Page:Under Dewey at Manila.djvu/199

Rh won't let them keep away," said Striker, after the excitement was over. "Reckon he scared you a bit, didn't he?"

"He did," answered Larry. "I wonder if there are any very dangerous animals round?" he continued anxiously.

"It's not likely, on an island of this size. But you'll find plenty of wildcats in the Philippines, and wild boars and buffalo—a different sort from those in our Western States. And then there are civets, an animal something like a cat, that some of the natives domesticate, and the wild parts are full of jackals, so I've heard, though I never seen none of 'em."

What to do was the next question. They had explored the island as thoroughly as they cared to do it, with but scant satisfaction. Not a single trace of human beings had come to light. They looked at each other soberly.

"We are Crusoes, Luke," said Larry, soberly, "and I don't like it."

"Neither do I like it, lad. But what can we do? If we had tools, I might go in for rigging up a boat, or a raft, and setting some sort of sail for Luzon, but one can't do much with a jack-knife."