The Wonder Island Boys: Conquest of the Savages Part 16

"Then put down my order for a half dozen plows, to be delivered as quickly as possible."

The new town was located within the territorial limits of the Osagas'

country, and it was now necessary to make immediate provision for some sort of laws or regulations with respect to the land. The savage theory was that the chief owned all the land, and this was a condition that well might breed trouble.

Osaga was the chief. He was the first to receive the full understanding of the new doctrine. It was proposed that he should receive as full compensation a certain stipulated sum, and in return make a transfer of all his rights to the State.

"But what is the State," he asked, "and who will he be?"

"The State will mean all of you."

"Then I will own a part of it just the same as everybody else?"

"Yes; let me explain that still further. When your people begin to raise coffee and cocoa, and all the other things which the people in the world will come here for and buy of you, the lands all about you will become very valuable, and many will come here to buy them. The money will go to the State, which means you and everyone else here."

"Will it be done the same with the Berees, and the Kurabus and the Saboros?"

"Yes; each will be a State of its own, and will be governed in the same way, and a Saboro will come here and buy some land, and you will protect him, and when one of the Osagas goes to the Berees he can buy land there, and they must protect him and his wife and children."

"Yes; I see what you mean. I am content. I will do this whether the others do or not."

"But I a.s.sure you," continued the Professor, "that the others will be compelled to do as you do."

"How can we compel them?"

"No one will want to buy their land, and they will not become valuable for that reason, like yours, because the people who come here will buy only where they know there is a law and where they know they will be protected."

Uraso grasped the wonderful import of this statement, and became its most enthusiastic advocate. He had many talks with Marmo and Muro, and he presented the matter in such a way that most suitably appealed to the savage mind.

The all-absorbing topic now was the proposed expedition to the Illyas.

Marmo, the Tuolo chief, had sent a message to their chief, in which he set forth the advantages which would accrue to them to quietly submit, and also stated that he did so willingly, in the belief such a course would be of the greatest and most lasting benefit.

Marmo had received no response, and the outlook boded no good.

Preparations were begun, and Marmo insisted that his warriors should form part of the force, and that he himself would accompany the expedition. As the boys, by the aid of their helpers, had been at work on the guns from the time the factory was set up, they had a hundred and twenty guns completed. This was ample for any requirement.

Two new wagons were also made, and several smaller ones, designed for single steers, the latter being used by the Professor and the chiefs in going to and fro.

CHAPTER X

THE PECULIAR SAVAGE BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS

The chief Marmo had now an opportunity to learn another lesson he was not prepared for. Many of the warriors objected to going on the expedition. The work at the factory and in the various occupations so fascinated them that they begged to be excused.

At the request of the Professor many were excused from going, care having been taken to consult the boys who had charge of the various parts of the business as to the ones which could best be spared.

Marmo mused over these things. He saw the great cordiality that existed between his warriors and the other tribes. He was also gratified to see some of his men making things which were novel to him, as they were fascinating to the men.

The Krishnos were all about and were the personal charges of the Professor. He had them, daily in the laboratory, and all seemed to be pleased and happy. Marmo wanted to know whether they desired to go home, but all declined. There seemed to be a fascination about the place he could not understand.

One evening the Professor saw a Tuolo worker stealthily coming up the pathway leading to the laboratory, and after looking about with a curious air, pushed open the door, and in the most subservient manner begged permission to speak.

The Professor took him by the hand and led him to a chair. "What is it you want, my man? Can I do anything for you!"

The hearty manner and smiling face of the Professor emboldened him to speak.

"I have a wife and three children in the Tuolo village, and I want permission to bring them here."

"Don't you want to go back there?"

"If I do then I will have no more work. I like the work. I can make many things now, and I want my family here."

This was an appeal which could not be neglected, and he responded in this manner: "You do not need to ask me to bring your family here. You have a right to do so."

"But my chief will not let me do so."

"Did you ask him?"

"No."

"Then I will send for him."

"When Marmo appeared the Professor told him the desire of the man, and when he had concluded the chief was puzzled for a moment, and, turning to the warrior, said:

"I cannot understand why my warriors do not care about going to war.

They like the machinery, and the way the little things are made, and to learn how to make them. The White Chief says you have a right to bring your family here. That is well; but you must not forget your people, and when you learn these wonderful things you must come and teach the people at the village how to do them."

He was extremely gratified at this permission. A half hour afterwards the Professor called Tom and told him of the incident, and suggested that he should be provided with a quant.i.ty of food for the journey. But he had already gone. That was certainly sufficient to show the intense eagerness to bring back his people.

George and Ralph were the ones who were always on the alert for new things, and Jim made a good companion for them in this respect. The latter was the first one to actively canva.s.s the subject of a name.

There had been too much to do even to think of this before, and if it occurred to the Professor he had never mentioned it. Jim went over to see the Professor as soon as the idea occurred to him.

The Professor smiled when he saw Jim's eagerness.

"Yes, the idea is a good one, but that is something which you boys will have to decide. It has not occurred to John and Blakely, I know."

"I thought it would be a good thing to call it Industria, or something of that kind," responded Jim.

"I like that name, but you settle it among yourselves." Jim was back very quickly, and rus.h.i.+ng in to the boys, cried out:

"The Professor said it was up to us to get a name for it."

"Name for what?" asked Harry.

"For the town, of course."