The Wonder Island Boys | Page 2

what it does in tanning. Different materials used. The gall nut and how it is formed. Different kinds of leaves. The edges of leaves. The most important part of every vegetation. Trip to the cliffs. Hunting for the air pocket. Discovery of a cave. Exploring the cave. The water in the cave. Indication of marine animal in the water. Return to the mouth of the cave. Discovering the air pocket. The peculiar light in the cave. Calcium coating.
VII. INVESTIGATING THE PROSPECTOR'S HOLE
Speculation as to the animal in the cave. Determined to explore the mystery of the "hole" in the hill. Trip to the hills. Difficulty in finding the "hole." Accidental discovery of a rock. The "hole" found. Indication that it was made by man. Why plants flourish around holes and stones. Moisture and heat. Object of cultivating plants. Lead and silver ore. Zinc. Working with their ore furnace. Putting metals to work. Labor-saving tools, what they are and what they do. Roasting ore. Melting roasted ore in crucible. Recovering zinc. Light from zinc and copper. Harry bitten by a "cat." The zibet.
VIII. THE BULL FIGHT
Different fruit, flowers and vegetables. The thistle. Its nutritious qualities. Why animals can eat it. The sorrel and the shamrock. Significance of the latter. Vanilla. Smell is vibration. Harmony and discord in odors. What essences are composed of. Preserving seeds for planting. Food elements in vegetables. Surprising increase in their herd of yaks. Investigation. The wild bull. Apollo, the bull of their herd. His absence. The wild bull charging George. Stampede of the herd. George carried with them. Appearance of Apollo. Engaging in combat. Apollo the stronger. Reappearance of George. Return of the cows. Apollo the victor. Finding a brand mark on the wild bull. Inventory of their stock. Work in tanning vats. The flash of Harry's gun in the distance. Explanation of the difference in time between the flash and report. "Sound" or "noise." Vibrations. Light. The locomotive whistle explained.
IX. EXCITING EXPERIENCES WITH THE BOATS
Health on the island. Illness of Harry. Fever. Determining temperature. Making a thermometer. Substitutes for glass and mercury. How Fahrenheit scale is determined. Centigrade scale. Testing the thermometer. Determining fever. Danger point. Why a coiled pipe tries to straighten out under pressure. Medicine for fever. Rains and rising Cataract River. Decision to explore sea coast to the east. Yoking up the yaks. Gathering samples of plants and flowers. The beach. Following the shore line. Discovering the boat which had disappeared from the Falls in South River. Surprising find of strange oars and unfamiliar rope in the boat. Harry and George decide to sail the boat around the cliff point to the Cataract River. The Professor takes the team home. Sighting an object on the cliffs. Going ashore at the foot of the cliffs for an examination. Ascending the cliffs. Discovering the wrecked remains of their life-boat. Consternation when their boat is washed away from the shore. Getting the wreck of the life-boat down to the water. The watching and waiting Professor. The boys launch the life-boat and float to the mainland. Meeting the Professor. Explanations.
X. THE BIRTHDAY PARTY AND THE SURPRISE
Theory that their island is near some other inhabited island. The mysterious occurrences of the fire in the forest; the lights across the river. The disappearance of their boat. The removal of the flagpole and flag; the arrows; the hole in the hillside; the finding of the boat with unfamiliar oars and rope on it. Conclude to make another boat. Unsanitary arrangement of their kitchen. Purifying means employed. Different purifying agents. Primary electric battery. The cell; how made. The electrodes. Clay. The positive and the negative elements. How connected up. The battery. Making wire. How electricity flows. Rate of flow. Volts and amperes. Pressure and quantity. Drawing out the wire. Tools for drawing the wire. Friction. Molecules and atoms. Accomplishments of "Baby." Climbing trees and finding nuts. George as cook. Making puddings. "Baby's" aid. Finding eggs of prairie chicken. Planning a surprise for the Professor. The birthday party. George's cakes to celebrate the event. Harry's gong. The missing cakes. "Baby" the thief. The feast. Why laughter is infectious. Odors. Beautiful perfumes wafted to long distances. Bad odors destroyed. Why. Oxygen as a purifying agent.
XI. THE GRUESOME SKELETON
The Cataract water. Common oak chips as purifiers. Tannic acid. Bitter almonds. Universal purification of water. The Bible method. Albumen impurities in water. Electric battery. The electrode. How the cells were made. Object of plurality of cells. Volts, amperes and watts, and their definitions. A new boat determined on. Determining size of the boat. Recovering their life-boat. Visit to Observation Hill. Hunting for the lost flagpole and flag. Wreckage of a ship's boat discovered. The Professor sent for. Ascertain it is not part of their wrecked boat. Gathering up portions of the boat. Amazing discovery