“come on. hurry up,” urged ned, as herc came out of a store where he had purchased a long coil of rope. the rope was to be used to restrain the pernicious activities of blue lightning, for the boys were rather afraid that he might get them into trouble if they did not confine him in some way.
“hurry up where?”
“i’ve got a plan in my head.”
“what is it?”
“there’s no sense in our hanging about this hot town which, so far as i can see, is very much like any other town.”
“i agree with you, ned. what’s your idea?”
“we ought to take a look at that volcano while we are here. they say the crater is wonderful. the hawaiian word for it is ‘sea of fire.’”
[196]
“humph! what guarantee have we that the thing won’t blow up while we’re there?”
“that’s very unlikely to happen. we won’t be taking any more of a chance than the people who go to see mount vesuvius all the time.”
“how do we get up there?”
“we go by rail to a place called glenwood, near the foot of the volcano.”
“and then?”
“i’ve been making inquiries. for a reasonable sum we can get ponies and a guide.”
“all right. let’s start. i’m ready.”
a short trip on a wheezy train landed them in glenwood and then the boys set off for the place where ned had been told that guides could be procured. they soon found it and discovered that the men who made a business of taking parties up the volcano were not so moderate in their prices as ned had been led to believe. however, they managed to strike a bargain with an old kanaka named okeechee and soon after they rode out of the town in high spirits.
[197]
behind herc’s pony trailed blue lightning. he was at first unwilling to accompany the tourists, but a few yanks on the long rope to which herc had him hitched soon persuaded him to follow. the boys shouted greetings to pedestrians as they passed, in great good humor. they felt like two school boys off on a picnic.
the road soon began to climb the mountain side. it hung on the edge of the steep hills behind the town like an eyebrow. all sorts of luxuriant tropical fruits and flowers overhung the dizzy path. below them was spread a magnificent panorama,—the american fleet at anchor in the bay with smoke lazily drifting from the banked fires. the flags made brilliant spots of color as ship signaled to ship along the line, transmitting the orders spelled out in bunting by the flag-ship.
“doesn’t that make you proud you are an american, herc?” asked ned, pointing to the inspiring panorama of sea, sky and grim, drab fighting-ships.
[198]
“it makes me think i’m glad we don’t have to work for forty-eight hours,” rejoined herc, thumping his pony with his heels.
up and up they climbed till they surmounted that ridge. then they dipped into a valley of rare beauty, above which towered the frowning sides of the smoking mountain in majestic splendor. as they descended the trail, they came upon an odd picture. in a patch below the road some native men and women, who had been working in a cocoanut grove, were seated on the ground eating out of gourd dishes a native food called poi.
“hullo, there’s a picnic party!” cried herc, as he saw the group, the women of which were begarlanded with flowers after the pretty custom of the south seas.
ned had not time to reply before a yell and whoop from herc cut him short.
“oh, glory! look at that, will you!”
blue lightning had broken loose from herc’s[199] grip, which had relaxed as he gazed on the arcadian scene. with a grunt and a jump the goat, trailing several yards of rope behind him, dashed straight down on the unconscious diners. maybe the sight of food had excited his appetite, or maybe he was actuated just by pure goatishness. anyhow, like a torpedo-boat bearing down on a squadron, he dashed at the group below.
“hey! wow! look out! jump! scat! vamoose! beat it!” howled herc.
but no attention was paid to him. in another instant pandemonium burst into that peaceful scene. herc had thrown himself off his pony and managed to grab the end of the rope, but the impetus of blue lightning’s rush had jerked him off his feet. he rolled down the embankment, landing with a crash in the midst of the luncheon party at just about the same instant that the manhattan’s mascot made his presence known by butting a dignified old gentleman into a big bowl of the soft sticky poi.
[200]
the islanders yelled in terror at the sudden apparition, herc shouted as he went rolling and crashing among a variety of dishes, and above them ned and the guide shouted advice and directions. recovering from their first surprise, the islanders massed angrily and made a concerted rush for herc. some of them wielded clubs and stones.
“it’s all a mistake. don’t hit me. i’ll make it all right!” cried the dreadnought boy, trying to brush the sticky remnants of poi and custard-apples from his uniform.
the islanders buzzed like a hive of angry bees. they did not understand him. all they knew was that a peaceful meal had been rudely interrupted by a red-headed sailor and a goat with a butt like an eight-inch shell.
“see here——” shouted herc.
a stone struck him on the forehead. another and another began to whiz about him.
he dodged them as best he could and began[201] running for the road. but he had reckoned without blue lightning. the animal had been hit by a rock and had faced straight about. with lowered head it began rushing at the hawaiians. behind it trailed the rope.
“biff! bang! hurray!” yelled herc as he saw the manhattan’s mascot rushing into the fray.
down went one of the men in a heap as the goat collided with him. the rope tangled into many loops, and convolutions caught the ankles of two more and down they went with a yell.
“wow! charge ’em! never say die! good for you!” roared herc enthusiastically.
blue lightning needed no urging. right and left he sped with lowered horns, spreading disaster whenever he encountered a solid body. the women had fled screaming, and only the men were in the danger zone. at last the men all took to their heels, too, and herc, running forward, grabbed the goat’s rope and began hauling the creature up the slope.
[202]
“whee! whoop!” he yelled, as he clambered back to the road. “didn’t that beat any circus you ever saw? wasn’t it fun?”
“i’m afraid it may have serious consequences,” commented ned, who, however, couldn’t keep from laughing. “the guide tells me that he heard one of the men shouting in hawaiian that they would have us arrested.”
“in that case, we’d better stay up by the volcano,” said the irrepressible herc. “under such circumstances i’d rather face it than the old man.”
