Read Ebook: The Wonder Island Boys: The Mysteries of the Caverns by Finlay Roger Thompson

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 1099 lines and 56244 words, and 22 pages

"Is that sugar cane?"

"Yes; the true sugar cane."

"Is that different from sorghum?"

"This is the species which grows in the southern part of the United States. The kind you know and which is cultivated in the Northern States, is the Chinese Sorgo, or, as we call it, sorghum. It is equal in quality and in quantity to the southern species and is readily treated to produce molasses or sugar."

"What is that peculiar flower, if it is a flower? I never saw a flower like that; it seems to be hard."

"I was surprised to find this. It is called the Tamarisk. This long, oval-shaped part is made by an insect which inhabits the plant, and is eaten by the inhabitants in the plains east of the Mediterranean Sea. It is there called Mount Sinai Manna, and is supposed to be the Manna which the Jews found when they were in the Wilderness after the Exodus."

"I think we have properly named this place Wonder Island."

In the volume preceding this, when they first considered the building of a new boat, it was decided to graft an extension to the after part of their wrecked lifeboat; but when the second one was found, and calculations were made as to its usefulness, it was discovered that such a course would not be wise; hence the larger vessel was found to be the only solution.

The newly discovered boat was, however, a valuable addition, as it afforded a means by which short trips could be made, and Harry quietly set to work making a sail and rigging up a mast, so that the long-cherished desire to make these trips could be undertaken before they were ready to launch the real vessel. It was hauled up on shore and caulked and new parts added to make it adaptable for the purpose.

While engaged at this work he removed the cross seat which still remained, and in doing so was surprised to find a piece of cardboard which had been hidden, apparently, at the end of the board. Eagerly picking it up, he saw writing on it, with the following words: "We cannot hold out much longer. Wright and Walters were captured yesterday. WILL."

Harry could hardly contain himself, as he rushed up to the laboratory, crying out: "George, come here, quickly! I have found something!" Without waiting to see whether George heard, he rushed into the Professor's den with the paper in his outstretched hand. "Look at this; don't you remember Will Sayers? I am sure it is Will."

George heard his excited voice, and appeared without any delay.

"What is it now?"

The Professor was reading the scrap, and silently handed it to George. "Did you know either of the boys mentioned in this?"

Neither had any recollection of Wright or Walters, but they inferred that the writer must be Will Sayers, one of the companions. The Professor had no recollection of the boy, nor could he remember the other names.

"Let us examine every part of the boat," was the Professor's first suggestion. "We may find something more to give some clue."

The boys rushed down to the beach where the boat was moored, the Professor following.

"Show us the exact location of this strip."

"I had just taken off this cross seat, and as I did so this piece fell from the end."

"Let us put it back again and see how it fits into that place."

When it was replaced they noticed that a crack was left at each end of the seat, not exceeding an eighth of an inch.

"It is very plain that the piece you found was at this end, and if it was folded as this crease indicates, it could have been concealed there and thus escaped our observation." After some minutes' examination, he continued: "This piece must have been there for some time."

"Why do you think so?"

"You will notice that the end of the board has the marks of the folded paper, showing it must have been in its place of concealment for some time. Furthermore, the paper itself indicates that it has been there for some time, by the discoloration on its outer side."

"How long do you think it may have been there?"

"It is impossible to say; but certainly for several months."

"That is the problem we shall now have to find out."

Thus, in another direction, was found an evidence that savages were on the island and that others had been wrecked and found a refuge there. How much of a refuge it was to them they had no means of knowing. They were thankful their own lives had been preserved and had been permitted to accomplish so much during their enforced stay.

"We are now vigorous and strong and have been blessed with energy as well as health. It is our first duty to take up the task of finding our comrades, whatever the cost may be. If that is your view, we should proceed with that determination, but let us prepare for it in the best manner possible. How long will it take to finish the six guns you are now at?" said the Professor, looking at Harry.

"I will try to have them ready within another week," was his reply.

"In the meantime, George and I will prepare a new lot of powder; and for your further information, I will state that I have been busy during the past week in making preparations to extract some lead for bullets."

This announcement was hailed with joy. Heretofore they had to depend on the iron slugs which had been turned out, and they were not at all satisfactory, because they lacked the proper weight.

"Which is the lead?" asked George, who was examining the samples.

"It is this bluish-gray sample of galena, which, as you see, looks like lead itself, and is often mistaken for it; but it is far from being lead of the kind we can work."

"Why not?"

"Because it is in what is called a sulphide form. Do you remember what a sulphide is?"

"Yes; it is where it is in combination with something."

"That is a fairly good definition. More or less sulphur is found in all metals, but when found in large quantities the ore is called a sulphide."

"How can we get rid of the sulphur?"

"We can cook it and drive it off like steam. Lead melts at a low temperature, comparatively, about 600 degrees Fahrenheit, so that with our furnaces it will be a very easy matter to get a pure lead."

During the rest of the day all were in the laboratory, superintending the preparation for the work, and at the Professor's suggestion the boys took the team in the morning and brought in over a hundred pounds of galena to be treated.

Before noon they had forty pounds of a very fine quality lead, and the work of making molds for the bullets was begun. The Professor, however, suggested that the boys should devote their time to the construction of the boat and guns, and it was difficult to decide what was the proper thing to do first.

The Professor saw the dilemma and had a very earnest conference on the subject.

"You must not, by any means, be carried away with undue eagerness and a desire for haste. The first essential of good business is to do everything in order. It is better to plan carefully every step in advance, so that you will know just when your energies will be required for the next step. An eminent engineer, on one occasion, in answer to a question as to why he was always prepared for an emergency, laid down this rule: Whenever you have a problem to solve, work it out in more ways than one. If one fails, you can apply the other immediately. This can be done without a moment's delay. Therein lies the answer--preparedness."

The boys readily saw the force of the lesson. From that time on it was not necessary to direct the order of events. Each saw to it that the part allotted to him was carried out in a determined spirit.

THE TERRIBLE MONSOONS

Of the two most urgent articles, namely, weapons or the boat, it was decided that the guns should be completed first. The feeling that the time would come when a visit from the savages might be expected at their home, contributed to this decision.

Six barrels, each eighteen inches long, and with a bore three-eighths of an inch in diameter, had been turned out, and several of the stocks had been made at odd times during the evenings. As Harry had sufficient steel left for four barrels more, two days were devoted to boring them out, in the hope that they would ultimately be able to finish them up. They would then have a battery of ten guns, and the necessity of having a number arose from the fact that they were muzzle-loaders, and could not be reloaded rapidly.

A sketch of the gun with the firing mechanism is furnished, in which it will be seen that the firing plug travels in a bore formed through the stock; in a line with the barrel. This plug had an upwardly extending finger, so it could be drawn back against the resistance of the spring. Below the plug was a trigger, with a hook-shaped forward end, in such a position that when the plug was drawn back the hook would catch and hold the plug until the lower right-angled projection of the trigger was pulled back. This would release the plug, and the spring would then be driven forward and explode the cap.

"It would be well," said the Professor, "to polish the inside of the bored barrels, and thus make a much better weapon."

"How can we do this?" asked Harry.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet