“This is a very nice island,” said Tom, while they were resting under some calabash trees. “The wood is very valuable—indigo, rosewood, mahogany, and lots of others. And what a sweet smell!” And he drew in a long breath of satisfaction.
“It is certainly a lazy man’s paradise,” re-turned Sam. “A fellow need do next to nothing to feed and clothe himself here, and a house isn’t absolutely necessary excepting when it storms real hard.”
On this island they found numerous land crabs, some as large as their two hands, and many fierce-looking spiders, with long, hairy legs and bulging eyes. Ants were also numerous, and in one spot they located fifteen anthills, each as large as a big beehive. Insects of all sorts were numerous, and they had to continually slap at a specimen of red fly that annoyed them greatly.
“How those ants would like to get at our provisions,” said Tom. “We can be thankful that we didn’t locate here. Once they got at the stuff, they would eat us out of house and home.”
After resting, and partaking of some of the food brought along, they continued their journey across the island.
The way was up one of the hills, and Tom was slightly in advance, when a noise ahead attracted his attention.
“Something is there,” he called out, as he came to a halt.
“What is it?” asked Sam.
“I don’t know. Perhaps some wild animal, or else a snake.”
“Go slow there,” cautioned Captain Blossom, coming up. “We don’t want to run into unnecessary danger.”
“What did it sound like, Tom?”
“I can’t describe it. Something like a snarl, I guess.”
“Perhaps it was only a monkey.”
All stopped to listen, but no, sound reached their ears but the hum of insects and the chirping of some distant birds.
“I reckon I had best go first,” said Captain Blossom, but he did not seem to relish the task.
Gun in hand, the captain advanced very cautiously. The boys came close behind him, each with his pistol ready for use.
Of a sudden there was a snarl with a strange “yow-yawing,” and a great beast leaped up on all-fours directly in their path and darted through the bushes. The captain raised his gun and the boys their pistols, but before they could fire the beast had disappeared.
“What was it?” asked Sam, trembling with excitement.
“I give it up, unless it was a bear,” said Tom.
“I think I know what it was,” said the captain. “A big baboon or a gorilla.”
“I guess you are right, captain,” answered Tom. “I saw a gorilla in a menagerie, and it was exactly like that beast. But what a big fellow he was!”
“Gorillas are highly dangerous, especially when cornered,” said Captain Blossom. He himself was more frightened than he cared to admit. “They have been known to carry a man off in their arms and bite him to death.”
“Thanks, but I want no gorillas around me,” declared Sam.
They waited several minutes before advancing again. But the gorilla had disappeared, nor did it show itself again during that trip on the island.
Half an hour brought them in sight of the seashore once more. They were gazing at the sea when Tom happened to glance back, and on the hill behind them saw four goats standing in a bunch, looking at them in astonishment.
“Quick! out of sight!” he cried, and dragged the others behind some trees.
“What did you see?”
“Several goats. Perhaps, if we are careful, we can get a shot at them. Fresh goat meat won’t go bad.”
“What’s the matter with capturing some of the goats and getting the milk?” came from Sam.
“You’ll have a job catching wild goats,” answered Captain Blossom. “They are as fleet of foot as deer.”
It was decided to try two shots at the goats, providing they could get close enough. With care they plunged into the undergrowth and made their way back up the hillside until they thought they must be within fifty yards of the game.
“There they are!” cried Tom softly.
Bang! went the captain’s gun, and crack! Tom fired immediately after. Two of the goats were hit, and one fell dead. The other staggered away with a broken foreleg.
“We must get that second fellow!” cried Sam, and rushed after the game. The goat tried to turn on him, but Sam hit the beast over the head with a club he carried. Two other blows finished the animal.
“That isn’t bad,” said the captain. “They both look to be young. They ought to make good eating.”
“We are going to have no easy work of it, getting these animals down to the shore,” said Tom.
“After we get them to the shore, what then?” questioned his brother. “We can’t keep them in the boat all the time that we are exploring the other islands.”
“We had best make a trip back to the house,” answered Captain Blossom. “If the others heard the shots they’ll be wondering what has happened; besides, a storm is coming up.”
The captain said he would carry the smaller of the goats alone, leaving the two Rovers to carry the larger game between them. After a rest and another look around the vicinity, they started for the boat and reached it after a walk which almost exhausted every one of the party.
“I’ll be glad enough to lay around our camp and rest for a day,” announced Sam. “This task of exploring is not as easy as it looks.”
A little later they were in the boat and rowing back to where they had left the others, little dreaming of the strange events that had happened in their absence.
CHAPTER XVIII
UNEXPECTED VISITORS
It had been decided by the castaways to enlarge one of the rooms of the house, and as soon as the captain, Tom, and Sam had departed on their exploring tour, Dick and old Jerry set to work to cut down the posts necessary for the building.
While this was going on the three girls were by no means idle. There were meals to get, dishes to wash, and it had been found that outdoor life was very rough on clothing, so there was a good bit of sewing and darning to be done. Fortunately all of the girls were handy with a needle, so that a rent in a coat or a dress received immediate attention.
“Now you must make the alteration in the house very nice,” said Dora to Dick. “Remember, we want a regular Queen Anne building, with round bay windows, and—”
“And inlaid floors,” finished Dick, “not to mention steam heat, and—”
“Mercy on us!” burst in Grace. “Don’t mention steam heat in this climate.”
“Of course we want hot and cold water in the kitchen,” put in Nellie. “What sort of a mansion would it be without hot and cold water,—and a dumb waiter from the cellar, too,” and then all began to laugh.
“I know what I should like,” said Dora, after a pause. “That would be a refrigerator.”
“If we had the ice,” finished Nellie. “Dick, isn’t there any ice on board of the Golden Wave?”
“By Jove! I think there is,” cried the oldest Rover boy. “I never once thought of it before.”
“If there is, I wish you’d bring some the next time you go over. We have lemons, and we could make delicious lemonade.”
“And we could make orange ice, too,” put in Grace. “I know there was an ice-cream freezer on board of the ship. It was in the cook’s galley.”
Old Jerry was coming to the house with a small tree he had cut down, and Dick sounded him about the ice.
“To be sure there was ice, several tons of it,” said Jerry. “It was stowed away near the bow. I don’t believe it’s all melted, either.”
“I’m going over to see,” cried Dick. “We’ve got plenty of lemons and sugar; and lemonade, not to mention orange ice, would just strike the spot in this awfully hot weather.”
But as it was now noon, with the sun directly overhead, Dick decided to
remain in the shade until four or five o’clock. Dinner was had, and then the work of enlarging the house went on as before.
At half-past four Dick got out the rowboat and started for the wreck. He had first thought to go alone, but old Jerry wanted to pick out certain tools needed for the house-building, as well as hunt for a keg of nails, and the two decided to go together, going and coming as quickly as possible.
“You won’t be afraid to be alone, will you?” asked Dick, of the girls.
“Not if you hurry,” answered Nellie. “But don’t stay away after dark.”
Left to themselves, the three girls swept up the chips the builders had left and started up the camp-fire. Then they tidied up the house generally, and soon set about preparing the supper.
Dora was at the spring getting a pail of water when a sound on the rocks nearby caused her to look around in wonder. To her amazement Dan Baxter stood there, staring at her in open-mouthed astonishment.
“Dan Baxter!” she gasped. “Where in the world did you come from?”
For a moment the bully did not answer, so great was his amazement. Dora noted that he was dirty and unkempt, and that his clothing was almost in rags.
“Is it you, Dora Stanhope?” came slowly from the fellow’s lips. “Is it really you?”
“Yes,” she answered.
“How did you get here? Are you alone?” went on Baxter, coming closer. And then before she could answer, he added: “Got anything to eat?”
At the last question she looked at him more closely, and saw that he appeared half starved. She pitied him despite his character.
“Yes, we have plenty to eat,” she said.
“Then give me something at once,” he cried. “Give me something at once!”
“Come with me.”
There was now a crashing in the bushes back of Dan Baxter, and in a second more Jack Lesher appeared on the scene. He too was haggard and dirty, and his eyes were much blood-shot, the result of living almost entirely on liquor for several days after being wrecked on the islands.
“Well, is it possible!” cried the mate of the Golden Wave.
“They’ve got lots to eat,” muttered Dan Baxter. “I’m going to have something to fill me up before I start to talk.”
“How many more of you are here?” asked Dora, in something of dismay.
“We came along alone,” said Baxter. “Show us that grub.”
Dora led the way to the camp-fire, where Nellie and Grace were also surprised at the unexpected visitors. Some food was brought forth, and both Baxter and Lesher ate like two famished wolves.
“Got any liquor?” questioned the mate, casting his eyes toward the house.
“We have a little,” answered Nellie, for Captain Blossom had brought over several bottles from the wreck.
“Bring it out.”
When the liquor was brought Jack Lesher took a long draught and then handed the bottle to Dan Baxter.
“That’s the stuff!” cried the mate, with a sly wink at Dora. “Better than eatin,’ twice over,” and he took another drink.
The manner of the two newcomers was not at all pleasing to the girls, and they were sorry that none of the men folks were at hand. They asked the pair to tell their story, and Baxter spoke up, while Lesher applied himself to the bottle.
“We floated around the ocean for several days,” said the bully. “One sailor went crazy from the sunshine and leaped overboard, and was drowned. Then a heavy wind came up and drove the boat, in the night, onto an island close to this one. We were cast ashore with hardly any provisions, and two of the sailors were sick. We had to live on fish, birds, and fruit, and we’ve had a hard lot of it, I can tell you that. Yesterday Lesher and I resolved to explore this island, thinking that perhaps some of the wreckage from the schooner had washed ashore here. We came over in the afternoon and tramped along the north shore until it grew dark, but without finding anything. We slept at the shore last night, and this morning started to go over the hill back there. But the snakes chased us off, and then we came around over some rough rocks, where both of us got our clothing torn. We thought we saw a flag up there somewhere, but we weren’t sure.”
“Yes, we have a signal of distress up there,” answered Dora. She hardly knew how best to reply.
“Who is here?”
“Captain Blossom, old Jerry Tolman, and the three Rover boys. Old Jerry and Dick have just gone over to the wreck en an errand. The others have gone on an exploring tour among the islands, which are seven in number.”
“Got the wreck, have yer!” came in almost a grunt from Jack Lesher. “Sure enough!” He staggered down to the beach. “Don’t see why you stay here when you might be aboard of her.”
“It is cooler here,” answered Nellie.
“How many sailors were saved?” asked Grace.
“Nine were saved, besides Lesher and myself,” answered Dan Baxter. “You see, we picked up some of the men from one of the other boats.”
“Then your party numbers eleven in all,” said Dora.
“Yes,” came from Jack Lesher. “An’ I am the cap’n of the lot,” and he bobbed his head in satisfaction. He had partaken of just enough liquor to make him foolish.
“I wish Dick and old Jerry would come back,” whispered Grace to Dora. “I do not like Mr. Lesher at all.”
“I never liked him,” replied Dora. “When he gets intoxicated he is a bad fellow to deal with.”
“Reckon we’ll make ourselves comfortable here,” said Lesher, staggering to a hammock Dick had put up for the girls to rest in. He pitched into the hammock, carrying a bottle of liquor with him. Another drink was taken, and soon he was fast asleep, snoring loudly.
CHAPTER XIX
HOT WORDS AND BLOWS
“What a shame!” said Nellie, pointing to the slumbering mate.
“That shows what liquor will do,” came from Dora.
“Oh, you mustn’t blame him too much,” returned Dan Baxter, who also liked the taste of the liquor. “Remember that we have been living a dog’s life since we came on shore, while you have been living on the best the ship affords.”
“I wouldn’t touch liquor if I was starving!” cried Grace.
“And neither would the Rover boys,” added Dora.
“Oh, you think the Rover boys are regular saints!” grumbled the bully. “You don’t know what they would do behind your back.”
“If they said they wouldn’t drink they wouldn’t,” cried Nellie, her eyes flashing. “We can trust them every time.”
“I suppose the Rover boys run this place to suit themselves,” went on Baxter, eying the house and the general appearance of the camp sharply.
“We all run it together,” came from Grace.
“Isn’t Captain Blossom, in command?”
“After a fashion, yes. We haven’t tried to decide that point yet. Have you a leader in your camp?”
“Not much of a one. Lesher is leader when he is sober. Of course we’ll all come over here, now we’ve found you and the wreck,” went on Dan Baxter.
“But why should you come here?” asked Dora, not at all pleased by the prospect. “We can let you have your share of what’s on board of the schooner.”
“Don’t want me here, eh?”
“I don’t care for all of those rough sailors.”
“Well, they are Captain Blossom’s men, you mustn’t forget that.”
“I suppose that is true,” and Dora sighed. With the coming of the sailors she was certain the camp would not be as pleasant as formerly.
“I don’t think you ought to be down on me, Dora,” continued Dan Baxter, after a pause. “I always liked you, and you know it.”
“Thank you for nothing,” she replied coldly.
“I’m just as good a fellow as Dick Rover,” went on the bully, and laid his hand on th
e girl’s shoulder.
“Don’t touch me, Dan Baxter!” she cried.
“I won’t hurt you. Come, let us be friends. Surely you don’t want any enemies here, where there are only a handful of us, all told.”
“I want you to leave me alone.”
She tried to move away from him, but he caught her by the arm and tried to hold her hands. Grace and Nellie were out of sight, the one having gone into the house for some dishes, and the other to the spring for some water.
“Say that you’ll be friends, and I’ll let you go,” he said, drawing her closer.
“I won’t be friends with you, Dan Baxter, so there!” she cried. “Now let me go!” And she tried to push him away.
“You—you little cat!” he cried, and then, as she let out a loud cry, he let go of her. “What a little fool you are!” And he walked away to the trees, and threw himself down to rest.
Red in the face and ready to cry, Dora ran into the house. Grace looked at her in wonder.
“What is the trouble, Dora?”
“Nothing.”
“Did Dan Baxter try to—to—”
“He wants to be—be friends!” sobbed Dora. “He held my hand so I couldn’t get away. Oh, how I despise him!”
“Just wait till Dick comes back; he’ll make Baxter mind his own business.”
“Oh, don’t tell him, Grace.”
“But I shall, Dora. Baxter has got to keep his distance. I hate him myself, and so does Nellie.”
“I wish he and Mr. Lesher had kept their distance.”
“Do you think they will really come here—I mean all of the sailors?”
“More than likely.”
The girls continued their work, and for the time being Dan Baxter kept his distance. Jack Lesher continued to snore away in the hammock, nor did he rouse up when Dick and old Jerry returned.
“Dan Baxter!” cried Dick, as he leaped from the rowboat. “Where did you come from?” And then the story of the newcomers had to be told over again.
Dick eyed Jack Lesher with open disgust. “A man who will act like that has no welcome in our camp,” he said to Baxter.
The Rover Boys Megapack Page 100