The Menace of the War Drums
Plot & Structure
Events
- •The young chief secretly gives Malone a roll of bark with a charcoal map.
- •The map shows eighteen cave openings, one of which 'goes through' the cliff.
- •The chief's sign of secrecy indicates he is helping them against the will of his people.
Origin
manuscript
Tension
- •The urgency of following the 'forked cave' before being discovered.
External
- •The risk that the Indians might 'hold us back' even at the last hour.
Internal
- •The team's 'bitter hearts' and 'groan of disappointment' when they initially find a cul-de-sac.
Sequence
16
Worldbuilding
- •The 'primitive practical joker' theory is dismissed in favor of the chief's genuine aid.
Status Changes
- •The relationship with the indigenous people ends with a singular act of 'sympathy' and gratitude.
Narrative Summary
The threat of the 'wild Indians' is resolved through the friendship of the young chief the party rescued. He provides the 'chart of the caves' that allows the team to escape the plateau, turning a former menace into a final salvation.
