Through Forest and Stream, or, The Quest of the Quetzal, by GeorgeManville Fenn. 

________________________________________________________________________

The book is apparently quite genuinely by George Manville Fenn, judgingby its style and content. Yet it does not appear on any list of hisbooks, and copies of it seem to be very rare. For that reason we havenot been able to put a verified publication date on the book. It doesnot even appear in the British Library's catalogue, indicating that itwas possibly not registered for copyright. It is fairly short, takingbut three hours to read aloud. It was published in the same cover as"The New Forest Spy, " which is approximately of the same length, so thatthey can both be regarded as longish short stories. 

The book can be regarded as a sequel to "Nat the Naturalist", exceptthat the action takes place somewhere in the jungles of South America. The Quetzal is a beautiful bird with a long tail, and beautifullycoloured. The object of the expedition is to shoot, skin, and mountspecimens. There is a passing reference to Ebo, who appears in "Nat theNaturalist" between chapters 25 to 43, so that gives us some kind of adate, for that book was first published in 1883. Let us say 1884 or1885. Possibly Fenn was asked by members of his young readership formore about Nat, and this is the result. 

The co-hero is Pete, whom we first meet on board ship being maltreatedby the captain. When Nat and his uncle are dropped off with their ownsmall boat, and are camping ashore for their first night, they dischargetheir fire-arms at sounds they take to be enemy locals. The noises turnout to be Pete and Cross, the ship's carpenter, who had jumped ship. Pete had been a dirty-looking frightened boy on the ship, but with aquick wash of the face he turns out to be quite a useful lad, and playsa full part in the expedition. 

There is the usual Fenn style of apparently mortal perils, overcome bycunning or luck, and it is quite a good read or listen. 

________________________________________________________________________

THROUGH FOREST AND STREAM; OR, THE QUEST OF THE QUETZAL, BY GEORGEMANVILLE FENN. 

CHAPTER ONE. 

WHY WE WERE THERE. 

The captain of the steamer stopped by where I was watching the flyingfish fizz out of the blue-ink-like water, skim along for some distance, and drop in again, often, I believe, to be snapped up by some biggerfish; and he gave me a poke in the shoulder with one finger, so hard, that it hurt. 

"Yes?" I said, for he stood looking hard in my face, while I lookedback harder in his, for it seemed such a peculiar way of addressing one, and his manner was more curious still. 

He was naturally a smooth-faced man with a very browny-yellow skin, andhe kept on passing the finger with which he had poked me over first onecheek and then over the other, just as if he were shaving himselfwithout soap. 

Then his speech seemed more peculiar than his manner, for he repeated myone word, only instead of pronouncing it _yes_, he turned it into_yuss_. 

He looked so comic and puzzled that I smiled, and the smile became alaugh. 

I was sorry directly after, because it seemed rude to one who had beenvery civil to me ever since we left Kingston Harbour. 

"'Tain't nothing to laugh at, young feller, " he said, frowning. "I'vebeen talking to him yonder, and I can't make nothing of him. He's a_re-lay-tive_ of yours, isn't he?"

"Yes; my uncle, " I replied. 

"Well, I'm afraid he don't know what he's cut out for himself, and Ithink I ought to tell you, so as you may talk to him and bring him tohis senses. "

"There's no need, " I said, quickly. 

"Oh, yes, there is, my lad. He don't know what he's got before him, andit's right that you should. He's going shooting, isn't he?"

"Yes. "

"Nattralist?"

"Yes. "

"Well, he don't know what the parts are like where he's going. Do youknow what fevers is?"

"Oh, yes, " I replied; "I've heard of them often. "

"Well, the coast yonder's where they're made, my lad. Natur's got a bigworkshop all along there, and she makes yaller ones, and black ones;scarlet, too, I dessay, though I never see none there that colour. "

"Uncle's a doctor, " I said, "and he'll know all about that. "

"But he's going, he tells me, to shoot birds in the forests and up therivers, and means to skin 'em, and he won't do it. "

"Why not?" I said. 

"Why not? Because if the fevers don't stop you both, the Injuns will;and if they don't, you'll get your boat capsized in the rivers or alongthe coast, or you'll get lost in the woods and never be heerd of again. "

"Uncle's an old, experienced traveller, " I said, "and has been a greatdeal in South America. "

"You warn't with him there, was you?"

"No, " I said; "but I was with him in the East Indian Islands. "

"Then you tell him to stop about the West Indy Islands. He may get somebirds there, but he won't if he goes to the coast yonder. You tell himI say so. "

"What's the use?" I said. "Uncle has made his plans. "

"Oh, yes, and he thinks he's going to do wonders with that crankycockboat. "

He turned and nodded his head contemptuously at our good-sized boatlashed on the deck amidships. 

"It was the best he could get in Port Royal Harbour, " I said, "and allthe better for being rather small. "

"Why?" said the captain. 

"Easier to manage. We can go up the rivers in her, or sail along thecoast. "

"You'll get snagged in the rivers, and pitched into the sea if you tryto coast along. Oh, here he is!"

For at that moment Uncle Dick, looking particularly eager and inquiring, came up to where we stood. 

"Well, captain, " he said, "having a word with my nephew about our boat?"

"That's so, sir, " was the reply, "and about that venture of yours. Youtake my advice, now, and just go from port to port with me, and you canbuy all you want for a few dollars; and that'll be better than going upcountry and catching fevers. There's lots o' bird-skins to be bought. "

Uncle Dick laughed good-humouredly. 

"Why, captain, " he said, "I might just as well have stopped in Londonand bought a few bird-skins down by the docks. "

"A deal better, doctor. You don't know what you're cutting out foryourself. "

"We should come off badly for natural history specimens, captain, ifpeople followed your advice. "

"Quite well enough, doctor. I don't see much good in stuffed birds. "

"Ah, well, captain, " said my uncle, "we will not argue about that. Youland us and our boat where I said. "

"Do you know what sort of a place it is, sir?"

"Pretty well, " replied my uncle. "I shall know better when we reachit. "

"All right, sir. You're my passenger, and I'll keep to my bargain. Butdon't you blame me if anything goes wrong. "

"I never shall, believe me, " said my uncle. 

"You won't, " said the captain, and he walked aft, shaking his head as ifour case was hopeless. 

"Our friend is not very encouraging, Nat, " said my uncle. "He believesthat he knows better than we do, but I think we shall manage all thesame. At any rate, we'll try. "

"How far are we from the coast?" I asked. 

"Not above a day's run, " said my uncle; "so have all your traps readyfor putting in the boat at any moment. "

"Everything is ready, uncle, " I said. 

"That's right. I shall be glad to get ashore and to work. "

"Not more glad than I shall be, uncle, " I said. "I'm sick of beingcooped up on board ship with this skipper--there, he's at it again. "

The voice of the captain in a furious passion abusing someone, followedby the sound of a blow and a yelp such as a dog would give when kicked, made Uncle Dick frown. 

"The brute!" he muttered. "How he does knock that poor lad about. "

"It's shameful, uncle, " I said, passionately, "if we stop on board muchlonger I shall tell him he's what you said. "

"No, hold your tongue, Nat, " said my uncle. "We have no right tointerfere. He has often made my blood boil. Ah! don't laugh. I meanfeel hot, sir. "

"I wasn't going to laugh, uncle, " I said. "It makes me wonder, though, how boys can want to come to sea. "

"All captains are not like our friend yonder, " said Uncle Dick. "But itseems to me that he's a tyrant to everyone on board. Who's beingbullied now?"

For just then sharp words were being exchanged, and a gruff voice cried:

"Do. You hit me, and skipper or no skipper, I'll give it you back withinterest!"

"What! you mutinous dog!" shouted the captain. "Here, boy, go down andfetch my revolver from the cabin. "

"Bah!" came in a loud voice. "You daren't use it. If you did, the crewwould put you in irons. "

The ship's carpenter came by where we were stood, scowling fiercely atus both, walked to the forecastle hatch, and went below. 

"Yes, Nat, " said my uncle, "I think we shall be happier out in thewoods. Don't you wish we had Ebo here?"

"I've often wished it, uncle, " I said. "But perhaps we may pick up justsuch a fellow out yonder. "

"Such pieces of luck don't happen twice to the same people. Hullo, here's poor Doldrums. Well, my lad, in trouble again?"

The ship's boy, a sallow, dirty-looking lad of about eighteen, butstunted and, dwarfed for his age, came shuffling by us, to follow thecarpenter, and he held one hand to his eye and spoke in answer with hisface half averted. 

"Trouble again, sir?" said the poor fellow, half piteously, half inanger; "I aren't never been out of it since we sailed. "

"What have you been doing? Here, let me look at your face. "

"Oh, never mind that, sir, " said the lad, shrinking. 

"But I do mind, " said my uncle. "Let me see. "

Uncle Dick did not wait for the boy to take down his hand, but drew itaway, to show that the eye was red and swollen up. 

"Did the captain do that?" I said. 

The lad nodded, and his forehead filled with lines. 

"What had you been about?"

"Nothing, sir, " said the lad bitterly. 

"Then what had you left undone?"

"I dunno, sir. I try all day long to do what the skipper wants, butit's always kicks when it arn't blows; and when it's neither he's alwaysswearing at me. I wish I was dead!" he cried passionately. 

"Stop here, " cried Uncle Dick, sharply, for the lad was moving off, withhis eye covered up again. 

Regularly cowed, the lad stopped short, flinching the while. 

"Don't do that, " said Uncle Dick. "I was not going to strike you. "

"No, sir, but everybody else does, 'cept the carpenter. But I don'tcare now; I shall go overboard and end it. "

"Why?" said Uncle Dick. 

"Why, sir? What's the good o' living such a life as this?"

"This ship is not the whole world, my lad, and all the people are notlike the captain. "

The lad looked half wonderingly at my uncle, and then turned to me withso pitiful a look that I felt ready to take the poor fellow's part thenext time he was in trouble. 

"Everyone nearly seems the same to me, " he said drearily. "I don't knowwhy I come to sea. Thought it was all going to be adventures andpleasure, and it's all kicks and blows, just because I'm a boy. "

The poor fellow looked enviously at me, and sniffing loudly, walked on. 

"It ought to be stopped, uncle, " I said. "The poor fellow's life ismade miserable. "

"Yes, Nat. It is terrible to see how one man can make other people'slives a burden to them. I'm a regular tyrant to you sometimes. "

I laughed. 

"Why, Aunt Sophy says you spoil me, " I cried. 

"Well, we will not argue about that, my boy, " said my uncle; "we've toomuch to think about. In twenty-four hours we shall be afloat with ourboat to ourselves; and the sooner the better, for if she's out of thewater much longer we shall have her leaky. "

He walked to where our half-decked boat lay in its chocks, with all hertackle carefully lashed in place, and I could not help feeling proud ofour possession, as I thought of the delights of our river trips to come, and the days when we should be busy drying and storing skins on board, for it was planned out that we were to make the rivers our highways asfar as possible, and live on board, there being a snug cabin under thehalf-deck, while well-oiled sail-cloth was arranged to draw over theboom, which could be turned into the ridge pole of a roof, and shut inthe after part of the boat, making all snug at night, or during atropical downpour. 

"She's rather too big for us, Nat, " said my uncle, "and I hope they willhave no accident when they lower her down. "

"Oh, I hope not, uncle, " I said. 

"So do I, my boy, but they were clumsy enough in getting her on board. However, we shall have troubles in plenty without inventing any. "

We stood together, leaning over the side and talking about our plans, which were to collect any new and striking birds that we could find, while specially devoting ourselves to shooting the quetzals, as theywere called by the natives, the splendid trogons whose plumes were wornby the emperors of the past. 

"And I'm not without hope, Nat, " said my uncle, "that in course of ourjourneys up in the mountains, in the parts which have not yet beenexplored, we may find the Cock of the Rocks. I see no reason whateverwhy those birds should not inhabit suitable regions as far north asthis. It is hot enough in Central America, as hot as Brazil, and farhotter than Peru. "

"What about humming-birds, uncle, " I said. 

"We shall find plenty, and perhaps several that have never before beencollected; but we must not want ordinary specimens. We must notoverload ourselves, but get only what is choice. "

Our conversation was interrupted by the coming of the captain, wholooked at us searchingly. 

"Well, doctor, " he said; "been thinking it all over?"

"Yes, " said Uncle Dick, quietly. 

"And you're going to let me take you in to Belize?"

"Indeed I'm not, " said my uncle quietly. "I made all my plans before Istarted, and explained to you before we sailed from Port Royal what Iwished you to do. "

"Well, yes, you did say something about it. "

"The something was that you should drop me where I wished--somewhere inYucatan or on Mosquito Coast. "

"That's right, doctor; you did. "

"Very well, then; according to your calculations at noon to-day, weshall be within sight of land about mid-day to-morrow. "

"Dessay we shall, among the cays and reefs and little bits of islandsyonder. "

"Then you will fulfil your part of the agreement at mid-day. "

"Drop you and your boat out at sea?"

"Yes, " said Uncle Dick. 

"I say; doctor, air you mad?"

"I hope not. "

"Well, I begin to think you must be, for this is about the mostunheard-of thing a man could do. You and this boy of yours have got tolive. "

"Of course, " said my uncle. 

"Well, what are you going to live on?"

"If I must explain, the stores contained in the cases you have of minebelow. "

"Hah!" cried the captain; "well, that's right, I suppose. But whatabout fresh water?"

"There is the cask, and a little tank belonging to the boat. They areboth full, and we shall never be out of sight of land while on thecoast. Afterwards we shall be journeying up the different rivers. "

"But when you've eaten all your stores, what then, doctor?"

"I hope we shall never be in that condition, " said my uncle, "for weshall husband our stores as reserves, and live as much as we can uponthe fish we catch and the birds we shoot. "

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the captain. "Going up the rivers, air you?"

"Yes. "

"Then you'd better try and ketch the sea cows. They're big aselephants, and one o' them'll last you two, six months if she don't gobad. "

"Thank you, " said my uncle, smiling; "but we shall be content withsmaller deer than that. "

"Well, I guess I don't like letting you go doctor, " said the captain. 

"So it seems, " said my uncle quietly. "Pray why?"

"Don't seem fair to young squire here, for one thing. "

"Have you any other reason?" said my uncle. 

"You two can't manage a boat like that. "

"We have managed a bigger one before. Any other reason?"

"Well, yes; you two'll come to grief, and I don't want to be brought tobook for setting you adrift on about the maddest scheme I ever heerdtell of. "

"Ah, now we understand one another, " said my uncle, quietly. "Well, youmay set you mind at rest, sir. I am the best judge of the risks to berun, and you will never be called to account for my actions. "

"Well, don't blame me if you both find yourselves on your backs withfever. "

"Never fear, captain, " said my uncle. "If it is calm in the morning, assoon as we are within sight of land--"

"What land?"

"Any land on or off the coast, I shall be obliged by your getting myboat over the side, and the stores and chests out of the hold and cabin, so that we can get everything stowed away, then you can take us in tow, and I can cast off as soon as I like. "

"All right, " said the captain, and he went forward once more, while wetwo stayed on deck watching the wonderful sunset, till the great goldenorange ball dipped down out of sight behind the clouds, which lookedlike ranges of mountains rising from some glorious shore. 

We were not long afterwards made aware of the captain's reason for goingforward, his voice rising in angry bullying tones, and we soon foundthat he and the fierce carpenter were engaged in a furious quarrel, which ended as quickly as it began, the captain making his reappearance, driving the ship's boy before him, and hastening the poor fellow'ssluggish, unwilling movements by now and then giving him a kick. 

CHAPTER TWO. 

OUR START. 

My sleep was disturbed that night by dreams of sea cows as big aselephants, orange-coloured birds in huge flocks, and golden-greenquetzals flying round my head, with their yard-long tails spread out, and their scarlet breasts gleaming in the sunshine which flashed throughmy cabin window. 

I was puzzling myself as to how the beautiful birds could be out thereat sea, and why it was that Uncle Dick and I could be walking about atthe same time among golden mountains, which were, I felt sure, only lastevening's sunset clouds, when all at once it was quite clear, for UncleDick cried:

"Now then, Nat, my boy, tumble out, tumble out. The sun's up, and we'veno end to do. The men are at work already. "

I was awake then, and after hurriedly dressing, I went on deck, to findout that the noises I had been hearing were caused by the men makingfast some tackle to our boat, ropes being passed through a pulley blockat the end of a swinging boom, and when they were ready the mate gaveorders. Then the men began to haul, and as the ropes tightened theheavy boat was lifted out of the chocks in which she lay, and with agood deal of creaking was swung out over the bulwarks quite clear of thesteamer's side, and then lowered down with her bows much lower than thestern, so that it looked as if the boat we had trusted to for taking usmany a long journey was about to dive down under the sea. 

But she was too well built, and as she kissed the flashing waters shebegan to float, the stern part dipping lower till she was level, and theropes grew slack, when all the men gave a cheer as she glided alongbeside the steamer, tugging at the rope which was made fast to her bows. 

Next Uncle Dick went down into her with the carpenter, and I was left ondeck to superintend the getting up of our chests and boxes of stores, which were lowered down into the boat, the carpenter; who looked quietand civil enough now, working well at packing in the chests so that theyfitted snugly together and took up little room. 

Then our two small portmanteaus of clothes were swung down, followed bythe cartridge-boxes and the long case which held our guns and rifles. Lastly the tank in the stern was filled with fresh water, and the littlecask swung down and lashed under the middle thwart. 

"How much more is there to come, Nat?" asked my uncle, as I stood ondeck, looking down. 

"That's all, uncle, " I said. 

"Bravo! for we're packed pretty close. Hardly room to move, eh, carpenter?"

"I don't see much the matter, sir, " said the man. "Everything's niceand snug, and these boxes make like a deck. Bimeby when you've usedyour stores you can get rid of a chest or two. "

"No, " said Uncle Dick; "we shall want them to hold the specimens weshoot. But you've packed all in splendidly, my lad. "

"Thankye, sir, " said the man gruffly, and just then I heared a low wearysigh from somewhere close by, and turning sharply, I saw the ship's boystanding there with his left hand up to his face, looking at mepiteously. 

"Hallo!" I said, smiling; "how's the eye this morning?"

"Horrid bad, sir, " he answered. 

"Let me look. "

He took away his hand slowly and unwillingly, showing that the eye was agood deal swollen and terribly blackened. 

"You wouldn't like an eye like that, sir?" he said, with a faint smile. 

"No, " I said angrily; "and it's a great shame. "

I hardly know how it was that I had it there, where money was not likelyto be of use, but I had a two-shilling piece in my pocket, and I gave itto the poor fellow, as it seemed to me like showing more solid sympathythan empty words. 

His face lit up so full of sunshine that I did not notice how dirty itwas as he clapped the piece of silver to the swollen eye. 

"That will not do any good, " I said, laughing. 

"Done a lot, sir, " he answered--"that and what you said. "

He made a curious sound as if he were half choking then, and turnedsharply to run forward to the cook's galley. 

By the time breakfast was over, land could be seen from the deck tostarboard, port, and right forward--misty-looking land, like cloudssettled here and there upon the surface of the sea. 

This grew clearer and clearer, till about noon it was plain to see thatsome of the patches were islands, while farther to the west the mainlandspread right and left with dim bluish-looking mountains in the distance. 

It was early in the afternoon that the captain suddenly gave his orders, the engine was stopped, and the boat towing far astern began to grind upagainst the side, as it rose and fell on the heaving sea. 

"Still of the same mind, doctor?" said the captain. 

"Certainly, sir. "

"Then now's your time. Over you go. "

"I thought you would run in a few miles nearer, " said Uncle Dick. 

"Did you, sir?" said the captain roughly; "then you made a greatmistake. This sea swarms with reefs and shoals nigher in, and I'm notgoing to be mad enough to risk my vessel, if you're mad enough to riskyour life. Now, sir, please, I want to get ahead and claw off herebefore it falls calm. If I don't, some of these currents 'll be landingme where I don't want to go. "

"We are ready, " said Uncle Dick. 

"Haul that boat abreast the starboard gangway!" shouted the captain, anda couple of men ran to obey the order. 

"Well, good-bye, captain, " said Uncle Dick, "and thank you for whatyou've done. "

"Good-bye, sir, and good luck to you. You too, youngster; but it isn'ttoo late yet. "

"Much, " said my uncle, and it seemed quite strange to me that whatfollowed took so short a time. For one minute we were on the deck ofthe large vessel, the next we were standing up in our little boat, waving our hats to the crew, who had crowded to the side to give us acheer; and the last faces I noted as they glided away were those of thecarpenter and the boy, who gazed after us in a wistful way, the latterlooking miserable in the extreme as he held his left hand over his eye. 

CHAPTER THREE. 

NIGHT ASHORE. 

I was brought back to the present by my uncle giving me a hearty slap onthe shoulder. 

"Ready to begin again, Nat?" he cried. 

"Yes, uncle, " I said eagerly. "It seems like the old days come back. "

"Ship the rudder, then, while I hoist the sail. The skipper may beright, so let's make use of this soft breeze to get to the mainlandbefore the calm leaves us at the mercy of the currents. "

A few minutes later the boat careened over gently, and glided fastthrough the water, while I steered, making for an opening which UncleDick made out with his glass to be the mouth of a valley running up thecountry. 

"It's too far off to see all I want, Nat, " he said, as he closed hisglass; "but I fancy we shall find a river there, and we'll run in andtry our luck. If there's nothing attractive about the place, we'll makea fresh start after a night's rest, and go on coasting along south tillwe find the sort of place we want. How well the boat sails with herload!"

On we glided, with the vessel we had left gradually getting hull down asthe afternoon wore on, while we passed no less than threetempting-looking wooded islets where we might have landed to pass thenight; but Uncle Dick shook his head. 

"No, my boy, " he said; "we'll keep to our course. There are more ofthese cays about, and we could land upon one if the wind dropped. As itholds fair, we'll run on to the mainland, for if it only keeps on tillsunset, we shall reach the shore before dark. "

Uncle Dick was right, and as it drew near sunset I was feasting my eyeson a wild-looking region whose beauty increased as we drew closer. There was dense mangrove jungle, then cliff covered with verdure, andthis was broken up by patches of yellow sand backed by fringes ofcocoanut grove, which again gave place to open park-like forest with bigtrees--this last where the great rocky bluff towered up with anothereminence on the other side of the opening--but there was no river, nothing but a fine sandy cove, with a tiny stream running down from apatch of beautiful forest. 

As we ran in we had our last sight of the distant vessel which hadbrought us so far on our journey, and Uncle Dick, who was standing upforward to direct me in my steering, cried--

"Nothing could be better, Nat. It's like landing on one of our oldislands. Neither hut nor inhabitant to be seen. This is genuine wildcountry, and we shall find a river to-morrow. I was half afraid that weshould be coming upon sugar or coffee plantations, or perhaps mencutting down the great mahogany trees. "

I was as delighted as he was, for my mind was full of thegloriously-plumaged bird we meant to shoot, and there in imagination Ipeopled the flower-decked bushes with flashing humming-birds whosethroats and crests glowed with scale-like feathers, brilliant as theprecious stones--emerald, topaz, ruby, and sapphire--after which theywere named. The great forest trees would be, I felt sure, full of thescreaming parrot tribe, in their uniforms of leafy green, faced withorange, blue, and crimson; while, farther up the country, there would bethe splendid quetzals, all metallic golden-green and scarlet. 

But I had little time for thought. In a short time, in obedience to myuncle's orders, I had steered the boat right into the mouth of thelittle stream beyond where the salt waves broke; the sail was loweredand furled and the anchor carried ashore and fixed between two masses ofrock, so that it could not be dragged out by the tugging of the craft. 

"Wouldn't do to wake up and find our boat gone, Nat, " said Uncle Dick, "if we set up our tent on shore. The sand looks very tempting, and weare not likely to be disturbed. But now then, start a fire, while Iunpack some stores, and--yes--we will. We'll set up the tent to sleepunder. More room to stretch our legs. "

I was not long in getting a fire burning, with the kettle full of thebeautiful rivulet water heating; while Uncle Dick stuck in the twopointed and forked sticks with which we were provided, laid the polefrom fork to fork, and spread the oiled canvas sheet over it, so thatthere was a shelter from the night dews. 

But before our coffee was ready and the bacon for our supper fried, night was upon us, and the bushes near scintillating in the mostwondrous way, every twig seeming to be alive with fire-flies. 

For a short space of time, as we sat there on the sands, partaking ofour meal--than which nothing more delicious had ever passed my lips--allwas still but the lapping of the tiny waves and the musical trickling ofthe rivulet amongst the rocks and stones. Then I jumped, for a peculiarcry arose from the forest behind us, and this seemed to be the signalfor an outburst of sounds new to me, piping, thrumming, drumming, shrieking, howling, grunting in every variety, and I turned to look inUncle Dick's face, which was lit up by the glow from our little woodfire. 

"Brings back old times in the South American forests, Nat, " he saidcoolly. "I could put a name to nearly every musician at work inNature's orchestra yonder. "

"What was that horrible cry?" I whispered. "Jaguar or puma?"

"Neither, my boy; only a heron or crane somewhere up the stream. "

"That snorting croak, then?"

"Only frogs or toads, Nat; and that chirruping whirring is something inthe cricket or cicada way. If we heard a jaguar or puma, it would mostlikely be a magnified tom-cat-like sort of sound. "

"But that mournful howl, uncle?" I whispered. 

"A poor, melancholy spider-monkey saying good-night to his friends inthe big trees. Most of the other cries are made by night-birds out onthe hunt for their suppers. That cry was made by a goat-sucker, one ofthose `Chuck-Will's-widow' sort of fellows. They're very peculiar, these night-hawks. Even ours at home keeps up that whirring, spinning-wheel-like sound in the Surrey and Sussex fir-woods. Ah, that's a dangerous creature, if you like!" he said, in a whisper. 

"Which?" I said, below my breath. 

"That piping _ping-wing-wing_. "

"Why, that's a mosquito, uncle, " I cried contemptuously. 

"The only thing likely to attack us to-night, Nat, " he said, laughing;"but we'll have the guns and everything ready all the same. "

"To shoot the mosquitoes, uncle?"

"No, but anything that might--mind, I say _might_--come snuffing aboutus. "

Uncle Dick was so calm and cool over it that he made me the same, andthe little nervous sensation caused by the novelty of my position soonpassed away. The guns were loaded and laid ready, a couple of blanketsspread, and utterly wearied out, after making up the fire, we crept intoour tent and lay down to get a good night's sleep. 

"We'll rest on shore wherever it's safe, Nat, " were Uncle Dick's lastwords. "It's nicer to have the solid ground under you. This is atreat; the sand's like a feather bed; but we shan't often have such aluxurious place. Good-night. "

"One moment, uncle, " I whispered, as I heard a rustling sound somewherein the bushes. "What do you think is making that?"

I waited for him to answer, under the impression that he was listeningto make sure before he replied; but as he took no heed, I spoke again, but only to hear his hard breathing, for he was fast asleep, and Istarted up in horror, for the strange rustling sound, as of a huge snakeor alligator creeping through the dry grass and bushes, began again muchnearer than before. 

CHAPTER FOUR. 

THE DANGERS OF THE NIGHT. 

It is not pleasant to hear a noise as of something forcing its waythrough bushes close by your bedside, when instead of the strong wallsof a house in a thickly inhabited place, with police to protect you, there is nothing but a thin piece of canvas between you and a forestswarming, for aught you can tell, with hosts of dangerous creaturesseeking their prey. 

I felt that in my first night where I lay by the outskirts of one of theCentral American forests, and I should have seized Uncle Dick by the armand shaken him into wakefulness but for the dread of being consideredcowardly. 

For he seemed so calm and confident that I dared not wake him up, to betold that the noise I heard was only made by some innocent animal thatwould flee for its life if I slipped outside. 

"I wonder whether that would, " I said to myself. "I'll try. "

I made up my mind that I would take my double gun from where it laybeside me and go out; but it was a long time before I could make up mybody to act; and when at last, in anger with myself for being socowardly, I did creep out softly and make a dash in the direction of thesound, I was bathed in perspiration, and my legs shook beneath me, for Ifelt certain that the next minute I should be seized by some monstrouscreature ready to spring at me out of the darkness. 

But nothing did seize me. For there was a thud and a faint crashrepeated again and again, and though I could not see, I felt certainthat the fire had attracted some deer-like creature, which had gonebounding off, till all was silent again, when I crept back, letting thecanvas fall behind me, feeling horribly conceited, and thinking what abrave fellow I must be. 

I must have gone off to sleep directly I lay down then, for one moment Iwas looking at the dull-reddish patch in the canvas behind which thefire was burning, and the next everything was blank, till all at once Iwas wide awake, with a hand laid across my mouth, and the interior ofour scrap of a tent so dark that I could see nothing; but I could hearsomeone breathing, and directly after Uncle Dick whispered:

"Lie still--don't speak. "

He removed his hand then, and seemed to be listening. 

"Hear anything, Nat?" he said. 

"Not now, uncle. I did a little while ago, and took my gun and wentout. "

"Ah! What was it?"

"Some kind of deer, and it bounded away. "

"It was no deer that I heard, my boy, " he whispered, "but something bigand heavy. Whatever it was trod upon a stick or a shell, and it snappedloudly and woke me up. There it is again. "

I heard the sound quite plainly in the darkness, and it was exactly asUncle Dick described, but I leaned towards its being a fragile shelltrodden on by some big animal or a man. 

"Couldn't be one of the great cats?" I whispered. 

"Oh, no! they tread like velvet. "

"Could it be a tapir?"

"Not a likely place for one. Hist!"

I was silent, and lay listening, so to speak, with all my might, till alow swishing sound reached us, just as if someone had brushed against abush. 

Uncle Dick laid his hand upon my shoulder, and he pressed it hard, as ifsilently saying, "Did you hear that?"

I answered him in a similar way, and then he whispered:

"Someone is prowling round the tent, and we shall have to go out andchallenge them. "

"Suppose they are savages with bows and arrows?" I whispered back. 

"Too dark for them to take aim, " he said. "A bold dash out will scarethem, and I'll fire over their heads. "

I felt as if it would be safer to stay where we were; but it seemedcowardly, so I was silent. 

"I'll go out at once, " said Uncle Dick, and I was silent for a moment, and then rose with my gun ready. 

"I'll come with you, uncle, " I whispered. 

He pressed my hand before creeping softly out; and I followed, to findthat the darkness was as black as inside the tent; that the fire-flieshad ceased to shimmer and flash about the low trees, and that the firewas so nearly out that there was nothing visible but a faint glow. 

"Stand fast, " whispered Uncle Dick, "while I throw on some of the lighttwigs we put ready. "

I did not remember putting any light twigs ready, nor anything else justthen, for my head was full of wild thoughts, and I was straining myeyesight in all directions, with my gun cocked and ready to fire at thefirst attack. 

All at once there was a rustle as the twigs were thrown on the glowingembers; a sharp crackling followed, and a bright flame sprang up. 

At almost the same moment there came from the trees beyond the sound ofa rush being made through the bushes, and then the report of UncleDick's gun as he fired twice. 

Someone uttered an ejaculation, the rushing sound increased, anddirectly after there came a loud crashing noise as if someone hadfallen; but he--or it--was up again directly, and our enemies, by thesplashing and crackling sounds, seemed to be retreating up the bed ofthe rivulet. 

I stood ready to fire, but reserved my shot, as there seemed to be noneed; and as I listened intently I could hear Uncle Dick slipping freshcartridges into his gun, and the click it gave as he closed the breech. 

"Hadn't we better get into shelter?" I whispered. "We offer such agood mark for an arrow. "

"No, my boy, " said my uncle; "the fire is between us and the enemy, andwe are quite safe. "

For the twigs were blazing merrily now, and sending out a bright light, which spread around and made the nearest trees stand out and the littletent look bright and clear. 

But the next moment something else caught my eye, and the startledsensation seemed to cause a catching of my breath as I stood pointingdown at the smooth patch of sand beside the trickling water of thestream--a patch over which a wave must have lately passed, it was sosmooth, while close up towards the fire, and where the full blaze oflight played, were the objects which had struck my eye. 

"What is it, Nat?" said my uncle sharply, and then as he caught sight ofthe marks too, he answered his own question aloud:

"Footprints--men's--yes, more than one. Hah! Look-out, Nat; I can hearthem coming back. "

Uncle Dick's ears seemed to be sharper than mine, for though I listenedintently and stood prepared to fire, some minutes elapsed before I hearda sound, and then it was not from up the stream, but from overhead--asharp whistling cry--which was repeated again and again, and I caughtthe flash of wings as a large bird circled round, evidently attracted bythe fire, which was kept blazing. 

"Throw on some more, Nat, " said my uncle; "it will serve to keep them ata distance. Perhaps we've scared the savages off for good. "

"I hope so, " I said; "but we mustn't go to sleep again. "

"You're a queer chap, Nat, if you could go to sleep after this; Icouldn't. "

"But they may not be savages, uncle, " I said. 

"Perhaps not, but the place seemed so wild that I don't think they couldbe anything else. We must take turn and turn to watch till daylight. You go and lie down. "

"No, uncle, " I said; "I'd rather stay and watch. What time is it?"

"About midnight, I should think, " he said, pulling out the big oldsilver hunting-watch that accompanied him on all his travels, andholding it down in the full light from the fire. "Humph!" heejaculated. "What time do you say?"

"Not much more than ten, " I said decisively. "I had only just droppedasleep. "

"It took you a long time to drop, then, " he said drily. "Ah! Look atthat bird. It will singe its wings directly. "

"What time is it, then?" I said, for I was more interested in knowinghow long I should have to watch in the darkness than in the flight of abird. 

"Like to know exactly, Nat?" said my uncle. 

"Of course, " I said, wonderingly. 

"You shall, then, my boy. It's ten minutes, thirty seconds, past six. "

"Nonsense, uncle!" I cried. "The old watch must have stopped. Did youforget to wind it up?"

For answer he held it to my ear, and it was ticking loudly, while as helowered it and I glanced at the face, I could see that the second handhad moved some distance on. 

"Do you think it is right?" I said. 

"Yes; we were fagged out last night and slept very soundly. You'll soonknow, for it will be daylight directly. "

Both the watch and my uncle were right--for the scream of a parrotreached my ears soon after, followed by whistlings and pipings from theforest; while soon after a horribly harsh grating screech came fromoverhead, and I caught a glimpse of the bird which uttered it--one ofthe great long-tailed Aras, on its way with three or four more to afavourite part of the forest. 

"Going figging, Nat, " said my uncle, putting some more wood on the fire, not for the sake of the light--for away across the sea the dawn wasbrightening fast, after the way of sunrise and sunset in tropic lands;and even as I looked there, far on high, was a faint fleck of orangelight on a tiny cloud. A few minutes later there were scores, and thebirds were singing and chirping in all directions, even the seafurnishing the screams and peculiar cries of the various ducks andgulls. 

"How glorious!" I said softly, for the beauty of the scene around inthe glow of the morning light made me forget the darkness of the nightand the terrors that it brought. 

"Yes, Nat; we've hit upon birdland the first try, " said my uncle. "Butit seems as if we shall have to leave it unless we can be sure that theIndians are friendly. "

As he spoke, we both examined the footprints again. 

"Savage marks for certain, Nat, " said my uncle. "Do you see? Thesefellows have not been in the habit of wearing shoes. "

"Yes, I see, " I replied. "The big toe so wide away from the others. "

"You see that at a glance. I suppose it would be unwise to follow them;they would hear us coming, and might send a couple of arrows into us--perhaps poisoned. It's a pity Nat; for there are plenty of birds about, and we could get some good specimens. --Yes; what is it?"

"They've been all along here, right down to the sea, uncle. See theirtracks?"

"Yes; and I can see something else, " he said, shading his eyes, andlooking to right and left anxiously in the now broad daylight. 

"What can you see?" I asked. 

He pointed now, and I saw what he meant. 

"The marks made by a boat, " I said. "Why, uncle, they must have come ina canoe, and been attracted by our fire. Can you see their canoe?"

"No, " said my uncle, after a long look round and away over theglittering waters. "But it's bad, Nat. They will not have gone faraway, and will be coming back here in search of it. "

"Then we shall have to take to the boat again and sail farther down thecoast. "

"We'd better get on board, my lad, certainly, " said my uncle; "so let'sroll up the tent, and--ah! look-out! Quick, lad--your gun!"

I was ready directly, cocked both barrels of my piece, my heart beatingfast in the emergency--for the danger we dreaded seemed to be at hand. 

CHAPTER FIVE. 

A SURPRISE. 

"Ahoy! Don't shoot, " came from out of the dense jungle up the stream. 

"Why, uncle, " I cried, "that doesn't sound like a savage. "

"It's worse, Nat, " said my uncle. "There's a terribly English soundabout it. "

"Ahoy, I say!" came again. "Don't shoot!"

"Ahoy! who are you?" shouted my uncle. 

"Don't shoot, and we'll come out, " came in tones half smothered by thethick growth. 

"We're not going to fire. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

There was a sharp brushing sound of leafage being forced aside, thesplashing of feet in water, and the soft rattle of pebbles being movedin the stream bed by feet, and the next minute two figures came fromunder the pendent bough, which nearly touched the water and stood in thebright glow of the rising sun, while astonishment brought the words toour lips:

"The carpenter!" cried my uncle. And I burst out laughing as I said:

"That boy!"

"Why, we took you for savages, " said my uncle. "Was it you two who cameto the fire last night?"

"And you shot at us, " said the boy, in a doleful voice. 

"Shot at you?" cried my uncle angrily. "Of course I did. How dare youcome prowling about our tent in the dead of night!"

"Didn't prowl, sir, " said the boy humbly. "We could see your fireburning like a light as we come along, and we came straight to it, landed--and landed--and you came out, sir--came out, sir--and fired atus. "

"Then you should have shouted. "

"Yes, sir, " said the boy, "but we was afraid to--feared you'd fire atus. "

"But you see now, you came the wrong way. "

"Yes, sir, " said the boy, glancing at the carpenter; "we did come thewrong way. "

"Well, what is it? Did we leave anything behind? Very good of thecaptain to send you. "

"Didn't send us, sir, " said the boy, looking down. 

"Not send you?" cried Uncle Dick, staring. "How is it you came, then?"

The boy shifted his weight from one foot to the other, scooping up thedry sand with his toes, and turned to his companion, who gave me apeculiar look and stood frowning. 

"Why don't you speak out and tell the gentleman, Bill Cross?"

"I left it to you, boy. You've got a tongue in your head. "

"Yes; but you're bigger and older than me. But I don't mind telling. You see, Mr Nat, sir, " he said, suddenly turning to me, "I couldn'tstand it any longer. They was killing of me, and as soon as you wasgone, sir, it seemed so much worse that I went and shook hands with BillCross, who was the only one who ever said a kind word to me, and Itelled him what I was going to do. "

"Told him you were going to run away?" said my uncle. 

"No, sir, " said the boy promptly. "I telled him I'd come to saygood-bye, for as soon as it was too dark for them to see to save me Iwas going to--"

"Run away?" said my uncle sternly, for the boy had stopped short. 

"No, sir, " he resumed; "I was going to jump overboard. "

"Why, you miserable, wicked young rascal, how dare you tell me such athing as that?" cried my uncle. 

The boy gave a loud sniff. 

"That's just what Bill Cross said, sir: and that he'd knock my blessedyoung head off if I dared to do such a thing. "

"Did you say that?" asked my uncle. 

"Yes, sir, I did, sir, " said the man gruffly; "and a very stupid thingtoo. "

"How stupid?" said my uncle. 

"If he drowned himself and went to the bottom, how was I ever to get thechance to hit him, sir?"

"Humph! I see, " said my uncle; "but you meant right. And what then?"he continued, turning back to the boy. 

"Bill Cross said, sir, that if I'd got the spirit of a cockroach Iwouldn't do that. `Cut and run, ' he says. "

"Quite right, " said my uncle. "I mean, get to another ship. "

"`Where am I to run to?' I says. `I can't run atop of the water. '

"`No, ' he says; `but you could get in a boat when it was dark and rowaway. ' `I dursen't, ' I says; `it would be stealing the boat. ' `Youcould borrow it, ' he says; `that's what I'm going to do. ' `You are?' Isays. `I am, ' he says; `for I'd sooner die o' thirst on the roaringmain, ' he says, `than put up with any more. ' You did, didn't you, mate?" he cried, appealingly. 

"I did, " growled the carpenter; "and I stick to it. "

"He said that as soon as it was dark he should manage to lower one ofthe boats and follow yours, and ask you to take him as crew; and if youwouldn't, he should go ashore and turn Robinson Crusoe. "

"That's right, boy, " said the carpenter; "and I would. "

"And I says to him, sir, `Bill Cross, ' I says, `if I tars myself black, will you let me come with you and be your man Friday?'"

"And what did he say to that?" asked my uncle, frowning. 

"Said I was black enough already, sir, without my having a black eye;and if I come with him, he'd promise me never to behave half so bad asthe skipper did, so of course I come. "

"Took one of the ship's boats and stole away with it?" said my uncle. 

The boy nodded, and my uncle turned to the carpenter. 

"Is this all true?" he asked. 

"Yes, sir, every word of it. You know how bad it was. "

"And you followed our boat?"

"Followed the way we last saw your sail, sir, for long before it wasdark the boat went out of sight. But just as I'd give up all hope ofseeing it again, we saw your fire like a spark on shore, and we comeafter that. "

"Rowed?" I said. 

"No, sir; sailed. There's a little lug-sail to the boat. We didn'tlose sight of the fire again, and at last we ran our boat ashore. "

"And you've come to offer your services?" said my uncle. 

"Yes, sir, " said the man gruffly. 

"But even if I could take you under the circumstances, I don't want theservices of any man. "

"Your's is a big boat, sir, and hard to manage, particular at sea, " saidthe carpenter. 

"I know the boat's capabilities better than you can tell me, " said myuncle shortly, "and I do not require help. "

"Then we've made a bad job of it, boy, " said the carpenter. 

"The gentleman don't know what we can do, Bill, and how useful we shouldbe. "

"I daresay, " said my uncle, frowning, "but I do not want a man, noranother lad. "

"If you'll only let me stop, sir, " said the boy piteously. "I don'twant no wages, and I won't eat much, only what you've done with, andthere arn't nothing I won't do. I'll carry anything, and work--oh, howI will work! I'll be like your dog, I will, and you can both knock meabout and kick me, and I won't say a word. You won't hit me half sohard as the skipper and the men did; and even if you did, you're onlytwo, and there's twenty of them; so if you're allus doing it I shall beten times better off. "

"It's my duty to send you and your mate, here, back to the ship, " saidUncle Dick. 

"Oh, don't say that, sir, " cried the boy; "but if you did, we shouldn'tgo, for Bill Cross said if you wouldn't take us along with you we'd goand live in the woods, and if we starved to death there, we should bebetter off than aboard ship. "

"But you signed for the voyage, my man, " said Uncle Dick, "and if Iconsented to take you with me I should be helping you to defraud theowners. "

"Serve the owners right, sir, for having their people treated like dogs, or worse, " growled the carpenter. "'Sides, I don't see what fraud thereis in it. I've worked hard these two months, and drawn no pay. They'llget that, and they may have it and welcome. "

"That's all very well, " said Uncle Dick, "but a bargain's a bargain. The want of two hands in an emergency may mean the loss of the ship, andyou and this lad have deserted. No; I can't agree to it; you must takeyour boat and go back. "

"Can't, sir, now, " said the carpenter bitterly; "and I thought we wascoming to English gentlemen who would behave to a couple of poorwretches like Christians. "

"It is no part of a Christian's duty to be unjust. You know you havedone wrong and have helped this poor lad to do the same, " said my uncle. 

"I should have fought it out, sir, if it hadn't been for the poor boy. Dog's life's nothing to what he went through. "

"Where is your boat?" said Uncle Dick, suddenly. 

The carpenter laughed. 

"I dunno, sir, " he said; "we sent her adrift when we landed, and youknow what the currents are along here better, p'raps, than I do. "

"What! you've sent your boat adrift?"

"Yes, sir; we made up our minds to cut and run, and we can't go backnow. We didn't want to steal the boat. They'll get it again. "

Uncle Dick frowned and turned to me. 

"This is a pretty state of affairs, Nat; and it's like forcing us totake them on board and sail after the steamer. What's to be done?"

"Cannot we keep them, uncle?"

"Keep them? I don't want a boy to kick and knock about and jump on, sir. Do you?"

"Well, no, uncle, " I said; "but--"

"But! Yes, it's all very well to say `but, ' my lad. You don't see howserious it is. "

"I'd serve you faithful, sir, " said the carpenter. "I'm not going tobrag, but I'm a handy man, sir. You might get a hole in the boat, and Ididn't bring no clothes, but I brought my tools, and I'm at home over ajob like that. You might want a hut knocked up, or your guns mended. I'd do anything, sir, and I don't ask for pay. It might come to yourwanting help with the blacks. If you did, I'd fight for you all Icould. "

"Well, I don't know what to do, Nat. What do you say?"

The boy darted forward wildly and threw himself upon his knees. 

"Say _yes_, Mr Nat; say _yes_!" he cried imploringly. "Don't send usoff, sir, and you shan't never repent it. You know what made us runaway. Say yes, sir; oh, say yes!"

"I can't say anything else, uncle, " I said, in a husky voice. 

"Hooray!" yelled the boy, throwing his cap in the air. "Do you hear, Bill Cross? The gentleman says `yes'!"

The loud shout and the flying up of the cap had the effect of starting alittle flock of birds from the nearest trees, and, obeying the instinctof the moment, Uncle Dick raised his gun and fired--two barrels, each ofwhich laid low one of the birds, which dropped in different directions. 

I was off after one of them directly, and, in utter disregard of UncleDick's warning shout, the boy was off after the other, but took sometime to find it in the dense growth amongst which it had fallen. 

"A beautiful little finch, uncle, " I said, as I brought back my prize. 

"Lovely!" he cried. "I never saw one like this before. It's a pity Idid not stop that fellow. He will have spoiled the other. "

But he was wrong, for the boy was just then coming from among the lowbushes, carefully bearing the second bird upon the top of his cap, whichhe held between his hands like a tray. 

"Is he all right, sir?" said the bearer excitedly. "I picked him up byhis neb and never touched his feathers. "

"Yes, in capital order, " said Uncle Dick. "Come, you've begun well!"

The boy's eyes flashed with pleasure, and taking advantage of Uncle Dickbeing busy over the birds, he turned to me. 

"Then we may stop with you, Master Nat?" he whispered. 

"I suppose so, but you must wait and see what my uncle says. I say, though, " I cried, "will you keep your face clean if you're allowed tostay?"

"Face? Clean?" he said, passing his dirty hand over his dingycountenance. "Ain't it clean now?"

I burst into a roar of laughter, for the poor fellow's face was not onlythoroughly grubby, but decorated with two good-sized smudges of tar. 

"You mean it's dirty, Mr Nat, " he said seriously. "All right; I'll goand scrub it. "

The next minute he was down on his knee at the water's edge scooping upa handful of muddy sand and, as he termed it, scrubbing away as if hewould take off all the skin, and puffing and blowing the while like agrampus, while the carpenter looked on as much amused as I. But heturned serious directly, and with an earnest look in his eyes he said:

"Thank you for what you said, Mr Nat, sir. You shan't find meungrateful. "

I nodded, and walked away to join my uncle, for I always hated to betalked to like that. 

Uncle Dick had his small case open, with its knife; cotton-wire, thread, and bottle of preserving cream, and when I joined him where he wasseated he had already stripped the skin off one of the birds, and waspainting the inside cover with the softened paste; while a few minuteslater he had turned the skin back over a pad of cotton-wool, so deftlythat, as the feathers fell naturally into their places and he tied thelegs together, it was hard to believe that there was nothing butplumage, the skin, and a few bones. 

"Open the case, " he said, and as I did so he laid his new specimen upona bed of cotton-wool, leaving room for the other bird, and went onskinning in the quick clever way due to long practice. 

"It doesn't take those two fellows long to settle down, Nat, " he said, as he went on. 

"No, uncle, " I replied, as I turned my eyes to where the boy had givenhimself a final sluice and was now drying his face and headpounce-powder fashion. That is to say, after the manner in which peopledried up freshly-written letters before the days of blotting-paper. Forthe boy had moved to a heap of dry sand and with his eyes closely shutwas throwing that on his face and over his short hair. 

"There's no question of right or wrong, " said my uncle quietly. "If wedo not take these fellows with us it means leaving them to starve todeath in the forest, for they have neither gun, boat, nor fishingtackle. "

"But it would be wrong not to take them, " I said. 

"Yes, " replied my uncle drily. Then he was silent for a few minuteswhile he turned back the skin from the bird's wing joints, and all atonce made me look at him wonderingly, for he said "Bill!" with thehandle of the knife in his teeth. 

"What about Bill?" I said. 

"Bill--Cross, " continued my uncle. "What's the other's name?"

"Boy, " I said, laughing. "I never heard him called anything else. Hadn't we better call the carpenter Man?"

"It would be just as reasonable, " said my uncle. "Ask the boy hisname. "

By this time our new acquisition was dry, and I stared at him, for heseemed to be someone else as he dusted off the last of the sand. 

It was not merely that he had got rid of the dirt and reduced the tarsmudges, but that something within was lighting up his whole face in apleasant, hearty grin as he looked up at me brightly in a way I hadnever seen before. 

"Is my face better, Mr Nat?" he said. 

"Yes, " I said, "ever so much; and you must keep it so. "

"Oh, yes, " he said seriously; "I will now. It was no good before. "

"What's your name?" I said. 

He showed his white teeth. 

"Name? They always called me Boy on board, " he replied. 

"Yes, but you've got a name like anyone else, " I said. 

"Oh, yes, sir, " he replied, wrinkling up his forehead as if thinkingdeeply; "I've got a name somewheres, but I've never seemed to want it. Got most knocked out of me. It's Peter, I know; but--I say, BillCross, " he cried sharply, "what's my name?"

The carpenter smiled grimly, and gave me a sharp look as much as to say, "Wait a minute and you shall see me draw him out. "

"Name, my lad, " he said. "Here, I say, you haven't gone and knockedyour direction off your knowledge box, have you?"

"I dunno, " said the boy, staring. "I can't 'member it. "

"Where was it stuck on--your back?"

"Nay, it was in my head if it was anywhere. Gahn! You're laughing atme. Here! I know, Mr Nat; it's Horn--Peter Horn. That's it. "

"Well, you are a thick-skulled one, Pete, not to know your own name. "

"Yes, " replied the boy thoughtfully; "it's being knocked about the headso did it, I s'pose. What shall I do now, sir? Light a fire?"

"Yes, at once, " I said, for the thought made me know that I was hungry. "Make it now between those pieces of rock yonder by the boat. "

The boy went off eagerly; Cross followed; and I went back, to find myuncle finishing the second skin. 

"That's a good beginning, Nat, " he said. "Now, then, the next thing isto see about breakfast. "

"And after that, uncle?"

"Then we'll be guided by circumstances, Nat, " he replied. "What we haveto do is to get into the wildest places we can find where its river, forest, or mountain. "

"Isn't this wild enough?" I said. 

"Yes, my boy; but I want to get up into the interior, and we must find aroad. "

"A road means civilisation, " I said. 

"Ah! but I mean one of Nature's roads--a river. Sooner or later weshall find one up which we can sail, and when that is no longer possiblewe must row or pole. "

"Then we shall find the advantage, uncle, of having a little crew, and--what's the matter now?"

I stared in astonishment, for the minute before Pete and the carpenterwere busy feeding the fire and trying to get the kettle they had swung, gypsy fashion, on three bamboos, to boil. Now they were both crawlingtowards us on all-fours, Pete getting over the ground like a dog. 

"It's all over, Master Nat, and good-bye if yer never sees us again. It's Robinson Crusoe out in the woods now. "

"Why, Bill, " I said, "has he gone mad?"

"Pretty nigh, sir. Look. "

"Look at what?"

"Steamer, sir, found the boat, I s'pose, and they're coming round thepoint to pick us up. Good luck to you, gentlemen, and good-bye. "

He plunged after Pete into the bed of the stream, and they disappearedin the jungle, just as the steamer in full sail and close in camegliding into our sight, towing a boat astern. 

CHAPTER SIX. 

A FALSE ALARM. 

"It looks bad for them, poor fellows!" said my uncle, shading his eyesto gaze seaward. "The captain means to have them back. "

"Nonsense! uncle, " I said; "it's a false alarm. That's not our ship. "

"Not our ship?" he cried, springing up. "Of course it's not. Andwhatever she is those on board don't see us. "

We stood watching for a few minutes before I ran to the boat and got theglass out of the locker to have a good look. 

"Well, what do you make of her?" said my uncle. 

"I don't know what she is, " I said; "but there are only two people ondeck--one forward and the other leaning half asleep over the wheel. Here, I'll go and call those two back. "

"You'd call in vain, " said my uncle, as I replaced the glass in thecase. "They're beyond earshot, and you could not find them. "

"What are we to do then, uncle?" I said. 

"Have breakfast, my boy. I want mine. "

"But those two poor fellows?"

"Well, they took fright, Nat. A guilty conscience needs no accuser. They had run from their ship, and the sight of one was enough to makethem feel that they were being sought. "

"But we ought to do something, uncle, " I said. 

"We can't do anything but wait, my lad, " he replied. "There, don't beuneasy; they'll come back as soon as they've got over the scaring. Idaresay we shall see or hear of them before night. "

My uncle's words brought back the hungry feeling which had been sweptaway, and I saw to the breakfast, making the coffee and frizzling someslices of bacon, the meal being thoroughly enjoyable, eaten there in theshade of a great tree, while everything around looked beautiful in theextreme; and it was not until my morning hunger was nearly appeased thatthe flies and the flying thoughts of our late companions tormented memuch. 

Then they began to get worse; and in a fit of sympathy I felt ashamed ofenjoying my meal so well while those two poor fellows were sufferingfrom hunger and fear. 

"What's the matter, Nat?" said my uncle; and then, "Look! Who'd havethought of seeing humming-birds so near the sea?"

I did not reply, for I did not know which part of my uncle's remark toanswer first; so I stared at the lovely little birds flitting about someflowers. 

"Steamer's getting a good way along, " said my uncle, after a fewminutes' silence. "Here, I must have two or three of those littlebeauties. "

"They're not quetzals, uncle, " I said, smiling. 

"No; but I'm not going to miss getting rare specimens, Nat. We may notfind the quetzals, and we must not go back empty-handed. Is the anchorquite fast?"

"Yes, uncle, perfectly, " I said. 

"Then let's get what good birds we can while we're waiting. The soundof our guns may bring those fellows back. "

He was right, for about mid-day, when we were busily preparing someskins of the lovely little humming-birds we had shot, I caught up thegun by my side, for their was a peculiar piping cry. 

"What bird's that?" I said, in a sharp whisper. 

"_Pee-wew_!" came softly. 

"Some kind of sea bird, " said my uncle. "It sounds like a gull. "

I laughed, and laid down my gun. 

"Why are you doing that?" said my uncle. 

"_Pee-wee_!" came the cry again. 

"_Pee-wee_!" I whistled, and then I shouted aloud, "All right!Steamer's gone. "

There was the cracking of twigs and a loud rustling sound, followed bythe sight of Pete, who crept out from among the bushes, hot, panting, and with face and hands terribly scratched. 

"Sure she's gone, Master Nat?" he said dolefully. 

"Sure? Yes, " I cried. "It wasn't our ship at all. "

"There, I knowed it warn't all the time, only Bill Cross said he wassure it were. Here, come out! Way he! it's all right. "

The carpenter forced his way out of the jungle soon after, glaring atPete. 

"Here, " he cried gruffly, "what d'ye mean by scaring a fellow likethat?"

"It warn't me, " cried Pete. "You said it was our ship coming after us. "

"Never mind, now, " said my uncle. "Set the fire going again, and getyourselves some breakfast; but don't be in such a hurry to take frightnext time. We'd better have our dinner at the same time, Nat; and ifthere's any wind this evening we'll sail southward. "

There was plenty of wind, and so quite early in the afternoon the anchorwas placed on board, Pete tucked up his trousers and ran the boat out, and then scrambled in to help with the sail. Then, as the boat careenedover and glided away, he and his companion gave a hearty cheer. 

We sailed along the coast southward for days and days, always findingplenty to interest and a few specimens worth shooting, both Bill andPete looking on with the most intense interest at the skinning andpreserving, till one day the latter said confidently:

"I could do that, Mr Nat. "

"Very well, " I said; "you shall try with one of the next birds I shoot. "

"At last, " cried my uncle a day or two later, and, seizing the tiller, he steered the boat straight for a wide opening and into what seemed tobe a lake, so surrounded were we by tropical trees. 

But the current we met soon showed that we were at the mouth of agood-sized river, and the wind being in our favour, we ran up it a dozenmiles or so before evening. 

For a long time the shores right and left had been closing in, and ourprogress growing slower, for the forest, which had been at somedistance, now came down to the water's edge, the trees were bigger, andfor the last two miles we had sailed very slowly, shut in as we were bythe great walls of verdure which towered far above the top of our mastand completely shut out the wind. 

Fortunately, the river was deep and sluggish so that progression wascomparatively easy, and every hundred yards displayed something temptingto so ardent a naturalist as my uncle. 

Not always pleasant, though, for the sluggish waters swarmed with hugealligators, and every now and then one plunged in from the bank with amighty splash. 

Some of the first we saw were approached innocently enough--for tounaccustomed eyes they looked like muddy logs floating down stream, andPete laughed at me when I told him to lift his oar as we passed one sodrowsy that it paid no heed. 

"Raise your oar-blade, " I said, as we glided along, "or that brute mayturn angry and upset us. "

I was sitting holding the tiller, steering, and Bill Cross held theother oar, while my uncle, tired out by a tramp ashore, was lying downforward, fast asleep, in the shadow cast by the sail, which kept onfilling and flapping--for in the reach we had now entered the wind washardly felt. 

"I never saw a tree run at a boat, Master Nat, " said Pete, as he raisedhis oar-blade. But before we had half passed the sleeping reptile theboy gave it a sudden chop on the back, and then, horrified by theconsequence of his act, he started up in his place, plunged overboardinto the deep, muddy water on the other side, and disappeared. 

For a moment or two I thought that we were all going to follow, for thereptile struck the boat a tremendous blow with its tail as it plungeddown, raising the river in waves and eddies, and making our craft danceso that the water nearly came over the side, and we all clung to thenearest object to our hands. 

"What's that?" cried my uncle. 

"Alligator, " I said, in a startled tone. 

"Where's the boy?"

"Gone overboard. "

"Not seized by one of the loathsome monsters?"

"Oh, no, sir, " said Bill, who looked rather startled. "He chopped it, and it scared him over the side. "

"Well, where is he?" cried my uncle, appealing to me, while I lookedvainly over the surface, which was now settling down. 

"I--I don't know, " I stammered. "He went over somewhere here. "

"But where did he come up?" cried my uncle. "Haven't you seen him?"

I was silent, for a terrible feeling of dread kept me from speaking, andmy uncle turned to the carpenter. 

"No, sir, I haven't seen him, " was the reply. 

"Let the boat drift down. Don't pull, man, you're sending us over tothe other side. Stop a moment. "

My uncle hurriedly took Pete's place, seized the oar that was swingingfrom the rowlock, and began to pull so as to keep the boat fromdrifting, while I steered. 

"Hadn't you better let her go down a bit, sir?" said the carpenter. "Hemay be drifting, and will come up lower. "

"But the lad could swim, " said my uncle, as I began to feel a horriblechill which made my hands grow clammy. 

"Swim? Yes, sir--like a seal. I'm getting skeart. One of they greatlizardy things must have got him. "

"Cease rowing!" cried my uncle, and he followed my example of standingup in the boat and scanning the surface, including the nearest shore--that on our left, where the trees came right down to the water. 

They stopped together, and let the boat drift slowly with the currentdownward and backward, till all at once there was a light puff of hotwind which filled the sail, and we mastered the current, once moregliding slowly up stream, with the water pattering against the sides andbows. 

But there was no sign of Pete, and having failed to take any bearings, or to remember by marks on the shore whereabouts he had gone down, wewere quite at fault, so that when the wind failed again and the boatdrifted back, it was impossible to say where we had seen the last of thepoor lad. 

I felt choking. Something seemed to rise in my throat, and I could onlysit there dumb and motionless, till all at once, as the wind sprang upagain, filled the sail, and the boat heeled over, the necessity of doingsomething to steer her and keep her in the right direction sent a thrillthrough me, and I did what I ought to have done before. 

For, as the water rattled again under the bows and we glided on, Ishouted aloud--

"Pete, lad, where are you?"

"Ahoy!" came from a distance higher up, farther than we could havedeemed possible after so much sailing. 

"Hooray!" shouted the carpenter. "Why he's got ashore yonder. "

"Where did the hail come from, Nat?" said my uncle, with a sigh ofrelief. 

"Seemed to be from among the trees a hundred yards forward there to theleft. "

"Run her close in, then, and hail, my lad, " he cried. 

He had hardly spoken before the wind failed again, and they bent totheir oars. 

"Where are you, Pete?" I shouted. 

"Here, among the trees, " came back, and I steered the boat in thedirection, eagerly searching the great green wall of verdure, but seeingnothing save a bird or two. 

"Are you ashore?" I shouted. 

"Nay! It's all water underneath me. Come on, sir. Here I am. "

A few more strokes of the oars ran us close in beneath the pendentboughs, and the next minute the carpenter caught hold of one of theoverhanging branches and kept the boat there, while Pete descended fromwhere he had climbed, to lower himself into the boat and sit downshivering and dripping. 

"Thought he'd got me, sir, " he said, looking white. "I dived down, though, and only come up once, but dove again so as to come up under thetrees; and then I found a place where I could pull myself up. It wasprecious hard, though. I kep' 'specting one of 'em would pull me back, till I was up yonder; and it arn't safe there. "

"Why not?" I said. 

"There's great monkeys yonder, and the biggest snake I ever see, MasterNat. "

"But did you not see the boat? Didn't you see us hunting for you?" saidmy uncle angrily. 

"No, sir; I had all I could do to swim to one of the trees, diving downso as the 'gators shouldn't see me; and when I did get up into the tree, you'd gone back down the river, so that I couldn't see nothing of you. "

"But why didn't you shout, Pete?" said the carpenter. "Everyone's beenafraid you was drowned. "

"Who was going to shout when there was a great snake curled up in knotslike a ship's fender right over your head? Think I wanted to wake himup? Then there was two great monkeys. "

"Great monkeys!" said my uncle. "Pray, how big were they?"

"Dunno, sir, but they looked a tidy size, and whenever I moved theybegun to make faces and call me names. "

"What did they call you, Pete?" I said. 

"I dunno, Master Nat. You see, it was all furren, and I couldn'tunderstand it; but one of 'em was horrid howdacious: he ran along abough till he was right over my head, and then he took hold with histail and swung himself to and fro and chattered, and said he'd drop onmy head if I dared to move. "

"Are you sure he said that, Pete?" said my uncle drily. 

"Well, sir, I can't be quite sure, because I couldn't understand him;but it seemed something like that. "

"Yes, but I'm afraid there was a good deal of imagination in it, Pete, and that you have bad eyes. "

"Oh, no, sir, " said Pete; "my eyes are all right. "

"They cannot be, " said my uncle; "they must magnify terribly. Now then, take off your wet clothes, wring them out, and hang them up in the sun, while we look after this huge serpent and the gigantic monkeys. Drawthe boat along by the boughs, Cross, till we can look through thatopening. Be ready with your gun, Nat. Put in a couple of thoseswanshot cartridges. You shall do the shooting. "

I hurriedly changed the charges in my double gun and sat in my place, looking up eagerly, trying to pierce the green twilight and tangle ofcrossing boughs, while Pete slowly slipped off his dripping shirt andtrousers, watching me the while. 

"See anything yet?" said my uncle, as he helped Cross to push the boatalong, pulling the boughs aside, which forced him to lower the sail andunship the mast. 

"No, uncle; the boughs are too thick--yes--yes, I can see a monkeyhanging by his tail. "

"A six-footer? Bring him down, then. We must have his skin. "

"Six-footer? No!" I said. "It's about as big as a fat baby. "

"I thought so, " said my uncle. "Never mind the poor little thing;look-out for the monstrous snake. I daresay it's one of the anacondascrept up out of the river. See it?"

"No, uncle; but there might be a dozen up there. "

"Keep on looking. You must see it if it's as big as Pete here says. Was it close to the trunk, my lad?"

"Not very, sir; it was just out a little way, where the boughs spreadout. "

"I see it!" I cried. "Keep the boat quite still. It's curled up allin a knot. "

"A hundred feet long?" said my uncle, laughing. 

"Not quite, uncle. "

"Well, fifty?"

"I don't think so, uncle. "

"Five-and-twenty, then?"

"Oh, no, " I said; "it's rather hard to tell, because of the way shefolds double about; but I should think it's twelve feet long. "

"I thought so, " said my uncle. "Pete, you'll have to wear diminishingglasses. "

"That aren't the one, sir, " said Pete gruffly. 

"Shall I shoot, uncle?"

"No; we don't want the skin, and it would be a very unpleasant task totake it off. Push off, Cross, and let's go up the stream. I want toget to clearer parts, where we can land and make some excursions. "

Pete hung his head when I looked at him, but he said no more, and acouple of hours after, with his clothes thoroughly dry, he was helpingto navigate the boat, rowing, poling, and managing the sail till nightfell, when we once more moored to a great tree trunk, as we had made apractice all the way up, and slept in safety on board, with the strangenoises of the forest all around. 

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

SNAKES AND PUMAS. 

It was a relief at last, after many days of hard work, sailing androwing and poling over the shallows by means of the light bamboos we cutupon the banks, to find that we were well above the dense, jungle-likeforest where, save in places, landing was impossible. Instead ofcreeping along between the two high walls of verdure, the river ranclear, shallow, and sparkling, among gravelly beds and rocks; while, though the growth was abundant on banks, there were plenty of openplaces full of sunshine and shadow, where flowers bloomed and birds farbrighter in colour flitted from shrub to shrub, or darted in flocksamong the trees. Mountains rose up in the distance, and every now andthen we had glorious peeps of the valleys, which near at hand were ofthe richest golden-green, but in the distance gradually grew fromamethyst into the purest blue. 

"At last!" cried Uncle Dick, for we had reached the outskirts of theland he sought--one with the natural roads necessary; for by carefulmanagement we contrived to penetrate some distance up the variousstreams which came down from the mountains to join the main river, andwhen we had forced the boat up a little stream till it was aground, wethere camped and made expeditions on foot in all directions, coming backto the boat with our treasures. 

It was difficult to decide which stream to try, and one in particularwhose mouth we passed several times in our journeys to and fro attractedme--I could not tell why--and I suggested more than once that we shouldgo up it; but Uncle Dick shook his head. 

"It is the least likely, Nat, " he said on one occasion, and when, afterseveral expeditions, I proposed it again, because most of those we triedevidently bore to the north, while this had a southward tendency, herefused tetchily. 

"Can't you see how covered it is with water-weed and tangled growth? Itwould be impossible to go up there without a small canoe. "

So I said no more, but contented myself with his choice. 

For of treasures we had plenty, the wild mountain valleys swarming withbeautifully plumaged birds, especially with those tiny little objectswhich were actually less than some of the butterflies and moths. 

These humming-birds we generally shot with sand, sometimes merely withthe wad of the cartridge, and even at times brought them down by theconcussion caused by firing with powder only, when very near. 

I was never tired of examining these little gems of the bird world, andwondering at their excessive beauty in their dazzling hues, exactly likethose of the precious stones from which they are named--ruby, emerald, topaz, sapphire, amethyst, and the like. 

"It caps me, " Pete used to say, as he stared with open mouth when Icarefully skinned the tiny creatures to preserve them. 

Then came the day when, after a long tramp along with Pete, we foundourselves at the end of a narrow valley, with apparently no fartherprogress to be made. 

We had started, after an early breakfast in the boat, and left my unclethere to finish off the drying of some skins ready for packing in alight case of split bamboo which the carpenter had made; and with onegun over my shoulder, a botanist's collecting-box for choice birds, andPete following with another gun and a net for large birds slung over hisshoulder, we had tramped on for hours, thinking nothing of the heat andthe sun-rays which flashed off the surface of the clear shallow streamwe were following, for the air came down fresh and invigorating from themountains. 

We had been fairly successful, for I had shot four rare humming-birds;but so far we had seen no specimens of the gorgeous quetzal, and it wasfor these that our eyes wandered whenever we reached a patch ofwoodland, but only to startle macaws, parroquets, or theclumsy-looking--but really light and active--big-billed toucans, whichmade Pete shake his head. 

"They're all very well, with their orange and red throats, or their paleprimrose or white, Master Nat; but I don't see no good in birds havinggreat bills like that. "

We had a bit of an adventure, too, that was rather startling, as weslowly climbed higher in tracking the course of the little streamtowards its source in the mountain. As we toiled on where the rocksrose like walls on either side, and the ground was stony and bare, therugged glittering in the sunshine, Pete had got on a few yards aheadthrough my having paused to transfer a gorgeous golden-green beetle toour collecting-box. 

I was just thinking that the absence of grass or flowers was probablydue to the fact that the flooded stream must at times run all over wherewe were walking, the narrow valley looking quite like the bed of a riverright up to the rocks on either side, when Pete shouted to me--

"Come and look, Master Nat. What's this here? Want to take it?"

I looked, and then fired the quickest shot I ever discharged in my life. I hardly know how I managed it; but one moment I was carrying my gunover my shoulder, the next I had let the barrels fall into my left handand fired. 

Pete leapt off the ground, uttering a yell which would have made anyonewho could have looked on imagine that I had shot him. He dropped thegun he carried and turned round to face me. 

"What did you do that for, Master Nat?" he cried. 

"For that, " I said, pointing, and then raising my piece to my shoulder, I fired again at something writhing and twining among the loose stones. 

"Thought you meant to shoot me, sir, " said Pete, picking up the gun andcovering a dint he had made in the stock, as he stared down at theobject that was now dying fast. "Well, it's of no good now. You'vereg'larly spoiled it. "

"Do you know what that is?" I said, with my heart beating fast. 

"Course I do, " he said with a laugh. "Snake. "

"Yes, the most deadly snake out here. If I had waited till you touchedit you would have been stung; and that generally means death. "

"My word!" said Pete, shrinking away. "Think of it, sir! Shouldn'thave liked that, Master Nat. What snake is it?"

"A rattlesnake. "

"I didn't hear him rattle. But I was just going to lay hold of himbehind his ears and pick him up. "

"And yet uncle told you to beware of poisonous snakes. "

"Ah! so he did, sir; but I wasn't thinking about what he said then. Sothat's his rattle at the end of his tail, with a sting in it. "

"Nonsense!" I cried. "Rattlesnakes do not sting. "

"Hark at him!" cried Pete, addressing nobody. Then to me--

"Why, you said just now they did. "

"I meant bite. "

"But wapses have their stings in their tails. "

"But rattlesnakes do not, " I said. "Look here. "

I drew the hunting knife I carried, and with one chop took off thedangerous reptile's head. Then picking it up I opened the jaws andshowed him the two keen, hollow, poisonous fangs which rose erect whenthe jaws gaped. 

"Seem too little to do any harm, Master Nat, " said Pete, rubbing hishead. "Well, I shall know one of them gentlemen another time. --Oh, don't chuck it away!" he cried. "I should like to put that head in abox and save it. "

"Too late, Pete, " I said, for I had just sent the head flying into therippling stream; and after reloading we went on again till it seemed asif we were quite shut in. 

For right in front was a towering rock, quite perpendicular above a lowarchway, at whose foot the stream rushed gurgling out, while the sidesof the narrow ravine in which we were rose up like a wall. 

"We shall have to go back, Pete, I suppose, " I said, as I looked uponeither side. 

"I wouldn't, sir, " he replied; "it's early yet. "

"But we couldn't climb up there. "

"Oh, yes, we could, sir, if we took it a bit at a time. "

Pete was right. I had looked at the task all at once, but by taking ita bit at a time we slowly climbed up and up till we reached to wherethere was a gentle slope dotted with patches of woodland, and lookingmore beautiful than the part we had travelled over that day. 

It was just as we had drawn ourselves up on to the gentle slope whichspread away evidently for miles, that Pete laid his hand upon my arm andpointed away to the left. 

"Look!" he whispered; "thing like a great cat. There she goes. "

But I did not look, for I had caught sight of a couple of birds glidingthrough the air as if they were finishing their flight and about toalight. 

"Look there!" I panted excitedly, as I watched for the place where thebirds would pitch, which proved to be out of sight, beyond a clump oftrees. 

"This way, Master Nat, " whispered Pete. 

"No, no; this way, " I said hoarsely. And I hurried forward, having toget over about a hundred yards before I could reach the patch behindwhich the birds had disappeared. 

My heart beat faster with excitement as well as exertion as I checked mypace on reaching the trees and began to creep softly along in theirshelter, till all at once there was a harsh scream, followed by a dozenmore, as a little flock of lovely green parroquets took flight, and Petestopped short for me to fire. 

But I did not; I only kept on, wondering whether the objects of mysearch would take fright. 

They did the next moment, and I fired at what seemed like a couple ofwhirring patches of orange, one of which to my great joy fell, while theother went right away in a straight line, showing that it had not beentouched. 

"That's got him!" cried Pete excitedly. And he ran forward to pick upthe bird, while I began to reload, but stopped in astonishment, for fromsome bushes away to the left, in a series of bounds, a magnificent pumasprang into sight, and seemed to be racing Pete so as to get first tothe fallen bird. 

Pete was nearest, and would have been there first, but he suddenlycaught sight of the great active cat and stopped short. 

This had the effect of making the puma stop short too, and stand lashingits tail and staring at Pete as if undecided what to do. 

I ought to have behaved differently, but I was as much taken by surpriseas Pete, and I, too, stood staring instead of reloading my gun, while itnever once occurred to the lad that he had one already charged in hishand. 

Suddenly, to my astonishment, he snatched off his straw hat. 

"Shoo!" he cried, and sent it skimming through the air at the puma. 

The effect was all he desired, for the beautiful animal sprang round andbounded away towards the nearest patch of forest, Pete after him till hereached his hat, which he picked up in triumph and stuck on his headagain, grinning as he returned. 

"That's the way to scare that sort, Master Nat, " he cried. And hereached me again just as I stooped to pick up the fallen bird. 

"Cock of the Rocks, Pete, " I cried triumphantly, too much excited tothink about the puma. 

"Is he, sir?" said Pete. "Well, he ran away like a hen. "

"No, no! I mean this bird. Isn't it a beauty?"

"He just is, sir. Lives on oranges, I s'pose, to make him that colour. "

"I don't know what it lived on, " I said as I regularly gloated over thelovely bird with its orange plumage and soft wheel-like crest offeathers from beak to nape. "This must go in your net, Pete; but youmust carry it very carefully. "

"I will, Master Nat. Going back now?"

"Back? No, " I cried. "We must follow up that other one. I saw whichway it flew. Uncle will be in ecstasies at our having found a placewhere they come. "

"Will he, sir? Thought it was golden-green birds with long tails. Quizzals. That one's got hardly any tail at all. "

"He wants these too, " I said, closing the breech of my gun. "Comealong. "

"But how about that there big cat, sir? He's gone down that way. "

"We must fire at it if it comes near again, or you must throw your hat, "I said, laughing. 

"All right, sir, you know. Only if he or she do turn savage, it mightbe awkward. "

"I don't think they're dangerous animals, Pete, " I said; "and we musthave that other bird, and we may put up more. Here, I'll go first. "

"Nay, play fair, Master Nat, " said Pete; "let's go side by side. "

"Yes, but a little way apart. Open out about thirty feet, and thenlet's go forward slowly. I think we shall find it among those treesyonder. "

"The big cat, sir?" said Pete. 

"No, no!" I cried; "the other bird, the cock of the rocks. Now then, forward. "

A little flock of brightly-coloured finches flew up before we had gone ahundred yards, but I was so excited by the prospect of getting myprize's mate that these seemed of no account, and we went on, myintention being to fire at the cock of the rocks, and nothing else, unless the golden plumage of a quetzal flashed into sight. 

In another five minutes we had forgotten all about the puma, for we wereleaving the trees where it had disappeared away to our left, and we wenton and on, starting birds again and again, till we had passed over aquarter of a mile and were pushing on amongst open clumps of bushes withpatches of woodland here and there. 

Pete was abreast of me with the other gun, and I was sweeping the groundbefore me in search of the orange plumage of the bird I sought, whichmight spring up at any time, when I had to pass round a pile of ruggedstones half covered with herbage. 

"Sort of place for snakes to bask, " I said to myself, as I gave it alittle wider berth, when all at once, to my surprise, up rose with awhirr not the bird I sought, but a little flock of seven or eight, andas I raised my gun to fire at the group of whizzing orange--_Thud_!

Something heavy had bounded from the pile of stone I had passed, toalight full upon my shoulders. 

_Bang, bang_! went both barrels of my gun, and the next moment I wasdown, spread-eagle fashion, on my face, conscious of the fact that whatwas probably the puma's mate had bounded right upon me as I stoopedforward to fire, and as I heard Pete utter a yell of horror, the beast'smuzzle was pressed down on the back of my neck, and its hot breathstirred the roots of my hair. 

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

A LUCKY ESCAPE. 

For a few minutes, or a few moments, I cannot tell which, I lay therehalf stunned. 

Then I began to think that I should be torn to pieces and devoured, andmy next vivid thought took the form of a question--Will it hurt much?

This set me wondering whether I was already badly injured, and as I hadread that people who are seriously hurt do not feel pain at the time, Itook it for granted that I was in a very sad state. But all the same Idid not feel torn by the creature's claws, nor yet as if its teeth hadbeen driven into the back of my neck, though I supposed that they hadbeen. What I did feel was that the puma was heavy, soft, and very hot. 

"Then I can't be hurt, " I reasoned with myself at last, "or I shouldfeel the pain now, " and with this I began to think it was time to dosomething; but I hesitated about beginning, for I could make no use ofmy discharged gun. 

There was my knife, though, if I could get it out from its sheath in mybelt, and feeling that, if it were to come to a struggle, my empty handswould be no match for the puma's teeth and claws, I began to steal myfingers towards my belt. 

I stopped directly, though, for at the first movement there was a deepshuddering growl at the nape of my neck, and it seemed to run down myspine and out at the tips of my fingers and toes. It was just as if thepuma were saying--

"You just lie still, or I'll bite. "

That must have been the meaning, for I lay quite still with the greatheat drops tickling my face and running in the roots of my hair, whilethe puma crouched upon my back so that I could feel its shape exactly. 

"What can I do?" I said to myself, and then I remembered the old storyabout the traveller and the bear--how he shammed death, and the bearleft him. That was what I felt that I must do, and I lay perfectlystill in the hope that the puma would leave me, though it seemed quiteto approve of its couch, and lay close, breathing steadily, so that Ifelt the rise and fall of its breast against my back. 

Just when I was beginning to feel faint with the heat and excitement, athrill ran through me, for from somewhere close at hand, but invisibleto me in the position I occupied, I heard Pete's voice--

"Oh, Master Nat, Master Nat! Are you killed?"

"No, " I cried; but I said no more, for there was a savage growl, a snap, and I felt myself seized at the back of the neck and shaken, but thepuma had only seized the collar of my loose jacket, so that I was unhurtstill. 

"What shall I do, Master Nat?" cried Pete. 

The puma loosed its hold of the collar of my jacket, and I felt it raiseits head as if looking in the direction of Pete, and it growled fiercelyagain. 

"Shoot, Pete, shoot!" I cried, feeling that at all risks I must speak. 

The puma's teeth gripped my collar again, and I could fell its clawsglide out of their sheaths like a cat's and press upon my shoulders, giving me a warning of what the beast could do. 

But its attention was taken off directly by Pete's voice, and it raisedits head again and growled at him as if daring him to approach and robit of its prey. 

For Pete cried in a despairing tone--

"I dursn't shoot, Master Nat, I dursn't shoot. I aren't clever with agun, and I should hit you. "

I knew this was quite true, and that under the circumstances I dared nothave fired, so I lay perfectly still, trying to think out what to do, for the animal seemed determined not to leave me, and I began to growgiddy as well as faint. 

Then I started, for there was a rustling of the grass and a sharp crack, as if Pete had trodden upon a dead twig. 

The puma growled again furiously, and then as I started, seized mycollar tight in its teeth and shook me, for the sharp report of the gunPete carried rang out, followed by that of a second barrel, when I heardthe loud whirr of wings, and felt sure that three or four more specimensof the lovely orange-tinted birds I sought had been scared into flight. 

But the firing in the air had not scared the puma, which lowered itshead again and seized my collar, clinging tightly, and working its clawsin and out of their sheaths. 

"It's no good, Master Nat, " cried Pete; "it don't frighten him a bit. Shall I run back and tell the doctor?"

"No, " I said softly, so as not to irritate the puma; "you could not getback till after dark, and I should be dead before then. "

"What shall I do then, Master Nat? What shall I do? I want to saveyou, but I'm such a coward. I don't care, though; he shall have myknife into him if I die for it! Ah, I know!" he cried exultingly, "Whoo--hoo--oo--oo--oo!"

To my astonishment and delight, just as I was nearly fainting, the pumagave a furious growl and a tremendous bound, leaving me free, and as Istruggled to my feet, panting and exhausted, I caught sight of Petetwenty yards away in the act of picking up his straw hat, with which hereturned to me, grinning with delight. 

"That done it, " he cried. "He couldn't understand it a bit, I sent myold hat skimming at him, and I say, he did cut away. I say, you aren'tmuch hurt, are you, sir?"

"N-no, " I said hesitatingly, "I think not. Look at my neck andshoulder. See if they bleed. "

"Yes, " cried Pete excitedly, "he's got hold of you at the back o' theneck and ragged you. Where's your hankychy?"

I turned deathly sick with horror as I drew out my handkerchief and gaveit to him; and then I felt ashamed of myself, for Pete burst outlaughing. 

"He aren't touched your neck, Master Nat, " he cried, "on'y got hold ofthe collar of your jacket and chawed it a bit. I say, who'd ha' thoughtan old straw hat was better than a gun!"

"Can we get some water?" I said hoarsely. 

"Yes, there's some trickles down into a bit of a pool yonder, where Ifound my hat. Come on. "

A few minutes later I was bathing my hands and face, after we had laindown and drunk heartily of the sweet, cool, clear water, to rise uprefreshed, and as the puma had disappeared, feeling as if the dangerthrough which we had passed was very far away. 

"How d'yer feel now, Master Nat?" asked Pete. 

"Oh, better; much better, " I said quickly. 

"Good job he didn't begin eating of you, ain't it, sir?"

"Yes, Pete, a very good job, " I said heartily. 

"Then let's go on and shoot some more of them yaller birds. "

I shook my head as I held out one hand, which was trembling. 

"I don't think I could hit a bird now, Pete, after that upset. "

"Oh, yes, you could, sir, " he cried. "Let's go on; and I say, if yousee my gentleman again, you pepper him, and he won't come near us anymore. "

"I don't know, Pete, " I said thoughtfully; "the pain might make it morevicious. Let's get back to the boat. I feel as if I've done quiteenough for one day. "

I finished reloading my gun as I spoke, so as to be ready foremergencies, and turned to retrace our steps to the rocky descent to thestream, when Pete touched my arm. 

"Coming back here to drink, " he whispered. 

I forgot all about the shock and nervousness the next moment, as I sawthe flutter of approaching wings, and directly after my gun rang outwith two reports, while as the smoke floated away, Pete triumphantly ranto where a couple of the orange birds had fallen. 

"I say, Master Nat, " he said, "you can shoot. Wish I could do that. You seem just to hold the gun up and it's done. I knew you could. Theyare beauties. Something better worth taking back than we had before. "

The birds' plumage was carefully smoothed, and without further adventurewe reached the top of the vast rocky wall and descended to the stream, where we had another refreshing draught close to the mouth of thenatural arch through which the water flowed, and then tramped back tothe boat, reaching it at sundown, where my uncle was, as I had said, inecstasies with the beautiful birds we had brought. 

I was as pleased, but just then I thought more of the pleasantroast-bird supper and the coffee that awaited us, and paid moreattention to these than anything else. 

Over the supper, though, I related our experience with the pumas, and myuncle looked serious. 

"You got off well, Nat, " he said. "They are not dangerous beasts, though, unless attacked and hurt. I'd give them as wide a berth infuture as I could. I'm thankful that you had such an escape. "

CHAPTER NINE. 

THROUGH THE CAVERN. 

My uncle accompanied me in my next and several other visits to the uppervalley, with the result that we obtained as many specimens of thebeautiful orange birds as we required, and in addition several rarekinds of humming-birds; but strangely enough, anxious as I was that myuncle should see one of the pumas they were never encountered once. 

The whole of the upper valley was very lovely, and the air, from itsbeing so high up among the mountains, deliciously cool. 

"It seems a pity, " my uncle said, "that nobody lives here. " For as faras we could make out in our many journeys, human beings had neverpenetrated its solitudes. 

"Yes, " I said, on one of these occasions, "it is a glorious place, uncle, and anyone might make it a lovely garden with hardly any trouble;but I shouldn't like to live here after all. "

"Why?" he said. "You seem very hard to please. "

"The place isn't perfect, uncle, " I said. 

"No place is, but I don't see much to find fault with. Oh, you meanthat we can find no quetzals. "

"No, I did not, " I said. "I meant we find too many rattlesnakes. "

"Ah, yes, they are a nuisance, Nat; but they always get out of our wayif they can, and so long as they don't bite us we need not complain. Well, we have pretty well explored this valley, and it is time we triedanother. We must get farther to the south. "

"Why not strike off, then, from the top of the great cliff above thearch, and try and find where the stream dives down?"

"What!" he said; "you don't think, then, that the stream rises entirelythere?"

"No, " I said; "I fancy it dives underground when it reaches a mountain, and comes out where we saw. "

"Quite likely, " he said, jumping at the idea. "We'll try, for we havehad some beautiful specimens from the woodlands on the banks of thatstream. Perhaps we may find my golden-green trogons up there after all, for I feel sure that there are some to be found up among the head-watersof the river. "

The next day preparations were made for our expedition, and as thecountry we were in seemed to be so completely uninhabited from itsunsuitability for agricultural purposes, and the little attraction ithad for hunters other than such as we, there was no occasion to mindleaving the boat. 

The carpenter and Pete were in high glee at the news that they were toaccompany us, and in the intervals of packing up, their delight wasexpressed by furtive punches and slaps delivered when one or the otherwas not looking. 

"I am glad, Mr Nat, " Bill Cross said to me when we were alone for a fewminutes overnight. "I'm not grumbling, sir, and I like making cases andcooking and washing, but I do feel sometimes as if I'd give anything tobe able to shoulder a gun and come along with you gents, shooting andhunting for curiosities. "

"Well, you'll have a fine chance now, Bill, " I said. 

"Yes, sir, and it'll just be a treat; for I haven't had much of the funso far, have I?"

"Fun?" I said. 

"Yes, sir; it's fun to a chap like me who when he goes to sleep of anight it's with the feeling that there's a day's work done. "

"So it is with all of us, " I said. "I work very hard; so does myuncle. "

"Yes, sir; but don't you see that what's work to you as can go and do isseems like play to me as is obliged to stay in camp--I mean with theboat. But as I was going to say, after a night's rest when one wakes upit's always to begin another day's work! But there, don't you think I'mgrumbling, sir, because I arn't; for I've never been so happy in my lifebefore as since I've been out here with you and the doctor. What timedo we start to-morrow?"

"Breakfast before daylight, and start as soon as we can see, " I replied. 

"Right, sir; I'll be ready. "

There was so little novelty in a fresh trip to me then, that I droppedasleep as soon as I lay down in the tent under a big tree ashore, and itseemed like the next minute when the carpenter in his gruff voice calledto us that breakfast was nigh ready. 

I looked up, to see his face by the lanthorn he had brought alight, ashe hung it from a hook on the tent-pole; and then after making sure thatmy uncle was awake, I hurried out into the darkness, where Pete was busyfrizzling bacon over the glowing embers, ran down into the fresh, coolwater for my bath, and came out with my blood seeming to dance throughmy veins. 

Our breakfast was soon dispatched, and before the sun rose the tent hadbeen fastened up, our guns and satchels shouldered and swung, and inaddition Cross carried a coil of rope and the lanthorn, now out andfreshly trimmed. 

"Be useful, " he said, with a sage nod of the head. "S'pose we shall beout all night. "

The next minute he and Pete shouldered the extra guns and the packs theywere to carry in case our trip lasted over more than a couple of days;and we set off in single file steadily up the side of the stream betweenthe walls of rock, and sometimes wading across it to find better ground. Twice over we waded in the middle of the water, where it was sandy, andfound it nowhere over our knees. 

In due time we reached the spot where the walls of the gorge had drawntogether and the end was closed by the perpendicular mountain at whosefoot was the little natural arch out of which the water came gurglingswiftly. Here my uncle stopped for the load-bearers to have a shortrest before we began to climb upward to Puma Vale, as I had dubbed it. 

Pete and Cross used their loads as seats, and the latter, who had notseen the place before, sat looking about attentively, while my uncletook out his little double-glass and examined the towering mountain forsigns of birds upon the ledges or trees which clung to the sides. 

The carpenter turned to me and nodded. 

"Strange pretty place, Mr Nat, " he cried, "and it's just like Pete saidit was. Going up yonder to try and find the river again farther on, aren't we?"

"Yes, and I think we shall find it. "

"Wouldn't it be better to keep on up it? Should be sure of it then. "

"But don't you see that we can go no farther?" I said wonderingly. 

"No, sir, I don't. Water's not above eighteen inches deep, and it'snice sandy bottom. "

"But it nearly touches the top of the arch, " I said. 

"Just there it do, sir, but that's only the doorway; it may be ever sohigh inside. P'raps I'm wrong, though. You've tried it, then?"

"What, tried to get under that horrible dark arch? Oh, no!"

"Why not?" said the man coolly. "I don't see nothing horrid. Dessayit'll be dark, but we've a lanthorn. "

"But we should have to wade, and in the darkness we might go down somehorrible hole. "

Cross shook his head. 

"Nay, " he said; "you might do that if the water was running the otherway downward, but we should have to go up stream with the water comingto us. We shouldn't find any holes; what we should find more likelywould be waterfalls, and have to climb up 'em. "

"What's that?" cried my uncle, who had caught part of what was said, andhe was told the rest. 

"Let's have a look, Nat, " he said, and slipping off our boots andstockings we waded on over the soft sand to where the water came rushingout through the arch, stooping down and peering in as we listened to thegurgling and whispering of the water. 

"Shall we have the lanthorn, and I'll stoop down and see if the roofgets higher farther in?" I said. 

"Would you mind doing it?" said my uncle. 

"I don't think I should like it much, " I said; "but I'll try. "

"Let me go, Master Nat, sir, " said Pete eagerly; "I won't mind. "

"Sounds as if there's plenty of room inside, sir, " said Cross, who hadfollowed our example and waded in. 

"Let's see, " said my uncle, stooping down, after cocking his gun. Thenholding it as if it were a pistol, he reached in as far as he could andfired both barrels. 

The reports sounded dull and smothered, and as we listened my unclesaid:

"It is only a narrow passage, I think. "

Then he was silent, for the reports were repeated ten times as loudly, and went on reverberating again and again, from farther and fartheraway, till they gradually grew indistinct and strange, for there was astrange dull roar growing louder and louder till the echoes weredrowned, while the roar seemed to come on and on, till withouthesitation on anyone's part we turned and ran splashing out of thestream to the shore, to escape from a dark rushing cloud which camestreaming out of the mouth of the cave with screams, hisses, andwhisperings, out and away down the narrow ravine till it seemed to befilled with birds and bats, while a strange black-beetly odour assailedour nostrils. 

"No doubt about there being plenty of room, lads, " said my uncle, as helaughed at our scared faces, for the sudden rush out was startling. 

"Is them owls, sir?" said the carpenter, staring. 

"No, no, " replied my uncle; "they are something of the goat-suckertribe--night-birds which build in caves; but a good half of what we seeare bats. "

"Yes, I can see they're bats, sir, and the biggest I ever did see. Well, they won't hurt us, sir?"

"No, but they're terribly afraid we shall hurt them, " said my uncle. "Well, Nat, what do you say? Shall we explore the underground river?"

I felt as if I should like to say, "No, I would rather not, " but thepride within me made me take the other view of the matter. 

"Yes, " I said, "of course, " and the sense of unwillingness was forgottenin the desire to laugh at the look of horror in Pete's face as he staredappealingly from one to the other. 

"You won't mind, Cross?" said my uncle. 

"No, sir; I should like it, " replied the man. 

"Light the lanthorn. "

"Shall we take our loads with us, uncle?" I said. 

"Certainly. If the way through is short we shall want them at the otherside. If it is long we shall want some refreshments on the way. "

"But suppose--" I began, and then I stopped. 

"Suppose what?" said my uncle. 

"Suppose the river does not pass through the mountain, but comes fromdeep down somewhere. "

"The more interesting the discovery of its hidden source, my lad. Butthat is not likely. Look at the rock. What is it--granite or gneiss?"

"No, " I said; "limestone. "

"Well, you ought to know how limestone ridges are honeycombed withwater-formed caverns. We have several examples at home. If thissubterranean river came bubbling up from somewhere in the interior andthe rock were granite, I should expect it to be hot. "

"And it's quite cold, sir, " said Cross. 

"Oh, no, just pleasantly cool. I don't think there's a doubt about itshaving its source higher up in the mountains; but whether it has diveddown for a few hundred yards or a few miles we can only know byexploring. "

"Well, Cross, " I said to the carpenter, "will this be fun enough foryou?"

"Splendid, sir, " said the man enthusiastically. "I never had a treatlike this. "

"Master Nat, " whispered Pete, "am I to come too?"

"Of course, " I said. "Tuck up your trousers as high as you can. "

"But suppose we have to swim, sir?"

"Look here, Pete, " I said, "you don't want to come. "

"No, sir. Can't help it, sir, but I never could a-bear the dark. "

"Then I'll ask my uncle to let you stop behind. "

"What!" cried the poor fellow fiercely, "leave me behind, and you go?That you just won't, sir. I'd go if it was twice as dark. "

I saw him set his teeth, and then, as my uncle gave the word, he climbedup to a verdant cleft with Cross to cut four stout bamboos about sixfeet long to act as walking-staves. 

"We must always be ready to feel our way and try the depth, " said UncleDick; "and avoid any holes. If it grows deeper as we go on and there isno bare rock at the sides, of course we must return. "

A few minutes later our guns were slung across our backs, the loadstaken up, and, each armed with a staff, we made our start--Cross, as heheld the lanthorn, asking leave to lead the way. 

"We shan't be able to do it, Master Nat, " whispered Pete, as we followedin turn, Pete last, for it was very hard work, the barrels of our gunsscraping again and again against the roof during the first twenty yardsor so; but Pete had hardly uttered the above words before I saw Crossraise the lanthorn higher. Then my uncle began to walk erect, anddirectly after I found on raising my staff that I could not touch theroof, while a sharp whistle uttered by our lanthorn-bearer was echoedfrom far on high. 

"Plenty of room upwards, sir, " cried Cross. 

"Yes, " said my uncle. 

"Ugh! what a horrid place, Master Nat!" whispered Pete, who kept asclose to me as he could. "Do mind, sir. "

"Mind what?" I said. 

"The holes. If you step into one of them there's no knowing how deepthey are. They must be just like wells. "

"How do you know?" I said gruffly; and he was silent, giving me time tolook to right and left and forward, as far as the light of the lanthornwould allow. 

There was not much to see--only a faint halo of light, with reflectionssometimes from dripping rocks; but it seemed that there was no shore tothe river on either side such as would afford footing, while as far as Icould make out the stream was about the same width as it was outside. 

There was the dancing light on ahead, playing strangely on the surfaceof the gliding waters, and all around black darkness, while the vastcavern in which we were, seemed to be filled with strange sounds, splashings, ripplings, whisperings, and their echoes. 

"Hear that, Master Nat?" said Pete, getting close beside me and graspingmy arm. 

"Of course I can, " I said pettishly, for it was bad enough to sufferfrom one's own feelings, without being troubled at such a time byothers. 

"But--oh, there it goes again, " he whispered. 

"What goes again?" I said. 

"That, sir. I dunno what it is, but there seems to be lots of 'em. Bill Cross stirs 'em up with the stick and the light, and they swims offboth sides, and then you can hear 'em splashing with their tails as theycome back again. "

"Nonsense!" I said. "That's all imagination. "

"Oh, no, it aren't, sir, " he whispered. "I say, what did you say wasthe name of them big snakes that lives part of their time in the water?"

"Anacondas. "

"That's them, sir. We've got all amongst 'em here, and they'll behaving one of us directly. "

"Pooh! There's nothing alive in this dark place, " I said scornfully. 

"What! Why, wasn't it alive with birds and bats?"

"Oh, yes, but I don't believe there's a fish in these dark waters. "

"Fish! Oh, I don't mind fish, sir, as long as they aren't sharks. It'sthem conders I can't bear. It wouldn't so much matter if we were in thedark, but we've brought a light to show 'em where we are. "

"There are no snakes here, " I said angrily. 

"It's all very well for you to say so, Master Nat, " he replied; "but youjust listen. There! Hear that?"

"Yes, the splash against the side of the wave we make in wading. "

Pete was about to say something more, but just then my uncle turned hishead. 

"Use your bamboo well, Nat, " he said, "in case of there being anycracks; but the bottom seems very level, and the depth keeps about thesame. Nice and cool here. Keep close up. What's that, Cross?"

"Only a stone standing right up, sir; water washes round it. It's bestto keep right in the middle, I think. "

"You must judge about that, " said my uncle. "Go on. "

"How far do you think we've come, sir, now?"

"About a quarter of a mile, I should say. "

"That's what I thought, sir, " said the carpenter, and he waded steadilyon, with us following. 

After a time it grew very monotonous, but we persevered, finding theunderground river sometimes a little deeper, then shallower, so that thewater rippled just above our ankles, while we knew at times that thecavern was wide and high, at others that it closed in on either side, and twice over the roof was so close that I could touch it with mystick. 

The times when it opened out were plain enough, for our splashings orvoices echoed and went whispering far away. But otherwise the journeywas very tame, and as the feeling of awe died away, the journey seemeduncommonly free from danger, for I felt it was absurd to imagine thewaters to be peopled with strange creatures. 

We had been wading on for quite a couple of hours, when the water beganto grow more sluggish, and to flow very quietly, rising, too, higher andhigher, till it was above our waists, and the light reflected from thesurface showed that it was very smooth. 

"Keep on, sir?" said Cross. 

"Yes, " said my uncle. "Keep on till it nearly touches your chin. Thenwe'll turn back. "

Pete uttered a low groan, but followed in a despairing way, while wewent on for another quarter of an hour, with the water deeper anddeeper, and at last, to our great delight, my uncle said:

"There, the water is rippling up in my beard, so it is time to go back. "

"Hah!" ejaculated Pete, and then he groaned, for Cross said:

"Not so deep now as it was ten minutes ago, sir. "

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir. I know by my stick. I keep my hand so that it touches thewater, and I've had to move it twice in the last five minutes. It's notso deep now by three inches. "

"Go on, then, " said my uncle, and we followed, to find the water gettingshallower rapidly now. Ten minutes later it was below my waist, and inanother ten minutes not above mid-thigh; but it had evidently widenedout, for our voices seemed to go off far away into the distance, and myuncle suddenly said:

"Why, Nat, the river must have widened out into a regular lake. Howshall we find the place where it narrows again?"

"Foller that there sound, sir, I think, " said Cross. 

"What sound?" I said. 

"That, sir; listen. I can hear where it seems to be rushing in ever sofar away. "

"Yes, I can hear it now, " I said. 

"Forward, then, " said my uncle, and with the water once more but littleabove our knees we waded steadily on after the light which Cross borebreast-high. 

"Cheer up, Pete, " I said; "we must be getting on now. Why, if it cameto the worst we could turn back. "

"Never find the way, sir, " he said bitterly, and then he uttered a yell, closely following upon a sharp ejaculation from the carpenter, whosuddenly placed his foot in some cavity of the smooth floor, fellforward with an echoing splash, and the next moment the lanthorndisappeared beneath the gleaming surface, leaving us in utter darkness. 

_Wash, wash, ripple, ripple_ went the water, and the cries whisperedaway as fading echoes, and then Pete's voice rose in a piteous wail. 

"I knowed it, I knowed it, " he said. "We shall never see the lightagain. Oh, help, Master Nat, help! Here's one of them water-condersgot me by the leg to pull me down. "

A cry that went to my heart and sent a shudder through every nerve, forthe darkness seemed so thick that it might be felt. 

CHAPTER TEN. 

INTO THE SUNLIGHT AGAIN. 

There was a loud splashing noise, another cry, and the gurgling made bysomeone being dragged under water; and then, just as I felt that thehorror was greater than I could bear, the carpenter cried:

"What's the matter with you? Don't make a row like that. "

"I--I felt something ketch hold of me and pulling me down. "

"Something! Do you call me something?" growled the carpenter. "Ofcourse I catched hold of you. You'd catch hold if you tumbled as I did. Bad job about the light, master. "

"Yes, a very bad job, " said my uncle's voice out of the darkness. "Howwas it?"

"Stepped down into some hole, sir. Felt myself going right into acrack-like sort o' place. "

"All stand still, then, " cried my uncle, "while I strike a match. Where's the lanthorn?"

"Oh, I've got that fast, sir; but you won't get the wick to light, I'mafraid, now. "

"Here, stop!" I cried, as a sudden feeling of delight shot through me. "I can see daylight yonder. "

"Bravo! Well done, Nat!" cried my uncle. "It's a long way off, butthere's a faint gleam yonder in the direction from which that sound offalling water comes. Let me lead now, Cross. I think I can managewithout a light. "

"Better feel about well, sir, with your stick, " said the carpenter. "That hole I trod in was rather awkward. "

"I'll mind, " said my uncle; "follow me close, " and he began to wade inthe direction of the faint gleam of light. 

"Did you get wet, Pete?" I said. 

"Wet, sir? He pulled me right under water. It's buzzing in my earsnow. "

"Better than being pulled under by a water-snake, Pete, " I said, and hegave a shivering shudder as we followed on without either coming acrossthe hole, and at the end of a quarter of an hour the light ahead wasrapidly growing plainer, while the roar of falling water became louderand echoed through the vast cavern over whose watery floor weprogressed. 

In another half-hour's slow wading, we were able to make out ourposition, one which now became more striking minute by minute, for wecould see that we were in a vast chasm whose bottom was the rushingfoaming river along which we were wading. It was some fifty feet wide, and the roof overhead nearly as much, while right in front, at thedistance of a couple of hundred yards, and facing us as it now sentever-changing flashes and reflections of light into the cavern, was thegreat fall whose waters thundered as they dived from somewhere out ofsight into a huge basin whose overflowings formed the underground riveralong which we journeyed. 

The scene became more beautiful minute by minute, the noise moredeafening; and at last we stopped short, warned by the increasing depthof the water, and the sight of the great pool into which the cascadethundered down. 

We were standing in the beautiful green twilight water to the middle, but no one for a time wished to stir, the scene was so grand, made morebeautiful as it was from time to time by a gleam of sunshine shootingdown across the faint mist of spray which floated upwards, and whereverthis bright light fell we had glimpses of what seemed like fragments ofa broken rainbow. 

"Very beautiful, Nat, " said my uncle at last, "but the floor here israther damp; I am tired and hungry; and we have to get out. Which wayshall we try?"

"Not go back, uncle, " I said quickly. "Let's get into the sunshineagain. "

"Certainly; but how? We can't wade any farther without risk ofdrowning. What do you say, Cross?"

"Yonder's an awful pit, sir, " said the carpenter. 

"I could climb over the stones at the side there, " said Pete suddenly. 

"Well, I think it possible, " said my uncle. "But where's that rope?"

"I've got it here, sir, round me, " said Pete. 

"Well, we'll make one end fast round you, and pay out the line as youclimb, so that we can haul you in if you fall into the deep water. Willyou try?"

"Oh, yes, sir; I'll try, " cried Pete. 

We made for the side, to find it slightly shallower, and after knottingthe rope round his waist, Pete was started up the rocks, which proved, in spite of their threatening appearance much less difficult than we hadanticipated, so that in a few minutes the lad had climbed to the levelof the top of the falls, where he stood on a broad shelf, and by thehelp of the rope hauled up our baskets and satchels. 

This done, Pete threw the rope down to us, then it was made fast to mywaist and I began to climb, Pete hauling in the slack as I advanced, finding the way giddy but easy to climb. The danger was a slip upon themossy rocks, wet with the fine spray which rose from the awful waterypit below. 

But the touch of the rope gave confidence, and in a few minutes I was byPete's side, ready to throw down the rope to Cross, who came up with thesure-footedness of a sailor. Then the packs were hauled up, and myuncle followed. 

Our task was not yet done, for we had to take to the river again, justbeyond the edge of the fall, a hundred feet above where we had wadedbefore, and found ourselves in a narrow gorge with almost perpendicularsides covered with tree, bush, creeper, and wonderful ferns, all madeglorious by the sunshine and blue sky. 

The water was shallow, and we made fair progress, always looking thewhile for some way out of the gorge, whose beauties tempted us tolinger, for we were once more among flowers, insects, and birds, one ofthe first of which sailed slowly overhead and across the gorge--an eaglewith widespread pinions. 

"Out of shot, " said my uncle, as we stood knee-deep watching the largebird till it floated right out of sight. 

"And not the sort of specimen we want, if it were in, uncle, " I said. 

"Quite right, Nat. Look yonder at the finches and those lovely bluecreepers; but they're not what we want. "

"No, uncle, " I said; "I'm looking for what we do want. Ought not thequetzals to be found in a place like this?"

"We are in their region, Nat, " he replied, "and that is all I can say. We know so little about them, the skins having been mostly supplied bythe Indians. But these rocks and patches of timber ought to be theirhome. "

"There's a place, sir, where we might climb up out of this hollow, " saidCross just then, and he pointed to a mere gash in the rocks, down whicha tiny rivulet trickled. 

It proved to be passable, and at the end of another quarter of an hourwe were upon fairly level ground, open, and in the full sunshine, readyto rest, bask, dry our clothes, and sit down to what seemed to me themost delicious meal I had ever eaten. 

In spite of the length of time which we had apparently spent in thedarkness, it was still early in the day, and it was not long, after agood rest upon a hot rock in the sunny glow, before the two sufferersfrom their plunge were able once more to go about in quite dry clothes. 

By this time we had made use of pocket compass and glass, takingbearings, so to speak, and pretty well made out our position to be onlya few miles to the south and west of Puma Valley, while my uncle was inecstasies with the promising appearance of the district, for as acollecting ground we had mountain, forest, plain, valley, and the lovelyriver-gorge waiting to be farther explored. 

"If the quetzals are to be found, Nat, " said my uncle, "we ought to seethem here. "

"What about going back, uncle?" I said, interrupting him. 

"Back!" he cried. "What, are you tired already?"

"No, I was thinking about the possibility of getting up the tent andsome more stores so as to be able to thoroughly explore these highergrounds. "

"Yes, " he said; "that's what we must do. I fancy we can make our wayback without going through that hole again; but it was well worth thetrouble, since it led us to this lovely ravine. "

"Pst!" I whispered; "Pete sees something. He is making signs. Look, he is signing to those trees. "

We seized our guns and advanced cautiously in the direction pointed out, separating so as to cover all the ground, in the full expectation ofseeing some rare bird or another take flight. But we met on the otherside of the cluster of trees indicated, after having passed rightthrough without a sign. 

"Gone on to the next patch, uncle, " I whispered; and we went on again, carrying out the same plans; and a finch or two took flight, but nothingmore. 

Again we went on, and tried a third little clump, but with no betterfortune, and we stopped and looked at each other. 

"Whatever it was, it is too cunning for us, Nat, " said my uncle, "so wemay as well give it up, for we could go on like this till dark. "

"Yes, " I said, with a sigh, "and it's hot and tiring work. "

"Never mind; let's go back now, " he said. "We don't even know what itwas the lad saw. "

We began to retrace our steps, keeping a sharp look-out, but seeingnothing but some active lizards sunning themselves among the rocks, anda rattlesnake, which we carefully left at rest; but before we werehalf-way back to where we had left our companions we came upon them withthe spare guns. 

"Haven't you shot it, sir?" asked Pete, staring hard at my uncle. 

"No, we have not even seen it, whatever it is, " said my uncle, smiling. 

"Wonderful handsome bird, sir, with long blue and green and red andyellow feathers in its tail. "

"Macaw--Ara, " said my uncle; "flying across from tree to tree?"

"Yes, sir, I daresay it was, " said Pete; "but it wasn't flying; it wason the ground, and when we saw it, in it went among the bushes quiteslowly, didn't it, Bill?"

"You said it did, my lad, " replied Cross. "I didn't see it. "

"Long green, blue, red, and yellow feathers in its tail?" said my uncle. 

"Yes, sir; that's it, " looking up. 

"And on the ground?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Running?"

"Oh, no, sir, it was just creeping quietly along when I beckoned you. "

"I don't know any bird answering your description but a macaw, " said myuncle. "How big was it?"

"As big as a barn-door cock, sir, I think. "

"Look here, Pete; you've seen macaws, or aras, as they call them. MrNat here shot one days ago. "

"Them big poll parrots, sir? Oh no, it warn't one of them, sir. I knowthat sort well enough. "

"I hope we shall come upon it another day then, " said my uncle. 

We had a short rest, and then turned in the direction of the river-gorgeagain, its presence simplifying our position, for we had only to steersouth at any time to come upon the steep, well-wooded ravine, alongwhose sides we had constant peeps of the clear flowing water, findingseveral places where we could descend, while here the variety of birds, insects, and reptiles was wonderful, and had we wanted them we couldsoon have killed more than we should have been able to preserve. 

But with most of them my uncle was familiar, and unless the specimenseen was something rare, he let it go in peace. 

"Fortune may favour us, Nat, " he said, "and we may come upon the home ofthe beautiful trogons, especially the splendid trogon, or quetzal. Thenwe must make the best of our opportunities. "

I had expected that we should make our way back to the boat-camp thatnight, but we spent so much time exploring the wonders and beauties ofthe gorge, that evening was coming on when we stopped about a milehigher along the stream than the spot where we first climbed up, and aswe were well supplied with provisions, and were pretty well fagged, myuncle decided to camp in the shelter of the rocky side of the ravine forthe night. 

So Pete was set to collect dead wood for a fire, Cross descended withour kettle to fill it below, and before long we were partaking of acapital meat-tea by the light of the fire; while we strolled a littleway from our camp to listen to the various sounds of the night, itseemed as if a fresh world of inhabitants had awakened, and for hours welistened to the strange notes of bird and insect, and watched withwonder the beauty of the fire-flies, which never seemed to grow common. 

The fire was burning low when we turned back to camp, and Pete wasstretched out on the sandy shelf beneath the great tree he had selectedfor our resting-place, and snoring as if he meant to make up for thehard day's work. 

But Cross was wakeful and ready to throw a few more dry twigs upon thefire to light us as soon as he heard our steps. 

"Seen or heard anything, Cross?" I said. 

"Crickets, and toads, and frogs, and chuckling birds who seem to thinkwe must be foolish to come right out here into no-man's-land, sir. That's about all. How have you got on?"

"Had a lovely walk, " I said, as I settled down in my place beneath thesheltering boughs. "Good-night, uncle; good-night, everybody, " and Ibelieve that in ten minutes' time I was sleeping as soundly as if secureand well housed in a civilised land. 

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

WE LOSE THE AXE. 

"Well, you can't help liking the place, Master Nat, " said Pete the nextmorning, as we prepared the breakfast, "even if you do have to sleep onthe sand with a nubbly stone under your back. Look at it; makes me feelas if I should like to be a savage Indian chief, and always live hereshooting and fishing. "

"It is lovely, " I said, as I gazed around at the glorious scene. 

"Why, you could get more birds here than you'll ever want. I think weought to stay here instead of going away. "

"We're only going to fetch up more stores and the tent, Pete. We mustbring an axe, too, and make a shed. "

"Then we're coming back?"

"Yes. "

"Oh, that's all right, then, Master Nat. I did think it a pity to runaway again as soon as we'd found this place. "

The sun was only just up when after a good breakfast we started to findour way back to the entrance of the cave where we had set off upon ourdark journey; and, taking a course which he had marked out from the highground, my uncle led the way so well that by afternoon we struck thestream again, not by the mouth of the cavern, but miles below it, sothat as soon as we could find a way down to its bank we retraced ourway, and reached the anchored and well-moored boat long before dark. 

Our task now was simple. The loads we were to take up themountain-gorge were prepared, and next morning, heavily laden, westarted with the intention of staying in the neighbourhood of the upperriver for a week certain. 

It was a hard task, laden as we were, but we managed to reach thecamping-place with our heavy loads just at nightfall, one and allcompletely done up, and content to eat a morsel of food before lyingdown to sleep at once. 

"It's very fortunate for us that the country is quite uninhabited, " Iremember thinking, as I lay down and revelled in the restful sensationafforded by the soft dry sand, part of a heap which had crumbled fromthe side of the ravine in the course of ages. 

I remember no more till I was awakened by Pete, who announced breakfast, and I stared confusedly in the light of the early dawn at the brightfire, and wondered where I was. 

That morning the tent was set up, and a rough shed was cleverly made byCross, who seemed to glory in showing us how easily he could contrive agood shelter in case we should be overtaken by a tropical storm. 

He selected a spot where the rock was out of the perpendicular, hangingover to some extent, and here he soon had four young straight trees setup, held in place by cross-pieces. Then rafters of bamboo were bound inposition with the strong creepers which abounded, and this done, hebegan thatching, first with green boughs, then with a layer of palm-likeleaves, which he made to overlap, and a strong reedy grass, that grewabundantly in a low moist place by the river, was bound on in bundlesfor a finish. 

"Capital, " said my uncle; "but too much like stopping for months, whenit is hardly likely we shall stay two weeks. "

"May as well be comfortable, sir, while we are here, " said Cross, smiling. "Keep the sun off, if we don't have rain. "

That night we had everything shipshape, and retired early to rest, toenjoy a delicious sleep, which only seemed to last ten minutes before Iopened my eyes to find it was morning once more, and I lay wonderingwhat it was that Cross had lost, for it seemed to me in my half-wakefulstate that I heard him say:

"Well, no more bones about it; you had it last, and you must find it. "

I could not speak till I had made an effort and sat up, and then I waswakeful enough for the words to come. 

"What have you lost?" I asked. 

"My axe, sir, and I can't get along without that. It's a whole bag oftools to me. Pete had it last thing to chop some wood, and he says helaid it down inside the hut; but it aren't here now, and he's got tofind it. "

"I can't find it, Master Nat, " said Pete dolefully; "he must have tookit away and laid it somewhere else himself. Seems such a pity, it do. "

"What, to take the axe?" I said. 

"Nay--I meant to have a bother about that, and spoiling the holiday. Iknow the best way to find a thing like that, " he added triumphantly. 

"How?" I asked. 

"Don't look for it, and then you're sure to find it when you leastexpect. "

But the axe was not found then, and it was soon forgotten, for we weretoo busy searching the sides of the wonderful gorge, going day after dayfor miles on one side exploring the nooks and crannies, and another daywading across the river to explore the other side. 

But though we discovered and shot numbers of the most beautiful birds, many of them quite new to both, we saw no sign of those we sought, andat last my uncle had decided that we must move a few miles higher, whena discovery was made which sent a thrill of hopefulness through us, andwe began exploring and shooting more eagerly than ever, devoting eachmorning to the task and the evenings to skinning and preserving, tillour selection of beautiful skins began to grow to an extent far greaterthan we had intended. 

Meanwhile we had been living a gloriously free and happy life;expeditions had been made twice to the boat for more necessaries, whichwere supplemented by an abundant supply of birds and fishes, the upperwaters being so full of the latter that it was an easy task of a morningfor Pete and me to catch enough for a meal. 

But we had a few unpleasant experiences. Twice over we found thatrattlesnakes had been attracted by the fire and had taken possession ofquarters in our tent, for which, as they viciously showed fight, theywere condemned to death and executed. 

One morning, too, on waking, I caught sight of peculiar marks on theloose dry sand, a smooth deep furrow having been made, to which I drewmy uncle's attention. 

"We ought to hunt out the creature which made that, Nat, " said my uncle. "Rather an unpleasant neighbour to have. Why, the fellow that markedthat trail must be a good eighteen feet long. "

It, too, suffered for its temerity, for it came again, and was seen byPete on awaking in the morning, when he cautiously drew my attention tothe monster's presence near the fire. 

The next minute a couple of shots from my double gun rang out, and thehuge serpent was writhing and twining among the bushes, and beating themflat by blows from its powerful tail. 

Cross skinned it when it was dead, saying that he must have it for acuriosity if we did not, and probably it stretched a little in theprocess, for it proved to be a python, twenty feet in length andenormously thick. 

It was the very next day when we were about to move, the visit of thepython and the possibility of one from its mate having decided ourimmediate change, after a final tramp round in search of the birds wewanted. 

But we had no more luck than usual. We could have shot plenty ofspecimens, but not those we sought, and we were nearing our camp whenall at once what I took to be a pigeon dashed out of a tree, and meaningit for a roast, my gun flew to my shoulder, I fired hastily, and thebird fell. 

"Uncle!" I cried, as I picked it out dead from among a clump of ferns. 

"A quetzal!" shouted my uncle excitedly, for it was a scarlet-breastedbird, with back and wing, coverts of a glorious golden-green. 

"But you said that they had tails three or four feet long. "

"Yes, " said my uncle; "the kind I want to find have, while this is onlyshort; but here is proof that we are working in the right direction. "

"Then we must stop here, uncle, " I cried. 

"Yes, Nat, it would be madness to leave. We must wait till the rightones come. "

That bird's wonderfully oily and tender skin was carefully stripped offin the evening, and it had a drying box all to itself, one madeexpressly by Cross, who confided to me that it was the finest bird hehad ever seen. 

"Some of they humming-birds is handsome enough, " he said, "but there'snothing of 'em. This one's grand. Now, if I could only find that therechopper as Pete lost--"

"Didn't lose it, " growled Pete. 

"--I should be, " continued the carpenter, severely, "a happy man. Aren't you, sir?"

"No, " I said; "nor shall be till I shoot some with tails three feetlong. "

The finding of this specimen completely, as I have said, changed ourplans. 

"It would be folly to go away now, Nat, " repeated my uncle, "for at anymoment we may find quite a flock. "

This was one afternoon, when we had returned after an unsuccessful hunt, to take out our treasure and gloat over its wonderful plumage. 

"Yes, " I said; "but it's very tiresome, all this failure. Perhaps thisis the only one for hundreds of miles. "

"Nonsense!" cried my uncle. "I daresay, if the truth were known, wepass scores of them every day, sitting after the fashion of thesetrogons, perfectly still like a ball of feathers, watching us, and withtheir green plumage so like that of the leaves that we might go byhundreds of times and not see them. "

"Oh!" I cried, "we could not pass one of them. The sun would makethose beautiful golden-green wing coverts flash again. "

"In the sunshine, my boy, but they rest in the deep shade. We shallcome upon them yet, and find out their habits. Then all will be easy. Anyone searching for birds of paradise in New Guinea might go scores oftimes without success, and come away and say there are none. Just as itis in Australia: at one time of year flocks of the great white andsulphur cockatoos can be found; at another time you may search the samedistrict for months and not see one. "

"Yes, uncle, " I said wearily, for I was tired after a long walk in thehot sun pestered by flies; "and I suppose there are plenty of birdsabout here that we have not seen. Why, of course, we haven't seenPete's wonderful specimen yet. "

"No, " said my uncle drily, "and I shall be very much surprised if weever do. "

"Do you think there is nothing of the kind, then?" I said. 

"I don't like to be positive, but I should say that he made that birdout of his own head. "

"Oh, I don't think so, uncle, " I replied; "Pete's very honest andstraightforward. "

"Yes, but he lets his brain run riot, Nat. He saw some bird, I do notdoubt, but not clothed and ornamented as he says. "

"There are birds with brightly-coloured tails such as he said?"

"Are there?" said my uncle drily. "I think not. If there be I shouldlike a specimen; it would be an exciting display for the learnedbird-lovers in London to gaze at. Don't you see, my boy, he furnishedthe specimen he saw with the tail plumage of three different varietiesof the macaw--the green the blue, and the red. Pete's eyes playedtricks with him that time. I wish he would see the long floatingfeathers of a quetzal flashing its green and gold and purple in thesunshine. "

"So do I, uncle, " I replied. "I wish we could find and shoot dozens ofthem, but I don't long for the task of skinning them; they are sodelicate and likely to tear. "

"Like all the birds related to the cuckoos, " said my uncle; "but we werevery successful over this. By the way, Pete is getting very handy inthat way. We must trust him with some of the commoner things, for itseems as if after all we shall have to fill up with the best of theless-known birds. "

"Oh, no, " I said, as I carefully smoothed down the loose silky plumageof our solitary specimen. "We're tired now. When we have had a goodwash and our tea-dinner we shall feel different. "

I carefully put away the trogon, and crossed to where Pete was busygetting the kettle to boil, and making other preparations for ourevening meal. No light task, for his fire troubled him a good deal, andhe began about it at once. 

"What I want, Master Nat, " he said, "is some regular good stiff clay tomake up into bricks. They'd bake hard. As for these stones I build upa fireplace and oven with, some go bang and fly off in splinters, andthe other sort moulders all away into dust--regular lime, you know, thatfizzles and cisses when it's cold and you pour water over it, and thencomes hot again. "

"Try some of those pieces out of the river bed. "

"I have, sir, and they're worst of all. I say, Master Nat, stop and seethat the pot don't boil over. I want to go down and get some fresh, clean water. "

"Don't be long, then, " I cried. "I say, what's in the pot?"

"Dicky bird stoo!" said Pete, grinning. "No touching while I'm gone. "

He caught up the bucket and started off down the cliff-side towards theriver, while I idly watched him till he was out of sight, and sat backaway from the glow of the fire, for I was hot enough without that. 

Then I naturally began thinking about the splendid trogons, and whetherthere was any likely place near that we had not well hunted through. 

"Lots, " I said to myself. "They're here to-day and gone to-morrow. That's the way with birds, except when they have nests. They go aboutaccording to where they can find food. Hullo! He can't have got to thewater in this short time. "

For I had caught sight of Pete hurrying back, and as soon as he saw mewatching him climbing up from below he begun to make signs to me not tospeak. 

"What has he found?" I said to myself, for he was creeping up nearlybent double and moving with the greatest caution. 

I rose to go down to him, but at the slightest movement he waved hishand to me to keep back; so I waited till he came up, panting, his facecovered with the great drops of perspiration. 

"Seen a big snake?" I said, laughing. 

"No, " he whispered; "don't make a noise. I've seen the troghums. "

"What!" I cried excitedly. 

"Don't, " he whispered, "or you may frighten 'em again. "

"But do you mean to say you've seen some of the beautiful trogons?"

"No, " he panted, "not them; I've seen two or three of them other birdswith the green and yellow and blue cocked-up tails, same as I saw beforeand you couldn't find. "

"Where are they?" I cried eagerly, for it was evident that he had seensomething new in the way of birds. 

"Down below in the path we cut away to get to the water. They're behindthe low bushes, three or four of 'em, and I could see their tailscocking up over the top. Guns, quick, 'fore they're gone and you say Iwas dreaming again. "

I uttered a low chirruping signal which brought my uncle and Cross tohear the news, and the next minute we had seized our guns. 

None too soon, for we were hardly ready before Pete pointed triumphantlydownward towards a clump of ferns some twenty yards away, where Idistinctly saw something move. 

"Now, aren't there no birds with tails like that?" he whispered, and Isaw plainly in three places just such feathers as he had described riseinto sight; but they were not the tails of birds, being the fantasticfeather tiaras of Indians, whose dark faces rose now full in our view. 

The next moment we saw that they were armed with bows, and I had hardlyrealised this when there was a twanging sound, the whizz of arrows, andI uttered a cry of pain. 

It was as if a red-hot iron had passed through my shoulder, and my crywas echoed by an Indian yell. 

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

ATTACKED BY INDIANS. 

My pang of agony was accompanied by a feeling of rage against the causeof it, and in blind fury I fired both barrels of my gun in the directionof the Indians, almost at the same moment as my uncle and the carpenterdischarged theirs. 

The reports were followed by another yell, the crashing of bushes andferns, and the sound as of men tearing away. 

"Take care, Cross, " cried my uncle. "Load again, and keep under cover. Hah! there goes one of the treacherous hounds. Gone, and I'm notloaded. Now I am. Not hurt, are you, Nat?"

"I'm afraid I am, " I said, drawing in my breath with pain. 

"Here, let's look, " cried my uncle. "Keep under cover, Pete. I don'twant anyone else to be hurt. You, Cross, look out, and fire at thefirst sign. Now, Nat, what is it? Tut, tut, tut! There, keep a goodheart, my lad. It has gone clean through your shoulder. "

"Poisoned, uncle?" I cried anxiously. 

"Pooh! Nonsense, boy! Hold still. It will not be a long operation. "

I saw him take out his keen knife. 

"Are you going to cut out the arrow head?" I said huskily. 

"There is no need; the Indian did that for you. Look here. "

I could not help shuddering, but I was firm, and watched him take holdof the slender arrow close to my shoulder, and with one stroke cutcleanly through it close to the wing-feathers. Then, going behind me, he seized the other part and made me wince once more with pain, as withone quick, steady movement, he drew the missile right through. 

"Hurt?" he said cheerfully. 

"Horribly, uncle. "

"Never mind that. It's only through flesh. No bone-touch, and thereare only a couple of little holes to heal up. Pan of water here, Pete. "

"Aren't none, sir. I was going to fetch a bucket when I see what Ithought was birds. "

"Tut, tut, tut!" ejaculated my uncle. "I must have some water to bathethe wounds. "

"All right, sir; I'll run down for some. Bucket's down there. "

"No, no! The Indians--they may attack you. "

"What!" cried Pete in a whimpering voice; "touch me when I'm going forsome water for Master Nat? They'd better! I'd smash 'em. "

Before he could be stopped he was bounding down the precipitous place, and my uncle turned anxiously to Cross. 

"See any sign of them?" he said. 

"Yes, sir, twice over; but they were too quick for me to get a shot. They've waded the river down yonder, and I got a glimpse of two of 'emclimbing up. "

"Hah! Then he may escape them. Cross, one of us ought to follow andcover him. "

"Right, sir. I'm off, " cried the carpenter, and he hurried down our wayto the river, just as we heard two sharp cracks from somewhere below. 

"Make you feel sick, Nat?" said my uncle. 

"No, I forgot it just then. I was thinking what a trump Pete is. Poorfellow! He has risked his life to get me that water. "

"Yes, " said my uncle through his teeth: "he's a brave fellow, and helikes you, Nat. "

No more was said, and in a few minutes we heard the rustling of bushesand saw Bill Cross coming backwards with his gun at the ready, coveringPete, who was panting up with his bucket of water. 

The next minute my smarting wounds were being bathed and the bleedingencouraged till it stopped naturally, when my uncle brought out hispocket-book, applied some lint from it, and bandaged the places firmly, afterwards turning a handkerchief into a sling. 

"There, " he said, "you need not fidget about poison, my lad. The placewill soon heal. Now then, any sign of the enemy?"

"No, sir, " cried Pete; "they cut away across the river, all but thatchap that was hit. "

"Was one hit?" said my uncle eagerly. 

"Yes, sir; he's lying down yonder by the water, and he's got ourchopper. "

"What?"

"I come upon him lying bleeding, and as soon as he saw me he began toput an arrow on his bow-string; but I hit him on the nose, broke his bowin two, and chucked his arrows in the river. He must have come before, and sneaked our old axe. "

"Then he's there now?"

"Yes, sir; he can't run. You winged him--I mean legged. But I've gotour chopper again. "

"Sit still, Nat, " said my uncle. "Here, Pete, carry my gun, and you, Cross, come and cover me. I can't leave the poor wretch like that. "

I saw Cross frown as he followed my uncle, and Pete stopped for a momentbehind with me. 

"I mustn't stop, Master Nat, " he said. "I am sorry, sir, but don't yoube a downhearted 'un. I shan't be long. I say: who was right about theaxe?"

I nodded my thanks to him, and then sat back, in acute pain, thinkingabout the sudden change in the state of our affairs, and of hownecessary it would be for us to retreat into a safer part of thecountry. It was all so unexpected and so vexatious, just as in allprobability we might be on the point of discovering the birds we sought. 

I was musing in a half-faint way, the pain and shock having made me feelvery sick, when I heard the sounds of the returning party, and to mysurprise they brought in the wounded Indian on Cross's back, the poorfellow being in a half-fainting condition from a frightful wound in theright thigh. 

As he was laid down on his back he began to come-to, and looked wildlyround, while when he saw my uncle approach him knife in hand, he set histeeth and made a fierce attempt to rise. 

But Cross was holding him from behind, and the poor fellow was helpless. He evidently believed that his enemy was about to put him to death, andon finding that he could not help himself he seemed ready to calmlyaccept his fate, for he fixed his eyes upon my uncle with a bitter, contemptuous smile, and then folded his arms and lay there like an imagecast in bronze. 

It was not a fierce countenance, being smooth, large-eyed, and disposedto be effeminate and plump, while when my uncle busied himself over theterrible wound with the knife, and must have given the man excruciatingpain, he did not even wince, but kept gazing hard at his surgeon whotortured him, as if proud and defiant to the last. 

His expression only began to change when he saw the knife laid aside andPete bring some water in the tin for my uncle to bathe the wound; andnow it was full of wonder as the place was covered with lint from thepocket-book, and then carefully bandaged from the supply ready againstaccidents. 

"There, my fine fellow, " said my uncle at last; "now if you keep quiet, you being a healthy fellow, young and strong, that bad wound will soonheal. If you had left us alone you would not have got it. You don'tunderstand, of course; but you must lie still. "

The Indian's countenance changed more than ever. He had fully graspedthe fact that he was not to be slain, and also that his wound had beencarefully dressed, and with his fierce aspect completely gone, he tookhold of the hand with which my uncle was pressing him back to lie still, and held it against his forehead, smiling up at him the while; and thenhe sank back and closed his eyes. 

"It's a bad wound, Nat, but he'll get over it. That must have been yourshot. "

"Why not yours?" I said. "I couldn't shoot with that arrow throughme. "

"But you did, for it was done with the big swan pellets, and I hadnothing but dust shot in my gun, for the little birds. "

"Oh!" I cried wonderingly. 

"Ah, that's why you made that poor fellow cry. "

As I lay and thought afterwards I was to my dissatisfaction convincedthat mine had been the hand which fired the shot, and the knowledge ofthis somehow made me feel a kind of sympathy for the savage who laythere far more badly wounded than I, while the carpenter and my uncle, with Pete's help, built up a kind of semi-circular hedge as a defencearound us. 

"We can't begin our retreat with you in that condition, Nat, " my unclesaid, "and I don't like to be driven away by a little party of ruffianslike these. "

"I could walk, " I said. 

"I know that, " he replied curtly; "walk yourself into a state, of fever, and make your wound go bad. Look at that fellow; Nature teaches himwhat to do--lie still--curl up like an animal, till his injury heals. What are you thinking about?"

"That poor fellow's wound. "

"Poor fellow! Possibly the savage who sent that arrow through yourshoulder. You're a rum fellow, Nat. "

"Well, you were just as sympathetic, uncle, " I said. "See how youdressed his wound, just as if he were a friend. "

"No, I did not, Nat, " he said, smiling. "I dressed him just as asurgeon should a wounded patient. By the way, he did not seem to bearany malice. "

"Perhaps he will, uncle, when he knows I shot him. "

"Don't tell him, then. We'll all share the blame. "

"So you mean to stop here, then?" I said. 

"Yes, certainly, for the present. Why, if we were to begin to pack up, I daresay the next thing we should see would be a flock of quetzalsflying about. "

"But suppose a whole tribe of Indians attack us?"

"Not likely, Nat. These people are few and greatly scattered; but if weare attacked we shall have to give the poor wretches a scaring with afew charges of shot--I mean distant charges, scattered, not fired atclose quarters like yours. "

The day passed slowly by, with my three companions working away tostrengthen our little camp, and the wounded Indian sleeping. I, too, dropped off for an hour during the great heat of the late afternoon, andawoke feeling feverish and strange. But Pete was set to bathe myforehead with water, and the rapid evaporation made my headcomparatively cool and pleasant, so much so that my uncle smiled. 

"You're going on all right, Nat, " he said, "and the wound will soon groweasier. "

The sun had passed over to the west, and was behind the cliff, leavingus well in shelter; the sound of the rushing water below sounded cooland pleasant, and I was lying back watching the wounded Indian--Carib, my uncle called him--when all at once there came a low howl from thethicket on the other side of the river. 

"What's that! One of the howling monkeys?" I said to uncle. 

"No, " he said softly, and I saw him reach out his hand slowly for hisgun. "Watch my patient. "

I turned my eyes to where the man lay, and saw that he had raised hishead, and was gazing keenly in the direction whence the cry had come. 

The next minute the howl was repeated, and it had hardly died out whenit arose again, but this time from our prisoner, who placed his hands tohis lips and sent forth a mournful cry. 

Then it was answered from the other side, and the Carib turned excitedlyto us, talking rapidly, but without our being able to comprehend a word. 

One thing, though, was evident--the poor fellow was highly excited, andhe smiled and chattered at us, before repeating the cry, which was againanswered, and then a kind of duet was kept up, with the distance andtime between the calls growing shorter minute by minute. 

"This is all very well, " said Cross softly, "but he's bringing on hisInjun mates. You'll tell us when to fire, sir?"

"Yes, if there is any need, " said my uncle. "Be ready; that is all. "

Our prisoner watched us excitedly, and evidently grasped what was meant, for he began to talk to us eagerly, and then pointed downward again andagain. 

He was in the midst of an eager explanation to us when there was arustling in the bushes below, and a dusky figure came up, caught sightof us behind the barricade, and stopped short. But our prisoner uttereda call, and the dark, pleasant-faced figure came on fearlessly, foundthe opening we had left, and the next moment was down upon her kneeswailing softly and passing her hands over the bandages, ending by layingher face against our prisoner's breast, and beginning to sob. 

"Nothing to fear from her, " said my uncle. "It's the poor fellow'swife. "

Meanwhile the Carib was evidently explaining his position to the woman, and she turned to us, smiling, evidently ready to be the best offriends, while her manners showed that she meant to stay and nurse herwounded husband, whom she had traced to where he lay. 

"Better be friends than enemies, Nat, " said my uncle. "But one of usmust keep watch to-night. "

CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 

SUCCESS AT LAST. 

Watch was kept that night and several more, while the days were passedsuspiciously and uneasily. But we saw no sign of more Indians, thosewho shared our camp seeming quite at home, and proving to be gentle, inoffensive creatures, now that they were satisfied that we intended todo them no harm. 

The woman began at once to see to the fire, and fetch water from theriver, and only once showed any sign of resentment. That was on themorning following her coming, when my uncle began to unfasten hispatient's bandages after dressing my arm. 

This she tried to stop by seizing my uncle's hand, but at a word fromher husband she sat down and watched the whole process. After that themorning performance of the surgical duties was looked for with thegreatest interest, the woman fetching water and waiting upon my uncleduring his attention to both his patients. 

The days passed on, with my wound troubling me but very little. Theprisoner's was far worse, but he did not seem to suffer, settling downquite happily in a dreamy way, and as no danger came near, the shootingand collecting went on, my uncle going alone, and leaving Pete and Crossto protect me and the camp. 

Fortunately we had a sufficiency of stores, my uncle shot for provisionsas well as science; I helped by sitting down in one particular spot bythe rushing stream and catching fish almost as fast as I could throw in, and Mapah, as the woman's name seemed to be, went off every morning andreturned loaded with wild fruit and certain roots, which she and herhusband ate eagerly. 

Some very good specimens were brought in by my uncle, and the twoIndians sat watching us curiously as we busily skinned them, filled themout, and laid them to dry, Mapah eagerly taking possession of thetail-feathers of some parrots intended to be cooked for the evening'smeal, and weaving them into a band of plaited grass so as to form tiarasof the bright-hued plumes for herself and her husband, both wearing themwith no little show of pride. 

"And only to think of it, Master Nat, " said Pete. "Reg'larly cheated mewhen I see 'em first over the bushes; I made sure they was birds. "

They expressed a good deal of pleasure, too, over some of the brighterbirds brought in, and our prisoner talked and made signs to me andpointed in one direction as he tried hard to make me understandsomething one day; but I was alone with him, and very dense for a time, as in a crippled way I put the finishing touches to the skin of abrilliant kingfisher. 

Then all at once I grasped his meaning. 

"Why, of course!" I cried. "How thick-headed of me!"

I went to the bamboo half-box, half-basket Cross had made, and broughtit back to where the Indian was sitting nursing his wounded leg, tookoff the lid, and carefully withdrew the trogon. 

"Is that the sort of bird you mean?" I said. 

"Hah!" he said, in a long-drawn cry, full of the satisfaction he felt, and both he and his wife chattered to me eagerly, Mapah shaking herhead, though, and pointing at the bird's tail with one dusky hand, before holding both out before me a yard apart. 

"You've seen them with tails as long as that?" I said, placing my handby the caudal feathers of our one specimen, and then slowly drawing itaway till it was some distance off. 

"Hah!" cried the Indian again, and he laughed and chatted, and pointedacross the river to the south, while his wife took off her feathercrown, held it before me, and drew each long feather through her hand asif stretching it to three feet in length, and then touched thegolden-green plumage of our solitary specimen. 

The trogon was carefully put away, the kingfisher laid to dry, and thenI could hardly contain myself till my uncle's return, well laden withducks and a dusky bird that was evidently a half-grown turkey. 

"Tired out, Nat, " he said, throwing down the birds, for Mapah and herhusband to seize and begin to pluck for our evening meal. "We must makea fresh start. "

"Why?" I said quietly. 

"Because we have shot the only trogon in the district, and we arewasting time here. "

"Nonsense, " I said; "there are plenty more. "

"If we could find them, " he replied wearily. 

I had intended to keep him waiting longer, but I could not hold backwhat I felt certain I had discovered, and hurrying to the case I broughtout the precious specimen and made Mapah and her husband go through thewhole pantomime again. 

"Why, Nat, " cried my uncle excitedly, while Pete and Cross looked on, "it's as plain as a pikestaff: these people are quite familiar with thelong-tailed species--_resplendens_--and they could take us to placeswhere they could be found. "

"That's it, uncle, " I cried, and Pete and Cross joined in a heartycheer. 

"Oh, but to think of it--the misery and disappointment, " cried my uncle:"that poor fellow will not be able to walk and act as guide for a month, and it may be a hundred miles away. "

"That don't matter, sir, " cried Pete; "he's only a little chap. Me andBill Cross'll take it in turns pig-a-backing him; won't we mate?"

"We will that, Pete, lad, " cried the carpenter, and somehow that seemedto be the brightest evening of our expedition, even the two Indiansseeming to share our satisfaction, for they readily grasped the ideathat they had afforded us pleasure by promising in their fashion to showus the objects of our weary search. 

As we lay down to sleep that night I felt more wakeful than ever I hadbeen before, and I could hear my uncle turning restlessly about. 

All at once he broke the silence by whispering, --

"Asleep, Nat?"

"Asleep? No; I've got quetzal on the brain, and the birds seem to bepecking at my shoulder on both sides with red-hot beaks. How do youfeel?"

"In agony, my boy. I'm afraid we have been jumping at conclusions. Perhaps the Indians do not understand, after all. "

Sleep came at last, though, and the next day nothing else could bethought of or talked of. The Indians were questioned in dumb show, withthe skin of the trogon for a text, and we got on more, Uncle Dick'sspirits rising as it grew more plainly that the Indian fully understoodabout the birds we wanted. In fact, in dumb show he at last began toteach us the bird's habits. 

He showed us how it sat upon the branch of a tree, taking a parroquet asan example, pointing out that the bird we meant had toes like it, twobefore and two behind, setting it on a piece of wood, and then rufflingits plumage all up till it looked like a ball of feathers. 

"That's right, Nat, " cried my uncle. "Exactly how trogons sit. Thefellow's a born observer. I am glad you shot him. Go on, Dusky. "

The man understood, as he sat holding the piece of branch in one hand, the bird in the other. He glanced at us to see if we were watching him, and then smoothing the feathers quickly, he began to buzz and whirr likea beetle, as cleverly as a ventriloquist. Next he made the dead bird heheld dart from its perch, and imitated the quick flight of one chasing alarge beetle through the air, catching it, and returning to its perch, where with wonderful accuracy he went through the movements of itswallowing its prey, and then ruffling itself up again into a ball offeathers. 

"Splendid!" cried my uncle. "Exact. He knows the right birds, Nat. Now then, Cuvier, where is the happy spot? Over yonder?" and my unclepointed up the river; but the Indian shook his head, and pointed acrossand away to the south, after which he laid his head upon his hand andimitated going to sleep eight times. 

"Eight days' journey to the south, Nat, " said Uncle Dick. "A long wayto carry him. I understand, " he said, turning to the Indian again, shouldering his gun, bending down, and making believe to walk; but hispatient shook his head violently, took hold of his piece of wood, andwent through the motion of paddling. 

"Hah!" I cried, imitating him. "He means we should have to go in acanoe, uncle. "

"That's it, " he cried, and he pointed down at the river; but the manshook his head again, and pointed right across into the distance. 

"Nat, " said my uncle, "we shall do it yet. It must be on that river wepassed before we turned up this. We shall have to get him down to theboat. "

I wish I could write--_No sooner said than done_; but it was not so; forour future guide was not yet fit to start on such a journey. He wasgetting better fast, but not fast enough, and in spite of my assertions, I was not recovered from a very bad wound. In short, it seemed that theonly thing to do, as we appeared to have nothing more to fear fromIndians with two such guards in camp, was to send down to the boat formore of the stores, that is, enough for another fortnight's stay, whenthe difficulty was solved by Cross one morning. 

"I've been turning it over in my mind, Master Nat, about carrying thatchap down to the boat, but the doctor says it would open his wound againand throw him back, so that won't do. "

"No; certainly not, " I said. 

"Then I got a notion that I could knock up a sort of chair he could sitin, and me and Pete and Mrs Mapah could carry it strapped on our backsin turn. "

"Nonsense! That little woman could not carry her husband. "

"What, sir!" cried Cross laughing. "Don't you make a mistake, sir;she's as strong as a pony. But the doctor says it would shake him toomuch, so what do you say to this? S'pose I build a raft, and we go backthe same as we come?"

"Through the dark cavern?"

"I don't know no laws again' our burning a good light, sir. "

"But how are you going to get it down the falls?"

"In bits, sir, " he said, laughing. "I should build it down yonder onthe side at the bottom of the falls. Then we could swing old Dusky downwith the rope, and all we should want would be a couple of bamboo poles, and there we are. "

The notion seemed wild at first, but Cross soon showed Uncle Dick and methat it was quite possible; and in the course of the next fortnight heproved it by means of his axe, making the raft out of the bamboos thathe cut and which we sent down to him over the falls, some to be brokenin the descent, but the most part to reach him safe and sound. 

As the work went on Mapah helped, being wonderfully active andsure-footed on the rocks; and through her our prisoner grasped themeaning of what was going on, nodding and smiling when the time came forour start, and to my great satisfaction showing not the slightestshrinking from venturing into the cavern after being carefully lowereddown. 

For at last all was ready, and with a good supply of resinous boughs cutinto lengths for torches, we lit up and embarked upon our returnjourney, to find that what had looked so terrible through the darknessof ignorance was a perfectly trivial affair. It was through resoundingcavern and winding tunnel, shrouded in gloom, but utterly wanting interrors and difficulties, being merely the gliding down a subterraneanstream out into broad daylight at the other end. 

Here our raft served to carry us over the shallows right down to ourboat, at which our prisoner gazed in wonder--wonder which was increasedwhen we set sail and glided towards the mouth of the little river we hadpassed on our way up. 

It soon became evident that in his wanderings our Indian had been overthe ground before. This was proved by his manner towards his wife, towhom he talked eagerly, pointing out different objects, rocky cliff, forest and mountain, as if they were familiar objects. 

But the great proof of all was his behaviour a couple of days later, when we felt that the mouth of the southern river must be near, for hewas all excitement till it was in sight, when he began shouting to usand pointing, indicating that we should steer the boat into the mouth ofthe very river as I suggested weeks before, and take a fresh course. 

"Hah!" exclaimed my uncle; "you were right, Nat, after all. I fanciedhe meant this. "

Fortunately for us, the narrowness and the way in which the side streamwas encumbered with overhanging growth, fallen log and tangle proved tobe only at the very beginning; for at the end of a mile or two ofdifficulties which were very discouraging, while the stream narrowed sothat it promised to close in overhead, its course became clearer and itswaters deep and sluggish, so that we were able to camp at night somemiles from the mouth. 

The next day our guide showed us by signs that our oars were not properimplements for use in such a river, with the result that Cross set towork roughing out a paddle which our companions seized upon to finishoff while another was made. Boards from the bottom and thwarts were cutup for the purpose, and before many hours had passed we were furnishedwith half-a-dozen fairly useful paddles, by whose aid, and all workingtogether, the boat could be directed through the narrowest channels ofverdure. 

For the next six days we steadily advanced, through a wonderfullybeautiful region, a very paradise for a naturalist, and where we mighthave collected gorgeously plumaged birds by the thousand and insectsgalore. 

But we had our one aim in view, and though we seemed as far off as ever, and there were moments when Uncle Dick and I began to doubt, our guideseemed so confident, pointing always onward, that we grew hopeful again, and went on and on. 

"Do you know what Bill Cross says, Master Nat?" said Pete, when we werecamping one evening. 

"How should I?" I replied pettishly, for I was weary of the continuouspaddling. 

"Then, I'll tell you, sir, " said Pete solemnly, "He says he feelscock-sure that them two brown 'uns is taking us to where their tribelives, so that they may grab the boat and guns and things, and thenlight a fire and have a feast. "

"Eat us?" I said. 

"That's it, sir; the doctor says they must be Caribs, and Caribs iscannibals, and we ought to go back. "

"So we will, Pete, " I said, "when we have found the quetzals. "

It was the very next day that, after struggling a few more miles overshallows, the roar of water fell upon our ears, and the currentgradually grew more swift, while that night with a good deal ofpantomime our guide indicated that the boat could go no farther. 

"As if we didn't know that, Master Nat, " said Cross. 

The consequence was that our craft was securely moored, the tent oncemore set up on shore, and after a good night's rest we started off toexplore the open wooded country around the beautiful falls close athand. 

We left Cross in camp with the Indian, and his wife eagerly started withus as guide, leading us through lovely patches of forest and open gladetill we were well above the falls, and where the little stream nowglided slowly along. 

"It looks as if we're to find the quetzal at last, " said my unclesoftly; "the woman seems so confident. "

"I hope so, " I said; "for if ever there was a beautiful home for a birdit ought to be here. "

We had hardly spoken before Mapah, who was some distance ahead, stopped, held up her hand, and stole back, signing for us to take her place andgo forward. 

We cocked our guns and stepped cautiously on, to find ourselves at theedge of an opening where no less than five of the lovely birds we soughtwere perched, each on a dead bough, with plumage absolutely glitteringin the sun-rays, which shot through, just as the flashing scale of thehumming-bird sends forth its gleams of broken light. 

Every now and then one darted out into the full sunshine in chase ofbutterfly or beetle, its loose tail-feathers spreading out comet-likeand waving in the clear air. 

The scene was so striking that for some time we stood bending forwardwatching the birds and their actions, every movement showing theirglorious plumage in a fresh light, and but one feeling was upon us--thatit was like sacrilege to destroy creatures so exquisitely perfect. Atlast, though, the naturalist and collector prevailed. We had comethousands of miles to secure specimens of these birds for Englishmuseums, and have them we must. 

I started as from a dream on seeing my uncle move. 

"Going to fire, uncle?" I said. 

"Yes, Nat, " he replied, with something like a sigh; "we must have a fewto take back. "

He raised his gun, but lowered it again, and looked at me, while Ilooked at him. 

"Was it all a dream?" he said hoarsely. 

"Surely not, uncle, " I cried, as I stared about the opening, where not abird was to be seen. 

But we had proof directly that it was no dream, for Pete, who washolding the spare guns, cried excitedly:

"Oh, I say! You've let 'em go!"

In the days which followed we were less sentimental, getting, in theneighbourhood of where we had seen them first, specimen after specimenin the most perfect plumage, till we felt that it would be like a crimeto shoot down more. 

"Let's get away from the temptation, Nat, " said my uncle, and the verynext day we started back, intent now on the one thought of getting ourtreasures safely home. 

We parted from our Indian companions a fortnight later, sending themashore with our guide's wound so nearly cured that he could limp abouteasily. They were laden with presents--Uncle Dick's patient proud ofthe grandest prize he evidently thought a man could possess, to wit, thecarpenter's axe; and his wife rejoicing in a leather housewife ofneedles and thread, a pair of good useful scissors, and my old silverwatch, hung by its chain round her tawny neck--her great joy being in achild-like way to hold it to her ear after winding up to listen to itsticking. 

Bill Cross made a set of new cases when he reached Port Royal for thecareful packing of the skins in our glorious collection, and he and Peteparted from us with every sign of regret. 

"I thought my tools might come in useful, gentlemen, " he said, smiling. 

"I don't know what we should have done without you, Cross, " said myuncle. 

Pete's forehead wrinkled up, and he looked at me wistfully. 

"I don't know which was the more useful, Cross, " I said, "you or Pete. "

"Wish you a safe journey home to the old country, gentlemen, " said Pete, smiling; "and, if ever you're going collecting again and'll take me, why, I'd come from anywheres the wide world round. "

But they did not say good-bye when the vessel in which we had taken ourpassage sailed, for the captain was short of hands and gladly took themon, so that it was at Liverpool we finally parted, for we had what theywished us, a safe journey home. 

"You will take me if you go again, Master Nat?" cried Pete, when weshook hands. 

"Yes, Pete, " I said; "I promise you I will. "

THE END.