As they advanced the trees were smaller, and there was every evidence that this was a young forest. There was an abundance of the finest gra.s.s, and here they found immense flocks of beautiful pheasants and numerous other birds that were unknown to the boys, and it was not long until they had more than a dozen of different varieties.

"This is getting to be a pretty heavy load," remarked Harry. "I think it would be a good plan to find a place for the game, and then come back and take it as we return."

"Yes; we ought to do that. What time do you suppose it is?"

"It must be past noon, and I am pretty hungry. Why not take our luncheon now?"

"Good idea. Look over to the right. It seems pretty clear there, and the two large trees there will make a good point to aim for on our way back.

We can use the log there to rest and spread out our luncheon on,"

remarked George, as he pointed to the direction of the trees.

He kept looking in that direction intently, as Harry watched him. "What do you see?" Harry asked.

"That looks like a hut."

"So it does," replied Harry, excitedly. "It may be only a large rock, however," he continued.

"No; it doesn't look like a rock to me. Let us move up closer."

The object was fully a thousand feet away, and on a slight crest with few trees about. It was round-topped, very uneven in its outline, which gave it the appearance of a large boulder.

The boys approached cautiously, and as they came nearer, another but smaller object of the same character was noticed to the left.

"That is surely a hut of some kind. See the door at the side of the one to the left?"

"You may be right, Harry, but this seems to be an out-of-the-way place for a village or habitation. You know the Professor stated on one occasion, that even savages were smart enough to plan their homes near running water, and why they should select this place, when they could easily find plenty of water not far away, is something I can't understand."

"Dead sure there is n.o.body here now. Look at the vines growing across the door opening. Isn't this a find? I wish the Professor could see this."

"Better wait wishing until we see it. We might find something that will surprise us."

"All right, George; let us get up, closer; I am anxious to see the door of the big hut. Let us go around to the other side."

Without approaching the clearing which extended out a considerable distance from the huts, the boys made a circle, until the open door of the large one was in sight, and they were, therefore, directly behind the smaller hut.

"Now let us go up behind this one. If there is anybody in the large one we can easily see him," quietly remarked Harry.

The weeds all about indicated that no one was living there at the time, but they were still too far from the main structure to be able to judge positively.

"What's this?" asked George, kicking at some broad-leaved specimens of vegetables. "See, they are in rows. Some one has had a garden here; that is sure."

"This is certainly getting to be interesting. No; I don't believe there is any one about. Still I don't like the idea of going up to that big hut with the open door."

The boys looked at each other inquiringly. The question was, what to do and how to do it.

"Suppose we fire a shot; that ought to arouse them."

"That would be a good idea, Harry, but I hate to waste the shot. We might call, and see if we can get an answer."

The plan was adopted and after each "h.e.l.lo!" a slight answering echo came back. There was no response, and they boldly marched up to the open doorway.

There was no light within, other than that through the door, except a little streak from an opening, due to the partially decayed coating of the hut. There was sufficient light, however, to show that this had been occupied by people who were very primitive, as in the interior, at one side, was a pile of bones, scattered about, and a few broken clay vessels, as well as several clam sh.e.l.ls, which had been ground to a cutting edge, the examination of which caused the boys to smile.

"Well, what do you think of this? Nothing but bones and dirt everywhere.

I suppose it must have been occupied by the savages."

The large hut was circular in form, not exceeding twelve or fifteen feet in diameter, and its extreme height was probably eight feet. It was built of a framework of saplings, the thickest of them not exceeding two inches in diameter, which had been planted in the earth, and then had the tops bent over and bound together.

Smaller branches, or withes, were then run around and interlaced, so as to make the web fairly close, and over this was plastered a species of blue clay, which, when dried and baked by the sun, formed an impervious coating that kept out the rain.

The boys marveled at the construction, because this was the first example of savage architecture they had seen. The smaller hut was distant about fifty feet, similarly made, but smaller in diameter.

"Let us examine the other place. Possibly that will give us some clue,"

and Harry started across the intervening s.p.a.ce, while George was still rummaging about, uncovering the odds and ends and raking them toward the door.

Before Harry reached the hut, George cried out: "Come here, Harry; I have found something." And he held up a sc.r.a.p of paper. "If the savages have been here they have left something that looks like writing."

Harry was back in an instant, and leaned over George's shoulder as he tried to make out the scrawls on the piece of blackened and crumpled sheet which he was smoothing out. The paper was about four by six inches in size, and evidently a good quality of wrapping paper, known as manilla.

"There are words here, sure enough. Look at this--it must be a name.

Yes; can you read it? 'Rogers.' But who has signed it? Can you make that out?"

"Well, if there is one sc.r.a.p, the chances are there must be some more.

Let us get this stuff out of here."

"But be careful, Harry. I found this by the merest accident, and as it is, you will see I have torn it."

A more careful search was now begun, and every sc.r.a.p was raked out and examined. A bra.s.s b.u.t.ton was among the things; a buckle; the broken blade of a knife; a little metal disk, which might have been part of a locket case; a steel ring, all rusted and about two inches in diameter.

As these things were successively brought to light, it dawned on the boys that this might well have been the homes of savages, and the articles mentioned were likely taken from captives. The message on the paper, if it could be deciphered, might be the most valuable clue, but they were reserving that for examination later on, when they could have the a.s.sistance of the Professor.

The important thing now was to go over every bit of material in both places, and then make a survey of the surrounding country. It set at doubt all questions in their minds about the inhabitants of the country.

The small hut was visited, and here the litter was still more profuse, but after every sc.r.a.p had been gone over, there was nothing to add to the small acc.u.mulation which they had taken from the other hut.

"Shall we go any farther?" asked George.

"It seems to me that this is enough for one day. Before going back, however, let us look all around this place. You know the Professor will be sure to want to know everything about it."

Directly west of the knoll, on which the huts were situated, was a slight declivity. "Let us go down the hill for several hundred feet,"

said George, as he led the way through the tangled brush.

Within a hundred feet of the hut was a little brook, with the clearest cold water. "I can see why the huts were placed there. Look at that spring."

Within fifty feet of their position was a slightly shelving rock, and below it a bubbling spring flowing upwardly into a semicircular basin formed in the rock.

George ran forward and made a quick survey. "Here is a metal drinking cup, just as they left it. My, but it's heavy!"