"The natives in my part of Africa," Chee–Chee interrupted, "always used fire to eat out the insides of their dug–out canoes. They built little fires all along the tree, to hollow out the trunk so that they could sit in it. The tools they used were very simple, just stone scoops to chop out the charred wood with. I am sure this is a canoe, Doctor. But it hasn't been used in a long time. See how the bow has been shaped up into a point."
"I know," said the Doctor. "But the Asparagus Tree has a natural point at one end anyhow."
"And, Chee–Chee," put in Polynesia, "who in the name of goodness could ever handle such a craft? Why, look, the thing is as long as a battleship!"
Then followed a half–hour's discussion, between the Doctor and Polynesia on the one side and Chee–Chee on the other, as to whether the find we had made was, or was not, a canoe. For me, I had no opinion. To my eyes the object looked like an immensely long log, hollowed somewhat on the one side, but whether by accident or design I could not tell.
In any case it was certainly too heavy and cumbersome for us to use. And presently I edged into the argument with the suggestion that we go on further and find materials for a raft or boat we could handle.
The Doctor seemed rather glad of this excuse to end a fruitless controversy, and soon we moved on in search of something which would enable us to explore the waters of the lake. A march of a mile further along the shore brought us to woods that were not so heavy. Here the immense asparagus forests gave way to a growth of smaller girth; and the Doctor's hatchet soon felled enough poles for us to make a raft from. We laced them together with thongs of bark and found them sufficiently buoyant when launched to carry us and our small supply of baggage with ease. Where the water was shallow we used a long pole to punt with; and when we wished to explore greater depths we employed sweeps, or oars, which we fashioned roughly with the hatchet.
"We used a long pole to punt with"
From the first moment we were afloat the Doctor kept me busy taking notes for him. In the equipment he had brought with him there was a fine–meshed landing net; and with it he searched along the shores for signs of life in this moon lake, the first of its kind we had met with.
"It is very important, Stubbins," said he, "to find out what fish we have here. In evolution the fish life is a very important matter."
"What is evolution?" asked Chee–Chee.
I started out to explain it to him but was soon called upon by the Doctor to make more notes—for which I was not sorry, as the task turned out to be a long and heavy one. Polynesia, however, took it up where I left off and made short work of it.
"Evolution, Chee–Chee," said she, "is the story of how Tommy got rid of the tail you are carrying—because he didn't need it any more—and the story of how you grew it and kept it because you did need it…. Evolution! Proof!—Professors' talk. A long word for a simple matter."
It turned out that our examination of the lake was neither exciting nor profitable. We brought up all sorts of water–flies, many larvæ of perfectly tremendous size, but we found as yet no fishes. The plant life—water plant I mean—was abundant.
"I think," said the Doctor, after we had poled ourselves around the lake for several hours, "that there can be no doubt now that the Vegetable Kingdom here is much more important than the Animal Kingdom. And what there is of the Animal Kingdom seems to be mostly insect. However, we will camp on the shore of this pleasant lake and perhaps we shall see more later."
So we brought our raft to anchor at about the place from which we had started out and pitched camp on a stretch of clean yellow sand.
I shall never forget that night. It was uncanny. None of us slept well. All through the hours of darkness we heard things moving around us. Enormous things. Yet never did we see them or find out what they were. The four of us were nevertheless certain that all night we were being watched. Even Polynesia was disturbed. There seemed no doubt that there was plenty of animal life in the Moon, but that it did not as yet want to show itself to us. The newness of our surroundings alone was disturbing enough, without this very uncomfortable feeling that something had made the moon folks distrustful of us.
7
Tracks of a Giant
Another thing which added to our sleeplessness that night was the continuance of the mysterious music. But then so many strange things contributed to our general mystification and vague feeling of anxiety that it is hard to remember and distinguish them all.
The next morning after breakfasting on what remained of our fruits we packed up and started off for further exploration. While the last of the packing had been in progress Chee–Chee and Polynesia had gone ahead to do a little advanced scouting for us. They formed an admirable team for such work. Polynesia would fly above the forest and get long–distance impressions from the air of what lay ahead while Chee–Chee would examine the more lowly levels of the route to be followed, from the trees and the ground.
The Doctor and I were just helping one another on with our packs when Chee–Chee came rushing back to us in great excitement. His teeth were chattering so he could hardly speak.
"What do you think, Doctor!" he stammered. "We've found tracks back there. Tracks of a man! But so enormous! You've no idea. Come quick and I'll show you."
"'What do you think, Doctor?' he stammered"
The Doctor looked up sharply at the scared and excited monkey, pausing a moment as though about to question him. Then he seemed to change his mind and turned once more to the business of taking up the baggage. With loads hoisted we gave a last glance around the camping ground to see if anything had been forgotten or left.
Our route did not lie directly across the lake, which mostly sprawled away to the right of our line of march. But we had to make our way partly around the lower end of it. Wondering what new chapter lay ahead of us, we fell in behind Chee–Chee and in silence started off along the shore.
After about half an hour's march we came to the mouth of a river which ran into the upper end of the lake. Along the margin of this we followed Chee–Chee for what seemed like another mile or so. Soon the shores of the stream widened out and the woods fell back quite a distance from the water's edge. The nature of the ground was still clean firm sand. Presently we saw Polynesia's tiny figure ahead, waiting for us.
When we drew up with her we saw that she was standing by an enormous footprint. There was no doubt about its being a man's, clear in every detail. It was the most gigantic thing I have ever seen, a barefoot track fully four yards in length. There wasn't only one, either. Down the shore the trail went on for a considerable distance; and the span that the prints lay apart gave one some idea of the enormous stride of the giant who had left this trail behind him.
"An enormous footprint"
Questioning and alarmed, Chee–Chee and Polynesia gazed silently up at the Doctor for an explanation.
"Humph!" he muttered after a while. "So Man is here, too. My goodness, what a monster! Let us follow the trail."
Chee–Chee was undoubtedly scared of such a plan. It was clearly both his and Polynesia's idea that the further we got away from the maker of those tracks the better. I could see terror and fright in the eyes of both of them. But neither made any objection; and in silence we plodded along, following in the path of this strange human who must, it would seem, be something out of a fairy tale.