"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 in fast enough to most sink us."

Shaddy then went on working away out in the pelting rain, and a minute later they made out that his chief man was hard at work forward.

And still the rain came down, and the lightning kept on flashing through the dark shelter; while, if there was any change at all in the thunder, it was louder, clearer, and more rapid in following the electric discharge.

"I say, Joe," whispered Rob at last, with his lips close to his companion's ear, "how do you feel?"

"Don't know: so curious—as if tiny pins and needles were running through me. What's that curious singing noise?"

"That's just what I want to know. I can feel it all through me, and my ears are as if I had caught a bad cold. Like bells ringing; singing you call it."

Just then Shaddy's voice was heard in an interval between two peals of thunder shouting to his men in a tone of voice which indicated that something was wrong, and Brazier thrust out his head from the opening at one 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'll sink."

"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 buckets instead of balers."

"But—"

"Go inside, sir, please, out of the wet, and see to your things being kept dry. I was 'zaggerating, being a bit excited; that's all. I don't want you, and I daresay the storm's nearly over now."

The sound of dipping water and pouring it over the side went on merrily in the darkness and brilliant light alternately, for, in spite of the guide's words, there seemed to be no sign of the storm abating, and while the men were busy outside Brazier and the two boys set to work piling the various objects they wished to keep dry upon the barrels which had been utilised for their stores, for the water had invaded the covered-in part of the boat to a serious extent, and threatened more damage every moment.

A few minutes later, though, the efforts of the men began to show, and Shaddy appeared again for one moment, his face being visible in the glare of light, but was hidden the next.

"Getting the water down fast now, sir," he said. "Hope you haven't much mischief done."

"A great many things soaked."

"That don't matter, sir, so long as your stores are right. Sun'll dry everything 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 next minute that he was in the fore-part of the boat, ordering his men to take up some of the boards.

Ten minutes later the rain ceased as suddenly as it had begun. There was a vivid flash of lightning, a long pause, and then a deep-toned roar, 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 looked like 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 the awning, while Brazier and Joe went in the other direction to where the men were still baling, but scraping the bottom hard at every scoop of the tins they were using.

The stern end of the canvas was secured by a couple of straps, similar to those used in small tents, and these were so wet that it was not easy to get them out of the buckles, but with a little exertion this was done, and Rob parted the ends like the curtains of a bed, peered out at the 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 from Shaddy.

"Can't you get it undone, sir?"

"Yes, I think so. Wait a moment," cried Rob huskily, and opening the canvas curtain once more, he stepped out boldly and faced that which had startled him before, this being nothing less than the puma. For it had either leaped from the shore into the boat or crept out along one of the great horizontal boughs of the tree and then dropped lightly down to take its place right in the stern, where it was sitting up licking its drenched coat as contentedly as some huge cat.

It looked so different in its soaked state that for the moment Rob was disposed to think it another of the occupants of the forest, but his doubts were immediately set aside by the animal ceasing its occupation and giving its head a rub against him as, hardly knowing what to do, the boy unfastened the rope in obedience to orders, set the boat free, and then 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 the intervening cabin-like structure.

"Yes," cried Rob, as the puma set up its ears and looked angrily in the direction from which the voices came, while the boat began to glide out through the dripping boughs, and the next minute was steaming in the hot sunshine.

"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 to utter a word, for the fear was upon him that the moment the puma caught sight of Brazier it would fly at him. And again he mentally asked the question, "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 the creature a sharp thrust and send it overboard, when it would be sure to swim 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 thrust out 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; "whatever shall we do?"

The lad made no answer for a few moments, and then in a hurried whisper—

"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 licking itself and leaned sideways as if to be caressed.

At that moment Joe popped back his head, and Brazier's voice was heard:—

"They want the grapnel lowered, Rob, my lad. Can you—Why, whatever is this?"

The aspect of the puma changed in an instant. Its ears went down nearly flat upon its head, and it started upon all-fours, tossing its tail about 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 on board during the storm. It's quite tame. Look here, sir, look."

As he spoke in quite a fit of desperation, he began patting and soothing the animal, and when Brazier peered out again, in company with a loaded gun, the puma was responding to Rob's caresses in the most friendly way.

"Anything the matter, sir?" said Shaddy from beyond the cabin. "Can't you get the grapnel overboard?"

"Come and look here," whispered Brazier; and their guide crept into the cabin and peered out behind, his face puckering up into a grin.

"What is to be done?" whispered Brazier; "I can't fire without hitting the boy."

"Then I wouldn't fire, sir," replied Shaddy. "'Sides, there ain't no need. The thing's quite a cub, I think, and tame enough. I don't suppose 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 do you 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, unless the crittur turns very savage, and then not till I say, 'Now!'"

He thrust the two canvas curtains apart quietly and stepped into the little open space astern, when once more the puma's aspect changed and it turned upon the new-comer menacingly.

"Pat him again, Master Rob," said Shaddy quietly. "I want to make friends too. Here, old chap," he continued, sitting down, as Rob hurriedly patted and stroked the animal's head, "let's have a look at you. 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 Rob redoubled his caresses, and the puma began to utter its low, rumbling, purring sound.

"Only wants time, Mr Brazier, sir," said Shaddy quietly. "I don't think the brute's a bit savage. Only thinks we mean mischief and is ready to fight for himself. I could be friends with him in an hour or two. 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 we landed before."

The canvas hangings dropped to, and Shaddy sat perfectly still, watching the 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 their oars and backed water.

Slight as the sound was, that and the motion of the boat startled the animal, which began to look about uneasily, but a touch or two from Rob calmed it directly, and after responding to his caresses it turned to look 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 purring sound and backed away close to Rob, against whom it stood, and began watching 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 keep it, but it does not care for anybody else."

"Don't mind me seemingly," said Shaddy. "Well, the best thing will be for you to jump ashore as soon as we're close in, and then it strikes me he'll come after you, and if you kept on petting him he'd follow you anywhere."

"You think so, Shaddy?"

"Feel sure of it, sir, but it ain't like a dog. You can't make a companion 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't room for him aboard here. There might be a row, for he ain't ready to make 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 the puma as a companion, though all the time he could see the difficulties in the way.

He leaped ashore, and, as Shaddy had suggested, the puma immediately made a light effortless bound and landed beside him, pressing close up to the lad's side and rubbing one ear against his hand, while the occupants of the boat looked wonderingly on.

"What am I to do next?" asked Rob. "If I jump back on board, he'll come too."

"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 movements of the puma with anxiety on Rob's behalf, but with keen interest all the same, as he saw the active creature suddenly throw itself down by the boy's feet and, playful as a kitten, begin to pat at first one boot and then the other, ending by rubbing its head upon them, watching their owner all the time.

"I'm going to get Mr Rob aboard without that great cat, sir, and this seems best way."

He drew his knife, raised the tarpaulin, and cut off a good-sized piece of the deer meat; then, bidding the men to take their oars and be ready to row at the first command, he turned to Rob.

"Look here, sir," he said, "I'll pitch you the piece of dried meat. You catch it and then carry it a few yards, and let the lion smell it. Give it him behind one of those bushes, and as soon as he is busy eating it dodge round the bush and come aboard. We'll soon have the boat too far for him to jump."

He threw the piece of dry meat to the boy, who caught it and walked as directed, the puma following him eagerly and sniffing at the food.

The next minute those in the boat saw Rob disappear behind a clump of low growth, and directly after he reappeared running toward them just as, uneasy at his being out of sight with the fierce creature, Brazier had called upon Giovanni to bring his gun and accompany him ashore.

But Rob's reappearance of course stopped this, and the next minute he was on board and being rowed away from the shore.

"It seems too bad," cried Rob, "just as if one was cheating the poor thing. Look, there it is."

For just then the puma stalked out from behind the bushes and stood tossing its tail and looking round as if in search of Rob, ending by walking quickly down to the edge of the lake and standing there gazing after the boat, which was now being rowed slowly down once more toward the scene of their adventure with the swift current, Brazier having decided to stay one more day at the lower part of the lake before descending the river farther; and the object now in view was the discovery 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 where he had been laying various articles of clothing out in the warm sunshine to dry and found the two lads seated together in silence, Rob with his elbows on the side of the boat and his chin in his, hands, gazing back ashore.

"I can't get a word out of him, sir," said Joe. "I think it's because the lion was left behind."

"Nonsense! Rob is not so childish as to fret after a toy he cannot have. Come, my lad, there is plenty to do. We must make use of the evening sun to get everything possible dry. Come and help. Wet clothes and 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 his time between keeping a sharp look-out along the shore for a good halting-place suitable for making a fire, giving instructions to his men, and using a sponge with which to sop up every trace of moisture he could find within the boat.

"There, Mr Rob, sir," he said as he gave the sponge a final squeeze over the side, "I think that'll about do. It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good. That storm has done one thing—given the boat a good wash-out—and if we make a big fire to-night and dry everything that got wet, we shall be all the better for it. Don't see storms like that in England, eh?"

"No," said Rob shortly, and he took down and began rubbing the moisture from his gun.

"Ah, that's right, my lad; always come down sharp on the rust, and stop it 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 about that great cat being left behind."

Rob was silent.

"That's it. Why, never mind that, my lad. You can get plenty of things to tame and pet, if you want 'em, though I say as we eight folks is quite 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 his eyes twinkling, till Rob darted an angry glance at him, when he changed his tone and manner.

"Tell you what, sir, I'll get one of my boys to climb a tree first time I see an old one with some good holes in. He shall get you a nice young parrot to bring up. You'll like them; they're full of tricks, and as tame 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 said bitterly.

"Have a monkey," said Joe, who had heard the last words. "Shaddy will get you a young one, and you can pet that and teach it to play tricks without 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 his adventure. Joe's words, too, conveyed the boy's feeling, which was something akin to jealousy of the new object which took so much of the young Englishman's thoughts.

Stung then by his companion's words and look, Rob turned upon him and said sarcastically,—

"Thank you: one monkey's enough on board at a time."

The young Italian's eyes flashed, as, quick as lightning, he took the allusion to mean himself, and he turned sharply away without a word, and went right aft to sit gazing back over the water.

"Well, you've been and done it now, Mr Rob, and no mistake," whispered Shaddy. "You've made Master Jovanni's pot boil over on to the fire, and it ain't water, but oil."

"Oh, I am sorry, Shaddy," said Rob in a low tone, for all his own anger had evaporated the moment he saw the effect of his words on the hot-blooded young Southerner.

"Sorry, lad? I should think you are. Why, if I said such a thing as that to an Italian man, I should think the best thing I could do would be to go and live in old England again, where there would be plenty of policemen 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 a passion 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 better than a monkey, and if you'd set to for six hundred years trying to think out the nastiest thing you could invent to hurt his feelings you couldn'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 folk have said nasty things to Italians, comparing 'em to monkeys, because of some of 'em going over to England playing organs and showing a monkey at the end of a string. You see, they're so proud and easily affronted that 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 a man on the nose aboard a river schooner once, and knocked him through the gangway afterwards into the water, and as soon as I'd done it I wished 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't have hit him again, of course. You're just the sort o' young chap to let 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 been punching and wrestling and knocking one another all over the boat, till Mr Brazier had got hold of one and I'd got hold of the other, and bumped you both down and sat upon you. I don't know much, but I do know what boys is when they've got their monkeys up."

"Don't talk about monkeys," whispered Rob hotly; "I wish there wasn't a monkey on the face of the earth."

"Wish again, Mr Rob, sir, as hard as ever you can, and it won't do a bit o' good."

"Don't talk nonsense, Shaddy," said Rob angrily.

"That's right, sir; pitch into me now. Call me something; it'll do you good. Call me a rhinoceros, if you like. It won't hurt me. I've got a skin 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 want advice."

"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 his specimens and he's thinking about nothing else but classifying and numbering and labelling! He'd laugh, and call it a silly trifle, and tell 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 be friends 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 why will it not do now?"

"'Cause Mr Jovanni ain't English. He's nursing that all up, and it isn'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 stop here talking. It'll soon be sundown, and then, you know, it's dark directly, and 'fore then we must be landed and the lads making a good fire. I wish Mr Brazier would come and give more orders about our halting-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 for life? 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 so frankly, 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 by holding on to the iron stretchers and ropes, he reached the spot where Joe 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 the canvas busily examining his specimens, so as to see if any had grown damp through the rain. Then, feeling that, if he whispered, their conversation would not be heard, Rob began.

"Joe!"

There was no reply.

"Joe, old chap, I'm so sorry." Still the young Italian gazed over the lake. "I say, Joe, it's like being alone almost, you here and I out there. 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 hand like a man. I was put out about losing the puma, because I was sure I could tame it; and it would have made such a jolly pet to go travelling with. It could have lived on the shore and only been on board when we were going down the river. It put me out, and I said that stupid thing about 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 friends again. I apologise. I'm very sorry."

"Keep your apologies. You are a mean coward to call me a name like that. 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 I should 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, which prompted 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 going to 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 there was the sharp report of Brazier's gun and a heavy splashing in the water among the lily leaves close up to the drooping trees which hid the cause of the turmoil.

There was a little excitement among the men as the boat was rowed close in under the trees, and there, half in the water, lay one of the curious animals known as a water-pig, or carpincho.

A rope was immediately made fast to tow the dead animal to the halting-place to cut up for the evening meal, but before they had rowed far 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 a bit 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 not knowing any better than that!"

He unfastened the rope hanging astern, and hauled the dead animal along the side to the bows of the boat, with fish large and small dashing at it 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 the water-pig in over the bows, the fish hanging on and leaping up at it till it was out of reach; and then their journey was continued till a suitable halting-place was reached, where by a roaring fire objects that required drying were spread out, while the meat was cooked and the coffee made, so that by the time they lay down to rest in the boat there was not much cause for fear of fever.



CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

A CATASTROPHE.

The next morning the sun was drinking up the mists at a wonderful rate when Rob opened his eyes, saw Joe close by him fast asleep, and raised his hand to give him a friendly slap, but he checked himself.

"We're not friends yet," he said to himself, with a curious, regretful feeling troubling him; and as he went forward to get one of the men to fill him a bucket of water for his morning bath, for the first time since 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 let your tongue say that about the monkey!"

"Yes, Shaddy," said Rob as he plunged his head into the pail and had a good 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 for quarrelling, and if it came to a fight you'd both go overboard together and be eaten by the fish afore you knew where you were. And that would not be pleasant, would it?"

"Don't talk nonsense, Shaddy," said Rob shortly as he plunged his head into the bucket again.

"Certinly not, sir," replied the man seriously. "You see, I know how it would 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 and wrastles. Soon as ever you began he'd fly at you, and tie his arms and legs about you in knots, and hamper you so that you couldn't keep your balance, and as there's no room in the boat, you'd be ketching your toe somewhere, and over you'd go. If I were you, Mr Rob, sir, I wouldn't fight him."

"Will you leave off talking all that stupid nonsense, Shaddy?" cried Rob angrily 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 on with 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 notice him, and then I daresay he'll soon come round."

"I shall go on just as if nothing had happened," said Rob quietly. "I apologised and said I was sorry, and when his annoyance has passed off he'll be friends again. What a glorious morning after the storm!"

"Glorious ain't nothing to it, sir. Everything's washed clean, and the air 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 we shall find a little more water in the stream, if Mr Brazier says we're to 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 things washed out of their holes by the rain. As for the flowers, Mr Brazier will have no end of beauties to pick. They'll come out like magic after this rain. He won't want to go on to-day."

"Yes, I shall, Naylor," said Brazier, stepping out from under the awning. "We may as well go on, beautiful as all this is. Ah," he continued as he gazed round and took a long, deep breath, "what gloriously elastic air! What a paradise! Rob, my lad, there can be nothing fairer on earth."

"Don't you be in a hurry, sir!" growled Shaddy. "I'm going to show you places 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 in the embers baked.

The sensation of delicious comparative coolness after the storm as they sat under the trees, and the fragrance borne from myriads of flowering plants was so delightful to the senses that Rob looked with dismay at the idea of leaving the place for the present. The thirsty ground had drunk up the rain, and only a little moisture remained where the sun could not penetrate, while the sky was of a vivid blue, without a speck of cloud to be seen.

But, though Brazier did not notice it, there was a jarring element in the concord of that glorious morning, for the young Italian was heavy and gloomy, and hardly spoke during the alfresco meal.

"What's that?" said Rob suddenly as there was a slight rustling among the boughs and undergrowth a short distance away.

"Might be anything, sir," said Shaddy. "Some little animal—monkey praps. It won't hurt us. Maybe it's a snake."

In spite of an effort to seem unconcerned, Rob could not resist the desire to glance at his comrade at the mention of the monkey, and, as he fully expected, even though he could not check it, there was Joe glaring at him fiercely.

Rob dropped his eyes, feeling that Joe fully believed he was doing it to annoy him, and that Shaddy had the same intention.

Meanwhile the sound had ceased, and was forgotten by the time they were all on board once more, the rope which had moored them to a tree being cast off.

"Now, my lads, away with you!" growled Shaddy, and the oars dropped among the lily leaves with a splash, startling quite a shoal of fish on one side and a large reptile on the other, which raised quite a wave as it dashed off with a few powerful strokes of its tail for deeper water.

They were about fifty yards from the shore, when Shaddy suddenly laid his hand upon Rob's shoulder and pointed back to the place they had just left.

"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 upon something tawny standing in a shady spot, half hidden by the leaves.

"The puma!" he cried excitedly, and as the words left his lips the animal made one bound into the undergrowth near the trees, and was gone.

"Or another, one, Rob," said Brazier. "It is hardly likely to be the same. 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 is following 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 a peculiar smile thereon, and he held his peace.

An hour later they were drawing close to the mouth of the river, where it 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 its banks, 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 a long oar over the side to steer by and giving orders to the men to pull gently or hard as he gave instructions, for the river ran like a mill-race. It was swift enough before, but now, thanks to the tremendous amount of water poured into it through the previous night's storm, 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 rapid descent, became absorbed in the beauty of the overhanging plants, and had 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 the surface of the river before them. "I did mean to make the boys pull so that we could go down gently, but it wouldn't be much good, and only toil '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 a tree, 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 caught sight of the danger ahead for the first time. It was a huge tree which had been undermined by the water during the past few hours and fallen right out into the stream, its top being over a hundred feet from the shore 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 and careful steering enabled him to float the craft gently by the outermost boughs.

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 epiphytic plants."

By this time they were nearly a hundred yards past, and Shaddy looked at the enthusiastic collector with a comical expression on his face.

"Always glad to obey orders, sir," he said drily; "but how can I stop the 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 of four. There's no making head against the river now it's running like this."

"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 right into the country you want to see, without tiring my lads, and I want to save 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 to me, sir, and I'll do my best. Don't talk to me now, because I've got to steer and look out against an upset, and, as you know, bathing ain't pleasant in these waters."

Brazier looked uneasy, and went and sat down in the stern, to become absorbed soon after in the beauty of the scene as they raced down the silvery flashing river, while Joe, who was near him, appeared to be looking at the birds and wondrous butterflies which flapped across from shore to shore, but really seeing nothing but one of a company of monkeys, which, after the fashion of their kind, were trying to keep pace with the boat by bounding and swinging themselves from tree to tree along the shore.

That seemed to the young Italian's disordered imagination, blurred, as it were, by rankling anger, like the monkey to which his companion had compared him, and his annoyance grew hotter, not only against Rob, but against himself for refusing to shake hands and once more be friends.

Meanwhile Rob stayed in the fore-part of the boat talking to Shaddy, who stood on one of the thwarts, so as to get a better view of the river ahead over the cabin roof, and kept on making an observation to the boy from 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 the starn like that. He ought to know better. Least touch, and over he'd go."

"Look: what's that, Shaddy?" cried Rob, pointing to a black-looking animal 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!—a what-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 'Merican rivers. Rum pig-like crittur, with a snout like a little elephant's trunk, 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 upon his oar.

"Pull, my lads," he growled to his men. "Hold tight, every one. I didn't see it soon enough. Tree trunk!"

Rob seized one of the supports of the cabin roofing and gazed over it at what seemed like a piece of bark just before them, and the next moment there was a smart shock, a tremendous swirl in the water, and a shower of spray poured over them like drops of silver in the bright sunshine, as something black, which Rob took for a denuded branch, waved in the air, 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 see anything 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 the water 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! But now just look there at Mr Jovanni. I call it rank obstinit. Just as if 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 through the 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 will stop there all the more."

"Then I must," said Shaddy. "Hi, Mr Jovanni, sir! Don't sit there; it ain'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 go back without him? Pull, lads, pull!"

Shaddy's order was necessary, for a huge tree—unmistakably a tree this time—lay right across their way just where the river made a sudden bend round to their left.

The better way would have been to have gone to the right, where there was more room, but, the curve of the river being of course on that side greater, there would not have been time to get round before the boat was swept in amongst the branches, so perforce their steersman made for the left.

This took them close in to where the bank should have been, but which was now submerged, and the boat floated close in to the great wall of trees 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 watching the obstacle in their way, only just had time to duck down as, with a tremendous rushing and crackling sound, they passed right through a mass of pendent boughs which threatened to sweep the boat clear of cabin and crew as well, as the stream urged it on.

The trouble only lasted a few seconds, though, and then they were through and floating swiftly round the inner curve toward an open patch of the shore which rose all clear of water and tree.

"Anybody hurt?" cried Brazier from inside the cabin; "I thought the place 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 glimpse of their companion apparently clinging to a bough overhanging the stream; but the next moment the intervening branches hid him from their sight, 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 then furiously to his men, "Row—row with all your might!"

The men obeyed, making their oars bend as they tugged away with such effect that they advanced a few yards. But that was all. The current was too sharp, and they lost ground again. Then, in spite of all their efforts, the most they could do was to hold their own for a minute before having to give way, pull in shore, and seize the overhanging boughs to which Shaddy and Brazier now clung to keep the boat from drifting.

"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 by holding on to the boughs they were able to anchor the boat, it proved to be a difficult task to force it in among the submerged stems to the spot where the clear space of elevated ground offered a satisfactory landing-place.

Thanks to the skill of the boatmen, however, a landing was at last achieved, and as soon as Brazier leaped ashore he was followed by Rob and Shaddy, the latter giving his men a few sharp orders before joining the others, who were trying to force their way back along the bank toward where they had last seen their companion.

This was difficult, but possible for a short distance, and they pressed on hopefully, for, consequent upon the sudden turn of the river here forming a loop, they had only to cross this sharp bend on foot, not a quarter of the distance it would have been to row round.

But before they had gone fifty yards the high-and-dry land ended, and Rob, who was, thanks to his activity, first, was about to wade in and continue 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. The things have moved out of the river in here to be away from the rush and to 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," retorted Shaddy. "Let's get more in. Water don't go far."

He was quite right, for after about ten minutes' struggle along the edge they found themselves as nearly as they could guess about opposite to the spot where their unfortunate companion had been swept out of the boat, but about a hundred yards inland and separated from the regular bed of the stream by a dense growth of trees, whose boughs interlaced and stopped all vision in every direction, more especially toward the river.

"You see, we must wade," cried Rob; and he stepped into the water with a plash, but Shaddy's strong hand gripped him by the shoulder and drew him back.

"I tell you it's madness, boy. If he's alive still you couldn't reach him 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 in rigging 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, their faces full of despair.

"Ahoy!" shouted Shaddy once more.

Still no reply, and a cold chill ran through Rob and his eyes grew dim as he thought of the bright, handsome, dark-eyed lad who had been his companion so long, and with whom he had been such friends till the miserable little misunderstanding had thrust them apart.

"It must be farther on," said Brazier at last, when shout after shout had 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, and it's hard to tell distance shut up half in the dark among the trees. I did hope," he continued, as he forced his way in among the trees and held boughs aside for them to follow, "that the poor lad had swung himself up and would have made his way like a squirrel from branch to branch 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 human voice, only the shrieking of parrots and chattering of monkeys.

Shaddy shouted again, with the result that he startled a flock of birds which were about to settle, but rose again noisily.

They all shouted together then, but there was no response, and feeling that their efforts were useless, they went on a short distance, and tried once more without result.

"He'd have answered if he had been anywhere near, sir," said Shaddy gloomily. "I'll go on if you like, but take my word for it he ain't here."

Rob looked at both despairingly, but he was obliged to take the guide's words for those of truth, and, feeling utterly crushed, he slowly followed the others as they began to return, feeling the while that if it had not been for the edge of the water by which they walked it would have been impossible to find their way back through the dense wilderness.

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 been forced on in the same direction and then sprung back together, after the fashion 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 of the way forcing him more inland, and at last, in spite of his experience, he stopped short, looked about him and then upwards, seeking to make out the sky, but it was completely shut off, and they stood in a twilight gloom.

"What's the matter, Shaddy?" said Rob at last, after looking at the man's actions wonderingly; but there was no reply.

"For goodness sake, man, don't say that you have lost your way," cried Brazier 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 seen no 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 turn round, or else you'll throw me wrong worse than I am. You see, the place is all alike, and nothing to guide you. One can't tell which way to 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 to make casts for it. You both stand fast and answer my whistles; then I shall know where you are and can come back and start again. If we don't act sensible we shall lose ourselves altogether and never get out of it."

"And then?" said Brazier.

"Oh, never mind about then, sir. I've lost my way a bit, and I'm going 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 so that I can't tell where we are."

"But it's out that way, I'm sure," said Rob, pointing in the opposite direction.

"Why are you sure, sir?"

Rob shook his head.

"Ah, to be sure, dear lad!" said the guide; "you only think it's out that way, and I daresay Mr Brazier here thinks it's out another way."

"Well, I must confess," said Brazier, "that I thought the river lay behind us."

"Yes, sir, that's it. I've been lost before with half a dozen, sir, and every one thought different. One wanted to go one way; one wanted to go another. Fact is, gentlemen, we neither of us know the way. It's all guesswork. Once lost, there's nothing to guide you. I can't recollect this tree or that tree, because they're all so much alike, and it's as puzzling as being in the dark. There's only one way out of it, and that is to do as I say; you stand fast, and I'll cast about like a dog does after losing the scent till I find the right track. Only mind this: if I don't have you to guide me back with whistle and shout I shall be lost more and more."

"You are right, Naylor," said Brazier; "we leave ourselves in your hands. Go on."

"Cheer up, Mr Rob, sir; don't be down-hearted. I shall find the way out 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 whistle at first, and one of you keep answering. By-and-by I shall shout like this."

He uttered a peculiarly shrill cry, and they all started, for it was answered from a distance.

"Why, that's Joe," cried Rob joyfully. "Ahoy! ahoy!" he cried, and paused to listen.

"Nay, sir, that wasn't Mr Jovanni, but one of the wild beasts. Sounded to me like one of them little lions. Stop a bit, though; let's try a shout 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 away farther 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 the trees in a direction which Rob felt to be entirely wrong, but in his despondent state he was too low in spirit to make any opposition, and after marking the spot where Shaddy had disappeared, he turned round suddenly, placed his arm across a huge tree trunk, rested his brow against it, and hid the workings of his face.

"Come, come, Rob, be a man!" cried Brazier, laying his hand upon the lad'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 started round as if thinking it might be their young companion, but the cry was not 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," he continued. "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, he may have escaped. He is too clever and quick a lad not to make a desperate effort to escape. We shall run up against him yet, so cheer up. Ahoy!" he cried in answer to a hail, and followed it up with a whistle.

"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. You are getting faint with hunger, and that makes things look at their worst, so rouse up. Now then, answer Naylor's signal."

"I can't, not yet," said Rob huskily. "I am trying, Mr Brazier, and I will master it all soon."

Just then the peculiar cry they had first heard rang out again from a distance.

"Was that Joe?" whispered Rob, with a ghastly look. "He must be in peril."

"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 signal himself.

"Come, come, Rob," he whispered, "be a man!"

The lad made a tremendous effort to conquer his weakness, and turned away from the tree with his lips compressed, his eyes half closed, and forehead wrinkled.

"That's right," cried Brazier, clapping him on the shoulder. "Who says our English boys are not full of pluck?"

He whistled again in response to a signal from Shaddy, and then they listened and answered in turn for quite half an hour, during which the guide's whistles and cries came from further and further away, but sounded as if he were at last keeping about the same distance, and working round so as to come back in another direction.

Then for a time all signals ceased, and they heard the cry of the wild beast, followed by quite a chorus of shrieks and chatterings, which ceased as suddenly as they had begun.

"He has gone too far, Mr Brazier," cried Rob suddenly, a complete change having come over him, for he was once more full of excitement and energy.

"I hope not."

"But he is not signalling."

"I'll try again."

Brazier raised the little metal whistle to his lips and gave out a shrill, keen, penetrating note.

Then they listened, but there was no answer.

Brazier's brow wrinkled, and he refrained from looking at Rob as he once more raised the whistle to his lips, to obtain for answer the unmistakable cry of some savage, cat-like creature—jaguar or puma, he could not tell which.

"No guns! no guns!" he muttered; and moving away from Rob, he opened the long, sharp blade of his spring knife, one intended for hunting purposes, 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 a relief!"

Brazier drew a long, deep breath.

"Whistle again, boy," he said; but before Rob could obey there was another distant whistle, and on this being answered the signals went on from one to the other for quite half an hour, and at last there was a breaking 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 to be 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 and exhausted.

"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' it off at times. But all right, gentlemen, I shall soon hit it off, and we'll get to the boat, have a good feed, and go to work again. Don't look down, Mr Rob, sir! How do we know as Mr Jovanni isn't there already waiting for us?"

Rob shook his head.

"Ah, you don't know, sir. Seems queer, don't it, to get so lost! but it ain't the fust time. I've known men go into the forest only a score of yards or so and be completely gone, every step they took carrying 'em farther 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 among the trees.

"I give up," said Brazier in despair. "It is too confusing for ordinary brains. I could have taken an oath that he was wrong."

He answered a whistle, and they stood waiting till the crackling and rustling made by their guide's passage ceased.

"I couldn't have believed that we came so far," said Rob, breaking the silence.

"I don't think we did come very far, Rob," replied Brazier; "it is only that the place is so hopelessly puzzling and intricate. Time is getting on, too. We must not be overtaken by the night."

Rob could hardly repress a shudder, and, to make the dismal look of the narrow space, darkened by close-clustering trees, more impressive, the peculiar exaggerated cat-like call of the beast they had heard or another of its kind rang out hollowly apparently not very far-away.

Almost simultaneously, though, came Shaddy's whistle, and this was answered and repeated steadily at some little distance, but at last growing quite faint.

As they were waiting for the next call there was a rustling sound overhead, which took their attention, but for some time nothing but moving leaves could be made out in the subdued light, till all at once Brazier pointed to a spot some fifty feet above them, and at last Rob caught sight of the object which had taken his companion's attention.

"Looking down and watching us," he said quickly, as he gazed at the peculiar 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; "and the tree-tops are thoroughly alive with birds, but they are silent because we are here. Ahoy!" he shouted as Shaddy now hailed from somewhere nearer, and after a few shouts to and fro they heard him say,—

"Found it!"

A thrill of joy ran through Rob, but it passed away and he felt despondent again as they started to rejoin their guide, for the thoughts of poor Joe were uppermost, and he began thinking of the day when they should go back and join the schooner to announce the terrible accident that had befallen the captain's son.

But he had to toil hard to get through the trees, and this work took away the power of thinking much of anything but the task in hand. Shaddy, too, had stopped short, waiting for them to come to him, and they had to squeeze themselves between trees, climb over half-rotten trunks, and again and again start aside and try another way as they found themselves disturbing some animal, often enough a serpent.

"'Bliged to stop here, gen'lemen, and mark the direction," rang on their ears all at once. "You see, one can't travel in a straight line, and I was 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 be half a mile way we have to twist about. But come along. Once we get to the water's edge, we'll soon make the boat."

He turned, and led on slowly and laboriously, the difficulties increasing at every step, and more than once Rob was about to break down. The last time he took hold of a tree to support himself, and was about to say, "I can go no further," when, looking up, there was Shaddy pointing down at the water, which had flooded over right in among the trunks.

Rob dropped upon his knees directly, bent down, placed his lips to the water, and drank with avidity, Brazier following his example.

The discovery of a guide which must lead them to the spot where they had left the boat, and the refreshment the river afforded, gave Rob the strength to follow Shaddy manfully along the margin of the flood over twice the ground they had traversed in the morning—for their wanderings had taken them very much further astray than they had believed—and the result was that just at sundown, after being startled several times by the cries of the jaguar or puma close on their left apparently, Shaddy suddenly gave a hoarse cheer, for he had emerged upon the clearing at whose edge the boat was moored.



CHAPTER TWENTY.

A TERRIBLE SURPRISE.

Shaddy looked sharply round as they crossed the clearing, all three breathing more freely at being once more in the open and without the oppression of being completely shut in by trees on all sides, while the dense foliage overhead completely hid the sky. This was now one glorious 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 into the beginning of a glorious day.

"Don't see no fire," growled Shaddy. "We're all horribly down about losing poor Mr Jovanni. But we must have rest and food, or we can't work. Here, my lads, where are you?" he shouted in the dialect the men best understood.

They were about half-way across the opening in the forest as he shouted to the men, and the river was running like a stream of molten gold; but the boat had been probably moored somewhere among the trees, so as to be safer than in the swift current, for it was not visible.

"D'ye hear, you?" roared Shaddy fiercely, for he was out of temper from weariness with his exertions during the day. "Are you all asleep? There's going to be about the hottest row over this, Mr Brazier, as ever them lazy half-breed dogs got into. You pay them well to work, and instead of there being a good fire, and cooked meat and fish, and hot cake, and boiling water, they're all fast asleep in that boat."

He stopped short and looked about him; then, placing both hands to his mouth to make a trumpet, he uttered a stentorian roar, which echoed from the 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 a pair of the long-tailed birds rose from a tall tree and winged their way over the tops. Directly after there was a sharp yell, evidently the call of some cat-like beast.

"I'll go over yonder and look among the trees, Mr Brazier, sir," said Shaddy, after waiting for some more satisfactory reply, "and I'll take it kindly if you and Mr Rob will have a look among them standing in the water that side. I dessay the boat's run up close as they can get it one side or the other."

Brazier nodded, and went to one side of the clearing, while Shaddy forced his way through the low growth toward the other, Rob following close upon his leader's steps till they reached the submerged trees and worked along their edge, peering in amongst them as rapidly as they could, for there was no time to be lost. Night was coming on with tropical swiftness, and already the glorious amber tint was paling in the sky, and the water beneath the trees looking black.

"See anything of them, Rob?" cried Brazier again and again; but the answer was always the same: a low despondent "No."

All at once there was a loud shout, and they looked back to see Shaddy waving 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 no fire. Hi, Mr Brazier, sir!"

The latter came panting up, for it required no little exertion to get through 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 that my 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 all doubty, 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 no one 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 it there 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 rivers would pick at once. It's shaded from the wind, handy to the trees, so as 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 and smoke would be blowing all over the place. I say, is this the place where 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—that one out of which those two big birds flew. There, you can see it plainly against the sky."

"Bah! nonsense, my lad! There are thousands of those great trees about."

"But not like that, Shaddy," said Rob eagerly. "Look there against the light. It's just like a man's face, a giant's, as if he were lying on his back, and you can see the forehead, nose, and chin, and a big beard quite plainly."

"Well, it do look like it, cert'nly," growled Shaddy.

"Then, too, I remember the shape of the bank, and look how the river bends round and comes in a curve. Of course this is the place; I'm quite sure it is."

"Right, my lad! so was I, quite sure," cried Shaddy dismally; "but I was hoping 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 your hearts as sore as mine is now."

"Tell us everything, my man. For bad or good, in this journey we must work together for our mutual help and protection, not merely as master and paid servant, but as Englishmen in a strange country, as brothers in a foreign land."

"And that's how I'm trying to work for you, Mr Brazier, sir," said Shaddy huskily, "and it goes hard with me to tell you what I'm 'fraid on."

"And that is?" said Brazier, while Rob bent forward listening with throbbing heart.

"Either those lads of mine have met with a bad accident, or they have gone 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?" cried Brazier.

"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 announcement was appalling, and it took time to grasp all the horrors of their position. For to all intents and purposes they were as much cut off from help as if they had been upon some tiny islet in mid-ocean, the river being useless without a boat, and three days' experience alone sufficient to show them the madness of attempting to travel through the forest. In addition they were without food and wanting in the means of obtaining a meal, let alone subsistence from day to day.

Silence then, and with it darkness, fell upon the startled group, till Rob said sturdily,—

"We're all too tired to do anything or think anything till we have rested and had some food. I'm ready to drop."

"Them's wise words," said Shaddy. "No one could have said better. This way, gen'lemen, please!"

He turned sharply round and led them toward the side of the opening in the 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: light a fire to keep off the wild beasts."

A thrill of dread passed through Rob at this, for he had been too intent upon the discovery they had made to think anything of their danger. But now he glanced uneasily round, and saw the eyes of wild beasts glaring at them from the dense forest in all directions, till he was ready to laugh at his folly, for the gleaming eyes were fire-flies.

Meanwhile Shaddy led them straight to the spot he had notified as being the one likely to be selected by a halting party for their fire, and here, with the help of the others, sufficient dead wood was collected to start a very small blaze, by whose light they proceeded to collect more and 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 were constantly finding wood that was too small or else that which was too heavy to stir. Still they persevered, and at last so good a fire was burning that there was no fear of an attack by any prowling beast, and as its flames rose higher their task grew less difficult, and by joining hands 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 that they 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 who sleeps 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 and hungry, and dropped asleep directly; and as soon as I've been asleep I've begun to dream about eating all kinds of good things. It's very nice 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 get some 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 all sleep."

"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 man should do," replied the guide gravely; "and I don't deny there's dangers about. But we've done all we can do, as men without weapons, by lighting that fire. I shall wake up now and then to throw on some branches and then lie down again. We can do no good more than we have done, 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 of prayer and leave it to One above to watch over him through the dark hours of the night."

"Amen," said Brazier solemnly, and half an hour after, a pile of freshly broken-off boughs had been laid near the fire, and all lay down in perfect faith and trust to sleep and wait for the next day.

Shaddy dropped off at once, while Brazier lay talking in a low tone to Rob, trying to instil some hopefulness.

"Please God," he said at last, "day will bring us help and counsel, my lad, and perhaps give prospects of finding poor Joe."

He ceased speaking, and directly after Rob knew by his regular breathing that he too was asleep. But that greatest blessing would not come to the boy, and he lay gazing now at the dancing flames, now trying to pierce the darkness beyond, and ever and again seeing dangers in the apparently 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 to picture the various creatures that howled, shrieked, and uttered those curious cries, he fully expected to hear that peculiar terror-inspiring sound which had puzzled even Shaddy, the old traveller and sojourner in the 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 for rest, that sound always seemed to the lad as if it were about to break out close to where he lay, and the fancy made his breath come short and thick, till the remembrance of his boy-comrade once more filled his mind, and he lay trying to think out some way by which it was possible that Joe had escaped that day. These thoughts stayed in his mind as the fire 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 him holding out his hand frankly and then in foreign fashion leaning toward him and kissing him on the cheek.

At the touch Rob leaped back into wakefulness, rose to his elbow, and looked sharply round, perfectly convinced that his cheek had been touched, and that, though in his sleep, he had felt warm breath across his face.

But there was nothing to see save the blazing fire, whose snapping and crackling mingled with the croaking, hissing, and strange cries from the forest. Fire-flies glided here and there, and scintillated about the bushes; Brazier and Shaddy both slept hard; and the peculiar cry of a jaguar or other cat-like animal came softly from somewhere at a distance.

"Fancy!" said Rob softly as he sank down, thinking of Shaddy's last words that night. The troubles of the day died away, and he dropped off fast asleep again, to begin once more dreaming of Joe, and that they were together in the cabin of the boat side by side.

And it all seemed so real, that dream; he could feel the warmth from the young Italian's body in the narrow space, and it appeared to him that Joe moved uneasily when there was a louder cry than usual in the forest and crept closer to him for protection, even going so far as to lay an arm across his chest, inconveniencing him and feeling hot and heavy, but he refrained from stirring, for fear of waking him up.

Then the dream passed away, and he was awake, wondering whether he really was in the cabin again, with Joe beside him. No; he was lying on the boughs beside the fire, but so real had that dream seemed that the fancy was on him still that he could feel the warmth of Joe's body and the boy's arm across his chest.

"And it was all a dream," thought Rob, with the bitter tears rising to his 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 across his 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 cry both Shaddy and Brazier sprang up.

"What is it?"

"I—I—think I must have been dreaming," said Rob excitedly. "I woke with a start, fancying Joe had come back, and that he was lying down beside 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 sleep came 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 of vapour before the bright sunshine, the leaves dripping with dew, and bird and insect life in full activity.

But it was everything for the eye and nothing for the inner man. Waking from a most restful sleep meant also the awakening to a sensation of ravenous hunger, and directly after to the terrible depression caused by the loss sustained on the previous day and their position—alone, and without the means of obtaining food.

When Rob started up he found Brazier in earnest conversation with Shaddy, and in a few minutes the boy learned that their guide had been about from the moment he could see to make up the fire, and then he had been searching in all directions for traces of their companions.

"And you feel sure that they have gone?" Brazier was saying when Rob joined them.

"Certain sure, sir."

"But I still cling to the belief that we have blundered into the wrong place in our weariness and the darkness last night. Why, Naylor, there must 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 we landed, 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 since we 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 in it. The guns and things was too much for 'em, and they've gone to feast for a bit and then die off like flies. They'll never work enough by themselves to row that boat back to Paraguay river, for one won't obey the 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 a bit till they've used all the powder and lost their lines. So much for them. Let's talk about ourselves. Well, gentlemen, we might make a sort of raft thing of wood and bundles of rushes,—can't make a boat for want of an axe,—and we might float down the stream, but I'm afraid it would only be to drown ourselves, or be pulled off by the critters in the water."

"But the land, Shaddy!" cried Rob. "Can't we really walk along the bank back 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 great river, Naylor?" said Brazier.

"No, sir, and we've got to face what's before us. No man can get through that great forest without chopping his way with an axe, and he'd want two or three lifetimes to do it in, if he could find food as he went. I'm talking as one who has tried all this sort o' thing for many years, and I'm telling you the simple truth when I say that, situated as we are, we've either got to stop here till help comes, or go down the river 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 here unless Indians pass by in a canoe."

"Which they won't, sir, and if they did they'd kill us as they would wild 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 and fruit 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 I can 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. But set 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 never been 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 see them. You may live for a few days by chewing leaves, and then it's lie down 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 by wasting our strength in looking for Mr Joe. We've got to try and save our 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't bad eating. There's plenty of water, and—Oh, we're not going to die yet. 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—forked bit, out of which I can make a big fish-hook, a long shank and a short one. It must be hard and tough, and—Why, hullo! I didn't see these here before."

"What?" asked Rob and Brazier in a breath, and their companion pointed down 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 our fire 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 we are!" he exclaimed, pouncing upon a piece of burning wood. "Now you take 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 another day. We shall want it. And don't go in the forest. There's more to be found at the edge than inside, because you can't get to the tops of the trees; and don't eat a thing till I've seen it, because there's plenty poisonous as can be."

"All right!" said Rob, and he turned to go.

"And cheer up, both of you," said their companion. "We won't starve while 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 off that silk handkercher from your neck, and pull out threads from it one by one, tie 'em together, and wind 'em up round a bit of stick. Soon as I'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 his necktie.

"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 I can't find nothing else I'll have a bait if I come down to cutting off one of my toes—perhaps one o' Mr Rob's would be tenderer or more tempting—or my tongue p'r'aps, for I do talk too much. Work, both of you; 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 the open spot, for at the third clump of bushes he came upon an orange-coloured fruit growing upon a vine-like plant in abundance. It seemed to be some kind of passion-flower, and, in spite of Shaddy's warning, he tasted one, to find it of a pleasant, sweetish, acid flavour.

Gathering a capful, he returned at once to where his companions in misfortune were hard at work.

"Hullo!" growled Shaddy. "Soon back! What have you got, my lad? Kind o' granadillas, eh? Well, they're good to eat, but not much to make a breakfast of. Better wait till I've done a bit o' conjuring and turned some 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 long and two across, something in this shape:—

"Not much of a hook, Mr Rob, sir, but tough enough to hold a fish if we can coax him to swallow it by covering it with the fruit. We can get three 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 some of 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 if he 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 yards in length was twisted up and attached to the loose cotton bottom secured to the hook. This was baited, and, after selecting a suitable spot, Shaddy climbed out upon a half-fallen tree whose trunk projected over the river, and dropped his line into a deep eddying pool, where the water 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, and hence 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 right down, while Brazier and Rob looked on with the interest of those who depended upon success to give them the food from the want of which they were suffering keenly.

"Now then," said Shaddy cheerfully, "if the bait don't come off, if a fish takes it, if there are any here, if the hook don't break and the line 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. Now for it!"

A quarter of an hour passed away, during which time Shaddy pulled up and examined his bait twice, to see if it was safe, but there was no sign of fish there, though out in mid-stream and toward the farther shore there was evidently abundance, the water being disturbed and some big fellow springing 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's all very well for dessert, but they like a substantial meal first. Now then, get your knife ready. Whose is it to be? Shall we pull straws for 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 consequently there'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 arrows you might bring one or two down."

"What for?"

"What for, my lad?" cried the guide in astonishment. "And he asks what for, 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 capital eating. Why, I remember once when I was up the river with a party we all had—A fish! a fish!" he cried as upon raising his line, to see if the bait were all right, he suddenly felt a fierce tug; and the next minute 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 run him 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 right out, and you, Mr Brazier, sir, stand ready at the water's edge to mind he don't get back. Mind, I don't say it ain't a small 'gator all the same."

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 ashore there was another heavy tug.

"Run him out, sir, not hand over hand; run and turn your back," shouted Shaddy, and as fast as he could get over the tangled growth amongst the trees Rob obeyed, with the result that he drew a large golden-scaled fish right out of the river and up the bank a couple of yards, when something parted, and Shaddy uttered a yell as he saw the captive flapping 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 as he saw the efficacy of their guide's arrangements, for before the fish reached the edge Brazier had thrown himself upon it, and paying no heed to slime, spines, or sharp teeth, he thrust his hands beneath, and flung it far up toward where Rob in turn carried on the attack.