Presently the Indian uncovered his eyes. And I saw that they had a
curious piercing gleam in them--like the eyes of an eagle, but kinder
and more gentle. He slowly raised his right arm, the rest of him still
and motionless like a statue, and took the Doctor's hand in his. It was
a great moment. Polynesia nodded to me in a knowing, satisfied kind of
way. And I heard old Bumpo sniffle sentimentally. Then the Doctor tried
to speak to Long Arrow. But the Indian knew no English of course, and
the Doctor knew no Indian. Presently, to my surprise, I heard the Doctor
trying him in different animal languages.

"How do you do?" he said in dog-talk; "I am glad to see you," in
horse-signs; "How long have you been buried?" in deer-language.
Still the Indian made no move but stood there, straight and stiff,
understanding not a word.

The Doctor tried again, in several other animal dialects. But with no
result.

Till at last he came to the language of eagles.

"Great Red-Skin," he said in the fierce screams and short grunts that
the big birds use, "never have I been so glad in all my life as I am
to-day to find you still alive."

In a flash Long Arrow's stony face lit up with a smile of understanding;
and back came the answer in eagle-tongue,

"Mighty White Man, I owe my life to you. For the remainder of my days I
am your servant to command."

Afterwards Long Arrow told us that this was the only bird or animal
language that he had ever been able to learn. But that he had not spoken
it in a long time, for no eagles ever came to this island.

Then the Doctor signaled to Bumpo who came forward with the nuts and
water. But Long Arrow neither ate nor drank. Taking the supplies with a
nod of thanks, he turned and carried them into the inner dimness of the
cave. We followed him.

Inside we found nine other Indians, men, women and boys, lying on the
rock floor in a dreadful state of thinness and exhaustion.

Some had their eyes closed, as if dead. Quickly the Doctor went round
them all and listened to their hearts. They were all alive; but one
woman was too weak even to stand upon her feet.

At a word from the Doctor, Chee-Chee and Polynesia sped off into the
jungles after more fruit and water.

While Long Arrow was handing round what food we had to his starving
friends, we suddenly heard a sound outside the cave. Turning about we
saw, clustered at the entrance, the band of Indians who had met us so
inhospitably at the beach.