let go of Rob, to fall head
over heels upon the ground.

The other blacks had by this time regained their feet, and now they
crowded around their chief and set him upright again.

Rob continued to float in the air, just above their heads, and now
abandoned all thoughts of escaping by means of his wrecked traveling
machine. But he resolved to regain a foothold upon the earth and take
his chances of escape by running rather than flying. So he turned the
indicator to the word "down," and very slowly it obeyed, allowing him,
to his great relief, to sink gently to the ground.

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 sp