The Ocean Wireless Boys on the Pacific

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.

CHAPTER XXXII. – A STORM IN THE JUNGLE

Two days later, before they turned away from the river, they heard some news of the Kini-Balus from a party of natives bound down-stream in dug-outs. Salloo learned from them that the tribe was at war, at least so it was supposed by the canoeists from the fact that they had heard that the chief of the Kini-Balus had been making levies of cattle and corn among his subjects.

“That sounds bad,” said Mr. Jukes, when this news had been interpreted to the party.

“No, him good,” asserted Salloo positively.

“How do you make that out?” asked Jack.

“If Kini-Balus makee war, they leave only women and old men at home. They no fight us,” argued the Malay, and they had to admit that there was a good deal of truth in what he said.

“We’re all going to get killed anyhow,” whimpered Donald, who had been taken along by the party, much against their will, in consideration of the services he had rendered in showing them the hiding place of the map.

“Him heap big coward,” muttered Salloo. “Boy’s body, girl’s heart.”

It was on the afternoon of the second day that the storm that Salloo had predicted overtook them. They were passing through a dense forest of magnificent trees when the eternal twilight that reigned under the great branches deepened till it was almost totally dark. Astonished at this phenomenon, for it was long before the proper hour for night to descend, they questioned Salloo.

“Big storm come,” he said, “me thinkee we better get out of here. Lightning hit a tlee maybe he killee us.”

The birds of the jungle screamed discordantly, as if warning each other of what was coming. Troops of monkeys swung through the trees as if seeking refuge, and the almost deafening chorus of insects and lizards gave way to total silence. It seemed as if nature was holding her breath preparatory to some great crisis.

“We had better look for some safe place to stay before it breaks,” counseled Captain Sparhawk. “A hurricane in the jungle is a serious matter. Trees are rooted up and struck by lightning and in the forest it is very dangerous for anyone to be caught by such a storm.”

“Me findee place,” said Salloo, and struck off down a dim trail leading toward the river. “Follow me, evelybody, and hully up.”

They needed no urging. The gloom and quiet of the forest was overawing. It had begun to get on their nerves. Under Salloo’s guidance they soon found themselves at a great mass of rocks on a high bank overlooking the river. The great masses of stone were piled in such a way that the crevices among them formed regular caves.

“We getee in here,” said Salloo, indicating the largest of them. “I send my men in annuder one.”

“I’m not going in there,” declared Donald, “there might be snakes or wild beasts inside.”

“You’d better come in or be blown away,” said Captain Sparhawk.

He had hardly spoken, before the storm broke in all its fury. Donald, with a cry of alarm, followed the others into shelter.

“Gracious, this beats anything I ever saw, even that storm off the Pamatous,” shouted Jack, above the shrieking of the wind.

“Him blow more big bimeby,” said Salloo, “him big storm this. You see.”

The trees swayed violently, and before long, from their shelter, they saw a big one torn up by the roots and hurtled from the bank into the river. The wind grew more violent. The dark air was filled with flying branches, leaves and sticks. Birds, large and small, were swept by, powerless to contend with the furious gale. Donald was crouched back in a far corner of their shelter, too frightened to do anything more than mumble and whimper.

The river began to rise and add its mighty voice to the other sounds, although no rain had yet fallen where they were. The darkness increased, but suddenly everything was lit up in a livid glare that made them all blink.