"
"But how can we, and carry all this stuff?"
asked Ned.
"We needn't carry it!" cried Professor Bumper.
"We'll leave it here, where it will be safe enough,
and tramp on to the nearest Indian village.
There we'll hire bearers to take our stuff on until
we can get mules. I'm not going to turn back!"
"Good!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my
rubber boots! but that's what I say--keep on!"
"Oh, no! we'll never turn back," agreed Tom.
"But how can we manage it?" asked Ned.
"We've just got to! And when you have
to do a thing, it's a whole lot easier to do than
if you just feel as though you ought to. So,
lively is the word!" cried Tom, in answer.
"We'll pack up what we can carry and leave
the rest," added the scientist.
Being an experienced traveler Professor Bumper
had arranged his baggage so that it could
be carried by porters if necessary. Everything
could be put into small packages, including the
tents and food supply.
"There are four of us," remarked Tom, "and if
we can not pack enough along with us to enable
us to get to the nearest village, we had better
go back to civilization. I'm not afraid to try."
"Nor I!" cried Mr. Damon.
The baggage, stores and supplies that were
to be left behind were made as snug as possible,
and so piled up that wild beasts could do the
least harm. Then a pack was made up for each
one to carry.
They would take weapons, of course, Tom
Swift's electric rifle being the one he choose for
himself.
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