and shooting poison arrows at their enemies," whisperedTerry.

  "But we're not their enemies. We'd--why Terry, we'd try to _like_ themif they'd give us a chance," Prim was looking anxiously around the shrubas she spoke.

  Terry started to tiptoe toward the mud huts, although it was notnecessary to guard her footfalls, for the soft green floor of the junglegave back no sound. Prim tried to pull her sister back but Terry jerkedaway.

  "Come on. We haven't any need to worry yet. This place is deserted. Lookat those old mud huts, they are half destroyed by the rains." Terry drewher sister with her as she peered into every hut as she passed.

  "Look at those huts ahead. They're altogether different. See how they'vetwined roots and vines and twigs together. They're like great birds'nests. I think that is a _clever_ idea! I wonder if these housesbelonged to the chief and his family?"

  "Come on in and make an afternoon call." Terry laughed as she ran towardthe doorway, then sprang back in terror.

  "What's the matter, Terry? What did you see?" cried Prim, clinging toher sister's arm.

  "Somebody was in that hut. I saw a child! It was a little one!" saidTerry, then suddenly she broke loose from her sister and went once moretoward the hut.

  "Watch out, Terry," cried Prim. "Children are apt to scream and thatwill bring the whole tribe down upon us."

  At that moment Terry burst into a happy laugh, a little face was peeringaround the side of the opening. A curious, wise little face that waswrinkled and hairy.

  "It's a monkey!" exclaimed Terry with relief. "Only a cute littlemonkey!"

  "Isn't he funny?" Prim was choking with laughter which she tried tohide, for the little creature looking up at them seemed so human thatthe girl felt she was being rude to laugh in its face.

  Terry had a happy thought. She felt in her pockets and brought forth alittle package. There were half a dozen crackers left from the supplyPrim had provided.

  "Say Terry, what's the idea! Don't feed him crackers. Are you crazy?"pleaded Prim.

  But Terry was approaching the little animal and offering a bit of thecracker. The monkey shrank back, but only for a second. His curiositywas too great. As Terry dropped the morsel beside him, he grabbed itquickly and with a sudden leap slipped by them to the refuge of a talltree. Then he devoured it greedily.

  "Don't be too generous, Terry. We may need every bite we can get beforethis jam is over."

  "All right, but I thought I'd better start by making friends witheverything on the island. He's a nice little fellow. I wouldn't besurprised if he'd get quite friendly."

  The monkey stared down at them with interest and when they moved away hescrambled to another tree nearer to them.

  "Just watch him," laughed Prim. "Terry, you've made a big hit with thatfellow."

  "It's pleasant to find one friendly creature on the island. Come on andlet's see what the inside of these woven houses are like. I'm notanxious to sleep out in the open. I think I've heard something about themoon in the tropics making people crazy." Terry led the way into the hutas she spoke, "Why, it's not so bad, we might manage to sleep in here."

  "There's nothing else to do. I wouldn't want to take any chances withthe moon," said Prim. "We have troubles enough now without losing ourminds."

  Terry laughed. "I guess you're right. We'll need all our wits to getourselves out of this jam, and we'd better not get them addled."

  Terry's laugh had relieved their taut nerves.

  "If I could only be sure that Allan and Syd were safe, I could even takethis disappointment and get some fun out of the situation. I'm reallynot frightened of Joe Arnold,--very much!" she exclaimed.

  If Terry could have heard the conversation between Joe Arnold and BudHyslop at that moment she might have feared them, for Bud had justasked, "What are you going to do with those girls? One thing surethey'll never leave this island alive, if I have my way."

  Joe Arnold turned on him with an angry snarl. "You haven't a word to sayhere! What's more you never will have. Just wait until you get yourorders from me. I'll see that they don't get back to civilization for along time, perhaps never, but I'll settle with them in my own way andwhen I get ready. I want no suggestions from you or anybody. Youunderstand? I'm boss here on this island!"

  "Yes, that's what I meant," replied Bud Hyslop.

  "And if they come into this camp just keep your eye on them. EspeciallyTerry! She was here about two minutes and was nosing about the big rockas if she knew I had things hidden there," snarled Joe Arnold.

  "Did she see anything?" asked Bud.

  "No, I got her away in time, but if she comes back she is apt to goright there. And if she'd ever get hold of those papers, we wouldn't besafe anywhere."

  "Do you think Terry suspects and will try to get hold of them beforethey get away from the island?" inquired Bud once more.

  "They're not going to get away. At least not until I'm safe."

  But Terry and Prim knew nothing of this threat against their lives. Theywent about the preparation for the night and their greatest fear wasfrom animals and insects that were strange and terrifying to them.

  "I'm awful hungry, Terry. Come with me to get some bananas," said Primas she started toward the clearing.

  "They look green to me, you're apt to get good and sick if you eat them.Prim. I don't think I would," cautioned Terry.

  "I'm sick now, I'm so hungry, so it won't hurt to be a little sicker,"answered Prim as she reached up for one of the green bananas. "Anyway Ithink they're ripe." She passed one to Terry, who stripped back the skinand bit into it.

  Terry rolled her eyes ecstatically. "Prim, we're in luck! I've nevertasted anything so good in all my life. I'm sure I could live on bananaslike these. Now, I _know_ we won't starve to death."

  Suddenly Prim caught her sister by the arm. From the clearing they couldsee a strip of the sea and across their line of vision came a smalltramp steamer. It was headed from the south and was making straighttoward the island.

  "Now's our chance! We'll signal them and they will come to the rescue."Prim was trembling with excitement. Together they ran to the top of theridge. The heat was intense but the girls carried their flying coatswith them, hoping that they would have a chance to escape.

  The girls waved their hands toward the steamer, but their hearts sank asit steamed past the headland and turned toward the harbor. On the shoreof the cove great preparations had begun. A launch was put out from thebeach and made toward the ship. Bales were dropped into the boat andtaken ashore. A dozen trips were made with loads of food in cases,gasoline in metal drums and bale after bale of goods.

  "Whatever does it all mean?" asked Prim in her sister's ear.

  "It's my opinion," declared Terry, "that every word we've heard againstthat man is true. Someone said he was a smuggler. Now I believe it."

  Joe Arnold was busy directing the blacks as they stowed away the balesin the old mud huts in the camp.

  "What kind of smuggled goods would come in bales?" asked Prim. "I can'timagine what it can be."

  "It might be lots of things, but probably it's silk. There's big moneyin that," explained Terry.

  Terry did not voice all her thoughts. She was thinking that they hadvery little chance of getting back to their homes with the secret ofJoe's smuggling base known to them. She realized that the situation wasfar more serious than she imagined. He was not merely attempting to getthe flying field away from her father. Joe Arnold was mixed up in acrooked business. He would take desperate means to keep them fromgetting back to tell where his smuggling hang-out was situated.

  Terry started back down the slope, dragging Prim with her. "Come away, Ihate that man! I don't want to know what he's doing."

  Night was fast approaching and the girls watched with dread the shadowscreeping down over the jungle. They put their heavy flying coats on theground, gathered large banana leaves for pillows and decided to sleepout in the open.

/>   But no sooner had darkness come than weird sounds filled the junglebehind them. Crickets shrilled in the trees. Wild animals howled andslinking forms scurried by at the edge of the forest. Frogs kept up acontinual, deafening chorus, and there were shrill cries of night birds.Terry and Prim held each other closely and stared into the darknesstoward the jungle, trembling with fear.

  "Look at the sky, Prim," said Terry trying to keep her mind from thestrange and terrifying sounds of the tropical night. "You can seemillions more stars down here than we can at home."

  But even the brilliance of the moon could not hold their attention forlong at a time. The rustling sounds all around them made their heartsthump.

  "I can't stand it out here, Terry! Let's go into the hut," Prim pleadedin an anxious voice.

  Although the noises continued, the girls felt a certain protection wheninside the four walls, even though the opening in the front was noprotection at all.

  "Now Prim, I want you to go to sleep and get some rest, and I'll watch.In an hour and a half I'll waken you and you can take your turn." Terrytook Prim in her arms as if she were a small child.

  Prim burst into tears and threw herself on the floor of the hut, buryingher head in her sister's lap. Terry stroked her head soothingly. AndPrim was soon fast asleep.

  When the hour and half was up, Terry did not have the heart to wakenPrim. She looked pale and tired. Moving her head to the pillow of bananaleaves, Terry lay down beside her. She had no desire to sleep.

  Once she thought that some small animal had come into the hut. She satup and strained her eyes into the dark corners, but could see nothing.The moon had set and the black night seemed a protection after thebright moonlight. Terry grew very drowsy. She had no energy with whichto waken Prim.

  The next thing Terry knew it was broad daylight. The sun was alreadysending its fiery blasts toward the earth. Prim was still sleeping; shehad never stirred.

  Terry sat up suddenly. In the doorway was a woman, a black savage. Thegirl's heart stopped beating for a moment. The strange creature staredat her and then giving forth a loud, weird, throaty call, she clappedher hands to beckon to her followers, who answered with yells and howls.

  Prim awoke with a cry of terror. The two girls, pale and terrified,stood waiting their doom. They were trapped in a hut and outside was aband of savage blacks. What terrible fate was in store for the tremblingvictims?