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"I wonder what the Professor has shot? Did you hear him?" They listened intently. The shot appeared to come from a point considerably to the left of the place where the pole had been cut, but they paid little attention to that. After they had gone halfway another shot was heard, this time at a point which indicated that the Professor must be some distance away.
As anticipated, the Professor was not in the location of the pole.
"I don't think the Professor expected us back so soon," was Harry's suggestion. "Let us rig up the pole and hitch the team, and by that time he may be back."
In less than a half hour this was done, ready for a start; still no signs of the Professor.
"I think we had better fire a shot to let him know we are here."
"Singular we didn't think of that before; here goes." Waiting fully a quarter of an hour after the shot, they were surprised at not hearing any response from him. "I wonder," continued Harry, "if he has met with some accident?"
"We heard it in this direction, didn't we? Don't let us waste any more time. Get the guns and ammunition. Hurry up; and let us take a spear; it may be useful."
Each boy took a spear, as a matter of precaution, and set out. At intervals the boys shouted, and after wandering about for fully a half hour, determined to try another shot. This was answered by a shot apparently from the direction of the team, and the boys turned about and hurriedly made their way back.
It happened that the boys had actually lost their way, and in the excitement all sense of direction. The Professor had made a complete circle and the boys in their wanderings had executed a complete loop within that circle, and were actually going back to the river instead of to the team.
"I can't understand this business," said George, in a despairing tone. "We have traveled far enough to get back to the team twice over. Let's try another shot." It was answered by a shout from the Professor, close by, to their left, and when they appeared in sight he was seated on the log leisurely driving the yaks, laughing in a quiet way, and apparently not noticing the discomfiture of the boys.
"We thought you were lost," said George; "didn't you hear us firing?"
"How does it happen you are going in this direction?" was the Professor's quizzical remark, which he uttered with a faint suspicion of a smile. As the boys did not reply, he continued: "Did you expect to find the team at the river?"
Fig. 35. CHART SHOWING HOW THE BOYS WERE LOST
Of course, they all had a good laugh at this, because the direction they were taking, and the position in which the Professor found them, were sufficient to indicate that they were really lost, and that he knew it.
"I felt satisfied," was his final remark, "that you had not a well-defined idea of your direction when you fired the last time, but you will learn in time how to keep your direction, and what is more, you will never again permit an excited condition of the mind to make you take a crooked path."
The boys looked wonderingly at the Professor.
"How," asked Harry, "does an excited mind make anyone take a crooked path?"
"When the mind is excited, it is, for the time, deranged, like soldiers, frequently on the field of battle, who are wounded, without having the least knowledge of it. The sense of direction is a well-developed trait in some people; in others, it does not exist at all. But in the case of either, the moment the mind is excited, it becomes abnormal; some lose the ability to judge distances, some are unable to talk, and others can't do anything but talk. All judgment for the time disappears. Now, take that person in a forest, and highly excite him, and he has absolutely no judgment of distance or direction, and is not in a good position to mark and follow a course with intelligence. I have spoken thus fully on the subject, in order to warn you, that under no circumstances should you ever set out on such a mission as you have with the least cloud of excitement. It is far better not to go at all."
It was a warning the boys never forgot.
Chapter XIV
The Raising Of The Flag And Angel's Part In It
On the return home that evening they were surprised to find Red Angel absent. Frequently he would go with them on their trips, but he was purposely left at home on this occasion. He had ample opportunity to roam at will during their absence, and had never strayed away.
"It is very singular he cannot be found. I searched the house, the shop, and the cattle range, and he is nowhere in sight."
It was a grief to all to miss him, as all had learned to appreciate his mischievous tricks, and George had taken a delight in "educating" him. Probably now, that he had grown to a more mature age, the spirit of the wild life possessed him, and he had taken French leave at the first opportunity.
George missed him more than Harry, because as cooking was one of George's accomplishments, and as honey was the weak spot in Red Angel, the kitchen was an attraction, and the reward for service in the kitchen was this delicious sweet.
Their stock of this was running low. George was not as liberal with honey of late, and after ruminating on the subject of the disappearance, he concluded that Red Angel had cause for "running away."
The next morning while at breakfast, who should appear at the door but Red Angel, his long fingers and palms holding a quantity of nuts. He evidently saw that the welcome was most enthusiastic on the part of all. With the utmost gravity he shambled across the floor and deposited the nuts on the table and took his usual place in the most matter-of-fact way, and commenced on the nuts as though it was part of a solemn duty.
George's hand reached out for the honey; Angel saw it, a quizzical look came on his face -- a real orang smile -- and he forgot about the nuts.
In a spirit of fun George helped himself without offering any. This was too much for the animal, and with a shrewd, calculating look he pushed the nuts over to George.
Did he get any honey after this? George could not resist this appeal; and after Angel got it, and George helped himself to nuts, the Simian approval was very marked. Do you think he reasoned?
Preparations must now be made for "pole-raising day." In the absence of a sufficient amount of rope the last bearskin was cut up into strips, as it was necessary to have nearly a hundred feet, and the bearskin was a much-needed addition to the small quantity of ramie cord which they had on hand.
The Professor took a keen interest in the proceedings. "We must get a half dozen forked poles of good wood; they should be of different lengths, to support the pole as it goes up. Then, Harry, as we have a pretty tough job before us, I suggest that you make two capstans, something like those you saw on shipboard, around which the two raising ropes can he wound, each to have a crank, and a means for holding the crank at any position."
The preparations occupied the greater part of the day. Several boards, five feet long, were required, and at least a dozen stakes to hold the capstans in position.
Early the following morning the yaks were brought out, yoked up, and the pole and truck hitched on. A luncheon was provided, the flag and all paraphernalia assembled and loaded, and Red Angel invited to attend the ceremonies.
Fig. 36. Pole raising.
Reaching Observation Hill, a spot for the pole was selected, and a hole three feet in diameter and five feet deep was laboriously dug out. It was, indeed, a trying task, with the tools they had, but it was a labor of love. It was more than that to them. They were now making preparations to notify the world that they still lived.
The top of the pole had been provided with a pulley, which was mounted between the crotch, and a guard put over the pulley, so it would prevent the halliards from coming off. When it had been placed in position, with the foot across the hole, the two boards were stood down in the pit so the end of the pole was against them. The halliards were then strung over the pulley and looped down, and the three ropes were attached to the pole, twenty feet from the lower end. Together they raised it up, so that it was about five feet from the ground at the point where the ropes were tied. Two of the ropes were then carried out past the hole, and branched out, and attached to the capstans, while the other was allowed to hang. As the capstans turned, the pole was gradually drawn up, and the Professor stood ready with the forked standards to prevent the flagstaff from falling back. In less than an hour it was erect, and the work of tamping in the dirt and stone around the base was in order, and soon completed.
And now for the flag!
"Tell us, Professor, why the attaching of the flag on the cord, or halliards, is called bending it?"
"The term comes from heraldry, and it originally designated two diagonal lines across the field of an escutcheon. Later on, sailors bent the ends of the flags or ensigns on the halliards, or around the yards, and also called the fastening of a cable to the anchor a bend; a knot is also designated by them as a bend; the form of the ship from the keel to the top of the side is called a bend, as, the midship bend."
A strong rope had been seamed in the end of the flag, and eyelets worked at intervals, so that the task of attaching it to the halliards was soon performed.
"The raising of the national emblem for the first time in any new country has always been regarded as an event of the greatest importance, as it represents sovereignty and responsibility. On this occasion," said the Professor, as he removed his hat, "let us honor the flag with appropriate ceremonies."
At that moment Red Angel concluded he would also take part, and in an instant was at the pole and scrambled upwardly. When the top was reached he caught sight of the wheel. It moved. Every time he grasped the rope the wheel would turn.
This seriously interrupted the program. The Professor could not help laughing. A moment before he was particularly grave, and the boys had no feelings of mirth; but now this new element in the proceedings added gaiety to the occasion.
"Come down, you rascal! Come down! Do you hear me?" cried George. Red Angel didn't hear. He hung there and smiled; yes, smiled, as he looked down, while playing with the wheel. "We can't put up the flag while he is there." George walked over to the wagon, and took out the honey pot. Red Angel saw it, but made no motion to come down. The honey pot was held up as an inducement, but there was nothing in the world so fascinating just then as that wheel.
Harry and the Professor laughed at the situation. Just to think of it! An orang-outan actually preventing a foreign power from hoisting the emblem of possession over his native land! It was too ludicrous for words.
George actually became almost hysterical as he threw himself back on the seat of the wagon and held up the honey pot, while laughing. "What do you think that little scamp has been doing? He has eaten every bit of the honey." That only added another fit of laughter, and when it subsided, and George could recover his voice, he added, "and wasn't this a smart thing to do?" as he held up the vessel.
"What?" asked Harry, momentarily straightening out his face.