In the struggle his hand touched the gun, and as his captor drew him
back, he took the gun with him, and no effort was made to dispossess him
of the weapon. He was carried along, one hand pinioned to his side,
while the other hand carrying the gun was free, but he was unable to use
it.

He could not have been carried more than a hundred feet, before he heard
John's whistle. This startled his captors, for he now saw that there
were two burly specimens, almost wholly naked, and for the moment the
hold on the imprisoned arm was relaxed.

Quick as a flash he drew up the gun and fired. This was the shot heard
by John and Harry. The shot was such a surprise that the savages were
almost paralyzed, and dropped their hold, but it was only for an
instant. Realizing that the noise was made by George's weapon, and not
caused by any of the boy's companions, the nearest savage swung around
viciously, and poor George was knocked unconscious by the blow.

How long he remained in this state he did not know. When consciousness
returned he was lying, on some tufted grass, and a half dozen vicious
looking savages stood around him. Then he remembered the circumstances
of his capture.

He eyed them for a time, and then slowly sat up. One of the party had
George's field glasses slung around him, just as he himself had them on
when captured. One of them was fondling the gun, but it was evident from
the manner in which he held it that he had no knowledge of its uses.

His cartridge belt graced the form of one of the other savages, and it
was evident that they considered the things thus taken more in the
nature of ornaments than as weapons. He slowly felt his pockets and was
surprised that they had removed nothing.

While he was rising to a sitting posture he could feel his revolver, and
wondered why he had not been disarmed. A glimmer of joy shot through
him. His hands were free, and he had no pain, except the sore feeling
that was keen on the side of his head, and which was, no doubt, caused
by the blow.

Not a word was spoken by either. He hoped something would be said and
probably he would be able to recognize the language, as his two years'
experience in Wonder Island gave him a fairly good understanding of the
native tongues.

He pronounced some words, in the Saboro and also in the Illya dialect,
but they stared at each other, and answered in some words that were
utterly unlike anything known on their own island.

Soon, after a