Rob Harlow's Adventures, a Story of the Grand Chaco, by George ManvilleFenn. 

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A small private naturalist's expedition is about to take place up one ofthe Paraguay rivers. The eponymous hero, Rob Harlow, is a teenager. They are going to be rowed up the river, and the larger vessel that hadbrought then there, with its Italian captain, is to wait for them. Thecaptain's son, Giovanni, is very keen to come with them, and his fatherthinks it would be a very good idea. The other adults on the trip arenot so happy about the responsibility, but eventually he is allowed tocome. He is about the same age as our hero, Rob. 

There ensue the usual desperate situations we always get from thisauthor. Serpents; people getting lost and eventually found, having losttheir reason; attacks by Indians; insects; pumas; jaguars; and variousother problems with animals. There are even quarrels between the boys, arising from a silly misunderstanding. 

It's good stuff, and will be numbered among George Manville Fenn's best, which is rather a long list. 

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ROB HARLOWS'S ADVENTURES, A STORY OF THE GRAND CHACO, BY GEORGE MANVILLEFENN. 

CHAPTER ONE. 

TWO TRAVELLERS. 

"Don't they bite, sir?"

"Bite?"

_Smick! smack! flap_!

"Oh, murder!"

"What's the matter, sir?"

"My hand. "

"Hurt it, sir?"

"I should think I have. "

"You should wait till they've sucked 'emselves full and then hit 'em;they're lazy then. Too quick for you now. "

"The wretches! I shall be spotted all over, like a currant dumpling. Isay, Shaddy, do they always bite like this?"

"Well, yes, sir, " said the man addressed, about as ugly a specimen ofhumanity as could be met in a day's march, for he had only one eye, andbeneath that a peculiar, puckered scar extending down to the corner ofhis mouth, shaggy short hair, neither black nor grey--a kind ofpepper-and-salt colour--yellow teeth in a very large mouth, and a skinso dark and hairy that he looked like some kind of savage, dressed in apair of canvas trousers and a shirt that had once been scarlet, but wasnow stained, faded, and rubbed into a neutral grub or warm earthy tint. He wore no braces, but a kind of belt of what seemed to be snake orlizard skin, fastened with either a silver or pewter buckle. Add tothis the fact that his feet were bare, his sleeves rolled up over hismahogany-coloured arms, and that his shirt was open at the throat, showing his full neck and hairy chest; add also that he was about fivefeet, nine, very broad-shouldered and muscular, and you have ShadrachNaylor, about the last person any one would take to be an Englishman orselect for a companion on a trip up one of the grandest rivers of SouthAmerica. 

But there he was that hot, sunny day, standing up in the stern of thebroad, lightly built boat which swung by a long rope some fifty feetbehind a large schooner, of shallow draught but of lofty rig, so thather tremendous tapering masts might carry their sails high above thetrees which formed a verdant wall on each side of the great river, andso catch the breeze when all below was sheltered and calm. 

The schooner was not anchored, but fast aground upon one of the shiftingsand-banks that made navigation difficult. Here she was likely to lieuntil the water rose, or a fresh cool wind blew from the south androughened the dull silvery gleaming surface into waves where she couldroll and rock and work a channel for herself through the sand, and sailonward tugging the boat which swung behind. 

It was hot, blistering hot! and all was very still save for the ripplingmurmur of the flowing river and the faint buzz of the insect plagueswhich had come hunting from the western shore, a couple of hundred yardsaway, while the eastern was fully two miles off, and the voices of theman and the boy he addressed sounded strange in the vast solitudesthrough which the mighty river ran. 

Not that these two were alone, for there were five more occupants of theboat, one a white man--from his dress--a leg being visible beneath akind of awning formed of canvas, the other four, Indians orhalf-breeds--from the absence of clothing and the colour of their skinsas they lay forward--fast asleep, like the occupant of the covered-inportion. 

The great schooner was broad and Dutch-like in its capacious beam, andmanned by a fair-sized crew, but not a soul was visible, for it wasearly in the afternoon; the vessel was immovable, and all on board werefast asleep. 

Shadrach Naylor, too, had been having his nap, with his pipe in hismouth, but it had fallen out with a rap in the bottom of the boat, andthis had awakened him with a start to pick it up. He valued that pipehighly as one of his very few possessions--a value not visible to anyone else, for intrinsically, if it had been less black and not quite somuch chipped, it might have been worth a farthing English current coinof the realm. 

So Shadrach Naylor, familiarly known as "Shaddy, " opened his one eye soas to find his pipe, picked it up, and was in the act of replacing it inhis mouth prior to closing his eye again, when the sharp, piercing, darkorb rested upon Rob Harlow, seated in the stern, roasting in the sun, and holding a line that trailed away overboard into the deep waterbehind the sand-bank. 

Perhaps it was from being so ugly a man and knowing it that Shaddy had agreat liking for Rob Harlow, who was an English lad, sun-burnt, brown-haired, well built, fairly athletic, at most sixteen, verygood-looking, and perfectly ignorant of the fact. 

So Shaddy rose from forward, and, with his toes spreading out like anIndian's, stepped from thwart to thwart till he was alongside of Rob, ofwhom he asked the question respecting the biting, his inquiry relatingto the fish, while Rob's reply applied to the insects which worried himin their search for juicy portions of his skin. 

But they were not allowed to feed in peace, for Rob smacked and slappedsharply, viciously, but vainly, doing far more injury to himself than tothe gnat-like flies, so, to repeat his words, --

"I say, Shaddy, do they always bite like this?"

"Well, yes, sir, " said Shaddy, "mostlings. It's one down and t'othercome on with them. It's these here in the morning, and when they'vedone the sand-flies take their turn till sun goes down, and then outcomes the skeeters to make a night of it. "

"Ugh!" ejaculated Rob, giving himself a vicious rub. "I'm beginning towish I hadn't come. It's horrible. "

"Not it, youngster. You'll soon get used to 'em. I don't mind; theydon't hurt me. Wait a bit, and, pretty little creeturs, you'll likeit. "

"What! Like being bitten?"

"To be sure, sir. 'Livens you up a bit in this hot sleepy country; doesyour skin good; stimmylates, like, same as a rub with a good rough towelat home. "

Rob gave vent to a surly grunt and jerked his line. 

"I don't believe there are any fish here, " he said. 

"No fish! Ah! that's what we boys used to say o' half-holidays when wetook our tackle to Clapham Common to fish the ponds there. We alwaysused to say there was no fish beside the tiddlers, and them you couldpull out as fast as you liked with a bit o' worm without a hook, butthere was fish there then--big perch and whacking carp, and now and thenone of us used to get hold of a good one, and then we used to sing quiteanother song. --I say, sir!"

"Well?"

"This here's rather different to Clapham Common, isn't it?"

"Yes, " said Rob, "but it isn't what I expected. "

"What did you 'spect, then? Ain't the river big enough for you?"

"Oh! it's big enough, " said the lad, snatching his line in. "Didn'tseem like a river down behind there. "

"Right, my lad; like being at sea, ain't it?"

"Yes, and it's all so flat where you can see the shore. An ashy, dusty, dreary place, either too hot or too cold! Why, I wouldn't live at MonteVideo or Buenos Ayres for all the money in the world. "

"And right you'd be, my lad, says Shadrach Naylor. Ah! Why, look atthat! Fish is fish all the world over. You don't expect they'll biteat a bare hook, do you?"

"Bother the bait! it's off again, " said Rob, who had just pulled in theline. "It always seems to come off. "

"Not it, lad. There, I'll put a bit o' meat on for you. It's themlittle beggars nibbles it off. --There you are; that's a good bait. Perhaps you may get a bite this time. As I says, fish is fish all theworld over, and they're the most onaccountable things there is. One daythey're savage after food; next day you may hold a bait close to theirnoses, and they won't look at it. But you're hot and tired, my lad. Why don't you do as others do, take to your sister?"

"My sister!" cried Rob, staring. "I haven't got one. "

"I didn't say sister, " said Shaddy, showing his yellow teeth; "I saidsister--nap. "

"I know you did, " grumbled Rob; "why don't you say siesta?"

"'Cause I don't care about making mouthfuls of small words, my lad. "

_Splash_! went the freshly thrown-in bait. 

"I don't like sleeping in the middle of the day, " said Rob as he took afresh hold of his line. 

"Wait a bit, my lad, and you'll like getting a snooze on there when youcan get a chance. And so you're a bit disappynted in the country, areyou?"

"Yes, but it's been getting better the last few days. "

"Yes, " said Shaddy, "ever so much; and as soon as you get used to ityou'll say it's the beautifullest place in the world. "

Rob turned to him quickly, his irritation passing away. 

"Yes, it is getting beautiful, " he said; "the trees all along that sideare very grand. "

"Ah, " said Shaddy, replacing the great sheath-knife with which he hadbeen cutting up his tobacco in his belt, "and it's bigger and wilderwhen we get higher up. I don't wonder at their calling it the GrandChaco. "

"The trees are wonderful, " said Rob softly as he gazed at the great wallof verdure. 

"And it's wonderfuller inside as you go on and up the little rivers orcreeks. Just you wait a bit, my lad, and you'll see. I can show youthings as'll open your eyes. You won't think the place dull. "

"I suppose we are getting up toward quite the middle of South America, aren't we?"

"Getting that way, my lad, but not yet. Wasn't that a bite?"

"No, " replied Rob confidently. "I say, Shaddy, are there really anygood fish in this river? Isn't it too big?"

"Wants a big river to hold big fish in, millions of 'em, big as you are. Wait, and you'll see. "

"But one gets so tired of waiting. "

"But we has to wait all the same, and how those 'Talians get up and downas they do is always a wonder to me. I suppose they like waiting, andhaving their snoozes in the hot sun. 'Tis their nature to. Naples ishot enough, but not like this. "

"Have you been to Italy?"

"'Ain't many places I haven't been to, my lad. "

"But you've been here a long time. "

"Nigh upon twenty year up and down; and when I go to a place I like toforage and ferret about, being fond of a bit o' sport. That's how it isI know so much of the country up here. Couldn't help larning it. Nocredit to a man then. "

"What are you looking at?" said Rob. 

"Nothing, but looking out for squalls. "

"Change of weather?"

"Nay, not yet. I meant Indian squalls. I didn't know as there were tobe no watch kept, or I wouldn't have slept. It ain't safe, my lad, togo to sleep close to the shore this side. "

"Why! Wild beasts?"

"Nay, wild Indians, as hates the whites, and would come out from underthe trees in their canoes and attack us if they knowed we were here. Itold the skipper so, but he's like them 'talians: knows everythinghimself, so that he as good as told me to mind my own business, and so Idid. But this side of the river's all savage and wild, my lad. Thepeople had rough hard times with the old Spaniards, so that every whiteman's a Spaniard to them, and if they get a chance it's spear or club. "

Rob looked rather nervously along the interlacing trees hung with theloveliest of vine and creeper, and then jerked his line. 

"Ah, it's all right enough, sir, if you keep your eyes open. I can't, you see: only one. "

"How did you lose your eye, Shaddy?"

"Tiger, " said the man shortly. 

"There are no tigers here, " said Rob. "They are in India. "

"I know that. Striped ones they are, and bigger than these here. I'veknown 'em swim off from Johore across to Singapore--though they're bigcats--and then lie in wait for the poor Chinese coolie chaps and carry'em off. They call these big spotted chaps tigers, though, out here;but they're jaggers: that's what they are. Call 'em painters up inTexas and Arizona and them parts north. Jaggered my eye out anyhow. "

"How was it?"

"I was shooting, and after lying in wait for one of the beggars fornights, I saw my gentleman--coming after a calf he was--and I shot him. `Dead!' I says, for he just gave one snarly cry, turned over on hisback, clawed about a bit, and then lay down on his side, and I went up, knife in hand, meaning to have his spotted skin. "

Shaddy stopped and laid his hand over the scar and empty eye cavity, asif they throbbed still. 

"Well?" cried Rob eagerly. 

"No; it wasn't well, my lad. All the worst's coming. He wasn't dead abit, and before I knew where I was, he sent my rifle flying, and he hadme. It was one leap and a wipe down the face with his right paw, andthen his jaws were fixed in my right shoulder, and down I went on myback. If I hadn't twisted a bit he'd have torn me with his hind clawssame as a cat does a great rat, and then I shouldn't have been here tobe your guide. As it was, he kicked and tore up the earth, and then heleft go of my shoulder and turned over on his side, and died in realearnest. "

"The bullet had taken effect?"

"Nay, my lad; it was my knife. I thought it was my turn again, and, asI had it in my hand, I felt for his heart, and found it. "

"How horrible!"

"Yes, it was, my lad, very; but I won that game. I didn't get the skinmoney, for I didn't care for it then. I couldn't see very well. Why, Iwas quite blind for a month after, and then all the strength of two eyesseemed to go into this one. Painters they call 'em nor'ard, as I said;and he painted me prettily, didn't he, right down this cheek? Never sawa girl who thought me handsome enough to want to marry me. "

Shaddy laughed. 

"What is it?" said Rob. 

"I was thinking about Mr Brazier yonder when I came to you at BuenosAyres. "

"What, when he was waiting for the guide Captain Ossolo said he couldrecommend?"

Shaddy nodded. 

"He looked quite scared at me. Most people do; and the captain hadquite a job to persuade him that I should be the very man. "

"Yes, and it was not till the captain said he would not get one half sogood that he engaged you. "

"That's so, my lad. But I am a rum 'un, ain't I?"

"You're not nice-looking, Shaddy, " said Rob, gazing at him thoughtfully;"but I never notice it now, and--well, yes, you are always very kind tome. I like you, " added the boy frankly. 

Shaddy's one eye flashed, and he did not look half so ferocious. 

"Thank ye, my lad, " he cried, stretching out his great hand. "Would youmind laying your fist in there and saying that again?"

Rob laughed, looked full in the man's eye, and laid his hand in thebroad palm, but wished the next moment that he had not, for the fingersclosed over his with a tremendous grip. 

"I say, you hurt!" he cried. 

"Ay, I suppose so, " said Shaddy, loosing his grip a little. "I forgotthat. Never mind. It was meant honest, and Mr Brazier shan't repentbringing me. "

"I don't think he does now, " said Rob. "He told me yesterday that youwere a staunch sort of fellow. "

"Ah! thank ye, " said Shaddy, smiling more broadly; and his ruffianly, piratical look was superseded by a frank aspect which transformed him. "You see, Mr Harlow, I'm a sort of a cocoa-nutty fellow, all shaggyhusk outside. You find that pretty tough till you get through it, andthen you ain't done, for there's the shell, and that's hard enough tomake you chuck me away; but if you persevere with me, why, there insidethat shell is something that ain't peach, nor orange, nor soft banana, but not such very bad stuff after all. "

"I should think it isn't, " cried Rob. "I say, it would make some of ourboys at home stare who only know cocoa-nut all hard and woody, and themilk sickly enough to throw away, if they could have one of thedelicious creamy nuts that we get here. "

"Yes, my lad, they're not bad when you're thirsty, nor the orangeseither. "

"Delicious!" cried Rob. 

"Ay. I've lived for weeks at a time on nothing but oranges andcocoanuts, and a bit of fish caught just now and then with my hands, when I've been exploring like and hunting for gold. "

"For gold? Is there gold about here?"

"Lots, my lad, washed down the rivers. I've often found it. "

"Then you ought to be rich. "

The man chuckled. 

"Gold sounds fine, sir, but it's a great cheat. My 'sperience of goldhas always been that it takes two pounds' worth of trouble to get onepound's worth o' metal. So that don't pay. Seems to me from what Ihear that it's the same next door with dymons. "

"Next door?"

"Well, up yonder in Brazil. I should say your Mr Brazier will dobetter collecting vegetables, if so be he can find any one to buy 'emafterwards. What do you call 'em--orkards?"

"Orchids, " said Rob. 

"But who's going to buy 'em?"

"Oh, I don't know, " said Rob, laughing. "There are plenty of peopleglad to get them in England for their hothouses. Besides, there are thebotanists always very eager to see any new kinds. "

"Better try and get some new kinds o' birds. There's lots here withcolours that make your eyes ache. They'd be better than vegetables. Why, right up north--I've never seen any down here--there's little humpybirds a bit bigger than a cuckoo, with tails a yard long and breastsever so much ruddier than robins', and all the rest of a green thatshines as if the feathers were made of copper and gold mixed. "

"Mr Brazier hasn't come after birds. "

"Well then, look here; I can put him up to a better way of making money. What do you say to getting lots of things to send to the 'LogicalGardens? Lions and tigers and monkeys--my word, there are some rumlittle beggars of monkeys out here. "

"No lions in America, Shaddy. "

"Oh, ain't there, my lad? I'll show you plenty, leastwise what we callslions here. I'll tell you what--snakes and serpents. They'd give noend for one of our big water-snakes. My word, there are some whackersup these rivers. "

"How big?" said Rob, hiding a smile--"two hundred feet long?"

"Gammon!" growled Shaddy; "I ain't one of your romancing sort. Truth'sbig enough for me. So's the snakes I've seen. I've had a skin of onefellow six-and-twenty foot long, and as opened out nearly nine foot laidflat. I dessay it stretched a bit in the skinning, but it shrunk a bitin the drying, so that was about its size, and I've seen more than onethat must have been longer, though it's hard to measure a twisting, twirling thing with your eye when it's worming its way through mud andwater and long grass. "

"Water-snakes, eh?" said Rob, who was beginning to be impressed by theman's truth. 

"Ay, water-snakes. They're anti-bilious sort of things, as some folkscalls 'em--can't live out of the water and dies in. "

He laughed merrily as he said this. 

"That's true enough, my lad, for they wants both land and water. I'veseen 'em crawl into a pool and curl themselves up quite comfortable atthe bottom and lie for hours together. You could see 'em with the waterclear as cryschial. Other times they seem to like to be in the sun. But wait a bit, and I'll show 'em to you, ugly beggars, although they'renot so very dangerous after all. Always seemed as scared of me as I wasof--hist! don't move. Just cast your eye round a bit to starboard andlook along the shore. "

Rob turned his eye quickly, and saw a couple of almost naked Indiansstanding on an open patch beneath the trees, each holding a long, thinlance in his hand. They were watching the water beneath the bank veryattentively, as if in search of something, just where quite a field oflilies covered the river, leaving only a narrow band clear, close to thebank. 

"Don't take no notice of 'em, " said Shaddy; "they're going fishing. "

"Wish them better luck than I've had, " said Rob. "Fishing! Those aretheir rods, then; I thought they were spears. "

"So they are, my lad, " whispered Shaddy. "They're off. No fish there. "

As he spoke the two living-bronze figures disappeared among the trees assilently as they had come. 

"Of course there are no fish, " said Rob wearily as he drew in hisbaitless line, the strong gimp hook being quite bare. "Hullo, herecomes Joe!"

CHAPTER TWO. 

CATCHING A DORADO. 

For at that minute a slight sound from the schooner made him cast hiseyes in that direction and see a lithe-looking lad of about his own agesliding down a rope into a little boat alongside, and then, casting offthe painter, the boat drifted with the current to that in which Rob wasseated. 

"Had your nap?" said Rob. 

"Yes, " replied the lad in good English, but with a slight Italianaccent, as he fastened the little dinghy and stepped on board. "Howmany have you caught?"

Rob winced, and Shaddy chuckled, while Giovanni Ossolo, son of thecaptain of the Italian river schooner _Tessa_, looked sharply from oneto the other, as if annoyed that the rough fellow should laugh at him. 

"Shall I show him all you've caught, sir?" said Shaddy. 

"Haven't had a touch, Joe, " said Rob, an intimacy of a month on theriver having shortened the other's florid Italian name as above. 

The Italian lad showed his teeth. 

"You don't know how to fish, " he said. 

"You'd better try yourself, " said Rob. "You people talk about the fishin the Parana, but I've seen more alligators than sprats. "

"Shall I catch one?" said the new-comer. 

"Yes; let's see you. "

The lad nodded and showed his white teeth. 

"Give me an orange, " he said. 

Rob rose and stepped softly to the awning, thrust his hand into a basketbeneath the shelter, and took out three, returning to give one to theyoung Italian and one to Shaddy, reserving the last for himself andbeginning to peel it at once. 

Giovanni, alias Joe--who had passed nearly the whole of his life on hisfather's schooner, which formed one of the little fleet of Italianvessels trading between Monte Video and Assuncion, the traffic beinglargely carried on by the Italian colony settled in the neighbourhood ofthe former city--took his orange, peeled it cleverly with his thin brownfingers, tossed the skin overboard for it to be nosed about directly bya shoal of tiny fish, and then pulled it in half, picked up the gimphook and shook his head, laid the hook back on the thwart, and pulledthe orange apart once more, leaving two carpels, one side of which heskinned so as to bare the juicy pulp. 

"The hook is too small, " said the boy quietly. 

"Why, it's a jack hook, such as we catch big pike with at home. Butyou're not going to bait with that?"

"Yes, " said the lad, carefully thrusting the hook through the orangeafter passing it in by a piece of the skin which, for the first time, Rob saw he had left. 

"I never heard of a bait like that. "

"Oh, I dunno, my lad, " said Shaddy. "I've caught carp with green peasand gooseberries at home. "

"Orange the best bait for a dorado, " said the Italian softly, as heplaced the point of the hook to his satisfaction. 

"Dorado? That ought to be Spanish for a golden carp, " said Rob. 

"That's it. You've about hit it, my lad, " cried Shaddy, "for these hereare as much like the gold-fish you see in the globes at home as onepea's like another. "

"Then they're only little fish?" said Rob, with a contemptuous tone inhis voice. 

"Oh yes, only little ones, my lad, " said Shaddy, exchanging glances withthe new-comer, who lowered the baited hook softly over the side of theboat, and rapidly paid out the line as the orange was borne away by thecurrent. 

"There, Rob, you fish!" the Italian said. "Hold tight if one comes. "

"No; go on, " replied Rob. "I'm hot and tired. Bother the flies!"

The young Italian nodded, and sitting down, twisted the end of the stoutline round a pin in the side of the boat, looking, in his loose flannelshirt and trousers and straw hat, just such a lad as might be seen anysummer day on the river Thames, save that he was bare-footed instead ofwearing brown leather or canvas shoes. Excepting the heavy breathing ofthe sleepers forward, there was perfect silence once again till Shaddysaid, --

"Wind to-night, gentlemen, and the schooner will be off the bank. "

"The pampero?" said Giovanni--or, to shorten it to Rob's familiarnickname, Joe--quietly. 

"Looks like it, my lad. There you have him. "

For all at once the line tightened, so that there was a heavy strain onthe side of the boat. 

"That's one of them little ones, Mr Rob, sir. "

Joe frowned, and there was a very intense look in his eyes as the linecut the water to and fro, showing that some large fish had taken thebait and was struggling vigorously to escape. 

Rob was all excitement now, and ready to bewail his luck at having givenup the chance of holding so great a capture on the hook. 

"To think o' me not recollecting the orange bait!" grumbled Shaddy. "Must have been half asleep!"

Those were intense moments, but moments they were; for after a fewrushes here and there the taut line suddenly grew slack, and as Robuttered an ejaculation expressive of his disappointment Joe laughedquietly and drew in the line. 

"Look, " he said, holding up the fragment of gimp attached by its loop tothe line. "I knew it was not strong enough. "

"Bit it in two, " said Shaddy. "Ah, they have some teeth of their own, the fish here. Ought to call 'em dogfish, for most of 'em barks andbites. "

While he was speaking Joe had moved to the side of the dinghy, reachedover to a little locker in the stern, opened it, and returned directlywith a big ugly-looking hook swinging on a piece of twisted wire by itseye. 

"They will not bite through that, " he said as he returned. 

"Oh, but that's absurdly big, " said Rob, laughing. "That would frightena forty-pound pike. "

"But it wouldn't frighten a sixty-pound dorado, my lad, " said Shaddyquietly. 

"What?" cried Rob. "Why, how big do you think that fish was that gotaway?"

"Thirty or forty pound, perhaps more. "

By this time the young Italian was dividing the orange which Shaddy hadlaid upon the thwart beside him, and half of this, with the pulp wellbare, he placed upon the hook, firmly securing this to the line. 

"Now, Rob, your turn, " said Joe; and the lad eagerly took hold, loweredthe bait, and tossed over some twenty yards of line. 

"Better twist it round the pin, " said his companion. 

"Oh no, sir; hold it. "

"Well, then, let me secure the end fast. "

Rob was ready to resent this, for he felt confidence in his own powers;but he held his tongue, and waited impatiently minute after minute, inexpectation of the bite which did not come. 

"No luck, eh?" said Shaddy. "I say, I hope you're not going to catch awater-snake. I'll get my knife out to cut him free; shall I? He mightsink us. "

"Do be quiet, " said Rob excitedly. "Might have one of those John Doreysany moment. "

But still the minutes went on, and there was no sign. 

"How are you going to manage if you hook one?" said Joe quietly. 

"Play him till he's tired. "

"Mind the line doesn't cut your fingers. No, no, don't twist it roundyour hand; they pull very hard. Let him go slowly till all the line'sout. "

"When he bites, " said Rob in disappointed tones. "Your one hasfrightened them all away, or else the bait's off. "

"No; I fixed it too tightly. "

Just then there was a yawn forward, and another from a second of theIndians. 

"Waking, " said Rob. "May as well give it up as a bad job. "

"No, no, don't do that, sir. You never know when you're going to catcha big fish. Didn't you have a try coming across?"

"No; they said the steamer went too fast, and the screw frightened allthe fish away. "

"Ay, it would. But you'd better keep on. Strikes me it won't befishing weather to-morrow. "

_Thung_ went the line, which tightened as if it had been screwed by apeg, and Rob felt a jerk up his arms anything but pleasant to hismuscles; while, in spite of his efforts, the line began to run throughhis fingers as jerk succeeded jerk. But the excitement made him hold onand give out as slowly as he could. The friction, though, was such thatto check it he wound his left hand in the stout cord, but only to feelit cut so powerfully into his flesh that during a momentary slackeninghe gladly got his left hand free, lowered both, so that the line restedon the gunwale of the boat, and, making this take part of the stress, let the fish go. 

"Best way to catch them fellows is to have a canoe and a very strongline, so as he can tow you about till he's tired, " said Shaddy. 

"Is the end quite safe?" panted Rob, whose nerves were throbbing withexcitement; and he was wondering that his new friend could be soimpassive and cool. 

"Yes, quite tight, " was the reply, just as all the line had glided out;and as Rob held on he was glad to have the help afforded by the linebeing made fast to the pin. 

"What do you say now, sir?" cried Shaddy. 

"Oh, don't talk, pray. "

"All right, sir, all right; but he's going it, ain't he? Taking aregular gallop over the bottom, eh?"

"I do hope this hook will hold. "

"It will, " said Giovanni; "you can't say it's too big now. "

"No, " said Rob in a husky whisper. "But what is it--a shark?"

"I never heard o' sharks up in these parts, " said Shaddy, laughing. 

"Or would it be an alligator? It is awfully strong. Look at that. "

This was as the prisoner made a furious rush through the water rightacross the stern. 

"Nay; it's no alligator, my lad. If it were I should expect to see himcome up to the top and poke out his ugly snout, as if to ask us whatgame we called this. Precious cunning chaps they are, and as they liveby fishing, they'd say it wasn't fair. "

"Oh, Shaddy, do hold your tongue!" cried Rob. "I say, Joe, how longwill it take to tire him?"

"Don't know, " said the lad, laughing. "He's tiring you first. "

"Yes; but how are we to get him on board?"

"Hullo, Rob, lad! caught a fish or a tartar?" said a fresh voice, and abronzed, sturdy man of about seven-and-thirty stepped up behind them, putting on a pith helmet and suppressing a yawn, for he had just risenfrom his nap under the awning. 

"Think it's a Tartar, " said Rob between his set teeth. 

"Or a whale, " said the fresh comer, laughing. "Perhaps we had bettercut adrift. "

"No, no, sir, " cried Rob excitedly. "I must catch him. "

"I meant from the schooner, so as to let him tow us if he will take usup stream instead of down. "

"No; don't move; don't do anything, " cried Rob hoarsely. "I'm so afraidof his breaking away. "

"Well, he is doing his best, my lad. "

"Getting tired, Mr Brazier, " said the Italian lad. "They are _very_strong. "

"They? What is it, then--a fresh-water seal?"

"No; a dorado. I know it by the way it pulls. "

"Oh, then, let's have him caught, " said Martin Brazier, head of thelittle expedition up the great Southern river. "I am eager to see thegilded one. Steady, Rob, my lad! Give him time. "

"He has had time enough, " said Giovanni quickly. "Begin to pull in now, and he will soon be beaten. "

Rob began to haul, and drew the fish a couple of yards nearer the boat, but he lost all he had gained directly, for the captive made a franticdash for liberty, and careered wildly to and fro some minutes longer. Then, as fresh stress was brought to bear, it gradually yielded, stubbornly at first, then more and more, till the line was gatheringfast in the bottom of the boat, and a sudden splash and tremendous eddyhalf a dozen yards away showed that the fish was close to the surface. 

Just then the Italian captain's son came close up to Rob, and stoodlooking over, holding a large hook which he had fetched from the dinghy;but he drew back, and looked in Mr Brazier's face. 

"Would you like to hook it in?" he said, "or shall we let him go? It isa very big one, and will splash about. "

"Better let me, sir, " said Shaddy, drawing his knife. "Keep clear ofhim, too, for he may bite. "

Martin Brazier looked sharply at the man he had engaged for his guide, expecting to see a furtive smile, but Shaddy was perfectly serious, andread his meaning. 

"It's all right, sir; they do bite, and bite sharply, too. Give us thehook, youngster. "

He took the hook the young Italian handed, and as Rob dragged the fish, which still plunged fiercely, nearer the side, he leaned over, and afterthe line had been given twice and hauled in again, there was a gleam oforange and gold, then a flash as the captive turned upon its side, andbefore it could give another beat with its powerful caudal fin, Shaddydeftly thrust the big hook in one of its gills, and the next moment thedorado was dragged over the gunwale to lay for a moment in the brightsunshine a mass of dazzling orange and gold, apparently astonished orhalf stunned. The next it was beating the bottom heavily with its tail, leaping up from side to side and taking possession of the stern of theboat, till a sharp tug of the hook brought its head round, and a thrustfrom Shaddy's knife rendered the fierce creature partially helpless. 

Rob's arms ached, and his hands were sore, but he forgot everything inthe contemplation of the magnificent fish he had captured. For as itlay there now, feebly opening and closing its gills, it was wonderfullylike an ordinary gold-fish of enormous size, the orange-and-gold scalearmour in which it was clad being so gorgeous that, in spite of histriumph in the capture, Rob could not help exclaiming, --

"What a pity to have killed it!"

"There are plenty more, " said Joe, smiling. 

"Yes, but it is so beautiful, " said Rob regretfully. 

"Yet we should not have seen its beauty, " said Brazier, "if we had notcaught it. " And he bent down to examine the fish more closely. 

"Mind your eye, sir, " shouted Shaddy. 

"You mean my finger, I suppose, " said Brazier, snatching back his hand. 

"That's so, sir, " replied Shaddy. "I'd a deal rather have mine in arat-trap. Just you look here!"

He picked up the boat-hook and presented the end of the pole to the fishas its jaws gaped open, and touched the palate. In an instant the mouthclosed with a snap, and the teeth were driven into the hard wood. 

"There, sir, " continued Shaddy, "that's when he's half dead. You cantell what he's like when he's all alive in the water. Pretty creetur, then, " he continued, apostrophising the dying fish, "it was a pity tokill you. They'll be pretty glad down below, though, to get rid of you. Wonder how many other better-looking fish he ate every day, Mr Harlow, sir?"

"I didn't think of that, " said Rob, feeling more comfortable, and hisregret passing away. 

"With teeth like that, he must have been a regular water tyrant, " saidBrazier, after a long examination of the fish, from whose jaws the polewas with difficulty extracted. "There, take it away, " he continued. "Your cook will make something of it, eh, Giovanni?"

"Yes, " said the lad; "we'll have some for dinner. "

"But what do you suppose it weighs?" cried Rob. 

"Good sixty-pound, sir, " said Shaddy, raising the captive on the hook atarm's length. "Wo-ho!" he shouted as the fish made a struggle, quivering heavily from head to tail. "There you are!" he cried, dropping it into the dinghy. Then in the Guarani dialect he told two ofthe Indian boatmen to take it on board the schooner, over whose sternseveral dark faces had now appeared, and soon after the gorgeous-lookingtrophy was hauled up the vessel's side and disappeared. 

CHAPTER THREE. 

AN ITALIAN ALLIANCE. 

"Now, sir, if you please, " said Shaddy, "I think it's time to dosomething to this covering-in. We've had fine weather so far, but it'sgoing to change. What do you say to spreading another canvas over thetop?"

"If you think it's necessary, do it at once. "

"It's going to rain soon, " said the Italian lad, who was seated by Robcarefully winding up the line so that it might dry. 

"And when it do rain out here, sir, it ain't one of your Britishmizzles, but regular cats and dogs. It comes down in bucketfuls. And, as you know, the best thing toward being healthy's keeping a dry skin, which you can't do in wet clothes. "

Work was commenced at once after the boat had been swabbed clean, and acanvas sheet being unfolded, it was stretched over the ridge pole whichcovered in a portion of the boat, tightly tied down over the sides, andsecured fore and aft. 

"There, " said Shaddy when he had finished, the boys and Mr Brazierhelping willingly, "if we can keep the wind out we shall be all rightnow. Nothing like keeping your victuals and powder dry. Not much toosoon, sir, eh?"

Martin Brazier and his companion had been too busy to notice the changethat had come over the sky; but now they looked up to see that the sunwas covered by a dull haze, which rapidly grew more dense. The heatthat had prevailed for many days, during which they had fought their wayslowly up the great river, passed rapidly away, and Rob suggested thatrain would begin to fall soon. 

"Not yet, my lad. These are not rain-clouds, " said Shaddy; "that's onlydust. "

"Dust? Where are the roads for it to blow off?" said Rob incredulously. 

"Roads? No roads, but off the thousands of miles of dry plains. "

Just then a hail came from the schooner, the captain looking over, andin extremely bad English suggesting that the party should come on board;but directly after he lapsed into Italian, addressed to his son. 

"Father says we shall have two or three days' rain and bad weather, andthat you will be more comfortable on board till the storm has gone by. "

"Yes, " said Mr Brazier, "no doubt, but I don't like leaving the boat. "

"She'll be all right, sir, " said Shaddy. "I'll stop aboard with one ofthe Indians. Bit o' rain won't hurt us. "

Mr Brazier hesitated. 

"Better go, sir. "

"To refuse would be showing want of confidence in him, " said Brazier toRob, and then aloud, --

"Very well. Take care of the guns, and see that nothing gets wet. "

Just then there was a whirling rush of cool wind, which rippled thewhole surface of the water. 

"I shall take care of 'em, sir, " said Shaddy. "Here comes the dinghy. Better get aboard whilst you can. She'll be off that sand-bank 'fore anhour's past. You can send us a bit of the fish, Mr Harlow. Haul us upclose, and drop some in. "

"Yes, I'll look after you, Shaddy, " replied Rob. 

"And if this wind holds we shall soon be in the Paraguay river, sir, andsailing into another climate, as you'll see. "

They went on board the schooner, where they were warmly welcomed by theItalian skipper, and in less time than Shaddy had suggested there was aheavy sea on, which rocked the loftily masted vessel from side to side. Then a sail or two dropped down, a tremendous gust of moisture-laden aircame from the south, the schooner rose, dipped her bowsprit, creakedloudly, and as quite a tidal wave rushed up the river before the stormshe seemed to leap off the sand-bank on its crest right into deep water, and sailed swiftly away due north. 

All whose duty did not keep them on deck were snugly housed in thecabin, listening to the deafening roar of the thunder and watching thelightning, which flashed incessantly, while the rain beat and thrashedthe decks and poured out of the scuppers in cascades. 

"They were right, " said Brazier to Rob. "We're better here, but if thisgoes on our boat will be half full of water, and not a thing left dry. "

"Shaddy will take care of them, " said Rob quietly. "Besides, most ofthe things are packed in casks, and will not hurt. "

Mr Brazier shook his head. 

"I don't know, " he said; "I'm afraid we shall have to renew our stock ofprovisions and powder at Assuncion, and they'll make us pay prettydearly for it, too. "

The storm lasted well through the night, but at daybreak the rain hadceased. When they went on deck, there, swinging behind them, was thedrenched boat, with Shaddy seated astern, scooping out the last drops ofwater with a tin, and saving that the canvas tent was saturated andsteamed slightly, nothing seemed wrong. The morning was comparativelycool, a gleam of orange light coming in the east, and a pleasant galeblowing from the south and sending the shallow-draughted schooner onwardat a rapid pace. 

A couple of hours later, with the sun well up, the temperature wasdelicious, the canvas of the boat tent drying rapidly, and Shaddy, afterhauling close up astern for the fish he had not forgotten, had reportedthat not a drop of water had got inside to the stores. 

Days followed of pleasant sailing, generally with the pampero blowing, but with a few changes round to the north, when, as they tacked up theriver, it was like being in another climate. 

One or two stoppages followed at the very few towns on the banks, and atlast the junction of the two great rivers was reached, the Parana, upwhich they had sailed, winding off to the east and north, the Paraguay, up which their destination lay, running in a winding course due north. 

As Shaddy had prophesied, the change was wonderful as soon as they hadentered this river, and fresh scenes and novelties were constantlydelighting Rob's eyes as they slowly sailed on against the current. 

"Oh yes, this is all very well, " said Shaddy; "but wait till we've gotpast the big city yonder and left the schooners and trade and housesbehind: then I shall show you something. All this don't count. "

Mr Brazier seemed to think that it did, and a dozen times over he wasfor bidding Captain Ossolo good-bye, thanking and paying him for towinghim up the river, and turning off at once into one of the streams thatran in through the virgin land west. But Shaddy opposed him. 

"I'm only your servant, Mr Brazier, sir, " he said, "and I'll do whatyou say; but you told me you wanted to go into quite noo country. Well, it will be easier for me to take you up one of these creeks or rivers, and you'll be able to hunt and collect; only recollect that it isn'tsuch very noo country--other folks have been up here and there. What Isay is, give the skipper good-bye when we get to Assuncion, and thenwe'll sail and row and pole up a couple of hundred miles farther, andthen turn off west'ard. Then I can take you up rivers whereeverything's noo to Englishmen, and in such a country as shall make yousay that you couldn't ha' thought there was such a land on earth. "

Similar conversations to this took place again and again, and all firedMartin Brazier's brain as much as they did Rob's. 

They had an unexpected effect, too, for, on reaching Assuncion, wherethe schooner cast anchor to discharge her cargo and take in a fresh onefor the downward journey, Captain Ossolo came over into the boat oneevening with his son, just as Brazier and Rob were busy with Shaddypacking in stores which had been freshly purchased, as possibly thiswould be the last place where they could provide themselves with some ofthe necessaries of life. 

"Ah, captain, " cried Brazier, "I'm glad you've come. I want to have asettlement with you for all you've done. "

The captain nodded, and rubbed one brown ear, making the gold ringtherein glisten. 

"What am I in your debt?" continued Brazier, "though no money can payyou for your kindness to us and excellent advice. "

The captain was silent, and took to rubbing the other ear, his facewearing a puzzled expression. 

"Don't be afraid to speak out, sir, " continued Brazier; "I am sure youwill find me generous. "

"_Si_! yes, " said the captain, holding out his hand, which was at oncetaken; "much please--good fellow--_amico_--_bono_--_altro_--_altro_!"

He broke down and looked confused. 

"I understand you, " said Brazier, speaking slowly; "and so are you agood fellow. I wish I could speak Italian. Do you understand me?"

"_Si! si_!" said the captain, nodding his head. 

"We both hope to find you here again when we return, for you to help usdown the river again with the collections we shall have made. "

This last puzzled the captain a little; but his son, who was at hiselbow, interpreted, and he nodded his head vehemently. 

"_Si! si_!" he cried. "Take you back on _Tessa_. Get fever? No. Gethurt? No. Come back safe. "

"My father means you are to take care of yourselves, " said Joe, "bothyou and Rob. Shaddy has promised to help you all he can. "

"Ah, to be sure I will; depend upon that, " said the individual named. 

"And father wants to say something else, " said Joe. 

"Yes, of course, " said Brazier rather impatiently. "What am I in hisdebt?"

"Shall I tell him, father?" said the lad in Italian. 

"_Si! si_!"

The lad cleared his voice, and fixed his eyes on Rob, but turned themdirectly after upon Brazier. 

"My father says he will not take any money for what he has done. "

"Oh, nonsense!" cried Brazier; "he must. "

"No!" cried the skipper, frowning as he shook his head till his earringsglistened. 

"He wants you to do him a favour. "

"What does he so want--a gun, a watch, some powder?"

"No, " said the lad, clearing his throat again; "he wants you to be afriend to me and take me with you in the boat. "

"What?" cried Rob, with an eager look. 

"Father--_il mio padre_--says it would do me good to go with you andtravel, and learn to speak English better. "

"Why, you speak it well now. "

"But better, " continued Joe. "He would like me to go with Rob, and helpyou, and shoot and fish and collect things. He would like it verymuch. "

Captain Ossolo showed his teeth and laughed merrily as he clapped hisson on the shoulder. 

"Do you understand what your son says?" cried Brazier. 

"_Si_! All he say. Giovanni want go bad, very much bad. "

"I thought so, " said Brazier. Then turning to the lad, "Do you knowthat we may be months away?"

"Yes, I know, " said the lad eagerly. "Father says it would--Please takeme, Signore Brazier. I will be so useful, and I can fish, and cook, andlight fires. "

"And lay the blame on your father, eh? He wants you to go?"

"He says I may, signore--I mean sir. He promised me that he would askyou. "

"I understand, " said Brazier; "but, my good lad, do you know that weshall have to rough it very much?"

"Bah!" exclaimed the boy. "You will have the boat, and Shaddy, and thefour Indian rowers. The country is paradise. It will be a holiday, adelight. "

"And the insects, the wild beasts, the dangers of disease?"

"What of them? We shall be on the rivers, and I have been on rivershalf my life. Pray take me, signore. "

Brazier shook his head, and a look of agony convulsed the boy's Southernfeatures. 

"Speak to him, my father, " he cried excitedly, "and you, Rob. We weremaking friends. Beg, pray of him to say yes. "

"_Si_!" said the captain, nodding his head. "Do boy _mio_ good. Much, very good boy, Giovanni. "

"Well, I hardly like to refuse you, my lad, " said Brazier. "What do yousay, Rob? Could we make room for him?"

A light seemed to flash from Giovanni's eyes, and his lips parted as hewaited panting for Rob's reply. 

"Oh yes; he would not take up much room. "

"No, very little. I could sleep anywhere, " cried the lad excitedly, "and I could help you so much. I know the country almost as well asShaddy. Don't I, Shaddy?"

"Say ever so much more, boy, if you like. But he does know a lot aboutit. Me and he's been more than one trip together, eh, lad?"

"Yes. But beg him to take me, Rob, " cried the boy. "I do so want togo. "

"You will take him, will you not, Mr Brazier?"

"I shrink from the responsibility, " said Brazier. 

"I'll take the responsibility, then, " cried Rob eagerly. 

"Suppose I say `no'?"

Giovanni's countenance changed at every speech, being one momentclouded, the next bright. And now as that word "No" rang out he claspedhis hands together and raised them with a gesture full of despair. Thenhis eyes lit up again, for Rob said quickly, --

"Don't say it, then. He would be so horribly disappointed now. "

"_Si_! Take Giovanni, " said the skipper, and the boy gave him agrateful glance. 

"But suppose anything happens to him?"

The Italian captain could not grasp the meaning of this last speech, andturned to his son, who rendered it into their own tongue. 

"Oh, " replied the captain in the same language, "it is fate. He musttake care of himself. Suppose I fall overboard, and am drowned, or thefish eat me? Yes, he must take care. "

"You would like him with us, then, Rob?" said Brazier. 

"Yes, very much. "

"That's enough, then. You shall come, my lad. Wait a moment; hear whatI have to say. You must be obedient and follow out my instructions. "

"Yes; I'll do everything you tell me, " cried the boy. 

"And you will have to do as we do--live hard and work hard. "

"I'm not afraid of work, " said the boy, smiling. 

"And now interpret this to your father. I will do everything I can toprotect you, and you shall be like one of us, but he must not expect meto be answerable for any mishaps that may come to us out in the wilds. "

Giovanni turned eagerly to his father, but the skipper waved his hand. 

"Understand, " he said, nodding his head. "I you trust. Take _il mio_boy. "

He held out his hand to Brazier, and shook his solemnly as if in signmanual of the compact, and then repeated the performance with Rob, whosehand he retained, and, taking his son's, placed them together. 

"_Fratelli_! broders!" he said, smiling. 

"Yes, I will be like a brother to you, " cried Giovanni. 

"All right, " said Rob unpoetically; and then the skipper turned toShadrach, and grumbled out something in Italian. 

"Toe be sure, " growled the man in English. "'Course I will. You knowme, cap'en. "

"_Si_!" replied the skipper laconically; and then, asking Rob toaccompany him, the Italian lad made for his little cabin to begin thefew preparations he had to make. 

The result was that a canvas bag like a short bolster was handed downinto the boat, and then the boy followed with a light, useful-lookingrifle, belt and long keen sheath-knife, which he hung up under thecanvas to be clear of the night dew or rain. 

It was still grey the next morning when the boatmen sat ready with theiroars, and Captain Ossolo stood in the dinghy beside Brazier's boat, which swung astern of the _Tessa_, down into whose hold scores oflight-footed women were passing basketfuls of oranges. 

They paused in their work for a few minutes as the captain shook handswith all in turn. 

"_A revederla_!" he cried, taking off his Panama hat. "I see you whenyou come back, ole boy; goo'-bye; take yourself care of you. "

The next minute he was waving his soft hat from the dinghy, whileBrazier's boat was gliding up stream, and the two boys stood up and gavehim a hearty cheer. 

"Now, youngsters, " said Shaddy, as he cleared the little mast lyingunder the thwarts, "we shall catch the wind as soon as we're round thenext bend; so we may as well let Natur' do the work when she will. "

"What's that, Shadrach?" said Brazier; "going to hoist the sail?"

"Ay, sir. No _Tessa_ to tow us now. "

"True. What do you mean to do first?"

"Ask you to resist all temptations to stop at what you calls likelybits, sir, and wait till we get up a hundred mile or so, when I'll takeyou into waters which will be exactly what you want. "

"Very good; I leave myself then in your hands. "

"Just to start you, sir. After that it's you as takes the helm. "

As their guide said, the wind was fair as soon as they had rowed round abend of the great, smooth river; the sail was hoisted, the oars laid in, and the Indian rowers too, for as soon as they had ceased pulling theylay down forward to sleep, and that night the boat was moored to a treeon the eastern side of the stream, far-away from the haunts of civilisedman, while Rob lay sleepless, listening to the strange and weird soundswhich rose from the apparently impenetrable forest on the far-awaywestern shore. 

CHAPTER FOUR. 

NOISES OF THE NIGHT. 

"Not asleep, my lad?" said a voice at his elbow as Rob crept out fromunder the awning to the extreme stern. 

"You, Shaddy? No, I can't sleep. It all seems so strange. "

"Ay, it do to you, " said the man in a husky whisper. "You've got itjust on you now strong. You couldn't go to sleep because you thoughtthat them four Indian chaps forward might come with their knives andfinish you and drop you overboard--all of us. "

"How do you know I thought that?"

"Ah, I know!" said Shaddy, with a chuckle. "Everybody does. I didfirst time. Well, they won't, so you needn't be afeared o' that. Nex'thing as kept you awake was that you thought a great boa-constructormight be up in the tree and come crawling down into the boat. "

"Shaddy, are you a witch?" cried Rob. 

"Not as I knows on, my lad. "

"Then how did you know that?"

"Human natur', lad. Every one thinks just like that. Next you beganthinking that them pretty creeturs you can hear singing like great catswould swim across and attack us, or some great splashing fish shove hishead over the side to take a bite at one of us. Didn't you?"

Rob was silent for a few moments, and then said, --

"Well, I did think something of the kind. "

"Of course you did. It is your nature to think like that, but you maymake your mind easy, for there's only one thing likely to attack you outhere. "

"What's that?" whispered Rob--"Indians who will swim out from theshore?"

"No, wild creeturs who will fly--skeeters, lad, skeeters. "

"Oh, " said Rob, with a little laugh, "they've been busy enough already, two or three of them. But what's that?"

He grasped Shaddy's arm, for at that moment there was a plunge in theriver not very far-away in the darkness from where they were moored, andthen silence. 

"Dunno yet, " said Shaddy in a whisper. "Listen. "

Rob needed no telling, for his every nerve was on the strain. Therecame a peculiar grunting sound, very unlike any noise that might havebeen made by a swimming Indian, and Shaddy said quietly, --

"Water hog. Carpincho they calls 'em; big kind of porky, beavery, ottery, ratty sort of thing; and not bad eating. "

Rob pressed his arm again as a sharp, piercing howl came from far-awayover the river, here about four or five hundred yards across. 

"That's a lion, " said Shaddy quietly. "Strikes me they shout like thatto scare the deer and things they live on into making a rush, and thenthey're down upon 'em like a cat upon a mouse. "

"Lion? You mean a puma. "

"Means a South American lion, my lad. "

"There it is again, " whispered Rob in an awe-stricken voice, "only it'sa deeper tone, and sounds more savage. "

"That's just what it is, " said Shaddy, "ever so much more savage. Thatwasn't a lion; that was a tiger--well, jagger, as some calls 'em. Dealfiercer beasts than the lions. "

The cries were repeated and answered from a distance, while many otherstrange noises arose, to which the man could give no name. 

"One would want half a dozen lives to be able to get at all of it, mylad, " said Shaddy quietly, "and there's such lots of things that cheatyou so. "

"Hist! There's another splash, " whispered Rob. 

"Ay; there's no mistake about that, my lad. There it goes again, doubleone. It's as plain as if you can see it, a big fish springing out ofthe water, turning over, and falling in again with a flop. You don'tthink there's no fish in the river now, do you?"

"Oh no. I don't doubt it now, " whispered Rob, as he listened to fishafter fish rising, and all apparently very large. 

"Makes a man wonder what they are jumping after, unless it is the starsshining in the water. You hear that?"

"Yes. "

"And that, too?"

"Yes, I hear them, " replied Rob, unable to repress a shiver, so strangeand weird were the cries which came mournfully floating across. 

"Well, them two used to puzzle me no end--one of 'em a regular roar andthe other quite a moan, as if somebody was a-dying. "

"You know what it is now?"

"Yes, and you'd never guess, my lad, till you said one was made by abird. "

"A bird?"

"Yes, a long-legged heron kind of thing as trumpets it out with a roarlike a strange, savage beast; and the other moaning, groaning sound ismade by a frog. I don't mind owning it used to scare me at first. "

Rob sat listening to the weird chorus going on in the forest andwatching the stars above, and their slightly blurred reflections in thewater which went whispering by the prow and side of the boat. It wasall so solemn, and strange, and awe-inspiring that, in spite of afeeling of dread which he could not master, he was glad to be there, wakeful, trying to picture the different creatures prowling about in thedarkness of the primeval forest. He had listened time after time on thevoyage up, but then the schooner was close at hand, and they passedtowns and villages on the east bank; but here they were farther away inthe heart of the wild country, and on the very edge of a forestuntrodden by the foot of man, and maybe teeming with animal life as newas it was strange. And in amongst this they were soon going to plunge!

It had been the dream of the boy's life to penetrate one of theuntrodden fastnesses of nature, but now that he was on the thresholdlistening in the darkness of night, there was something terrible both inthe silence and in the sounds which made him ask himself whether he haddone wisely in accompanying Martin Brazier, an old friend of his father, who, partly for profit, but more for the advancement of science, hadmade his arrangements for this adventurous journey. But it was too latenow to recede, even had he wished to do so. In fact, had any one talkedof his return, he would have laughed at him as a proposer of somethingabsurd. 

"I suppose it comes natural to most boys to long for adventures and tosee foreign countries, " he thought to himself, and then he went mentallyover the scene with Giovanni. 

"Joe is as eager as I was, " he muttered, and then he started, forsomething swept by his face. 

"What's matter, my lad?" said Shaddy quietly. 

"I--I don't know, something--There it goes again, some bird. An owl, Ithink, flew past my face. There, it skimmed just over our heads with afluttering noise. "

"I heard it, lad--bat, big 'un. Put your toes in your pockets if youhaven't got on your shoes. "

"What do you mean?"

"It's a blood-sucker--wampire, that's all. "

"But that's all nonsense, " said Rob, with a slight shudder, "atraveller's tale. "

"Oh, is it, boy? You'll see one of these times when we wake in themorning. They come in the night and suck your blood. "

"Oh, that can't be true?"

"Why not? Get out, will you?" said Shaddy gruffly, as he made a blow atthe great leathern-winged creature that kept fluttering about theirheads. "He smells his supper, and is trying for a chance. You don'tbelieve it, then?"

"No. "

"Humph! Well, you've a right to your own opinion, my lad, " said Shaddyquietly, "but I suppose you believe that if you dabbled your legs in thewater a leech might fix on you and suck your blood?"

"Oh yes; I've had many on me in England. "

"And you've had skeeters on you and maybe sucked your blood here?"

"Yes. "

"Then why can't you believe as a bat wouldn't do the same?"

Rob found the argument unanswerable. 

"It's true enough, my lad. They'll lay hold on a fellow's toe or thumb, ay, and on horses too. I've known 'em quite weak with being sucked somuch night after night. "

"Horses? Can they get through a horse's thick skin?"

Shaddy chuckled. 

"Why, dear lad, " he said, "a horse has got a skin as tender as a man's, so just you 'member that next time you spurs or whips them. "

Rob sat in silence, thinking, with the weird sounds increasing for atime; and, in spite of his efforts, it was impossible to keep down ashrinking sense of dread. 

Everything was thrilling: the golden-spangled water looked so black, andthe darkness around so deep, while from the Grand Chaco, the great, wild, untrodden forest across the river stretching away toward themighty Andes in the west, the shouts, growls, and wails suggestedendless horrors going on as the wild creatures roamed here and there insearch of food. 

_Plash_! right away--a curious sound of a heavy body plunging into theriver, but with the noise carried across the water, so that it seemed tobe only a few yards away. 

"What's that?" whispered Rob. 

"Can't tell for sartain, my lad, but I should say that something camealong and disturbed a big fat 'gator on the bank, and he took a dive inout of the way. I say! Hear that?"

"Hear it?" said Rob, as a creeping sensation came amongst the roots ofhis hair, just as if the skin had twitched; "who could help hearing it?"

For the moment before Shaddy asked his question a blood-curdling, agonising yell, as of some being in mortal agony, rang out from acrossthe river. 

"Ay, 'tis lively. First time I heered that I says to myself, `That'sone Injun killing another, ' and I cocked my rifle and said to myselfagain, `well, he shan't do for me. '"

"And was it one Indian murdering another in his sleep?"

Shaddy chuckled. 

"Not it, lad. Darkness is full of cheating and tricks. You hearsnoises in the night, and they sound horrid. If you heered 'em when thesun's shining you wouldn't take any notice of 'em. "

"But there it is again, " whispered Rob, as the horrible cry arose, andafter an interval was repeated as from a distance. "Whatever is it?"

"Sort o' stork or crane thing calling its mate and saying, `Here's lotso' nice, cool, juicy frogs out here. Come on. '"

"A bird?"

"Yes. Why not? Here, you wait a bit, and you'll open your eyes wide tohear 'em. Some sings as sweet as sweet, and some makes the most gashlynoises you can 'magine. That's a jagger--that howl, and that's a lionagain. Hear him! He calls out sharper like than the other. You'llsoon get to know the difference. But I say, do go and have a sleep now, so as to get up fresh and ready for the day's work. I shall have lotsto show you to-morrow. "

"Yes, I'll go and lie down again soon. But listen to that! What's thatbooming, roaring sound that keeps rising and falling? There, it's quiteloud now. "

"Frogs!" said Shaddy promptly. "There's some rare fine ones out here. There, go and lie down, my lad. "

"Why are you in such a hurry to get rid of me? You are watching. Can'tI keep you company?"

"Glad to have you, my lad, but I was picked out by Skipper Ossolobecause I know all about the country and the river ways, wasn't I?"

"Yes, of course. "

"Very well, then. I give you good advice. You don't want to be ill andspoil your trip, so, to keep right, what you've got to do is to eat anddrink reg'lar and sensible and take plenty of sleep. "

"Oh, very well, " said Rob, with a sigh. "I'll go directly. "

"It means steady eyes and hands, my lad. I know: it all sounds verywild and strange up here, but you'll soon get used to it, and sleep aswell as those Indian lads do. There, good-night. "

"Good-night, " said Rob reluctantly. "But isn't it nearly morning?"

"Not it, five hours before sunrise; so go and take it out ready for abig day--such a trip as you never dreamed of. "

"Very well, " replied Rob, and he crept quietly back to his place underthe canvas covering, but sleep would not come, or so it seemed to him. But all at once the mingling of strange sounds grew muffled and dull, and then he opened his eyes, to find that the place where he lay wasfull of a soft, warm glow, and Joe was bending over him and shaking himgently. 

CHAPTER FIVE. 

A WATCH IN THE DARK. 

"You do sleep soundly, " said the young Italian merrily. 

"Why, it's morning, and I didn't know I had been sleeping! Where's MrBrazier?"

"Forward yonder. "

"Why, we're going on. "

"Yes; there's a good wind, and we've been sailing away since before thesun rose. "

Rob jumped up and hurried out of the tent-like arrangement, to findShaddy seated in the stern steering, and after a greeting Rob lookedabout him, entranced by the scenery and the wondrous tints of the dewymorning. Great patches of mist hung about here and there close underthe banks where the wind did not catch them, and these were turned bythe early morning's sun to glorious opalescent masses, broken bybrilliant patches of light. 

The boat was gliding along over the sparkling water close in now to thewestern shore, whose banks were invisible, being covered by a densegrowth of tree and climber, many of whose strands dipped into the river, while umbrageous trees spread and drooped their branches, so that itwould have been possible to row or paddle in beneath them in one long, bowery tunnel close to the bank. 

"Going to have a wash?" said Joe, breaking in upon Rob's contemplativefit of rapture as he gazed with hungry eyes at the lovely scene. 

"Wash? Oh yes!" cried Rob, starting, and he fetched a rough towel outof the tent, went to the side, and hesitated. 

"Hadn't we better have a swim?" he said. "You'll come?"

"Not him, " growled Shaddy. "What yer talking about? Want to feed thefishes?"

"Rubbish! I can swim, " said Rob warmly; and leaning over the side, heplunged his hands into the water, sweeping them about. 

"Deliciously cool!" he cried. "Oh!"

He snatched out his right and then his left, and as he did so a littlesilvery object dropped into the water. 

Joe looked on in silence, and a peculiar smile came over Shaddy'scountenance as he saw Rob examine the back of his hand. 

"Something's been biting me in the night, " he said. "It bleeds. "

Rob thrust in his hand again to wash away the blood, but snatched it outthe next minute, for as the ruddy fluid tinged the water there was arush of tiny fish at his hand, and he stared at half a dozen tiny biteswhich he had received. 

"Why, they're little fish, " he cried. "Are they the piranas you talkedabout, Joe?"

"Yes. What do you say to a swim now?"

"I'm willing. The splashing would drive them away. "

Shaddy chuckled again. 

"The splashing would bring them by thousands, " said Joe quietly. "Youcan't bathe here. Those little fish would bite at you till in a fewminutes you would be covered with blood, and that would bring thousandsmore up to where you were. "

"And they'd eat me up, " said Rob mockingly. 

"If somebody did not drag you out. They swarm in millions, and thebigger fish, too, are always ready to attack anything swimming in thestream. "

"Come and hold the tiller here, Joe, my lad, " growled Shaddy, "while Idip him a bucket of water to wash. When he knows the Paraguay like wedo, he won't want to bathe. Why, Mr Rob, there's all sorts o' thingshere ready for a nice juicy boy, from them little piranas right up toturtles and crocodiles and big snakes, so you must do your swimming witha sponge till we get on a side river and find safe pools. "

He dipped the bucket, and Rob had his wash; by that time Brazier hadjoined him. 

"Well, Rob, " he cried, "is this good enough for you? Will the placedo?"

"Do?" cried Rob. "Oh, I feel as if I do not want to talk, only to sitand look at the trees. There, ain't those orchids hanging down?"

Brazier raised a little double glass which he carried to his eyes, andexamined a great cluster of lovely blossoms hanging from an old, half-decayed branch projecting over the river. 

"Yes, " he cried, "lovely. Well, Naylor, how soon are we to land or runup some creek?"

"Arter two or three days, " said the guide. 

"But hang it, man, the bank yonder is crowded with vegetable treasures. "

"What! them?" said Shaddy, with a contemptuous snort. "I don't callthem anything. You just wait, sir, and trust me. You shall seesomething worth coming after by-and-by. "

"Well, run the boat in closer to the shore, so that I can examine theplants as we go along. The water looks deep, and the wind's right. Youcould get within a dozen yards of the trees. "

"I could get so as you might touch 'em, sir. There's plenty of water, but I'm not going no closer than this. "

"Why?"

"Because I know that part along there. We can't see nobody, but Idessay there's Injuns watching us all the time from among the leaves, and if we went closer they might have a shot at us. "

"Then they have guns?"

"No, sir, bows and arrows some of 'em, but mostly blowpipes. "

"With poisoned arrows?"

"That's so, sir, and, what's worse, they know how to use 'em. They hita man I knew once with a tiny bit of an arrow thing, only a wood pointas broke off in the wound--wound, it weren't worth calling a wound, butthe little top was poisoned, and before night he was a dead man. "

"From the poison?"

"That's it, sir. He laughed at it at first. The bit of an arrow, likea thin skewer with a tuft of cotton wool on the end, didn't look as ifit could hurt a strong man as I picked it up and looked where the pointhad been nearly sawed off all round. "

"What, to make it break off?" cried Rob. 

"That's so, my lad. When they're going to use an arrow they put thepoint between the teeth of a little fish's jaw--sort o' pirana thinglike them here in the river. Then they give the arrow a twiddle round, and the sharp teeth nearly eat it through, and when it hits and sticksin a wound the point breaks off, and I wouldn't give much for any onewho ever got one of those bits of sharp wood in their skins. "

"What a pleasant look-out!" said Brazier. "Oh, it's right enough, sir. The thing is to go up parts where there are no Indians, and that's whereI'm going to take you. I say, look at that open patch yonder, wherethere's a bit o' green between the river and the trees. "

"Yes, I see, " said Joe quickly--"three Indians with spears. "

"Right, lad!"

"I don't see them, " said Brazier. "Yes, " he added quickly, "I can seethem now. "

"Only one ain't got a spear. That's a blowpipe, " said Shaddy quietly. 

"What! that length?" cried Rob. "Ay, my lad, that length. The longerthey are the smaller the darts, and the farther and stronger they sends'em. "

"But we don't know that they are enemies, " said Brazier. 

"Oh yes, you do, sir. That's the Injuns' country, and there's no doubtabout it. White man's their enemy, they say, so they must be ours. "

"But why?" said Rob. "We shouldn't interfere with the Indians. "

"We've got a bad character with 'em, my lad. 'Tain't our fault. Theytell me it's all along o' the Spaniards as come in this country first, and made slaves of 'em, and learnt 'em to make 'em good, and set 'em towork in the mines to get gold and silver for 'em till they dropped anddied. Only savages they were, and so I s'pose the Spaniards thoughtthey weren't o' no consequence. But somehow I s'pose, red as they are, they think and feel like white people, and didn't like to be robbed andbeaten, and worn to death, and their children took away from 'em. Spaniards never seemed to think as they'd mind that. Might ha' known, too, for a cat goes miaowing about a house if she loses her kittens, anda dog kicks up a big howl about its pups; while my 'sperience about wildbeasts is that if you want to meddle with their young ones, you'd bettershoot the old ones first. "

"Yes, I'm afraid that the old Spaniards thought of nothing out here butgetting gold. "

"That's so, sir; and the old Indians telled their children about howthey'd been used, and their children told the next lot, and so it's goneon till it's grown into a sort of religion that the Spaniard is a sorto' savage wild beast, who ought to be killed; and that ain't the worston it. "

"Then what is?" said Rob, for Shaddy looked round at him and stoppedshort, evidently to be asked that question. 

"Why, the worst of it is, sir, that they poor hungered, savage sort o'chaps don't know the difference between us and them Dons. English meansan Englishman all the wide world over, says you; but you're wrong. Heain't out here. Englishman, or Italian, or Frenchman's a Spaniard; andthey'll shoot us as soon as look at us. "

"Why, you're making for the other shore, Naylor. "

"Yes, sir. I'd ha' liked to land you yonder, but you see it ain't safe, so we'll light a fire on the other side, where it is, and get a bit o'breakfast, for I'm thinking as it's getting pretty nigh time. "

"But is it safe to land there?" asked Brazier. 

"Yes, sir; you may take that for granted. East's sit down and becomfortable; west side o' the river means eyes wide open and look outfor squalls. "

"But you meant to go up some river west. "

"True, sir; but you leave that to me. "

As they began to near the eastern shore, where the land was morepark-like and open, the wind began to fail them, and the sail flapped, when the four boatmen, who had been lying about listlessly, leaped up, lowered it down, and then, seizing the oars, began to row with a long, steady stroke. Then Shaddy stood up, peering over the canvas awning, and looking eagerly for a suitable place for their morning halt, andending by running the boat alongside of a green meadow-like patch, wherethe bank, only a couple of feet above the water level, wasperpendicular, and the spot was surrounded by huge trees, from one ofwhich flew a flock of parrots, screaming wildly, while sundry sounds andrustlings in that nearest the water's edge proved that it was inhabited. 

"What's up there?" whispered Rob to Joe as he looked. "Think it's agreat snake?"

"No, " was the reply. "Look!" and the captain's son pointed up to where, half hidden by the leaves, a curious little black face peeredwonderingly down at them; and directly after Rob made out one afteranother, till quite a dozen were visible, the last hanging from a boughlike some curious animal fruit by its long stalk, which proved to be thelittle creature's prehensile tail, by which it swung with us arms andlegs drawn up close. 

"Monkeys!" cried Rob eagerly, for it was his first meeting with the oddlittle objects in their native wilds. 

"Yes; they swarm in the forests, " said Joe, who was amused at hiscompanion's wondering looks. 

Just then Shaddy leaped ashore with a rope, after carefully seeing tothe fastening of the other end. 

"May as well give you gents a hint, " he said: "never to trust nobodyabout your painter. It's just as well to use two, for if so be as theboat does break loose, away she goes down-stream, and you're done, forthere's no getting away from here. You can't tramp far through theforest. "

He moored the boat to one of the trees, gave a few orders, and theIndian boatmen rapidly collected dead wood and started a fire, Shaddyfilling the tin kettle and swinging it gipsy fashion. 

"I'd start fair at once, gentlemen, " he said. "One never knows what'sgoing to happen, and I take it that you ought to carry your gun alwaysjust as you would an umbrella at home, and have it well loaded at yourside, ready for any action. Plenty of smoke!" he continued, as theclouds began to roll up through the dense branches of the tree overhead. 

The result was a tremendous chattering and screaming amongst themonkeys, which bounded excitedly from branch to branch, shaking thetwigs and breaking off dead pieces to throw down. 

"Hi! stop that, little 'uns!" roared Shaddy. "Two can play at thatgame. It ain't your tree; be off to another, or we'll make rabbit-pieo' some on you. "

Whether the little creatures understood or no, they chattered loudly fora few moments more, and then, running to the end of a branch, which bentbeneath their weight, they dropped to the ground, and galloped off tothe next tree, each with his peculiar curling tail high in air. 

The guide's advice was taken respecting the pieces, and, in addition tohis cartridge-pouch, each mounted a strong hunting-knife, one that, while being handy for chopping wood or cutting a way through creepersand tangling vines, would prove a formidable weapon of offence ordefence against the attack of any wild animal. 

"That's your sort, " said Shaddy, smiling as he saw Rob step out of theboat with his piece under his arm. "Puts me in mind of handling myfirst gun, when I was 'bout your age, sir, or a bit older. No, no, don't carry it that way, my lad; keep your muzzle either right up orright down. "

"Well, that is down, " said Rob pettishly, for he felt conscious, andwanted to appear quite at ease, and as if he were in the habit ofcarrying a rifle; consequently he looked as if he had never held onebefore in his life. 

"Ay, it's down enough to put a bullet in anybody's knees. "

"No, it isn't, Shaddy, for it's a shot-gun, and has no bullet in it. "

"I know, lad, one o' them useful guns with a left-hand bore as'll carrya bullet if you like. More down. Wound close at hand from charge o'shot's worse than one from a bullet. "

"Because it makes so many wounds?" said Rob. 

"Nay, my lad; because at close quarters it only makes one, and a big, ragged one that's bad to heal. That's better. Now, if it goes off, itthrows up the earth and shoots the worms, while if you hold it well upit only shoots the stars. --Water boils. "

Breakfast followed--a delightful _alfresco_ meal, with the silver rivergliding by, birds twittering, piping, screaming, and cooing all around, and monkeys chattering and screeching excitedly at having theirsanctuary invaded; but they were quite tame enough to drop down from thetrees and pick up a piece of biscuit, banana, or orange when thrown farenough. But this was not till they felt satisfied that they were notbeing watched, when the coveted treasure was seized and borne off with achattering cry of triumph, the actions of the odd little creaturestaking up a good deal of Rob's time which might have been devoted to hisbreakfast. 

The travellers had brought plenty of fruit and provisions with them, andan ample supply of _mate_--the leaves that take the place of tea amongstthe South American tribes, whose example is largely followed by thehalf-breeds and those of Spanish descent; and after watching how thepreparation was made Rob found himself quite ready to partake of thatwhich proved on tasting to be both palatable and refreshing. 

Then, somewhat unwillingly--for both Brazier and the lads were disposedto stay on shore to collect some of the natural objects so plentifularound them--they re-entered the boat; it was pulled into mid-stream, with the monkeys flocking down from the trees about the fire to pick upany scraps of food left, notably a couple of decayed bananas, and thenrunning quite to the edge of the water to chatter menacingly at thedeparting boat. 

The sail was soon after hoisted, and for the whole of that day and thenext the little party ascended the river, making their halts on theright bank, but sleeping well out in the stream, held by a rope mooringthe boat's head to a tree, and a little anchor dropped in the stream. 

Progress was fairly swift, and there was so much to see along the banksthat the time glided by rapidly; but at every cry of exultation on thediscovery of some fresh bird, flower, or insect, Shaddy only smiledgood-humouredly, and used the same expression:--

"Yes; but just you wait a bit. "

The third day had passed, and the conversation in the boat threatened arevolution against the will of Shaddy, whose aim seemed to be to getthem up higher, while they were passing endless opportunities for makingcollections of objects of natural history such as they had never hadbefore, when all at once, as he stood in the boat looking up stream, after she had once more been carefully moored for the night, the guideturned and said quietly:--

"To-morrow, long before the sun's highest, I shall get you up to theplace I mean, and, once there, you can begin business as soon as youlike. "

"A river on the left bank, " said Brazier, as eagerly as a boy. 

"Yes, sir, one as runs for far enough west, and then goes north. "

"And you think there are no Indians there?"

"I don't say that, sir, because we shall see some, I daresay; butthey'll perhaps be friendly. "

"You are not sure?"

"Well, no, sir. There, the sun's dipping down; it will be heavydarkness directly in this fog, and what we want is a good night's rest, ready for a long, hard day's work to-morrow. "

It was Brazier's turn to keep watch half the night, and at about twelve, as nearly as they could tell, Rob rose to take his place. 

"Nothing to report, " said Brazier. "The same noises from the forest, the same splashings from the river, the Indians sleeping as heavily asusual. There, keep your watch; I wish I had it, for you will see theday break that is to take us to the place which I have been longing tosee for years. "

Saying "good-night, " Brazier went into the shelter, and Rob commencedhis solitary watch, with his brain busily inventing all kinds of dangersarising from the darkness--some horrible wild creature dropping downfrom the tree, or a huge serpent, which had crawled down the branch, twining its way along the mooring rope and coming over the bows past theIndian boatmen. Then he began to think of them, and how helpless hewould be if they planned to attack him, when, after mastering him, whichhe felt they could easily do, he mentally arranged that they would creepto the covered-in part of the boat and slay Brazier and Giovanni. 

"Poor Joe!" he said to himself. "I was beginning to like him, though hewas not English, and--Oh, Joe, how you startled me!"

For a hand had been laid upon his shoulder as he sat watching the darkpart where the Indians lay, and he started round to find that Giovannihad joined him. 

"I did not mean to frighten you, " said the lad, in his quiet, subduedway. "Mr Brazier woke me coming in to sleep, and I thought you wouldbe alone, and that I could come and talk to you about our journeyto-morrow. "

"I'm glad you've come, but it would be too bad to let you stop. There, stay a quarter of an hour, and then be off back to bed--such as it is, "he added, with a laugh. 

"Oh, I'm used to hard beds. I can sleep anywhere--on the deck or abench, one as well as the other. "

"I say, have you ever been up as high as this before?"

"No, never higher than the town. It's all as fresh to me as to you. "

"Then we go up a river to-morrow?"

"I suppose so. Old Shaddy has it all his own way, and he keeps droppinghints about what he is going to take us to see. "

"And I daresay it will all turn out nothing. What he likes may not suitus. But there, we shall see. "

Then they sat in silence, listening to the rustlings and whistlings inthe air as of birds and great moths flitting and gliding about; theshrieks, howls, and yells from across the river; and to the greatplungings and splashings in the black water, whose star-gemmed bosomoften showed waves with the bright reflections rising and falling, andwhose surface looked as if the fire-flies had fallen in all up the riverafter their giddy evolutions earlier in the night, and were now floatingdown rapidly toward the sea. 

Rob broke the silence at last. 

"How is it this stream always runs so fast?" he said. 

"Because the waters come from the mountains. There's a great waterfall, too, higher up, where the whole river comes plunging down hundreds offeet with a roar that can be heard for miles. "

"Who says so? who has seen it?"

"Nobody ever has seen it. It is impossible to get to it. The water isso swift and full of rocks that no boat can row up, and the shores areall one dank, tangled mass that no one can cut through. Nobody can getthere. "

"Why not? I tell you what: we'll talk to Shaddy to-morrow. "

"He wouldn't go. He told me once that he tried it, and couldn't getthere. He nearly lost his life. "

"I'll make him try again and take us. "

"I tell you he wouldn't. "

"Well, you'll see. "

"What will you do?"

"Tell him--fair play, mind: you will not speak?"

"Of course not. "

"Then look here, Joe; I'll say to him that I've heard of the place, andhow difficult it is, and that I wish we had some guide who really knewthe country and could take us there. "

Joe shook his head. 

"Beside, we could not attempt it without Mr Brazier wished to go. "

"If you told him about that great fall, he would wish to go for the sakeof being the discoverer. You'll see. What's that?"

A tremendous splash, so near to them that quite a wave rose and slightlyrocked the boat as the boys sat there awe-stricken, listening andstraining their eyes in the darkness which shut them in. 

The noise occurred again--a great splash as of some mighty beast rearingitself out of the water and letting itself fall back, followed by apeculiar, wallowing noise. 

This time it was lower and more as though it had passed the boat, anddirectly after there was another splash, followed by a heavy beatinglike something thrashing the water with its tail. Then came asmothered, bellowing grunt as if the great animal had begun to roar andthen lowered its head half beneath the water, so that the noise was fullof curious gurglings. The flapping of the water was repeated, and thistime forty or fifty yards away, as near as they could guess, and oncemore there was silence. 

"I didn't know there were such horrible beasts as that in the water, "whispered Rob. 

"Nor I. What can it be?"

"Must have been big enough to upset the boat if it had seen us, or todrag us out. Shall we wake Shaddy and ask him?"

"No, " said Joe; "I don't suppose he would be able to tell us. It soundsso horrible in the darkness. "

"Why, I thought you were too much used to the river to be frightened atanything. "

"I did not say I was frightened, " replied Joe quietly. 

"No, but weren't you? I thought the thing was coming on right at theboat. "

"So did I, " said Joe, very softly. "Yes, I was frightened too. I don'tthink any one could help being startled at a thing like that. "

"Because we could not see what it was, " he continued thoughtfully. "Ifancied I knew all the animals and fish about the river, but I neverheard or saw anything that could be like that. "

Just then they heard a soft, rustling sound behind, such, as might havebeen made by a huge serpent creeping on to the boat; and as theylistened intently the sound continued, and the boat swayed slightly, going down on one side. 

"It's coming on, " whispered Rob, with his mouth feeling dry and ahorrible dread assailing him, as in imagination he saw a huge scalycreature gliding along the side of the boat and passing the covered-incanvas cabin. 

It was only a matter of moments, but it was like hours to the two boys. The feeling was upon Rob that he must run to the fore-part, leapoverboard, and swim ashore, but he could not move. Every nerve andmuscle was paralysed, and when he tried to speak to his fellow-watcherno words came; for, as Joe told his companion afterwards, he too triedto speak but was as helpless. 

At last, in that long-drawn agony of dread, as he fully expected to beseized, Rob's presence of mind came back, and he recollected that hisgun was lying shotted beneath the canvas of the sail at the side, and, seizing it with the energy of despair, he swung the piece round, cockingboth barrels as he did so, and brought them into sharp contact withJoe's arm. 

"Steady there with that gun, " said a low familiar voice. "Don't shoot. "

"Shaddy!" panted Rob. 

"Me it is, lad. I crep' along so as not to disturb Mr Brazier. I say, did you hear that roar in the water?--but o' course you did. Know whatit was?"

"No!" cried both boys in a breath. "Some great kind of amphibiousthing, " added Rob. 

"'Phibious thing!--no. I couldn't see it, but there was no doubt aboutit: that threshing with the tail told me. "

"Yes, we heard its tail beating, " said Joe quickly. "What was it?"

"What was them, you mean! Well, I'll tell you. One of them tapirthings must have been wading about in a shallow of mud, and a great'gator got hold of him, and once he'd got hold he wouldn't let go, buthung on to the poor brute and kept on trying to drag him under water. Horrid things, 'gators. I should like to shoot the lot. "

Rob drew a long breath very like a sigh. An alligator trying to dragdown one of the ugly, old-world creatures that looks like a pig whichhas made up its mind to grow into an elephant, and failed--like the frogin the fable, only without going quite so far--after getting its upperlip sufficiently elongated to do some of the work performed by anelephant's trunk! One of these jungle swamp pachyderms and a reptileengaged in a struggle in the river, and not some terrible water-dragonwith a serpentlike tail such as Rob's imagination had built up with thehelp of pictures of fossil animals and impossible objects from heraldry!It took all nervousness and mystery out of the affair, and made Robfeel annoyed that he had allowed his imagination to run riot and createsuch an alarming scene. 

"Getting towards morning, isn't it?" said Joe hastily, and in a tonewhich told of his annoyance, too, that he also should have participatedin the scare. 

"Getting that way, lad, I s'pose. I ain't quite doo to relieve thewatch, but I woke up and got thinking a deal about our job to-morrow, and that made me wakeful. And then there was that splashing andbellowing in the water, and I thought Mr Rob here would be a bitpuzzled to know what it was. Course I knew he wouldn't be frightened. "

"None of your sneering!" said Rob frankly. "I'm not ashamed to say thatI was frightened, and very much frightened, too. It was enough to scareany one who did not know what it was. "

"Right, my lad! enough to scare anybody!" said Shaddy, patting Rob onthe shoulder. "It made me a bit squeery for a moment or two till I knewwhat it was. But, I say, when I came softly along to keep you company, you warn't going to shoot?"

"I'm afraid I was, " said Rob. "It sounded just like some horrible greatsnake creeping along toward us out of the darkness. "

"Then I'm glad I spoke, " said Shaddy drily, "Spoiled your trip, lad, ifyou'd shot me, for I must have gone overboard, and if I'd come up againI don't bleeve as you'd have picked me up. Taken ever so long to getthe boat free in the dark, and if you hadn't picked me up I don't seehow you could have got on in the jungle. Look here, now you two gentshave taken to gunning, I wouldn't shoot if I were you without asking aquestion or two first. "

"But suppose it is a jaguar coming at us?" said Joe. 

"Well, if it's a jagger he won't answer, and you had better shoot. Samewith the lions or bears. "

"Bears?" said Rob eagerly; "are there bears here?"

"Ay, lad! and plenty of 'em, not your big Uncle Ephrems, like there isin the Rocky Mountains--grizzlies, you know--but black bears, and prettybig, and plenty savage enough to satisfy any reasonable hunter, I meanone who don't expect too much. Wait a bit, and you'll get plenty ofshooting to keep the pot going without reckoning them other things asMr Brazier's come out to hunt. What d'yer call 'em, awk'ards ororchards--which was it?"

"Orchids, " said Rob. 

"Oh! ah! yes, orchids. What's best size shot for bringing o' themdown?"

"Don't answer him, Rob; it's only his gammon, and he thinks it's witty, "said Joe. 

Shaddy chuckled, and it was evident that his joke amused him. 

"There, " he said, "it ain't worth while for three on us to be keepingwatch. One's enough, and the others can sleep, so, as I'm here, you twomay as well go and roost. "

"No, " said Rob promptly; "my time isn't up. "

"No, my lad, not by two hours, I should say; but I'll let you off therest, for it's a-many years since I was up this part, and I want to sitand think it out before we start as soon as it's light. "

But Rob firmly refused to give up his task till the time set down by MrBrazier for him to be relieved. Joe as stubbornly refused to return tohis bed, and so it was that when the birds gave note of the coming ofthe day, after the weird chorus had gradually died away in the forestthey were still seated upon one of the thwarts, watching for the firstwarm rays of the sun to tinge the dense river mist with rose. 

CHAPTER SIX. 

THROUGH THE GREEN CURTAIN. 

A fair breeze sprang up with the sun, and the boat glided up stream formany miles before a halt was called, in a bend where the wind railedthem. Here, as on previous occasions, a fire was lit, and the breakfastprepared and eaten almost in silence, for Brazier's thoughts were far upthe river and away among the secret recesses of nature, where he hopedto be soon gazing upon vegetation never yet seen by civilised man, whileRob and Joe were just as thoughtful, though their ideas ran more uponthe wild beasts and lovely birds of this tropic land, into which as theypenetrated mile after mile it was to see something ever fresh andattractive. 

Shaddy, too, was very silent, and sat scanning the western shore moreand more attentively as the hours passed, and they were once moregliding up stream, the wind serving again and again as they swept roundsome bend. 

The sun grew higher, and the heat more intense, the slightest movementas they approached noon making a dew break out over Rob's brow; but thewarmth was forgotten in the beauty of the shore and the abundance oflife visible around. 

But at last the heat produced such a sense of drowsiness that Rob turnedto Joe. 

"I say, wouldn't an hour or two be nice under the shade of a tree?"

"Yes, " said Brazier, who had overheard him. "We must have a rest now;the sides of the boat are too hot to touch. Hullo! where are we going?"he continued. "Why, he's steering straight for the western shore. "

Brazier involuntarily stooped and took his gun from where it hung inloops under the canvas awning, and then stood watching the dense wall ofverdure they were approaching till, as they drew nearer, their way wasthrough acres upon acres of lilies, whose wide-spreading leavesliterally covered the calm river with their dark green discs, dottedhere and there with great buds or dazzlingly white blossoms. 

The boat cut its way through these, leaving a narrow canal of clearwater at first, in which fish began to leap as if they had beendisturbed; but before the boat had gone very far the leaves graduallyclosed in, and no sign of its passage was left. 

"I don't see where we are to land, " said Brazier, as he stood in frontof the canvas cabin scanning the shore. 

"No; there is no place, " said Rob, as they glided out of the lily fieldinto clear water, the great wall of trees tangled together with creepersbeing now about two hundred yards away. 

"Go and ask. No; leave him alone, " said Brazier, altering his mind. "He'll take us into a suitable place, I daresay. "

Just then Shaddy, from where he was steering, shouted to the men, wholowered the sail at once; but the boat still glided on straight for theshore. 

"Why, he's going to run her head right into the bank, " cried Rob, thoughthe said bank was rendered invisible by the curtain of pendent boughsand vines which hung right down to the water. 

"How beautiful!" exclaimed Brazier, as he gazed at clusters of snowyblossoms draping one of the trees. "We must have some of those, Rob. "

"I say, " cried Joe, "what makes the boat keep on going?"

"Impetus given by the sail, " replied Brazier. "But it couldn't havekept on all this time, " cried the lad, "and we're going faster. "

"We do seem to be, " said Brazier; "but it is only that we are in aneddy. There always is one close in by the banks of a swift stream. "

"But that goes upward while the stream goes down, " cried Joe. "This isgoing straight in toward the trees. "

"Better sit down, every one, " shouted Shaddy. "Lower that spar, mylads, " he added, in the _patois_ the men used. 

Down went the mast in a sloping position, so that it rested against thecanvas cabin. But Rob hardly noticed this in the excitement of theirposition. For there was no doubt about it: some invisible force hadapparently seized the boat, and was carrying it swiftly forward to dashit upon the shore. 

But that was not Brazier's view of the question. "The river is floodedhere and overrunning the bank, " he cried. "Hi! Naylor! Do you seewhere you're going?"

"Right, sir. Sit down. "

But Brazier, who had risen, did not sit down, for he was quite startled, expecting that the next moment the boat would be capsized, and that theywould all be left to the mercy of the reptiles and fish which hauntedthe rapid waters. 

"Hi!" he shouted again. "Naylor, are you mad?"

"No, sir, not yet, " was the reply. "Better sit down. Mind your hat!"

For all through this the boat was gliding slowly but straight for thecurtain of leaves and flowers which hid the bank of the western side ofthe river; and as the position seemed perilous to Rob, he saw withastonishment that the four Indian boatmen lay calmly back furling up thesail as if nothing was the matter, or else showing that they had perfectfaith in their leader and steersman, who was not likely to lead theminto danger. 

What followed only took moments. They were out in the dazzlingsunshine, were rapidly, as it seemed, approaching the bank, and directlyafter plunged right into the lovely curtain of leaves and flowers whichswept over them as they glided on over the surface of the swiftlyrunning clear black water, the sun entirely screened and all around thema delicious twilight, with densely planted, tall, columnar treesapparently rising out of the flood on either hand, while a rush andsplash here and there told that they were disturbing some of thedwellers in these shades. 

"What does this mean?" said Brazier, stooping to recover his hat whichhad been swept off on to the canvas awning, and which he only justrecovered before it slipped into the stream. 

There was no answer to the question as they watched, and then they sawlight before them, which rapidly brightened till they glided intosunshine and found that they had passed through a second curtain ofleaves, and were in a little river of some hundred yards wide, withlovely verdure on either side rising like some gigantic hedge to shutthem in; in fact, a miniature reproduction of the grand stream they hadso lately left. 

"Why, Naylor, " cried Brazier, "I thought you were going to run us ashoreor capsize us. "

"Yes, sir, I know you did, " was the reply. 

"But where are we? What place is this?"

"This here's the river I wanted to bring you to, sir. "

"But it does not run into the Paraguay, it runs out. "

"Yes, sir, it do. It's a way it has. It's a curious place, as you'llsay before we've done. "

"But it seems impossible. How can it run like this?"

"Dunno, sir. Natur' made it, not me. I've never been up it very far, but it strikes me it's something to do with the big waterworks higher upthe big river. "

"Waterworks! Why, surely--"

"Natur's waterworks, sir, not man's; the big falls many miles to thenorth. "

Rob and Joe exchanged glances. 

"Strikes me as the river being very full here the bank give way onceupon a time, and this stream winds about till it gets close up to wherethe falls come down. "

"But water can't go up hill, man. "

"No, sir, course not; but I thought that if it goes along some valley upto the mountains where the falls come down, it would be an easy way ofgetting to the foot of the high ground and striking the big riveragain. "

"Stop a moment: I have heard some talk of a great cascade up north. "

"Yes, sir, where nobody's never been yet. Seemed to me as it was ratherin your way, and you might find some orchids up there as well as here. "

"Of course, of course!" cried Brazier; the idea of being first in thefield with a great discovery making his pulses throb. "Tell me allabout it. "

"Right, sir, when we've had something to eat. It's 'bout twelveo'clock, and here's a shady place, so if you give the word we'll landand cook a bit. Place looks noo, don't it, sir?"

"New, Naylor! I can never thank you enough. "

"Don't try then, sir, " said Shaddy, steering the boat in, and with thehelp of the boatmen laying it ashore close to some huge trees. "Now weshall have to make her fast, for if our boat gets loose the stream willcarry her where nobody will ever find her again. "

"I can't understand it, " said Brazier impatiently, as the Indians leapedashore, one to make a rope fast, the others to light a fire; "thisstream running out of the main river is contrary to nature, unless whereit divides at its mouths. "

"Not it, sir; it's right enough. Right down south in the Parana theriver does it lots of times, for the waters there are like a big net allover the land, and--I say, Mr Rob, sir, where's your gun? There's acarpincho just yonder among them reeds. Try for it, sir; we can managewith it for a bit o' roast and boiled. "

Rob seized the piece, and Shaddy pointed out the spot where he was tofire and hit the beast in the shoulder, but just then they wereinterrupted by a hideous yell. 

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

THE FIRST "TIGER. "

The cry, which thrilled Rob and made Brazier and the young Italian seizetheir weapons, came from one of the Indians, who, axe in hand, had beenabout to cut up a dead bough he had seized for the fire, when somethingdark struck him in the chest, sending him backward amongst the lowgrowth, and a magnificent cat-like animal bounded into the middle of theopening, driving the boatmen among the trees and taking up its positionin the bright sunshine, with its coat glistening and the brown spots onits tawny hide shining with almost metallic lustre. 

And there it stood, with its ears lowered and eyes blazing, looking fromone to another of the occupants of the boat, and from them to Shaddy, who leaped ashore knife in hand, while the brute's tail writhed andtwisted as if it were a serpent. 

"Hadn't one of you better shoot?" said Shaddy calmly. "He's, too muchfor me with only a knife. "

Just then the Indian who had been knocked down began to crawl cautiouslytoward the trees. 

The movement was enough for the jaguar. It was the cat again that hasstricken down a mouse standing perfectly careless till the unfortunatelittle animal begins to stir. The fierce beast turned, gathered itselftogether, and was about to launch itself upon the boatman in onetremendous bound, when simultaneously there was a sharp click fromBrazier's gun, but with no further result, for he had drawn the triggerof his rifled barrel in which there was no cartridge, and a sharp stabon the loins as Shaddy hurled his knife with unerring aim at the savagebeast. 

The jaguar turned with a fierce snarl and struck the knife from where itstuck in its back. Then, seeing in Shaddy its assailant, it crouchedagain to bound upon the guide. 

Once again its aim was spoiled; for with fingers trembling Rob hadcocked his piece and taken aim, being about to fire when the knife wasthrown; but the rapid movement of the animal checked him till itcrouched and he saw it about to spring upon Shaddy. 

This time he pressed the stock firmly to his shoulder, and, taking aimat the jaguar's head, fired twice, the first charge taking effect fullin the creature's back, and, as it sprang up, the second in its flank. 

With a fierce howl it twisted itself round and bit at the side, tearingout the glossy fur in its rage and pain. Then turning sharply it lookedround for its assailant, when Joe's piece rang out, the bad powder withwhich it was heavily loaded making a cloud of dense smoke whichprevented Rob from seeing for a few moments, and when it rose the jaguarhad gone. 

They all busied themselves reloading now, but there was no animal toshoot, and Shaddy picked up his knife, wiping its point carefully on histrousers as he straightened himself. 

"Which way did it go?" cried Brazier. 

"Yonder, sir, through the trees. But it's of no use for you to follow. "

"It must be dangerously wounded. "

"Not it, sir; only a bit tickled. That was only bird shot you fired, was it, my lads?"

"Number 5, " said Rob promptly. 

"Thought so. Best keep a bullet always in your guns, gentlemen, outhere, for you never know what's going to turn up next. "

The Indians were back now, going about picking wood for the fire as ifnothing whatever had happened. 

"But that man, " whispered Rob; "isn't he hurt--clawed?"

"No, sir, " replied Shaddy calmly; and he asked a question of the man inthe mixed Indian tongue. Then turning to Brazier, "Only got the windknocked, out of him a bit, sir. No clawing. He don't mind. "

"But the brute may come back, " said Rob. 

"Well, Mr Rob, sir, if he do he's a bigger fool than I take him to be. No, there'll be no coming back about him. Just while he was up he wasready to fly at anything, but every one of them little shot will make asore place which it will take him a fortnight to lick quite well again. I daresay they're all lying just under his skin. "

"And what a skin!" cried Rob. "You could have got it off and cured itfor me, couldn't you?"

"Oh yes, or these chaps here, sir; but if you wants tiger jackets youmustn't try to kill them as wears 'em with Number 5 shot. --Now, lads, more wood, " and a good fire was soon burning, over which the kettle washung. 

A meal was quickly prepared, but Shaddy indulged in a bit of a growlover it. 

"And me 'specting pork chops frizzled over that fire on the iron sheet, "he said. "Why it wouldn't have been no good, my lad, going about with apinch of lead snuff in your gun. You want something like small marblesout here, I can tell you, or good buck shot. You'll mind that nexttime. "

"But I want to get some of the birds we see, " said Rob, in tones ofremonstrance. 

"That's right, sir; but keep one barrel always for play and one forwork. I don't want to make too much of it, but in a country like thisit must be dangerous sometimes. "

"He is quite right, Rob, " said Brazier. "He is giving you a lesson, buthe means some of it for me. Don't you, Naylor?"

"Well, sir, " said Shaddy grimly, "I s'pose you'd like the honest truth?"

"Of course. "

"Then I'll tell you what I said to myself. How a gentleman at his timeo' life could leave his weepun, as ought to be ready for action, withouta good bullet for wild beast or Indian, I can't think. "

"I have learned my lesson, Naylor, " said Brazier, "and you shall nothave an opportunity for reproaching me again. "

"And you ain't offended, sir? In course I'm only like your servant. "

"Give me credit for more sense, my man. --You take it to heart, too, bothof you, and keep a bullet in your left-hand barrel. "

"For food or enemy, " said Shaddy in his deep growl. 

"But that's what I meant to do. I thought I had loaded that way, " saidRob. 

"Hah--hoo!" ejaculated one of the Indians who was standing with his armsfull of wood close to the spot where the jaguar had disappeared. 

"What's the matter, my lad?" said Shaddy, joining him with the others, when an eager burst of conversation ensued. 

"They say as the tiger's lying wounded not far in among the trees. Bring your guns, gentlemen. "

The pieces were eagerly raised and cartridges examined, so that thereshould be no further mistake, and then, with the Indian who was knockeddown as a guide, Brazier next with Shaddy, who contented himself withhis knife, and then Rob and Joe and the rest of the Indians, the partyentered the forest, which was so dense that they soon had to take toIndian file. 

But they had not far to go, and in spite of the danger that might beahead the leading Indian proved that Shaddy's selection was a good one, for he went straight on, cutting right and left with his heavy knife todivide the growth that was in their way, and so on for about fiftyyards, when he stopped short and said a few words to Shaddy. 

"Yes. Get back, " said the latter, after listening. "Now two gunsforward; but I think he has had enough as it is?"

"Be careful, man!" said Brazier anxiously; "you are unarmed. "

"Not quite, sir!" said Shaddy, showing his big knife. "If he jumps onme he'll jump right on to that point, and if he does, though he may clawme, it will be his last leap. Silence!"

They all listened, Rob hearing the shriek of some great parrot and thedull heavy throb of his heart, but from out of the dense growth a littleway ahead he could make out a gurgling moan. 

Shaddy gave him a look and a nod. 

"No, my lad, " he said, "that isn't a frog, nor anything else, but someanimal as has got his death. It's either that tiger, or else it's adeer he has pulled down on his way. I'll go and see. "

"Let me, " said Brazier; "and if it is only wounded I can fire again. "

"Powder and shot's valuable out here, sir, " said Shaddy, "and we mustn'twaste a single charge. Stand fast, and if I want help come and give itto me; but I shan't. "

He parted the bushes and creepers with his left hand holding his knifewell before him with the right; but before he had gone six yards withgreat caution there was a horrible cry, and a sound as of a strugglegoing on--a sound which made Rob press forward and thrust the barrel ofhis gun in front of Brazier. 

"Has he got hold of Shaddy?" he panted, with a chill of horror runningthrough him. 

"No, my lad; I'm all right--it's all over, " cried the guide, as thesound ceased. "Ah! I can see him plain now: quite dead. "

"A deer?" said Brazier, eagerly. 

"Deer don't make a noise like that, sir, " said Joe from behind. 

"Nay, it's no deer, " said Shaddy; "I'll let you see what it is. Hi!" hecalled; and the Indians crowded past through the dense growth, wentboldly right to the front, and Shaddy reappeared smiling. 

"Back again, " he said; "they'll bring him along. "

Rob turned back unwillingly, for he was eager to see what the deadanimal might be, Shaddy's mysterious manner suggesting the possibilityof its being something extraordinary. But he followed the others out, the guide seeming to drive them all before him back into the open spotby the fire, while almost directly after the Indian boatmen appeared, half carrying, half dragging--each holding a paw--with his white underfur stained with blood--the great jaguar, perfectly dead. 

"There, " cried Shaddy, "now you can have your skin, sir; and you deserveit for those two shots. "

"But I couldn't have--" began Rob. 

"But you did, sir, " said Shaddy, who was down on his knees by thebeautiful animal. "Here you are: face and head all full of small shot, and down here right in the loins--yes: back regularly broken by abullet. Your piece was loaded proper after all. "

"A splendid shot, Rob, " cried Brazier, and Joe patted his back. 

"But it was quite an accident, " said Rob, excitedly. 

"Accident?" growled Shaddy. "If you shot at a man in England and killedhim, do you think the judge would say it was an accident?"

"Well, no, " said Rob, laughing. 

"'Course not. Splendid shot, as the captain says. So now let's finishour bit of eating and have a nap while my chaps here takes off theskin. "

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

HIDDEN DANGERS. 

It did not take the lads long to finish the interrupted meal, seated inthe shade of a magnificent tree, one side of which sent out branches andpensile boughs laden with leaf and flower from the summit almost to theground, while the other side was comparatively bare, so closely was itplaced to the dense crowd of its fellows whose limbs were mattedtogether and enlaced with creepers of endless variety, out from whichthe sheltering tree stood like a huge, green, smoothly rounded buttress, formed by nature to support the green wall which surrounded her forestfastness. 

As soon as they had eaten their meal the two lads hurried off to wherethe boatmen were deftly skinning the great cat-like creature, --rather adisgusting operation, but one full of interest, as limb after limb wascut down right to the toes and the skin stripped away, to show thetremendous muscles and sinews which enabled the animal to bound likelightning upon its prey. 

"Seems a pity to waste so much good, fresh meat when a bit would bewelcome, eh?" said Shaddy, with a grim smile. 

"Would you like to eat some of it?" asked Joe. 

Shaddy shook his head. 

"No, " he said, "I should as soon think of roasting a tom-cat at home andcalling it hare. Rum thing it seems, though, that those creatures whichlive upon one another should be rank and nasty, while those which eatfruit and green-stuff should be good. Keep your guns ready, my lads. It's very quiet here, and you may get a shot at something good for thesupper to-night: some big pigeons, or a turkey, or--I'll tell you, though; I can hear 'em rustling about in the trees now. They'll beeasy, too, for a shot. "

"What? Parrots?"

"Nay, better than them. A nice, plump young monkey or two. "

"What?" roared Rob. 

"A nice young monkey or two; and don't shout, my lad. If you make thatnoise, we shan't be able to hear anything coming. "

"Bah!" cried Joe. "I should feel like a cannibal if I even thought ofit. I say, look at Mr Brazier!"

Rob turned and smiled as he saw his leader eagerly making up for losttime, and, after climbing about twenty feet up a tree with a hatchet inhis belt, holding on with one hand while he cut off a great bunch offlowers hanging from the bough upon which, like so much large mistletoe, it had taken root. 

Shaddy saw him almost at the same moment, and turned to the tree, followed by the lads. 

"I say, sir, don't do that!" he said, respectfully. 

"Why not, my man? We are not trespassing, and damaging anybody'sproperty here. "

Shaddy laughed. 

"No, sir, you won't do much trespassing here, " he said. 

"Then why do you interfere? This is a magnificent orchid, differentfrom any that I have ever seen. I thought you understood that I havecome on purpose to collect these. "

"Oh yes, I understand, sir; but you're captain, and have got to order. We'll get 'em for you. My four chaps'll climb the trees better, and behandier with the axe; and as they'll have scarcely anything to do, we'llset 'em to work at that sort of thing. "

"They will have the rowing to do. "

"Precious little, sir, now. The rowing's done. All we've got to do isto float along the stream. "

"Ah, well, I'll finish this time, and they shall do it another. "

"Better come down now, sir, " whispered Shaddy. "You see they're a dull, stupid lot, who look up to white people as their natural masters; and, without being a brute to 'em, the more you stands off and treats 'em asif they were servants the more they look up to you. If you don't, andthey see you doing work that they're paid to do, they'll look down onyou, think you're afraid of 'em, and grow saucy. "

"Ah!" ejaculated Brazier, giving a start, and nearly losing his hold ofthe branch. 

"What's the matter, sir?"

For answer Brazier cut frantically with his axe at something invisibleto those below, but evidently without avail, till he struck a smallbough so violently that they saw the object dropping down, and Rob hadonly time to leap aside to avoid a small snake, of a vivid green withred markings, which fell just where he had been standing, and then beganto twine in and out rapidly, and quite unhurt, ending by making itsescape into the dense forest, where it was impossible to follow. 

"Did you kill it?" cried Brazier from up in the tree. 

"No, " said Rob; "it's gone!"

"Ah, " said Shaddy, thoughtfully, "I never thought to warn you againstthem. That's a poisonous one, I think, and they climb up the trees andamong the flowers to get the young birds and eggs and beetles andthings. Better always rattle a stick in amongst the leaves, sir, beforeyou get handling them. Try again, now, with the handle of the hatchet. "

Brazier obeyed, and snatched his hand back directly, as he held on withhis left, after violently striking the branch close to the plant hetried to secure. 

"There's another here, " he said. 

"Better come away, sir!" cried Rob. 

"No; I must have this bunch. I have nearly cut the boughs clear fromit, and a stroke or two then will divide the stem, and it will dropclear on to those bushes. "

"Shall I come, sir?"

"No; I'll keep away from where the thing lies. It is coiled-up, and Ionly saw its head. "

"Better mind, sir: they're rum things. Only got one inch o' neck onemoment, and the next they're holding on by their tails, and seem to havethree foot. "

"I'll take care, " said Brazier. "Stand from below; I shall cut the stemat once. "

There was the sharp sound of the hatchet, as he gave a well-directedcut, and then a rustling, and the gorgeous bunch of flowers dropped, with all its bulbous stems and curious fleshy elongated leaves, right onthe top of the clump of bushes beneath the great bough. 

"All right!" cried Rob: "not hurt a bit. Oh, how beautiful!"

"Mind, will you!" cried Shaddy, savagely: "do you hear?"

He whipped out his knife as he stepped forward, and made a rapid cuthorizontally above the bunch of orchids. For as Rob approached, withoutstretched hand, to lift off this, the first-fruits of theirexploration, a little spade-shaped head suddenly shot up with twobrilliant eyes sparkling in the sun, was drawn back to strike, anddarted forward. 

But not to strike Rob's defenceless hand, for Shaddy's keen knife-blademet it a couple of inches below the gaping jaws, cut clean through itsscale-armed skin, and the head dropped among the lovely petals of theorchis, while the body, twisting and twining upon itself in a knot, wentdown through the bush and could be heard rustling and beating the leavesout of sight. 

There was a peculiar grey look on Rob's face as he looked at Shaddy. 

"Only just in time, master, " said the latter. "It'll be a lesson to youboth in taking care. "

Rob shuddered; but, making an effort, he said, laughing dismally, "Idon't suppose it was a venomous snake, after all. "

"Praps not, " said Shaddy drily. "There, lift the bunch down with thebar'l of your gun. Shove the muzzle right in. "

"You do it, Joe, " whispered Rob; "I feel a bit sick. It's the sun, Ithink. "

Just then Mr Brazier, who had been scrambling down the trunk of thehuge tree by means of the parasites, which gave endless places for hold, dropped to the ground, and stood beating and shaking himself, to get ridof the ants and other insects he had gathered in his trip up to thebranch. 

"Ah! that's right, Giovanni, " he said; "no, I must call you Joe, as Robdoes. "

"Do, please, sir; it's ever so much shorter. Here it is, " he continued, as he lifted the bunch of lovely blossoms off the bush on to the clearspace where they stood. 

"Oh, if I could only show that in London, just as it is!" cried Brazier. "Why, that bunch alone almost repays me for my journey: it is sobeautiful and new. "

"Give it a shake, Mr Joe, sir!" said Shaddy. 

"Ah, yes, let's make sure. "

"Can't be anything else in it, " said Rob boisterously, in his desire tohide the fact that he had been terribly frightened. 

"Never you mind whether there is or whether there ain't, sir, " saidShaddy; "I want that there bunch shook. "

Joe gave a few jerks, and at the last something fell with a light _plip_in amongst the leaves at their feet. 

"Ah!" ejaculated their guide; and, bending down, he pressed the leavesaside with the point of his knife till he saw the object which hadfallen, and carefully took it up with his left finger and thumb to holdout before the others the head and about an inch or so of the littlesnake--one much thinner, but otherwise about the size of an Englishadder. 

"Horrid-looking little thing, " said Rob carelessly; "but I don't thinkit's poisonous. "

Shaddy gave a grunt, and holding the neck tightly, he thrust the pointof his knife in between the reptile's jaws, opened them, and thenshifting his fingers to the angle, he held the snake's head upside down, and with the point of the blade raised from where they lay back on theroof of the mouth, close to the nose, two tiny glass-like teeth, thecreature's fangs, which could be held back or erected at its pleasure. 

"Not much doubt about them, sir, " said Shaddy. 

"Not the slightest, " replied Brazier, frowning. "We've both had narrowescapes, Rob. "

"You have, sir, and all for want of knowing better, if you'll excuse me. What you've got to do is to look upon everything as dangerous tillyou've found out as it's safe. And that you must do, please, for Ican't help you here. If it's a clawing from a lion or tiger, or a digfrom a deer's horn, or a bite of 'gator, or a broken limb, or spearwound, or even a bullet-hole, I'm all there. I'll undertake to pull youthrough a bit of fever too, or any or'nary complaint, and all withoutpretending to be a doctor. But as to fighting against snake poison, I'mjust like a baby. I couldn't help you a bit, so don't get running yourhands among the things anywhere. They'll get out of your way fastenough if you give them a chance; so just help me by minding that. "

One of the boatmen came up and said something in a sour way to thespeaker, who added, --

"They've skinned the tiger, and want to know what to do with thecarkidge, sir. Come along with me, and I'll show you something else. "

"No, no: stop a moment. Look here!" cried Joe. 

They all turned to where he stood holding the bunch on his gun-barrel, and saw his eyes fixed upon something playing about--a great humble-beeapparently--which paused before one of the orchid blossoms. 

The little thing was dull-looking, and they saw directly after that itwas probing the flowers with a long curved beak. 

"Humming bird, " cried Rob; "but I thought that they werebright-coloured. "

In an instant, as if it had heard his words, the tiny creature changedits position to such an angle with the sun that for a few seconds itsbreast glowed with gorgeous green and flame-coloured scales, whichlooked as if they had been cut out of some wonderful metal to protectthe bird's breast. Its wings moved so rapidly that they were invisible, and the beautiful little object seemed to be surrounded by a filmy hazeof a little more than the diameter of a cricket-ball. 

Again there was a sharp motion, such as is noted in one kind of fly inan English summer, when it can be seen poised for a few momentsapparently immovable, but with its wings beating at lightning speed. And as the humming bird changed its position the breast feathers lookeddark and dull, while its head displayed a crest of dazzling goldengreen. 

It appeared to have no dread of the group of human beings close to it, but probed blossom after blossom as calmly as a bee would at home; andit was from no movement they made that it suddenly made a dart and wasgone. 

"Pretty creatures!" said Shaddy, smiling, and looking the last man inthe world likely to admire a bird; "you've come to the right place forthem, gentlemen. Those lads of mine would soon make blowpipes andarrows, and knock you a few down, or I could if you wanted 'em, with oneof your guns. "

"The shots would cut them to pieces, " said Brazier. 

"To be sure they would, sir, and I shouldn't use none. I've knocked onedown with a charge of powder, shot off pretty close, and other timeswith half a teaspoonful of sand in the gun. But I tell you what actsbest, only you can't do it with a breechloader. It must be an oldmuzzle gun, and after you've rammed down your powder very tight with astrong wad, you pour in a little water, and fire soon as you can. Youget a shower then as brings 'em down without damaging your bird. "

"Let's look at the jaguar skin, " said Rob; and stepping aside to wherethe boatmen stood in the broad sunshine, instead of gazing upon thetawny fur, with its rich spots of dark brown along back and flanks, shading off into soft white, he found, stretched out tightly by pegs, asheet of unpleasant-looking fleshy skin, hardening in the ardentsunshine, which drove out its moisture at a rapid rate. 

"Do it no end of good to stop like that till to-morrow, " said Shaddy. "It would be pretty nigh stiff and hard by then. "

"But I don't want it stiff and hard, " cried Rob. "I want it soft, likea leather rug. "

"Yes, sir, I know, " replied the guide. "Let's get it dry first; I cansoon make it soft afterwards. "

Brazier was looking round the open patch of slightly sloping ground, about half an acre in extent, forming quite a nook in the forest throughwhich the river ran. 

"There is plenty of work here for a day or two, " he said; "and it is asuitable place for our halt. "

"Couldn't be better, sir. We shan't find another so good. "

"Then we'll stop for one day, certain. "

"'Cording to that, then, " said Shaddy thoughtfully, "we'd better takethe carkidge somewhere else. "

"Of course--get rid of it or bury it. Before long in this sun it willbe offensive. Why not throw it in the river?"

"That's what I meant to do, sir; but I was a bit scared about drawingthe 'gators about us. Don't want their company. If they see that camefrom here they'll be waiting about for more. I dunno, though; perhapsthe stream'll carry it down half a mile before they pull it under or itsinks. "

He made a sign to the boatmen, who seized the carcass of the jaguar, bore it just below where the boat was moored, and the two lads followedto see it consigned to the swift river. 

Here the men stood close to the edge, and acting in concert underShaddy's direction, they swung the carcass to and fro two or threetimes, gathering impetus at every sway, and then with one tremendouseffort and a loud expiration of the breath they sent it flying severalyards, for it to fall with a tremendous splash and sink slowly, thelighter-coloured portions being quite plain in the clear water as itsettled down, sending great rings to each shore. Then the carcass roseslowly to the surface and began to float down-stream. 

"Look, " cried Rob the next instant, as the smooth water suddenly becameagitated, and dark shadows appeared to be moving beneath the surface. Then the jaguar moved suddenly to one side, as if it were alive, thenback, to alter its course directly straight away from them, and again tobegin travelling up stream; while the water boiled all round about it, and several silvery fish flashed out of the water and fell back; thenheads and tails appeared as the fierce occupants of the river fought formorsels which they bit out of the flanks and limbs of the dead animal. 

"Makes 'em mad to get at it, " said Shaddy, as the water grew moredisturbed; "they're coming up the river in shoals. You see there's noskin to get through and fill their teeth with hair. Say, youngsters, talk about ground bait, don't you wish you'd got your tackle ready?Might catch some good ones for supper. "

"And eat them after they've been feeding on that animal?"

"Better have them after feeding on that, Rob, " said Brazier, "than aftera feast of I don't know what. Why not try, Naylor?"

"No meat for a bait, sir. Let's wait till they've done, and then I'llfish for a dorado. We've got some oranges left. "

He ceased speaking, and they stood watching the carcass, which stillfloated, from the simple fact that a shoal of fish were attacking itfrom below, while so many came swarming, up from lower down the stream, attracted by the odour of the pieces of the jaguar, and the manyfragments which ascended and floated away, that the carcass not onlycould not sink but was driven higher and higher toward the main river. 

"Hah!" ejaculated Shaddy suddenly, "I thought that was coming. "

For suddenly there were dozens of silvery fish leaping in the air tofall back into the water, which ceased to boil, and a wave formed by theshoal swept down-stream. 

"What's that mean?" cried Rob. "Why, they've left it. "

"Yes, sir, _they_ have, " said Shaddy, emphasising the personal pronoun. "Look!"

A fresh splash about twenty yards from them had already taken Rob'sattention, and then there was another caused by a peculiar dark-lookingobject, which rose above the surface. 

"'Gator's tail, " said Shaddy, grimly. "It's their turn now, and thehungry fishes have to make room. "

Just then a long black, muddy-looking snout glided out of the water, followed by the head, shoulders and back of a hideous lizard-likecreature, which glided over the carcass of the jaguar and disappeared, followed directly by a head twice as large, and as it rose clear of thewater the jaws opened wide and closed with a loud snap. Directly afterthis head sank down out of sight there was a tremendous swirl in thewater, and then it began to settle down, but only to be disturbed oncemore about opposite to where the party stood, and again some twentyyards lower down, after which the river ran swiftly and smoothly oncemore. 

"That was an old bull 'gator, " said Shaddy. "The small ones, three orfour, came first and scared off all the fish that didn't want to beeaten, and then the old chap came and soon sent them to the right-about, and he has carried off the carkidge to enjoy all to himself down in somehole under the bank. "

"Plenty of natural history for you here, boys, " said Brazier, "eh?"

"Yes; but how horrid!" cried Rob. "And yet how beautiful it all is tocompensate!" said Brazier, thoughtfully. "But what about somethingfresh to eat, Naylor? We must shoot something, or you must fish. There, Rob, you said how horrid just now; and yet we are as bad. Thealligators and fish only sought for their daily food. We are going todo worse than they did with our guns and tackle. Well, Naylor, what arewe to do?"

"I'm thinking, sir, that if the young gents here, or one of them, willtry a fishing-line with an orange or half an orange bait, you might sitquiet at your corner and watch for something--bush turkey, or parrotseven, for they're good eating. "

"But suppose I shoot a bird, and it falls in the river, what then?"

"Why, we must go after it with the boat; but I expect that something oranother would take it down before we could get to it. This riverswarms, sir, with big fish and 'gators. "

"Why not go a few hundred yards into the forest? We might put up adeer. "

"Dessay you would, sir, if you could get in. Why, you couldn't get in adozen yards without men to hack a way for you; and if you went in alone, even so far, it's a chance if you could find your way out again. You'llhave to be careful about that. "

"Why?" said Rob, eagerly. "The wild beasts?"

"They're the least trouble, sir, " replied Shaddy. "It's the gettinglost. A man who is lost in these forests may almost as well lie downand die at once out of his misery, for there's no chance of his gettingback again. "

"I'm afraid you try to make the worst of things, Naylor, " said Brazier, smiling. "Well, I'll take my position at the corner yonder while youlads fish. "

Rob felt as if he would far rather try his luck with a gun, for hewanted to practise shooting; and Shaddy read the disappointment in hisface. 

"It'll be all right, my lad, " he said, as Brazier went to the boat toget some different cartridges; "you'll have plenty of chances ofshooting for the pot by-and-by. Why, you haven't done so very badto-day--bagging a whole tiger. Here, I'll help you rig up a line. "

"And suppose I hook one of those alligators?"

"Hardly likely, my lad; but if you do it will be bad for the 'gator orbad for your line. One'll have to come, or the other'll have to go. "

Just then Brazier returned from the boat with the cartridge-pouch andexamining the breech of his gun, after which he walked slowly to thecorner of the green opening and took his place close to the edge of theriver, where he was partly hidden by some pendent boughs, while Rob, Joe, and Shaddy got on board the boat again, and were soon fitting up aline with an orange bait. 

"May as well fish from the boat, my lads, " said Shaddy; "it's peaceablerand comfortabler. What do you say?"

"No, " said Joe, "but one from the boat, and one from the other cornerthere. If we fish together we shall get our lines tangled. "

"Right, my Hightalian man o' wisdom, " said Shaddy. "There you are, then, " he continued, as he fixed the half of an orange as securely as hecould; "you begin there, and Mr Rob will try up yonder, while I'll goto and fro with the gaff hook ready to help whichever of you wants ahand. "

"Hi! you chaps, " he shouted to the men in their own tongue, as they weresettling themselves down for a long sleep, "make that fire up again;we're going to stop here to-night. "

"I wish I could speak their language, Shaddy, " said Rob, as the mendeliberately began to pile some of the wood they had collected on theembers. 

"You'll soon pick it up, my lad. It's soft and easy enough. Not as Ispeak it, you know, because I'm so rough and keep chopping in brokenEnglish. They're not bad fellows. But now look here, " he continued, asthey reached their corner where the stream flowed very deep and madequite an eddy; "it strikes me that the best thing we can do is to try adifferent bait, one as will tempt the fish that don't care so much forflesh. What do you say to a quarter of a biscuit?"

"Too hard, and will not stick on. "

"Get soft in the water; and it will stick on, for I shall tie it withsome thin string, making quite a net round it. "

"That will do then, " said Rob, who felt some compunction at trying forfish which had been lunching off a large cat; and in due time the baitwas carefully bound on. 

"This place will suit, " said Shaddy, "because the water will carry thehook out softly right toward the middle in this eddy, and we shan't haveto throw and knock off our bait. Ready?"

_Bang_!

CHAPTER NINE. 

THE DOUBLE CATCH. 

The sharp report was from Brazier's piece, and as all looked round itwas to see a large turkey-like bird beating and flapping the ground withits strong pinions, evidently being badly wounded. 

"Ah!" cried Shaddy, "that'll be better meat than our fish;" and droppingthe line, he trotted towards the spot where the bird lay close to theedge of the forest, just as Brazier started on the same mission from hisend of the opening; while quite a flock of small birds and a troop ofmonkeys came flying and bounding through the trees, as if to see whatwas the meaning of the strange noise, and filling the air with theirchatterings and cries, but hardly displaying the slightest dread. 

"I happened to look round, " cried Brazier, "and saw it come out fromamong the trees. "

This was just as he and Shaddy neared the bird, where it lay half adozen yards from the dense mass of interwoven foliage, when, to thedisgust of both, the bird suddenly rose to its feet, made a bound, and, with its wings whistling loudly, flew right in through an opening, whileits would-be captors were brought up short by the to them impenetrableforest. 

"How vexatious!" cried Brazier, stamping his foot. 

"There goes our supper!" grumbled Shaddy; "and that's about the joociestbird I know. "

"I wish I'd given it the other barrel, " said Brazier. 

"Better load, sir, " said Shaddy. "Never mind. You'll get anotherchance soon. Eh? Oh, very well then, have a try. "

This was to one of the boatmen, who, roused by the shot, came up smilingwith his sword-like knife in his hand, evidently with the intention ofcutting his way in and trying to retrieve the bird. 

"I don't think it is of any use, " said Brazier. 

"Dunno, sir. Perhaps it is. The bird was hard hit, and maybe hasn'tgone far. Let him try. He may just as well do that as lie and sleep. "

They both stopped for a few minutes watching the man, who bent down, andgoing on all-fours, passed in between the interlacing growth. They sawhis feet for a few moments, and then he disappeared altogether, whileBrazier and Shaddy both returned to their stations. 

"What a pity!" grumbled the latter. "'Bout the nicest birds I know--when you're hungry. There'll be another shot for him soon, though, forthey go in flocks in open bits of land near water. "

"What bird was it?" said Rob--"a turkey?"

"Nay, not so big as a turkey, lad; I dunno what they call 'em. I call'em Argentine larks. "

"What?" cried Rob, with a laugh. 

"Ah, you may grin, my lad, but it ain't such a bad name; and if you'dseen 'em do what I have, you'd say so too. "

"What do you mean?" said Rob; "do they make their nests on the ground?"

"I don't know nothing about their nests, but I'll tell you what they do:they rise off the ground and fly up in the air higher and higher, andsail round and round singing just like a lark does, only lots of timesas loud. "

Rob looked keenly in the man's face. 

"Oh, I ain't a-stuffing of you with nonsense, my lad; that 'ere's anat'ral history fact. They flies up singing away till they're out ofsight, and the music comes down so soft and sweet then that it makes youwant more and more, as you get thinking of when you was away in thecountry at home. "

"But that bird was so big, " cried Rob. 

"All the better, my lad. Holds more music and sings all the longer. "

"Caught anything?" asked Joe from the boat, for both lines had been castnow, and the lads were patiently holding the ends. 

"No; haven't had a bite, " replied Rob; and the words had hardly left hislips when Brazier's gun raised an echo across the river, which ran toand fro, reflected by the wall of trees in zigzag course till it diedout. 

But no one listened to the echo, for all attention was taken by a largeduck, one of about a dozen which had come skimming along over thesurface of the water till its course had been stopped by Brazier'saccurate shot, when it fell flapping heavily and raising quite a sprayaround it as it began to float rapidly down-stream. 

"Come, we mustn't lose that, " cried Shaddy, running to unfasten the ropewhich moored the boat. "We'll go together. Mr Joe, sir, haul in yourline. "

But before the boy could obey there was a cry of annoyance from Brazieras, with a slight splash, something seized the duck and drew it under. 

"'Nother supper gone!" growled Shaddy. 

"What was it?" cried Brazier. 

"Didn't see, sir. Either a 'gator or a big fish. Look sharp, Mr Joe, sir. Now, if you could catch that there fish with the duck in his jawstoo, it would be something like. "

But Joe did not have the chance to catch a fish with the duck orwithout, and Rob fervently hoped that he might not catch the captor ofthe duck, for he felt certain that he had seen the jaws of a smallalligator close upon the unfortunate bird as he held the end of his linetightly and waited for the bite which would not come. 

But in the midst of that lovely solitude there was no room fordisappointment. Though they could not obtain exactly what they sought, Rob felt that nature was offering them endless treasures, and his eyewas being constantly attracted by the flowers high up on the treesacross the river and the still more beautiful butterflies and birdsconstantly passing here and there. Now it was some lovely object whoselarge flat wings flashed with steely or purply blue, according to theangle in which it was viewed, then butterflies of velvety black dashedwith orange and vermilion. Parrots of vivid green with scarlet headsflew to and fro across the stream; and twice over a great _ara_ ormacaw, with its large, hooked beak and scarlet-and-blue feathering, avery soldier in uniform among birds, flew over them, watching themkeenly as it uttered its harsh, discordant cry. Then, too, there werethe humming-birds darting here and there with bee-like flight, emittinga flash every now and then as their metallic, scale-like feathers caughtthe sun on their burnished surface. 

"No, " said Rob to himself, "one can't feel disappointed here, " and soonafter, as he drew a long, deep breath full of satisfaction, "Oh, howgloriously beautiful it all is! What would they say at home?"

Now he gazed down into the deep, clear, swiftly flowing water, where, brilliantly illuminated by the sun, just beyond where he sat shaded by atree, he could see fish of all sizes floating motionless, apparently atdifferent depths, while farther out there were more and more, larger itseemed, and as the depth and density of the water increased looking moreshadowy and strange. 

"There are plenty of them, even if they don't bite, " thought Rob; "andif it were not that we must have them to eat, I don't know that I wantto catch them. Ugh!"

He involuntarily shrank away, but resumed his position at the edge ofthe river, gazing down at where, with its four legs outstretched and itstail waving softly, an alligator swam by some five feet below thesurface. It was only a small one, between three and four feet inlength, but showing all the ugly configuration of its kind; and itfascinated Rob as he gazed at it till it slowly grew more shadowy andshortened in length and disappeared. 

"Wonder how Joe's getting on!" he thought; and then his mind dwelt againupon their surroundings, and as his eyes wandered from spot to spot hefelt that they ought to go no farther, but make a temporary stay there. 

Just then he looked to his right, to find that Mr Brazier had given uphis task of watching for birds and was busy with Shaddy arranging thebunch of orchids on a branch in the full sunshine, to dry as much as waspossible before being transferred to their destination--the bottom ofone of the tubs. 

"Slow work!" muttered Rob, drawing in his line now, to find the biscuitsoftened, but still held tightly enough to the hook. Then, dropping itin again, he watched it as it was carried out by the eddy, and ended bytying the line fast to one of the overhanging branches and walking towhere the boat was moored. 

"How are you getting on, Joe?" he said; but there was no answer. "Nothere?" he muttered as he stepped on board, to find the young Italianlying back fast asleep, while the end of the line was secured to one ofthe thwarts. 

"Oh, I say!" muttered Rob, "you lazy beggar!" Then stooping down, sothat his lips were near the sleeper's ear, he said loudly, "Ready forsupper?"

Joe leaped up in confusion. 

"Have I been asleep?" he said hastily. 

"Looks like it. Where's the dorado?"

"I--that is--I grew so drowsy, I--yes, I fastened the end of the linefor fear it should go overboard, and--here, look out!" he cried sharply, "I have him!"

"Not you, " said Rob; "the hook caught it. "

For the line had been drawn tight while Joe slept, and as he took holdof it he found that it was fast in something heavy, which now sent aquiver along the line, as if it were shaking its head angrily at beingdisturbed. 

"Why, it's a big one, " said Rob excitedly. 

"It's a monster, " panted Joe. "Oh, I wish I had not been asleep. "

"Caught anything?" came from behind them, and Brazier and Shaddy drewnear. 

"Yes; Joe has hooked a very big one, " cried Rob eagerly. "Get your hookready, Shaddy. "

"All right, sir, " said the guide grimly, "but you won't want it justyet. You'll have to play that chap before you get him up to the boat. "

So it seemed, for the captive lay sulky for a few moments, resenting thestrain on the line, till Joe gave it a jerk, when there was a rush awayto the left, the line suddenly slackened, and Rob exclaimed in a tone ofdisappointment, --

"Gone!"

"No, " growled Shaddy. "Pull in a bit, my lad. Steady!"

Joe began to haul in the line, drawing in yard after yard, which fell inrings to the bottom of the boat, till half the fishing cord must havebeen recovered. 

"He has gone, Shaddy, " said Joe. 

"Beginning to think you're right, my lad. Fancied at first he'd swum upto the side, for there's no telling what a fish may do when--Look out;he's on still, " roared Shaddy. "Hold the line, my lad. Don't let himhaul it quite out, or he'll snap it when he gets to the end. "

Joe seized the line and let it slip through his fingers, but thefriction was so painful that he would have let go again had not Shaddystepped to his help and taken hold behind him. 

"Won't hurt my fingers, " he growled; "they're a deal too hard, " and hekept hold so that he did not interfere with Joe's work in playing thefish, but relieved him of the strain and friction as the line cut thewater here and there. 

Brazier looked on with plenty of interest in the proceedings, for thecapture of a fish of goodly size was a matter of some consequence to theleader of an expedition with eight hungry people to cater for day afterday. 

"Think it's a dorado, Shaddy?" asked Rob. 

"Ought to be, my lad, from its taking an orange, and if it is it's 'boutthe heaviest one I've knowed. My word, but he does pull! Can't say asever I felt one shake his head like that before. Shall I play him now, my lad?"

"No, " cried Joe through his set teeth as he held on, "not yet. I willask you if I want help. No: Rob will help me. "

The struggle went on so fiercely that it increased Brazier's interest, and but for the clever way in which the two lads in turn played thefish, the cord, strong as it was, must have been broken. But they werefortunate enough to get a good deal of the long line in hand, and werethus enabled to let their captive run from time to time, merely keepingup a steady strain till the rush was over and then hauling in again. 

"Why, boys, " said Brazier at last as he stood on the bank resting uponhis double gun, "it will be supper-time before you catch your prize, andin this climate fish will be bad to-morrow. Better let him go. "

"What!" cried Rob, whose face was streaming with perspiration. "Let himgo? Do you hear, Joe?"

Joe nodded and tightened his lips, his face seeming to say, --

"Let him go? Not while I can hold him. "

So the fight went on till the fish grew less fierce in its rushes, butnone the weaker, keeping on as it did a heavy, stubborn drag, and thoughfrequently brought pretty near to the boat, keeping down close to thebottom, so that they never once obtained a glimpse of it. 

"It ain't a dorado, " said Shaddy at last. "I never see one fight likethat. "

"It must be a very grand one, " said Joe, wiping his face, for he hadresigned the line for a time. 

"It pulls like a mule, " said Rob, as the captive now made off toward themiddle of the river. 

"What sort of a hook have you got on, Mr Jovanni?" cried Shaddy. 

"One of those big ones, with the wire bound round for about two feetabove it. "

"Then I tell you what, my lad: I don't believe that strong new cord'llbreak. S'pose both of you get hold after he's had this run, haul himright up, and let's have a look at him! Strikes me you've got hold ofone of them big eely mud-fish by the way he hugs the bottom. "

"Shall we try, Joe?"

"I--I'm afraid of losing it, " was the reply. "It would be so dreadfulnow. Perhaps it will be tired soon. "

"Don't seem like it, my lad!" said Brazier. "It is not worth so longand exhausting a fight. "

"Right, sir, and they've been too easy with him. You get his head up, Mr Rob, as soon as he gives a bit, and then both of you show him youdon't mean to stand any more nonsense. That'll make him give in. "

"Very well, " said Joe, with a sigh. "We have been a long time. Waittill he has had this run. "

The line was running out more and more through Rob's fingers as hespoke, and the fish seemed bent on making for the farther shore; but thelad made it hard work for the prisoner, and about two-thirds of the wayit began to slacken its pace, almost stopped, quite stopped, and sulked, like a salmon, at the bottom. 

"Now both of you give a gentle, steady pull, " said Brazier; and Joe tookhold of the line and joined Rob in keeping up a continuous strain. 

For a few minutes it was like pulling at a log of wood, and Rob declaredthe line must be caught. But almost as he spoke the fish gave a viciousshake at the hook, its head seemed to be pulled round, the strain waskept up, and the captive yielded, and was drawn nearer and nearer veryslowly, but none the less surely, the line falling in rings to thebottom of the boat. 

"Bravo!" cried Brazier. 

"That's right, both of you!" shouted Shaddy excitedly. "He's dead beat, and I shall have the big hook in his gills before he knows where he is. Haul away!"

"Are these mud-fish you talk about good eating, Naylor?" asked Brazier. 

"Oh yes, sir. Bit eely-like in their way; not half bad. Come, that'swinning, gents. Well done. Give me a shout when you want me. I won'tcome yet so as to get in your way. "

"Sha'n't be ready yet, " panted Rob. "He is strong. I think you oughtto have a harpoon. --I say. "

"Yes, sir. "

"Do these mud-fish bite?"

"Well, yes, sir, " replied Shaddy; "pretty nigh all the fish hereaboutsare handy with their teeth. "

"Ah, he's off again!" cried Joe; and they had to let the prisoner run. But it was a much weaker effort, and a couple of minutes later they hadhauled in all the line given, and got in so much more that the fish wasat the bottom of the river only four or five yards from the boat. 

"Now then, both together; that line will hold!" cried Shaddy excitedly;"get him right up and see what he is, and if he begins to fight fiercelet him have one more run to finish his flurry, as the whalers call thelast fight. "

"Ready, Joe?"

"Yes. "

"Both together, then. "

There were a few short steady pulls, hand over hand, and the prisonerwas drawn nearer and nearer, and raised from the bottom slowly andsurely, while, as full of excitement now as the lads, Brazier and Shaddystood close to the edge watching. 

"Hurrah!" cried Rob, who was nearest to the gunwale. "I can see himnow!"

"Well, what is it--a mud-fish?" asked Brazier. 

"No, " said Joe, straining his neck to get a glimpse through the clearwater, the disturbed mud raised by the struggles of the fish beingrapidly swept away. "It's a dorado: I can see his golden scales!"

"Then he's a regular whopper, my lads. Steady, don't lose him!" criedShaddy. "Shall I come on board?"

"No, not yet, " said Joe excitedly. "He may make another rush. "

"Why, I say, it isn't a very big one, " said Rob. 

"No, " cried Joe, in a disappointed tone; "but he's coming up backwards, which shows how strong he is. "

"Ha, ha!" shouted Rob; "we've caught him by the tail. "

"Got the line twisted round it, perhaps, " said Brazier. "That's whatmakes the fish seem so strong. "

"Ugh!" yelled Rob, letting go of the line, with the result that it wasdrawn back rapidly through Joe's fingers, till at a cry from his lipsRob took hold again as the fish ran off and nearly reached its formerquarters. 

"What's the matter?" said Brazier. "Did the line cut your fingers?"

"No. We've caught a horrid great thing. It isn't a dorado. I saw itwell, and it's nearly as long as the boat. "

"Gammon!" growled Shaddy. "Here, what's it like, Master Joe?"

"I don't know. I never saw a fish like it before: its tail was allgolden scales, and then it was dark at the top and bottom, and went offdark right toward the head. "

"Then it must be a mud-fish, I should say, though I never knowed of onewith a tail like that. Haul him in again, and I'll get aboard now readywith the hook. "

He stepped into the boat, and lay down in the bottom with his arms overthe side and his landing-hook, securely bound to a short, stout piece ofbamboo, held ready. 

"Shan't be in your way, shall I?" he asked. 

"No, not at all, " replied Joe. "Now, Rob, are you ready?"

"Yes. "

"I say, don't let go again. "

"I'll try not, " replied Rob, and the hauling began once more, withalmost as much effort necessary. But at the end of a minute it began tobe evident that the fish was tired, for it yielded more and more as theline was drawn in, but kept to its old tactics of hugging the bottomtill it was close up to the boat, where, after pausing a moment or two, Rob cried, --

"Now then, both together! Don't miss him, Shaddy! Mind, he's a hideousgreat thing. "

"All right, my lads; haul away!"

They hauled, but instead of the fish suffering itself to be dragged likea lump of lead close in to the boat, it now commenced different tactics, and rose till the gilded tail appeared above the surface quite clear ofthe line, and beat and churned up the water so that it was too muchdisturbed for them to see the head, the creature seeming to be fightinghard to dive down again straight to the bottom. 

"That's right, my lads: he's coming. 'Nother fathom, and I'll get thehook into him. Haul steady. He's, done. He's--Well, I'm blessed!"

Shaddy roared out this last exclamation, for all at once, as the boyshauled persistently at the line, the tail half of a large dorado wasthrust above the surface, agitated violently, and directly after therefollowed the hideous head of an alligator with its jaws tightly closedupon the fore half of the fish. It was shaking its head savagely tobreak the line, and began giving violent plunges while it made the waterfoam with its struggles, and in another moment would no doubt havebroken away; but just at the crisis, on seeing what was the state ofaffairs, Brazier raised his gun, took a quick aim, and dischargedrapidly one after the other both barrels of his piece. 

The result was magical. As the smoke rose, and quite a cloud ofbrilliantly tinted birds flew here and there from side to side of theriver, whose trees on both banks seemed to have grown alive withmonkeys, the alligator made one leap half out of the water, fell backwith a heavy splash, and then lay motionless save for a quivering of itstail as it was drawn nearer, when Shaddy managed to get his hook insidethe jaws, which were distended by the dorado, and then, stepping ashore, he hauled the reptile right out on to the grass. 

"Is he dead?" said Brazier, who was reloading. 

"Not yet, sir; but you've shattered the back of his head, and he'll soonbe quite. No wonder you didn't land him quicker, Master Joe. "

"But what does it mean?" cried Rob. "Oh, I see! Joe hooked a dorado, and this fellow tried to swallow it head first, and couldn't get itright down. "

"That's it, my lad, " replied Shaddy. "He'd half managed it when MrJovanny here gave a pull, and has got the hook in him somewhere. Ithought so. Here's the pynte sticking right through outside his neck, and he couldn't bite because of the fish stuck in his jaws just like agreat gag. "

"Well, what's to be done?" said Rob; "we can't eat the dorado now. Wonder whether I've got a bite yet. "

He went slowly and wearily up to the tree where he had fastened the endof his line, and to his delight saw that the branch was rising andfalling as a fish on the hook tugged to get away. 

"Hi! Joe! Got one!" he shouted; but before the lad could reach him hehad the line in his hand and was hauling, sore as his fingers were, aheavy fish toward the shore. Then with a cry of disappointment hepulled in the line easily enough, for the fish was gone. 

They returned to the spot where Brazier and Shaddy stood, near thecaptured alligator. 

"Good six feet long, Rob, " said Brazier, who had measured it by takingtwo long paces. "Something like a catch, Giovanni. Can you get thefish out of its jaws, Naylor?"

"Oh yes, I think so, sir. "

"Mind, for these creatures are very retentive of life. "

"Oh yes, I know 'em, sir. I'll get the chopper and take his head offfirst. "

"But we are not going to eat that fish now, Mr Brazier, are we?"

"Well, I don't know, Rob. If it is well washed and skinned, it cannotbe any the worse, and we have nothing else in the way of fish or meat. "

"Wrong, sir, " said Shaddy, making a very wide smile; "look at that. "

He pointed toward the top of the little clearing where the boatman hadforced his way in amongst the tangled growth, and gone on hewing his waythrough bush, thorn, vine, and parasitical growth, to reappear just inthe nick of time with the bustard-looking bird hanging from his lefthand, dead. 

"Says he had to go in a long way, " said Shaddy, after a shortconversation with the man, who, weary though he was with his exertions, immediately set to work by the fire picking the bird and burning itsfeathers, with the result that the Europeans of the little expeditionconfined themselves to the windward side of the fire till the man haddone. 

"Never had such a delicious supper before in my life, " said Rob twohours later, as they sat in the boat eating oranges and watching thegorgeous colours of the sky. 

"Think this place 'll do, sir?" said Shaddy, after washing down hisrepast with copious draughts of _mate_ made by his men. 

"Excellently, Naylor. "

"And you ain't hardly begun yet, " said Shaddy, smiling. "Wait till youget higher up, where it's wilder and wonderfler: this is nothing. Suityou, Master Rob? Never had such fishing as that before, did you?"

"Never, Shaddy; but what did you do with the alligator and the fish?"

"My lads cut all off as the 'gator hadn't had down his throat, andtumbled the other into the stream. Ain't much of him left by thistime. "

The night came on almost directly after, with the remarkable tropicalabsence of twilight; and, as if all had been waiting for the darkness, the chorus of the forest began. Then, well making up the fire with anabundance of wood, the boatmen came on board, and immediately settledthemselves down to sleep. 

CHAPTER TEN. 

THE WONDERS OF THE WILDS. 

It was a weird hour that next which was passed with the fire sending upvolumes of smoke, followed by glittering sparks which rose rapidly andlooked like specks of gold-leaf floating away over the river, red now asblood, now orange and gold, as the fire blazed higher and cast itsreflections on the rapid stream. 

The bright light had a singular attraction for the birds, which cameskimming round and swooping through the dark smoke, small birds withbright wings, and large-headed owls with soft silent pinions; theselatter every now and then adding their mournful cries to the harshscreeching, whirring, drumming, throbbing, and piping of bird, insect, and reptile which mingled with the fine, thin, humming _ping_ of themosquitoes and the mournful fluting of the frogs. 

No one spoke for a time, the attention of three of the party being takenup by the novelty of their position and the noises of the forest, forthough they had passed many nights on the river and listened to thecries on the farther shore, this was their first experience of beingright in among these musicians of the night as they kept up theirincessant din. 

"Can you tell what every sound is that we hear, Shaddy?" whispered Robat last. 

"Nay, hardly; some on 'em of course, " said their guide. "You know manyof them too already, though they get so mixed up it's hard to pick outone from the other. "

"But that?" whispered Rob, as if he dared not raise his voice, and hestarted violently, for there was a splash close at hand. 

"Didn't mean that fish, did you, sir? That won't hurt you here so longas you don't walk overboard in your sleep. "

"No, no, I didn't mean that; I meant that bellowing noise. You heardit, didn't you, Mr Brazier?"

There was no reply. 

"Sleep, " said Shaddy gruffly. 

"Joe, you heard that bellowing down the river there?" whispered Rob. 

Again there was no reply. 

"Sleep too, " growled Shaddy. "Well, don't you know what that was?"

"No. "

"'Gator. Don't suppose he thinks it's bellowing. Dessay he'd call it asong. There it goes again. Comes along the river as if it was close tous. But there, don't you think you've done enough for one day, and hadbetter do as the rest are doing? We're the only two awake. "

"But what about keeping watch?" said Rob, rather excitedly. 

"Oh, I don't know as there's any need to keep watch here, my lad, " saidShaddy coolly. 

"What, not with all kinds of wild and savage beasts about us, andmonstrous reptiles and fishes in the very water where we float! Why, itseems madness to go to sleep among such dangers. "

"Nay, not it, my lad. Why, if you come to that, the world's full ofdangers wherever you are. No more danger here than on board a big shipsailing or steaming over water miles deep. "

"But the wild beasts--lions and tigers, as you call them?"

"Lions won't hurt you so long as you don't meddle with them, and thetigers won't pass that fire. "

"Then the Indians?"

"No Indians about here, my lad, or I should have that fire out prettysoon and be on the watch. You leave all that to me, and don't you getworrying yourself about danger because you hear a noise in the forest!Noise is a noosance, but it don't hurt. There was five thousand timesas much danger in the fangs of that little sarpint I chopped to-day asin all the noise you're listening to now. "

Rob was silent. 

"So just you take my advice, my lad: when night comes you say your bito' prayers and tuck your head under your wing till it's near daylight. That's the way to get a good night's rest and be ready for the morning. "

Rob started again, for a great, soft-winged thing swept silently by, sonear that he felt the wind of its pinion as it glided on, its outlinenearly invisible, but magnified by the darkness into a marvellous size. 

"On'y a bat, my lad!" said Shaddy, yawning. 

"Is that one of the blood-sucking ones?"

"Very likely. "

"And you talk about there being no danger out here!"

"Nay, not I. There's plenty of dangers, my lad, but we're not going tobe afraid of a thing that you could knock down with one of your hands sothat it would never fly again. It ought to feel scared, not you. "

"Is that a firefly?" said Rob, after a few minutes' silence, and hepointed to a soft, golden glow coming up the river five or six feetabove the stream, and larger and more powerful than the twinkling lightsappearing and disappearing among the foliage at the river's edge. 

"Yes, that's a firefly; come to light you to bed, if you like. There, my lad, it's sleep-time. Get under shelter out of the night damp. You'll soon be used to all the buzzing and howling and--"

"That was a tiger, wasn't it?" said Rob excitedly, as a shrill cry rangout somewhere in the forest and sent a thrill through him. 

"No. Once more, that's a lion, and he's after monkeys, not after you, so good-night. "

Shaddy drew the sail over him as he stretched himself in the bottom ofthe roomy boat, and Rob crept in under the awning. The heavy breathingenabled him to make out exactly where his companions lay asleep, andsettling himself down forward, he rested his head on his hand, convincedthat sleep would be impossible, and preparing to listen to the faintrustling noise of the mooring rope on the gunwale of the boat, a soundwhich often suggested something coming on board. 

Then he made sure what it was, and watched the faint glow thrown by thefire on the canvas till it seemed to grow dull--seemed, for the boatmenhad arranged the wood so that from time to time it fell in, and hence itkept on burning up more brightly. But it looked dull to Rob and thenblack, for in spite of yells and screams and bellowings, the piping andfluting of frogs, the fiddling of crickets, and the drumming of somegreat toad, which apparently had a big tom-tom all to itself, Rob's eyeshad closed, and fatigue made him sleep as soundly as if he had been athome. 

The sun was up when he awoke with a start to find Joe having his wash ina freshly dipped bucket of clean water, and upon joining him and lookingashore, it was to see Brazier bringing his botanic treasures on board tohang up against the awning to dry; while Shaddy had taken the skin ofthe jaguar, pegs and all, rolling it up and throwing it forward. Theboatmen kept the kettle boiling and some cake-bread baking in the hotashes. At the same time a pleasant odour of frizzling bacon told thatbreakfast would not be long. 

"You are going to stay here for a day or two?" said Rob to Mr Brazieras he rubbed his face dry in the warm sunshine. 

"No. Naylor says we shall do better farther on, and keep on collectingas we go, beside getting a supply of ducks or other fowl for our wants. The farther we are from the big river the easier it will be to keep ourwants supplied. "

"Gun, sir!" said Shaddy just then; "big ducks coming up the river. Takeit coolly, sir, and don't shoot till you can get two or three. "

Brazier waited and waited, but the birds, which were feeding, came nofarther. 

"Hadn't Mr Rob better try too, sir?" whispered Shaddy; "he wants tolearn to shoot. "

Rob glanced at Brazier, who did not take his eyes from the ducks he waswatching, and the boy hurriedly fetched his gun. 

"What yer got in?" whispered Shaddy. 

"Shot in one barrel, bullet in the other. "

"Bah!" growled the guide. "You don't want bullet now. Yes, you do, " hecontinued. "Look straight across the water in between the trees, andtell me if you see anything. "

"No. Whereabouts?"

"Just opposite us. Now look again close to the water's edge, wherethere's that bit of an opening. Come, lad, where's your eyes?"

"I don't see anything but flowers and drooping boughs. "

"And a deer just come down for a drink of fresh-water, ready to be shotand keep us in food for days. "

"Yes, I can see it now, " said Rob eagerly. "What a beautiful creature!"

"Yes, beautiful meat that we can cut up in strips and dry in the sun, soas to have a little supply in hand. "

"But it seems--" began Rob. 

"It's necessary, lad, and it's a chance. Sit down, rest your piece onthe gunwale, and aim straight with your left barrel at the centre of itshead. If you miss that you're sure to send the bullet through itsshoulder and bring it down. "

Feeling a great deal of compunction, Rob sank into the position advised, cocked his piece, and took careful aim. 

"Make sure of him, my lad, " whispered Shaddy. "It's a fine bit o'practice for you. Now then, hold the butt tight to your shoulder andpull the trigger gently; squeeze it more than pull. Covered him?"

"Yes. "

"Then fire. "

_Bang! bang_! Two shots in rapid succession, and the deer was gone, buta monkey unseen till then dropped head over heels into the water fromone of the trees over the trembling deer, scared from its hold by theloud reports, and after a few moments' splashing succeeded in reaching abranch which dipped in the stream. In another moment or two it was insafety, chattering away fiercely as an ugly snout was protruded from thewater where it fell. 

"Got them this time!" said Brazier in a tone of satisfaction, as fiveducks lay on the water waiting to be picked up. "You should have firedtoo, Rob. We want fresh provisions. "

"What I told him, sir, but he took such a long aim that the deer said, `Good-morning; come and be shot another time. '"

"Deer? What deer?"

"One t'other side, sir, " said Shaddy, who had got out to unmoor theboat. 

"I wish I had seen it; the meat would have been so valuable to-day. "

"What I telled him, sir. "

"And you didn't shoot!"

"I was just going to when you fired, and the deer darted away. "

"Naturally, " said Brazier, smiling; and by this time the boat wasgliding down the river in the wake of the ducks. These were secured, all but one, which, being wounded, flapped and swam toward the shore, where it was suddenly sucked down by a reptile or fish. Those theysecured dropped silvery little arrows, apparently, back into the waterin the shape of the tiny voracious fish that had forced their wayalready between their feathers to reach the skin. 

The birds secured, Rob sat gazing with delight at the fresh beauties ofthe river where it wound off to the right. Birds innumerable wereflitting about, chirping and singing; noisy parrots were climbing andhanging head downwards as they hunted out a berry-like fruit from a talltree; and toucans, with orange-and-scarlet breasts and huge bills, hopped about, uttering their discordant cries. Everything looked sobeautiful and peaceful that for the moment he forgot the dangerousoccupants of the river, and his eyes grew dim with the strange sense ofjoy that came over him that glorious morning. But the next moment hebecame aware of the fact that to all this beauty and brightness therewas a terrible reverse side. For suddenly a great falcon dashed withswift wing high up along the course of the river, and cries of fear, warning, and alarm rang out from the small birds, the minute beforehappy and contentedly seeking their food. 

The change was magical. At the first cry, all dropped downhelter-skelter beneath the boughs and leaves, seeking shelter; and asthe falcon gave a harsh scream it was over groves that had suddenlybecome deserted, not a tenant being visible, except some half-dozenhumming-birds, whose safety lay in their tiny size and wonderful powersof flight. Three of these, instead of showing fear, became immediatelyaggressive, and, darting like great flies at the falcon, flashed aboutit in different directions, apparently acting in concert and pesteringthe great bird, so that it winged its way over the great wall of treesand was gone. 

But almost at the same moment a vulture appeared, with its hideous nakedhead and neck outstretched, making the humming-birds ruffle up again andresume their attack till they literally drove the great intruder away. 

"What daring little things they are!" said Rob, who was watching thetiny bird gems with keen delight, while Brazier's admiration was as muchtaken up by the clusters of blossoms hanging from a branch over thewater. 

"I shall be obliged to have those, Rob, " he said, pointing to theorchids. "Do you think you could get out along that bough if the boatwere run in to the bank?"

"Yes, " said the boy; "but suppose I drop into the river! What then?"

"We would keep the boat under you. "

"Can't be done, " growled Shaddy, who had been trying to force the boatback to their little camp by paddling with one oar over the stern. "'Bliged to ask you, gentlemen, to take an oar apiece. Stream runsmighty fast here. "

Rob seized an oar, and Brazier followed suit, at the same time glancingtoward their last night's halting-place to see if their men were withinreach to come and row and enable him to make an effort to obtain some ofthe green, bulbous-looking stems and flowers of the lovely parasitewhich had taken his attention. But they were as unobtainable as if theywere a hundred miles away, for it would have taken them days to cut away to opposite where the boat was now being held against the swiftstream, and even when they had reached the spot it would have beenimpossible to force her in through the tangled growth to the shore. 

"Now together, gentlemen!" growled Shaddy. "Keep stroke, please. Pullhard. "

They were already tugging so hard that the perspiration was starting outupon Rob's brow, and in that short row, with Shaddy supplementing theirefforts by paddling with all his might, they had a fair sample of thetremendous power of the stream. 

"At last!" said Shaddy as they regained their old quarters, where Joeand the four men had stood watching them. "It will give my chaps apretty good warming if we come back this way. Strikes me that we fourhad better practise pulling together, so as to be able to give them arest now and then when the stream's very much against us. "

"By all means, " said Brazier. 

"You see, men ain't steam-engines, sir, and we might be where there wasno place for landing. O' course we could always hitch on to the trees, but that makes poor mooring, and we should be better able to make ourway. There's hardly a chance of getting into slack water in a riverlike this: it all goes along with a rush. "

"But I must get that plant, Naylor, " said Brazier. "If you'll believeme, sir, " was the reply, "you needn't worry about that one. I'm goingto take you where you'll find thousands. "

"Like that?"

"Ay, and other sorts too. Seems to me, sir, we want to catch a monkeyand teach him how to use a knife. He'd be the sort of chap to run upthe trees. " Rob laughed at the idea, and said it was not possible. "Well, sir, " said Shaddy, "you may believe it or no, but an old friendof mine 'sured me that the Malay chaps do teach a big monkey they've gotout there to slip up the cocoa-nut trees and twist the big nuts roundand round till they drop off. He said it was a fact, and I don't seewhy not. "

"We'll try and dispense with the monkey, " said Brazier; and trusting tofinding more easily accessible specimens of the orchid, he gave that up, and a couple of hours after they were gliding swiftly along the stream, rapt in contemplation of the wonders on either hand, Shaddy being calledupon from time to time to seize hold of some overhanging bough and checkthe progress of the boat, so that its occupants might watch the gambolsof the inquisitive monkeys which kept pace with them along the bank bybounding and swinging from branch to branch. 

The birds, too, appeared to be infinite in variety; and Rob was neverweary of watching the tiny humming-birds as they poised themselvesbefore the trumpet blossoms of some of the pendent vines to probe theirdepths for honey, or capture tiny insects with their beaks. 

Their journey was prolonged from their inability to find a suitableplace for a halt, and it was easy work for the boatmen, who smiled withcontent as they found that only one was required to handle the oars, soas to keep the boat's head straight. 

It was nearly night, when a narrow place was found where by the fall ofa huge tree several others had been torn up by their roots, and lay withtheir water-worn branches in the river. 

The place offered just room to run the boat between two of the trees, but it could be easily moored, and there was the clear sky overhead. Moreover, they had an ample supply of dead wood to make a fire, and bythe time this was blazing merrily and lighting up the wall of trees andthe river night had fallen intensely dark. 

The lads were for leaping out directly and climbing about amongst thefallen trunks which nearly filled the opening, but Shaddy checked them. 

"Wait a while, my lads, till the fire's been burning a bit. I don'tquite like our quarters. "

"But that fire will scare away any wild beasts that may be near, " saidRob. 

"Yes, but the place looks snaky, Mr Rob; and I daresay there's lots o'them big spiders about. "

"What big spiders?"

"Them as bites so bad that you remember it for months. Why, there's onesort out in these parts as'll run after you and attack you--fierce. "

"No, no, Shaddy, not spiders, " said Rob, laughing. 

"Look ye here, Mr Rob, sir, " said Shaddy solemnly, "when I tell you astory of the good old traveller sort--I mean a bouncer--you'll see thecorners of my lips screwed up. When I'm telling you what's true astrue, you'll see I look solid as mahogany; and that's how I'm lookingnow. "

"Yes, it's true, Rob, " said Joe. "There are plenty of spiders out onthe pampas--great fellows that will come at you and bite horribly. "

"I should like to see one, " said Rob. 

"Wait a bit, my lad, and you shall, " said Shaddy. --"Humph! don't likethis place at all, " he growled. "Look there!" he continued, pointing atwhere three big trees lay close together, with their branches worn sharpby the action of the water. "If there ain't 'gators under all themsharp snags my name ain't Shadrach Naylor! Water's quite still, too, there. I hope there ain't anything worse. "

"Do you think we had better go on?" said Brazier. 

"Nay, we'll risk it, sir. Let's wait till the fire burns up big andstrong. We'll have a roarer to-night, and that'll scare away most ofthe trash. Worst of it is, I'm 'fraid it 'tracts the 'gators and fish. "

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

AN EVENTFUL NIGHT. 

"I do like a good fire, Joe, " said Rob, as he gazed at the ruddy flamesrushing up. 

"Why, you're not cold?"

"No, I'm hot, and this fire brings in a breeze and makes it cooler--onone side. But what I like in a fire of this kind is that you can burnas much wood as you like, and nobody can say it's waste, because it'sdoing good--clearing the ground for the trees around to grow. I say, look at the birds. "

"After supper, " said Joe, as he watched the actions of the principalboatman, who was head cook, busily preparing the ducks and twogood-sized fish which they had caught by trailing a bait behind the boatas they came. 

"Yes, I'm hungry, " said Rob. "What's that?"

"It was Shaddy. "

"What! tumbled in?" said Rob excitedly. 

"No; he took hold of a thick piece of branch and threw it into thewater. What did you do that for?"

"Scare them 'gators, my lad. There's a whole school of 'em out there, and I think they mean coming to supper. And fish too, " he added, asthere was another splash and then another. 

By this time he was close alongside of the boat, under whose tent MrBrazier was busy by the light of a lanthorn making notes and lists ofthe flowers and orchid bulbs which he had secured that day. 

"Hadn't we better put out a line, Shaddy? If we caught a fish or twothe men would be glad of them in the morning. "

"No, Mr Rob, sir; I don't suppose they'd bite now, and even if theydid, so sure as you hooked one a smiler would get hold of it, and youdon't want another fight of that sort. I'm beginning to think that we'dbest get our bit o' food, and then drop slowly down the river again. "

"What's that?" said Brazier, looking up from his work. "That will notdo, Naylor; we should miss no end of good plants. "

"Well, sir, better do that than get into a row with any of the nativeshere, " growled Shaddy. 

"Why, you said there were no Indians near. "

"Tchah! I mean the other natives--'sects and rept'les and what not. But there, if we put a rope to the end of that largest tree and anchorourselves yonder I don't suppose we shall hurt. Eh? All right, " hecried, in answer to a hint from the men; "supper's ready, gentlemen. "

"And so are we, " said Rob with alacrity; and he leaped off the gunwaleon to the tree trunk by whose side it was moored. 

To all appearance it was a solid-looking stem of tons in weight, butcovered with mosses, creepers, and orchids, which pretty well hid itsbark. 

Rob's intention was to run along it to the root end, which stood upclose to the fire; but, to his intense astonishment, he crashed throughwhat was a mere outer shell of bark into so much dust and touchwoodright up to the armpits, where he stuck, with a hedge of plantshalf-covering his face. 

Joe burst out into a fit of laughing, in which Rob joined as soon as thefirst startled sensation was over. 

"Who'd have thought of that?" he cried. "But, I say, I'm fast. Comeand lend me a hand. I thought it was a great solid trunk, and allinside here you can see it looks as if it were on fire. Oh! oh! Ah!Help!"

"What's the matter?" cried Brazier excitedly, as Shaddy and he steppedcautiously to the boy's side, Joe having already mounted on the treetrunk. "Not on fire, are you?"

"No, no, " gasped Rob in agonised tones; and, speaking in a frightenedwhisper, "There's something alive in here. "

"Nippers o' some kind, eh?"

"No, no, " cried Rob faintly; "I can feel it moving. Oh! help! It's asnake. "

As he spoke there was a curious scuffling noise inside, as if somethingwas struggling to extricate itself, and Shaddy lost no time. Bendingdown, he seized Rob by the chest under the armpits, stooped lower, gaveone heave, and lifted him right out; when, following close upon hislegs, the head of a great serpent was thrust up, to look threateninglyround for a moment. The next, the creature was gliding down through thedense coating of parasitical growth, and before gun could be fetchedfrom the cabin, or weapon raised, the rustling and movement on the sideof the trunk had ceased, and Joe in turn gave a bound to one side. 

"It's coming along by here, " he cried, as, in full belief that he wouldthe next moment be enveloped in the monster's coils, he made for thefire. 

"Where is it now?" cried Shaddy, knife in hand. 

"The grass is moving there, " said Brazier, pointing a little to theright, where the tree trunks cast a deep shadow. 

"Can't see--so plaguey dark, " growled the guide; "and it's no good if Icould. Yes, I can see the stuff moving now. He's making for the water. Now, sir, send a charge o' shot where the grass is waving. "

But before Brazier could get a sight of the reptile it had glided intothe river, down among the branches of the fallen tree, as if quite usedto the intricate tangle of pointed wood beneath the bank, and accustomedto use it for a home of refuge, or lurking place from which to strike atprey. 

"Did it seize you?" said Brazier excitedly. 

"No, I only felt it strike against my leg and then press it to the side. I think I trod upon it. "

"Made its home, I suppose, in the hollow tree. But you are sure you arenot hurt, my boy--only frightened?"

"I couldn't help being frightened, " said Rob, in rather an ill-usedtone. 

"Nobody says you could, " said Brazier, laughing. "Master Giovanni seemsto have been frightened too. Why, Rob, my lad, it would have almostfrightened me into fits: I have such a horror of serpents. There, Ibelieve after all these things are not so very dangerous. "

"Don't know so much about that, sir, " said Shaddy. "I've know'd 'emcoil round and squeeze a deer to death, and then swallow it. "

"Yes, a small deer perhaps; but the old travellers used to tell us aboutmighty boas and monstrous anacondas which could swallow buffaloes. "

"Ah! they don't grow so big as that now, sir. I've seen some pretty bigones, too, in my time, specially on the side of the river and up theAmazons. "

"Well, how big--how long have you ever seen one, Naylor?"

"Never see one a hundred foot long, " said Shaddy drily. 

"No, I suppose not. Come, what was the largest?"

"Largest I ever see, sir, was only the skin, as I telled Mr Rob about. Some half-caste chaps had got it pegged out, and I dessay skinning hadstretched it a bit. "

"Well, how long was that, Naylor?"

"That one was twenty-six foot long, sir, and nine foot across; and youmay take my word for it as a thing like that, all muscles like iron--saysix-and-twenty foot long and bigger round than a man--would be anawkward customer to tackle. Big enough for anything. "

"Quite, Naylor. "

"But how big was this one, do you think?" said Rob, who was getting overthe perturbation caused by his adventure. 

"Well, my lad, seeing what a bit of a squint I had of it, I should sayit were thirteen or fourteen foot--p'raps fifteen. "

"I thought it was nearer fifty, " said Rob. 

"Yes, you would then, my lad. But, never mind, it didn't seize you. Idessay you scared it as much as it did you. "

"You will not be able to eat any supper, Rob, I suppose?" said Brazierrather maliciously. 

Rob looked doubtful, but he smiled; and they went to the clearest placethey could find, but not without sundry misgivings, for another treesheltered them from the fire, which now sent forth a tremendous heat, and a cloud of golden sparks rose eddying and circling up to a densecloud of smoke which glowed as if red-hot where it reflected the flames. This huge trunk, like the one through which Rob had slipped, was coatedwith parasitical growth, and though apparently solid, might, for allthey knew, be hollow, and the nesting-place of half a dozen serpentslarger than the one they had seen. 

"Hadn't we better shift our quarters?" said Brazier. 

"Yes, do, " said Joe eagerly; "I hate snakes. "

"Nobody's going to jump through that tree and 'sturb 'em, so I don'ts'pose they'll 'sturb us. You see, they're a curious kind o' beast, which is all alive and twine for a day or two till they get a good meal, and then they go to sleep for a month before they're hungry again. It'swonderful how stupid and sleepy they are when they're like this. Ittakes some one to jump on 'em to rouse 'em up, like Mr Rob did. "

"Well, we must chance it, " said Brazier; and they seated themselves totheir _al fresco_ supper, over which Rob forgot his fright--his appetitereturning, and the novelty of the position making everything delightful, in spite of the discomfort of their seat. For all around was so new, and there was a creepy kind of pleasure in sitting there by thatcrackling fire eating the delicious, hot, juicy birds, and all the whilelistening to the weird chorus of the forest, now in full swing. 

Rob paused in the picking of a tasty leg, deliciously cooked, and sat ina very unpolished way listening to the curious cries, when, raising hiseyes, they encountered Brazier's, who was similarly occupied. 

"We've come to a wild enough place, Rob, my lad, " he said; "but I don'tthink we wish to change. "

"Oh! no, " said Rob, in a whisper. "One can't help being a bitfrightened sometimes, but it is grand even if we see nothing more. "

Shaddy uttered a low, jerky sound, which was meant for a laugh. 

"See nothing more, lad!" he cried. "Why, look here, you may go hundredsof miles to the south, the west and the north, and it's all savage landthat man has hardly ever crossed. Don't you think there's somethingmore to be seen there? Why, who knows but what we may come upon strangewild beasts such as nobody has ever set eyes on before, and--Why, what'sthe matter with our young skipper?"

Joe was opposite to him, staring wildly, his eyelids so drawn back thathe showed a circle of white around the irises, and his lips were apartfrom his teeth. 

"Why, what's the matter, lad? They haven't put any poison stuff in yourvictuals, have they?"

Joe made no reply, but sat staring wildly still, not at Shaddy, but inthe direction of the river beyond. 

"What's the matter, my lad?" said Brazier. 

"I know!" cried Shaddy; "where's your guns? It's them 'gators coming upout of the water, and it's what I expected. "

"No, no, " whispered the boy excitedly: "look lower!"

All followed his pointing finger, but for the moment they could seenothing, one of the men having thrown some fresh fuel upon the fire, which was emitting more smoke than blaze. 

"Hi! one of you!" cried Shaddy, "stir that fire. "

One of the men seized the end of a burning limb, shook it about alittle, and a roar of flame ascended skyward, lighting up the river andthe trees beyond, but above all, striking just upon the rotten trunkthrough which Rob fell. There they saw a something glistening andhorrible, as it swayed and undulated and rose and fell, with its neckall waves and its eyes sparkling in the golden blaze of the fire. Nowit sank down till it was almost hidden among the parasitic plants; nowit slowly rose, arching its neck, and apparently watching the party nearthe fire; while moment by moment its aspect was so menacing that Joethought it would launch itself upon them and seize one to appease itsrage. 

"It's--it's come back!" he whispered faintly. 

"Not it, " growled Shaddy; "this one's twice as big as t'other. It's itsfather or mother, p'r'aps. Better have a shot at it, sir. "

"Yes, " said Brazier, slowly raising his gun, "but this light is sodeceptive I am not at all sure that I can hit. "

"Oh, you'll hit him full enough, " said Shaddy. "You must hit it, sir. Why, if you missed, the beast would come down upon us as savage as atiger. Take a good, quiet aim down low so as to hit his neck, if youdon't his head. Are you cocked?"

"Tut! tut!" muttered Brazier, who in his excitement had forgotten thisnecessary preliminary, and making up for the omission. 

"Come, Mr Rob, sir, don't miss your chance of having a shot at a'conda. 'Tain't everybody who gets such a shot as that. "

Rob mechanically picked up his piece, examined the breech, and thenwaited for Mr Brazier to fire, feeling sure the while that if itdepended upon him the creature would go off scathless. 

"Now's your time, sir!" whispered Shaddy. "He is put out, and meansmischief. I'd let him have the small shot just beneath the jaws, if Icould. Wait a moment, till he's quiet. Rather too much waving abouthim yet. Look out, sir! he's getting ready to make a dart at us, I dobelieve!"

But still Brazier did not fire, for the peculiar undulatory motion keptup by the serpent, as seen by the light of the fire, was singularlydeceptive, and again and again the leader of the little expedition feltthat if he fired it would be to miss. 

Shaddy drew in a long breath, and gazed impatiently at Brazier, who wasonly moved by one idea--that of making a dead shot, to rid their littlecamp of a horrible-looking enemy. 

Then the chance seemed to be gone, for by one quick movement of thelithe body and neck the head dropped down amongst the plants whichclothed the tree trunk. 

"Gone!" gasped Rob, with a sigh of satisfaction. 

"Eyes right!" cried Shaddy; "he hasn't gone. He'll rise close insomewhere. Look out, gentlemen--look out!"

He was excited, and drew his knife, as if expecting danger. And it wasnot without cause, for almost directly after the keen steel blade hadflashed in the light of the fire, the hideous head of the serpent roseup not ten feet away, with its eyes glittering, the scales burnishedlike bright, many-shaded bronze, and the quick, forked tongue darting inand out from its formidable jaws. 

The head kept on rising till it was fully six feet above the growth, when it was rapidly drawn back, as if to be darted forward; but at thatmoment both Rob and Brazier fired together, and as the smoke clearedaway another cloud of something seemed to be playing about on theground, but a solid cloud, before which everything gave way, while somegreat flail-like object rapidly beat down plant and shrub. 

All shrank away, and, as if moved by one impulse, took refuge behind theroaring fire, feeling, as they did, that their dangerous visitor wouldnot attempt to pass that in making an attack upon those sheltered by somenacing an outwork. 

There was something terribly appalling in the struggles of the silentmonster, as it writhed and twisted itself into knots; then unfolded withthe rapidity of lightning, and waving its tail in the air, again beatdown the bushes and luxuriant growth around. 

That it was fearfully wounded was evident, for after a few moments allcould plainly see that it was actuated by a blind fury, and in its agonyvented its rage upon everything around. And as it continued itsstruggles, moment by moment it approached nearer to the blazing fire, till all stood waiting in horror for the moment when one of its foldswould touch the burning embers and the struggles come to a frightfulend. 

But all at once the writhings ceased, and the reptile lay undulating andheaving gently among the dense beaten-down growth. 

"Stop!" said Brazier sharply, as the guide moved; "what are you going todo?"

"Put him out of his misery, " replied Shaddy, quietly. "Hi! you there:give me the axe. "

"No, " said Brazier, firmly, "it is too risky a task; you shall notattempt it. "

Shaddy uttered a low growl, like some thwarted animal, and said, in anill-used tone, --

"Why, I could fetch his head off with one good chop, and--"

"Look, look!" cried Joe. "Mind! Take care!"

"Yes, " shouted Rob; "it's coming round this way. "

Neither could see the reptile; but the swaying herbage and the rustling, crackling sound showed that it was in rapid motion. 

"Nay, " growled Shaddy, "he ain't coming this way--onlyright-about-facing. It is his nature to; he's going to make for thewater. That's what those things do: get down to the bottom and liethere, to be out o' danger. Look, Mr Rob, sir; you can see now what alength he is. One part's going one way, and the t'other part t'otherway. Now he's turned the corner, and going straight for the river. "

With Shaddy's words to guide them, they could easily make out what wastaking place, as the reptile now made for the place of refuge alreadysought by its companion. 

Just then Brazier cocked his piece--_click, click_--and took a few stepsforward to try and get a sight of the creature before it reached theriver bank. 

"May as well save your shot, sir, " said Shaddy gruffly. "He's goinginto the water bleeding pretty free, I know; and there's them waitingbelow as will be at him as soon as they smell blood. "

"How horrible!" cried Rob. 

"Ay, 'tis, sir, or seems so to us; but it's nature's way of clearing offall the sickly and wounded things from the face of the earth. "

"But what will dare to attack such a terrible beast?"

Shaddy chuckled. 

"Anything--everything, sir; little and big. Why, them little piranifishes will be at him in thousands, and there's 'gators enough withinfifty yards to make a supper of him as if he was spitchcocked eel. Ah!there he goes--part of him's in the water already; but I should haveliked the master to have his skin. "

Invisible though the serpent was, its course was evident by the rustlingand movement of the growth, and some idea too was gained of thereptile's length. 

"There! what did I say?" shouted Shaddy excitedly, as all at once therewas the sound of splashing and agitation in the water down beneath thesubmerged trees; and directly after the serpent's tail rose above thetrunk of one of those lying prone, and gleamed and glistened in theblaze as it undulated and bent and twined about. Then it fell with asplash, and beat the water, rose again quivering seven or eight feet inthe air, while the water all around seemed terribly agitated. There wasa snapping sound, too, horribly ominous in its nature, and the rushingand splashing went on as the tail of the serpent fell suddenly, roseonce more as if the rest of the long lithe body were held below, andfinally disappeared, while the splashing continued for a few minuteslonger before all was silent. 

Rob drew a long breath, and Joe shuddered. 

"Well, " said Shaddy quietly, "that's just how you take it, younggentlemen. Seems so horrible because it was a big serpent. If it hadbeen a worm six inches long you wouldn't have thought anything of it. Look at my four chaps there: they don't take any notice--don't seemhorrid to them. You'll get used to it. "

"Impossible!" said Brazier. 

"Oh! I don't know, sir, " continued Shaddy. "You've come out where youwanted to, in the wildest wilds, where the beasts have it all their ownway, and they do as they always do, go on eating one another up. Why, I've noticed that it isn't only the birds, beasts, and fishes, but eventhe trees out here in the forest do just the same. "

"Nonsense!" cried Rob merrily. "Eat one another?"

"Yes, sir; that's it, rum as it sounds to you. I'll tell you how it is. A great ball full of nuts tumbles down from one of the top branches ofa tree, when it's ripe, bang on to the hard ground, splits, and the nutsfly out all round, right amongst the plants and rotten leaves. After abit the nuts begin to swell; then a shoot comes out, and another out ofit. Then one shoot goes down into the ground to make roots, and theother goes up to make a tree. They're all doing the same thing, but oneof 'em happens to have fallen in the place where there's the best soil, and he grows bigger and stronger than the others, and soon begins tosmother them by pushing his branches and leaves over them. Then theyget spindly and weak, and worse and worse, because the big one shoveshis roots among them too; and at last they wither and droop, and die, and rot, and the big strong one regularly eats up with his roots all thestuff of which they were made; and in a few years, instead of therebeing thirty or forty young trees, there's only one, and it gets big. "

"Why, Naylor, you are quite a philosopher!" said Brazier, smiling. 

"Am I, sir? Didn't know it; but a man like me couldn't be out in thewoods always without seeing that. Why, you'd think, with such thousandsof trees always falling and rotting away, that the ground would be feetdeep in leaf mould and decayed wood; but if you go right in the forestyou'll find how the roots eat it up as fast as it's made. "

"But what about these big trunks?" said Joe, pointing to the fallentrees. 

"Them? Well, they're going into earth as fast as they can, and in a fewyears there'll be nothing of 'em left. Why, look at that one; it's asif it were burning away now, " he continued, pointing to the hole throughwhich Rob had fallen: "that's nature at work making the tree, now it'sdead, turn into useful stuff for the others to feed on. "

"Yes, " said Brazier, as he broke out a piece of the luminous touchwood, which gleamed in the darkness when it was screened from the fire:"that's a kind of phosphoric fungus, boys. "

"Looks as if it would burn one's fingers, " said Joe, handling thebeautiful piece of rotten, glowing wood. 

"Yes; and so do other things out here, " said Shaddy. "There's plenty ofwhat I call cold fire; but you'll soon see enough of that. "

Shaddy ceased speaking, for at that moment a strange, thrilling soundcame from the depths of the forest, not more, apparently, than a hundredyards away. 

Its effect was electrical. 

The half-bred natives who formed Shaddy's crew of boatmen had watchedthe encounters with the two serpents in the most unconcerned way, whilethe weird chorus of sounds from the depths of the forest, with yells, howls, and cries of dangerous beasts, was so much a matter of coursethat they did not turn their heads even at the nearest roar, trusting, as they did, implicitly in the security afforded them by the fire. Butnow, as this strange sound rang out, silencing the chorus of cries, theyleaped up as one man, and made for the boat, hauling on the rope andscrambling in as fast as possible. 

Rob's first impulse was to follow suit, especially as Giovanni took afew hurried steps, and tripping over a little bush, fell headlong. Butseeing that Shaddy stood fast, and that Brazier cocked his piece, hestopped where he was, though his heart throbbed heavily, and his breathcame as if there were some strange oppression at his chest. 

"What's that?" whispered Brazier, as the thrilling sound died away, leaving the impression behind that some huge creature must beapproaching in a threatening manner, for a curious rustling followed thecry. 

"Well, sir, " said Shaddy, taking off his cap, and giving his head a rubas if to brighten his brain, "that's what I want to know. "

"You don't know?"

"No, sir, " said the man, coolly; "I know pretty well every noise as isto be heard out here but that one, and it downright puzzles me. Firsttime I heard it I was sitting by my fire cooking my dinner--a fat, youngturkey I'd shot--and I ups and runs as hard as ever I could, and did notstop till I could go no further. Ah! I rec'lect it now, how hungry andfaint I was, for I dursen't go back, and I dessay whatever the beast waswho made that row ate my turkey. Nex' time I heard it I didn't run. Iwas cooking ducks then, and I says to myself, `I'll take the ducks, ' andI did, and walked off as fast as I could to my boat. "

"And you did not see it?"

"No, sir. P'r'aps we shall this time; I hope so, for I want to know. Third time never fails, so if you don't mind we'll all be ready with ourguns and wait for him. May be something interesting to a nat'ralhist'ry gent like you, and we may get his head and skin for you to takehome to the Bri'sh Museum. What do you say?"

"Well, " said Brazier, drily, "self-preservation's the first law ofnature. I do not want to show the white feather, but really I think wehad better do as the men have done--get on board and wait for our enemythere. What do you say, lads!"

"Decidedly, yes, " cried both eagerly. 

"But we don't know as it is our enemy yet, sir, " replied Shaddy, thoughtfully. "Hah! hark at that!"

They needed no telling, for all shivered slightly, as another cry, verydifferent from the last, rang out from the forest--half roar, half howl, of a most appalling nature. 

"Here, let's get on board, " said Brazier. 

"Not for that, sir, " cried Shaddy, with one of his curiously harshlaughs. "Why, that's only one of them big howling monkeys who would gooff among the branches twisting his tail, and scared 'most into fits, ifyou looked at him. "

"A monkey!" cried Rob. "Are you sure?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sure enough 'bout that, gentlemen. It's the other thingthat puzzles me. "

They ceased speaking and stood watchfully waiting; but after aretrograde movement toward the boat, so as to be able to retreat at anymoment. The cry was not repeated, though, and the feeling of awe beganto die off, but only to return on Shaddy continuing, --

"There's a something there, or else that there howler wouldn't havehollered once and then gone off. The lions and tigers, too, haveslinked away. That's a lion--puma you call him--ever so far off; and, Ican hear a couple of tigers quite faint-like; but all the things nearhere have stopped calling, and that shows there's that thing prowlingabout. "

"But the men?" whispered Rob. "They ran away as if they knew what itwas. "

"Tchah! They don't know. Their heads are full of bogies. Soon as theyhear a noise, and can't tell what it is, they say it's an evil spirit ora goblin or ghost. Babies they are. Why, if I was to go near a lot ofnatives in the dark, hide myself, and let go with Scotch bagpipes, they'd run for miles and never come nigh that part of the forest again. "

All at once the chorus in the forest was resumed, with so much forcethat it sounded as if the various creatures had been holding theirnoises back and were now trying hard to make up for the previous check. 

That was Rob's opinion, and he gave it in a whisper to his companion. 

"Then, it's gone, " said Joe. "I say, didn't you feel scared?"

"Horribly. "

"Then I'm not such a coward after all. I felt as if I must run. "

"So you did when the serpent came. "

"Well, isn't it enough to make one? You English fellows have the creditof being so brave that you will face anything without being frightened;but I believe you are frightened all the same. "

"Of course we are, " said Rob, "only Englishmen will never own they arefrightened, even to themselves, and that's why they face anything. "

"Then you are not an Englishman?" said Joe. 

"No, only an English boy, " said Rob, laughing. "I say, though, nevermind about bragging. I'm precious glad, whatever it was, that it hasgone. "

"I remember, now, my father telling me about his hearing some horriblenoise in the Grand Chaco one night when the schooner was at anchor closein shore. He said it gave him quite a chill; but I didn't take any morenotice of it then. It must have been one of those things. "

"No doubt, " said Brazier, who had overheard his words; "but there, ouradventure is over for this time, and it will be something to think aboutin the future. "

"Perhaps we shall see it yet, " said Rob. 

"I hope not, " cried Joe uneasily. 

"Gone, Naylor?" continued Brazier. 

"Yes, sir, I think so. "

"Good job too. Why, Naylor, my man, I never thought you were going tobring us to such a savage, dangerous place as this. "

"What? Come, sir, I like that! Says to me, you did, `I want you toguide me to some part of the country where I can enter the primeforest. '"

"Primeval, " said Brazier, correctively. 

"That's right, sir. `Where, ' you says, `the foot of man has never trod, and I may see Natur' just as she is, untouched, unaltered by any one. Do you know such a place?' Them was your very words, and Master Robheered you. "

"Quite true, my man. "

"And I says to you, `I knows the spot as'll just suit you. Trust tome, ' I says, `and I'll take you there, where you may see birds, beasts, and fishes, and as many o' them flowers'--orkards you called 'em--`asgrows on trees, as you like;' and now here you are, sir, and yougrumble. "

"Not a bit, Naylor. "

"But, begging your pardon, sir, you do; and I appeals to Master Robwhether I arn't done my dooty. "

"No need to appeal to Rob, Naylor, for I do not grumble. You have donesplendidly for me. Why, man, I am delighted; but you must not besurprised at my feeling startled when anacondas come to supper, and weare frightened out of our wits by cries that impress even you. "

"Then you are satisfied, sir?"

"More than satisfied. "

"And you don't want to go back?"

"Of course not. What do you say, Rob? Shall we return?"

"Oh no--not on any account; only let's keep more in the boat. "

"Yes, I think we are safer there, " said Brazier. "But our friend, orenemy, seems to have gone. "

"Wait a bit, sir, " replied Shaddy; "and glad I am that you're satisfied. Let me listen awhile. "

They were silent, and stood listening as well, and watching the weirdeffects produced by the fire, as from time to time one of the pieces ofwood which the men had planted round the blaze in the shape of a conefell in, sending up a whirl of flame and glittering sparks high in air, lighting up the trees and making them seem to wave with the dancingflames. The wall of forest across the river, too, appeared to bepeopled with strange shadows, and the effect was more strange as thefire approached nearer to the huge butt of the largest tree, throwing upits jagged roots against the dazzling light, so that it was as if somany gigantic stag-horns had been planted at a furnace mouth. 

And all the while the fiddling, piping, strumming and hooting, withscreech, yell and howl, went on in the curious chorus, for they wereindeed deep now in one of Nature's fastnesses, where the teeming lifehad remained untouched by man. 

"Well, " said Brazier at last to the guide, whose figure, seen by thelight of the fire, looked as wild as the surroundings, "had we notbetter get on board? You can hear nothing through that din. "

"Oh yes, I can, sir, " replied Shaddy. "I've got so used to it o' nightsthat I can pick out any sound I like from the rest. But we may as wellturn in. The fire will burn till morning, and even if it wouldn't, those chaps of mine wouldn't go ashore again to-night; and I certainlydon't feel disposed to go and mend the fire myself, for fear of gettingsomething on my shoulder I don't understand. "

"It has gone, though, " said Brazier. 

"Something moving there, " whispered Rob, pointing to the gilded mass offoliage beyond and to the left of the fire. 

"Eh! where?" cried Shaddy. "Nay, only the fire making it look as if thetrees were waving. Nothing there, my lad. Whatever it is, it hasslinked off into the forest again. The fire drew it this way, Isuppose. There, we've heard the last of him for to-night. Sings wellwhen he do oblige. "

"I should have liked to hear the cry once more, though, " said Brazier;and as the words left his lips the horrible noise rang out, apparentlyfrom behind the fire, and without hesitation the little party hurried onboard the boat. 

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

SHADDY'S REMORSE. 

That last movement was not performed without difficulty, for at thisfresh alarm, urged by a desire for self-preservation, the men had thrustthe boat away from the bank, and were actually in the act of unfasteningthe mooring rope, when Rob shouted to Shaddy. 

"What!" he roared, running to the other end where it was fast to abranch, and then yelling out such a furious tirade of words in their owntongue that the men shrank back, and the boat was drawn close in amongthe boughs that were worn sharp by the action of the stream. 

"Lucky for them, " growled Shaddy, as he held the boat's gunwale for theothers to get on board, while the singular silence which had followedthe first cry of the beast was again maintained. "I never did break aman's neck yet, Master Rob, " he whispered, as they took their places onboard, "and I never mean to if I can help it; but if those fellows hadrun off and left us in the lurch I'd have gone as far as I could withoutdoing it quite. "

"First catch your hare, " whispered back Rob, who felt better now he wassafe on board, with the boat gliding outward to the full length of themooring line. 

"Eh! what hare? No hares about here, " said Shaddy. 

"I mean, how would you have managed to punish the men if they had goneoff and left us here?"

"I never thought of that, " said Shaddy, shaking his head; and then theyall sat in the boat listening, and thinking that it was a good thingthey had had enough supper before the interruption. 

There was no fresh alarm for awhile. The birds, insects, quadrupeds, and reptiles resumed their performances, the boatmen settled down tosleep, and at last, after watching the fire sinking, rising up as somepiece of wood fell in, and then blazing brightly just beyond the greatroot, the hole from which this had been wrenched having been selected bythe crew of the boat as an excellent place for cooking, Rob suddenlyfell asleep, to dream of huge boa constrictors and anacondas twistingthemselves up into knots which they could not untie. 

It only seemed to be a few minutes since Rob had lain down, when heawoke with a start to gaze about him, wondering where he was and why theawning looked so light. Then coming to the conclusion that it wassunrise, and being still weary and drowsy, he was about to close hiseyes again and follow the example of those about him, when he becameconscious of a peculiar odour and a choking smell of burning. 

This completely aroused him, and hurriedly creeping from beneath theawning without awakening his companions, he found that the boatmen andShaddy were fast asleep and a line of fire was rapidly approaching themfrom the shore; not with any rush of flame, but in a curious sputtering, smouldering way, as the touchwood of which the huge trunk, to which theywere tethered, was composed rapidly burned away. 

It was all plain enough: the root had caught fire at last from theintense heat so near and gradually started the rest, so that as Robgazed shoreward there was a dull incandescent trunk where the previousnight there had been one long line of beautiful orchids and epiphyticplants. 

But there was no time to waste. Waking Shaddy with a sharp slap on theshoulder, that worthy started up, saw the mischief pointed out, andshouting, "Only shut my eye because the fire made it ache, " he took up aboat-hook, went right forward, trampling on the boatmen in hiseagerness, and, hauling on the line, drew the boat close up to theglowing trunk, hitching on to one of the neighbouring branches. It wasonly just in time, for the rope gave way, burned through as he got hold, and the smouldering end dropped into the water, giving a hiss like aserpent as the glowing end was quenched. 

Brazier and Giovanni were aroused before this, and were fully alive tothe peril which had been averted by Rob's opportune awakening. 

"Why, " cried Brazier, "we should have been drifting down the stream, andbeen carried miles, and in all probability capsized. "

Shaddy made no reply for the moment, but busied himself in altering theposition of the boat before letting go, and then hooking the bough ofanother of the trees, one which did not communicate with the fire, andto this he made fast before rising up in the boat, taking off his cap, and dashing it down. 

"Yes, " he said harshly, "right, sir. We should have been carried rightdown the stream--Be off, you brute!"

This was to an alligator which was approaching the boat with theprotuberances above its eyes just visible, and as he uttered theadjuration he made a stroke with the hitcher harpoon fashion, struck thereptile full on its tough hide, and there was a swirl, a rush, and atremendous splash of water full in Shaddy's face as the creature struckthe surface with its tail and then disappeared. 

"Thank ye, " growled Shaddy, wiping his face; "but you got the worst ofit, mate. As aforesaid, maybe, Mr Brazier, sir, we should ha' beencarried right down the stream, and run on a sharp root or trunk as wouldha' drove a hole through the boat or capsized us, and there'd ha' beenthe end. "

"What could you have been thinking of, Naylor?" cried Brazier angrily;while Rob looked pityingly and feeling sorry for the staunch, brave man, who stood there abashed by his position. 

"Warn't thinking at all, sir, " he growled. "Only ought to ha' been. There, don't make it worse, sir, by bullying me. You trusted me, and Ithought I was fit to trust, but there's the vanity o' man's natur'. Iarn't fit to trust, so I'd take it kindly if you'd knock me overboard;but you'd better knock my stoopid head off first to save pain. "

This was all spoken with the most utter seriousness, and as Shaddyfinished he slowly laid down the boat-hook and looked full in Brazier'seyes, with the result that Rob burst into a roar of laughter. Joefollowed suit, and after an attempt to master himself and frown Brazierjoined in, the mirth increasing as Shaddy said sternly, --

"Oh, it arn't nothing to laugh at! If Master Rob there hadn't woke upbefore morning, the 'gators and pirani, without counting the othercritters, would have been having a treat. I tell you I'm ashamed ofmyself, and the sooner an end's made of me the better. Why, you oughtto do it, sir, in self-defence. "

"How near are we to morning?" said Brazier. 

"'Tis morning now, sir. Sun'll be up in less an half an hour. No dawnhere. "

"Then we had better have breakfast at once, and start, for this isanything but a pleasant spot. "

"Ain't you going to knock me overboard, sir?" said Shaddy. 

"No. "

"Well, ain't you going to knock me down?"

"No; I'm not going to knock you down either, my good fellow. You'vemade a mistake. Over-tired, I suppose, and you dropped asleep. It wasterribly neglectful of you, but I hope and trust that such an error maynot be made again. "

"What?"

"Surely I need not repeat my words. You were overcome by fatigue andslept. I ask you for all our sakes to be more careful in the future. "

"Here, I say, Master Rob, " cried Shaddy huskily, and he gave his eyes arub, "am I still asleep?"

"No, Shaddy, wide awake, and listening to Mr Brazier. "

"Well, then, it's a rum 'un. But, I say, look here, sir; you're nevergoing to trust me again?"

"I am going to treat you with full confidence, just as I trusted youbefore, Naylor, " replied Brazier. 

"Master Rob's asleep too, " growled the man. "It can't be true. Here, Isay, Mr Jovanny, give a look at me and tell me, am I awake or no?"

"Awake, of course, " said Joe. 

"Then all I can say is, Mr Brazier, sir, " said the guide, "you've mademe ten times more ashamed of myself than I was before, and that hurt Ican't bear it like. "

"Say no more about it, man, " said Brazier. "There, it's all over now. Let's have breakfast, and then start for a long day's collecting. "

"Not say no more about it?" cried Shaddy. 

"Not a word. It is all past and forgotten. "

"Can't be, " growled Shaddy. 

"It shall be, " said Brazier, turning to get his gun from under thecanvas cabin. 

"One moment--look here, sir, " said Shaddy; "do you mean to say that youforgive me?"

"Yes, of course. "

"And I am not to say another word?"

"No. "

"Then I'll think, " said Shaddy, "and punish myself that way, Master Rob. I'll always think about it at night when I'm on the watch. It ain'tlikely that I shall ever go to sleep again on dooty with idees like thaton my brain. "

"No more talking; breakfast at once, " cried Brazier, issuing from thecabin. 

"Right, sir, " said Shaddy, working the boat in close to the bank. "Quick, my lads, and get that fire well alight. "

The men were set ashore just as the sun rose and flooded everything withlight, while a quarter of an hour later, as Brazier was patientlywatching one of the tunnel-like openings opposite in the hope of seeinga deer come down to drink and make them a good meal or two for a coupleof days, Shaddy drew Rob's attention to the black-looking forms ofseveral alligators floating about a few feet below. 

"The brutes!" said the lad. "Just like efts in an aquarium at home. "

"Only a little bigger, my lad. I say, there he is--one of 'em. "

He pointed down through the clear water, illumined now by the sun sothat the bottom was visible, and there coiled-up and apparently asleeplay either the anaconda of the previous night or one of its relatives, perfectly motionless and heedless of the boat, which floated like ablack shadow over its head. 

"Might kill it if we had what sailors call the grains to harpoon himwith, " said Shaddy; "but I don't know, he'd be an ugly customer totackle. I say, look out, sir, " he whispered, "yonder across the river. "

Brazier glanced a little to his left, and directly after his piece rangout with a loud report and a deer fell dead--not having moved an inch, when the boat was with difficulty rowed across, and the welcome additionto their larder secured amidst the chattering of monkeys and thescreaming of great macaws. 

An hour later breakfast was at an end, the boat loosened from themoorings where the anaconda still lay asleep in ten feet of water, andthey glided down the stream to commence another adventurous day, amidstscenery which grew more wondrously beautiful with every mile. 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 

THE LILY LAGOON. 

"Like it, gentlemen? That's right. On'y you are sure--quite sure?"

"Oh yes, we're sure enough!" replied Rob, as he watched the endlessscenes of beautiful objects they passed. "It's glorious. "

"Don't find it too hot, I s'pose, sir?"

"Oh, it's hot enough, " interposed Giovanni; "but we don't mind, do we, Rob?"

"Not a bit. What fruit's that?"

"Which?" said Shaddy. 

"That, on that tree, high up, swinging in the wind--the dark brownthing, like a great nut with a long stalk. "

He pointed to the object which had taken his attention. 

"G'long with yer, " growled Shaddy. "I thought you was in arnest. "

"So I am, " cried Rob, looking at the man wonderingly. "I mean that one. It isn't a cocoa-nut, because the tree is different, and I know thatcocoanuts grow on a kind of palm. "

"And that kind o' nut don't, eh?" said Shaddy, puckering his face. "Whyyou are laughing at me. "

"Nonsense! I am not!" cried Rob. "You don't see the fruit I mean. There, on that tallest tree with the great branch sticking out andhanging over the others. There now! can you see?"

"No, " said Shaddy grimly; "it's gone. "

"Yes; how curious that it should drop just at that moment. I saw it godown among the trees. You did see it?"

"Oh yes. I see it plain enough. "

"And you don't know what fruit it was?"

"Warn't a fruit at all, sir. "

"What then? some kind of nut?"

"No, sir; warn't nut at all. It was a nut-cracker. "

Rob looked at him seriously. 

"Who's joking now?" he said. 

"Not me, sir, " replied Shaddy. "That was a nut-cracker sure enough. "

"Is that the native name?"

Joe burst into a roar of laughter, and Rob coloured, for there was afeeling of annoyance rising within him at being the butt of the others'mirth. 

"Have I said something very stupid?" he asked. 

"Why, couldn't you see?" cried Joe eagerly. "It was a monkey. "

"I did not see any monkey, " said Rob coldly. "I was talking about thatgreat brown husky-looking fruit, like a cocoa-nut hanging by a longstalk in that tree. Look! there are two more lower down!" he criedeagerly, as the boat glided round a bend into a long reach, two of themen being at the oars backing water a little from time to time with agentle dip, so as to keep the boat's head straight and check her toenable Brazier to scan the banks through the little binocular glass hecarried, and be rowed close in when he wished to obtain specimens. 

"Yes: there's two more lower down, " said Shaddy, with his face puckeredup like the shell of a walnut, and then Rob's mouth expanded into a grinas wide as that of Joe's, and he laughed heartily. 

"Well, " he cried, "that is comic, and no mistake. I really thought itwas some kind of fruit. It _was_ a monkey. "

"You ain't the first as made that mistake, Mr Rob, sir, " said Shaddy. "You see, they just take a turn with their tails round a branch, drawstheir legs up close, and cuddles them with their long arms round 'em, and then they looks just like the hucks of a cocoa-nut. "

"Like the what?" cried Rob. 

"Hucks of a cocoa-nut. "

"Oh--husk. "

"You may call it `husk' if you like, sir: I calls it `hucks. ' Then theyhangs head downwards, and goes to sleep like that, I believe. Wonderfulthing a monkey's tail is. Why I've seen the young ones hold on to theirmother by giving it a turn round the old girl's neck. They're all likethat out here. Ring-tail monkeys we call 'em. "

While they were talking the last two monkeys had swung themselves to andfro, and then lowered themselves down among the branches to get close tothe river and watch the boat, like a couple of tiny savages strickenwith wonder at the coming of the strange white men, and chattering awayto each other their comments on all they saw. 

The progress made was very slow, for the boat was constantly beinganchored, so to speak, by the men rowing in and holding on by thehanging boughs of trees, while Brazier cut and hacked off bulb andblossom in what, with glowing face, he declared to be a perfectnaturalist's paradise. 

They had been floating down a few miles when, right ahead, the streamseemed to end, the way being blocked entirely by huge trees, and as theydrew nearer there appeared to be a repetition of the entrance from thegreat river, where they passed along through the dark tunnel overhung bytrees. 

"Oh, it's all right, sir, " said Shaddy, on being appealed to. "Dessaywe shall find a way on. "

"Of course, " replied Brazier, who only had eyes for the plants he wascollecting and hardly looked up; "this great body of water must gosomewhere. "

"Look sharp round to the left!" cried Rob, standing up in the boat asthey glided round a bend where the stream nearly turned upon itself andthen back again, forming a complete S; and as they moved round thesecond bend Rob uttered a shout of delight, for the banks receded oneither hand, so that they appeared to have glided into a wide openingabout a mile long, floored with dark green dotted with silver, throughwhich in a sinuous manner the river wound. A minute later, though, thetwo lads saw that the river really expanded into a lake, the stream inits rapid course keeping a passage open, the rest of the water beingdensely covered with the huge, circular leaves of a gigantic water-lily, whose silvery blossoms peered up among the dark green leaves. 

"Look at the jacanas!" cried Joe, pointing to a number ofsingular-looking birds like long-necked and legged moorhens, butprovided with exaggerated toes, these being of such a length that theyeasily supported their owners as they walked about or ran on thefloating leaves. 

"Wouldn't be a bad place for a camp, sir, " suggested Shaddy, when theywere about half-way along the lake, and he pointed to a spot on theirleft where the trees stood back, leaving a grassy expanse not unlike theone at which they had first halted, only of far greater extent. 

"Yes, excellent, " replied Brazier; "but can we get there?"

"Oh yes, sir; I'll soon make a way through the leaves. "

Shaddy seized a pole, said a few words to his men, and stepped right tothe front of the boat, where he stood thrusting back the vegetation asit collected about the bows, while the men rowed hard forcing the boatonward, the huge leaves being sent to right and left and others passingright under the keel, but all floating back to their former positions, so that as Rob looked back the jacanas were again running over thevegetation which had re-covered the little channel the boat had made. 

In all probability a vessel had never entered that lake before, and itcaused so little alarm that great fish, which had been shelteringthemselves beneath the dark green disk-like leaves, lazily issued fromtheir lurking places to stare so stupidly, often even with their backfins out of water, that the boys had no difficulty in startling a few ofthem into a knowledge of their danger by gently placing a hand under andhoisting them suddenly into the boat, where they displayed their alarmby leaping vigorously and beating the fragile bottom with their tails. 

"Better hold hard, young gentlemen!" cried Shaddy, as soon as half adozen were caught; "them fish won't keep, and we can easily catch more. Ah! Why, Mr Joe, sir, I did think you knowed better. "

This was to Joe, who had leaned over as far as he could to try andperform the same feat upon a long dark object floating half hidden by aleaf, but was met by a quick rush and a shower of water as the creaturetwisted itself round and dived down. 

"It was only a little one, Shaddy, " said Joe. 

"Little dogs have sharp teeth, my lad; and them small 'gators can bitelike fury. You take my advice, and don't do it again. "

"Hah!" cried Brazier as he leaped ashore, "this is glorious. We canmake quite a collection here. See that the boat is fast, Naylor. "

This was soon done, and the men were about to light a fire, but Brazierchecked them, preferring to make a little expedition for explorationpurposes all about their new camping place, partly to see if there werenoxious beasts at hand, partly to try and secure a few natural historyspecimens, especially birds, which abounded, before the noise and thefire should drive them away. 

"Hand out the guns and cartridge bags, " said Brazier; and this beingdone the men were left in charge of the boat, and the little partystarted, keeping close up to the trees on their left with the intentionof going all round the opening and so returning by the right side to theboat. 

The walking was hard, for the earth was tangled with dense growth sothat they progressed very slowly, while the heat was intense; but thatpassed unnoticed in the excitement caused by the novel objects which mettheir eyes at every step--flowers, such as Rob had never before seen, looking up as if asking to be plucked; butterflies which flapped aboutso lazily that they could, he felt, easily be caught, only without netor appliances it seemed wanton destruction to capture and mutilate suchgorgeously painted objects. There were others too, resembling thehawk-moths in shape, with thick body and long pointed wing, which wereconstantly being taken for humming-birds, so rapid was their dartingflight. As for these latter, they flashed about them here, there, andeverywhere, now glittering in the sunshine, now looking dull andplum-coloured as they hovered on hazy wings before the long trumpetblossoms of some convolvulus-like flower whose twiny stems trailed overor wrapped the lower growth. 

Beetles, too, were abundant in every sun-scorched spot or on the baretrunks of the trees, though bare places were rare, for the trees wereclothed densely with moss and orchid. 

Rob's fingers itched as bird after bird flew up, and he longed to bringthem down for specimens, whose brilliant colours he could gloat over. Now it was a huge scarlet-and-blue macaw, now one painted by Nature'shand scarlet, yellow, and green, which flew off with its long tailfeathers spread, uttering discordant shrieks, and startling the smallerparrots from the trees which they were stripping of their fruit. 

But Brazier had told him not to fire at the smaller birds, as it was anecessity to keep their larder supplied with substantial food, the fourboatmen and Shaddy being pretty good trencher-men, and making the deermeat disappear even without the aid of trenchers. 

"We ought to find a deer here surely, " said Brazier, when they wereabout half-way round. 

"Well, I don't know, sir, " replied their guide; "deer ain't like humanbeings, ready to go walking in the hot sunshine in the middle of theday. They like to lie up in the shade all through the sunny time, andfeed in the morning and evening. "

"Then you think we shall not see a deer?"

"Can't say, sir; but if a turkey goes up I should make sure of him atonce. So I should if we came upon a carpincho, for this is a likelyplace for one of them. "

"But are they good eating?"

"Capital, sir. Now, look at that. "

He faced round at a loud, fluttering sound, and guns were raised, butthe great bird which had taken flight was far out of shot, and wingingits way higher and higher, so as to fly over the tops of the trees andaway into the forest. 

"Fine great turkey that, sir, " said Shaddy. 

"Yes: can we follow it?"

Shaddy shook his head. 

"Far more sensible for us to walk straight away, sir, through the openwhere that turkey got up: we might start another or two. "

"But the going is so laborious, " pleaded Brazier; "some of us would behaving sunstroke. No, let's keep on, we may put up something yet. "

"And try for the turkeys toward sundown, sir?"

"Yes. Come on, " said Brazier; "we had better get slowly back now to theboat. It is too hot. "

He stood wiping the perspiration from his forehead as he spoke, andthen, with Shaddy by his side carrying a spare gun, went on along by theedge of the forest, Rob and Joe following some distance behind. 

"I might as well have shot some of those beautiful toucans, " said Rob;"I could have skinned them, and they would be delightful to bring out athome and show people, and remind one of this place in years to come. "

"Yes, we shouldn't have scared away much game, " replied Joe. "What'sthat they can see?"

For Shaddy was holding up his hand to stop them, and Brazier, who hadforgotten all about being languid and weary in the hot sunshine, washurrying forward bending down and making for one of several clumps ofbushes about half-way between them and the river. 

Rob noted that clump particularly, for it was scarlet with the blossomsof a magnificent passion-flower, whose steins trailed all over it, tangling it into a mass of flame colour, looking hot in the sunshine, which made the air quiver as if in motion. 

The lads stopped at Shaddy's signal and looked intently, but they couldsee no sign of any game, and, rightly concluding that the object ofBrazier's movement must be hidden from them at the edge of the forest, they crouched down and waited for fully five minutes. 

"Here, I'm sick of this, " whispered Rob at last; and he rose from hisuncomfortable position. 

"So am I, " said Joe, straightening himself. "Hullo! Where's oldShaddy?"

"Lying down and having a nap, I expect, " replied Rob. "I can't see himnor Mr Brazier neither. Shall we go on. "

"No: let's wait a bit. They may be seeing a chance for something goodat supper-time. "

They waited another five minutes, ten minutes, and had at lastdetermined to go on, when Brazier's piece was heard, the sharp reportcoming from about three hundred yards farther on toward the river. 

"There's Shaddy running, " cried Joe; and they saw now where he had beencrawling, far beyond the scarlet passion-flower, from whose shelter MrBrazier had evidently made a long stalk till he was close to the objectof his search, a bird or animal, which had probably fallen, from thehaste being made to reach the spot. 

"Let's make haste, " cried Joe, pushing forward. 

"No, thank you; I'm too tired, " said Rob. "I was not so fagged before, but after lying down there so long I'm as stiff as can be. Oh, bother!something stung me. It's one of those ants. Brush them off. "

Joe performed the kindly duty, and they were on the way to join theothers, when there was a rustling sound just in front, and the youngItalian started back. 

"A snake--a snake!" he panted, as he caught Rob's arm. "Shoot!"

"Well, you shoot too, " said the latter rather sharply, for Joe seemed tohave forgotten that he had a gun in his hand. 

But Rob could not boast, for as the dry grass and scrubby growth infront moved he raised his piece, and drew first one trigger, then theother: there was no result--he had forgotten to cock. 

Lowering the gun he rapidly performed this necessary operation, and wasabout to raise it again and wait, for in the hurry and excitement he hadbeen about to obey his companion and deliver a chance shot almost atrandom amongst the moving grass--so great was the horror inspired by thevery name of one of the reptiles which haunted the moist swamps near theriverside. 

But, to the surprise of both, it was no huge anaconda which had beenworming its way toward them; for at the sound of the lock--_click_, click--a beautiful warm-grey creature bounded lithely out almost towhere they stood, and there paused, watching them and waving its longblack tail. 

"A lion, " whispered Joe, who remained as if paralysed by the suddenbound of the cat-like creature, which stood as high as a mastiff dog, but beautifully soft-looking and rounded in its form, its ears erect, eyes dilated, and motionless, all but that long writhing tail. 

In those few moments Rob's powers of observation seemed as if they wereabnormally sharpened, and as he noted the soft hairs toward the end ofthe tail erected and then laid down, and again erected, making it lookthick and soft, he noted too that the muzzle was furnished with longcat-like whiskers, and the head was round, soft, and anything but crueland fierce of aspect. 

"Shoot--shoot!" whispered Joe: "the ball--not the small shot. "

But Rob did not stir; he merely stood with the muzzle of the gunpresented toward the beast, and did not raise it to his shoulder. Notthat he was stupefied by the peril of his position, but held back by thenon-menacing aspect of the puma. Had there been a display of its fangsor an attempt to crouch for a spring, the gun would have been at hisshoulder in a moment, and, hit or miss, he would have drawn the trigger. 

"Why don't you shoot?" whispered Joe again. 

"I can't, " replied Rob. "It must be a tame one. "

"Nonsense! You're mad. We're right away in the wilds. "

"I don't care where we are, " said Rob, who was growing cool andconfident; "this must be a tame one. I shall go forward. "

"No, no--don't! He'll claw you down. "

"He'd better not. I've got my finger on the trigger. Here! Hallo, oldchap! puss! puss! whose cat are you?"

"He's mad, " whispered Joe as Rob advanced, and the puma stood firmwatching him, till they were so close together that, in full confidencethat they had met with a tame beast, the property of some settler orIndian, he laid his gun in the hollow of his left arm, and stretched outhis right hand. 

The puma winced slightly, and its eyes grew more dilate; but, as Robstood still, the wild look passed slowly away, and it remainedmotionless. 

"Don't! pray don't!" cried Joe in a hoarse whisper; "it will seize yourhand in its jaws. "

"Nonsense! It's as tame as an old tom-cat, " said Rob coolly. "Poor oldpuss, then!" he continued, reaching out a little farther, so that hecould just softly touch the animal's cheek, passing his fingers alongtoward its left ear. 

"There, I told you so, " he said, with a laugh, for the puma pressed itshead against his hand, giving it a rub in regular cat fashion, while as, to Joe's horror, Rob continued his caress and began gently rubbing theanimal's head, it emitted a soft, purring noise, rolled its head about, and ended by closing up and leaning against the lad's leg, passingitself along from nose to tail, turning and repeating the performance, and again on the other side. 

"I am glad I didn't shoot, " said Rob, bending down to stroke theanimal's back. "I say, isn't he a beauty! Come and make friends. He'sa bit afraid of us yet. "

Joe stood fast, with the loaded gun presented, ready to fire and savehis friend's life the moment the creature seized him, when, to hisastonishment, the puma so thoroughly approved of the first human caressit had ever received that it lay down, rolled over, wriggling its spinewhen all four legs were in the air, rolled back again, scratching theground, and finally crouched and looked up as much as to say, "Go on. "

Rob answered the appeal he read in the puma's eyes, and going down onone knee, he patted and stroked it, when, quick as the movement of aserpent, it threw itself over on its back, seized the lad's hand betweenits bent paws, patted it from one to the other, and then held it tightlyas it brought down its mouth as if to bite, but only began to lick thepalm with its rough tongue. 

"There!" said Rob; "what do you say now? Isn't it a tame one?"

"I--I don't know yet. Hadn't I better fire and kill it?"

"You'd better not, " cried Rob. "That'll do, old chap; you'll have theskin off. I say, his tongue is rough. Why, what beautiful fur he has, and how soft and clean! I wonder whose he is. "

In the most domestic cat-like fashion the puma now curled itself round, with its forepaws doubled under, and kept up its soft purr as it watchedthe lad by its side. But as he rose the animal sprang up too, buttedits head affectionately against his leg, and then looked up as if tosay, --

"What next?"

"Why don't you come and stroke it?" cried Rob. "Because I'm sure it'swild and fierce, " was the reply. "Well, it isn't now. "

"Ahoy!" came from a distance, and the puma looked sharply about, withears erect and an intense look, as if it were listening. 

"Ahoy!" shouted back Rob. "Let's go to them. Come along, puss. "

He took a few steps forward, the puma staring at him and twisting itstail from side to side; but it did not stir. "There, I told you so. Itis wild. "

"Well, it may be, but it's quite ready to make friends, and it will nothurt us. Come along. "

Joe did not possess his companion's faith, and keeping his face to thepuma as much as he could, he advanced toward where they could seeBrazier waving his hand to them to come on. 

As they advanced Rob kept on stopping and looking back at the puma, calling it loudly; but the animal made no response. It stood there withits eyes dilating again, waving and twisting its tail, till they werethirty or forty yards distant, when, with a sudden movement, it halfturned away, crouched, its hind legs seemed to act like a spring, and itwas shot forward into the low growth and disappeared. 

"Gone!" said Joe, with a sigh of relief. 

"Why, you're actually afraid of a cat, " said Rob mockingly. 

"I am--of cats like that, " replied his companion. "I've heard my fathersay that some of them are friendly. That must be a friendly one, butI'm sure they are not fit to be trusted. Let's make haste. "

Rob did not feel so disposed, and he looked back from time to time asthey forced their way through the grass and low growth, but there was nopuma visible, and finally, taking it for granted that the animal wasgone, but making up his mind to try and find it again if they stayed, hestepped out more quickly to catch up to Joe, who was pressing on towardwhere he could now see both of their companions and a hundred yardsbeyond the boatmen coming to meet them. 

"Hi! What have you shot, Mr Brazier?" cried Rob as he drew nearer. 

"Deer! Very fine one!" came back the reply. 

"Venison for dinner, then, and not `only fish, '" said Rob as he changedshoulders with his gun. "Shouldn't care to be always tied down tofresh-water fish, Joe. They're not like turbot and soles. "

"I say, don't talk about eating, " said the young Italian testily. 

"Why not?"

"Makes me so hungry. "

"Well, so much the better. Proves that you enjoy your meals. I say, Iwish that great cat had followed us. "

"Nonsense! What could you have done with it?"

"Kept it as a pet. Taught it to catch birds for us, and to fetch thosewe shot like a dog. Oh, what a beauty!"

This was on seeing the fine large fat deer which had fallen to Brazier'sgun. 

"Yes, " said Brazier, with a satisfied smile; "it was a piece of goodfortune, and it will relieve me of some anxiety about provisions. "

"But it will not keep, " said Rob. 

"Yes; cut in strips and dried in the sun, it will last as long as wewant it. You see, we have no means of making up waste in our stores, Rob, and the more we get our guns to help us the longer our expeditioncan be. "

The boatmen and the two lads reached the deer just about the same time, and the latter stood looking on with rather an air of disgust upon theircountenances as the crew set to work and deftly removed the animal'sskin, which was carried off to the boat to be stretched over the awningto dry, while those left rapidly went to work cutting the flesh instrips and bearing it off to the boat. 

"I say, Mr Brazier, " said Rob after watching the proceedings for sometime, "hadn't those strips of flesh better be dried on shore somewhere?"

"Why?"

"Because they'll smell dreadfully. "

"I hope not, " said Brazier, smiling. 

"Not they, sir, " put in Shaddy. "Sun soon coats 'em over and takes thejuice out of them. They won't trouble your nose, Master Rob, sir, trustme; and as to drying 'em on shore, that would be a very good plan inevery way but one. "

"What do you mean?"

"Why, that it would be very convenient, sir, and the meat would drynicely; but when we wanted it you may take my word it wouldn't bethere. "

"Would some one steal it?" cried Rob. "No; you told me there were noIndians about. "

"So I did, sir; but there are hundreds of other things would take it. "

"Hang it up in a tree, then. "

"Ready for the vultures to come and carry it off? That wouldn't do, sir. No; there's no way of doing it but hanging it up in your boat. The animals can't get at it, nor the ants neither, and the birds areafraid to come. "

"I did not think of that, " said Rob apologetically. 

"No, sir, s'pose not. I used to think as you did. I didn't want tohave anything that might smell on my boat, and I did as you advised tillI found out that it would not do. Don't take too much at a time, " hegrowled to the man who was loading himself, "and mind and lay out allthe pieces separate. Is the fire burning?"

The man replied in his own tongue, and went off. 

"I'll get on now, sir, " said Shaddy, "and see to the pieces frizzlingfor our dinner, if you'll stop and see that the men don't leave beforethey are done. "

"How am I to speak to them? I don't know their tongue. "

"No need to speak, sir. If they see you're watching them they won'tneglect anything, but will do it properly. I was only afraid of theirwanting to step off to the fireside to begin broiling bones. "

Shaddy shouldered his gun, and went off after the man who was loadedwith strips of flesh to make what is called biltong, and the two leftworked on very diligently, with the boys wandering here and there insearch of objects of interest and finding plenty--brilliantmetallic-cased beetles, strange flowers which they wanted named, birdswhich it was a delight to watch as they busied themselves about thefruit and flowers of the trees at the forest edge. 

"I shall be glad when they've done, " said Joe at last, as they werewalking back to where Brazier stood leaning upon the muzzle of his gun. "I am so hungry. Wonder whether these berries are good to eat!"

He turned aside into the bushes to begin picking some bright yellowfruit, and scaring away a little parrot from the feast. 

"I want something better than those, " said Rob contemptuously; and hewent on, expecting that Joe was close behind. 

All at once, when he was about twenty yards away from where Brazier wasstanding, Rob saw him start, raise his gun, and cock it as he glaredwildly at his young companion. 

"Anything the matter, sir?" cried Rob, hastening his steps. 

"Yes!" cried Brazier hoarsely. "Stand aside, boy! Take care! Out ofmy line of fire! You're being stalked by a wild beast!"

Rob stared, looked round, and saw at a glance that the puma hadevidently been hiding among the dead grass and thick growth, but hadbeen following and watching him ever since he had seen it leap into thebushes. Then the truth dawned upon him that of course Mr Brazier couldnot know what had passed, and there he was with his gun raised to fire. 

"Stand aside, boy!" was roared again; and, obeying the stronger will, Rob sprang aside, but only to leap back. 

"Don't fire! don't fire!" he shrieked, but too late. The gun belchedforth rapidly its two charges, and Rob fell and rolled over upon theearth. 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN. 

FRIGHTENED BY FALSE FIRES. 

"Naylor--Giovanni--help! help!" cried Brazier. "What have I done?"

As in a voice full of agony Brazier uttered these words, the dense smokefrom the gun which had hidden Rob for the moment slowly rose and showedthe lad lying motionless upon the earth. Shaddy rushed up, dropped uponone knee and raised the boy's head, while with his keen knife heldacross his mouth he looked sharply round for the South American lion, ready to meet its attack. 

But the animal was not visible, and it was directly after forgotten inthe excitement centred on Rob. 

"Tear off his clothes! Where is he wounded? No doctor! Run to theboat for that little case of mine. Here, let me come. "

These words were uttered by Brazier with frantic haste, and directlyafter he uttered a cry of horror and pointed to Rob's forehead close upamongst the hair, where a little thread of blood began to ooze forth. 

"That ain't a shot wound, " growled Shaddy. "Hi! One of you get somewater. "

One of the boatmen, who had hurried up, ran back toward the stream, andjust then Rob opened his lips said peevishly, --

"Don't! Leave off! Will you be quiet? Eh! What's the matter?"

As he spoke he thrust Brazier's hand from his head, opened his eyes andlooked round. 

"What are you doing?" he cried wonderingly. 

"Lower him down, Naylor, " whispered Brazier hoarsely; and Shaddy was inthe act of obeying, but Rob started up into a sitting position, and thensprang to his feet. 

"What are you doing, Shaddy?" he cried angrily, as he clapped his handto his brow, withdrew it, and looked at the stained fingers. "What'sthe matter with my head?"

He threw it back as he spoke, shook it, and then, as if the mist whichtroubled his brain had floated away like the smoke from Brazier's gun, he cried:

"I know; I remember. Oh! I say, Mr Brazier, you haven't shot thatpoor cat?"

"Rob, my boy, pray, pray, pray lie down till we have examined yourinjuries. "

"Nonsense! I'm not hurt, " cried the lad--"only knocked my head on astump. I remember now: I caught my right foot in one of those canes, and pitched forward. Where's the cat?"

He looked round sharply. 

"Never mind the wretched beast, " cried Brazier. "Tell me, boy: you werenot hit?"

"But I do mind, " cried Rob. "I wouldn't have had that poor thing shoton any account. "

"Are you hurt?" cried Brazier, almost angrily. 

"Of course I am, sir. You can't pitch head first on to a stump withouthurting yourself. I say, did you hit the cat?"

"Then you were not shot?" cried Brazier. 

"Shot? No! Who said I was?"

"Ourai!" shouted the young Italian, with the best imitation he couldgive of an English hurrah. 

"Then I have frightened myself almost to death for nothing, " criedBrazier. "How dare you pretend that you were shot!"

"I didn't, " cried Rob angrily, for his smarting head exacerbated histemper. "I never pretended anything. I couldn't help tumbling. Youshouldn't have fired. "

"There, hold your tongue, Mr Rob, sir. It's all right, and instead ofyou and the guv'nor here getting up a row, it strikes me as you oughtboth to go down on your knees and be very thankful. A few inches moreone way or t'other, and this here expedition would have been all over, and us going back as mizzable men as ever stepped. "

The guide's words were uttered in so solemn and forcible a way thatBrazier took a step or two forward and caught his hand, pressing itfirmly as he looked him full in the eyes. 

Brazier was silent for a few moments, and then, in a voice renderedhusky by emotion, he said, --

"You are quite right, Naylor. Thank you, my man, for the lesson. Ideserve all you have said, and yet I am thankful at heart for the--"

He did not finish his words, but dropped Shaddy's hand, and then turnedto Rob and laid his hand upon the boy's shoulder. 

"Come to the boat, Rob, " he said. "I'll sponge and strap up that littlecut. Naylor spoke truly. We have much to be thankful for. I ought notto have spoken so harshly to you. "

"Nor I to have been so cross, sir. It was my head hurt me, and made mespeak shortly. "

"Say no more now, boy. Come and let me play surgeon. "

"What, for this?" cried Rob, laughing. "It's only a scratch, sir, anddoesn't matter a bit. "

But Brazier insisted, and soon after Rob's forehead was ornamented witha strip of diachylon plaster, and the injury forgotten. 

The men soon prepared a meal, and the rest of the day was spent inpreparing the deer meat to keep in store; the effect of the hot sunbeing wonderful, the heat drying up the juices and checking thedecomposition that might have been expected to succeed its exposure. But it in no case improved the appearance of the boat. 

Toward evening Brazier did a little collecting, helped by the boys, andlater on the latter fished from the boat, with no small success, so thatthere was no fear of the stores being placed too much under contributionfor some days to come. 

The fishing was brought to a close, and their captives hung over theside in a great bag composed of net, so that they could be kept aliveready for use when required; and this done, Rob turned to Giovanni. 

"Come ashore, Joe, " he said. 

Brazier looked up sharply from where he was taking notes and numberinghis dried specimens of plants. 

"Where are you going?" he said. 

"Only to have a bit of a wander ashore, " replied Rob. 

"No, no; be content with your day's work. We shall have some suppersoon, and then turn in for a long night's rest. Besides, I don't carefor you to go alone. "

"Very well, sir, " said Rob quietly; "only we couldn't go far and belost. Shall we take Shaddy with us?"

"No; I wish you to stay in the boat this evening, and I'm going to callthe men on board as soon as they have well made up the fire. There aresavage beasts about, and we don't want more trouble than we can help. "

Rob looked disappointed, but he said nothing, and went right forward towhere Shaddy was busy washing out one of the guns; and there the twolads sat, gazing across the green surface of lily leaves, watching thebirds which ran to and fro, the gorgeous colouring of the sky, and themany tints reflected by the water where the stream ran winding through. Then, too, there were splashings and plungings of heavy fish, beasts, and reptiles to note, and very little to see, for by the time they hadmade out the spot where the splash had been made, there was nothingvisible but the heaving of the great lily leaves and a curious motion oftheir edges, which were tilted up by the moving creatures stirringamidst the stems. 

"Head hurt?" said Joe at last, after a long silence, broken only by thegrunts of Shaddy as he rubbed and polished away at the gun-barrel, so asto remove the last trace of damp. 

"Hurt? No. Only smarts a bit, " replied Rob. 

"Why did you want to go ashore again?"

There was no reply. 

"I didn't; I was too tired. Don't care for much walking in the hot sun. Did you want to shoot?"

"No. Wanted to see whether Mr Brazier had shot that poor cat. "

"Poor cat!" said Joe, derisively: "I wonder whether a mouse calls hisenemy a poor cat. Why, the brute could have taken you and shaken youlike a rat, and carried you off in its jaws. "

"Who says so?" retorted Rob, rather warmly. 

"I do. "

"And how do you know you were right?"

"Well, of course I can't tell whether I'm right, " said Joe, "only that'swhat lions and tigers do. "

"Seemed as if it was going to, didn't it?" said Rob, who was now growingwarm in the defence of the animal. "Why, it was as tame as tame, andI'm going ashore first thing to-morrow morning to track it out and findwhere it lay down to die. I want its skin, to keep in memory of thepoor thing. It was as tame as a great dog. "

"Won't be very tame 'morrow morning if you find it not dead, " growledShaddy. 

"Then you don't think it is dead, Shaddy?" cried Rob eagerly. 

"Can't say nothing about it, my lad. All I know is that Mr Brazierfired two barrels at it, and as the shots didn't hit you they must havehit the lion. "

"Don't follow, " said Rob, with a short laugh. "Couldn't they have hitthe ground?"

Shaddy rubbed his head with the barrel of the gun he was oiling, andthat view of the question took a long time to decide, while the boyssmiled at each other and watched him. 

"Well, " said Shaddy at last, "p'raps you're right, Master Rob. If theshots didn't hit the lion they might have hit the ground. "

"And you did not find the animal, nor see any blood?"

"Never looked for neither, my lad. But, tell you what: if you do wanthis skin I'll go with you in the morning and track him down. I expectwe shall find him lying dead, for Mr Brazier's a wonderful shot. "

"And not likely to miss, " said Rob sadly. "But I should like its skin, Shaddy. "

"And you shall have it, sir, if he's dead. If he isn't he has p'rapscarried it miles away into the woods, and there's no following himthere. "

Rob gazed wistfully across the opening now beginning to look gloomy, andhis eyes rested on the figures of the boatmen who were busily piling upgreat pieces of dead wood to keep up the fire for the night, theprincipal objects being to scare away animals, and have a supply of hotembers in the morning ready for cooking purposes. And as the fireglowed and the shadows of evening came on, the figures of the men stoodout as if made of bronze, till they had done and came down to the boat. 

An hour later the men were on board, the rope paid out so that they werea dozen yards from the shore, where a little grapnel had been dropped tohold the boat from drifting in, and once more Rob lay beneath the awningwatching the glow of the fire as it lit up the canvas, which was lightand dark in patches as it was free from burden or laden with the objectsspread upon it to dry. From the forest and lake came the chorus towhich he was growing accustomed; and as the lad looked out through theopen end of the tent--an arrangement which seemed that night as if itdid nothing but keep out the comparatively cool night air--he could seeone great planet slowly rising and peering in. Then, all at once, therewas dead silence. The nocturnal chorus, with all its weird shrieks andcries, ceased as if by magic, and the darkness was intense. 

That is, to Rob: for the simple reason that he had dropped asleep. 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN. 

FOE OR FRIEND?

It was still dark when Rob awoke, and lay listening to the heavybreathing of the other occupants of the boat. Then, turning over, hesettled himself down for another hour's sleep. 

But the attempt was vain. He had had his night's rest--all for whichnature craved--and he now found that he might lie and twist and turn aslong as he liked without any effect whatever. 

Under these circumstances he crept softly out and looked at the cool, dark water lying beneath the huge leaves, some of which kept on movingin a silent, secretive manner, as if the occupants of the lake weretrying to see what manner of thing the boat was, which lay so silent anddark on the surface. 

It had been terribly hot and stuffy under the awning, and the waterlooked deliciously cool and tempting. There was a fascination about thegreat, black leaves floating there, which seemed to invite the lad tostrip off the light flannels in which he had slept, to lower himselfgently over the side, and lie in and on and amongst them, with the coolwater bracing and invigorating him ready for the heat and toil of thecoming day. 

It would be good, thought Rob. Just one plunge and a few strokes, andthen out and a brisk rub. 

But there were the alligators and fish innumerable, nearly all of whichhad been provided by nature with the sharpest of teeth. 

He shuddered at the thought of how, as soon as his white body was seenin the water, scores of voracious creatures might make a rush for himand drag him down among the lily stems for a feast. 

"Won't do, " he muttered; "but what a pity it does seem!"

He sat watching the surface, and, as he saw how calm and still it was, the longing for a bathe increased. It would, he felt, be sorefreshing--so delicious after the hot night and the sensations ofprickly heat. Surely he could get a quick plunge and back beforeanything could attack him; and as he thought this the longing increasedtenfold, and plenty of arguments arose in favour of the attempt. Therewere numbers of great fish and alligators, he knew, but they were notobliged to be there now. Fish swam in shoals, and might be half a mileaway one hour though swarming at another. 

"I've a good mind to, " he thought, and as that thought came he softlyunfastened the collar of his flannel shirt. 

But he went no farther, for common sense came to the front and pointedout the folly of such a proceeding, after the warnings he had had of thedangers of the river teeming as it did with fierce occupants. 

"It will not do, I suppose, " he muttered. "I should like to try it, though. "

He glanced around, but no one was stirring. The men forward were silentbeneath their blankets, and the occupants of the canvas cabin were allsleeping heavily, as their breathing told plainly enough, so there wasno fear of interruption. 

"I'll try it, " said the lad, in an eager whisper. 

"No. There is no one to help me if I wanted any. And yet is therelikely to be any danger? Most likely the alligators would swim away ifthey saw me, and would be more frightened of me than I should be ofthem. While as to the fish--Bah! I'm a coward, and nothing else. Daresay the water's as cool as can be, while I'm as hot as any one could getwithout being in a fever. "

He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt above the elbow, and, leaning overthe side, thrust it down between the curves of two lily leaves whichoverlapped. 

"It is delightfully cool, " he said to himself, and he thrust his armdown farther, when his fingers came in contact with something rough, which started away, making the water swirl in a tremendous eddy, andcaused the sudden abstraction of the lad's arm, but not so quickly thathe did not feel a sharp pang, and a tiny fish dropped from the skin onto the bottom of the boat. 

"The little wretch!" muttered Rob; and the lesson was sufficient. Hedid not feel the slightest desire to tempt the cool water more, butapplied his lips to the little bite, which was bleeding freely, thinkingthe while that if one of those savage little fish could produce such aneffect, what would be the result of an attack by a thousand. 

Day was near at hand as Rob sat there, though it was still dark, and acold mist hung over the water; but the nocturnal creatures had gone torest, and here and there came a chirrup or long-drawn whistle to tellthat the birds were beginning to stir, instinctively knowing that beforelong the sun would be up, sending light and heat to chase away the mistsof night. Now and then, too, there was a splash or a wallowing sound, as of some great creature moving in the shallows, close up beneath wherethe trees overhung the water, and the boy turned his head from place toplace, half in awe, half in eagerness to know what had made the sound. 

But he could make out nothing that was more than twenty or thirty yardsfrom where the boat swung to her moorings; and, turning his head moreround, he sat thinking of the adventures of the previous day, andwondered where the puma might be. 

"It was a stupid thing to do to run right before that gun, " he said tohimself; "but I hadn't time to think that Mr Brazier would fire, and Ididn't want the poor beast to be killed. "

Rob sat thinking of how gentle and tame the great cat-like creatureseemed, and a curious sensation of sorrow came over him as he thought ofit crawling away into some shelter to die in agony from the effects ofthe deadly wounds inflicted by Brazier's gun. 

"And if I had not tumbled down, " he said to himself, "it would have beenme instead;" and now he shuddered, for the full truth of his narrowescape dawned upon him. 

"It would have been horrid, " he thought; "I never felt before how nearit was. "

He leaned back and looked around at the misty darkness and then up atthe sky, where all at once a tiny patch began to glow and rapidly becomewarmer, till it was of a vivid orange. 

"Morning, " said Rob half aloud; and feeling quite light-hearted at theprospect of daylight and breakfast, he sat up and looked round him atthe positions, now dimly seen, of his companions, and was just thinkingof rousing up the men to see to the fire, when the latter took hisattention, and he turned to see if it was still glowing. 

For some minutes he could not make out the exact spot where it had beenmade. It was in a little natural clearing about twenty yards from thebank, but the early morning was still too dark for him to make outeither bank or clearing, till all at once a faint puff of air swept overthe lake, and as it passed the boat, going toward the forest, there wasa faint glow, as of phosphorescence, trembling in one particular spot, and he knew that it must be caused by the fanning of the embers. 

That faint light was only visible for a few moments, then all was darkagain, but it was a transparent darkness, gradually growing clearer. Then a tree seemed to start up on the scene, and a clump of bushesnearer the fire. Soon after he could make out a great patch of featherygreen, and this had hardly grown clear enough for him to be certain whatit was, when something misty and undefined appeared to be moving alongthe bank close to the tree to which the boat was tethered. The nextmoment it melted away into the soft darkness. 

"Fancy!" said Rob to himself. But directly after he knew it was notfancy, for he could hear a peculiar scratching, rending sound, which puthim in mind of a cat tearing with its claws at the leg of a table. 

And now as if by magic there was a soft warm glow diffused around, and, to his surprise and delight, he saw again the object he had beforenoticed, but no longer undefined. It was grey, and looked transparent, but it was a warm-grey, and grew moment by moment less transparent, gradually assuming the shape of his friend of the previous day, aliveand to all appearances uninjured, as, with its soft, elastic, cat-likestep and undulating body and tail, it walked slowly down to the edge ofthe bank, and stood staring at Rob as if waiting for him to speak. 

For a few moments the lad was silent and motionless, as he strove hardto detect signs of injury upon the soft, coat of the puma, but nothingwas visible, and the animal remained as motionless as he, save that thelong tail writhed and curled about as a snake might if gently held byits head. 

The next minute Rob had decided what to do. 

Creeping silently astern, he unfastened and paid out a good deal of theline which held the boat to the grapnel. Then refastening it, he wentsilently forward, and began to haul upon the other line, which wassecured to the tree ashore, thus bringing the boat's head close up tothe bank and within half a dozen yards of the puma, which stood watchinghim till the boat touched the bank, when, without hesitation or fear ofconsequences, Rob stepped ashore. 

"Fine chance for him if he does mean to eat me!" thought Rob, with alaugh. But the next moment he did feel startled, for the animalsuddenly crouched, gathered its hind legs beneath it, and he could seethem working as the agile creature prepared to spring. 

Rob's heart beat heavily, and a cry rose to his lips, but was notuttered, for he felt paralysed, and he would have proved to be anunresisting victim had the puma's intentions been inimical. But the ladsoon knew that they were friendly, for the great bound the creature gavelanded it at his feet, where it immediately rolled over on to its side, then turned upon its back, and with touches soft as those of a kittenpulled at the boy's legs and feet, looking playfully up at him thewhile. 

"Why, you are a tame one, " said Rob, with a sigh of relief. "There's nodanger in you whatever, " and sinking on one knee, he patted and rubbedthe great soft head which was gently moved about in his hand. 

So satisfactory was this to the puma that it rolled itself about on theground, pressed its head against Rob's knee, and finally turned overonce more, couched, laid its head against him, and gazed up in his eyesas he placed his hand upon the soft browny-grey head. 

"Well, there's no mistake about this, " said Rob aloud; "you and I aregood friends, and you must be a tame one. The thing is, where is yourmaster?"

Rob had hardly uttered the word "tame" before the puma's eyes dilated, and it uttered a low, deep growl, staring fiercely the while at theboat. 

Rob followed the direction of the animal's eyes, and saw that it waswatching Brazier, who had just stepped out from the canvas cabin, holding a gun in his hand. 

"Don't! don't do that!" cried Rob excitedly. "It's quite tame, MrBrazier. Look!"

He was about to bend down and caress the puma again; but as he turned itwas only to see its soft, tawny skin and outstretched tail as it madeone bound into the thick, low growth of bush and feathery grass, and itwas gone. 

"Why, Rob, " cried his leader, "how could you be so foolish as to go nearthat savage beast?"

"But it isn't savage, " said the lad eagerly; "it's as tame as any cat. It must belong to some one near. "

By this time Shaddy had heard the talking and risen, rather apologeticfor sleeping so long, and as soon as he had called up his men and sentthem ashore to see to the fire the case was laid before him. 

"Nay, Master Rob, " he said, "there's no one about here to tame lions. It's a wild one sure enough. Dessay he never saw a man or boy before, and he's a young one perhaps, and a bit kittenish. Wants to makefriends. "

"Friends with a dangerous beast like that, man?" cried Brazier. "Absurd!"

"Oh, they're not dangerous, sir; that is, not to man. I never heard ofa lion touching a man unless the man had shot at and hurt him. Thenthey'll fight savagely for their lives. Dangerous to monkeys, or dogs, or deer; but I'm not surprised at its taking to Master Rob here, anddon't see no call to fear. "

"Well, of course your experience is greater than mine, Naylor, " saidBrazier; "but I should have thought that at any moment the beast mightturn and rend him. "

"No, sir; no, sir; no fear of that! I daresay the crittur would followhim anywhere and be as friendly as a cat. The Indians never take anynotice of lions. It's the tigers they're a bit scared about. Lionshate tigers too; and I've known 'em fight till they were both dying. "

"Ah well, we need not discuss the matter, for the puma has gone. "

"Thought you were going to shoot at it again, sir, " said Rob in ratheran ill-used tone, for he was disappointed at the sudden interruption tohis friendly intercourse with the beautiful beast. 

By this time Giovanni was out of the boat, and stared rather at theaccount of the morning's adventure; but the announcement soon after thatthe coffee was boiling changed the conversation, and for the time beingthe puma was forgotten. 

The great natural clearing at the edge of the lake and the opening outof the river itself gave so much opportunity for Brazier to prosecutehis collecting that he at once decided upon staying in theneighbourhood--certainly for that day, if not for one or two more, andin consequence the fire was left smouldering, while the boat was forcedalong close in shore, which was no easy task, on account of the densegrowth of lilies. 

The heat was great, but forgotten in the excitement of collecting, and, with the help of his young companions, Brazier kept on making additionsto his specimens, while Rob's great regret was that they were notseeking birds and insects as well. 

"Seems such a pity, " he confided to Joe. "The orchids are verybeautiful when they are hanging down from the trees, with their petalslooking like the wings of insects and their colour all of such lovelyyellows and blues, but we shall only have the dried, bulb-like stems totake back with us, and how do we know that they will ever flower again?"

"If properly dried, a great many of them will, " said Brazier at thatmoment. 

Rob started. 

"I didn't know you were listening, sir, " he said. 

"I was not listening, Rob, but you spoke so loudly, I could not helphearing your words. I can quite understand your preference for thebrilliant-coloured and metallic-plumaged birds, and also for the lovelyinsects which we keep seeing, but specimens of most of these have beentaken to Europe again and again, while I have already discovered atleast four orchids which I am sure are new. "

"But if they do not revive, " said Rob, "we shall have had all ourjourney for nothing. "

"But they will revive, my boy, you may depend upon that--at least, someof them; and to my mind we shall have done a far greater thing incarrying to England specimens of these gorgeous flowers to live and beperpetuated in our hothouses, than in taking the dried mummies of birdand insect, which, however beautiful, can never by any possibility liveagain. "

"I didn't think of that, " said Rob apologetically. 

"I suppose not. But there, be content to help me in my collecting; youare getting plenty of adventure, and to my mind, even if we take backnothing, we shall carry with us recollections of natural wonders thatwill remain imprinted on our brains till the end of our days. "

"He's quite right, " thought Rob as he sat alone some time after; "but Iwish he wouldn't speak to me as if he were delivering a lecture. Ofcourse I shall help him and work hard, but I do get tired of theflowers. They're beautiful enough on the trees, but as soon as they arepicked they begin to fade and wither away. "

The conversation took place at the end of the lake, just where the riverissued in a narrow stream, walled in on either side by the trees asbefore, and the intention was to cross this exit and go back by theother side, round to the wide clearing where they had passed theprevious night. 

Plans in unknown waters are more easily made than carried out. 

They had halted for a short time at the foot of a majestic tree, oneevidently of great age, and draped from where its lower boughs almosttouched the water right to the crown with parasitic growth, much ofwhich consisted of the particular family of flowers Brazier had made hisexpedition to collect. 

Here several splendid specimens were cut from a huge drooping boughwhich was held down by the men while the collector operated with a handylittle axe, bringing down as well insects innumerable, many of whichwere of a stinging nature, and, to the dismay of both boys, first oneand then another brilliantly marked snake of some three feet long andexceedingly slender. 

These active little tree-climbers set to at once to find a hiding-place, and at once it became the task of all the band to prevent thisunsatisfactory proceeding, no one present looking forward withsatisfaction to the prospect of having snakes as fellow-travellers, especially poisonous ones. But they were soon hunted out and thrown bymeans of a stick right away into the water, but not to drown, for theytook to it, swimming as actively and well as an eel. 

"Why, that last fellow will reach one of those boughs and get back intoa tree again, " cried Joe. 

"If a fish does not treat him like a worm, " said Rob; and he did notfeel at all hopeful about the little reptile's fate. 

But the next minute he had to think of his own. 

One minute the boat was being propelled gently through the still watersamongst the great lily leaves; the next they were in sight of the exit, and something appeared to give the boat a sudden jerk. 

"Alligator?" asked Rob excitedly. 

"Stream!" growled Shaddy, seizing an oar and rowing with all his mightjust as they were being swept rapidly down the lower river, the treesgliding by them and the men appearing to have no power whatever to checkthe boat's way as it glided on faster and faster, leaving the open lakethe next minute quite out of sight. 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN. 

IN A TROPIC STORM. 

Rob and Joe looked at each other quite aghast as the boat was literallysnatched away out of the boatmen's control and went tearing down theriver. For, beside the alteration in their plans, there was the firewaiting, all glowing embers, that would cook to perfection; there werewild fruits which the two lads had noted from the boat; and there wasthe puma, whose society Rob felt a strong desire to cultivate. 

Then, too, there was something startling in being suddenly robbed of allpower to act and being swept at a headlong speed along a rapid, foraught they knew, toward some terrible waterfall, over which they wouldbe hurled. So that it was with no little satisfaction that they sawShaddy seize the boat-hook and, after urging the crew to do their bestto pull the boat toward the trees, stand up in the bows and wait histurn. 

The crew worked hard, and kept the boat's head up stream, and by degreesthey contrived to get it closer to the side, while Shaddy made threeattempts to catch hold of a branch. In each case the bough snapped off, but at the fourth try the bough bent and held, though so great was theshock that when the hook caught, the strong-armed man was nearly drawnover the bows into the river, and would have been but for one of theboatmen's help. 

It was a sharp tussle for a few moments, and then two of the men caughthold of hanging branches as the boat swung within reach. The nextminute a rope was passed round a branch, and the boat was safely moored. 

"Mind looking to see whether I've got any arms, Mr Rob?" said Shaddy. "Feels as if they were both jerked out of their sockets. "

"Are you hurt much?" asked the boys in a breath. 

"Pootty tidy, young gents; but I ain't going to holler about it. There's no time. I don't mind going fast, you know, either in a boat oron horseback, but I do hate for the boat or the horse to take the bit inits teeth and bolt as this did just now. "

"What do you propose doing, Naylor?" said Brazier. "It is impossible toget back, and yet I should have liked a few hours more at thatclearing. "

"And them you shall have, sir, somehow. I'm not the man to be beaten bya boat without making a bit of a fight for it first. Let's get mybreath and my arms--ah! they're coming back now. I can begin to feel'em a bit. "

He sat rubbing his biceps, laughing at the boys, Brazier looking up anddown-stream uneasily the while. 

"Do you know exactly where this river runs, Naylor?" he said at last. 

"Well, not exactly, sir. I know it goes right through the sort ofcountry you want to see, and that was enough for me; but I've a notionthat it goes up to the nor'-west, winding and twisting about till itruns in one spot pootty nigh to the big river we left, so that we canperhaps go up some side stream, drag the boat across a portage, andlaunch her for our back journey over the same ground or water as we cameup. "

"But we shall never get back to the lake, " said Rob, as he glanced atthe running stream which glided rapidly by, making the boat drag at itstethering rope as if at any moment it would snatch itself free. 

"Never's a long time, Mr Rob. We'll see. "

He turned to his men, gave them a few instructions in a low tone ofvoice, and three seated themselves on the port side, while Shaddy andthe fourth, a herculean fellow with muscles which bulged out like hugeropes from his bronzed arms, stood in the bows, the latter with theboat-hook and Shaddy with the rope. 

"Praps you young gentlemen wouldn't mind putting a hand to the brancheswhen you get a chance, " said Shaddy; "every pound of help gives us apound of strength. "

Then, renewing his orders, he seized the light rope, hauled upon it, theman beside him making good use of his hook, and between them theydragged the boat a few feet and made fast the rope, hauled again, castoff the rope, and made fast again--all helping wherever a bough could becaught. 

And so they slowly fought their way back against the gigantic strengthof the rapid stream, but not without risks. Rob was hauling away at abough with all his might, when it suddenly snapped, and he would havegone overboard had not Joe thrown himself upon him and held on just ashe was toppling down without power to recover his balance. 

"That was near, " said Rob as he gazed on the young Italian's ghastlyface. "I say, don't look scared like that. "

Joe shuddered and resumed his work, while Rob put a little less energyinto his next movements for a few minutes, but forgot his escapedirectly after, and worked away with the rest. 

It was toil which required constant effort, and they won their wayupward very slowly. Twice over they lost ground by the giving way ofthe branch to which the rope had been attached, and once the boat-hookslipped from the Indian's hand and floated down-stream past the boat, the heavy iron end causing it to keep nearly upright. For a few momentsit disappeared, but came gently to the surface again just as it waspassing the stern, when the boys gave a ringing cheer, for, leaning outas far as he could, Brazier secured it and passed it back to the man. 

Of minor troubles there were plenty. At one moment they would becovered with insects which were rudely shaken from the boughs; atanother some branch beneath which they were passing would threaten tosweep the canvas cabin out of the boat; and once it was Joe, whoseflannel was caught by a snaggy end and hung there with the boat passingfrom under him till a chorus of cries made the stalwart boatman ceasehis efforts and look back at the mischief he was causing as he hauled. 

But, in spite of all difficulties, the boat was slowly drawn over theground lost in the wild race downward, till at last the lake wasreached, and a few sturdy efforts sufficed to drag it once more intostill water. 

"Once is enough for a job like that, Master Rob, " said Shaddy, as hewiped his dripping brow with the back of his hand. 

"It was hard work, " replied Rob. 

"Ay, 'twas; and if you wouldn't mind saying you were so hungry youdidn't know what to do, it would be doing us all a kindness, and makeMr Brazier think about meat instead of vegetables. "

He gave his head a nod sidewise at Brazier's back, for as the men restedunder the shade of a tree the naturalist was busy hauling down somelovely clusters of blossoms from overhead. 

"You mean you want some dinner, Shaddy?"

"That's it, sir. This here engine will soon stop working if you don'tput on more coal. "

"I'll give him a hint, " said Rob, laughing; and he did, the result beingthat Brazier gave the word for the men to row right across toward theclearing--a task they eagerly commenced in spite of the heat and thesturdy effort required to force a way through the dense covering ofbroad green leaves. They had the river to cross on their way, and asthe clear stream was neared a long way above its exit from the lake themen, as if moved by one impulse, ceased rowing, and paused to take theirbreath before making a sturdy effort to cross it without losing ground. 

It was a necessary precaution, for the moment the bows of the boatissued from among the dense growth the stem was pressed heavilydownward, and the opposite side of the stream was reached after quite asharp fight. Then the long, steady pull was commenced again, and, withthe leaves brushing against the side, they forced their way onward tillthe clearing came in view. 

The faint curl of bluish smoke encouraged the men to fresh efforts, allthinking of broiled deer meat and a fragrant cup of coffee, both ofwhich afforded grateful refreshment soon after they touched the shore. 

"Will it be safe to attempt to continue our journey down that part ofthe river?" Brazier asked as they were seated afterward in the shade. 

"Oh yes, sir, safe enough, " replied Shaddy. 

"But suppose we have to come back the same way?"

"Well, sir, we can do it, only it will take time. "

"You will not mind, Mr Brazier?" said Joe, smiling. 

"Indeed I shall, for the work is terrible. Why did you say that?"

"Because you will have such a chance to collect, sir. I saw hundreds ofbeautiful blossoms which I thought you would like to get, and you couldgather them while the men rested. "

"Ay, to be sure, sir. Don't you mind about that river being swift!Only wants contriving, and for you to know what's coming, so as to beprepared. Now I know what to expect, I can manage. I shall just settwo of the fellows to pull gently, and go down starn first, and alwayssit there ready with the boat-hook to hitch on to a tree if we are goingtoo fast. You trust me, sir, spite of all that's gone before, and I'lldo my best for you and the young gents till your journey's done, thoughI don't see any coming back this way. "

"Of course I shall trust you, " said Brazier. "What's the matter?"

"Trust me now then, sir, " cried Shaddy, who had leaped up, and waslooking sharply round. "Get aboard, all of you. Now, boys!" he roaredto his men, and he pointed to the sky. 

Shaddy's orders were obeyed, and though there seemed to be no reason forthe preparations made, the guide was so confident of the coming of aheavy storm that the waterproof sheet brought for such an emergency wasquickly drawn over the canvas roof of their little cabin and made fast;the boat was moored head and stern close up to the bank and beneath ahuge, sheltering tree, the balers were laid ready for use in thefore-part and the stern; and when this was all done, and the greatestcare taken to keep powder and bedding dry, Brazier turned and looked atShaddy. 

"Well, " he said, "is not this a false alarm?"

"No, sir; there's a storm coming. We shall have it soon. Good job we'dgot the cooking done. "

"But I can't see a cloud, " said Rob. 

"Don't matter, " replied Joe, who was also looking keenly round. "I'veseen the heavy rain come streaming down when the sky has been quiteclear, and the water has felt quite warm. Look at those fellows; theyknow the storm's coming, or they would not do that. "

He pointed toward the boatmen, who were throwing a tarpaulin across thebows, ready for them to creep under as soon as the rain came. 

"False alarm, boys!" said Brazier. 

Shaddy overheard him, and wrinkled up his face in a curious grin as helooked hard at Rob. It was as much as to say, "All right! Just youwait a bit and see who's right and who's wrong. "

"My word, how hot!" cried Rob the next minute, for the sun appeared tobe shining down through a kind of transparent haze so dense that itacted like a burning glass. 

"Yes, this is fierce, " said Joe, drawing back into the shade afforded bythe great tree. 

"It would give one sunstroke, wouldn't it, if we stopped in the fullblaze?"

"I suppose so. But I say, Shaddy's right. We are going to have astorm. "

"How do you know?"

"By the sun gleaming out like that. "

"Oh, I don't think that's anything, " said Rob. "Here, let's get up intothis tree and collect some orchids for Mr Brazier. "

He looked up into the large forest monarch as he spoke--a tree which onthree sides was wonderfully laden with great drooping boughs. Consequent upon its position at the western corner of the clearing wherethe boat was moored, the boughs formed a magnificent shelter for theirboat down almost to the water, while on the side of the opening theypretty well touched the ground. 

But Rob paid little heed to this, his attention being taken up by thefact that, though there was perfect silence, the tree was alive withbirds and monkeys, which were huddled together in groups, as if theirinstinct had taught them that a terrible convulsion of nature was athand. As a rule they would have taken flight or scampered about throughthe branches as soon as human beings had come to the tree, but now, asif aware of some great danger, they were content to share the shelterand run all risks. 

"See them, Master Rob?" said Shaddy, with a grin. "No mistake thistime! Look out; I daresay there'll be snakes dropping down thereby-and-by, but so long as you don't touch 'em I don't s'pose they'lltouch us. Shouldn't wonder if we get something else. "

Just then Brazier called him to draw his attention to some of thecovering, and they heard him say, --

"Don't see as we can do any more, sir. Things are sure to get wet; youcan't stop it. All we can do is to keep 'em from getting wetter than wecan help. "

The sun still shone brilliantly, streaming down, as it were, through theleaves of the great tree like a shower of silver rain, but the silencenow was painful, and Rob strained his ears to catch the peculiarmodulation of one of the cricket-like insects which were generally socommon around. But not one made a sound, and at last, as if troubled bythe silence, the boy cried half jeeringly, "All this trouble fornothing! I say, Joe, where's the storm?"

"Here!" was the reply in a whisper, as all at once out of the clear skygreat drops of rain came pattering down, then great splashes; anddirectly after, with a hissing rush, there were sheets of rushing waterstreaming through the branches and splashing upon the tarpaulincoverings of the boat. 

"I say, I never saw it rain like this before, " cried Rob as he shelteredhimself beneath the tarpaulin and canvas. "Will it thunder--"

He was going to say, "too, " but the word remained unspoken, and heshrank back appalled by a blinding flash of vivid blue lightning, whichseemed to dash through beneath their shelter and make every face look ofa ghastly bluish-grey. 

Almost simultaneously there was a deafening peal of thunder, and, as ifby an instantaneous change--probably by some icy current of air onhigh--the moisture-laden atmosphere was darkened by dense mists whirlingand looking like foam, clouds of slaty black shut out the sun, and therain came down in a perfect deluge, streaming through the tree andpouring into the lake with one incessant roaring splash. 

One moment beneath the awning it was black as night, the next it was allone dazzling glare, while in peal after peal the mighty thunder came, one clap succeeding another before it had had time to die away in itslong metallic reverberations, that sounded as if the thunder rolled awaythrough some vast iron tunnel. 

No one attempted to speak, but all crowded together listeningawe-stricken to the deafening elemental war, one thought dominatingothers in their minds, and it was this: "Suppose one of these terribleflashes of lightning strikes the tree!"

Reason and experience said, "Why shelter beneath a tree at a time likethis?" but the instinct of self-preservation drove them there to escapethe terrible battering of the rain and the rushing wind. 

For they had ample knowledge of the state of the lake, though, save inmomentary glances, it was invisible beneath the black pall of cloud andrain, for waves came surging in, making the boat rise and fall, whilefrom time to time quite a billow rushed beneath the drooping boughs, which partially broke its force ere it struck against the side of theboat with a heavy slap and sent its crest over the covering and into theunprotected parts. 

There was something confusing as well as appalling in the storm, whichwas gigantic as compared to anything Rob had seen at home, and as hecrouched there listening in the brief intervals of the thunder-claps, the rain poured down on the tarpaulin roof with one continuous rush androar as heavily as if the boat had been backed in beneath somewaterfall. 

All at once from out of the darkness a curious startling sound washeard, which puzzled both lads for some minutes, till they suddenlyrecollected that Shaddy had placed tin balers fore and aft, and anydoubt as to their being the cause of the peculiar noise was set at restby Shaddy, who suddenly thrust in his head at the end of a deafeningroar and shouted, --

"How are you getting on, gentlemen? Water got in there yet?"

"No, no, " was shouted back, "not yet. "

"That's right. We're pumping it out here as quick as we can. Comes infast enough to most sink us. "

Shaddy then went on working away out in the pelting rain, and a minutelater they made out that his chief man was hard at work forward. 

And still the rain came down, and the lightning kept on flashing throughthe dark shelter; while, if there was any change at all in the thunder, it was louder, clearer, and more rapid in following the electricdischarge. 

"I say, Joe, " whispered Rob at last, with his lips close to hiscompanion's ear, "how do you feel?"

"Don't know: so curious--as if tiny pins and needles were runningthrough me. What's that curious singing noise?"

"That's just what I want to know. I can feel it all through me, and myears are as if I had caught a bad cold. Like bells ringing; singing youcall it. "

Just then Shaddy's voice was heard in an interval between two peals ofthunder shouting to his men in a tone of voice which indicated thatsomething was wrong, and Brazier thrust out his head from the opening atone end of the awning to ask what was the matter. 

"Matter, sir? Why, if we don't get all hands at the pumps the ship'llsink. "

"Is it so bad as that? We'll all come at once. "

"Nay, nay. I've got a strong enough crew, only we must use bucketsinstead of balers. "

"But--"

"Go inside, sir, please, out of the wet, and see to your things beingkept dry. I was 'zaggerating, being a bit excited; that's all. I don'twant you, and I daresay the storm's nearly over now. "

The sound of dipping water and pouring it over the side went on merrilyin the darkness and brilliant light alternately, for, in spite of theguide's words, there seemed to be no sign of the storm abating, andwhile the men were busy outside Brazier and the two boys set to workpiling the various objects they wished to keep dry upon the barrelswhich had been utilised for their stores, for the water had invaded thecovered-in part of the boat to a serious extent, and threatened moredamage every moment. 

A few minutes later, though, the efforts of the men began to show, andShaddy appeared again for one moment, his face being visible in theglare of light, but was hidden the next. 

"Getting the water down fast now, sir, " he said. "Hope you haven't muchmischief done. "

"A great many things soaked. "

"That don't matter, sir, so long as your stores are right. Sun'll dryeverything in an hour or two. "

"But when is it coming, Shaddy?"

"'Fore long, sir. "

They did not see him go, but knew from the sound of his voice the nextminute that he was in the fore-part of the boat, ordering his men totake up some of the boards. 

Ten minutes later the rain ceased as suddenly as it had begun. Therewas a vivid flash of lightning, a long pause, and then a deep-tonedroar, while all at once the interior of the little cabin became visible, and a little later the sun came out to shine brilliantly on what lookedlike a lake of thick mist. 

"Will one of you young gents unfasten the stern rope?" cried Shaddy, "and we'll get out from under this dripping tree. "

"All right!" cried Rob, and he turned to throw open the stern end of theawning, while Brazier and Joe went in the other direction to where themen were still baling, but scraping the bottom hard at every scoop ofthe tins they were using. 

The stern end of the canvas was secured by a couple of straps, similarto those used in small tents, and these were so wet that it was not easyto get them out of the buckles, but with a little exertion this wasdone, and Rob parted the ends like the curtains of a bed, peered out atthe dripping foliage, and shut them to again, startled by what he saw. 

After a few moments' hesitation, he was roused to action by a shout fromShaddy. 

"Can't you get it undone, sir?"

"Yes, I think so. Wait a moment, " cried Rob huskily, and opening thecanvas curtain once more, he stepped out boldly and faced that which hadstartled him before, this being nothing less than the puma. For it hadeither leaped from the shore into the boat or crept out along one of thegreat horizontal boughs of the tree and then dropped lightly down totake its place right in the stern, where it was sitting up licking itsdrenched coat as contentedly as some huge cat. 

It looked so different in its soaked state that for the moment Rob wasdisposed to think it another of the occupants of the forest, but hisdoubts were immediately set aside by the animal ceasing its occupationand giving its head a rub against him as, hardly knowing what to do, theboy unfastened the rope in obedience to orders, set the boat free, andthen wished he had not done so till the puma had been driven ashore. 

"All right, sir?" shouted Shaddy, who was hidden, like the rest, by theintervening cabin-like structure. 

"Yes, " cried Rob, as the puma set up its ears and looked angrily in thedirection from which the voices came, while the boat began to glide outthrough the dripping boughs, and the next minute was steaming in the hotsunshine. 

"What shall I do?" thought Rob, who was now in an agony of perplexity, longing to call to his companions and yet in his confusion dreading toutter a word, for the fear was upon him that the moment the puma caughtsight of Brazier it would fly at him. And again he mentally asked thequestion, "What shall I do?"

Meanwhile the puma had continued contentedly enough to lick its coat, sitting up on the narrow thwart at the end once more exactly like a cat, and in such a position that Rob felt how easy it would be to give thecreature a sharp thrust and send it overboard, when it would be sure toswim ashore and relieve him of his perplexity. 

While he was hesitating, the word "Oh!" was uttered close behind him, and looking sharply round, there was the wondering face of Joe thrustout between the canvas hangings, which he held tightly round his neck, being evidently too much startled to speak or move. 

"It came on board, Joe, during the storm, " whispered Rob; "whatevershall we do?"

The lad made no answer for a few moments, and then in a hurriedwhisper--

"Call Mr Brazier to shoot it. "

This roused Rob. 

"What for?" he said angrily; "the poor thing's as tame as can be. Look!"

He took a step toward the great cat-like creature, and it ceased lickingitself and leaned sideways as if to be caressed. 

At that moment Joe popped back his head, and Brazier's voice washeard:--

"They want the grapnel lowered, Rob, my lad. Can you--Why, whatever isthis?"

The aspect of the puma changed in an instant. Its ears went down nearlyflat upon its head, and it started upon all-fours, tossing its tailabout and uttering a menacing growl. 

Brazier started back, and Rob knew for what. 

"No, no, Mr Brazier, " he cried; "don't do that. The poor thing came onboard during the storm. It's quite tame. Look here, sir, look. "

As he spoke in quite a fit of desperation, he began patting and soothingthe animal, and when Brazier peered out again, in company with a loadedgun, the puma was responding to Rob's caresses in the most friendly way. 

"Anything the matter, sir?" said Shaddy from beyond the cabin. "Can'tyou get the grapnel overboard?"

"Come and look here, " whispered Brazier; and their guide crept into thecabin and peered out behind, his face puckering up into a grin. 

"What is to be done?" whispered Brazier; "I can't fire without hittingthe boy. "

"Then I wouldn't fire, sir, " replied Shaddy. "'Sides, there ain't noneed. The thing's quite a cub, I think, and tame enough. I don'tsuppose it'll show fight if we let it alone. "

"Stop, man! What are you going to do?"

"Go to 'em, " replied Shaddy coolly. 

"But it will spring at you. It turned threateningly on me just now. "

"Don't seem to on Master Rob, sir, and I don't think it will. What doyou say to going first, Mr Jovanni?"

"No, " said the lad shortly. "I don't like animals. "

"Well, then, here goes, " said Shaddy coolly. "Don't shoot, sir, unlessthe crittur turns very savage, and then not till I say, `Now!'"

He thrust the two canvas curtains apart quietly and stepped into thelittle open space astern, when once more the puma's aspect changed andit turned upon the new-comer menacingly. 

"Pat him again, Master Rob, " said Shaddy quietly. "I want to makefriends too. Here, old chap, " he continued, sitting down, as Robhurriedly patted and stroked the animal's head, "let's have a look atyou. Come, may I pat you too?"

He stretched out his hand, but the puma drew back suspiciously, and, with the others watching the scene, he remained quiet while Robredoubled his caresses, and the puma began to utter its low, rumbling, purring sound. 

"Only wants time, Mr Brazier, sir, " said Shaddy quietly. "I don'tthink the brute's a bit savage. Only thinks we mean mischief and isready to fight for himself. I could be friends with him in an hour ortwo. What's best to be done--get him ashore?"

"Yes, as soon as possible. "

"All right, sir; you go and tell the men to back the boat in to where welanded before. "

The canvas hangings dropped to, and Shaddy sat perfectly still, watchingthe actions of their strange visitor and talking in a low voice to Rob, while a low creaking began as two of the men forward thrust out theiroars and backed water. 

Slight as the sound was, that and the motion of the boat startled theanimal, which began to look about uneasily, but a touch or two from Robcalmed it directly, and after responding to his caresses it turned tolook curiously at Shaddy, taking a step forward and then stopping. 

"Well, what do you think of me, puss, eh?" said Shaddy quietly. "I say, Mr Rob, you and I had better keep him and set up as lion-tamers. "

The rough voice had its effect upon the animal, which ceased its purringsound and backed away close to Rob, against whom it stood, and beganwatching the bank toward which the boat was being thrust. 

"How are we to get it ashore?" said Rob at last. 

"You want it to go, then?"

"No, " replied Rob, "I don't. It is so very tame, I should like to keepit, but it does not care for anybody else. "

"Don't mind me seemingly, " said Shaddy. "Well, the best thing will befor you to jump ashore as soon as we're close in, and then it strikes mehe'll come after you, and if you kept on petting him he'd follow youanywhere. "

"You think so, Shaddy?"

"Feel sure of it, sir, but it ain't like a dog. You can't make acompanion of a scratching thing like that. "

"Why not? A dog's a biting thing, " said Rob shortly. 

"Well, yes, sir, but here we are. Better get him ashore. There ain'troom for him aboard here. There might be a row, for he ain't ready tomake friends with everybody. "

Rob stepped on to the gunwale rather unwillingly, for, in a misty way, he was beginning to wonder whether it was possible for him to retain thepuma as a companion, though all the time he could see the difficultiesin the way. 

He leaped ashore, and, as Shaddy had suggested, the puma immediatelymade a light effortless bound and landed beside him, pressing close upto the lad's side and rubbing one ear against his hand, while theoccupants of the boat looked wonderingly on. 

"What am I to do next?" asked Rob. "If I jump back on board, he'll cometoo. "

"Safe, " said Shaddy; "and there's no more room for passengers. Here, stop a moment; I have it. "

"What are you going to do?" said Brazier, who was watching the movementsof the puma with anxiety on Rob's behalf, but with keen interest all thesame, as he saw the active creature suddenly throw itself down by theboy's feet and, playful as a kitten, begin to pat at first one boot andthen the other, ending by rubbing its head upon them, watching theirowner all the time. 

"I'm going to get Mr Rob aboard without that great cat, sir, and thisseems best way. "

He drew his knife, raised the tarpaulin, and cut off a good-sized pieceof the deer meat; then, bidding the men to take their oars and be readyto row at the first command, he turned to Rob. 

"Look here, sir, " he said, "I'll pitch you the piece of dried meat. Youcatch it and then carry it a few yards, and let the lion smell it. Giveit him behind one of those bushes, and as soon as he is busy eating itdodge round the bush and come aboard. We'll soon have the boat too farfor him to jump. "

He threw the piece of dry meat to the boy, who caught it and walked asdirected, the puma following him eagerly and sniffing at the food. 

The next minute those in the boat saw Rob disappear behind a clump oflow growth, and directly after he reappeared running toward them justas, uneasy at his being out of sight with the fierce creature, Brazierhad called upon Giovanni to bring his gun and accompany him ashore. 

But Rob's reappearance of course stopped this, and the next minute hewas on board and being rowed away from the shore. 

"It seems too bad, " cried Rob, "just as if one was cheating the poorthing. Look, there it is. "

For just then the puma stalked out from behind the bushes and stoodtossing its tail and looking round as if in search of Rob, ending bywalking quickly down to the edge of the lake and standing there gazingafter the boat, which was now being rowed slowly down once more towardthe scene of their adventure with the swift current, Brazier havingdecided to stay one more day at the lower part of the lake beforedescending the river farther; and the object now in view was thediscovery of a fresh halting-place for the night. 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. 

AN INTERNATIONAL QUARREL. 

"What's the matter, Rob?" said Brazier, as he turned suddenly from wherehe had been laying various articles of clothing out in the warm sunshineto dry and found the two lads seated together in silence, Rob with hiselbows on the side of the boat and his chin in his, hands, gazing backashore. 

"I can't get a word out of him, sir, " said Joe. "I think it's becausethe lion was left behind. "

"Nonsense! Rob is not so childish as to fret after a toy he cannothave. Come, my lad, there is plenty to do. We must make use of theevening sun to get everything possible dry. Come and help. Wet clothesand wet sleeping-places may mean fever. "

Rob looked reproachfully at Joe, and began to hurry himself directly, his movement bringing him in contact with Shaddy, who was dividing histime between keeping a sharp look-out along the shore for a goodhalting-place suitable for making a fire, giving instructions to hismen, and using a sponge with which to sop up every trace of moisture hecould find within the boat. 

"There, Mr Rob, sir, " he said as he gave the sponge a final squeezeover the side, "I think that'll about do. It's an ill wind that blowsnobody any good. That storm has done one thing--given the boat a goodwash-out--and if we make a big fire to-night and dry everything that gotwet, we shall be all the better for it. Don't see storms like that inEngland, eh?"

"No, " said Rob shortly, and he took down and began rubbing the moisturefrom his gun. 

"Ah, that's right, my lad; always come down sharp on the rust, and stopit from going any further. Why, hullo! not going to be ill, are you?"

Rob shook his head. 

"You look as dumps as dumps, Mr Rob, sir. I know you're put out aboutthat great cat being left behind. "

Rob was silent. 

"That's it. Why, never mind that, my lad. You can get plenty of thingsto tame and pet, if you want 'em, though I say as we eight folks isquite enough in one boat without turning it into a wild beast show. "

Rob went on rubbing the barrel of his gun. 

"What do you say to a nice young pet snake, sir?" said Shaddy, with hiseyes twinkling, till Rob darted an angry glance at him, when he changedhis tone and manner. 

"Tell you what, sir, I'll get one of my boys to climb a tree first timeI see an old one with some good holes in. He shall get you a nice youngparrot to bring up. You'll like them; they're full of tricks, and astame as can be. Why, one of them would live on the top of the cabin, and climb about in a way as would amoose you for hours. "

Rob darted another angry look at him. 

"And do you think I want a parrot to amuse me for hours?" he saidbitterly. 

"Have a monkey, " said Joe, who had heard the last words. "Shaddy willget you a young one, and you can pet that and teach it to play trickswithout any risk to anybody, if you must have a plaything. "

He accompanied this with so taunting a look that it fired Rob's temper, just at a time when he was bitterly disappointed at the result of hisadventure. Joe's words, too, conveyed the boy's feeling, which wassomething akin to jealousy of the new object which took so much of theyoung Englishman's thoughts. 

Stung then by his companion's words and look, Rob turned upon him andsaid sarcastically, --

"Thank you: one monkey's enough on board at a time. "

The young Italian's eyes flashed, as, quick as lightning, he took theallusion to mean himself, and he turned sharply away without a word, andwent right aft to sit gazing back over the water. 

"Well, you've been and done it now, Mr Rob, and no mistake, " whisperedShaddy. "You've made Master Jovanni's pot boil over on to the fire, andit ain't water, but oil. "

"Oh, I am sorry, Shaddy, " said Rob in a low tone, for all his own angerhad evaporated the moment he saw the effect of his words on thehot-blooded young Southerner. 

"Sorry, lad? I should think you are. Why, if I said such a thing asthat to an Italian man, I should think the best thing I could do wouldbe to go and live in old England again, where there would be plenty ofpolicemen to take care of me. "

"But I was not serious. "

"Ay, but you were, my lad, and that's the worst of it. You said it in apassion on purpose to sting him, and he's as thin-skinned as a silkworm. He has gone yonder thinking you despise him and consider he's no betterthan a monkey, and if you'd set to for six hundred years trying to thinkout the nastiest thing you could invent to hurt his feelings youcouldn't have hit on a worse. "

"But it was a mere nothing--the thought of the moment, Shaddy, "whispered Rob. 

"O' course it was, dear lad, but, you see, that thought of the moment, as you call it, has put his back up. For long enough now English folkhave said nasty things to Italians, comparing 'em to monkeys, because ofsome of 'em going over to England playing organs and showing a monkey atthe end of a string. You see, they're so proud and easily affrontedthat such a word feels like a wapps's sting and worries 'em for days. "

"I'll go and beg his pardon. I am sorry. "

"Won't be no good now, sir. Better wait till he has cooled down. "

"I wish I hadn't said it, Shaddy. "

"Ay, that's what lots of us feels, sir, sometimes in our lives. I hit aman on the nose aboard a river schooner once, and knocked him throughthe gangway afterwards into the water, and as soon as I'd done it Iwished I hadn't, but that didn't make him dry. "

"I wish he had turned round sharply and hit me, " said Rob. 

"Ah, it's a pity he didn't, isn't it?" said Shaddy drily. "You wouldn'thave hit him again, of course. You're just the sort o' young chap tolet a lad hit you, and put your fists in your pockets to keep 'em quiet, and say, `Thanky, ' ain't you?"

"What do you mean--that I should have hit him again?"

"Why, of course I do, and the next moment you two would have beenpunching and wrestling and knocking one another all over the boat, tillMr Brazier had got hold of one and I'd got hold of the other, andbumped you both down and sat upon you. I don't know much, but I do knowwhat boys is when they've got their monkeys up. "

"Don't talk about monkeys, " whispered Rob hotly; "I wish there wasn't amonkey on the face of the earth. "

"Wish again, Mr Rob, sir, as hard as ever you can, and it won't do abit o' good. "

"Don't talk nonsense, Shaddy, " said Rob angrily. 

"That's right, sir; pitch into me now. Call me something; it'll do yougood. Call me a rhinoceros, if you like. It won't hurt me. I've got askin just as thick as one of them lovely animals. Go it. "

"I do wish you would talk sense, " cried Rob, in a low, earnest whisper. "You know I've no one to go and talk to about anything when I wantadvice. "

"No, I don't, " said Shaddy gruffly. "There's Muster Brazier. "

"Just as if he would want to be bothered when his head's full of hisspecimens and he's thinking about nothing else but classifying andnumbering and labelling! He'd laugh, and call it a silly trifle, andtell us to shake hands. "

"Good advice, too, my lad, but not now. Wait a bit. "

"I can't wait, knowing I've upset poor old Joe like that. I want to befriends at once. "

"That's good talk, my lad, only it won't work at present. "

"Ah, now you're talking sensibly and like a friend, " said Rob. "But whywill it not do now?"

"'Cause Mr Jovanni ain't English. He's nursing that all up, and itisn't his natur' to shake hands yet. Give the fire time to burn out, and then try him, my lad; he'll be a different sort then to deal with. "

Rob was silent for a few minutes. 

"That's good advice, Mr Rob, sir, and so I tell you; but I mustn't stophere talking. It'll soon be sundown, and then, you know, it's darkdirectly, and 'fore then we must be landed and the lads making a goodfire. I wish Mr Brazier would come and give more orders about ourhalting-place to-night. "

"He's too busy with his plants, Shaddy; and I ought to be helping him. "

"Then why don't you go, my lad?"

"How can I, with Joe sitting there looking as if I had offended him forlife? I'll go and shake hands at once. "

"No, you won't, lad. "

"But I will. "

"He won't let you. "

"Won't he?" said Rob firmly. "I'm in the wrong, and I'll tell him sofrankly, and ask him to forgive me. "

"And then he won't; and, what's worse, he'll think you're afraid of him, because it is his natur' to. "

"We'll see, " said Rob; and going round outside the canvas awning byholding on to the iron stretchers and ropes, he reached the spot whereJoe sat staring fixedly astern, perfectly conscious of Rob's presence, but frowning and determined upon a feud. 

Rob glanced back, and could see Brazier through the opening in thecanvas busily examining his specimens, so as to see if any had growndamp through the rain. Then, feeling that, if he whispered, theirconversation would not be heard, Rob began. 

"Joe!"

There was no reply. 

"Joe, old chap, I'm so sorry. " Still the young Italian gazed over thelake. "I say, Joe, it's like being alone almost, you here and I outthere. We can't afford to quarrel. Shake hands, old fellow. "

Joe frowned more deeply. 

"Oh, come, you shall, " whispered Rob. "I say, here, give me your handlike a man. I was put out about losing the puma, because I was sure Icould tame it; and it would have made such a jolly pet to go travellingwith. It could have lived on the shore and only been on board when wewere going down the river. It put me out, and I said that stupid thingabout the monkey. "

Joe started round with his eyes flashing. 

"Do you want me to strike you a blow?" he hissed angrily. 

"No; I want you to put your fist in mine and to say we're good friendsagain. I apologise. I'm very sorry. "

"Keep your apologies. You are a mean coward to call me a name likethat. If we were ashore instead of on a boat, I should strike you. "

"No, you wouldn't, " said Rob sturdily. 

"What! you think I am afraid?"

"No; but you would be a coward if you did, because I tell you that Ishould not hit you again. "

"Because you dare not, " said the young Italian, with a sneer. 

Rob flushed up angrily, and his words belied his feelings, whichprompted him, to use his own expression, to punch the Italian's head, for he said, --

"Perhaps I am afraid, but never mind if I am. You and I are not goingto quarrel about such a trifle as all this. "

"A trifle? To insult me as you did?"

"Don't be so touchy, Joe, " cried Rob. "Come, shake hands. "

But the lad folded his arms across his breast, and at that moment therewas the sharp report of Brazier's gun and a heavy splashing in the wateramong the lily leaves close up to the drooping trees which hid the causeof the turmoil. 

There was a little excitement among the men as the boat was rowed closein under the trees, and there, half in the water, lay one of the curiousanimals known as a water-pig, or carpincho. 

A rope was immediately made fast to tow the dead animal to thehalting-place to cut up for the evening meal, but before they had rowedfar Shaddy shouted to the men to stop. 

"That won't do, " he cried. 

"What's the matter, Shaddy?"

"Matter?" growled the guide; "why, can't you see, sir? There won't be abit left by the time we've gone a mile. Look at 'em tearing away at it. Well, I never shall have any sense in my head. To think of me notknowing any better than that!"

He unfastened the rope hanging astern, and hauled the dead animal alongthe side to the bows of the boat, with fish large and small dashing atit and tugging away by hundreds, making the water boil, as it were, with, their rapid movement. 

"Tchah! I'm growing stoopid, I think, " growled Shaddy as he hauled thewater-pig in over the bows, the fish hanging on and leaping up at ittill it was out of reach; and then their journey was continued till asuitable halting-place was reached, where by a roaring fire objects thatrequired drying were spread out, while the meat was cooked and thecoffee made, so that by the time they lay down to rest in the boat therewas not much cause for fear of fever. 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. 

A CATASTROPHE. 

The next morning the sun was drinking up the mists at a wonderful ratewhen Rob opened his eyes, saw Joe close by him fast asleep, and raisedhis hand to give him a friendly slap, but he checked himself. 

"We're not friends yet, " he said to himself, with a curious, regretfulfeeling troubling him; and as he went forward to get one of the men tofill him a bucket of water for his morning bath, for the first timesince leaving England he felt dismal and low-spirited. 

"Morning, sir!" said Shaddy. "Mr Joe not wakened yet?"

"No. "

"Did you two make friends 'fore you went to sleep?"

"No, Shaddy. "

"Then I lay tuppence it wasn't your fault. What a pity it was you letyour tongue say that about the monkey!"

"Yes, Shaddy, " said Rob as he plunged his head into the pail and had agood cool sluice. "I wish I hadn't now. It was a great pity. "

"True, sir, it was. You see, there ain't no room in a boat forquarrelling, and if it came to a fight you'd both go overboard togetherand be eaten by the fish afore you knew where you were. And that wouldnot be pleasant, would it?"

"Don't talk nonsense, Shaddy, " said Rob shortly as he plunged his headinto the bucket again. 

"Certinly not, sir, " replied the man seriously. "You see, I know how itwould be as well as can be. 'Talian lads don't fight like English lads. They can't hit out straight and honest, but clings and cuddles andwrastles. Soon as ever you began he'd fly at you, and tie his arms andlegs about you in knots, and hamper you so that you couldn't keep yourbalance, and as there's no room in the boat, you'd be ketching your toesomewhere, and over you'd go. If I were you, Mr Rob, sir, I wouldn'tfight him. "

"Will you leave off talking all that stupid nonsense, Shaddy?" cried Robangrily as he began now polishing his head and face with the towel. "Who is going to fight? I suppose you think it's very clever to keep onwith this banter, but I can see through you plainly enough. "

Shaddy chuckled. 

"All right, sir; I won't say no more. Give him time, and don't noticehim, and then I daresay he'll soon come round. "

"I shall go on just as if nothing had happened, " said Rob quietly. "Iapologised and said I was sorry, and when his annoyance has passed offhe'll be friends again. What a glorious morning after the storm!"

"Glorious ain't nothing to it, sir. Everything's washed clean, and theair shines with it. Even looks as if the sun had got his face washed, too. See how he flashes. "

"I can feel, Shaddy, " said Rob, with a laugh. 

"That's nothing to what's coming, my lad. Strikes me, too, that weshall find a little more water in the stream, if Mr Brazier says we'reto go down the river to-day. Hear the birds?"

"Hear them?" cried Rob. "Why, they are ten times as lively to-day. "

"That they are, sir. They're having a regular feast on the thingswashed out of their holes by the rain. As for the flowers, Mr Brazierwill have no end of beauties to pick. They'll come out like magic afterthis rain. He won't want to go on to-day. "

"Yes, I shall, Naylor, " said Brazier, stepping out from under theawning. "We may as well go on, beautiful as all this is. Ah, " hecontinued as he gazed round and took a long, deep breath, "whatgloriously elastic air! What a paradise! Rob, my lad, there can benothing fairer on earth. "

"Don't you be in a hurry, sir!" growled Shaddy. "I'm going to show youplaces as beat this hollow. "

"Impossible, my man!" said Brazier. 

"Well, sir, you wait and see. Bit o' breakfast before we start?"

"Yes, " said Brazier, and the men just then stirred the fire together, and called from the shore that the water was boiling and the cakes inthe embers baked. 

The sensation of delicious comparative coolness after the storm as theysat under the trees, and the fragrance borne from myriads of floweringplants was so delightful to the senses that Rob looked with dismay atthe idea of leaving the place for the present. The thirsty ground haddrunk up the rain, and only a little moisture remained where the suncould not penetrate, while the sky was of a vivid blue, without a speckof cloud to be seen. 

But, though Brazier did not notice it, there was a jarring element inthe concord of that glorious morning, for the young Italian was heavyand gloomy, and hardly spoke during the _alfresco_ meal. 

"What's that?" said Rob suddenly as there was a slight rustling amongthe boughs and undergrowth a short distance away. 

"Might be anything, sir, " said Shaddy. "Some little animal--monkeypraps. It won't hurt us. Maybe it's a snake. "

In spite of an effort to seem unconcerned, Rob could not resist thedesire to glance at his comrade at the mention of the monkey, and, as hefully expected, even though he could not check it, there was Joe glaringat him fiercely. 

Rob dropped his eyes, feeling that Joe fully believed he was doing it toannoy him, and that Shaddy had the same intention. 

Meanwhile the sound had ceased, and was forgotten by the time they wereall on board once more, the rope which had moored them to a tree beingcast off. 

"Now, my lads, away with you!" growled Shaddy, and the oars droppedamong the lily leaves with a splash, startling quite a shoal of fish onone side and a large reptile on the other, which raised quite a wave asit dashed off with a few powerful strokes of its tail for deeper water. 

They were about fifty yards from the shore, when Shaddy suddenly laidhis hand upon Rob's shoulder and pointed back to the place they had justleft. 

"See that, my lad?"

"No. What?" cried Rob hastily. "Bird? lizard?"

"Nay; look again. "

Rob swept the shore eagerly, and the next moment his eyes lit uponsomething tawny standing in a shady spot, half hidden by the leaves. 

"The puma!" he cried excitedly, and as the words left his lips theanimal made one bound into the undergrowth near the trees, and was gone. 

"Or another, one, Rob, " said Brazier. "It is hardly likely to be thesame. There are plenty about, I suppose, Naylor?"

"Oh yes, sir. Can't say as they swarm, but they're pootty plentiful, and as much like each other as peas in a pod. "

"But I feel sure that is the same one, " cried Rob excitedly. "It isfollowing us down the lake. "

"Maybe, " grumbled Shaddy, "but you couldn't tell at this distance. "

Rob was going to speak again, but he caught sight of Joe's face, with apeculiar smile thereon, and he held his peace. 

An hour later they were drawing close to the mouth of the river, whereit quitted the lake, and Shaddy pointed to the shores on either side. 

"Look at that, " he said in a low tone. "I 'spected as much. "

"Look at what?" said Rob. 

"The trees. Water's two foot up the trunks, and the river over itsbanks, lad. We shall go down pootty fast it I don't look out. "

But he did "look out, " to use his own words, and getting the boat round, he set the four men to back stern foremost into the stream, keeping along oar over the side to steer by and giving orders to the men to pullgently or hard as he gave instructions, for the river ran like amill-race. It was swift enough before, but now, thanks to thetremendous amount of water poured into it through the previous night'sstorm, its speed seemed to be doubled. 

Rob stood close by the steersman, while Joe was beside Mr Brazier, who, after the first minute or two of startled interest in their rapiddescent, became absorbed in the beauty of the overhanging plants, andhad no eyes for anything else. 

"We're going along at a tidy rate, Master Rob, " said Shaddy. 

"Yes; the trees glide by very quickly. "

"Ay, they do, sir, " said the man, who did not take his eyes from thesurface of the river before them. "I did mean to make the boys pull sothat we could go down gently, but it wouldn't be much good, and onlytoil 'em for nothing. "

"There's no danger, I suppose, Shaddy?"

"No, sir, no, not much, unless we run on a sharp snag or trunk of atree, or get swept into a corner and capsized. "

"What?" cried Rob. 

"Capsized, sir. That would make an end of our expedition. Now, lads, "he shouted to the men, "pull your best. "

He gave his own oar a peculiar twist as the men obeyed, and Rob caughtsight of the danger ahead for the first time. It was a huge tree whichhad been undermined by the water during the past few hours and fallenright out into the stream, its top being over a hundred feet from theshore and showing quite a dense tangle of branches level with the water, to have entered which must have meant wreck. 

But Shaddy was too much on the _qui vive_, and his timely order andcareful steering enabled him to float the craft gently by the outermostboughs. 

They were going onward again at increased speed, when Brazier shouted, --

"Stop! I must have some of those plants. "

Shaddy did not stir. 

"Do you hear, man? Stop! I want to collect some of those epiphyticplants. "

By this time they were nearly a hundred yards past, and Shaddy looked atthe enthusiastic collector with a comical expression on his face. 

"Always glad to obey orders, sir, " he said drily; "but how can I stopthe boat now? Look at the water. "

"But you should have caught hold of one of the boughs, man. "

"When we were fifty yards away, sir?"

"Then pull back to the tree. "

Shaddy smiled again. 

"It ain't to be done, sir, no, not if I'd eight oars going instead offour. There's no making head against the river now it's running likethis. "

"Then we've made a mistake in coming to-day, " cried Brazier anxiously. 

"Well, no, sir, because before night we shall have made a big run rightinto the country you want to see, without tiring my lads, and I want tosave them up. But there's no stopping to-day for collecting. "

"But shall we be able to land somewhere?"

"Hope so, sir. If we can't we shall have to go on. But you leave it tome, sir, and I'll do my best. Don't talk to me now, because I've got tosteer and look out against an upset, and, as you know, bathing ain'tpleasant in these waters. "

Brazier looked uneasy, and went and sat down in the stern, to becomeabsorbed soon after in the beauty of the scene as they raced down thesilvery flashing river, while Joe, who was near him, appeared to belooking at the birds and wondrous butterflies which flapped across fromshore to shore, but really seeing nothing but one of a company ofmonkeys, which, after the fashion of their kind, were trying to keeppace with the boat by bounding and swinging themselves from tree to treealong the shore. 

That seemed to the young Italian's disordered imagination, blurred, asit were, by rankling anger, like the monkey to which his companion hadcompared him, and his annoyance grew hotter, not only against Rob, butagainst himself for refusing to shake hands and once more be friends. 

Meanwhile Rob stayed in the fore-part of the boat talking to Shaddy, whostood on one of the thwarts, so as to get a better view of the riverahead over the cabin roof, and kept on making an observation to the boyfrom time to time. 

"Easy travelling this, my lad, only a bit too fast. "

"Oh, I don't know; it's very delightful, " said Rob. 

"Glad you like it, my lad; but I wish Mr Jovanni wouldn't sit on thestarn like that. He ought to know better. Least touch, and over he'dgo. "

"Look: what's that, Shaddy?" cried Rob, pointing to a black-lookinganimal standing knee-deep in water staring at them as they passed. 

Shaddy screwed his eye round for a moment, but did not turn his head. 

"Don't you get taking my 'tention off my work!" he growled. "That's a--that's a--well, I shall forget my own name directly!--awhat-you-may-call-it--name like a candle. "

"Tapir, " cried Rob. 

"That's him, my lad. Any one would think you had been born on 'Mericanrivers. Rum pig-like crittur, with a snout like a little elephant'strunk, to ketch hold of grass and branches and nick 'em into his mouth. I say--"

"Well, what, Shaddy?" said Rob. The man had stopped to bear hard uponhis oar. 

"Pull, my lads, " he growled to his men. "Hold tight, every one. Ididn't see it soon enough. Tree trunk!"

Rob seized one of the supports of the cabin roofing and gazed over it atwhat seemed like a piece of bark just before them, and the next momentthere was a smart shock, a tremendous swirl in the water, and a showerof spray poured over them like drops of silver in the bright sunshine, as something black, which Rob took for a denuded branch, waved in theair, and Joe plumped down into the bottom of the boat. 

Shaddy chuckled and wiped the water out of his eye. 

"I'm thinking so much about trees washed from the bank that I can't seeanything else. "

"But it was only a small tree, Shaddy, and did us no harm. "

"Warn't a tree at all, lad, only a 'gator fast asleep on the top of thewater going west and warming his back in the sun same time. "

"An alligator?"

"Yes, my lad. Didn't you see what a flap he gave with his tail! Butnow just look there at Mr Jovanni. I call it rank obstinit. Just asif there was no other place where he could sit but right on the starn!There, you're friends, and he'll take it better from you. Go throughthe cabin and ask him to get off. I don't want him to go overboard. "

"Neither do I, Shaddy, but we are not friends, and if I ask him he willstop there all the more. "

"Then I must, " said Shaddy. "Hi, Mr Jovanni, sir! Don't sit there; itain't safe. "

"Oh yes, I'm quite safe, " cried the boy sharply. "Never mind me. "

"Hark at him! Don't mind him! What'll his father say to me if I goback without him? Pull, lads, pull!"

Shaddy's order was necessary, for a huge tree--unmistakably a tree thistime--lay right across their way just where the river made a sudden bendround to their left. 

The better way would have been to have gone to the right, where therewas more room, but, the curve of the river being of course on that sidegreater, there would not have been time to get round before the boat wasswept in amongst the branches, so perforce their steersman made for theleft. 

This took them close in to where the bank should have been, but whichwas now submerged, and the boat floated close in to the great wall oftrees marking the edge of the stream, and so little room was there that, to avoid the floating tree-top, the boat was forced close in shore, where the stream at the bend ran furiously. 

"Look out!" roared Shaddy. "Heads down!" and Rob, who had been watchingthe obstacle in their way, only just had time to duck down as, with atremendous rushing and crackling sound, they passed right through a massof pendent boughs which threatened to sweep the boat clear of cabin andcrew as well, as the stream urged it on. 

The trouble only lasted a few seconds, though, and then they werethrough and floating swiftly round the inner curve toward an open patchof the shore which rose all clear of water and tree. 

"Anybody hurt?" cried Brazier from inside the cabin; "I thought theplace was going to be swept away after I had dived in here. "

"No, sir; we're all right, " cried Rob. "I nearly lost my cap, though, and--Oh! where's Joe?"

"Eh?" cried Shaddy, looking forward. "Why, he was--gone!"

All faced round to look back just in time to catch an indistinct glimpseof their companion apparently clinging to a bough overhanging thestream; but the next moment the intervening branches hid him from theirsight, and a look of horror filled every face. 

"Did--did you see him, Shaddy?" panted Rob. 

"Thought I did, sir, but couldn't be sure, " growled Shaddy, and thenfuriously to his men, "Row--row with all your might!"

The men obeyed, making their oars bend as they tugged away with sucheffect that they advanced a few yards. But that was all. The currentwas too sharp, and they lost ground again. Then, in spite of all theirefforts, the most they could do was to hold their own for a minutebefore having to give way, pull in shore, and seize the overhangingboughs to which Shaddy and Brazier now clung to keep the boat fromdrifting. 

"Better land, sir, " cried Shaddy. "We can't reach him this way. "

"Reach him?" cried Rob piteously, and then to himself, "Oh! Joe, Joe, why didn't you shake hands?"

CHAPTER NINETEEN. 

A FRESH PERIL. 

Shaddy's advice was easier to give than to execute. For though byholding on to the boughs they were able to anchor the boat, it proved tobe a difficult task to force it in among the submerged stems to the spotwhere the clear space of elevated ground offered a satisfactorylanding-place. 

Thanks to the skill of the boatmen, however, a landing was at lastachieved, and as soon as Brazier leaped ashore he was followed by Roband Shaddy, the latter giving his men a few sharp orders before joiningthe others, who were trying to force their way back along the banktoward where they had last seen their companion. 

This was difficult, but possible for a short distance, and they pressedon hopefully, for, consequent upon the sudden turn of the river hereforming a loop, they had only to cross this sharp bend on foot, not aquarter of the distance it would have been to row round. 

But before they had gone fifty yards the high-and-dry land ended, andRob, who was, thanks to his activity, first, was about to wade in andcontinue his way among the submerged roots. 

But Shaddy roared at him, --

"No, no, my lad; don't make matters worse! You mustn't do that. Thethings have moved out of the river in here to be away from the rush andto get food. We don't want you pulled under. "

"But we must go on, Naylor, " cried Brazier in agony. 

"It ain't the way to help him, getting ourselves killed, sir, " retortedShaddy. "Let's get more in. Water don't go far. "

He was quite right, for after about ten minutes' struggle along the edgethey found themselves as nearly as they could guess about opposite tothe spot where their unfortunate companion had been swept out of theboat, but about a hundred yards inland and separated from the regularbed of the stream by a dense growth of trees, whose boughs interlacedand stopped all vision in every direction, more especially toward theriver. 

"You see, we must wade, " cried Rob; and he stepped into the water with aplash, but Shaddy's strong hand gripped him by the shoulder and drew himback. 

"I tell you it's madness, boy. If he's alive still you couldn't reachhim that way. "

"If he's alive!" groaned Rob. 

"If he's alive, " said Shaddy, repeating his words. "Steady a moment!He may be up in one of the boughs, for he's as active as a monkey inrigging and trees. "

Then, putting his hands to his mouth, he shouted in stentorian tones, --

"Ahoy! ahoy!"

But there was no response, and Rob and Brazier exchanged glances, theirfaces full of despair. 

"Ahoy!" shouted Shaddy once more. 

Still no reply, and a cold chill ran through Rob and his eyes grew dimas he thought of the bright, handsome, dark-eyed lad who had been hiscompanion so long, and with whom he had been such friends till themiserable little misunderstanding had thrust them apart. 

"It must be farther on, " said Brazier at last, when shout after shouthad been sent up without avail. 

"Think so, sir?" said Shaddy gloomily. "I thought it was about here, but p'r'aps you're right. Come on. River made a big twist there, andit's hard to tell distance shut up half in the dark among the trees. Idid hope, " he continued, as he forced his way in among the trees andheld boughs aside for them to follow, "that the poor lad had swunghimself up and would have made his way like a squirrel from branch tobranch till he reached dry land, but it don't seem to be so. There, sir, we must be 'bout opposite where we saw him. Can't be no farther. Ahoy! ahoy! ahoy!"

They all listened intently after this, but there was no sound of humanvoice, only the shrieking of parrots and chattering of monkeys. 

Shaddy shouted again, with the result that he startled a flock of birdswhich were about to settle, but rose again noisily. 

They all shouted together then, but there was no response, and feelingthat their efforts were useless, they went on a short distance, andtried once more without result. 

"He'd have answered if he had been anywhere near, sir, " said Shaddygloomily. "I'll go on if you like, but take my word for it he ain'there. "

Rob looked at both despairingly, but he was obliged to take the guide'swords for those of truth, and, feeling utterly crushed, he slowlyfollowed the others as they began to return, feeling the while that ifit had not been for the edge of the water by which they walked it wouldhave been impossible to find their way back through the densewilderness. 

Their guide returned by their outward steps as accurately as he could, but it was not always possible, for in coming out the bushes had beenforced on in the same direction and then sprung back together, after thefashion of the withes in a fish-trap, and presenting their points, thorns, and broken stems in a perfect _chevaux de frise_. 

In these cases Shaddy had to select a different path, the exigencies ofthe way forcing him more inland, and at last, in spite of hisexperience, he stopped short, looked about him and then upwards, seekingto make out the sky, but it was completely shut off, and they stood in atwilight gloom. 

"What's the matter, Shaddy?" said Rob at last, after looking at theman's actions wonderingly; but there was no reply. 

"For goodness sake, man, don't say that you have lost your way, " criedBrazier excitedly. 

Shaddy still remained silent, and took off his hat to scratch his head. 

"Do you hear me, man? Have you lost your way?"

"Don't see as there's any way to lose, " growled Shaddy. "I ain't seenno path. But I have gone a bit wrong. "

"Here, let me--" began Brazier, but Shaddy interrupted him. 

"Steady, sir, please! Don't wherrit me. I shall hit it off directly. You two gents stand just as you are, and don't move. Don't even turnround, or else you'll throw me wrong worse than I am. You see, theplace is all alike, and nothing to guide you. One can't tell which wayto turn. "

"But tell me, " said Brazier, "what are you going to do?"

"There's only one thing to do, sir: find the river, and I'm going tomake casts for it. You both stand fast and answer my whistles; then Ishall know where you are and can come back and start again. If we don'tact sensible we shall lose ourselves altogether and never get out ofit. "

"And then?" said Brazier. 

"Oh, never mind about _then_, sir. I've lost my way a bit, and I'mgoing to find it somehow, only give me time. "

"Which way do you think the river lies?" said Rob gloomily. 

"I'm going to try out yonder, sir. You see we've turned and doubled sothat I can't tell where we are. "

"But it's out that way, I'm sure, " said Rob, pointing in the oppositedirection. 

"Why are you sure, sir?"

Rob shook his head. 

"Ah, to be sure, dear lad!" said the guide; "you only think it's outthat way, and I daresay Mr Brazier here thinks it's out another way. "

"Well, I must confess, " said Brazier, "that I thought the river laybehind us. "

"Yes, sir, that's it. I've been lost before with half a dozen, sir, andevery one thought different. One wanted to go one way; one wanted to goanother. Fact is, gentlemen, we neither of us know the way. It's allguesswork. Once lost, there's nothing to guide you. I can't recollectthis tree or that tree, because they're all so much alike, and it's aspuzzling as being in the dark. There's only one way out of it, and thatis to do as I say; you stand fast, and I'll cast about like a dog doesafter losing the scent till I find the right track. Only mind this: ifI don't have you to guide me back with whistle and shout I shall be lostmore and more. "

"You are right, Naylor, " said Brazier; "we leave ourselves in yourhands. Go on. "

"Cheer up, Mr Rob, sir; don't be down-hearted. I shall find the wayout of it yet. "

"I was not thinking about myself, Shaddy, " said Rob in a choking voice. "I was thinking about poor Joe. "

"Ah!" said Shaddy in a suppressed voice. Then sharply, "I shall whistleat first, and one of you keep answering. By-and-by I shall shout likethis. "

He uttered a peculiarly shrill cry, and they all started, for it wasanswered from a distance. 

"Why, that's Joe, " cried Rob joyfully. "Ahoy! ahoy!" he cried, andpaused to listen. 

"Nay, sir, that wasn't Mr Jovanni, but one of the wild beasts. Soundedto me like one of them little lions. Stop a bit, though; let's try ashout or two to see if the boys in the boat can hear us now. "

He hailed half a dozen times at intervals, but there was no reply. 

"Thought not, " he said. "Only waste of breath. We've wandered awayfarther than I thought, and the trees shuts in sound. Stand fast, gentlemen, till I come back. "

He paused for a few moments, and then forced his way in amongst thetrees in a direction which Rob felt to be entirely wrong, but in hisdespondent state he was too low in spirit to make any opposition, andafter marking the spot where Shaddy had disappeared, he turned roundsuddenly, placed his arm across a huge tree trunk, rested his browagainst it, and hid the workings of his face. 

"Come, come, Rob, be a man!" cried Brazier, laying his hand upon thelad's shoulder. "Never despair, my boy, never despair!"

"Joe! Joe!" groaned Rob; "it is so horrible!"

"Not yet. We don't know that he is lost. "

"He must be, sir, he must be, or he would have answered our hails. "

At that moment there was a shout from out of the forest, and Rob startedround as if thinking it might be their young companion, but the cry wasnot repeated; a shrill whistle came instead. 

Brazier answered it with a whistle attached to his knife. 

"It was only Shaddy, " groaned Rob. "Mr Brazier, you don't know, " hecontinued. "We two had quarrelled, and had not made friends, and now, poor fellow, he is gone. "

"No, I will not believe it yet, " cried Brazier; "for aught we know, hemay have escaped. He is too clever and quick a lad not to make adesperate effort to escape. We shall run up against him yet, so cheerup. Ahoy!" he cried in answer to a hail, and followed it up with awhistle. 

"Naylor said he should whistle for a time and then hail, " said Brazier, trying to speak cheerfully. "Come, lad, make a brave fight of it. Youare getting faint with hunger, and that makes things look at theirworst, so rouse up. Now then, answer Naylor's signal. "

"I can't, not yet, " said Rob huskily. "I am trying, Mr Brazier, and Iwill master it all soon. "

Just then the peculiar cry they had first heard rang out again from adistance. 

"Was that Joe?" whispered Rob, with a ghastly look. "He must be inperil. "

"No, no; it was a jaguar, I think. There goes Naylor again! Whistle!whistle!"

Rob only gazed at him piteously, and Brazier responded to the signalhimself. 

"Come, come, Rob, " he whispered, "be a man!"

The lad made a tremendous effort to conquer his weakness, and turnedaway from the tree with his lips compressed, his eyes half closed, andforehead wrinkled. 

"That's right, " cried Brazier, clapping him on the shoulder. "Who saysour English boys are not full of pluck?"

He whistled again in response to a signal from Shaddy, and then theylistened and answered in turn for quite half an hour, during which theguide's whistles and cries came from further and further away, butsounded as if he were at last keeping about the same distance, andworking round so as to come back in another direction. 

Then for a time all signals ceased, and they heard the cry of the wildbeast, followed by quite a chorus of shrieks and chatterings, whichceased as suddenly as they had begun. 

"He has gone too far, Mr Brazier, " cried Rob suddenly, a completechange having come over him, for he was once more full of excitement andenergy. 

"I hope not. "

"But he is not signalling. "

"I'll try again. "

Brazier raised the little metal whistle to his lips and gave out ashrill, keen, penetrating note. 

Then they listened, but there was no answer. 

Brazier's brow wrinkled, and he refrained from looking at Rob as he oncemore raised the whistle to his lips, to obtain for answer theunmistakable cry of some savage, cat-like creature--jaguar or puma, hecould not tell which. 

"No guns! no guns!" he muttered; and moving away from Rob, he opened thelong, sharp blade of his spring knife, one intended for huntingpurposes, and thrust it up his sleeve. 

Just then Rob whistled as loudly as he could, and they both listened, when, to their intense relief, there came a reply far to their left. 

"Hurrah!" cried the boy excitedly, and then, "Oh, Mr Brazier, what arelief!"

Brazier drew a long, deep breath. 

"Whistle again, boy, " he said; but before Rob could obey there wasanother distant whistle, and on this being answered the signals went onfrom one to the other for quite half an hour, and at last there was abreaking and crashing noise, and Shaddy came within speaking distance. 

"Hear that lion prowling about?" he shouted. 

"Yes, several times. "

"Ah, I began to feel as if a gun would be handy. He came too close tobe pleasant. "

"What have you found--the river?" cried Brazier. 

"No, sir, not yet. I went far enough to be sure it ain't that way. "

A few minutes later he forced his way to their side, looking hot andexhausted. 

"Why didn't you answer me when I whistled and shouted?" he cried. 

"We did, Shaddy, every time we heard you. "

"Nay, my lad, didn't seem to me as if you did. S'pose the trees kep' itoff at times. But all right, gentlemen, I shall soon hit it off, andwe'll get to the boat, have a good feed, and go to work again. Don'tlook down, Mr Rob, sir! How do we know as Mr Jovanni isn't therealready waiting for us?"

Rob shook his head. 

"Ah, you don't know, sir. Seems queer, don't it, to get so lost! but itain't the fust time. I've known men go into the forest only a score ofyards or so and be completely gone, every step they took carrying 'emfarther away and making 'em lose their heads till their mates found'em. "

"Stop! Which way are you going now?"

"This way, " said Shaddy. 

"But that's back--the way we came. "

Shaddy laughed, and without another word forced his way again in amongthe trees. 

"I give up, " said Brazier in despair. "It is too confusing for ordinarybrains. I could have taken an oath that he was wrong. "

He answered a whistle, and they stood waiting till the crackling andrustling made by their guide's passage ceased. 

"I couldn't have believed that we came so far, " said Rob, breaking thesilence. 

"I don't think we did come very far, Rob, " replied Brazier; "it is onlythat the place is so hopelessly puzzling and intricate. Time is gettingon, too. We must not be overtaken by the night. "

Rob could hardly repress a shudder, and, to make the dismal look of thenarrow space, darkened by close-clustering trees, more impressive, thepeculiar exaggerated cat-like call of the beast they had heard oranother of its kind rang out hollowly apparently not very far-away. 

Almost simultaneously, though, came Shaddy's whistle, and this wasanswered and repeated steadily at some little distance, but at lastgrowing quite faint. 

As they were waiting for the next call there was a rustling soundoverhead, which took their attention, but for some time nothing butmoving leaves could be made out in the subdued light, till all at onceBrazier pointed to a spot some fifty feet above them, and at last Robcaught sight of the object which had taken his companion's attention. 

"Looking down and watching us, " he said quickly, as he gazed at thepeculiar little dark, old-looking face which was suddenly withdrawn, thrust out again, and finally disappeared. 

"There is quite a party of monkeys up there, Rob, " said Brazier; "andthe tree-tops are thoroughly alive with birds, but they are silentbecause we are here. Ahoy!" he shouted as Shaddy now hailed fromsomewhere nearer, and after a few shouts to and fro they heard himsay, --

"Found it!"

A thrill of joy ran through Rob, but it passed away and he feltdespondent again as they started to rejoin their guide, for the thoughtsof poor Joe were uppermost, and he began thinking of the day when theyshould go back and join the schooner to announce the terrible accidentthat had befallen the captain's son. 

But he had to toil hard to get through the trees, and this work tookaway the power of thinking much of anything but the task in hand. Shaddy, too, had stopped short, waiting for them to come to him, andthey had to squeeze themselves between trees, climb over half-rottentrunks, and again and again start aside and try another way as theyfound themselves disturbing some animal, often enough a serpent. 

"'Bliged to stop here, gen'lemen, and mark the direction, " rang on theirears all at once. "You see, one can't travel in a straight line, and Iwas afraid of losing my way again. "

"How far is the river away?"

"Not quarter of a mile if you could go straight, my lad, but it'll behalf a mile way we have to twist about. But come along. Once we get tothe water's edge, we'll soon make the boat. "

He turned, and led on slowly and laboriously, the difficultiesincreasing at every step, and more than once Rob was about to breakdown. The last time he took hold of a tree to support himself, and wasabout to say, "I can go no further, " when, looking up, there was Shaddypointing down at the water, which had flooded over right in among thetrunks. 

Rob dropped upon his knees directly, bent down, placed his lips to thewater, and drank with avidity, Brazier following his example. 

The discovery of a guide which must lead them to the spot where they hadleft the boat, and the refreshment the river afforded, gave Rob thestrength to follow Shaddy manfully along the margin of the flood overtwice the ground they had traversed in the morning--for their wanderingshad taken them very much further astray than they had believed--and theresult was that just at sundown, after being startled several times bythe cries of the jaguar or puma close on their left apparently, Shaddysuddenly gave a hoarse cheer, for he had emerged upon the clearing atwhose edge the boat was moored. 

CHAPTER TWENTY. 

A TERRIBLE SURPRISE. 

Shaddy looked sharply round as they crossed the clearing, all threebreathing more freely at being once more in the open and without theoppression of being completely shut in by trees on all sides, while thedense foliage overhead completely hid the sky. This was now oneglorious suffusion of amber and gold, for the sun was below the horizon, and night close at hand, though, after the gloom of the primeval forest, it seemed to Rob and his companions as if they had just stepped out intothe beginning of a glorious day. 

"Don't see no fire, " growled Shaddy. "We're all horribly down aboutlosing poor Mr Jovanni. But we must have rest and food, or we can'twork. Here, my lads, where are you?" he shouted in the dialect the menbest understood. 

They were about half-way across the opening in the forest as he shoutedto the men, and the river was running like a stream of molten gold; butthe boat had been probably moored somewhere among the trees, so as to besafer than in the swift current, for it was not visible. 

"D'ye hear, you?" roared Shaddy fiercely, for he was out of temper fromweariness with his exertions during the day. "Are you all asleep?There's going to be about the hottest row over this, Mr Brazier, asever them lazy half-breed dogs got into. You pay them well to work, andinstead of there being a good fire, and cooked meat and fish, and hotcake, and boiling water, they're all fast asleep in that boat. "

He stopped short and looked about him; then, placing both hands to hismouth to make a trumpet, he uttered a stentorian roar, which echoed fromthe tall bank of trees on the opposite side of the river. 

The only answer was the shriek of a macaw from across the water, where apair of the long-tailed birds rose from a tall tree and winged their wayover the tops. Directly after there was a sharp yell, evidently thecall of some cat-like beast. 

"I'll go over yonder and look among the trees, Mr Brazier, sir, " saidShaddy, after waiting for some more satisfactory reply, "and I'll takeit kindly if you and Mr Rob will have a look among them standing in thewater that side. I dessay the boat's run up close as they can get itone side or the other. "

Brazier nodded, and went to one side of the clearing, while Shaddyforced his way through the low growth toward the other, Rob followingclose upon his leader's steps till they reached the submerged trees andworked along their edge, peering in amongst them as rapidly as theycould, for there was no time to be lost. Night was coming on withtropical swiftness, and already the glorious amber tint was paling inthe sky, and the water beneath the trees looking black. 

"See anything of them, Rob?" cried Brazier again and again; but theanswer was always the same: a low despondent "No. "

All at once there was a loud shout, and they looked back to see Shaddywaving his cap and beckoning to them. 

"Found them?" cried Rob as he ran to meet their guide. 

"No, my lad; they're not here. Might have known it by there being nofire. Hi, Mr Brazier, sir!"

The latter came panting up, for it required no little exertion to getthrough the dense bushes and thick grass. 

"What is it? Where are they?"

"That's what I want to know, sir. But look here, I'm so fagged out thatmy head won't go properly. I mean I can't think straight. "

"What do you mean, man?"

"This, sir: look round, both of you, 'fore it gets darker. I'm alldoubty, and I've got thinking that we've come to the wrong place. "

"What?" cried Rob excitedly. 

"I say I've got a fancy that this ain't the right place, for there's noone here, and no boat, and there ain't been no fire. "

"How do you know, Shaddy?"

"'Cause, if the boys had made a fire, they would nat'rally have put itthere under that patch of bushes near the trees. "

"Why there, and not anywhere else?"

"'Cause that's the place any one used to making fires on the riverswould pick at once. It's shaded from the wind, handy to the trees, soas to get plenty of dead wood, and nigh the river to fetch water. "

"But the other side would have done as well, " said Rob excitedly. 

"No, it wouldn't, sir, for the wind ketches there, and the sparks andsmoke would be blowing all over the place. I say, is this the placewhere we left the boat this morning?"

"I--I dare not say, Naylor, " replied Brazier, after a little hesitation. "I am so faint and worn-out that I too cannot be certain. "

"I'm sure it is, " said Rob quickly. 

"There's some one who can think, then, " cried Shaddy. "Stop a moment, though, Mr Rob, sir. Tell me how is it you are sure?"

"Because I noticed that big tree on the other side of the water--thatone out of which those two big birds flew. There, you can see itplainly against the sky. "

"Bah! nonsense, my lad! There are thousands of those great treesabout. "

"But not like that, Shaddy, " said Rob eagerly. "Look there against thelight. It's just like a man's face, a giant's, as if he were lying onhis back, and you can see the forehead, nose, and chin, and a big beardquite plainly. "

"Well, it do look like it, cert'nly, " growled Shaddy. 

"Then, too, I remember the shape of the bank, and look how the riverbends round and comes in a curve. Of course this is the place; I'mquite sure it is. "

"Right, my lad! so was I, quite sure, " cried Shaddy dismally; "but I washoping and praying that I might be wrong, because if you are right, sir--No, I won't say it. "

"Yes, you will, Naylor, " cried Brazier sternly. "Speak out. "

"What! if it's very bad, sir?"

"Yes, my man; this is no time for trifling. Tell me the worst. "

"There's Mr Rob here, sir, " said the guide, in a tone full of protest. 

"I want to know the worst, too, Shaddy, " said Rob resignedly. 

"Then I'll tell you, gentlemen, only don't blame me for making yourhearts as sore as mine is now. "

"Tell us everything, my man. For bad or good, in this journey we mustwork together for our mutual help and protection, not merely as masterand paid servant, but as Englishmen in a strange country, as brothers ina foreign land. "

"And that's how I'm trying to work for you, Mr Brazier, sir, " saidShaddy huskily, "and it goes hard with me to tell you what I'm 'fraidon. "

"And that is?" said Brazier, while Rob bent forward listening withthrobbing heart. 

"Either those lads of mine have met with a bad accident, or they havegone off with the boat and left us to starve and die. "

"Taken--the boat--the stores--the guns?" faltered Rob. 

"My collection and the means of prosecuting my researches?" criedBrazier. 

"Yes, sir; that's it, I'm afraid, but I hope I'm wrong. "

The two collectors stood silent for a few moments, for the announcementwas appalling, and it took time to grasp all the horrors of theirposition. For to all intents and purposes they were as much cut offfrom help as if they had been upon some tiny islet in mid-ocean, theriver being useless without a boat, and three days' experience alonesufficient to show them the madness of attempting to travel through theforest. In addition they were without food and wanting in the means ofobtaining a meal, let alone subsistence from day to day. 

Silence then, and with it darkness, fell upon the startled group, tillRob said sturdily, --

"We're all too tired to do anything or think anything till we haverested and had some food. I'm ready to drop. "

"Them's wise words, " said Shaddy. "No one could have said better. Thisway, gen'lemen, please!"

He turned sharply round and led them toward the side of the opening inthe forest which had been the scene of his search. 

"What are you going to do, Naylor?" asked Brazier. 

"What every man does first, sir, when night comes on in the wilds: lighta fire to keep off the wild beasts. "

A thrill of dread passed through Rob at this, for he had been too intentupon the discovery they had made to think anything of their danger. Butnow he glanced uneasily round, and saw the eyes of wild beasts glaringat them from the dense forest in all directions, till he was ready tolaugh at his folly, for the gleaming eyes were fire-flies. 

Meanwhile Shaddy led them straight to the spot he had notified as beingthe one likely to be selected by a halting party for their fire, andhere, with the help of the others, sufficient dead wood was collected tostart a very small blaze, by whose light they proceeded to collect moreand more from the edge of the forest beyond where the river had risen. But it was slow and arduous work for weary people, and they wereconstantly finding wood that was too small or else that which was tooheavy to stir. Still they persevered, and at last so good a fire wasburning that there was no fear of an attack by any prowling beast, andas its flames rose higher their task grew less difficult, and by joininghands a good pile of dead limbs was laid ready for keeping up the blaze. 

"Something cheery 'bout a fire!" said Shaddy when it was decided thatthey had enough wood to last the night. "Next thing ought to be supper, gentlemen. "

"And we have nothing, " said Rob despairingly. 

"On'y water, " said Shaddy, "plenty of that. "

"_Qui dort dine_, Rob, " said Brazier quietly. 

"Speak to me, sir?" said Shaddy. 

"No, but I will, my man, " replied Brazier. "The French say that he whosleeps dines. "

"That's true, sir, " said Shaddy, "on'y it's disappointing when you wake. I've lain down to go to sleep lots of times like this, tired out andhungry, and dropped asleep directly; and as soon as I've been asleepI've begun to dream about eating all kinds of good things. It's verynice in the dreaming, but it don't keep up your courage. "

"There is nothing that we could possibly get to eat, is there, Shaddy, "said Rob, --"no berries nor fruit?"

"Couldn't find 'em to-night, sir. In the morning I daresay I can getsome berries; might manage a fish, too, to roast at daybreak. "

"But the ground! it is so damp, " said Rob. 

"A few boughs will keep off the damp, Mr Rob, sir; so I say, let's allsleep. "

"But oughtn't we to keep watch in turns, Naylor?" said Brazier. 

"In an ordinary way, sir, yes, one would say it's a duty--what a manshould do, " replied the guide gravely; "and I don't deny there's dangersabout. But we've done all we can do, as men without weapons, bylighting that fire. I shall wake up now and then to throw on somebranches and then lie down again. We can do no good more than we havedone, and at a time like this I always think it is a man's duty to say, `Can I do anything else?' and, if he feels he can't, just say his bit ofprayer and leave it to One above to watch over him through the darkhours of the night. "

"Amen, " said Brazier solemnly, and half an hour after, a pile of freshlybroken-off boughs had been laid near the fire, and all lay down inperfect faith and trust to sleep and wait for the next day. 

Shaddy dropped off at once, while Brazier lay talking in a low tone toRob, trying to instil some hopefulness. 

"Please God, " he said at last, "day will bring us help and counsel, mylad, and perhaps give prospects of finding poor Joe. "

He ceased speaking, and directly after Rob knew by his regular breathingthat he too was asleep. But that greatest blessing would not come tothe boy, and he lay gazing now at the dancing flames, now trying topierce the darkness beyond, and ever and again seeing dangers in theapparently moving shadows cast by the fire. 

There were the noises, too, in the forest and along the river bank, sounding more appalling than ever, and as he listened and tried topicture the various creatures that howled, shrieked, and uttered thosecurious cries, he fully expected to hear that peculiar terror-inspiringsound which had puzzled even Shaddy, the old traveller and sojourner inthe forest wilds. 

The horrible cry did not come, but as Rob lay there, too weary to sleep, too much agitated by the events of the day to grow calm and fit forrest, that sound always seemed to the lad as if it were about to breakout close to where he lay, and the fancy made his breath come short andthick, till the remembrance of his boy-comrade once more filled hismind, and he lay trying to think out some way by which it was possiblethat Joe had escaped that day. These thoughts stayed in his mind as thefire died out from before his heavy eyes, and at last, in spite of all, he too slept heavily, and dreamed of the young Italian coming to himholding out his hand frankly and then in foreign fashion leaning towardhim and kissing him on the cheek. 

At the touch Rob leaped back into wakefulness, rose to his elbow, andlooked sharply round, perfectly convinced that his cheek had beentouched, and that, though in his sleep, he had felt warm breath acrosshis face. 

But there was nothing to see save the blazing fire, whose snapping andcrackling mingled with the croaking, hissing, and strange cries from theforest. Fire-flies glided here and there, and scintillated about thebushes; Brazier and Shaddy both slept hard; and the peculiar cry of ajaguar or other cat-like animal came softly from somewhere at adistance. 

"Fancy!" said Rob softly as he sank down, thinking of Shaddy's lastwords that night. The troubles of the day died away, and he dropped offfast asleep again, to begin once more dreaming of Joe, and that theywere together in the cabin of the boat side by side. 

And it all seemed so real, that dream; he could feel the warmth from theyoung Italian's body in the narrow space, and it appeared to him thatJoe moved uneasily when there was a louder cry than usual in the forestand crept closer to him for protection, even going so far as to lay anarm across his chest, inconveniencing him and feeling hot and heavy, buthe refrained from stirring, for fear of waking him up. 

Then the dream passed away, and he was awake, wondering whether hereally was in the cabin again, with Joe beside him. No; he was lying onthe boughs beside the fire, but so real had that dream seemed that thefancy was on him still that he could feel the warmth of Joe's body andthe boy's arm across his chest. 

"And it was all a dream, " thought Rob, with the bitter tears rising tohis eyes, as he gazed upward at the trees, "a dream--a dream!"

No, it was no dream. He was awake now, and there was a heavy arm acrosshis chest and a head by his side. 

"Joe! Oh, Joe!" cried Rob aloud; and he grasped at the arm, touched it, felt its pressure for an instant, and then it was gone, while at his cryboth Shaddy and Brazier sprang up. 

"What is it?"

"I--I--think I must have been dreaming, " said Rob excitedly. "I wokewith a start, fancying Joe had come back, and that he was lying downbeside me. "

"A dream, Rob, my lad!" said Brazier, with a sigh. "Lie down again, boy; your brain is over-excited. Try once more to sleep. "

Rob obeyed, feeling weak and hysterical; but after a few minutes sleepcame once more, and it was morning when he reopened his eyes. 

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. 

"WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY. "

A glorious, a delicious morning, with the mists passing away in wisps ofvapour before the bright sunshine, the leaves dripping with dew, andbird and insect life in full activity. 

But it was everything for the eye and nothing for the inner man. Wakingfrom a most restful sleep meant also the awakening to a sensation ofravenous hunger, and directly after to the terrible depression caused bythe loss sustained on the previous day and their position--alone, andwithout the means of obtaining food. 

When Rob started up he found Brazier in earnest conversation withShaddy, and in a few minutes the boy learned that their guide had beenabout from the moment he could see to make up the fire, and then he hadbeen searching in all directions for traces of their companions. 

"And you feel sure that they have gone?" Brazier was saying when Robjoined them. 

"Certain sure, sir. "

"But I still cling to the belief that we have blundered into the wrongplace in our weariness and the darkness last night. Why, Naylor, theremust be hundreds of similar spots to this along the banks of the river. "

"Might say thousands, sir; but you needn't cling no more to no hopes, for this is the right spot, sure enough. "

"How do you know?" cried Rob. 

"'Cause there's the mark where the boat's head touched ground, where welanded, and our footmarks in the mud. "

"And those of the men?" cried Brazier hastily. 

"No, sir; they none of them landed. There's your footmarks, Mr Rob's, and mine as plain as can be, and the water has shrunk a bit away sincewe made 'em yesterday. No, sir, there's no hope that way. "

"Then what ever are we to do, man?" cried Brazier. 

"Like me to tell you the worst, sir?"

"Yes, speak out; we may as well know. "

Shaddy was silent for a few moments, and then said, --

"Well, gen'lemen, those fellows have gone off with the boat and all init. The guns and things was too much for 'em, and they've gone to feastfor a bit and then die off like flies. They'll never work enough bythemselves to row that boat back to Paraguay river, for one won't obeythe other. They'll be like a watch without a key. "

"Then they have gone down the river?" said Rob. 

"Yes, sir, wherever it takes them, and they'll shoot a bit and fish abit till they've used all the powder and lost their lines. So much forthem. Let's talk about ourselves. Well, gentlemen, we might make asort of raft thing of wood and bundles of rushes, --can't make a boat forwant of an axe, --and we might float down the stream, but I'm afraid itwould only be to drown ourselves, or be pulled off by the critters inthe water. "

"But the land, Shaddy!" cried Rob. "Can't we really walk along the bankback to where we started?"

"You saw yesterday, sir, " said Shaddy grimly. 

"But couldn't we find a way across the forest to some point on the greatriver, Naylor?" said Brazier. 

"No, sir, and we've got to face what's before us. No man can getthrough that great forest without chopping his way with an axe, and he'dwant two or three lifetimes to do it in, if he could find food as hewent. I'm talking as one who has tried all this sort o' thing for manyyears, and I'm telling you the simple truth when I say that, situated aswe are, we've either got to stop here till help comes, or go down theriver on some kind of raft. "

"Then why not do that and risk the dangers?" cried Rob. 

"Yes, " said Brazier. "Why not do that? No help can possibly come hereunless Indians pass by in a canoe. "

"Which they won't, sir, and if they did they'd kill us as they wouldwild beasts. I don't believe there's an Indian for a hundred miles. "

"Then what do you propose doing first?" asked Brazier. 

"Trying to kill the wolf, sir. "

"What! hunger?"

"Yes, sir. He's a-gnawing away at me awful. Let's see what berries andfruit we can find, and then try whether we can't get hold of a fish. "

"But we are forgetting all about poor Joe, " said Rob in agonised tones. 

"That we ain't, sir. I know you're not, and if you'll show me what Ican do more than I did last evening and afternoon to find the poor boy, here's Shadrach Naylor ready to risk his life any way to save him. Butset me to do it, for I can't see no way myself. Can you?"

Rob was silent, and Brazier shook his head. 

"You see, it's like this, sir, " continued Shaddy: "people as have neverbeen in these woods can't understand what it means, when it's just this:Shut your eyes and go a dozen yards, turn round, and you're lost. There's nothing to guide you but your own footsteps, and you can't seethem. You may live for a few days by chewing leaves, and then it's liedown and die, wishing you were a monkey or a bird. That's the truth, gentlemen. "

"Then you give up in despair, Naylor?" said Brazier angrily. 

"Not I, sir--not the sort o' man. What I say is, we can't do no good bywasting our strength in looking for Mr Joe. We've got to try and saveour own lives by stopping where we are. "

"And what shall we do first?"

"Use our brains, sir, and find something to eat, as I said afore. There's fruit to find, fish, birds, and monkeys to catch. Snakes ain'tbad eating. There's plenty of water, and--Oh, we're not going to dieyet. Two big men and a small one, and all got knives; so come along, and let's see what we can do. "

Shaddy turned to the fire, taking out his knife and trying the edge. 

"First thing I want, Mr Rob, is a bit of hard half-burnt wood--forkedbit, out of which I can make a big fish-hook, a long shank and a shortone. It must be hard and tough, and--Why, hullo! I didn't see thesehere before. "

"What?" asked Rob and Brazier in a breath, and their companion pointeddown at the earth. 

"Fresh footmarks, gen'lemen, " said Shaddy. 

"Joe's?" cried Rob. 

"Nay, my lad; it's a lion's, and he has been prowling round about ourfire in the night. "

Rob started, and thought of his realistic dream, but he was faint, confused in intellect, and could not fit the puzzle together then. 

"Well, he hasn't eaten either of us, " said Shaddy, with a grim smile, "and he'd better mind what he's about, or we'll eat him. Ah, here weare!" he exclaimed, pouncing upon a piece of burning wood. "Now youtake your cap, Mr Rob, and hunt all round for any fruit you can find. Don't be wasteful and pick any that ain't ripe. Leave that for anotherday. We shall want it. And don't go in the forest. There's more to befound at the edge than inside, because you can't get to the tops of thetrees; and don't eat a thing till I've seen it, because there's plentypoisonous as can be. "

"All right!" said Rob, and he turned to go. 

"And cheer up, both of you, " said their companion. "We won't starvewhile there's traps to be made, and bows and arrows, and fishing tackle. Now, Mr Brazier, please, you'll sit down on that dead tree, take offthat silk handkercher from your neck, and pull out threads from it oneby one, tie 'em together, and wind 'em up round a bit of stick. Soon asI've made this big rough wooden hook, I'll lay the silk up into a line. "

"But you've no bait, " said Brazier, who was already taking off hisnecktie. 

"No bait, sir? Mr Rob's going to find some wild oranges or sour sops, or something, and if he don't I still mean to have a fish. Why, if Ican't find nothing else I'll have a bait if I come down to cutting offone of my toes--perhaps one o' Mr Rob's would be tenderer or moretempting--or my tongue p'r'aps, for I do talk too much. Work, both ofyou; I'll soon have a bait, for I want my breakfast like mad. "

Rob hurried off, but did not reach the great trees which surrounded theopen spot, for at the third clump of bushes he came upon anorange-coloured fruit growing upon a vine-like plant in abundance. Itseemed to be some kind of passion-flower, and, in spite of Shaddy'swarning, he tasted one, to find it of a pleasant, sweetish, acidflavour. 

Gathering a capful, he returned at once to where his companions inmisfortune were hard at work. 

"Hullo!" growled Shaddy. "Soon back! What have you got, my lad? Kindo' granadillas, eh? Well, they're good to eat, but not much to make abreakfast of. Better wait till I've done a bit o' conjuring and turnedsome of 'em into a fish. There, what do you say to that for a hook?"

He held up his piece of wood carving, which was about four inches longand two across, something in this shape:--

"Not much of a hook, Mr Rob, sir, but tough enough to hold a fish if wecan coax him to swallow it by covering it with the fruit. We can getthree of them juicy things on the shank and point. So now for the line!How are you getting on, Mr Brazier, sir?"

"Very slowly, Naylor, " said Brazier, with a sigh. 

"All the more surer, sir. You help, Mr Rob, sir, and I'll lay up someof my cotton handkercher for the snood. No; second thoughts is best. I'll make a loose hank of it, so that the fish's teeth may go through ifhe tries to bite the line, which of course he will. "

The result was that in an hour or so a silk line of about twenty yardsin length was twisted up and attached to the loose cotton bottom securedto the hook. This was baited, and, after selecting a suitable spot, Shaddy climbed out upon a half-fallen tree whose trunk projected overthe river, and dropped his line into a deep eddying pool, where thewater ran round and round in a way which made Rob feel giddy. 

There was a steep slope just here, so that the bank was not flooded, andhence the angler was able to drop his line at once into deep water, where the action of the whirling current sufficed to suck the bait rightdown, while Brazier and Rob looked on with the interest of those whodepended upon success to give them the food from the want of which theywere suffering keenly. 

"Now then, " said Shaddy cheerfully, "if the bait don't come off, if afish takes it, if there are any here, if the hook don't break and theline give way, I may catch our breakfast. Plenty of ifs, Mr Rob, sir!Remember the big doradoes we caught up yonder?"

"Oh, if you could catch one now!" replied the lad. 

"Ah, if I could, sir! Perhaps I shall, but I don't want a big one. Nowfor it!"

A quarter of an hour passed away, during which time Shaddy pulled up andexamined his bait twice, to see if it was safe, but there was no sign offish there, though out in mid-stream and toward the farther shore therewas evidently abundance, the water being disturbed and some big fellowspringing out every now and then, to come down with a mighty splash, scattering the sparkling drops in all directions. 

"I shall have to come down to a toe, Mr Rob, sir, " said Shaddy grimly. "The fish don't seem to care for fruit so early in the morning. It'sall very well for dessert, but they like a substantial meal first. Nowthen, get your knife ready. Whose is it to be? Shall we pull strawsfor the lot?"

"Try a little farther this way, Shaddy, " said Rob, ignoring the remark. 

"Right, sir! I will, " said Shaddy, shifting the position of his bait, "but it strikes me we've got into a 'gator hole, and consequentlythere's no fish. "

"Do you think they can see you?"

"No, sir. Water's too thick. Look yonder. "

"What at?"

"Monkeys in that tree watching us. Now if you'd got a bow and arrowsyou might bring one or two down. "

"What for?"

"What for, my lad?" cried the guide in astonishment. "And he asks whatfor, when we're all starving. Why, to eat, of course. "

"Ugh! I'm not so hungry as that!" cried Rob, with a shudder. 

"You ain't? Well, my lad, I am, and so I tell you. They're capitaleating. Why, I remember once when I was up the river with a party weall had--A fish! a fish!" he cried as upon raising his line, to see ifthe bait were all right, he suddenly felt a fierce tug; and the nextminute the pool began to be agitated in a peculiar way. 

"Here, Mr Rob, I'm going to hand you the line, and you've got to runhim out at once upon the bank. If I try to play him he's sure to go. There, I'll ease him down, and he'll think it's all right and be quiet. Then you draw in gently, and as soon as he feels the hook run him rightout, and you, Mr Brazier, sir, stand ready at the water's edge to mindhe don't get back. Mind, I don't say it ain't a small 'gator all thesame. "

He passed the end of the line to Rob as the captive, whatever it was, now lay quiet, but as soon as the lad began to draw the line ashorethere was another heavy tug. 

"Run him out, sir, not hand over hand; run and turn your back, " shoutedShaddy, and as fast as he could get over the tangled growth amongst thetrees Rob obeyed, with the result that he drew a large golden-scaledfish right out of the river and up the bank a couple of yards, whensomething parted, and Shaddy uttered a yell as he saw the captiveflapping back toward the pool. 

"Gone! gone!" cried Rob in dismay. "I knew--"

He said no more for the moment, and then uttered a shout of delight ashe saw the efficacy of their guide's arrangements, for before the fishreached the edge Brazier had thrown himself upon it, and paying no heedto slime, spines, or sharp teeth, he thrust his hands beneath, and flungit far up toward where Rob in turn carried on the attack. 

The next minute Shaddy was beside them, knife in hand, with which herapidly killed, cleaned, and scaled the fish, finding the tough hookbroken in two before chopping off a couple of great palm-like leaves, inwhich he wrapped his prize as he trotted toward the fire. Then with ahalf-burned branch, he raked a hole in the glowing embers, laid down thefish, raked the embers over again, and said, --

"Not to be touched for half an hour. Who'll come and try for more solidfruit?"

If Rob's spirits had not been so low he would have been amused by theboyish manner of their companion as he led them here and there. At theedge of the forest he mounted and climbed about a tree till he was wellout on a great branch, from which he shook down a shower of great fruitthat looked like cricket-balls, but which on examination proved to bethe hard husks of some kind of nut. 

"What are these?" cried Rob. 

"Don't you know 'em?" said Shaddy as soon as he had descended. 

"No. "

"Yes, you do, my lad. You've seen 'em in London lots of times, " andhammering a couple together, he broke open one and showed the contents:to wit, so many Brazil nuts packed together in a round form like thecarpels of an orange. 

"I never knew they grew like that, " cried Rob eagerly. 

"And I must confess my ignorance, too, " said Brazier. 

"Ah, there's lots to learn in this world, gen'lemen, " said Shaddyquietly. "Not a very good kind o' nut, but better than nothing. Bittoo oily for me, but they'll serve as bread for our fish if we get acouple of big stones for nutcrackers. They're precious hard. "

"Then we shan't starve yet, " cried Rob as he loaded himself with thecannon-ball-like fruit--pockets, cap, and as many as he could hold inhis arms. 

"Starve? I should think not, " cried Shaddy, "and these here outsides'llhave to serve for teacups. "

"Without tea, Shaddy?"

"Who says so, my lad? You wait, and we'll find cocoa and mate, and whoknows but what we may hit upon coffee and chocolate? Why, I won't swearas we don't find sugar-cane. 'T all events, we're going to try. "

"Well, Naylor, you are putting a different complexion on our prospects, "said Brazier, who had joined them. 

"Yes, sir, white one instead of a black one. Next thing is to get aroof over our heads ready for the heavy rains, and then we've got tosave all the feathers of the birds we catch or shoot for feather beds. We shall have a splendid place before we've done, and you can mark outas big an estate as you like. But come along; I'm thinking that fishmust be done. "

Upon Shaddy sweeping its envelope clean of the embers, he found it wasquite done, and soon served it out brown and juicy upon a greatbanana-like leaf. 

"Now, gentlemen, grace! and fall to, " said their cook merrily. "Nutsafterwards when I've found two big stones. "

There was not much of the delicious fish left when a quarter of an hourhad passed, and then Rob uttered a grumble. 

It was very good, he said, only they had no salt. 

"If you'd only spoken a bit sooner, Master Rob, I could have got yousome pepper, " said Shaddy, "but salt? Ah, there you beat me altogether. It's too far to send down to the sea. "

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. 

BRAVE EFFORTS. 

That same afternoon after a quiet discussion of their position, theresult of which was to convince Brazier and Rob of the utterhopelessness of any attempt to escape, they joined with Shaddy in themost sensible thing they could do, namely, an attempt to forget theirsorrow and misery in hard work. 

"If we want to be healthy, " Shadrach had said, "we must first thing geta shelter over our heads where we can sleep at nights, clear of theheavy dews, and which we can have ready next time it comes on to rain. "

A suitable position was soon found high up where no flood was likely toreach, and presenting several attractions. 

First, it was at the head of the clearing exactly facing the river, sothat a passing boat could be seen. Secondly, it was between two greattrees, apparently twins, whose smooth columnar trunks ran up some twentyfeet without a branch; after that they were one mass of dense foliage, which drooped down nearly to the ground and looked thick enough to throwoff, as the leafage lay bough above bough, any fall of rain short of awaterspout. 

The trees were about twelve feet apart, and from a distance the boughshad so intermingled that they looked like one. 

"That's the spot, sir!" Shaddy exclaimed. "Now then, the first thingis to find a branch that will do for a ridge pole. "

That first thing proved to be the most difficult they could haveundertaken, for a long search showed nothing portable at all likely toanswer the purpose; and though palm after palm was found, all were toosubstantial to be attacked by pocket-knives. They were getting indespair, when Rob hit upon one close down to the river, which the unitedstrength of all three, after Rob had climbed it and by his weightdragged the top down within reach, sufficed to lever out of thesaturated ground. 

As soon as the young palm was down, Shaddy set Brazier and Rob to cutoff the roots and leaves, which latter they were told to stack ready foruse, from where they hung six or eight feet long, while he--Shaddy--knife in hand, busied himself in cutting long lianas and canes to act asropes. 

An hour later they had the young palm bound tightly to the trees aboutsix feet from the ground, after which branches were cut and carried, sothat they could be laid with the thick ends against the ridge pole andthe leaves resting upon the ground from end to end. 

This done, others were laid on in the same way, the leaves and twigsfitting in so accurately that after a busy two hours they had a strongshed of branches ready for stopping up at one end with thorns and moreboughs, while Rob had to climb up the slope and thatch the place withthe palm leaves, forming a roof impervious to any ordinary rain. 

"That will do for sleeping, eh, gen'lemen?" said Shaddy. "We'll finishit another time. We can rest in shelter. Now then for getting ourwages--I mean a decent supper. "

Rob had been conscious for some time past of sundry faint sensations;now he knew that they meant hunger, and as they left the hut they hadmade he did not look forward with any great feelings of appetite to ameal of nuts. 

But it soon became evident that Shaddy had other ideas, for he went tothe fire again to obtain a hardened piece of wood for fashioning into ahook, when an idea struck Rob, and he turned to their guide eagerly. 

"Did you ever sniggle eels?" he said. 

"Did I ever what, sir?"

"Sniggle eels. "

Shaddy shook his head. 

"No. I've bobbed for 'em, and set night lines, and caught 'em inbaskets and eel traps after storms. Is either of them sniggling?"

"No, " cried Rob eagerly, "and you might catch fish perhaps that way. I'll show you; I mean, I'll tell you. You take a big needle, and tie apiece of strong thin silk to it right in the middle. "

"Ay, I see, " said Shaddy. 

"Then you push the needle right into a big worm, and stick the point ofthe needle into a long thin pole, and push the worm into a hole in abank where eels are. "

"Yes, I see. "

"Then one of the eels swallows the worm, and you pull the line. "

"And the worm comes out. "

"No, it does not, " said Rob. "As it's tied in the middle, it is pulledright across the eel's throat, and you can catch it without beingobliged to use a hook. "

"That's noo and good, " said Shaddy eagerly. "I could fish for doradoesthat way, but I've got no needle. "

"Wouldn't this do, Shaddy?" said the lad, and he took a steelneedle-like toothpick out of the handle of his pocket-knife. 

"The very thing!" cried Shaddy, slapping his leg, and, after tying hisnewly made line to the little steel implement in the way described, hebound over it with a silken thread a portion of the refuse of the fishthey had previously caught. Going to his former place, he cast in hisline, and in five minutes it was fast to a good-sized fish, which aftera struggle was landed safely, while before long another was caught aswell. 

"Man never knows what he can do till he tries, " cried Shaddy merrily. "Why, we can live like princes, gentlemen. No fear of starving! Fishas often as we like to catch 'em, and then there's birds and otherthings to come. You don't feel dumpy now, Mr Rob, do you?"

"I don't know, Shaddy. I'm very hungry and tired. "

"Wait till we've had supper, my lad, and then we'll see what we can doabout making a bow and arrows. "

As he spoke he rapidly cleaned the fish, treated them as before, andplaced them in the embers, which were glowing still. 

While the fish cooked Shaddy busied himself in crushing some of the nutsby using one stone as a hammer, another as an anvil, and some of them heset to roast by way of a change. 

By the time the fish were ready the sun was rapidly going down, and whenthe meal was at an end--a meal so delicious, in spite of thesurroundings, that it was eaten with the greatest of enjoyment--it wastoo dark to see about bows and arrows, and the disposition of all threewas for sleep. 

So the boughs collected on the previous night were carried in beneaththe shelter and made into beds, upon which, after well making up thefire, all stretched themselves, and, utterly wearied out by the arduoustoil of the day, fell asleep at once, in spite of the chorus ofnocturnal creatures around, among which a couple of cicadas settled intheir rudely made roof and kept up a harsh chirping loud enough to havekept awake any one who had not gone through as much work as two ordinarymen. 

"But it can't be morning, " thought Rob as he was awakened by Shaddytouching him on the shoulder, and then he uttered his thought aloud. 

"Well, if it ain't, my lad, the sun's made a mistake, for he'll be updirectly. Coming out?"

"Yes; wait till I wake Mr Brazier. "

"Nay; let him be till we've got breakfast ready, my lad. He lookedregularly done up last night. He can't bear it all like young chapssuch as we. "

Rob laughed, and then a cloud came over him as he stepped out into thesoft grey morning, for he had caught sight of the hurrying river, andthis brought up the boat and the loss of his companion and friend. 

"Look here, Mr Rob, " said Shaddy, changing the current of the boy'sthoughts directly, "I've been thinking out that bow and arrow business. "

"Yes, Shaddy. "

"And I've found out some splendid tackle for making arrows. "

"What! this morning? Then you have been out and about!"

"Yes, soon as I could see my way. I found a bed of reeds which willmake capital arrows with a point of hard wood a bit burned, and there'sno end of 'em, so there's our shot all straight as--well, as arrows. Now you and I are going to get a fish and put him to cook, and afterthat we'll try and find a bit of wood good enough for a bow. "

"And where's your string, Shaddy?"

"Round your neck, sir. You don't think you're going to indulge in suchluxuries as silk han'kerchers at a time like this, do you? Because, ifyou do, I don't; so you'll have to pull out all the threads and wind 'emup, like Mr Brazier did. His han'kercher will do for fishing-lines. Yours shall be bow-strings. Why, who knows but what we may get a deer?Anyhow we may get one of them carpinchos, and not bad eating, either. "

The fish was soon caught in the swift clear water, but all attempts totake another failed. It was, however, ample for their meal, and afterit had been placed in the fire, which had never been allowed to go outsince first lit, Rob's companion pointed out more footprints of a puma, and soon after those of a deer, both animals having evidently been inthe opening within the last few hours, from the freshness of the prints. 

The reeds for the arrows were cut, and proved to be firm, strong, andlight, but the selection of a branch for the bow proved to be more of atask. One was, however, decided upon at last, roughly trimmed, andthrown on the fire for a few minutes to harden, and it was while thepair were busy over this task, watching the tough wood carefully, thatBrazier found them, apologising for his so-called idleness and eagerlyasking what he should do to help. 

"Nothing, sir, at present, but have your breakfast. Would you mindpicking a few plates and a dish, Mr Rob? Let's have the green patternagain. "

Rob smiled as he went to the arum-like plant which had supplied himbefore, and returned to the fire just as Shaddy was apologisingseriously for its being fish again for breakfast and promising a changebefore night. 

The apology was uncalled for, the freshly caught, newly roasted fishproving to be delicious; and roasted nuts, though they were notchestnuts and were often flavoured with burned oil, were anything but abad substitute for bread. 

"There, gen'lemen, " said Shaddy as they finished, "next thing seems tobe to go down to the waterside and have a good drink of nature's own teaand coffee. Worse things than water, I can tell you. I always think tomyself when I've nothing else that what was good enough for Adam and Eveought to be good enough for me. "

"Water's delicious, " cried Rob as they reached a convenient place andlay down to scoop up the cool clear fluid with their hands and drinkheartily. 

"So it is, Mr Rob, sir, 'llcious, " said Shaddy; "but wait a bit, andyou shall have something to put in the water, if it's only fruit juiceto flavour it. But what I want to find is some of those leaves theymake into South American tea. "

Just then Shaddy smiled and rose to his knees, watching Brazier, who hadmoved off thirty or forty yards away. 

"What are you laughing at?" asked Rob. 

"Mr Brazier's want of good manners, sir. Don't seem the thing for agen'leman like him to go washing his face and hands in his tea andcoffee-cup; now do it?"

"Plenty of room, Shaddy!" said Rob. "I'm going to follow his example. "

He stretched out over the water from the bank, reached down his hands, and began to bathe his face, the water feeling deliciously cool to hisbrow and eyes as he scooped up handsful, and he was just revelling in anextra good quantity, when he uttered an ejaculation of alarm, for hefelt himself seized by the collar as if he were about to be hurled intothe river, but it proved only to be Shaddy snatching him away. 

"Why did you do that?" cried Rob angrily, as he pressed the water out ofhis eyes and darted a resentful look at the big rough fellow, who stoodlooking at him coolly. 

"'Cause we wanted you to be useful, my lad, and because you didn't wantto go below yonder and feed the fishes, " replied Shaddy, laughing. "Didn't you see that 'gator?"

"No. Where? Was it near me?"

"Pretty near, sir. I happened to look, and saw him coming slowly nearerand nearer, ready for making a dash at you, and as I'd neither gun norspear to tackle him, I had to pull you out of the way. "

"Was it big?" said Rob, with a shudder. 

"No, sir, only a little one, about six foot long, but quite strongenough to have hung on and overbalanced you into the water, where therewould have been plenty more to help him. Now I tell you what, sir, MrBrazier had better be told to be careful, " continued Shaddy. "Ah, hesees danger; so it's all right. "

For Brazier suddenly shrank away from the edge of the river, rose, andcalled to them. 

"Take care, Rob!" he shouted; "the water here swarms with alligators. One little wretch was coming at me just now. "

"Yes, sir, better mind!" cried Shaddy. "We've just had one here. " Thenturning to Rob, --

"Now, Master Rob, sir, what do you say to our spending the day makingbows and arrows?"

"I'm ready. "

"And perhaps, Mr Brazier, sir, you wouldn't mind trying for anotherfish for dinner, in case we don't get our shooting tackle ready. "

Brazier nodded, and soon after prepared to fish, but even in theirpeculiar strait he could not refrain from looking longingly at plant, insect, and bird, especially at a great bunch of orchids which werependent from a bough. 

He did not seem likely to have much success in the pool or eddy wherethe other fish had been caught, and soon after moved off to anotherplace, but meanwhile Rob and Shaddy were busy in the extreme, the lattermaking some half-charred pieces of wood from the fire into littlehardened points ready for Rob to fix into the cleft he split in the endof each reed and then binding them tightly in, making a notch for thebow-string at the other end, and laying them down one by one finishedfor the sheaf he had set himself to prepare. 

These done, Rob began upon the silken bow-string, pulling out thethreads from his neckerchief and tying them together till he had woundup what promised to be enough, afterwards doubling and twisting themtightly, while Shaddy was whistling softly and using his pocket-knife asif it were a spoke-shave to fine down the thick end of the piece of woodintended for the bow. 

"Strikes me, Mr Rob, " he said, "that we shall have to use this verygingerly, or it will soon break. I know what I wish I had. "

"What?" asked Rob. 

"Rib of an old buffalo or a dead horse. "

"What for?"

"To make a bow, my lad. It would only be a short one, but wonderfullystrong. You'd have to use short arrows, and it would be hard to pull, but with a bow like that you could send an arrow through a deer. But aswe haven't got one, nor any chance of finding one, we must do the bestwith this. "

Rob watched with the greatest of interest the progress of the bow, busying himself the while with the string, which was finished first; andas it displayed a disposition to unwind and grow slack, it wasthoroughly wetted and stretched between two boughs to dry. 

"Shall you succeed in getting a bow made?" said Brazier, coming up. 

"Oh yes, sir, I think so, " said the guide; "better bow than archer, I'mthinking, without Mr Rob here surprises us all by proving himself aclever shot. "

"Don't depend upon me, " said Rob mournfully, for his thoughts were uponJoe and his sad end, and when by an effort he got rid of thesedepressing ideas, his mind filled with those of the Indians turningagainst them in so cowardly a way, leaving them to live or die, just asit might happen, while they escaped with the plunder in the boat. 

"What are you thinking about, Rob?" said Brazier, after speaking to himtwice without eliciting an answer. 

"Of the men stealing our boat. It was so cruel. "

"Don't you fret about it, Mr Rob! They'll soon get their doo ofpunishment for it. Worst day's work they ever did in their lives. You'd think that chaps like they would have known better, but they'rejust like children. They see something pretty, and they'll do anythingto get hold of it, and when they've got it they find it's of no use to'em and are tired of it in an hour. I'll be bound to say they'rewishing they hadn't gone and were back along of us. "

"Then they may repent and come?" said Brazier. 

Shaddy uttered a low chuckling sound. 

"And I shall save my collection after all. "

"Don't you think it, sir!" said Shaddy seriously. "They couldn't getback, as I said; and if they could they daren't, on account of you andme. They've got a wholesome kind of respect for an Englishman, and nomore dare face us now than fly. "

Brazier sighed. 

"Oh, never mind, sir!" said Shaddy cheerily. "Things might be worsethan they are. We're alive, and can find means to live. We don't knowbut what we may get away all right after all. If I might give you myadvice--"

"Give it, by all means, " said Brazier. 

"Well then, sir, seeing that you came out to collect your flowers andplants, I should say, `Go on collecting just as you did before, and waitin hopes of a boat coming along. '"

"But it might be years first. "

"Very well, sir; wait years for it. You'd have made a fine collectionby that time. "

Brazier smiled sadly as he thought of his dried-up specimens. 

"Me and Mr Rob here will find plenty of some sort or another for thekitchen, so as you needn't trouble about that. What do you say?"

"That you teach good philosophy, and I'll take your advice. Not muchvirtue in it, Rob, " he said, smiling, "for we cannot help ourselves. There, I will do as you suggest as soon as we have made a few morearrangements for our stay. "

"You leave them to us, sir, " said Shaddy. "Mr Rob and I are quitestrong enough crew for the job, and I saw some wonderful fine plantsright at the edge of the forest yonder. I'd go and try for 'em now, sir. "

"Shaddy's afraid that some one will come along and pick them first, "cried Rob, laughing. 

"No fear, sir, unless it's some big, saucy monkey doing it out ofimitation and mischief. What do you say?"

"I say yes, " replied Brazier. "It would be wrong to despair and foolishto neglect my chance now that I am thrown by accident among the naturalhistory objects I came so many thousand miles to find. "

As he spoke he moved off in the direction pointed out by their guide, while Shaddy chuckled directly they were alone. 

"That's the way, Mr Rob, " he said; "give him something to think aboutand make him busy. `A merry heart goes all the day; a sad one tires ina mile, ' so the old song says. Mind, I don't mean he's merry, but he'llbe busy, and that's next door to it. Now then, I'm ready. Let's getthe string on and bend our bow. "

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. 

A SUDDEN ALARM. 

The silken string Rob had twisted was found to be quite dry, and prettywell kept its shape as it was formed into a loop and passed over the endof the bow nicked for its reception, and after bending secured with acouple of hitches over the other. 

"Now, Mr Rob, sir, try it, and send one of your arrows as far as youcan. Never mind losing it; we can soon make plenty more. That's theway! Steady! Easy and well, sir! Now then, off it goes!"

_Twang_! went the bow-string, and away flew the arrow high up toward theriver, describing its curve and falling at last without the slightestsplash into the water. 

"Well done!" cried Shaddy, who had watched the flight of the arrow, shading his eyes with his hand. "That's good enough for anything. Alittle practice, and you'll hit famously. "

"Oh, I don't know, Shaddy. "

"Well, but I do, sir. If Indians can kill birds, beasts, and fish withtheir bows and arrows, surely a young Englishman can. "

"I shall try, Shaddy. "

"Of course you will, and try means win, and win means making ourselvescomfortable till we are taken off. "

"Then you think we shall be some day?"

"Please God, my lad!" said Shaddy calmly. "Look! Yonder goes MrBrazier. He's forgetting his troubles in work, and that's what we'vegot to do, eh?"

Rob shook his head. 

"Ah, you're thinking about poor young Jovanni, sir, " said Shaddy sadly, "and you mustn't. It won't do him no good, nor you neither. Bring thatbow and arrows along with us. I'm going to try and get a bamboo to makea spear thing, with a bit of hard wood for a point, and it may be usefulby-and-by. "

Rob took up the bow and arrows, but laid the larger part of his sheafdown again, contenting himself with half a dozen, and following Shaddyalong the edge of the forest to what looked like a clump of reeds, butwhich proved to be a fringe of bamboos fully fourteen feet high. 

Shaddy soon selected a couple of these suitable for his purpose, and hadbefore long trimmed them down to spear shafts nine feet in length. 

"There, sir, " he said, "we'll get a couple of heads fitted into theseto-night. First thing is to get something else to eat, so let's try forfruit or a bird. Now, if we could only come upon a deer!"

"Not likely, as we want one, " responded Rob, who was looking round insearch of Mr Brazier, and now caught sight of him right at the far endof the clearing, evidently engaged in cutting down some of his favouriteplants. 

"Mr Brazier is busy, " said Rob; "but isn't it a pity to let him wastetime in getting what can never be wanted?"

"How do we know that?" replied Shaddy. "Even if they're not, I did itfor the best. "

"But is it safe to leave him alone?"

"Safe as it is for us to go out here alone into the forest. "

"Are we going into the forest?"

"Must, my lad--a little way. "

"But are there likely to be any Indians about?"

"I should say not, Mr Rob, so come along. "

Shaddy led the way to where the clearing ceased and the dense growth ofthe primeval forest began, and after hesitating a little and making afew observations as to the position of the sun--observations absolutelynecessary if a traveller wished to find his way back--the guide plungedin amongst the dense growth, threading his way in through the trees, which grew more and more thickly for a short distance and then openedout a little, whereupon Shaddy halted and began to reconnoitrecarefully, holding up his band to enforce silence and at the end of afew minutes saying eagerly to Rob, --

"Here you are, my lad! Now's our chance. There's nearly a dozen inthat big tree to the right yonder, playing about among the branches, good big ones, too. Now you steal forward a bit, keeping under cover, then lay all your arrows down but one, take a good long aim, and let itgo. Bring one down if you can. "

"What birds are they?" whispered Rob. 

"Who said anything about birds?" replied Shaddy sourly; "I saidmonkeys. "

"No. "

"Well, I meant to, my lad. There: on you go. "

"Monkey--a little man, " said Rob, shaking his head. "No, I couldn'tshoot one of them. "

"Here, give us hold of the bow and arrow, then, my lad, " cried the oldsailor. "'Tisn't a time for being nice. Better shoot a monkey and eatit than for me and Mr Brazier to have to kill and eat you. "

Rob handed the newly made weapons, and Shaddy took them grumblingly. 

"Not the sort of tackle I'm used to, " he said. "Bound to say I could dofar better with a gun. "

He fitted the notch of the arrow to the string and drew the bow a littleas if to try it; then moving off a few yards under cover of the trees, Rob was about to follow him, but he turned back directly. 

"Don't you come, " he said; "better let me try alone. Two of us mightscare 'em. "

But Shaddy did not have any occasion to go further, for all at once, asif in obedience to a signal, the party of monkeys in the forest a shortdistance before them came leaping from tree to tree till they were inthe one beneath which the two travellers were waiting, stopped short, and began to stare down wonderingly at them, one largish fellow holdingback the bough above his head in a singularly human way, while his facelooked puzzled as well as annoyed. 

"Like a young savage Indian more than an animal, " said Shaddy softly, ashe prepared to shoot. "Now I wonder whether I can bring him down. "

"Don't shoot at it, Shaddy!" said Rob, laying his hand upon his guide'sarm. 

"Must, my lad. Can't afford to be particular. There, don't you look ifyou don't like it! Now then!"

He raised the bow, and, after the fashion off our forefathers, drew thearrow right to the head, and was about to let it fly after a long andcareful aim; but being, as he had intimated, not used to that sort oftackle, he kept his forefinger over the reed arrow till he had drawn itto the head, when, just as he had taken aim and was about to launch itat the unfortunate monkey, the reed bent and snapped in two. 

Probably it was the sharp snap made by the arrow which took the monkey'sattention, for it suddenly set up a peculiarly loud chattering, whichacted as a lead to its companions, for the most part hidden among theboughs, and it required very little stretch of the imagination tobelieve it to be a burst of derisive laughter at the contemptible natureof the weapons raised against their leader's life. 

"Oh, that's the way you take it, is it, my fine fellow?" cried Shaddy, shaking the bow at the monkey. "Here, give us another arrow, Mr Rob, sir; I'll teach him to laugh better than that. I feel as if I can hithim now. "

Rob made no attempt to hand the arrow, but Shaddy took one from him, fitted it to the string, raised it to the required height, and was aboutto draw the reed to its full length, but eased it back directly and leftgo to rub his head. 

"See him now, Mr Rob, sir?"

"No, " said Rob, looking carefully upward among the branches; and, to hisgreat satisfaction, not one of the curious little four-handed animalswas visible. 

"Right!" said Shaddy. "He has saved his skin this time. Here, take thebow again. It may be a bird we see next. "

"Hadn't we better go back to the river?" said Rob. "Perhaps I should beable to shoot a duck if I saw one swimming about. "

"Daresay you would, my lad, " said the old sailor drily, "send the arrowright through one; but what I say is, if the 'gators want a duck killedthey'd better kill it themselves. "

"I don't understand you, " said Rob. 

"Understand, my lad? Why, suppose you shoot a duck, it will be on thewater, won't it?"

"Of course!"

"Then how are you going to get it off?"

"I forgot that, " said Rob. "Impossible, of course. "

"Come on, then, and don't let's waste time. We'll keep along here andget some fruit, perhaps, and find birds at the same time. "

Their journey through the forest was very short before they werestartled by a sudden rush and bound through the undergrowth. So suddenwas it that both stopped short listening, but the sound ceased in a fewmoments. 

"What's that?" whispered Rob. 

"Deer, I thought at first, my lad; but it could not have been, because adeer would have gone on racing through the forest, and one would haveheard the sounds dying away, not end suddenly like those did. You see, there was a sudden rustle, and then it stopped, as if whatever it washad been started up by our coming and then settled down again to hideand watch us. "

"Indian?" whispered Rob uneasily. 

"Nay, more like some great cat. Strikes me it was one of the spottedtigers, and a hardened arrow's not much good against one of thosebeasts. I say, let's strike off in the other direction, and try if wecan find something there. Cats are awkward beasts to deal with evenwhen they're small. When it comes to one as strong as a horse, the bestway to fight 'em is to get out of their way. "

Shaddy took a few steps forward so as to be able to peer up through agreen shaft among the trees to the sunshine and satisfy himself as totheir position, and then led off again. 

"Can't be too particular, Mr Rob, sir, " he said; "stitch in time savesnine. Bit of observation now may save us hours of walking and fightingour way through the tangle. "

Rob noted his companion's careful management, and that whenever they hadto pass round a tree which stood right in their way Shaddy was veryexact about starting afresh exactly straight, and after a time in makingoff again to their left, so as to hit the river near the clearing. Butfor some time they found nothing to take their attention. 

"And that's the way of it, " said Shaddy in reply to an observation ofRob's. "You generally find what you are not looking for. Now, if wewanted plenty of fine hardwood timber, here it is, and worth fortunes inLondon town, and worth nothing here. I'd give the lot, Mr Rob, for oneof our fine old Devonshire apple-trees, well loaded down withyellow-faced, red-cheeked pippins, though even then we've no flour tomake a dumpling. "

"And no saucepan to cook it in. "

"Oh, we could do without that, my lad. Worse things than bakeddumplings. "

"Are we going right, Shaddy?" said Rob suddenly. 

The old sailor took an observation, as he called it, before he answered, so as to make sure. 

"Yes, " he said thoughtfully, "and if we keep straight on we shall hitthe clearing. Strikes me that if we go pretty straight we shall comeupon Mr Brazier loaded down to sinking point with plants, and glad of abit of help to carry 'em. Don't you be down-hearted, sir! This is abit of experience; and here we are! something at last. "

As he spoke he pointed to a tree where the sun penetrated a little, andthey could see that it was swarming with small birds evidently busy overthe fruit it bore. Shaddy was pressing forward, but Rob caught his arm. 

"What is it, lad?"

"Look!" whispered Rob. "What's that?"

"Eh? Where? See a tiger?"

"No, that horrible-looking thing walking along the branch. It has gonenow. "

"Ugly monkey?"

"Oh no, " whispered Rob, "a curious creature. Alligators don't climbtrees, do they?"

"Never saw one, " said Shaddy. "Might if they were taught, but itwouldn't be a pleasant job to teach one. Well, where is it?"

"Gone, " whispered Rob. "No; there it is on that branch where it is sodark. "

"I see him, " said Shaddy in a subdued tone. "Ought to have known. Nowthen, your bow and arrows! That's a skinful of good meat for us. Youwon't mind shooting that?"

"No, " said Rob, quickly fitting an arrow to the string, "I don't mindshooting that. But not to eat, thank you. "

"You will not be so particular soon. That's iguana, and as good aschicken. Ready?"

Rob nodded. 

"Keep behind the trees, then, and creep slowly forward till you arepretty close--I daresay you'll be able to--and then aim at his shoulder, and send the arrow right through. "

"I will, " said Rob drily, "if I can. "

"Make up your mind to it, my lad. We want that sort of food. "

"You may, " thought Rob as he began to stalk the curious old-world, dragon-like beast, which was running about the boughs of a great tree incomplete ignorance of the neighbourhood of human beings, probably evenof their existence. 

The lad's heart beat heavily as he crept from tree to tree in full wantof faith as to his ability to draw a bow-string with effect; for hisexperience only extended to watching ladies shooting at targets in anarchery meeting; and as he drew nearer, stepping very softly fromshelter to shelter and then peering out to watch the reptile, he had anadmirable opportunity for noting its shape and peculiarities, none ofwhich created an appetite for trying its chicken-like flesh. He gazedat a formidable-looking animal with wide mouth, a hideous pouch beneathits jaw, and a ridge of sharp-looking, teeth-like spines along its backending in a long, fine, bony tail. These, with its fierce eye and scalyskin, and a habit of inflating itself, made it appear an object whichmight turn and attack an aggressor. 

This struck Rob very strongly as he stopped at last peering round thebole of a huge tree. He was about thirty yards from the lizard now, andin a position which commanded its side as it stood gazing straightbefore it at some object, bird or insect, in front. 

It was just the position for resting the bow-arm against the tree forsteadiness of aim, and feeling that he could do no better, but doubtfulof his skill and quite as doubtful of the likelihood of the woodenarrow-head piercing the glistening skin of the iguana, Rob took acareful aim, as he drew his arrow to his ear in good old archer style, and let his missile fly. 

Roughly made, unfeathered, and sent by a tyro, it was no wonder that itflew far wide of the mark, striking a bough away to the left and thendropping from twig to twig till it reached the undergrowth below. 

Where it struck was some distance from the lizard, and the sound and thefalling of the reed gave it the idea that the danger point was there, sothat it directed its attention in that quarter, stood very erect, andswelled itself out fiercely. 

This gave Rob ample time to fit another arrow to his string, correct hisaim, and loosen the shaft after drawing it to the head. This onewhizzed by the iguana, making it flinch slightly; but treating it as ifit had been a bird which had suddenly flashed by, the lizard fixed itseyes on the spot where this second arrow struck. 

"I shall never hit the thing, " thought Rob as he fitted another arrowand corrected his aim still more, but this time too much, for the arrowflew off to the lizard's right. 

"Three arrows gone!" muttered the lad as he prepared for another try, took a long aim, and, to his great delight, saw the missile strike thebough just below where the iguana stood, but only for it to make a rushforward out of his sight. 

"But I should have hit it if I had only aimed a little higher, " hethought. 

The lizard being invisible, he was about to return to Shaddy, thinkingof his companion's disappointment, when, to his surprise, he suddenlysaw the reptile reappear upon a lower branch, where it stood watchfuland eager, and once more presenting a splendid opportunity for a skilledarcher. 

"It's of no good, " thought Rob. "I must practise every day at a mark, "and once more taking aim without exercising much care, but more with anidea of satisfying his companion if he were watching his actions than ofhitting his mark, he drew the arrow quickly to the head, gave one glancealong the slight reed at the iguana, the bow-string twanged, and thenext moment the reptile was gone. 

"That settles it, " said Rob as he listened to the rustling of the leavesand twigs; "but I must have gone pretty near for it to have leaped offthe bough in such a hurry. I'll be bound to say poor old Joe would havemade a better shot. Italian! Genoese archers!" he continuedthoughtfully. "No, they were cross-bow-men. Poor old Joe, though! Oh, how shocking it does seem for a bright handsome lad like he was to--"

"Here! hi! T'other way, my lad! He dropped down like a stone. "

"No, no; leaped like a deer off the branch. I saw him. "

"Well, so did I, " cried Shaddy, hurrying up. "The arrow went cleanthrough him. "

"Nonsense!"

"Nonsense, sir? What do you mean?"

"I did not go near him. "

"What? Why, you shot him right through the shoulder. I haven't gotmuch to boast about except my eye, and I'll back that against somepeople's spy-glasses. That iguana's lying down there at the bottom ofthe tree dead as a last year's butterfly, and I can put my foot right onthe place. Come along. "

Rob smiled, raised his eyebrows a little, and followed. 

"Better let him convince himself, " he thought; and as Shaddy forced backthe low boughs and held them apart for his companion to follow, he wenton talking. 

"I knew you could do it by the way you handled your bow and arrow. Youreyes are as straight as mine is, and I watched you as you sent an arrowfirst one side and then another till you got the exact range, and thenit was like kissing your hand: just a pull of the string, off goes thearrow, and down drops the lizard, and a fine one, too. Round thattrunk, my lad! There you are, and there he lies, just down in that tuftof grass. "

"Where?" said Rob banteringly. "Why, Shaddy, I thought your eye wasbetter than spy-glasses. "

Shaddy made a dash at the tuft of thick growth beneath the bough wherethe iguana had stood, searched about, and then rose and took off his capto give his head a scratch. 

"Well, I never!" he said in a tone full of disappointment; "I was assure as sure that you hit that thing right through. "

He looked round about, and then all at once made a rush at a spot whencecame a faint rustling; and the next minute he returned dragging theiguana by the tail, with the half of the arrow through its shoulder. 

"Now then, " he cried, "was I right, or was I wrong? He made a bigscramble to get away, and hid himself in that bush all but his tail. Myword, Mr Rob, sir, what a shot you will make!"

"Nonsense, Shaddy!" said the lad, looking down with a mingling ofcompunction and pride at his prize. 

"Ah, you may call it nonsense, Mr Rob. I calls it skill. "

"Why, it was a mere accident. "

"Hark at him!" cried Shaddy, looking round at the trees as if to calltheir attention to the lad's words. "Says it was an accident when Itold him to aim straight at the thing's shoulder, and there's the arrowright through it from one side to the other, and the poor brute dead asdead. "

"But I hardly aimed at it, Shaddy, " protested Rob. 

"Of course you didn't. A good shot just makes up his mind to hit athing, and he hits it same as you did that lizard. Well, sir, that'sone trouble off my mind; and I can say thankfully we shan't starve. There'll be times when the river's so flooded that we can't fish, andthen we might have come worst off; but you can shoot us birds andbeasts. Then we can find eggs, and lay traps, and search for fruit. Why, Mr Rob, sir, we're going to have our bread buttered on both sides, and we can keep Mr Brazier going while he collects. It looked veryblack indeed time back, but the sun's shining in on us now. We shall bea bit like prisoners, but where are you going to find a more beautifulprison for people who want to study natural history? Hooray I lookhere, too--mushrooms. "

"What, those great funguses?"

"To be sure: they're good eating. I know 'em, sir. Found 'em before, and learnt to eat 'em off the Indians. Here, wait a moment; let's takeenough of 'em for supper, and then get back to the kitchen and have aturn at cooking. That's enough, " he continued, picking up from themouldering stump of a huge decaying tree a great cluster of fungi;"those others'll do for another time. "

"I hope you will not be disappointed in my shooting next time, " saidRob, taking the cluster of mushroom growth and thrusting an arrowthrough it like a skewer. "I have very little faith in it myself, Shaddy. "

"More likely to do good, and I believe in you all the more, Mr Rob, "said the man, seizing the lizard, tying its legs together with a band oftwisted twigs, thrusting his bamboos through, and swinging the prizeover his shoulder. "If you went puffing and blowing about and sayingyou was going to shoot this, and hit that, I should begin to wonder however we were to get our next dinner. Never you mind about feelingafraid for yourself. `Modesty's the best policy, ' as the old sayinggoes, or something like it. Now then, best foot foremost! Tread in mysteps, and I think I can lead you straight for the head of the clearing, pretty close to home, sweet home. D'yer mind what I say?" he continued, with a queer smile. "Think. I ain't quite sure, my lad, but I'll try. "

Shaddy took a fresh observation, and then gave a satisfied nod of thehead. 

"Forrard!" he said; and he made off as if full of confidence, while Robfollowed behind, taking care of his mushrooms and watching the noddinghead of the iguana low down at Shaddy's back in a curiously grimfashion, and thinking that it looked anything but attractive as anobject for the cook's art. 

They had been walking nearly an hour, very slowly--for it was difficultwork to avoid the tangled growth which hemmed them in--when Shaddy, whohad been chatting away pleasantly about the trees and their ill-luck innot finding more fruit out in the forest, warning his companion, too, every now and then about ant-hills and thorns, suddenly exclaimed, "Wonder what luck Mr Brazier's had?" and almost directly after as theyentered an open place where orchids were growing, some of which hadsuggested the man's last speech, he cried, "Why, hullo! Look here, MrRob; look here, " and as he pointed down at the dead leaves beneath theirfeet, Rob started back with a shudder of horror, and looked wildly roundfor the cause of that which he saw. 

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. 

A GAP IN THE RANKS. 

That which Shaddy pointed out was startling enough to cause Rob ashudder; for, plainly seen upon a broad leaf, trampled-down amongstothers that were dead and dry, were a few spots of blood. 

But after the momentary feeling of dread caused by the discovery therecame a reaction, and Rob exclaimed eagerly, "Some wild beasts have beenfighting;" and then as his companion shook his head, the boy uttered aforced laugh, and, to carry off the excitement, said:

"I know what it is, Shaddy: two monkeys coming home from school have hada fight, and one made the other's nose bleed. "

"Wish I could laugh and joke about it like you do, squire, " said Shaddysadly, as he peered about. "It's serious, my lad. Something verywrong, I'm afraid. "

"Don't say that, Shaddy, " cried Rob huskily. "I only tried to turn itoff because I felt afraid and didn't want to show it. Do you reallythink there's something very serious?"

"I do, my lad. "

"Not that Mr Brazier has been here?"

"That's just what I do think, my lad; and I feel as if it was my faultfor sending him hunting and collecting by himself, instead of us waitingon him and watching him. "

"Shaddy, don't say anything has happened to him!" cried Rob in horror. 

"I don't say as there is, " said Shaddy; "I don't say as there ain't, mylad: but you see that, " he said, pointing down, "and you know that MrBrazier's a fine brave English gentleman, but, like all the naturalhistory people I ever see, so full of what he's doing that he forgetsall about himself and runs into all kinds of danger. "

"But what kind of danger could he have run into here?"

"Don't know, my lad--don't know. All I do know is that he has been hereand got into trouble. "

"But you don't know that he has been here, " cried Rob passionately. 

"What's this, then?" said Shaddy, holding out a piece of string, whichhe had picked up unnoticed by his companion. "Mr Brazier had got oneof his pockets stuffed full of bits o' spun yarn and band, like that aswe used to tie up his plants with, and it looks to me as if he'd droppedthis. "

"But couldn't--Oh no, of course not--it's impossible, " cried Rob; "noone else could have been here?"

"No, sir; no one else could have been here. "

"Yes, they could, " cried Rob excitedly: "enemies!"

Shaddy shook his head as he peered about, stooping and examining thetrampled-down growth. 

"Wish I could track like an Indian does, Mr Rob, sir. He has been heresure enough, but I can't make out which way he has gone. There's ourfootmarks pressing down the twigs and moss and stuff; and there's his, Ifancy. "

"And Indians?"

"Can't see none, sir; but that means nothing: they tread so softly withtheir bare feet that a dozen may have been here and gone, and we notknow it. "

"Then you do think he has been attacked by Indians, Shaddy?" cried Robreproachfully. 

"Well, sir, I do, and I don't. There's no sign. "

"Then what could it have been, --a jaguar?"

"Maybe, Mr Rob. "

"Or a puma!"

"Maybe that, sir; or he may have come suddenly upon a deer as gave him adig with its horns. Here, let's get on back to camp as quickly as wecan. "

"But he may not be there, " cried Rob excitedly, as he looked round amongthe densely packed trees. "Let's try and find some track by which hehas gone. "

"That's what I've been trying to do, and couldn't find one, sir. Ifhe's been wounded, somehow he'd nat'rally make back for the hut, so asto find us and get help. Come along. "

"Oh, Shaddy, we oughtn't to have left him. We ought to have kepttogether. "

"No good to tell me that, Mr Rob, sir; I feel it now, but I did it allfor the best. There, sir, it's of no use to stay here no longer. Comeon, and we may hit upon his backward trail. "

Rob gave another wild look round, and then joined Shaddy, who wascarefully studying the position of the sun, where a gleam came throughthe dense foliage high above their heads, and lightened the deep greentwilight. 

"That's about the course, " he muttered, as he gave the iguana a hitchover to his right shoulder. "Now then, Mr Rob, sir, let's make a swiftpassage if we can, and hope for the best. Pah! Look at the fliesalready after the meat. No keeping anything long here. "

The remark struck Rob as being out of place at such a time, but he wasfain to recall how he had made speeches quite as incongruous, so hefollowed his companion in silence, trusting to him implicitly, andwondering at the confidence with which he pressed on in one direction, with apparently nothing to guide him. In fact, all looked so strangeand undisturbed that Rob at last could not contain himself. 

"Mr Brazier cannot have been anywhere here, Shaddy, " he criedexcitedly. "Two wild beasts must have been fighting. "

"For that there bit o' string, sir?" said the man, drily. "What do youcall that, then, and that?"

He pointed up to a bough about nine feet above him, where a cluster oforchids grew, for the most part of a sickly, pallid hue, save in onespot, where a shaft of sunlight came through the dense leafy canopy anddyed the strangely-formed petals of one bunch with orange, purple andgold, while the huge mossy tree trunk, half covered with parasiticcreepers, whose stems knotted it with their huge cordage, showed tracesof some one having climbed to reach the great horizontal bough. 

"That looks like Mr Brazier, his mark, sir, eh?"

"Yes, yes, " cried Rob eagerly. 

"Come on then, sir: we're right. "

"But did he make those marks coming or returning?"

"Can't say, sir, " said Shaddy, gruffly; and then, to himself, "Thatain't true, for he made 'em coming, or I'm a Dutchman. "

He made another careful calculation of their position, and was about tostart again, when he caught sight of something about Rob, or rather itsabsence, and exclaimed, --

"Why, where's them mushrooms?"

"Mushrooms, Shaddy! I--I don't know. "

"But, Master Rob!"

"Oh, who's to think about eating at a time like this? Go on, pray; Ishall not feel happy till I see Mr Brazier again. "

Shaddy uttered a low grunt, gazed up at the shaft of light which shoneupon the cluster of flowers, and then shifted the iguana again, andtramped on sturdily for about an hour, till there was a broad glare oflight before them, and he suddenly stepped out from the greenishtwilight into sunshine and day. 

"Not so bad, Mr Rob, sir, without a compass!" he said, with a smile oftriumph. 

But Rob, as he stepped out, was already looking round for theirfellow-prisoner in the forest, but looking in vain. There was no signof human being in the solitude; and a chilly feeling of despair ranthrough the lad as he forgot his weariness and made a move for the hut, about a hundred yards away. 

It was hard work to get through the low tangled growth out there in thesunlight; and before he was half-way there he stumbled and nearly fell, but gathered himself up with a faint cry of fear, for there was a lowgrowl and a rush, as something bounded out, and he just caught a glimpseof the long lithe tawny body of a puma as it sprang into a fresh tangleof bush and reed, while Rob stood fast, and then turned to look atShaddy. 

The man's face was wrinkled up, and for the moment he evidently sharedthe boy's thoughts. Stepping close to him, he began to peer aboutamongst the thick growth from which the animal had sprung, while Robfelt sick as his imagination figured in the puma's lair the torn andbleeding body of his friend; and as Shaddy suddenly exclaimed, "Here'sthe place, sir!" he dared not look, but stood with averted eyes, tillthe man exclaimed:

"Had his nest here, sir, and he was asleep. Bah! I ought to haveknown. I never heard of a puma meddling with a man. "

"Then Mr Brazier is not there?" said Rob faintly. 

"Why, of course he ain't, " replied the man sourly. "Come along, sir, and let's see if he's in the hut. "

They rushed to their newly thatched-in shelter, and Rob seized the sideand peered in, where all was black darkness to him, coming as he didfrom the brilliant sunshine. 

"Mr Brazier, " he cried huskily; but there was no reply. "Mr Brazier, "he shouted, "why don't you answer?"

"'Cause he ain't there, my lad, " said Shaddy gruffly. "Here, wait tillI've doctored this iguana thing and hung it up. No, I'll cover it withgrass here in the cool, and then we must make back tracks and find MrBrazier before night. "

"Oh, Shaddy!" cried Rob in an anguished tone, "then he has been horriblyhurt--perhaps killed!"

The man made no reply, but hurriedly cut open and cleaned the lizard atsome distance from the hut, then buried it beneath quite a pile ofgrass, dead leaves and twigs, before stepping back to his companion inmisfortune. 

"Oh, why did you stop to do that, " cried Rob, "when Mr Brazier may belying dying somewhere in the forest?"

"Because when we find him, we must have food to eat, lad, and somethingfor him too. That thing may save all our lives. Don't you think Idon't want to get to him, because I do. Now then, sir, we've got to gostraight back the way we came, and find him. "

"You'll go right back to where the spots--I mean, where we found thepiece of string?" whispered Rob, whose feeling of weariness seemed todisappear at once. 

"Yes, sir, straight back as an arrow, and it's of no use to hide facts;you must take your place as a man now, and act like one, having the hardwith the soft, so I shall speak plainly. "

"You need not, Shaddy, " said Rob sadly. "You are afraid he has beenbadly hurt and carried off by Indians--perhaps killed. "

"Nay, my lad; that's making worse of it than I thought. My ideas wasbad enough, but not so bad as yours, and I think mine's right. "

"Then what do you think?" said Rob, as after a sharp glance round theymade for the spot where they had re-entered the clearing from theforest. 

"Tell you what I _don't_ think first, my lad, " replied Shaddy: "I don'tthink it's Indians, because I haven't seen a sign of 'em, and if I had Ifancy they'd be peaceable, stupid sort of folk. No: he's got intotrouble with some beast or another. "

"Killed?"

"Nay, nay; that's the very worst of all. There's hundreds of ways inwhich he might be hurt; and what I think is, that he has started to comeback, and turned faint and laid down, and perhaps gone to sleep, so thatwe passed him; or perhaps he has lost his way. "

"Lost his way?" cried Rob, with a shiver of dread. 

"Yes, my lad. It's of no use to hide facts now. "

"Then we shall never find him again, and he will wander about till helies down and dies. "

"Ah! now you're making the worst of it again, sir. He might find theway out again by himself, but we've got to help him. Maybe we shall beable to follow his tracks; you and me has got to try that: an Indian ora dog would do it easily. Well, you and me ought to have more stuff inus than Indians or dogs, and if we make up our minds to do it, why, weshall. So, come along, and let's see if we can't muster up plenty ofBritish pluck, say a bit of a prayer like men, and with God's help we'llfind him before we've done. "

He held out his hand to Rob, who made a snatch at it and caught itbetween his, to cling to it tightly as he gazed in the rough, sun-blackened face before him, too much oppressed by emotions to utter aword. 

But words were not needed in the solemn silence of that grand forest. Their prayer for help rose in the midst of Nature's grandest cathedral, with its arching roof of boughs, through which in one spot came a ray ofbrilliant light, that seemed to penetrate to Rob's heart and lighten himwith hope; and then once more they swung round and plunged into theforest depths. 

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. 

THE WOODLAND FOES. 

They took the same path without much difficulty, Shaddy tracing itcarefully step by step; and for a time Rob eagerly joined in thetracing, every now and then pointing out a place where they had broken atwig or displaced a bough; but after a time the gloom of the forestbegan to oppress him, and a strange sensation of shrinking frompenetrating farther forced him to make a call upon himself and think ofthe words uttered before they recommenced their search. 

For there was always the feeling upon him that at any moment dangermight be lurking thus in their way, and that the next moment they mightbe face to face with death. 

"But that's all selfishness, " he forced himself to think. "We have tofind Mr Brazier. "

This fresh loss to a certain extent obliterated the other trouble, andthere were times when poor Giovanni was completely forgotten, though atothers Rob found himself muttering, --

"Poor Joe! and now poor Mr Brazier! Whose turn will it be next? Andthose at home will never know of our fate. "

But it generally happened that at these most depressing times somethinghappened to make a fresh call upon his energies. Now it would be afault in the tracking, their way seeming to be quite obliterated. NowShaddy would point out marks certainly not made by them; for flowers ofthe dull colourless kind, which flourished so sickly here in theseshades, had been broken-off, as if they had been examined, and then beenthrown aside: convincing proofs that Brazier had been botanising there, collecting, and casting away objects unworthy of his care. 

At one spot, unnoticed on their return, quite a bunch of curious growthslay at the foot of a huge buttressed tree, where there were indicationsof some one having lain down for a time as if to rest. Farther on, atthe side of a tree, also unnoticed before, a great liana had been tornaway from a tree trunk, so that it looked as if it had been done by onewho climbed; and Shaddy said, with a satisfied smile, --

"He's been along here, Mr Rob, sure enough. Keep a good heart, sir;we're getting cleverer at tracking. "

On they went in silence, forcing their way between the trees, with theforest appearing darker than ever, save here and there, where, so sureas a little light penetrated, with it came sound. Now it was the hum ofinsect life in the sunshine far above their heads; now it was theshrieking or twittering of birds busy feasting on fruit, and twice overan angry chattering told them that they had monkeys for their companionshigh overhead; but insect, bird, and the strangely agile creatures whichleaped and swung among the boughs, were for the most part invisible, andthey toiled on. 

All at once Rob raised the bow he carried, and touched Shaddy sharply onthe shoulder. 

"Eh? what's the matter, my lad?" cried the man, turning quickly. 

"Look! Don't you see?" whispered Rob. "There, by that patch of greenlight? Some one must have climbed up that green liana which hangs fromthe bough. It is swinging still. Do you think a monkey has just beenup it, or is it some kind of wild cat?"

Shaddy uttered his low chuckling laugh as he stood still leaning uponhis bamboo staves. 

"If it had been a cat we should have seen a desperate fight, my lad, " hereplied. "If it was a monkey I'm sorry for him. He must have gone upoutside and come down in. Why, can't you see what it is?"

"A great liana, one of those tough creeper things. Look how curiouslyit moves still! Some one's dragging at the end. No, it isn't. Oh, Shaddy, it's a great serpent hanging from the bough!"

"That's more like it, my lad. Look! You can see its head now. "

In effect the long, hideous-looking creature raised its head from whereit had been hidden by the growth below, twisted and undulated about fora few moments, and then lifted it more and more till it could reach thelower part of the bough from which it hung, and then, graduallycontracting its body into curves and loops, gathered itself togethertill it hung in a mass from the branch. 

"Not nice-looking things, Mr Rob, sir. Puts me in mind of those we sawdown by the water, but this looks like a different kind to them. "

"Will--will it attack us?" said Rob in a hoarse whisper. 

"Nay, not it. More likely to hurry away and hide, unless it is veryhungry or can't get out of the road. Then it might. "

"But we can't pass under that. "

"Well, no, Mr Rob, sir; it don't look like a sensible sort of thing todo, though it seems cowardly to sneak away from a big land-eel sort of athing. What do you say? Shall we risk it and let go at my gentlemanwith our sticks if he takes any notice of us, or go round like cowards?"

"Go round like cowards, " said Rob decisively. 

"Right!" said Shaddy, who carefully took his bearings again, and, inorder to have something at which he could gaze back so as to start againin the direction by which they had come, he broke a bough short off witha loud crack. 

The effect was instantaneous on the serpent. 

The moment before the whole body had hung in heavy loops from the bough, but at the first snap every part of it appeared to be in motion, and, asdimly seen, one fold glided slowly over another, with a curious rustlingsound. 

Rob made a start as if to dash off, but checked himself, and glanced atShaddy, who was watching him; and the boy felt the colour flush into hischeeks, and a curious sense of annoyance came over him at the thoughtthat his companion was looking upon him as a coward. 

"It's all right, my lad, " said the guide quietly; "you needn't mind me. You're a bit scared, and nat'rally. Who wouldn't be if he wasn't usedto these things? I was horribly afraid of the one I first saw, and, forthe matter of that, so I was about the next; but I've seen so many bigsnakes that, so long as I can keep at a little distance, they don'ttrouble me much. You see, they're not very dangerous to man, and alwaysget out of his way if they have a chance. There's been a lot said abouttheir 'tacking folk; and if you were to rouse that gentleman I daresayhe'd seize you, and, if he got a hold for his tail, twist round andsqueeze you to death; but you leave him alone and give him anything of achance, he'll show you the tip of his tail much sooner than he'll showyou his head. Look here!"

Shaddy looked round and picked up a short piece of a branch, which hewas about to throw, but the boy caught his arm. 

"Don't make it angry, " he said in a whisper. "The horrible thing maycome at us. "

"I'm not going to make it angry, " said Shaddy; "I'm going to make itafraid, " and he hurled the piece of mouldering wood with so good an aimthat it struck the branch near where the serpent was coiling itself moreclosely and flew to pieces. 

The serpent threw itself down with a crashing sound amongst the denseundergrowth beneath, and disappeared from their sight. 

"There, " said Shaddy, "that's the way, you see. Gone?"

"No, no. Look out, Shaddy; it's coming this way, " cried Rob excitedly, as a rustling was heard, and directly after there was a low hiss; andthe movement among the twigs and dried leaves told that the creature wascoming toward them. 

Whether it was coming straight for where they stood neither of themstopped to see, but hurried off onward in the direction of the spotwhere they had seen the marks upon the leaf, and in a very short timethe forest was silent again. 

"Was not that a very narrow escape, Shaddy?" said Rob at last. 

"No, my lad, I think not. Some people would say it was, and be ready totell no end of cock-and-bull stories about what that serpent was goingto do; but I've never known them play any games except once, and thenthe creature only acted according to its nature. It was in a sort oflake place, half pool, half river, and pretty close to the sea. It wasnear a gentleman's plantation, and the black folk used to go down everyday to bathe. This they did pretty regularly till one day while theywere romping about in the shallow water, which only came up to theirmiddles, one of them shouted for help, saying that a 'gator had got holdof her, and then laughed. The others took no notice, because it was a'sterical sort of laugh, as they call it, and thought she was playingtricks; but all at once they saw that she was struggling hard and beingdrawn backwards. That was enough. They all made a rush and caught holdof her arms just as she was being slowly drawn down lower, and when theydragged her nearer the shore, whatever it was that held her yielded alittle, though it still hung on to the poor girl; while as they got hernearer a shriek rose, and every one nearly let go, for the head of a bigsnake was drawn right out of the water, but at the next snatch it loosedits hold and dropped back with a splash. "

They were by this time approaching the spot where they had seen themarks, and Shaddy advanced more cautiously, scanning every leaf and twigbefore he stepped forward for signs of him they sought. Here and therehe was able to point out marks such as Mr Brazier might have made--marks that had been passed over during their journey in the otherdirection. For there were places where he had evidently torn downleaves, mosses, and curious shade-loving growths, some of which he hadcarelessly tossed aside, and in one case the fragment thrown down wasabout half of the bulb of an orchid, whose home had been upon the mossylimb of a great tree overhead. 

"He has been by here, sure enough, Mr Rob, " said Shaddy in a subduedvoice; "and, between ourselves, it was quite a bit of madness for him tocome right out here alone. Now then, sir, keep a sharp look-out, andlet's see if we can't find the spots straight off. They were prettynigh, I think. "

"Just there, I think, " said Rob, looking excitedly round and pointing toa darker patch of the great forest where they were. 

"Nay, it wasn't dark like that, my lad, " replied Shaddy. "It was morehereabouts. "

"Are you sure, Shaddy?"

"Pretty tidy, sir. No, I'm not. Seems to me that you are right, andyet it was this side of that great tree. I remember it now, the onewith the great branch hanging right to the ground. "

"I don't remember it, Shaddy, " said Rob. "But I do, sir. It had abunch of those greeny-white, sickly-looking plants growing underneathit, and we shall know it by them. "

"Then it isn't the right one, Shaddy; we must try again. "

"But it is the right one, my lad. It's bad enough work to find a treein this great dark place. Don't say it isn't right when I've found it. Come now, look. Ain't I right?"

"Yes, Shaddy, right, " said Rob as he looked up and saw the faded orchidshanging beneath the branch. "Then the place is close here somewhere. "

"You're almost standing upon it, Mr Rob, " said Shaddy. "You see, Ihave hit the spot, " he continued, with a look of triumph. "There, Iwill not be proud of it, for it comes very easy to find your way likethis after a bit of practice. There you are, you see; so now where togo next?"

"I don't know, " cried Rob despondently. "Can't you see any fresh tracesfor us to follow?"

Shaddy set off, with his face as near to the ground as he could manage, and searched all round the spot where the stained leaf lay, but withouteffect; and after a few moments' examination he started off again, making a wider circle, but with no better result. 

"Can't have been anything to do with a wild beast, my lad, " he said in alow, awe-stricken voice, "or some signs must have been left. It's apuzzler. He was here--there's no doubt about that--and we've got tofind him. I'll make a bigger cast round, and see what that will do. "

"Can you find your way back here?" asked Rob anxiously. 

"I must, " replied Shaddy, with quiet confidence in his tones. "It won'tdo to lose you as well. "

He started again, walking straight on for a couple of hundred yardsthrough the trees and then striking off to his left to form a freshcircle right outside the first, and at the end of five minutes Rob, whostood by the great tree listening for every sound and wondering whetherhis companion would find his way back, and if he did not what he woulddo, heard a cry. 

For the moment he thought it was for help, but it was repeated, andrealising that it was an animal's, he started forward in the directionof the sound, though only to halt the moment after in alarm and lookback. At the end of a few seconds he set it down to fancy and went onagain, but only to stop once more, for there was a rustling sound behindhim; and he awoke at once to the fact that the noise could only havebeen made by some wild beast stealing softly after him, stalking him, infact, and preparing to make a spring and bring him down. 

Rob felt the perspiration ooze out of every pore as he stood lookingback in the direction of the sound, which ceased as soon as he halted. He would have given anything to have held a gun in his hands and beenable to discharge it amongst the low growth where the animal was hidden, but he was as good as helpless with only the bow and an arrow or two;and he stood waiting till he started, for he heard Shaddy's cry again, and in a fit of desperation he shouted aloud in answer, and sprangforward to try and reach his side. 

But as he made his way onward there again was the soft stealing along ofhis pursuer, whatever it was, for though he tried hard to pierce the lowgrowth, the gloom was so deep that he never once obtained a glimpse ofthe animal. 

Again Shaddy shouted, and he answered, the cry sounding not a hundredyards away; and in the hope that their voices might have the power ofscaring the enemy, he shouted again, and was answered loudly and farnearer, making him give a rush forward in his desperation, and followingit up with a gasp of agony, for there was a fierce roar through theforest on his left. 

It seemed as if the animal, in dread of losing him by his forming ajunction with his friend, had bounded on to get between them and crouchready to spring upon him; but Rob could not hold back now, and pressedforward. 

"Shaddy, " he shouted--"Shaddy, there is some wild beast close here. "

"Wait a bit, my lad, " was shouted back; and the crushing and rustling ofboughs told of Shaddy's coming, while Rob faced round now, staringwildly at a dark part among the trees where he thought he saw theundergrowth move but not daring to stir, from the feeling that if he didturn his back the beast would spring upon him and bring him down. 

Thought after thought flashed like lightning through his brain, and inimagination he saw himself seized and bleeding, just as Mr Brazier musthave been, for he felt sure now that this had been his fate. 

It was a nightmare-like sensation which paralysed him, so that, thoughhe heard Shaddy approaching and then calling to him, he could neithermove nor answer, only stand crouching there by a huge tree, with the bowheld before him and an arrow fitted ready to fly, fascinated by thedanger in front. 

He could not see it, but there was no doubt of its presence, and that itwas hiding, crouched, ready to bound out, every movement suggesting thatit was some huge cat-like creature, in all probability a jaguar, nearlyas fierce and strong as a tiger. For at every rustle and crash throughthe wood made by Shaddy there was a low muttering growl and a sound asif the creature's legs were scratching and being gathered together for aspring. 

Rob felt this, and stood motionless, thinking that his only chance ofsafety lay in gazing straight at the creature's hiding-place andbelieving that as long as he remained motionless the animal would notspring. 

"Hi! where are you, my lad?" said Shaddy, from close at hand; but Rob'slips uttered no sound. He felt a slight exhilaration at the proximityof his companion, but he could not say, "Here!" and the next minuteShaddy spoke again, depressing the lad's spirits now, for the voice camefrom farther away. Again he shouted, "Hi! why don't you answer? Whereare you, lad?" but Rob heard the earth being torn up by the fierceanimal's claws, and now even heard its breathing, and his voice diedaway again as a choking sensation attacked his throat. 

And there he crouched, hearing the help for which he had called comeclose to him, pass him, and go right away till Shaddy's anxious criesdied out in the solemn distance of the forest, leaving him alone to facedeath in one of its most terrible forms. 

He knew he could launch the arrow at the beast, and that at such closequarters he ought to, and probably would hit it, but a frail reed arrowwas not likely to do more than spur the creature into fierce anger. 

He could see it all in advance. A jaguar was only a huge cat, and hewould be like a rat in its claws, quite as helpless; and he shudderedand felt faint for a few moments. But now that he was entirely alone, far from help, and self-dependent, a change came over him. He knew thathe must fight for life; he felt as if he could defend himself; and, withhis nerve returning, his lips parted to utter a shout. 

But he did not cry, for he knew that Shaddy was too far off to hear him, and with a feeling of desperation now as he recalled that he had hiskeen knife in his pocket, he loosened his hold of his arrow and thrustin his hand to withdraw the weapon, seized the blade in his teeth, anddragged it open. 

"He shall not kill me for nothing, " he thought, and he stood on hisguard, for his movements excited the animal to action, and with a roarand a rush it sprang right out from the undergrowth to within threeyards of him, but, instead of crouching and springing again, it stood upbefore him, with its back slightly arched, lashing its sides gently withits long tail. 

It was no spotted jaguar, with teeth bared, but, as dimly seen there inthe semi-darkness of the forest, a noble-looking specimen of the pumafamily, and, to Rob's astonishment, it made no sign of menace, butremained in the spot to which it had sprung, watching him. 

And here for quite a minute they stood face to face, till, with a faintcry of wonder, the lad exclaimed, --

"Why, it must be my puma! And it has followed us all along by the banksto here. "

Then came thought after thought, suggesting that it must have been thefootprints of this beast which they had seen over and over again by theside of their fire; that it was this animal which had crept to him whenhe was asleep; that it kept in hiding when he was with his companions, but that it had been tracking him till he was alone, and that after allhe had nothing to fear. 

But still he was afraid and uncertain, so that some time elapsed duringwhich the puma stood writhing its tail, watching him before he couldsummon up courage enough to take a step forward. 

He made that step at last, knowing that if he were mistaken the animalwould at once draw back and make for a spring; but, instead of moving, the puma raised its tail erect, making the three or four inches at theend twine a little, and the next minute Rob was talking to it softly, with his hand upon its head, when the animal began to give forth acurious sound somewhat resembling a purr and pressed up against him. 

"Poor old chap, then!" cried Rob; "and I was frightened of you, when allyou wanted to do was to make friends. Why, you are a fine fellow, then. "

His words were accompanied by caresses, and these were evidentlyapproved of, the puma crouching down and finally lying on its side, while Rob knelt beside it and found that he might make free with it toany extent. 

Then, suddenly recollecting how Shaddy was hunting for him and theirobject, he sprang to his feet, and placing his hands to his mouth, sentforth as loud a shout as he could give. 

As he sprang up the puma also leaped to its feet, watching him in astartled way. 

Rob shouted again, and as a reply came from not far distant a low growlarose from the animal by his side. 

But he shouted again, and an answer came from much nearer, when with onebound the animal sprang out of sight amongst the trees, and though Robcalled to it again and again in the intervals of answering Shaddy'scries, there was not a sound to suggest the creature's presence. 

"It's afraid of Shaddy, " Rob concluded, and feeling bound to continuehis signals, he kept on till his companion joined him. 

"Why, my lad, " cried the latter, "I thought I'd lost you too, " and assoon as Rob had explained the reason for his silence, "Enough to makeyou, lad. But that's right enough. He's took a fancy to you. Onlyhope he won't show fight at me, because if he does I shall have to hithard for the sake of Shadrach Naylor; but if he's for giving thefriendly hand, why so am I. But come along; we mustn't be belated here. I've found fresh signs of Mr Brazier while I was hunting you. "

"You have?" cried Rob joyfully. 

"Yes, my lad, not much; but I came upon a spot where he had beenbreaking down green-stuff. "

"Since he--met with that accident?" said Rob hesitatingly. 

"Ah, that's what I can't say, Mr Rob, sir. Let's get to it, and tryand follow up his trail. No; we can't do it to-day. We must get backto the hut to-night, and all we can do is to take the spot I came to onthe way. We shall only get there before dark as it is. "

"Oh, but we can't leave him alone in the forest--perhaps wounded andunable to find his way out. "

"But we must, my lad, " said the guide firmly. "We can do him no moregood by sleeping here than by sleeping there under cover. "

"Who can think of sleeping, Shaddy, at a time like this?"

"Natur' says we must sleep, Mr Rob, and eat too, or we shall soon breakdown. Come along, my lad; there's always the hope that we may find himback at camp after all. "

"But he must be wanting our help, Shaddy, " said Rob sadly. 

"Yes, my lad, and if he can, camp's the place where he'll go to look forit, isn't it?"

"Yes, of course. "

"Then we ought to be there to-night in case he comes to it. So now thenlet's start at once. Sun goes down pretty soon, and I've got to takeyou by a round to where he broke down those flowers. Ready?"

"Yes, " said Rob sadly; and they made a fresh start. 

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. 

IN PAINFUL QUEST. 

At the end of a few minutes Shaddy turned his head and spoke over hisshoulder. 

"Hear anything of your puss, Mr Rob?"

"I have fancied I heard him twice. "

"Then he's after us, safe--depend upon it. These sort of things goalong on velvet, and can get under the trees and branches for hourswithout your knowing anything about their being so near. Let's befriends with him, my lad. We're lonely enough out here, and he'll gethis own living, you may depend upon that. "

Shaddy pressed on as rapidly as he could, for the evening was drawingnigh, and, as he said, it would be black night in there directly the sunwent down; but it was a long way, and Rob was growing weary of seeinghis companion keep on halting in doubt, before, with a look of triumph, he stopped short and pointed to a broken-down creeper, a kind ofpassion-flower, which had been dragged at till a mass of leafage andflower had been drawn down from high up in the tree it climbed, to liein a heap. 

"There you are, Mr Rob, sir. "

"No, no, Shaddy; that might have been dragged down by a puma or jaguar, "said Rob sadly. 

"Then he must have carried a good sharp knife in his pocket, my lad, "replied the old hunter. "Look at this. "

He held up the end of the stem, for Rob to see that it had been dividedby one clean chop with a big knife. 

"Yes, of course. He must have been here, " cried Rob joyfully. "Nowthen, we must find his trail and follow it on. "

"We must make straight for camp, Mr Rob, sir, " replied Shaddy, "hopingto find him there, for in less than an hour's time we shall have to feelour way. "

"Oh, Shaddy!"

"Must, sir, and you know it. We must try all we know to get back, and Itell you it's as much as I can do to find the way there. I'm sure Ican't follow Mr Brazier's trail. "

Rob looked at him sternly. 

"Fact, sir. You know I'm doing my best. "

"Yes, " said Rob, reproach sounding in his tones; but he could not helpfeeling that he was a little unjust, as he tramped steadily on behindhis companion, who was very silent for some time, working hard to makehis way as near as possible along the track by which they had come. 

Rob was just thinking that from the tone of the gloom around him the sunmust be very low, when Shaddy turned his head for a moment. 

"Don't think you could find your way, do you, Mr Rob?"

"I'm sure I couldn't, " was the reply. 

"So am I, my lad. "

"But you have it all right?"

"Sometimes, my lad; and sometimes I keep on losing it, and have to makea bit of a cast about to pick it up again. We're going right, my lad, so don't be down-hearted. Let's hope Mr Brazier is precious anxiousand hungry, waiting for us to come to him. "

"I hope so, Shaddy. "

"But you don't think so, my lad. "

Rob shook his head. 

"Heard your cat, sir?"

"No. "

"More have I. Scared of me, I suppose. Rec'lects first meeting. "

They went on again in silence, with the gloom deepening; but the forestwas a little more open, and all at once Shaddy stopped short, andholding one hand behind him signed to Rob to come close up. 

"Look!" he whispered: "just over my shoulder, lad. I'd say try your bowand arrow, only we've got plenty of food in camp, and had better leaveit for next time. "

"What is it, Shaddy? I can't see. Yes, I can. Why it's a deer. Watching us too. "

The graceful little creature was evidently startled at the sight ofhuman beings, and stood gazing ready to spring away at the slightestmotion on their part. The next instant there was a sudden movement justbefore them, as a shadow seemed to dart out from their right; and as thedeer made a frantic bound it was struck down, for a puma had alightedupon its back, and the two animals lay before them motionless, thepuma's teeth fast in the deer's neck, and the former animal so flatteneddown that it looked as if it were one with the unfortunate creature ithad made its prey, and whose death appeared to have been almostinstantaneous. 

"Why, it must be my puma!" cried Rob. 

"That's so, my lad, for sartain, " replied Shaddy. "Now, if we could getpart, say the hind-quarter of that deer, for our share, it would beworth having. What do you say?"

Rob said nothing, and Shaddy approached; but a low, ominous growlingarose, and the great cat's tail writhed and twined about in the air. 

"He'll be at me if I go any nearer, " said Shaddy. "What do you say totrying, Mr Rob, sir?"

"I don't think I would, " said the lad; and he stepped forward, with theresult that the puma's tone changed to a peculiar whining, remonstrantgrowl, as it shifted itself off the dead deer, but kept its teeth buriedin its neck, and began to back away, dragging the body toward the spotfrom which it had made its bound. 

"Let it be, Mr Rob, sir. The thing's sure to be savage if you meddlewith its food. We can do without it, and there's no time to spare. Come along. "

There was a fierce growl as Shaddy went on, and Rob followed him; but onlooking back he saw that the puma was following, dragging the littledeer, and after a few steps it took a fresh hold, flung it over itsback, followed them for a few minutes, and then disappeared. 

They had enough to do to find their way now, for darkness was coming onfast, and before long Shaddy stopped short. 

"It's of no use, my lad, " he said. "I'm very sorry, but we've drove ittoo late. The more we try the farther we shall get in the wood. "

"What do you mean to do, then?" said Rob, wearily. 

"Light a fire, and get some boughs together for a bed. "

"Oh, Shaddy, don't you think we might reach camp if we went on?" criedRob, despairingly. 

"Well, we'll try, Mr Rob, sir; but I'm afraid not. Now, if your friendthere would be a good comrade and bring in our supper, we could roastit, and be all right here, but he won't, so we'll try to get along. Weshall be no worse off farther on, only we may be cutting ourselves outmore work when it's day. Shall we try?"

"Yes, try, " said Rob; and he now took the lead, on the chance of findingthe way. A quarter of an hour later, just as he was about to turn andgive up, ready for lighting a fire to cook nothing, but only too glad ofthe chance of throwing himself down to rest, Shaddy uttered a cheerycry. 

"Well done, Mr Rob, sir!" he said. "You're right. Camp's just ahead. "

"What! How do you know?"

"By that big, flop-branched tree, with the great supports like stays. Iremember it as well as can be. Off to the right, sir, and in a quarterof an hour we shall be in the clearing. "

"Unless that's one of thousands of trees that grow like it, " said Robsadly, as he pressed on. 

"Nay, sir, I could swear to that one, sir, dark as it is. Now, you lookup in five minutes, and see if you can't make out stars. "

Rob said nothing, but tramped on, forcing his way among trees which heonly avoided now by extending his bow and striking to right and left. 

Five minutes or so afterwards he cast up his eyes, but without expectingto see anything, when a flash of hope ran through him, and he shoutedjoyfully, --

"Stars, Shaddy, stars!" and as a grunt of satisfaction came from behind, he raised his voice to the highest pitch he could command, and roaredout, "Mr Brazier I Mr Brazier! Ahoy!"

Shaddy took up the cry in stentorian tones--

"Ahoy! Ahoy! Ahoy!" and the shout was answered. 

"There he is!" cried Rob, joyfully. "Hurrah!"

Shaddy was silent. 

"Didn't you hear, Shaddy? Mr Brazier answered. You are right: he didget back, after all. "

Still Shaddy remained silent, only increasing his pace in the darkness, lightened now by the stars which overarched them, so as to keep up withRob's eager strides. 

"Why don't you speak, man? Let's shout again: Mr Brazier! Ahoy!"

"Mr Brazier! Ahoy!" came back faintly. 

"I don't like to damp you, Mr Rob, sir, " said Shaddy, sadly, "but youdon't see as we're out in the clearing again. That's only the echo fromthe trees across the river. He isn't here. "

"No, " said Rob, with a groan; "he isn't here. "

Just then there was a rustling sound behind them, and a low growl, followed by a strange sound which Rob understood at once. 

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. 

THE FOUR-FOOTED FRIEND. 

The lad said nothing, so great was the change from hope to despondency;and he hardly noticed the sound close beside him, as Shaddy saidgruffly--

"Well, if any one had told me that, I wouldn't have believed it!"

"Is it any use to shout again, Shaddy?" said Rob, as he looked down atthe indistinctly-seen shape of the dull tawny-coated puma, which hadcarried its captive after them to the clearing, and had now quietly laindown to its feast. 

"No, Mr Rob, sir; if he's here, it's in the shelter-place we made, utterly done up with tramping. Let's go and see. "

It was no easy task to get even there in the darkness, but they soonafter stood at the end, and Rob convinced himself in a few moments thatthey were alone. 

"Oh, Shaddy!" he cried piteously, "he hasn't come back. What can we doto find him?"

"I'll show you, sir, " said the man, quietly. "First thing is to make upthe fire. "

"For him to see? Yes; that's right. "

"Man couldn't see the fire many yards away in the wood, Mr Rob, sir. Imeant for us, so as to roast a bit of that deer, if the lion'll let ushave it. "

"I must do something to help Mr Brazier!" said Rob, angrily. 

"That's helping him, my lad--having a good meal to make us strong. After that we'll have a good sleep to make us rested. "

"Oh, no! no!" cried Rob, angrily. 

"But I say yes, yes, yes, sir!" said Shaddy, firmly. "I know what youfeel, my lad, and it's quite nat'ral; but just hark ye here a moment. Can we do anything to find him in that black darkness to-night?"

"No, " said Rob, in despair; "it is, I know, impossible. "

"Quite right, my lad. Then as soon as it's daylight oughtn't we to beready to go and help him?"

"Of course, Shaddy. "

"Then how can we do most good, --as half-starved, worn-out fellows, without an ounce of pluck between us, or well-fed, strong, andrefreshed, ready to tramp any number of hours, and able to carry him ifit came to the worst? Answer me that. "

"Come and light the fire, Shaddy, " said Rob, quietly. 

"Ah!" ejaculated the old sailor, and he led the way to where the emberslay, warm still, and with plenty of dry wood about. Five minutes afterthe fire was blazing merrily and illumining the scene. 

"Now, " cried Shaddy, "if your Tom would play fair, and let us have thehind-quarters of that deer, we might have it instead of the lizard. He'll only eat the neck, I daresay. Shall we try him? I don't thinkhe'd show fight at you, sir. "

"Let's try, " said Rob, quietly. "I don't think I'm afraid of him now. "

"Not you, Mr Rob, sir, " said Shaddy; and they went together to wherethey had left the puma feasting upon the deer, but, to the surprise ofboth, there lay the carcass partly eaten about the throat and breast, and the puma had gone. 

"He can't have had enough yet, " growled Shaddy, dropping upon his knees, knife in hand; and, seizing hold of the deer, he drove his blade in justacross the loins, separating the vertebrae at the first thrust, butstarted back directly, as a low and fierce growl came from the edge ofthe forest, where they could see a pair of fiery eyes lit up by theblaze they had left behind. 

"I know, " cried Shaddy; "he was scared off by our fire, but he don'twant to lose his supper. What shall we do, Mr Rob? Two more cuts, andI could draw the hind-quarters away. I'll try it. "

The puma was silent, and Shaddy slowly approached his hand, thrust inhis knife, and made one bold cut which swept through the deer's flank;but another growl arose, and there was a bound made by the puma--which, however, turned and crept slowly back to cover, where it stood watchingthem, with the fire again reflected in its eyes. 

"He don't mean mischief, Mr Rob, sir, " said Shaddy. "I'll have anothertry. I may get through it this time. "

"No, no, don't try; it's dangerous. "

"But you don't fancy that lizard thing, my lad; and I want you strongto-morrow. Now, look here: I'll get close again, and risk it; and if, just as I say `Now, ' you'd speak to the beast quiet like, as you wouldto a dog, it might take his attention, and so we'd get the hind partclear off. "

"Yes, " said Rob, quietly. "Shall I walk to it?"

"No, I wouldn't do that, but go a little way off sidewise, just keepingyour distance, talking all the while, and he'd follow you with hiseyes. "

Rob nodded, and turned off, as Shaddy crept close once more andstretched out his hand. 

"Now!" he said; and Rob began to call the beast, fervently hoping thatit would not come, but to his horror it did; and he could just dimlymake out its shape, looking misty and dim in the firelight, with itseyes glowing and its tail writhing, as it slowly approached, while Robwalked farther away from his companion still. 

All at once the puma stopped short, swung itself round, and, to Rob'shorror, crouched, bounded back toward where the carcass lay, leapingright to it, and burying its jaws in the deer's neck with a savagesnarl. 

"Run, Shaddy, " shouted Rob. 

"It's all right, my lad, " came from a little distance: "I did. I've gotour half, and he's got his. Speak to him gently, and leave him to hissupper. We won't be very long before we have ours. "

"Got it?" cried Rob, eagerly, as he hurried after his companion. 

"Yes, my lad--all right;" and a few minutes later pieces of the tender, succulent flesh, quite free from marks of the puma's claws, werefrizzling over the clear embers and emitting an appetising odour, whichtaught the boy how hungry he was; and as they were cooking, Shaddytalked of how tame he had known pumas to be, and of how they seemed totake to man. 

"I wouldn't trust a tiger the length of his tail, " he said, as theyraked hot coals nearer to the roasting meat; "but I should never feelskeart of a lion, so long as I didn't get fighting him. Strikes me thatafter a fashion you might get that chap kind of tame. Shouldn't wonderif, when he's done, he comes and lies down here for a warm. "

Rob thought of his former night's experience, when something came andnestled near him; and the next minute he was doing the same as thepuma--partaking of the nourishing meat, every mouthful seeming to givehim fresh strength. 

It was a rough, but enjoyable meal, nature making certain demands whichhad to be satisfied; and for the moment, as he fell to after his longfast, Rob forgot his boyish companion and the second loss he hadsustained. But as soon as he had finished, the depression came back, and he felt ashamed of himself for having enjoyed his food instead ofdwelling upon some means of finding out where Mr Brazier had strayed. 

His attention was taken off, though, directly by Shaddy, who saidslowly:

"That's better. Nothing like a good honest meal for setting a man goingagain and making him ready to think and work. I say, look yonder atyour tom-cat. "

The fire had just fallen together, and was blazing up so as to spread acircle of light for some distance round; and upon looking in thedirection of the puma Rob could see it lying down feasting away upon itsshare of the deer, apparently quite confident that it was in theneighbourhood of friends, and not likely to be saluted with a shot. 

It struck Rob that the animal must be pretty well satisfied now withfood, and in consequence less likely to be vicious, so he rose. 

"Where are you going, Mr Rob, sir?" said Shaddy. 

"Over to the puma. "

"I wouldn't. Oh, I don't know. Best time to make friends--afterdinner. I'd be careful, though, my lad. "

"Yes; I'll take care, " said Rob, who felt a strong desire to findanother friend out there in the wilderness, now that his companions weredropping away; and thinking that the time might come when he would bequite alone, he walked slowly toward where the puma was crunching upsome of the tender bones of the deer. 

Rob kept a little to one side, so that his shadow should not fall uponthe animal, which paid no heed to his approach for a few moments; thenuttered a low fierce snarl and laid down its ears, making the boy stopshort and feel ready to retreat, as the animal suddenly sprang up andstood lashing its tail and licking its lips. But it made no furthermenacing sign, and walked quietly toward him and then stood waiting. 

Rob hesitated. Nature suggested flight, but Rob wanted to tame thebeast, and mastering his dread he advanced, and in spite of a warningadmonition from Shaddy, took another step or two and stopped by thepuma, which stared at him intently for a few moments. It then set alldoubts as to its feelings at rest by suddenly butting its head againstRob's leg, and as the lad bent down and patted it, threw itself on oneside, and with the playful action of a kitten curved its paws, made dabswith them at the lad's foot, and ended by holding it and rubbing itshead against his boot. 

"Well done, beast tamer!" cried Shaddy; and the puma threw up its headdirectly and stared in the direction of the sound; but a touch fromRob's hand quieted it, and it stretched itself out and lay with its eyeshalf closed, apparently thoroughly enjoying the caresses of its humanfriend. 

"Better get to the shelter, Mr Rob, sir, " said Shaddy suddenly; andafter a final pat and stroke, the boy turned away from the puma andwalked back to the fire, finding that the animal had sprung up andfollowed him directly for about half the distance, but only to stopshort and stand there, handsome and lithe, watching them and the fire, while its tail played about and the fine hairs glistened. 

"He don't know what to make of me, Mr Rob, sir; and as we've no dog Imay as well be friends too. Try and bring him up. He won't be a badcompanion, 'specially if he hunts deer for us like he did to-night. He'll be good as a gun. "

"He doesn't seem to like you, Shaddy. "

"No, sir. I'm old and tough; you're young and tender, " said the guidegrimly. "He's cunning, as all cats are; and some day, when he's hungryand is enjoying you, he'll say to himself--`This is a deal better thanthat tough old sailor, who'd taste strong of tar and bilge. ' Here, whatare you going to do?"

"Try and fetch him here, " said Rob, smiling as he went close up to thepuma, which crouched again at his approach; and full of confidence now, the lad went down on one knee, patting and stroking the beast for aminute, talking softly the while. 

The result was that as he rose the puma leaped up, bounded round him, and then followed close up to the fire, but met all Shaddy's advanceswith a low growl and a laying down of its ears flat upon its head. 

"All right, " said Shaddy, "I don't want to be friends if you don't, puss; only let's have a--what-you-may-call-it?"

"Truce, " suggested Rob. 

"That's it, sir. I won't show fight if he won't. Now then, sir, let'smake up the fire; and then--bed. "

Shaddy quickly piled up a quantity of wood on the embers, beating andsmothering it down, so that they might have it as a protection againstenemies and as a ready friend in the morning. Then, shouldering theportion left of the deer, he led the way to the rough hut, hung the meathigh up in a tree and crept in, Rob following and wondering whether thepuma would stop near them. 

But the animal hung back as Rob followed his companion into the darktriangular-shaped space, where, after a short time devoted tomeditation, he threw himself upon his bed of leaves to lie and think ofhis two lost companions. 

At least, that was his intention, but the moment Rob rose in thedarkness from his knees and lay down with a restful sigh, he droppedinto a deep dreamless sleep, from which he half awoke once to stretchout his hand and feel it rest upon something furry and warm, which hedimly made out to be the curled-up body of the puma. Then he sleptagain till broad daylight showed in through the end of the bough, buthalf shut away by the figure of the guide, who said roughly:

"Now you two: time to get up. "

At that moment Rob's hand rested upon a round, soft head, which began tomove, and commenced a vibratory movement as a deep humming purr filledthe place. 

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. 

THE END OF THE QUEST. 

It was hard work to be dull and low-spirited in the midst of thebeautiful scene which greeted Rob as he stepped out and followed Shaddydown to the fire. The clearing was one mass of glorious colour, the skygorgeous with the sunrise tints, and the river flushed with orange, blueand gold. Birds sang, piped, and shrieked loudly, butterflies werebeginning to flutter about, and a loud chattering from the nearest treeroused Rob to the fact that the puma had been following him, for itsuddenly made three or four leaps in the direction of the sounds, andthen crouched down to gaze at a party of monkeys, which were leapingabout, scolding, shrieking and chattering angrily at the enemy watchingtheir movements. Directly after, though, the puma returned to Rob'sside, uttering a sound strongly suggestive of the domestic cat. 

"Going to have a dip, Mr Rob, sir?" said Shaddy. And then--"I'd bevery careful, sir; you know how full of biting varmin the river is. Look sharp; breakfast's ready, and as soon as we've done we'll go andfind Mr Brazier. "

"Try to, " cried the boy sadly. 

"Find him, Mr Rob, sir. Bah! who's going to say die on a lovelymorning in a lovely place like this?"

Rob thought of his companion's words as he turned down to the edge ofthe water and bathed, with the puma sitting near watching him, apparently with wonder. Then, refreshed and invigorated, he hastenedback to where there was the appetising odour of roasting meat, while thepuma returned to the remains of its last night's feast. 

Half an hour after, armed with rough spear, bow and arrows, and a bigpackage of roasted meat, consisting of deer legs, and the best parts ofthe iguana which Shaddy had taken out and begun cooking while Rob stillslept, they were threading their way amongst the trees once more, withthe puma somewhere behind them, for they could hear it utter a curiouscry from time to time, though they never once caught sight of it in thedense growth. 

"Feel as if I was right, don't you, my lad?" said Shaddy, as theytramped on. "Couldn't have got through the trees like this without restand food. "

"You were quite right, " replied Rob. "Where are you making for?"

"The place I showed you last night. I think we'll start from there. "

It was a long time before they reached the spot, and examined itcarefully, to find more traces of Mr Brazier having been there andstopping. So they shouted and whistled again and again, but there wasno response, and trying to pick up the trail they started again--nowutterly baffled and ready to return, now gathering fresh hope onsuddenly coming upon a scrap of orchid or a bunch of woodland flowers, which had been carefully gathered and thrown down, apparently by someone wearied out. Then Rob uttered a cry of excitement, for he stumbledsuddenly upon a spot which was comparatively open, so that the sunshinepenetrated. It was no doubt the work of a hurricane, for great treeslay prostrate, decaying fast, and fresh flowery growths had sprung up. Birds and insects were plentiful, and the spot looked lovely after thegloom of the forest shades. Here was the crushed-down growth where hethey sought had lain down to sleep, unless it was the resting-place ofan Indian. 

Rob suggested it and Shaddy replied angrily:

"Look here, youngster, if ever you want a nickname call yourself WetBlanket. What a fellow you are for making the worst of everything!Some one lay down to rest here, didn't he?"

"Yes, I think so. "

"And I'm sure. Now look at the places where the flowers have beensnapped off. I know what you're saying to yourself: `wild beast orIndian!' Now, I ask you, sir, as a young English gent who has been toschool and can read and write, do wild beasts and Indians go aboutpicking flowers or collecting anything that isn't good to eat?"

"Ah, Shaddy, " said Rob sadly, "you beat me at arguing. I'm afraid tohope that we shall find him alive, but you're quite right, and I willtry and believe. "

"Bravo, Mr Rob, sir! Three cheers for that! Never fear, we'll findhim alive yet; weak and done up, but keeping himself going. He hasfound bits of fruit and nuts, and when he couldn't find them there'ssomething in the tops of tender grasses. Cheer up, sir! Now then, let's give a big shout here. "

Shaddy set the example, and at the tremendous yell he sent forth therewas a rush of wings from one of the trees a short distance away, whereall had been perfectly still the moment before; and as a flock of birdshidden by the leaves dashed off, quite a little shower of fruit wasdropped by them among the leaves. 

"There, sir--that was food, " cried Shaddy; "and a gentleman who knowsall about such things, as Mr Brazier does, would find them and keephimself going. Now it's your turn. Shout, sir. "

Rob uttered as loud a cry as he could, and then twice over imitated theAustralian "cooee, " following it up with a shrill piercing note from alittle silver whistle; but the only response was the cry of an _ara_, one of the great scarlet and blue long-tailed macaws, whose harsh shriekcame softened from the distance. 

"Not right yet, Mr Rob, sir, " said Shaddy, quietly; "but we're notgoing to despair, boy. I aren't a religious man your way, but after myfashion I trust in God and take the rough with the smooth. What is tobe will be, so don't let's kick against it. We've got our duty to do, my lad, and that's to keep on trying. Now then, what do you say to abit of a snack?"

"No, no--not yet, Shaddy; let's go on. "

"Right, my lad. "

They started again, and pressed on through the breathless heat of thewoods, but without finding further sign of any one having passed thatway; and at last Shaddy stopped short on the banks of a running stream, which impeded farther progress, and whose waters offered refreshingdraughts to those who were getting in sore need. 

"We're off his track, Mr Rob. He's not likely to have crossed a riverlike this; but welcome it is, for it shows us the way back just when Iwas getting a bit muddled. "

"How does it?" said Rob, wonderingly. 

"Because it must flow into the big river somewhere below our camp. "

"Then you have seen no traces of him lately?"

"Nothing, my lad, since we left that open patch where the birds flew outof the trees. "

"Then we must go back at once, Shaddy. "

"Not until we've trimmed the lamps again, my lad. Sit down on that oldtrunk--No, don't; I daresay it's full of stinging ants and things, andperhaps there's a snake or two. We'll sit on this root and have a goodfeed, and then take up our track again. "

Rob seated himself sadly down, while the guide unpacked his store ofmeat wrapped in green leaves; and the boy felt annoyed with himself forhis want of forethought on seeing how carefully his companion put backand bound up some of the best, nodding, as he caught Rob's eyes fixedupon him. 

"For Mr Brazier, " he said. "He'll be glad enough of a bit o' meat whenwe find him. "

They began eating directly, washing down the savoury roast with handfulsof clear water scooped up from the stream which bubbled and foamed by inits rocky bed. 

"Well, now look at that!" cried Shaddy the next minute, as with onetremendous bound the puma alighted just before them, and stood lookingat Rob and lashing its tail. "Why, he must have come after us all thetime. Trust an animal for smelling meat. "

Rob shared his portion with the great cat, which also crunched up thebones. Then once more they began their search, taking up their owntrail backward, and with no little difficulty following it to theopening, from whence they kept on making casts, till night was once moreapproaching. They tramped back to the hut just in time to save theirfire; but they had nothing to cook, the remains of the iguana being toofar gone, and their meal consisted of nuts and water; though the pumafeasted well. 

The next morning they were off again soon after daylight, afterbreakfasting off fish secured by Shaddy as soon as it was light, while acouple more were roasted and taken with them. 

This time they tried a fresh direction, trusting more to chance; and asthey toiled on Shaddy grew more and more serious while forcing his waythrough the trees, and his manner was softer and gentler to hiscompanion, who rarely spoke now save to the puma, which grew hourly moreconfident, and kept close at Rob's heels, giving his leg a rub wheneverhe stopped short to glance about him through the solemn shadows of theforest. 

For this was the third day of their search, and it was impossible tohelp feeling that it was the very last upon which they could cling tohope. 

It passed as the others had done--in one weary tramp and struggle, butwithout a single sign of the lost one to give them encouragement toproceed; and at last, when they were bound to return if they intended tosleep again in camp, Shaddy said suddenly:

"God help him, my lad: we've done all we can. Let's get back now. Imay think out something fresh by to-morrow morning. I can't do anythingto-night, for my head's like my legs--dead beat out. "

Rob answered with a sigh, for his heart was very heavy now; and as hiscompanion stood calculating for a few minutes which way they should go, he waited, and then followed behind him without a word. 

They were a little earlier this time, but the sun had gone down beforethey got out of the forest at the extreme corner on the right of theirhut; and as they trudged back the puma made two dashes at prey unseen bythe travellers, but without success, returning after each cautious crawland final bound to walk quietly along behind Rob, who, in a dull, heavy, unthinking way, reached back to touch the beast, which responded with afriendly pressure and rub of its head against the extended hand. 

And as they crept slowly on, with the trees crowding round them as if tohinder their progress, and the darkness of the umbrageous foliageseeming to press down upon their heads, their journey was made withgreater difficulty than ever; for the spirit or energy had gone out ofShaddy, who tramped on as if he were asleep. 

It struck Rob once that this was the case, and he increased his own rateso as to try and get ahead of his companion, but as soon as he drewclose up his comrade stopped. 

"Like to go first, my lad?"

"No, no, " said Rob hurriedly. "Are you sure of the road?"

"No, my lad, because there isn't one. I'm only pretty sure that we arein the right direction. "

It proved that he was correct when in due time they stood out in theclearing, with the darkness falling fast; and then Shaddy said suddenly, and as if with an effort:

"Come, Mr Rob, sir, we mustn't give up. Let's have some food, or weshall be done. No deer meat to-night, no iguana. Get the fire goingwhile I go and try for a fish; there'll just be time. "

Rob tramped heavily to the fire, and the guide went to the tree where hehad hung the line, baited it from the remains of the food, and strodedown to his favourite spot for fishing; while Rob busied himself rakingthe fire together with a half-burned branch, and then, as it began tosmoke, piled on it the partly-burned brands, and upon them the piecesindustriously heaped together. 

The blaze began to creep up and lick the twigs and branches as the bluesmoke rose. Then the fire increased to a ruddy glow; and feeling chillyafter the heat to which he had been exposed, Rob sat listlessly downgazing at the increasing flames, which lit up his sun-browned face as hethought and thought of his boyish comrade, then of Mr Brazier, and atlast of himself. 

They were sad thoughts, for he felt that he should never see home again, that he would be the next to be struck down by some savage beast, bittenby a poisonous snake, or lost in the forest, where he would be too weakto find his way back. And as he thought he wondered what Shaddy woulddo when he was gone--whether he would be picked up by some passing boat, or live on in a kind of Robinson Crusoe life to a good old age. 

Rob started involuntarily as he reached this point, for somethingtouched him; and turning sharply, he found that the puma was rubbing itshead against his shoulder, the beautiful creature uttering its peculiarpurring sound as Rob threw an arm round its neck and began to caress it, ready as he was out there to cling to anything in his weariness anddesolation. 

He was thus occupied when the puma started away, for there was a stepbehind him. 

"Tired, my lad? Only got one, but he's a fine fellow, " said Shaddy, whorapidly chopped off the head and a good-sized piece of the tail of afine dorado. 

"Not so very; only low-spirited. "

"Not you, my lad: hungry's the word. That's what's the matter with me. Here, I say, squire, if you're anything of a cat you'll like fish, " hecontinued, as he threw the head, tail, and other portions of the fishtoward the puma, which hesitated for a few moments and then secured andbore them off. 

Meanwhile, to help his companion more than from any desire for food, Robhad risen and cut some big palm leaves, laid them down, and then raked ahole in the heap of embers ready for the fish. 

"That's better, " said Shaddy, as he lifted the great parcel he had madeof the fish; and depositing his load in the embers, he took the roughbranch they used for a rake and poker in one, and covered the packetdeeply. 

"There, Mr Rob, sir; that's the best thing for our low spirits. Weshall be better after that physic. "

"Hush!" cried Rob excitedly. 

"Eh! What? Did you hear something?"

"Yes: a faint cry. "

"No!"

"But I did. And look at the puma: he heard it too. Didn't you see itstart and leave the fish?"

"Yes, but I thought I startled it. He's very suspicious of me, and Idon't suppose we shall ever be good friends. "

"No, it was not that, " whispered Rob, whose voice trembled as if he werealarmed. 

"Then it was some beast in the forest. There they are, any number ofthem. Frog perhaps, or an owl: they make very queer sounds. "

Rob shook his head. 

"I say, don't look so scared, my lad, just as if you were going to beill. I tell you what it was: one of those howling spider monkeys at adistance. "

"There again!" cried Rob, starting up, --an example followed by theguide, who was impressed by the peculiar faint cry; and as Rob seizedhis companion's arm, the latter said, with a slight suggestion ofnervousness in his tone:

"Now, what beast could that be? But there, one never gets used to allthe cries in the forest. Here, what's the matter? Where are you going, my lad?"

"To see--to see, " gasped Rob. 

"Not alone, Mr Rob, sir. I don't think it is, but it may be somedangerous creature, and I don't want you to come to trouble. Got enoughwithout. Hah! there it goes again. "

For there was the same peculiar smothered cry, apparently from the edgeof the forest, close to where they had raised their hut. 

"Come along quickly, " whispered Rob, in a faint, panting voice. 

"Yes, but steady, my lad. Let's try and see, our way. We don't want tobe taken by surprise. Get ready an arrow, and I may as well have myknife. "

"No: come on; don't you know what it was? It was close here somewhere. Can't you tell?"

"No, my lad, nor you neither. I've been a little longer in the woodsthan you. "

"How can you be so dull?" cried Rob. "Now, quick: it must have beensomewhere here. I heard `Help' as plainly as could be. "

"What?"

Just then the cry arose again, not fifty yards away; and unmistakablythat word was uttered in a faint, piteous tone:

"Help!"--and again, "Help!"

The pair sprang forward together, crashing recklessly among the branchesin the direction of the sound; but as they reached the place from whenceit seemed to have come all was still, and there was no response to theircries. 

"All a mistake, my lad, " said Shaddy. "We're done up, and fancied it. "

"Fancied? No, it was Mr Brazier, " cried Rob excitedly. "I'm sure ofit; and--Yes, yes, quick; this way. Here he lies!"

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. 

FRIEND AND PATIENT. 

They had sought in vain for the lost man; and when in utter despair theyhad been on the point of giving up the search, he had struggled back tothem, his last steps guided by the fire when he had felt that he mustlie down utterly exhausted, to die. 

"Mr Brazier! At last!" cried Rob; and he went down upon his knee andgrasped his leader's hand, but there was no response, and the fingers heheld were cold as ice. 

"Here, lend a hand, Mr Rob, sir, " cried Shaddy roughly, "and help me toget him on my back. "

"Let me help carry him. "

"No, sir; my way's easiest--quickest, and will hurt him least. He'shalf dead of starvation, and cold as cold. Quick, sir! let's get himdown by the fire. It will be too dark in the hovel to do anything. "

Rob helped to raise the wanderer, Shaddy swung him on his back lightlyand easily, and stepping quickly toward the fire, soon had the poorfellow lying with his feet exposed to the blaze, while water was givento him a little at a time, and soon after a few morsels of the tenderfish, which he swallowed with difficulty. 

They had no rest that night, but, with the strange cries and noises ofthe forest around them, mingled with the splashings anddanger-threatening sounds of the river, they tended and cared for theinsensible man, giving him food and water from time to time, but inquantities suggestive of homoeopathic treatment. Still they felt nofatigue for the great joy in both their hearts, for neither of them hadthe faintest hope of ever seeing their leader again. 

Once or twice during the night Mr Brazier had seemed so cold and rigidthat Rob had glanced wildly at the guide, who replied by feeling theinsensible man's feet. 

"Only sleep, my lad!" he said softly. "I daresay he will not come tofor a couple of days. A man can't pass through the horror of being lostwithout going off his head more or less. "

"Do you think he'll be delirious, then?"

"Off his head, my lad? Yes. It will be almost like a fever, I shouldsay, and we shall have to nurse him a long time till he comes round. "

The guide was quite right. The strong man was utterly brought down bythe terrible struggle of the past three days, and as they looked at hishollow eyes and sunken cheeks it was plain to see what he had sufferedbodily from hunger, while his wanderings told of how great the shockmust have been to his brain. 

The mystery of the blood was explained simply enough by his roughlybandaged left arm, on which as they examined it, while he lay perfectlyweak and insensible, they found a severe wound cleanly cut by a knife. 

"He must have been attacked, then, " cried Rob as he looked at the woundin horror, while in a quiet, methodical way Shaddy proceeded to sew ittogether by the simple process of thrusting a couple of pins through theskin and then winding a thread of silk round them in turn from head topoint, after which he firmly bandaged the wound before making a reply toRob's words. 

"Yes, my lad, " he said; "right arm attacked his left. He must have beenmaking a chop at some of the plants on a branch, and the tool slipped. You take out his knife and open it, and see if it ain't marked. "

Shaddy was quite right, for there on the handle were some dried-uptraces of how the wound must have bled. 

It was a week before the patient began to show tokens of amendment, during which time Rob and Shaddy had been hard pressed for ways tosupply his wants. There were endless things necessary for the invalidwhich they could not supply, but, from old forest lore and knowledgepicked up during his adventurous life, the guide was able to find theleaves of a shrub, which leaves he beat into a pulp between two pebbles, put the bruised stems into the cup of a water flask, added water, andgave it to the patient to drink. 

"It is of no use to ask me what it is, Mr Rob, sir, " said the guide;"all I know is that the Indians use it, and that there isn't anythingbetter to keep down fever and get up strength. "

"Then it must be quinine, " said Rob. 

"No, my lad; it isn't that, but it's very good. These wild sort ofpeople seem to have picked up the knack of doctoring themselves and offinding out poisons to put on their arrows somehow or another, andthere's no nonsense about them. "

The prisoners in the vast forest--for they were as much prisoners as ifshut up in some huge building--had to scheme hard to obtain theirsupplies so as to make them suitable to their patient. Fish theycaught, as a rule, abundantly enough; birds they trapped and shot witharrows; and fruit was to be had after much searching; but their greatwant was some kind of vessel in which to cook, till after severalfailures Rob built up a very rough pot of clay from the river bed bymaking long thin rolls and laying one upon the other and rubbing themtogether. This pot he built up on a piece of thin shaley stone, driedit in the sun, and ended by baking it in the embers--covering it overwith the hot ashes, and leaving it all one night. 

Shaddy watched him with a grim smile, and kept on giving him words ofencouragement, as he worked, tending Mr Brazier the while, brushing theflies away and arranging green boughs over him to keep him in the shade, declaring that he would be better out there in the open than in theforest. 

"Well done, my lad!" said the old sailor as Rob held up the finished potbefore placing it in the fire; "'tis a rough 'un, but I daresay therehas been worse ones made. What I'm scared about is the firing. Strikesme it will crack all to shivers. "

To Rob's great delight, the pot came out of the wood ashes perfectlysound, and their next experiment was the careful stewing down of aniguana and the production of a quantity of broth, which Shaddypronounced to be finer than any chicken soup ever made; Rob, aftertrying hard to conquer his repugnance to food prepared from such ahideous-looking creature, said it was not bad; and their patient drankwith avidity. 

"There, " said Shaddy, "we shall go on swimmingly in the kitchen now; andas we can have hot water I don't see why we shouldn't have some tea. "

"You'd better go to the grocer's, then, for a pound, " said Rob, with alaugh. 

"Oh no, I shan't, " said Shaddy; "here's plenty of leaves to dry in thesun such as people out here use, and you'll say it ain't such bad tea, neither; but strikes me, Mr Rob, that the sooner you make another potthe better. "

Rob set to at once, and failed in the baking, but succeeded admirablywith his next attempt, the new pot being better baked than the old, andthat night he partook of some of Shad's infusion of leaves, which wasconfessed to be only wanting in sugar and cream to be very palatable. 

That day they found a deer lying among the bushes, with the neck andbreast eaten, evidently the puma's work, and, after what Shaddy called afair division, the legs and loins were carried off to roast and stew, giving the party, with the fruit and fish, a delightful change. 

The next day was one to be marked with a red letter, for towards eveningMr Brazier's eyes had in them the look of returned consciousness. 

Rob saw it first as he knelt down beside his friend, who smiled at himfaintly, and spoke in quite a whisper. 

From that hour he began to amend fast, and a week after he related how, in his ardour to secure new plants, he had lost his bearings, and goneon wandering here and there in the most helpless way, sustaining life onsuch berries and other fruits as he could find, till the horror of hissituation was more than his brain could bear. Face to face with thefact that he might go on wandering there till forced by weakness to liedown and die, he said the horror mastered him all at once, and the restwas like some terrible dream of going on and on, with intervals thatwere full of delight, and in which he seemed to be amongst gloriousflowers, which he was always collecting, till the heaps crushed himdown, and all was horror, agony, and wild imagination. Then he awokelying beneath the bower of leaves, shaded from the sunshine, listeningto the birds, the rushing sound of the river, and, best of all, thevoices of his two companions. 

CHAPTER THIRTY. 

AN UNEXPECTED ENEMY. 

Mr Brazier's recovery took a month from the day of his regaining thebalance of his reason, and even then he was weak; but he was aboutagain, and, though easily fatigued, took his part in the many littleduties they had to fulfil to sustain life in their forest prison. Allthought of escape by their own efforts had been given up, and they hadall taken the good course, roughly put by Shaddy as "making the best ofthings. "

In fact, the horror and shock of their position had grown fainter, theloss of poor Giovanni a softened memory, and the cowardly desertion ofthe Indians with the boat a matter over which it was useless to murmur. For the human mind is very plastic, and, if fully employed, soon findssatisfaction in its tasks. 

It was so here. Every day brought its work, for the most part inglorious sunshine, and scarcely a night arrived without one of the threehaving something to announce in the way of discovery or invention forthe amelioration of their lot. 

"There is always the possibility of our being sought out and escaping, "Mr Brazier said; "and in that hope I shall go on collecting, for theplants here are wonderful; and if I can get specimens home to Englandsome day there will be nothing to regret. "

In this spirit he went on as he grew stronger; and as for some distanceinland in the triangle of miles, two of whose sides were the greaterriver and its tributary, they had formed so many faint trails in theirhunting and fruit-seeking expeditions, the chances of being "bushed, " asthe Australians call it, grew fewer, plenty of collecting expeditionswere made, at first in company with Shaddy and Rob, afterwards alone. 

One evening a tremendous storm of wind and rain, with the accompanimentsof thunder and lightning of the most awe-inspiring nature, gave them alesson in the weakness of their shelter-place, for the water sweptthrough in a deluge, and after a terrible night they gazed in dismay atthe river, which was running swiftly nearly up to the place where theykept their fire going. That the flood was increasing they had not theslightest doubt, and it promised before long to be right over where theystood, fortunately now in the brilliant sunshine, which rapidly driedtheir clothes and gave them hope as well. 

"We shall have to go inland and seek higher ground, " Mr Brazier said atlast. 

"And where are you going to find it, sir?" said Shaddy rather gruffly. "There's high land away back on the far side of the river, but we can'tget there, and all out as far as I've been on this is one dead level. Look yonder; there's a lesson for us what to do if it gets much worse, "he continued, pointing toward a great tree at the edge of the forest. 

"Yes, " said Rob as he watched a little flock of green-and-scarletparrots circling round and perching in the upper branches, "but we haveno wings, Shaddy. "

"No, my lad, and never will have; but I didn't mean that. Look a bitlower. "

"Oh, you mean in that next tree. Ugh! how horrible!" cried Rob, with ashudder. "Has that been driven here by the water?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, sir. I mean that tree Ipointed to. Look there in the fork. "

"Yes; I can see it, Rob, " said Mr Brazier. "It's comfortably asleep. We must do as it does. Not the first time an animal has given men alesson. "

Rob stared from one to the other as if wondering why they did not seewith his eyes. 

"Can't you see it, Rob--your puma?"

"Eh? Oh yes, I see him now, but I meant in the other tree. Look! thegreat brute is all in motion. Why, it's a perfect monster!"

"Phew!" whistled Shad; "I didn't see it. Look, Mr Brazier, sir. Thatis something like a snake. "

He pointed now to where a huge serpent was worming its way about theboughs of one of the trees in a slow, sluggish way, as if trying to finda spot where it could curl up and be at rest till the water, which haddriven it from its customary haunts, had subsided. 

"What shall we do, Shaddy?" whispered Rob. "Why, that must be nearlysixty feet long. "

"It's nearer two foot long, Mr Rob, sir. My word! how people's eyes domagnify when they're a bit scared. "

"But it is a monstrously huge serpent, " said Brazier, shading his eyes, as he watched the reptile. 

"Yes, sir, and as nigh as one can judge, going round his loops andrings, a good five-and-twenty foot, and as big round as my thigh. "

"We can't stay here, then!" cried Rob excitedly. 

"Don't see why not, sir. He hasn't come after us, only to take care ofhimself; and I'm beginning to think it's a bad sign. "

"That it does mean to attack us?" said Brazier. 

"Not it, sir. I mean a bad sign about the flood, for somehow, stupid asanimals seem, they have a sort of idea of when danger's coming, and tryto get out of its way. I should say that before long the waters will beall up over where we are, and that it's our duty to get up a bit, too, and take enough food to last till the flood's gone down. "

"And how long will that be?" Rob asked. 

"Ah! that's what I can't say, sir. Let's get together all we can, andI'm sorry to say it ain't very much, for we punished the provisionsterribly last night. "

"Yes, we are low, " said Brazier thoughtfully. 

"There's some nuts on that tree where the lion is, so we'll take tothat, " said the old sailor thoughtfully. "He'll have to turn out andtake to another, or behave himself. Now what's to be done beside? Wecan't get any fire if the flood rises much, and for certain we can'tcatch any fish with the river like this. What do you say to trying toshoot the big boa with your bow and arrows?"

"What?" cried Rob, with a look of disgust. 

"Oh! he's not bad eating, my lad. The Indians feast on 'em sometimes, cutting them up into good stout lumps, and it isn't so much unlike eel. "

"What, have you tasted it?"

"Oh yes, sir; there's precious few things used for food when men arehungry that I haven't had a taste of in my time. "

Just then Mr Brazier pointed to the place where they kept their fire, and over which the water was now lapping and bearing off the soft greyashes, which began to eddy and swim round the little whirlpools formedby the swift current, before the light deposit from the fire was sweptright away. 

By this time, as Rob kept his eyes upon it, the great serpent hadgradually settled itself down upon one of the far-spreading horizontalboughs of the huge monarch, which, growing upon the edge of the forest, found ample space for its spreading branches, instead of being kept backon all sides by fellow-trees, and so directing all its efforts in theway of growth upward toward the sun. 

Brazier noticed Rob's looks, and laid his hand upon the lad's shoulder. 

"I don't think we need fear any attack from that, Rob, " he said, "forthe water, if it goes on rising like this, will soon be between us, andI don't suppose the serpent will leave one tree to get up into another. "

"Not it, sir, " interposed Shaddy; "and, excuse me, let's be sharp, forthe water's coming down from miles away on the high ground, and it willbe over here before long. Look at that!"

They were already looking at a great wave sweeping down the furiousriver, which was covered with boughs and trees, the latter rolling overand over in the swift current, now showing their rugged earth andstone-filled roots, now their boughs, from which the foliage and twigswere rapidly being stripped. 

"Why, it's right over our kitchen now. "

"And will carry away my pots!" cried Rob, running away to save thetreasures which had caused him so much trouble to make. 

"Look sharp, sir!" cried Shaddy; "here's quite a torrent coming. We'llmake for the tree at once, or we shall be lost once more. "

"All right!" cried Rob, as he ran to the far edge of their fireplace, where the boughs and pieces of wood collected for fuel were beginning tosail away, and he had just time to seize one great rough pot as it beganto float, when a wave curled over toward the other and covered the lad'sfeet. 

But he snatched up the vessel and hurried toward the tree in which thepuma was curled up, Brazier and Shaddy following, with the little foodthey had left, and none too soon. They handed Rob's two pieces ofearthenware up to him, and then joined him in the fork of the tree. 

The water was by now lapping softly about its foot, but from time totime a wave came sweeping down the river as if sudden influxes of waterkept on rushing in higher up to increase the flood, and in consequencering after ring or curve of water swept over the land, gliding now upamongst the trees of the forest, penetrating farther and farther eachtime, and threatening that the whole of the country through which theriver passed would be flooded for miles. 

The puma snarled and looked fierce as the two men followed Rob, but itcontented itself with a fresh position, higher up in a secondary fork ofthe tree, where it crouched, glaring down at those below, but hardlynoticed, for, after recovering their belongings, the attention of thoseon the fork was divided between the rising of the water and the uneasymovements of the great occupant of the next tree. 

"I suppose we may confess to being afraid of a reptile like that, " saidBrazier, measuring the distance between the trees with his eyes andlooking up to see if the branches of either approached near enough toenable the reptile to make its way across. 

"No fear, sir!" said Shaddy, with a smile, as he read his companion'sthoughts. "We've only the water to trouble us now. "

"But it will never get up so high as this?" cried Rob in alarm, as hethought of the trees which he had seen swept down the river, forestchiefs, some of them, which had been washed out by floods. 

"I hope not, sir; but we have to be ready for everything in thiscountry, as you've found out already. "

This set Rob thinking as he watched the waves coming down the river, each sweeping before it a mass of verdure, pieces at times taking theform of floating islands, with the low growth upon them keeping itsposition just as the patches had broken away from undermined banks. 

"Don't you wonder where it all goes, Mr Rob?" said Shaddy suddenly. 

"Yes; does it get swept out to sea?"

"Not it, sir. Gets dammed up together in bends and corners of theriver, and makes it cut itself a fresh bed to right or left. Thiscountry gets flooded sometimes for hundreds upon hundreds of miles, sothat you can row about among the trees just where you like. Ah! itwould be a fine time for Mr Brazier when the flood's at its height, forwe could row about just where we liked--if we had a boat, " he addedafter a pause. 

Just then the puma gave a savage growl. 

"Here, what's the matter with you?" cried the guide sharply. 

The puma snarled again and showed its teeth, but they saw that it wasstaring away from the tree. 

"He can see the serpent, " said Rob eagerly; and they now saw the reason, for, evidently aware of their proximity, and from a desire to escape, the great reptile was all in motion, its fore-part beginning slowly todescend the tree, the head and neck clinging wonderfully to theinequalities of the bark for a part of the way, and then the creaturefitted itself in the deep groove between two of the buttress-likeportions, which ran down right away from the main trunk. 

They all watched the reptile with curiosity, for its actions weresingular, and it was exciting to see the way in which the whole lengthof the animal was in action as the head, neck, and part of the bodyglided down in a deliberate way, with the tongue darting out andflickering about the hard, metallic-looking mouth, while the eyesglistened in the sunshine, which threw up the rich colours and patternof the scaly coat. 

"He don't like it, and is going to swim off, " said Shaddy suddenly, asthe head of the serpent was now approaching the surface of the water. "I never saw one of this kind take to the water before. Say, Mr Rob!"

Rob turned to him. 

"You had better get your cat down here, in case he means coming acrossto this tree. --No: there won't be any need. I don't think he could swimagainst this current: it might sweep him away. "

Rob drew a breath full of relief as he glanced at Brazier, whose face, pallid with his late illness, certainly looked paler, and his eyes werecontracted by his feeling of horror. But their companion's last wordsrelieved him from his dread, and he sat there upon the huge branch thatwas his resting-place watching the actions of the serpent, which stillglided on, and moved with its head close to the groove in the trunk tillit was close to the water slowly rising to meet it, and a length ofquite twelve feet reached down from the fork, like the stem of somemighty climbing fig which held the tree in its embrace. 

"Yes, he's going to swim for it, " said Shaddy eagerly. "Fancy meeting athing like that on the river! I thought it was only the anacondas whichtook to the water, and--Well, look at that!"

The man's exclamation was caused by the action of the serpent, for justas its head reached the surface of the flood one of the waves camerushing inland from the river, leaped up the tree three or four feet, deluging the head and neck of the serpent and sinking down again almostas quickly as it had risen. The reptile contracted itself as rapidly, drawing back, and, evidently satisfied with the result of its efforts toescape, began to climb again, holding on by its ring-like scales as itcrept up and up till its head was back in the great fork of the tree, and the anterior part of the body hung down in a huge loop, which wasgradually lessened as the great creature resumed its place. 

There was nothing to fear from the serpent, to the great relief of thosewho watched; but it had begun to be questionable how long their presentposition would be safe, for the water was rising now with wonderfulrapidity, great waves tearing down the river from time to time, bearingenormous masses of tangled tree and bush and sending out masses of foam, sweeping over the clearing with an angry rush, which changed into afierce hiss as of thousands of serpents when the wave reached the edgeof the forest and ran an among the trees with a curious wail till itdied away in the distance. 

When the waves struck the tree amongst whose branches the party wereensconced, the puma growled at the heavy vibrations, and began to tearat the bark with its claws. As one, however, worse than usual struckthe trunk, it gathered itself together, uttered a harsh growl, and wasabout to spring off and swim, as if it feared being crushed down by thebranches of the washed-out tree; but a few words from Rob pacified it, and it settled down once more, half hanging, as it were, across thefork, where it was swinging its tail to and fro and gazing down at thehuman companion it had chosen. 

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. 

A FOREST FEUD. 

The little party sat there waiting patiently for the next event, theireyes being mostly directed across the waste of water toward thewell-marked course of the stream, with its rush, swirl and eddy; andbefore long there was another heaving up, as if a liquid bank descendedthe river, spread across the opening, and directly after struck the treewith a blow which made it quiver from root to summit. 

"Will it hold fast, Naylor?" said Brazier, rather excitedly. 

"Hope so, sir. I think it's safe, but it's growing in such soft soil, all river mud, sand, and rotten wood, that the roots are loose, and itfeels as if it would give way at last. I daresay this was a bend of theriver once. "

"But if it does give way, what are we to do?" cried Rob excitedly. 

"Swim for the next tree, sir. "

"But that has a great snake in it. "

"Can't help that, Mr Rob. Rather have a snake for a mate than bedrowned. He's too much frightened to meddle with us. Look out, everyone, and try to keep clear of the boughs, so as not to be beaten under. "

This was consequent upon the rushing up in succession of three greatwaves, which struck the tree at intervals of a few seconds, the lastsending the water splashing up to where they sat, and at the same timedeluging the serpent in the next tree, making it begin to climb higher, and exciting the puma so that Rob could hardly keep it from leaping off. 

"The roots must be undermined, " cried Brazier. "Look--look!"

He pointed at the effect of the waves on the forest, for from where theysat the whole side was a ridge of foam, while the tree-tops were wavingto and fro and undulating like a verdant sea as the water rushed onamong their trunks. 

"Can't get much worse than this, I think, " said Shaddy, when the watercalmed down again to its steady swift flow; "only it's spoiling ourestate, which will be a bed of mud when the flood goes down. "

"But will it go down?" asked Rob excitedly. 

"Some time, certain, " replied Shaddy. "The rivers have a way in thiscountry of wetting it all over, and I daresay it does good. At allevents, it makes the trees grow. "

"Yes, but will it sweep them away?" said Rob, looking round nervously. 

"It does some, Mr Rob, sir, as you've seen to-day, but I think we'reall right here. "

Rob glanced at Brazier, whose face was very stern and pale; and, consequent upon his weakness, he looked ghastly as another wave camedown the river, and swept over the deeply inundated clearing, washingright up to the fork of the tree, and hissing onward through theclosely-packed forest. 

Another followed, and then another, each apparently caused by thebursting of some dam of trees and _debris_ of the shores; but they wereless than those which had preceded them, and an hour later the water wasperfectly calm and motionless, save in the course of the river, where itrushed onward at a rapid rate. 

"We've passed the worst, " said Shaddy; and after glancing at himquickly, to see if he meant it or was only speaking to give himencouragement, Rob sat looking round at the watery waste, for as far ashis eyes could penetrate there was no sight of dry land. Everywhere thetrees stood deep in water, that was still as the surface of a lakethrough which a swift river ran, with its course tracked by rapid andeddy, and dotted still with the vegetation torn out from the banks. 

As the boy turned to the great tree beside him he could not keep back ashudder, for the monstrous serpent was in restless motion, seeking forsome means of escape; and though there was no probability of itsreaching their resting-place, the idea would come that if the writhingcreature did drop from the tree, overbalancing itself in its efforts toescape, it might make a frantic struggle and reach theirs. 

As he thought this he caught sight of the guide watching him. 

"What is it, my lad?" he whispered; and the lad, after a littlehesitation, confided in the old sailor, who chuckled softly. "Youneedn't be alarmed about that, " he said. "If such a thing did happenyour lion would be upon his head in a moment, and in a few minutesthere'd be no lion and no snake, only the mud stirred up in the water toshow which way they'd gone. "

"The water is sinking, Naylor, " cried Brazier just then, in an excitedtone. 

"Yes, sir, but very slowly. "

"How long will it take to go down?"

"Days, sir. This place will not be dry for a week. "

"Then what about food and a place to rest?"

"We've got enough to last us two days with great care, " said the manslowly, "and we shan't want for water nor shelter from the sun. Rest wemust get as we can up here, and thankfully too, sir, for our lives aresafe. As to what's to come after two days I don't know. There is, Isay, no knowing what may happen out here in two days. "

"No, " said Brazier sadly. "In one hour we lost our young companion andmy first collection; in one minute I was hopelessly lost; and now thismorning all my second collection has been swept away. As you say, Naylor, we do not know what a couple of days may bring forth. "

"No, sir, " replied the old sailor; "and there's plenty of time yet. Every day brings its own trouble. "

"Yes, " said Brazier solemnly; "and every morning brings with it freshhope. "

"Hope!" thought Rob; "hope, shut up here in the middle of this waste ofwater--in this tree, with a little food, a wild beast, and that horribleserpent looking as if it is waiting to snatch us all away one by one. How can a fellow hope?"

It was a time to think about home and the chances of ever getting backin safety, and Rob found it impossible to help wishing himself on boardthe great river boat as the evening drew near. At last, after standingup to talk to the puma, which accepted his caresses as if they werecomforting in such a time of peril, the question arose as to how theywould settle themselves for the night. 

"I needn't say one of us must keep watch, " said Brazier sadly, "for Isuppose that no one will wish to sleep. "

"Couldn't if we wanted to, " said Rob, in rather an ill-used tone; andShaddy chuckled. 

"Oh, I don't know, Mr Rob, sir. Nice elevated sort o' bedroom, with agood view. Plenty o' room for swinging hammocks if we'd got any toswing. There, cheer up, my lad, --there's worse disasters at sea; andour worst troubles have come right at last. "

Rob looked at him reproachfully, for he was thinking of Giovanni beingsnatched away from them, and then of the loss of the boat. 

Brazier read his face, and held out his hand, which Rob eagerly grasped. 

"Cheer up, my lad, " said Shaddy, following suit. "One never knowswhat's going to happen; so let's look at the best side of things. There, gen'lemen, it's going to be a fine warm time, and we know itmight have been a drowning storm like it was last night; so that'sbetter for us. It will be very tiring, but we must change our positionnow and then, and spend the night listening to the calls in the forestand trying to make out what they are. "

So as not to be left longer than they could help without food, theypartook of a very small portion that night, and then settled themselvesdown; the puma became more watchful as the darkness approached, andwhined and snuffled and grew uneasy. Now it was making its way from onebough to another, and staring hard at the tops of the trees away fromthe river; now its attention was fixed upon the great coiled-up serpent, which lay with fold heaped over fold and its head invisible, perfectlystill, and apparently sleeping till the flood had subsided. 

But Rob thought with horror of the darkness, and the possibility of thegreat reptile rousing up and making an effort to reach them, though hewas fain to confess that unless the creature swam it was impossible. 

Then the stars began to appear and the noises of the forest commenced;and, as far as Rob could make out, they were as loud as ever. 

"One would have thought that nearly everything had been drowned, " hesaid in an awe-stricken whisper to his companions. 

Brazier was silent, so after waiting for a few moments Shaddy replied:

"We're used to floods out here, Mr Rob, sir; and the things which makenoises live in the water as well as in the trees. I don't suppose manyof 'em get drowned in a flood like this. Deer and things of that sortmake for higher ground when there's a chance of the water rising; thecats get on the trees, and the monkeys are already there, with theinsects and birds sheltered under the big leaves; and the snakes crawlup too, so that there isn't much left to drown, is there?"

Rob made no reply, but changed his position, for he was stiff and wearyfrom sitting so long. 

"Take care, Mr Rob, sir, or you may slip down. No fear of your beingswept away, but it's as well not to get a wetting. Warm as it is, youmight feel cold, and that would bring on fever. "

"I'll take care, " said Rob quietly; and in spite of hunger only halfappeased, weariness, and doubt as to their future and the length oftheir imprisonment, he could not help enjoying the beauty of the scene. For the water around was now one smooth mirror-like lake, save where theriver rushed along with a peculiar hissing, rushing sound, augmented bya crash as some tree was dashed down and struck against those at theedge of the forest which rose above the water. In the smooth surfacethe stars were reflected, forming a second hemisphere; but every now andthen the lad saw something which raised his hopes, and he was after asilence about to speak, when Brazier began. 

"What is it keeps making little splashes in the water, Naylor?"

His voice sounded strange in the midst of the croaking, chirping, andcrying going on, but it started conversation directly. 

"I was just going to speak about it, sir, to Mr Rob here. Fish--that'swhat it is. They're come up out of the deep holes and eddies where theylie when the river's in flood, and spread all about to feed on the wormsand insects which have been driven out by the water. If we only had thefishing-line there'd be no fear of getting a meal. Oh, there is no fearof that. We shall be all right till the water goes down, and be able toprovide for the cupboard somehow. "

"Hush! what's that?" whispered Rob, as a terrible and mournful cry rangout from somewhere among the trees--a cry which made the puma moveuneasily. 

"Monkey, " said Shaddy. "One of those long spider-like howlers. Idaresay it was very pleasant to its friends--yes, hark: there's anotheranswering him. "

"And another, and another, " whispered Rob, as cries came from adistance. "But it does not sound so horrible, now that you know what itis. "

Then came the peculiar trumpet-like cry of a kind of crane, dominatingthe chirping, whistling, and croaking, while the shrieking sounds overthe open lake-like flood and beneath the trees grew more frequent. 

There was plenty to take their attention and help to counteract thetedium of the night; but it was a terribly weary time, and not passedwithout startling episodes. Once there was the loud snorting of someanimal swimming from the river over the clearing toward the forest. Itwas too dark to make it out, but Shaddy pronounced it to be a hog-liketapir. At another time their attention was drawn to something elseswimming, by the peculiar sound made by the puma, which suddenly grewuneasy; but the creature, whatever it was, passed on toward the trees. 

Several times over Rob listened to and spoke of the splashings and heavyplunges about the surface. 

"'Gators, " said Shaddy, without waiting to be questioned. "Fish ain'tallowed to have it all their own way. They came over the flooded landto feed, and the 'gators came after them. "

It was with a wonderful feeling of relief that Rob heard Brazier say, "Morning can't be far distant, " and the guide's reply:

"Daylight in less than an hour, sir. Croakers and squeakers are allgoing to sleep fast till darkness comes again. "

"Hist! listen!" whispered Rob excitedly. 

"Yes, I hear it, sir. Something moving towards us. "

"What is it?"

"Don't know, sir. May be a deer. If it is, so much the better for us, even if it has to be eaten raw. But it's more likely some kind of catmaking for the trees. Hark at your lion there; he's getting uneasy. Mate coming to keep him company, perhaps. "

They could see the reflections of the stars blurred by the movements ofthe swimming animal, and that it was going on past them; but it was toodark for them to distinguish the creature, which apparently was makingfor the forest, but altered its course and began to swim for the treewhere the party had taken refuge. 

"Oh, come: that will not do, " cried Shaddy; "we're full here. That'sright: drive him away. "

This last was to the puma, which suddenly sprang up with an angry snarl, and stood, dimly seen against the stars, with its back arched, tailcurved, and teeth bared, uttering fiercely savage sounds at the swimmingcreature approaching. 

"Some kind of cat, " said Shaddy in a low voice. "Can't be a mate, or itwould be more friendly. Hi! look out, " he said sharply, his voice fullof the excitement he felt. "It's a tiger as sure as I'm here. Out withyour knives: we mustn't let him get into the tree. No, no, Mr Brazier;you're too weak yet. I'll tackle him. There's plenty of room in theother trees. We can't have the savage brute here. "

As the man spoke, he whipped out and opened his keen-bladed Spanishknife, and, getting flat down on his chest to have his arms at liberty, he reached out the point of his knife like a bayonet. 

"Take care, Shaddy, " cried Rob hoarsely, as, knife in hand and holdingon by the nearest bough, he peered forward too. 

"Trust me, sir. Perhaps if I can get first dig at him before he clawsme, he may sheer off. Ah, mind, sir! you'll have me off. Oh! it's you, is it?"

The first was a fierce shout of warning, but the second was in a tone ofsatisfaction. 

"I thought it was you come down on my back, " growled Shaddy; "but thisis as it should be. You never know who's going to help you at a pinch. "

For without warning the puma had silently made one bound from its perch, and alighted upon the flattish surface presented by the old sailor'sback. Then planting itself with outstretched paws firmly on hisshoulders, and lowering its head, it opened its jaws and uttered asavage yell, which was answered from the golden-spangled water where thenew-comer was swimming. 

"It is a tiger, and no mistake, " said Shaddy in a low voice; "and we'dbetter let our lion do the fighting, so long as they don't claw me. Mind, old fellow! That's right. I've got fast hold now. "

As he was speaking he took a firm grip of a bough by his side, and withbreathless suspense Rob and Brazier waited for the next phase in theexciting episode, for they were in momentary expectation of the jaguar, if such it was, reaching the tree, climbing up, and a fierce battlebetween the two savage creatures ensuing, with a result fatal to theircompanion, unless in the darkness, while they were engaged in a deadlystruggle, he could contrive to direct a fatal blow at the bigger andfiercer beast. 

They could now dimly make out its shape as it swam to and fro, hesitating about coming up; for the puma, generally so quiet, gentle anddocile, had now suddenly become a furious snarling and hissing creature, with its ears flat to its head and paw raised ready to strike. 

"I don't know what's going to happen next, " said Shaddy in a low voice, "for this is something new to me. I did think I'd gone through prettywell everything; but being made into a platform for a lion and a tigerto fight out a battle's quite fresh. Suppose you gentlemen get yourknives out over my head, so as to try and guard it a bit. Never mindthe lion; he won't touch you while that thing's in front of him. Hecan't think of anything else. I can't do anything but hold on. That'sright, messmate, " he cried, as the puma made a stroke downward with onepaw. "You'll do the business better than I shall. "

"It will be light soon, " whispered Brazier, as he leaned forward as faras he could, knife in hand. 

"Look out, gentlemen; he's going to land now!"

For the jaguar made a dash forward, after drawing back a bit, and cameclose up, so that they could see the gleaming of its eyes in itsflattened, cruel-looking head. 

The puma struck at it again with a savage yell, but it was beyond thereach of its powerful paw, and the jaguar swam to and fro again in frontof their defender, evidently feeling itself at a disadvantage and warilywaiting for an opportunity to climb up the tree. 

This, however, it could not find, and it continued its tactics, swimmingas easily and well as an eastern tiger of the Straits, while the pumashifted its position from time to time on Shaddy's back, making thatgentleman grunt softly:

"That's right: never mind me, messmate. Glad you've got so muchconfidence in me. Keep him off, and give him one of those licks on theside of the head if he does come within reach. You'll be too much forhim, of course. Steady!"

By this time Rob had shifted his position, and was crawling down on theother side of the puma, ready to make a thrust with his knife. 

Still the jaguar did not come on, but swam warily to and fro, as a faintlight began to dawn upon the strange scene; and the change came rapidly, till there before them was the fierce creature, which paused at last andseemed to float out slowly, raising its paws, while its long tail wavedsoftly behind it on the surface of the water like a snake. 

"Now, " cried Rob, "he's going to spring. "

He was quite right, for the jaguar gathered itself together, and made adash which shot it forward; but there was water beneath its powerfulhindquarters instead of solid earth, and instead of its alighting fromits bound right upon the puma it only forced itself within reach of thetawny animal's claws, which struck at it right and left with therapidity of lightning on either side of its neck, and drove it underwater. 

It rose to the surface to utter a deafening roar, which was answeredwith savage defiance by the puma from its post of vantage upon Shaddy;but the jaguar was satisfied of its powerless position, and turned andslowly swam toward the huge tree upon their left. 

"Why, it's going to climb up there by the serpent!" cried Rob, in avoice husky with excitement. 

At that moment the puma leaped from Shaddy's back up one of the greatbranches nearest to the next tree, whence he poured down a fiercetorrent of feline defiance upon his more powerful enemy; while Shaddyrose and shook himself just as the rising sun sent a glow of light inthe heavens, and illuminated the savage drama commencing in theneighbouring tree. 

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. 

"OUT OF THE FRYING-PAN INTO THE FIRE. "

For all at once, as the jaguar reached the huge trunk, and rapidlyclawed its way to the fork, bleeding from both sides of its head, theserpent awoke to the presence of the intruder; its scaly folds glistenedand flashed in the morning light, as it quivered in every nerve andcoiled itself fold over fold, and the head rose up, the neck assumed agraceful, swan-like bend, and the jaws were distended, displaying itsmenacing sets of teeth, ready to be launched forward and fixed withdeadly tenacity in an enemy's throat. 

"I'm thinking that we're going to get rid of an unpleasant neighbour, "said Shaddy slowly, as the jaguar, reaching the fork of the trunk, seemed for a moment to be about to spring upon its fellow-prisoner inthe tree, and then bounded to a great bough and ran up three or fouryards. Here it was right above the serpent, with the large boughbetween them, round which it peered down at its enemy, as it crouched soclosely to the rugged bark that it looked like some huge excrescence. 

The serpent shrank back a little, lowering its head, but keeping itplaying about menacingly, as its eyes glittered in the sunlight. 

Then there was a pause, during which the puma crouched down above Rob'shead, uttering from time to time a low growl, as it watched the jaguar, which began passing its paws alternately over its wounded head andlicking them, exactly as a cat would have done on a rug before the fire. 

"Doesn't look like a fight now, " whispered Rob. 

"Not just now, sir; he has hauled off to repair damages, and he wantsall his strength and lissomeness to tackle a great worm like that. Waita bit, and you'll see. "

As he waited, Rob climbed up to where he could reach the puma, hesitating a little before he attempted to touch it, for the animal'sfur was erect, and it was growling and lashing its tail angrily. 

But at the sound of the boy's voice it responded by giving a lowwhimpering cry, turned to him, and gave its head a roll, as if in answerto a friendly rub. 

"That's right, " said Rob gently; "you're good friends with me, aren'tyou?" and he patted and rubbed the beautiful creature's head, while itlet it lie on the branch, and blinked and purred. 

All of a sudden, though, it raised its head excitedly, and Rob couldfeel the nerves and muscles quivering beneath its soft, loose skin. 

Just at the same moment, too, Brazier and Shaddy uttered warning criesto the lad to look out, for the war had recommenced in the next tree, the jaguar having ceased to pass its paws over its head, and assumed acrouching position, with its powerful hind legs drawn beneath it and itssinewy loins contracted, as if preparing to make a spring. 

The serpent had noticed the movement, and it too had prepared itself forthe fray by assuming as safe a position for defence and menace as thelimited space would allow. 

Then came another pause, with the jaguar crouching, its spine all in aquiver, and a peculiar fidgeting, scratching movement visible about itshind claws, while the serpent watched it with glittering eyes, itsdrawn-back head rising and falling slightly with the motion of itsundulating form. 

"Do you think the jaguar will attack it, Naylor?" whispered Brazier. 

"Yes, sir; they're nasty spiteful creatures, and can't bear to seeanything enjoying itself. There's room in the tree for both of them, and you'd think that with the flood underneath they'd be content to waitthere in peace till it was gone. But if the snake would the tiger won'tlet him: he's waiting for a chance to take him unawares, and so not getcaught in his coils, but I don't think he'll get that this time. Myword! Look!"

For as he was speaking the jaguar seemed to be shot from the bough, tostrike the serpent on the side of the head, which it seized just at thethinnest part of the neck, and held on, tearing the while so fiercelywith its hind claws that the reptile's throat was in a few moments allin ribbons, which streamed with blood. The weight of the jaguar, too, bore down the serpent, in spite of its enormous strength, and itappeared as if victory was certain for the quadruped; but even as Robthought this, and rejoiced at the destruction of so repellent a monster, the serpent's folds moved rapidly, as if it were writhing its last inagony, and the next instant those who watched the struggle saw that thejaguar, in spite of its activity, was enveloped in the terrible embrace. There was a strange crushing sound, a yell that made Rob's fingers gotoward his ears, and then a rapid movement, and the water was splashedover where they sat. 

For the tree was vacant, and beneath it the flood was being churned upin a curious way, which indicated that the struggle was going on beneaththe surface. Then a fold of the serpent rose for a moment or two, disappeared, and was followed by the creature's tail. This latterdarted out for an instant, quivered in the air, and then was snatchedback, making the water hiss. 

During the next five minutes the little party in the tree sat watchingthe water where they had last seen it disturbed; but it had graduallysettled down again, and, for aught they could tell to the contrary, their two enemies had died in each other's embrace. 

But this was not so; for all at once Shaddy uttered an ejaculation, andpointed along the edge of the submerged trees, to where something wasmoving about in the bright morning's light. 

It was right where the beams of the freshly risen sun gilded therippling water, sending forth such flashes of light that it was hard todistinguish what it was. But directly after, there, before them, swimming slowly and laboriously, in undulatory motion, was the serpent, which they watched till it passed in among the branches of the submergedtrees and disappeared. 

"Then the tiger was killed?" cried Rob, excitedly. 

"Yes, sir; I thought it was all over with him when the snake made thosehalf hitches about his corpus and I heard his bones crack. Ah! it'swonderful what power those long sarpentiny creatures have. Why, I'veknown an eel at home, when I was a boy, twist itself up in a regularknot that was as hard and close as could be, and that strong it wasastonishing. "

"But surely that serpent can't live?" said Brazier. 

"It's sartain, sir, that the tiger can't, " replied the old sailor. "Yousee, beside his having that nip, he was kept underneath long enough todrown him and all his relations. As to the sarpent--oh yes, he maylive. It's wonderful what a good doctor Nature is. I've seen animalsso torn about that you'd think they must die, get well by givingthemselves a good lick now and then, and twisting up and going to sleep. Savages, too, after being badly wounded, get well at a wonderful rateout here without a doctor. But now let's see what the river's doing. "

He bent down and examined the trunk of the tree, and came to theconclusion that the flood was about stationary; and as all danger of itsrising seemed to be at an end, Shaddy set to work with his knife, lopping off branches, and cutting boughs to act as poles to lay acrossand across in the fork of the tree, upon which he laid an abundance ofthe smaller stuff, and by degrees formed a fairly level platform, uponwhich he persuaded Brazier and Rob to lie down. 

"I'll keep watch, " he said, "and as soon as you are rested I'll have myspell below. "

They were so utterly wearied out that they gladly fell in with the oldsailor's plan, and dropped off almost as soon as they had stretchedthemselves upon the boughs. 

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE. 

REALITY OR A DREAM?

It was evening when Rob awoke, and found the guide waiting as he hadleft him when he lay down. 

"Only gone down about an inch, Mr Rob, sir, " he said. "Feel as if youcould do your spell at the watch now?"

"Of course. But, Shaddy, I'm terribly hungry. "

"So am I, sir. To-morrow morning we must see if we can't do somethingto catch some fish. "

"Why not to-night?"

Shaddy shook his head, lay down, and in a moment or two was breathingheavily in a deep sleep. 

"I can't watch all night without food, " thought Rob, as he looked roundat the waste and wondered how soon the flood would go down. He knewwhat food there was, and how it would have to be served, and longed forhis share; but felt that unless the others were present he could nottake his portion, though how he would be able to wait till morning wasmore than he felt able to tell. 

He looked up at the puma, to see that it had carefully lodged itself onthe upper fork, and was asleep. So was Mr Brazier. Only he was awakeand hungry. Yes, Brazier was, too, for he woke about then with a start, to question Rob about the advance of time, and their position; ending, as he heard that the flood had hardly sunk at all, by saying that theywould be compelled to watch fasting that night, so as to make theprovisions last longer. 

Rob gave him an agonised look, and, plucking a twig, began to pick offthe leaves to chew them. 

"I don't feel as if I could wait till to-morrow, " he said faintly. 

"It is a case of _must_, " said Brazier. "Come, try a little fortitude, my lad. "

"But a little fortitude will not do, " said Rob drily. "It seems to methat we shall want so much of it. "

"You know our position, Rob. There, lad; let's be trustful, and try andhope. We may not have to wait longer than to-morrow for the subsidingof the flood. "

How that night passed neither of them knew, but at last the sun rose toshow that the waters, which had seemed to be alive with preyingcreatures, had sunk so that they could not be above four feet in depth;and just as they had concluded that this was the case Shaddy sprang up, and sat staring at them. 

"Why!--what?--Have I slept all night?" he cried. "Oh, Mr Rob!"

"We both felt that you must have rest, Naylor, " said Brazier quietly. 

"That's very good of you, sir; but you should have been fairer toyourselves. Did you--?"

He stopped short. 

"Hear anything in the night?" asked Rob. 

"Well, no, sir, I was going to say something else, only I was 'mostashamed. "

"Never mind: say it, " said Brazier. 

"I was going to ask if you had left me a little scrap of the prog. "

Rob looked at him sharply and then at Brazier, who did the same, butneither of them replied; and the old sailor put his own interpretationupon their silence. 

"All right, gentlemen, " he said; "you must have both been terriblehungry. Don't say anything about it. Now, how could I manage to catcha fish?"

"After breakfast, Shaddy, please, " said Rob merrily. "Mr Brazierthought we ought to wait for you. "

"What! You don't mean to say you haven't had any?"

"When three people are situated as we are, Naylor, a fair division ofthe food is necessary. Get it at once. "

"Well!" ejaculated the old sailor, as he took down the packet from wherehe had secured it in the upper branches; and again, as he placed it onthe loose platform, "Well!" Then--"There, gentlemen, I can't tell youhow thankful I am to you for being such true comrades. But there, let'seat now. The famine's over, and I mean to have some more food soon. "

"How, Shaddy?" said Rob, with his mouth full; "you can't wade because ofthe reptiles, and the piranas would attack you. "

"No, sir, I can't wade unless I could make stilts, and I can't do that. It will be a climb for fruit, like the monkeys, for luncheon if thewater doesn't go down. "

To the despair of all, the day passed on till it was getting late in theafternoon, and still the water spread around them right into the forest;but it was literally alive with fish which they could not see their wayto catch. 

Rob and Shaddy set to work making a fishing-line. A piece of thetoughest wood they could find was fashioned into a tiny skewer sharpenedat both ends and thrust into a piece of fruit taken from high up thetree, where Rob climbed, but soon had to come back on account of thepuma following him. 

Then they angled, with plenty of shoals swimming about the tree, as theycould see from the movement of the muddy water; but so sure as a fishtook the bait there was a short struggle, and either the line broke orthe apology for a hook gave way, till first one and then the other gaveup in sheer despair, and sat looking disconsolate, till Shaddy'scountenance expanded into a broad grin. 

"I don't see anything to laugh at, " said Rob. "Here we have only a fewscraps to save for to-morrow, and you treat it all as if it were amatter of no consequence. "

"Warn't laughing at that, Mr Rob. I was only thinking of the fox andthe grapes, for I had just said to myself the fish ain't worth ketching, just as the fox said the grapes were sour. "

"But unless the waters go down ours is a very serious position, " saidBrazier. 

"Very, sir. And as to that bit of food, strikes me that it will be goodfor nothing soon; so I say let's wait till last thing to-night, and thenfinish it. "

"And what about to-morrow?" said Rob gloomily. 

"Let to-morrow take care of itself, sir. Plenty of things may happento-morrow. May be quite dry. If not, we must kill the puma and eatit. "

"What!" cried Rob in horror. 

"Better than killing one of ourselves, sir, " said the man grimly. "Wemust have something to eat, and we can't live on wood and water. "

The result was that they finished the last scrap of food after Shaddyhad spent the evening vainly looking out for the carcass of some drownedanimal. Then night came once more, and all lay down to sleep, but onlyto have a disturbed night through the uneasy wanderings of the hungrypuma, which kept climbing from branch to branch uttering a low, muttering cry. Sometimes it curled up beside Rob and seemed to sleep, but it soon rose again and crawled down the most pendent branch till itcould thrust its muzzle close to the surface of the water and quench itsthirst. 

"We shall have to shove it off to swim ashore, " said Shaddy the nextmorning. 

"Why?" cried Rob. "The fish and alligators would attack it. "

"Can't help it, sir, " replied the old sailor. "Better eat him than heshould eat us. "

"Why, you don't think--" began Rob. 

"Yes, I do, sir. Wild beasts of his kind eat enough at one meal to last'em a long time; but when they get hungry they grow very savage, and hemay turn upon us at any time now. "

Rob looked at the puma anxiously, and approached it later on in the day, to find the animal more gentle than ever; though it snarled and ruffledup the hair of its back and neck whenever there was the slightestadvance made by either of the others. 

That day passed slowly by--hot, dreamy, and with the water keepingexactly to the same depth, so that they were hopelessly prisoned stillon their tree. They tried again to capture a fish, but in vain; andonce more the night fell, with the sounds made by bird, insect, andreptile more weird and strange to them than ever. 

Rob dropped asleep from time to time, to dream of rich banquets anddelicious fruits, but woke to hear the croaking and whistling of thedifferent creatures of the forest, and sit up on the pile of boughslistening to the splash of the various creatures in the water, till daybroke, to find them all gaunt, wild-eyed, and despairing. 

"We must try and wade to shore, and chance the creatures in the water, "said Brazier hoarsely, for, on account of his weakness, he seemed tosuffer more than the others. "Where's shore, sir?" said Shaddy gruffly. "Well, the nearest point, then. "

"There ain't no nearest point, sir, " said the man. "Even if we couldescape the things swarming in the muddy water, we could not wade throughthe forest. It's bad enough when it's hard; now it's all water no mancould get through the trees. Besides, the land may be a hundred milesaway. "

"What can we do, then?" cried Rob in desperation. "Only one thing, sir:wait till the water goes down. "

"But we may be dead before then--dead of this terrible torture ofhunger. "

"Please God not, sir, " said the old sailor piously: and they sat or laynow in their terrible and yet beautiful prison. 

From time to time Shaddy reached out from a convenient branch, anddipped one of Rob's vessels full of the thick water, and when it hadbeen allowed to settle they quenched their burning thirst; but the pangsof hunger only increased and a deadly weakness began to attack theirlimbs, making the least movement painful. 

For the most part those hours of their imprisonment grew dreamy andstrange to Rob, who slept a good deal; but he was roused up by oneincident. The puma had grown more and more uneasy, walking about thetree wherever it could get the boughs to bear it, till all at once, after lying as if asleep, it suddenly rose up, leaped from bough tobough, till it was by the forest, where they saw it gather itself up andspring away, evidently trying to reach the extreme boughs of the nexttree; but it fell with a tremendous splash into the water, and thegrowth between prevented them from seeing what followed. 

Rob uttered a sigh, for it was as if they had been forsaken by a friend;and Shaddy muttered something about "ought not to have let it go. "

They seemed to be very near the end. Then there was a strange, misty, dreamy time, from which Rob was awakened by Shaddy shaking his shoulder. "Rouse up, my lad, " he said huskily. "No, no: let me sleep, " sighedRob. "Don't--don't!"

"Rouse up, boy, I tell ye, " cried the old sailor fiercely. "Here's helpcoming, or I'm dreaming and off my head. Now; sit up and listen. What's that?"

Rob struggled feebly into a sitting position, and fancied he could heara sound. There was moonshine on the smooth water, and the trees cast athick shade; but he closed his eyes again, and began to lower himselfdown to drop into the sleep from which there would be no waking here onearth. 

"Ask--Mr Brazier--to look, " he muttered feebly, and closed his heavyeyes. 

"No, no: you, " cried Shaddy, who was kneeling beside him. "He's asleep, like. He can't move. Rouse up, lad, for the sake of home and all youlove. I'm nearly beat out, but your young ears can listen yet, and youreyes see. There's help coming, I tell you. "

"Help?" cried Rob, making a snatch at his companion's arm. 

"Yes, or else I'm dreaming it, boy. I'm off my head, and it's all'mazed and thick. That's right, listen. Hold up by me. Now, then, what's that black speck away yonder, like a bit o' cloud? and what'sthat noise?"

"Oars, " said Rob huskily, as he gave a kind of gasp. 

"What?"

"Oars--and--a boat, " cried the boy, his words coming with a strangecatching of the breath. 

"Hurray! It is--it is, " cried Shaddy; and collecting all his remainingstrength, he uttered a hoarse hail, which was supplemented by a faintharsh cry from Rob, as he fell back senseless in their rough nest ofboughs in the fork of that prison tree. 

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. 

ALL FOR THE BEST. 

Shaddy had preceded him, and neither of them heard the regular beat ofoars and the faint splashing of water as four rowers, urged on by one inthe stern, forced their way toward the spot from whence the hail hadcome, till the boat went crashing among the drooping boughs, was securedto the huge trunk, and after water and a little sopped bread had beenadministered, the three sufferers were carefully lowered down and laidunder the shed-like awning. 

Three weary days of delirium ensued before the first of the sufferersunclosed his eyes, illumined by the light of reason, and had the brightsemicircle of light facing him eclipsed for the moment by a slightfigure which crept in beneath the awning to give him food. 

And then two more days elapsed before Rob could say feebly, --

"Tell me, Joe, have I been asleep and dreaming?"

"I hope so, " said the young Italian, pressing his hand. 

"Then you are not dead?"

"Do I look like it? No; but I thought you were. Why, Rob, old chap, weonly got back to you just in time. "

"But I thought--we thought that--"

Rob ceased speaking, and Giovanni, who looked brown, strong, and well, finished his companion's sentence after turning to where the twofamine-pinched feeble men lay listening for an explanation of the eventsof the past. 

"You thought I had been drowned, and that the men had carried off theboat while you were all looking for me?"

Rob's eyes said, "Yes, " as plainly as eyes could speak. "Of course youwould, " said Joe, laughing merrily. "You couldn't help thinking so; butI wasn't drowned, and the men didn't steal the boat. What say, Shaddy?"

For there was a husky whisper from where the old sailor lay--a ghost ofhis former self. 

"Say?" whispered the guide sourly, --"that we can see all that. "

"Tell us how it was, " said Rob, holding out his hand, which Joe graspedand held, but he did not speak for a few minutes on account of a chokingsensation in his breast as the sun glanced in through the ends of theawning, after streaming down like a silver shower through the leaves ofthe huge tree beneath which the boat was moored, while the swift river, once more back within its bounds, rippled and sang, and played againstthe sides. 

"The men told me, " said Joe at last, with a slight Italian accent in thewords, now that he was moved by his emotion--"they told me all aboutwhat horror and agony you showed as you all went off to rescue me, whilethere I was perched up in the branches of the great tree, expectingevery moment that it would be rolled over by the river, unless I couldcreep up to the next bough and the next, all wet and muddy as they were, and I knew that I could not keep on long at that. But all at once, tomy horror, we began to glide down--oh, so swiftly, but even then I felthopeful, for the tree did not turn, and I was far above the water as wewent on swifter and swifter, till all at once I caught sight of theboat, moored some distance onward, with the four men in it sitting withtheir backs to me. I made up my mind to leap into the water and swim tothem, but the next minute I knew that it would be impossible, and thatthe branches would stop me, entangle me, and that I should be drowned. Then the tree began to go faster and drift out toward the middle, but itwas caught by an eddy and swept in again toward the shore, so that Ifelt I should be carried near to the boat, and I shouted to them then tothrow me a rope. "

"No good to try and throw a rope, " growled Shaddy faintly. 

"Go on, my lad, " whispered Brazier, for Joe had stopped. 

"They saw me for the first time, and gave a shout, but they all stood updirectly, horrified, for the fierce stream now bore me swiftly on rightdown upon them, and before we could all realise it the boughs were underand over the boat, and it was carried away from where it was moored. And there it was just beneath me, with the boughs going more and moreover and under it, and our speed increasing till I began to wonderwhether we should roll right over and force it down, or the lower boughslift and raise it right up. Then there was another thing to consider--whether I ought to try and drop down into the boat, or they ought toclimb up to me. "

"Ah!" ejaculated Rob, heaving a long sigh and then breathing hard. 

"And all this time, " continued Joe, "we were being swept down the streamat a tremendous rate, too frightened to do anything, making up our mindone way one minute, altering it the next; while, to my great delight, the tree kept in just the same position, which, I have since supposed, must have been because the roots were so laden with earth and stonesthat it served as a balance to the boughs. 

"We went on down like this for hours, expecting every minute would beour last, for so sure as the tree touched bottom or side it must havebeen rolled over by the swift current, but the water was so deep that wekept on, and, at last gaining courage, I lowered myself a little and gotupon another bough, which was very near to the boat, and there I stoodupright. 

"`Shall I jump?' I said, and they stood up ready to catch me, but Ihesitated for a few moments before making a spring, which would take methrough some thin twigs between us. 

"In my hurry and excitement, I jumped with all my force, but caught onefoot against a little branch, and was jerked forward so violently intothe boat that in their efforts to save me they made her give a greatlurch, and she began to rock violently, and nearly sent two of themoverboard. The next minute we saw that she had been driven clear of theboughs which held her and was floating away, but at the same moment thebranches above us began to descend slowly, for the tree was rollingover, the buoyancy of the boat wedged in among the branches having keptit stationary so long. 

"Our position was now terribly dangerous, for the size and force of theboughs were sufficient, with the impetus they now had from being inmotion, to drive us right under, an accident which meant death if wecould not escape, but in their desperation the men seized the oars, andby pushing against the tree thrust the boat so far toward the clearwater that we were only brushed by the outer twigs and thinnest parts aswe were caught by the swift stream and went on down at a tremendousrate. 

"It was not until night was drawing near that we thought of making fastto a tree at the side where we could rest for the time and then startback in the morning to reach you again as soon as we possibly could, forI knew you would be fancying still that I was dead, and that the men hadforsaken you. So we had a meal, and I set the watches, meaning to seeto the men taking their turn. Then, feeling tired out, I lay down for afew minutes to rest, but--I dropped asleep. "

"'Course you did, " said Shaddy sourly. 

"And when I awoke in a fright the sun was shining, the men were allasleep at the bottom of the boat, and we were spinning down the river ashard as we could go. "

"Sarved you all right if you'd been upset, " growled Shaddy. "That wouldhave woke some of you up. "

"Don't scold me, Shaddy, " said the lad humbly. "I know I ought not tohave gone to sleep, but I thought I could trust the men. "

"Thought you could trust them?" cried the old sailor. "Why, youcouldn't even trust yourself!"

"No, " said Joe humbly. 

"Why, Mr Brazier, the pains I've took to make a seaman of that youngchap, no one knows. I only wonder as they weren't all wrecked anddrowned, " protested Shaddy. 

"Let him go on, Naylor. "

"Ay, go on, Mr Jovanni. If there's anything more you ought to beashamed on, speak it out and get it over. You'll be better after. "

"Isn't he hard upon me, Rob?" said Joe, smiling. 

"Yes, but it all turned out for the best, " said his companion. 

"I didn't think so then, " continued Joe, "when I began to find that wemust have been gliding down the river fast all that night, and what Ihad begun to find out then I knew more and more as we tried to work ourway back. We couldn't pole because the water was too deep, and we hadto work our way along by the trees, sometimes getting a little way upthe river and then making a slip and being swept down again for farenough, till I gave it up in despair. The men worked till they couldwork no longer. And all the time you were left alone without the gunsand fishing tackle and food, and it used to make me mad to have to useany of the stores; so I made them fish all I could, and I did a littleshooting, so that we didn't use much. "

"Oh, come, " said Shaddy in a more agreeable tone, "that's the best thingwe've heard you say yet, Mr Jovanni. That's where my teaching comesout, but don't you never say a word to me again about your seamanship!"

"But you are keeping him from telling us how he came and saved us justas he did in the nick of time, Shaddy, " said Rob. 

"All right, sir, all right! won't say another word, " cried the oldsailor querulously, "only don't let him get bragging no more about hisseamanship and management of a crew. "

"I never will, Shaddy, and I hope I shall never be placed in such apredicament again. "

"How did you manage to get up the river?" asked Rob. 

"Oh, that was easy enough as soon as the flood came; we should neverhave got to you without; but as soon as the land was all flooded, Ifound that we could get right away from the swift stream and keep alongat a distance, poling generally. Then we were able to take short cutsacross the bends. We did get caught now and then and swept back a bit, but every day we made a good many miles, and at last as we were rowingsteadily on over the flooded land, which is a good deal more open below, we neared the opening, and thought it was a good deal altered; but themen said I was wrong. I felt sure that I was right, and had just cometo the conclusion that you must all have been swept away and drowned, when I heard the hail, and you are all safe once more. "

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE. 

PEACE IN THE FOREST. 

The three sufferers had no illness to fight against, and began to regaintheir normal strength very rapidly, while nature was hiding thedestruction wrought upon the face of the land at a rapid rate. Tropicalshowers washed the mud left by the flood from leaf and twig, and thelower boughs, which had been stripped of leaves by the rushing waters, put forth new ones, so that in a very few days' time not many traces ofthe flood were visible, save where banks had crumbled in and great gapsof broken earth stood out. 

Fully equipped once more, Brazier, as he regained his strength, went onadding to his collection of choice plants, which had come back to himintact; and as they dropped on and on down the river, finding clearingsat pretty frequent intervals, greater and greater grew the naturalstores of botanical treasures, so that the collector was more thansatisfied with Shaddy's guiding. 

"But what I want to know is how we are to get back, " Rob said over andover again. "We shall never be able to pull the boat up again. "

Shaddy chuckled. 

"Might have another big storm and a flood, Mr Rob, " he said, "and getback as Mr Jovanni did. "

"But you don't mean to go back that way?"

"Right, sir! I don't. But you go on with your fishing and shooting, and let Mr Brazier do his vegetables up in his baskets. Leave the restto me. "

The task was left to him, and they went on down the river day after daytill one evening they rounded a bend, and, in obedience to theirleader's orders, the boat was rowed into a narrow stream which joinedthat which they had left, the junction being plainly marked by thedistinct colour of the waters. 

"Going up this, Naylor?" asked Brazier wonderingly. 

"Yes, sir. It's the place I've been making for, and I'm thinking you'llfind something quite fresh along here, for it leads up into higherground on and on into the mountains, where the trees and flowers arequite different. "

"Of course--yes, " said Brazier eagerly. "Let's go up it. "

"But there's one thing to be said, sir. "

"What's that?"

"We shall have to be careful. "

"Is the river dangerous?"

"Tidy, sir; but we can get over that. It's the Indians. "

"Indians?"

"Yes, sir; some of them may be along the side, but if we are on thewatch and take care, being well armed and a fairly strong party, I thinkthey are not likely to interfere with us much. "

Rob pricked up his ears at this as they began gliding up the stream, noting the difference directly, for it was far less powerful, the menhaving no difficulty at all in forcing the boat along, save here andthere where they encountered a rapid, up which they thrust the boat withpoles. 

"Did you hear what old Shaddy said?" Rob whispered to his companion. 

"Yes. We shall have to look out then and have our guns ready. "

"But have the Indians guns?"

"No, spears and blowpipes, through which they send poisoned arrows. "

"Ugh!" ejaculated Rob uneasily. 

"Horrid things! Shaddy has often told me about them, " said Joe. 

"What has he often told you about, my lad?"

The boys started, for the old sailor had approached them unheard. 

"Indians' blowpipes, " said Joe. 

"Ah, yes; they're not nice things, my lads. Can't say as I would liketo be killed by one of their arrows. "

"Why?" said Rob. "What are they like?"

"Stop a moment, my lad, and I'll tell you. "

He left them to give some instructions to the men as to the use of theirpoles, but returned directly. 

"Know what we're doing now?" he said, with one of his dry quaint smileson his weather-beaten face. 

"Yes, going up this river. "

"Right, my lad! But we're going upstairs like. You'll see we shallkeep on rowing along smooth stretches where the water seems easy; thenwe shall come to rapids and have to pole on against a swift rush ofwater, and every time we get to the top of the rapid into smooth waterwe shall have gone up one of my water steps, and so by degrees get rightup into the mountains. "

"Why are we going up into the mountains? Is it to get back to the mainriver?" said Rob. 

"Wait a bit, my lad, and you'll see. Besides, Mr Brazier'll get plantsup here such as he never saw before. But you were talking about theIndians and their blowpipes. I don't mind the blowpipes; it's thearrows. "

"Poisonous?"

"Horrid, my lad. They're only little bits of things with a tuff ofcotton at one end and the wood at the other sharpened into a point, butthey dip it into poison, and just before they shoot it out of theblowpipe they hold it nipped between the jaws of one of those littlesharp-toothed piranis, then give it a bit of a twirl with their fingers, and the teeth saw it nearly through. "

"What's the use of that?" asked Rob. 

"Makes it so that the arrow breaks off and leaves the point in thewound. Anything don't live very long with one of those points left inits skin. "

"Think we shall meet any Indians, Shaddy?" said Joe. 

"Maybe yes, my lad; maybe no. You never know. They come and go likewild beasts--tigers, lions, and such-like. "

"Do you think my lion will follow us, Shaddy?" said Rob eagerly. 

"No, my lad; I don't. He had a long swim before him to get to shore;and it's my belief that he would be 'tacked and pulled under before hehad gone very far. "

"How horrible!"

"Yes, my lad; seems horrid, but I don't know. Natur's very curious. Ifhe was pulled under to be eaten it was only to stop him from pullingother creatures down and eating them. That's the way matters go on outin these forests where life swarms, and from top to bottom one thing'skilling and eating another. It's even so with the trees, as I've toldyou: the biggest and strongest kill the weak 'uns, and live upon 'em. It's all nature's way, my lads, and a good one. "

"Well, we don't want the Indians to kill us, Shaddy, " said Rob merrily. 

"And they shan't, my lad, if I can help it. Perhaps we mayn't see anyof them, and one side of the river's safe, so we shall keep that side;but if they come any of their nonsense with us they must be taught tokeep to themselves with a charge or two of small shot. If that don'tteach them to leave respectable people alone they must taste largershot. I don't want to come to bullets 'cept as a last resource. "

"I should have liked to have found the puma again, " said Rob after atime. 

"Perhaps it's as well not, my lad, " said their guide. "It was all verywell, and he liked you, but some day he'd have grown older, and he'dhave turned rusty, and there would have been a fight, and before he waskilled you might have been badly clawed. Wild beasts don't tame verywell. You can trust dogs and cats, which are never so happy as whenthey are with human folk; but I never knew any one who did very wellwith other things. Ah, here's another of my steps!"

He went to his men again, for they were rowing along a smooth-glidingreach, at the end of which rough water appeared, and all hands werecalled into requisition to help the boat up the long stretch of rapids, at the end of which, as they glided into smooth water again, Shaddydeclared that they had mounted a good twenty feet. 

Day after day was spent in this steady journeying onward. The weatherwas glorious, and the forest on either side looked as if it had neverbeen trod by man. So full of wonders, too, was it for Brazier, thatagain and again as night closed in, and they moored on their right tosome tree for the men to land and light their fire and cook, he thankedtheir guide for bringing him, as the first botanist, to a region whereevery hour he collected treasures. 

"And some folk would sneer at the pretty things, and turn away becausethey weren't gold, or silver, or precious stones, " muttered Shaddy. 

All this time almost imperceptibly they were rising and climbingShaddy's water steps, as he had called them. They fished and hadsuccess enough to keep their larder well stocked. Birds were shot suchas were excellent eating, and twice over Shaddy brought down iguanas, which, though looked upon with distrust by the travellers, were welcomedby the boatmen, who were loud in their praise. 

It was a dream-like existence, and wonderfully restful to the lads whohad passed through so many troubles, while the boat presented anappearance, with its load of drying specimens, strongly suggestive ofthere being very little room for more. 

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX. 

WAR. 

They had literally climbed a long rapid one morning, and entered a broadreach of the river which resembled a lake in its extent. The water herewas smooth, and had a current that was barely perceptible, hence theirprogress was swift, and as they were rowing round a bend the questionarose where they should halt for the midday rest, when suddenly anejaculation escaped from their guide's lips, and the men ceased pulling, leaving the boat to drift slowly on over the glowing mirror-likesurface, which was as if of polished steel. 

"What is it, Shaddy?" cried Rob quickly. "Are we going wrong?" But ashe spoke he caught sight of the reason for the sudden stoppage, forthere right in front, ashore and in canoes, were about twenty Indians, standing up and apparently watching them in speechless astonishment. 

"Indians!" cried Rob. 

"Yes, my lad, and we've done pretty well to come all these hundreds ofmiles without hitting upon them before. Don't hurry, Mr Brazier, sir, and don't let them think that we mind 'em, but lay the guns ready, andthe ammunition, so that we can give them as good as they send, and mind, if it comes to fighting, every one's to lie down in the boat and keepunder cover. "

"Perhaps there will be no trouble, " said Brazier quietly. "They seem tobe peaceable enough. "

"Yes, sir, seem to be; but you can't trust 'em. "

Just then the Indians ceased staring at the party in the boat, and wenton with the pursuit in which they were engaged as the boat swept roundthe bend. This was shooting at some object in the water, apparently forpractice, but in a peculiar way, for the lads saw the men take aim highup in the air, so that their arrows turned far on high and fell withlightning-like rapidity upon certain shiny spots just flush with thesurface of the water; and while Rob was wondering the guide whispered, --

"Shooting turtles! They're wonderful clever at it. If they firedstraight, the arrows would start off. This way they come down, gothrough the rough hide, and kill the turtle. "

Of this they had proof again and again as they rowed slowly on, theircourse taking them close to one canoe whose owner had gone off from nearthe shore to recover a turtle that he had shot. 

This Shaddy tried to obtain, offering something by way of barter, butthe man bent down to his paddle with a face full of mistrust, and forcedhis light vessel toward where his companions had gathered to watch thestrangers. 

"I don't like that, " muttered Shaddy in Rob's hearing, and at the samemoment Joe whispered, --

"They don't mean to be friends, and we shall have to look out. "

As he spoke he stretched out his hand for his gun, and began to examineit carefully, a proceeding that was imitated by the others, but in aquiet unostentatious way, so as not to take the attention of theIndians. 

A few moments' counsel ended in a determination not to try again to makeadvances, by no means to halt for the midday rest, but to keep steadilyon without paying any heed to the Indians, who followed slowly as theoars were plied, and at a respectful distance. 

"How far does this smooth water go, Naylor?" asked Brazier. 

"Six or seven miles, sir. "

"And is there a long rapid at the end?"

"Yes, sir, as long as any we have passed. "

"Where they could take us at a disadvantage?"

"Yes, sir, " said Shaddy, grimly indeed. "If it's to come to a fight, wehad better have it out here in the open, where we can shelter ourselvesin the boat. "

"Then you think it will come to an encounter?"

"I'm afraid so, sir, if you must have the truth. "

"What about your men?"

"Oh, they'll fight for their lives if they're driven to it, sir; but theworst of it is, these sort of fellows fight in a cowardly way, eitherwith poisoned arrows or by shooting their arrows up straight in the airso that they come down upon you when you least expect it and can'tshelter against them. "

"A false alarm!" cried Rob joyously, for the Indians had all ceasedpaddling, and after a minute or two, as if by one consent, turned theheads of their canoes to the shore and went straight away, disappearingat last amongst the trees which overhung the river bank. 

Shaddy made no reply to the speaker, but, the way being clear, bade hismen to row steadily on for another half-hour, when a halt was called, and refreshments served round in the boat, but with orders for them tobe hastily eaten. 

After this the rowing was resumed till the afternoon was far advanced, and the end of the lake-like reach was still apparently far-away. Thebroad expanse had for a long time past been entirely free from all signsof the Indians, and Rob was congratulating himself upon their escape, when Joe pointed straight back along the broad river-lake to where acanoe suddenly shot round a corner; then another came into view, andanother, and another, till there were between thirty and forty visible, each bearing four or five men, and a chill of horror shot through Rob ashe felt that this must mean war, and that they would be helpless in theextreme if so large a body of men made a determined attack. 

"I was afraid of that, " said Shaddy quietly, "Strange as they can'tleave us alone. "

"What do you propose doing, Naylor?" said Mr Brazier eagerly. 

"There ain't no proposing, sir. It's all driving to do what is for thebest. We must face 'em. "

"Why not land and try and find shelter in the woods?"

"Because, sir, they'd destroy our boat and follow us and shoot us downlike so many wild beasts. Our only hope is to keep on as long as wecan, and if the chance comes take to the rapid and get on it. Theymightn't care about venturing in their light boats. But we shall see. "

There was a very stern look in Brazier's countenance, a look that seemedto have been reflected from that of the old sailor, as weapons were oncemore examined. 

"I don't like fighting, boys, " he said, "but if we are driven to it, wemust defend our lives. "

Then turning to Shaddy, "Can't you depend upon your men to help us, Naylor?" he said. 

"I'm going to depend upon 'em to row, sir, " said the old sailor sternly. "We can kill quite enough people without their help. They're theengines, sir, to take us out of danger, while we keep the enemy at adistance. "

Meanwhile the boat was being steadily propelled toward the end of thelake-like enlargement of the river, where a few low hills rose, showingwhere the rapids would be which they had to surmount; but it soon becameevident that the light canoes would be alongside before the exit fromthe lake could be reached, and Rob said so. 

"Yes, sir, you're quite right, unless we can scare them off, " said theguide, who had been busy making a rough barricade in the stern by pilingboxes and barrels one upon another, leaving openings through which theycould fire, saying, "It isn't strength we want so much as shelter tobaulk their aim, for they're terribly clever with their bows and arrows, Mr Rob, sir. "

But very little was said in those anxious minutes, with the littleparty, after their many struggles with nature, now called upon toprepare to face man in his savage form. 

"Feel frightened, Joe?" whispered Rob as the two boys lay together by acouple of loopholes, well sheltered beneath the awning. 

"Shall you laugh at me if I say yes?"

"Not likely, when I own to it too. I say, I wish they'd leave usalone. "

"Look here, Mr Brazier, sir, " said the old sailor just then, afteradmonishing his men to pull their best, "I'm going to ask you to let memanage this. "

"No, " said Brazier sternly; "I wish to avoid all the bloodshedpossible. "

"So do I, sir--specially ours, " said Shaddy drily; "and mine would bethe way. "

"Quick, then: explain, " said Brazier, as the boys listened eagerly. "Make haste, for the enemy are very near. "

"Soon done, " said Shaddy, "only what I proposed, sir: you folk keep mesupplied with guns, and I'll try 'em with gentle measures first, andrough ones after. I'm a tidy shot, eh, Mr Jovanni?"

"Yes, excellent, " said the lad. 

"Very well, then, you shall try to stop them, " replied Brazier, "but Iwarn you that if I am not satisfied I shall take the lead myself. "

"All right, sir, but don't you make the mistake of giving up andtrusting these people! That means death for all of us. _They must bebeaten off_. "

There was something very startling in Shaddy's tones as he uttered thesewords, and Brazier looked at him wonderingly. 

"We shall have to come back this way, so why not retreat at once withthe stream?"

"Because we don't come back this way, sir; that's all. Didn't the ladstell you? I'm going to take you into the big river another way. "

"I say, look out!" cried Rob excitedly, as he saw the water flashingbehind at the rapid dip of the Indians' paddles and noticed the stolidlook in the heavy round faces of the men astern, who sat ready withtheir bows and arrows, the spears of the paddlers projecting from thefront. 

Almost directly after the intentions of the Indians were shown not to bepeaceful, for a straggling flight of arrows came whistling through theair, several of the missiles falling just astern, some in front, but forthe most part striking the boat and sticking in the awning and theshelter made astern. 

"Any one hurt?" shouted Shaddy sternly, and receiving an answer in thenegative, he muttered as he thrust the double gun he held through anopening, --

"That's because they're on the move and we're on the move. If we'd beenstanding still, and them too, every shot would have told. Look out;they're going to fire again. My turn first. Pull, my lads; don't youmind me. "

As the words left his lips he fired at intervals of about a quarter of aminute both barrels of the fowling-piece; and at the flash of fire, followed by smoke curling up slowly and hiding the boat, the Indiansstopped paddling and sat watching. 

"That has beaten them off, " cried Rob eagerly. "Was it blank cartridge, Shaddy?"

"Yes, my lad. Next's going to be number six if they come on after us. "

The men pulled hard and increased the distance between them and thecanoes rapidly, while the travellers' hopes grew high. But all of asudden there was a yell, paddles splashed again, and satisfied of theharmlessness of the fire and smoke, the Indians took up the pursuitagain. 

"Oh, very well, if you will be hurt, " said Shaddy, "it's your fault, notmine, " and he thrust the barrels once more through the opening in thebarrier of boxes. 

"How long will it take us to reach the next rapid, Naylor?" askedBrazier excitedly. 

"Half 'hour, sir, but we must beat 'em off before we can land, orthey'll stick us so full of arrows, we shall look like hedgehogs. Hi!sit and lie close, every one. Look out! Arrows!"

But the flight was not discharged until the Indians had gained a gooddeal more ground. Then the whistling was heard, accompanied or followedby sharp raps, but again, in answer to Shaddy's inquiry, there came acheery "No!"

"Now then, " he said, "let's see what they say to us, sir, and how farthe charge will scatter and carry. "

As he spoke he took careful aim a little to his right and fired quitelow, changed the position of his piece, and fired again a little to hisleft. 

The smoke hung so heavily for a minute or two that there was quite ascreen between them, beyond which shouts, savage yells, and cries ofpain could be heard, while upon rowing beyond the smoke and into fullview of the fleet of canoes the fugitives could see that the paddlinghad again ceased, and men were standing up gesticulating, while otherswere evidently in great pain from the stinging shots. 

"Now you know that we can bite as well as bark, " growled Shaddy, "and ifyou'll all take my advice you'll go back home and leave us alone, because if you don't I shall use buckshot, and some of you mayn't beable to handle a paddle again. "

The babble of voices sounded strange as the oars dipped fast, and for atime they were allowed to pursue their way in peace, but at last it wasseen that the wounded had all been transferred to certain of the canoes, and with a fierce yell the Indians came on again, with paddles beating, and the water splashing; while another flight of arrows whistled aboutthe travellers, fortunately without hurting a soul. 

"I shall have to give them a stronger dose this time, " said Shaddy. "I'll try swan shot first, " and inserting a couple of cartridges loadedwith heavy pellets, he took careful aim, and fired twice. 

This time there were loud shrieks mingled with the fierce, defiantcries, and as the smoke was left behind it was plain to see that therewas consternation in the little fleet, and for some time they did notpursue. 

"What are you two about?" said Shaddy suddenly as he caught sight of Roband Joe making some preparation. 

"Wait a minute, and you'll see, " said Rob, and he went on with his task, which was the preparation of something in the fashion of a torpedo, forabout a pound of powder had been transferred from their keg to a smalltin canister, in whose lid they drove a hole, and passed through it aslow match, made by rubbing a strip of rag with moistened gunpowder, which dried up at once in the hot evening sunshine. At the bottom ofthe canister a charge of shot had been placed, and upon trying it in abucket the tin floated with about an inch of its top out of water. 

"Now, " said Rob when he had finished, Brazier nodding his head inapproval--"it's quite calm, and when the enemy comes on again I'm goingto stick a wax match in the hole with the end touching the slow match, set light to it, and let it float down towards the Indians. The waxmatch will burn nearly a minute, and I want them to paddle up round itto see what the floating light means, and then if we're in luck it willgo off bang and give them a startler. "

"And suppose it goes off while you are lighting it, and gives you astartler, and sends us all to the bottom, how then?"

"Oh, we must risk that, " said Rob coolly. 

"I'm willing, if Mr Brazier is, " said the old sailor quietly. 

"Rob will be careful, " said Brazier, and they waited with thecontrivance ready, but all hoping that Shaddy's last shots had producedthe desired effect. 

It was a vain hope, for once more the canoes tore on to make up for lostground, and at last, when Brazier and Shaddy made ready to fire at theenemy, Rob gave the word for the men to cease rowing, and as the boatsteadied he told Joe to light a match and lowered the canister into thewater. 

"Be careful, Rob, " cried Mr Brazier. "See that there is no powderloose. "

"Be quick, my lad, or they'll be on to us. "

_Crack_! went the match, and as it blazed up it was applied to one stuckupright in the top of the canister. This blazed in turn, and the flameflickered a little and threatened to go out as the nearly submerged tinglided away with the stream; but directly after the flame burned upsteadily, and as Rob gave the word to row once more the dangerouscontrivance was left behind. A minute later they had the satisfactionof seeing the canoes gather round the tiny light and their occupantscease rowing as they sat evidently wondering what was the meaning of thefire burning in the midst of the water--a perfect novelty to them. 

"No go!" said Shaddy suddenly. "Match has gone out. "

"Burned out, " said Brazier. 

"All the same, sir, and hasn't started the touch-rag. Wish it hadanswered, because it was clever and would have given the beggars a goodlesson not to meddle with respectable people. Here, we shall have tofire, sir. They're coming on again. "

But they were not, for the whole fleet was gathered about the canister, which, unseen by the occupants of the boat, was emitting a sputteringlittle fire as the touch-rag burned slowly; and the wonder of this goingon from a round, silvery-looking object just above the surface of thewater kept the ignorant enemy at a respectable distance. 

"Pull, my lads, " shouted Shaddy. "We may get into a better place if wereach the next rapid. "

As he spoke there was a deafening roar, a column of water rose in theair, and a dull concussion struck the boat, while a cloud of smoke hungover the group of canoes, and, lifting, showed half of them to beswamped, and dozens of the Indians swimming about trying to reach theboats which floated still. 

As far as the little party could make out, no one had been hurt, but theconsternation was terrible. No further efforts were made in pursuit, and for the next half-hour the boat was rowed on and reached the rapidbefore the enemy was seen again. 

"Now then, " said Brazier, as the rough, swift water of the river wasonce more reached, "shall we wait to give them another lesson or go on?"

"Go on, " said Shaddy firmly. "They may not follow us up now. Mind, Ionly hope that; but we shall see. "

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN. 

THE LAST DAYS. 

Food was served out, the men drank eagerly of the water passed to them, and poling, wading, and tracking with a rope, the boat began to ascendthe rapid, while the long lake-like reach was left behind, a turn or twocompletely hiding the enemy from sight; and though twice over they heardtheir shouts and yells, the scare created by the explosion had beensufficient to make them give the party what Shaddy called "a wideberth. "

"How far have we to go up this river?" asked Brazier as the men toiledon, wading and tracking in a part that was one furious torrent, whichthreatened to swamp the boat. 

"Ah, that's what I can't tell you, sir, " answered the old sailor. "I'veonly got notions, you see. "

"Notions, man?"

"Yes, sir: that if we go right up to the head of this stream we can makea portage somewhere, and strike another, which will lead us down east, and so hit the Paraguay again. "

Rob laughed, and the man gave him an inquiring look. 

"Make a portage, " he said, "and strike this stream and hit that? Notvery plain English, Shaddy. "

"Then I don't know what is, " growled the old sailor, who held up hishand and listened for a few moments. "Thought I heard 'em coming upafter us, " he said. "Strikes me, Mr Rob, that you'd better haveanother of them powder tins ready, so that we could contrive to let itoff and startle 'em, if they come nigh. We've plenty of powder, andit's better than shooting the poor wretches, who don't know any better. They're used to seeing one thing kill another, and I suppose they thinkthey ought to do the same, and we can't teach 'em any better. "

It was rapidly getting dark now, but they reached the top of thetorrent, passing again into comparatively smooth water, along which theboat was rowed for some distance before a suitable spot was found forthe night's shelter--a night full of anxiety, during which careful watchwas kept. 

But day broke without there being any sign of the enemy, and as soon asa hurried meal had been despatched, at which they had to dispense withfreshly made bread and tea, the men, too, with their mate, a new startwas made, and another rapid ascended, after which for many miles theriver wound, with plenty of deep water, through valley after valley. 

All this time they were on the alert for pursuing Indians, but bydegrees they were able to feel confidently that they had journeyedbeyond the territory occupied by the inimical people, and Brazier beganhis collecting once more, and the boys their fishing and shooting. 

"It's absurd, Rob, " said Brazier one evening, when the crisp cool airtold that they must during the past week have attained to far above thedense forest regions. "I could have filled this boat a dozen timesover. "

"Yes, " said Rob, peering hard at the stacks of dried and half-driedplants around them; "but you have got a great many. "

"A mere nothing, boy, as compared to what there is about us! Why, uphere we are surrounded by quite a different growth of flowers andplants. "

"And the birds are different, too, and the insects, and fish, speciallythe latter, " said Rob drily. 

"Indeed? I did not notice anything about the fish. "

"Good reason why, " said Rob, laughing merrily: "there haven't been anyto notice. "

Two days after, when they were in quite a desolate region, where thetrees and shrubs were thin and poor, Shaddy came to Mr Brazier toannounce that he and two of the men were going to leave them camped fora few hours, while they sought out the most likely course for theirportage. 

"But surely it will be impossible to work the boat along overland, " saidBrazier. "We shall have to go back. "

"To meet the Indians, sir? No, that wouldn't do. Perhaps I'm wrong, but we're up here now where several streams begin, and if we can onlyfind one, no matter how small, that flows to the east, we're all right. "

The men set off the next morning as soon as it was light, and the partyin camp shot, collected, kept up the fire, and waited impatiently forthe return of the little expedition, but waited in vain; and at last inalarm Rob and Joe set off in search of them, tramping till midday andstopping to rest by a fount which bubbled out of the earth and flowedaway. After resting a while they started again to tramp here and therefor hours in the beautiful region near the camp, to which they returnedwithout having seen a sign of those they sought. 

It must have been toward morning that Rob, who was keeping watch, hearddistant voices, and hailing, to his great delight heard an answer. 

Ten minutes later the guide and his two companions staggered up to thefire utterly exhausted, for they had finished their supply of food, andwere worn-out with their exhausting tramp. 

"Well, " said Mr Brazier, after the men had taken a good long rest, "have you found the river to which we are to take the boat?"

"No, sir. I'm all wrong, and we shall have to go back. There isn't astream runs toward the east anywhere near here. "

"That there is, " cried Joe, "for we found one yesterday. "

"Eh? What? Where?" cried Shaddy, springing up, utterly forgetful ofhis weariness; and following the two lads, who warned him that the waterwas of no use for a boat, the fount was reached, and, after a very briefexamination, Shaddy cried, --

"There, I'm growing old and worn-out. You two lads found directly whatwe three men, used to the country, couldn't see. "

"But this place is of no use!" cried Rob. 

"What?"

"There are only a few inches of water. "

"Well, they'll help carry the boat, won't they? and the water flows ourway. "

"But you can't get the boat along. "

"Eh? Eight of us, and not get that boat half a mile downhill? Wait abit, my lad, and you'll see. "

The lads did see, for after three or four days' arduous labour expendedin getting the boat up a long slope, she was guided into a great groovein the mountain side pieces of wood placed beneath her, and from thathour it was not a question of dragging, but of holding back the vessel, till the stream was struck far below its source. 

Here there was no smooth water to float her, but still, as Shaddy said, enough to help lift her over the shallows, with here and there a goodstretch of deep channel, along which they floated merrily before therewas any need for fresh toil. 

At the end of a couple of days several tiny streams had increased thebody of water, and soon after they had rapids to descend, while at theend of another day so many had been the additions that the little riverhad grown to be of respectable size. 

It was all steady descent now till a lake was reached, across which anoutlet was found leading exactly in the right direction, Shaddydeclared. The river proved to be fairly smooth and deep, so that thework grew very light, and the only one on board who bemoaned their fatewas Brazier, who had to pass endless specimens which he could not havefor want of room. 

"If I'm right in my calculations, Mr Rob, sir, " said the old sailor onemorning, after many days' journey, "we shall hit the big river beforeto-night, and not very far from the falls. "

"What falls?" asked Rob. 

"The great cat'ract which comes down a big gorge, which hasn't beenexplored yet, and which we might as well try if Mr Brazier thinks good, for I should say there's a deal to be seen in a land like that, where noman has been as I've ever heered on. "

"I'll ask Mr Brazier, and hear what he says, " said Rob. But thenaturalist thought they had done enough for one trip. 

The guide was right, for as evening drew near a peculiar dull, heavyroar came to them on the wind, and this increased till it was felt to beprudent to moor the boat for the night. The next morning the roar whichhad been in their ears all night increased, and long before noon theyhad glided imperceptibly into the great river, which here rushed alongso impetuously that much care was necessary in the navigation of theiroverladen craft. 

But the weather was calm, and the guide's knowledge of the management ofa boat as near perfection as could be, so that in due course, afterthree or four more halts, they rowed one day close up among the shippinglying off the city from which they had started, and here, while waitingfor an opportunity to take passage, with the great packages of plantsthey had prepared, they found time to make short expeditions up theriver, one of which was to the mouth of the swift stream which swept offwest through the great veil of trees, and from which they had struck outnorth and made quite a circuit through an unknown land. 

A month later Brazier and Rob were once more on board Captain Ossolo'sgreat orange schooner, which, deeply laden as it was, found room for thespecimens collected amidst so much peril and care. 

The hours and days flew swiftly now amid rest and ease, use making thempay little heed to the constant ether-like odour of the orange cargo. Then, after checks on sandbanks and hindrances from pamperos, BuenosAyres was touched at, then Monte Video, with its busy port. 

Here there was a long halt before a passage could be taken east, and Roband Brazier had plenty of opportunity for studying the slaughter ofcattle, salting of hides, and to visit the home of the biscacho, thattroublesome burrower of the pampas and layer of traps for unwaryhorsemen. 

At last the vessel by which they were to return was loaded up, andgood-bye said to the worthy Italians, father and son, the former beingwarm in his thanks for the care taken of his boy. 

"What, " cried old Shaddy as he stood on the deck of the great vessel theday they were to sail, "good-bye? Not a bit of it, Mr Rob, sir! Allbeing well, if you and Mr Brazier don't run out to try and find a wayup the gorge where the great falls rush down, I'm coming over to the oldcountry to see you. But there, you'll be out our way again soon. "

"What did Naylor say?" asked Brazier that evening. 

"That he could take us to fresh places where you would find plants moreworthy of your notice than those you found. "

"Ah! Yes, " said Brazier thoughtfully as he watched the fading shore. "I should like to go again in spite of all we suffered. As for you, Rob, I suppose you would not care to go again?"

"Not care to go again!" cried Rob; and his eyes grew dim as he halfclosed them and recalled to memory the great rivers, the glorious trees, and the many wonders of those untrodden lands. "I could go back now, "he said, "and face all the fight again;" but even as the words left hislips other memories came floating through his brain, and from that hourhis thoughts were directed eastward to his kindred and his native land. 

THE END.