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6. The Buccaneers

Once more the blacks formed a circle around our adventurer, who coolly

drew his tube and said to the chief:

Tell your people I'm going to walk away through those trees, and if any

one dares to interfere with me I'll paralyze him."

The chief understood enough English to catch his meaning, and repeated

the message to his men. Having seen the terrible effect of the electric

tube they wisely fell back and allowed the boy to pass.

He marched through their lines with a fine air of dignity, although he

was fearful lest some of the blacks should stick a spear into him or bump

his head with a war-club. But they were awed by the wonders they had

seen and were still inclined to believe him a god, so he was not molested.

When he found himself outside the village he made for the high plateau

in the center of the island, where he could be safe from the cannibals

while he collected his thoughts. But when he reached the place he found

the sides so steep he could not climb them, so he adjusted the indicator

to the word "up" and found it had still had enough power to support his

body while he clambered up the rocks to the level, grass-covered space at

the top.

Then, reclining upon his back, he gave himself up to thoughts of how he

might escape from his unpleasant predicament.

Here I am, on a cannibal island, hundreds of miles from civilization,

with no way to get back," he reflected. "The family will look for me every

day, and finally decide I've broken my neck. The Demon will call upon

me when the week is up and won't find me at home; so I'll miss the next

three gifts. I don't mind that so much, for they might bring me into

worst scrapes than this. But how am I to get away from this beastly

island? I'll be eaten, after all, if I don't look out!"

These and similar thoughts occupied him for some time, yet in spite of

much planning and thinking he could find no practical means of escape.

At the end of an hour he looked over the edge of the plateau and found it

surrounded by a ring of the black cannibals, who had calmly seated

themselves to watch his movements.

The Master Key