and when John and
the party with him came up to the beach, the savages had reached the
crest of the hill, and ranged up in line, but halted to witness the
spectacle before them.

The wounded chief was taken to the vessel, and the Professor immediately
gave him the best care, but he remarked: "This man is desperately
wounded, and will require the best of attention to enable him to pull
through."

All the men were finally placed on board, and their experiences related.
An immediate consultation was held. John and the boys insisted on
remaining with a sufficient force to enable them to carry out their
explorations, but the Professor seemed to oppose it.

"I quite agree with you that, from what John has said, there are reasons
aside from the cannibals over there, why we should explore it from one
end to the other."

The boys cast a side glance at John. Did John find something that made
him so insistent to remain? They repressed their curiosity, however, for
the time. To their minds they thought the natives were the incentive,
notwithstanding the terrible fight they had just engaged in, although
they were willing to take the risk.

But it was finally settled. John was to have the force now on board, and
he, with the boys, was to explore, and, if need be, to conquer the
natives on the island. The _Pioneer_ would, in the meantime, sail to
Wonder Island, and return with food and ammunition, and reinforcements.

There was thus left at their disposal fifty-five men, with a fair supply
of ammunition. Uraso and Muro were to be of the party, as events just
related showed that there was serious work to do before they might be
able to return.

That night, while making the final arrangements on the vessel, the boys
sought John, and asked him more particularly concerning his trip.

"We have had no opportunity to speak to you, but the Professor said you
had learned enough about the island to determine you to explore it
fully," said George.

"That is true. I have found what I believe to be the identical spot
described in the charts, and I have found the solution, I think, of
Walter's note and of the skull."

This was, indeed, something of importance to them, but John informed
them that for certain reasons it might be better to defer the
explanation until they had made the final explorations.

The boys knew he must have some pretty good reason for thus explaining
and laying the matter before them, and they forebore further
q