eaman held on his course without hesitation. We
had shot quickly by the few lights which here and there twinkled from
the houses, and were beginning to breathe more freely, thinking that we
had altogether got clear of the town, when I fancied I heard the splash
of oars behind us. I could not tell if the sailor had heard the sound,
but he seemed to ply his paddle with even greater vigour than before.
Once or twice he turned his head for an instant, which confirmed me in
the idea that we were followed; but even his practised eye could not
pierce the darkness which shrouded us. At last I saw that he had
relaxed in his efforts, and that he kept his paddle moving sufficiently
only to guide the canoe as it dropped down with the current. We had
been a couple of hours in the canoe, or perhaps not quite so long,
though the anxiety we felt made the time pass slowly.

"Well, I believe it was only a cayman or an alligator, or one of those
sort of brutes, after all," he exclaimed, drawing a deep breath, like a
man relieved from a heavy care.

"I have not been able yet to thank you, friend, for what you have
already done for us; but I should like to know what you propose doing
next," said I, as soon as I found we might venture to speak.

"Well, that's just what I was thinking of, mate, myself," he answered.
"But you needn't thank me, for to my mind, I haven't done much for you
yet. All I have had time for was to get you out of limbo, and afloat on
this here river. We must now hold a council of war, to know what's to
be done."

As he said this, he made the canoe glide in towards the nearest bank.
We quickly found ourselves in a quiet bay, overhung with trees, into
which we had by chance entered. The sailor held on by the bough of a
tree, which served to keep the canoe from floating out again. The wind
had much abated, and the sky had become much clearer, so that there was
sufficient light to enable us to steer free of any dangers in the middle
of the stream; though where we now were we should have been completely
concealed from the sight of persons on board any boat which might have
been passing, or even of one sent in search of us.

"Well," said the sailor, "what do you propose, mate?"

"I must first ask you whereabouts we are," I answered. "I promised an
Indian who preserved my life, to return to him before I left the
country, but I cannot tell where he is now to be found. Our wisest plan
would be to try and reach th