" cried Rodd; "it's the river still. Look yonder at the forest
right along the bank."

"Yes, sir, but I was looking at the forest on both sides here where we
are. Why, we are running into another river. It aren't a lake, but
it's ten times as big as this one that we've been spinning along, and--
Well! it's a rum 'un! No; it's unpossible."

"What's impossible?" cried Rodd sharply, and all gazed at the sailor,
who sat looking forward, holding on by one ear and scratching the other.

"Why, this 'ere, Mr Rodd, sir. Just you look, Dr Robson, and see what
you think on it."

"Of what, my man?"

"Why, this 'ere, sir, what I am asking you of. Can't you see, Mr Rodd,
sir?"

"I can see that we are gliding out of a muddy stream covered with green
twigs and great tufts of jungle grass, into a big river flowing right
across us and all thick with what seems to be a different-coloured mud."

"That's right, sir; and didn't you see that splash, just as far off as
you could look?"

"No, Joe."

"Would you mind lending me that there glass of yourn, sir?" said Joe to
the doctor, who passed the little field-glass to the man, whose hands
trembled as he focussed it to suit his eye, and he once more stood up in
the boat and swept the water as far as he could see.

"Thank you, sir," he said, handing it back. "Perhaps you would like to
have a look yourself. But it's all right, gentlemen, and my lads.
Them's crocs out yonder, and we have been washed out into the big river
again with no more trouble; and if we don't see our brig and our
schooner again before many hours, why, my name aren't Joe!"

CHAPTER FORTY SIX.

A KNOT IN THE NETWORK.

Incredulity was impossible, although at first it was very hard to
believe. But there was the fact. They had been wandering through the
sluggish network of streams of a vast tropic, marshy forest, until a
tremendous storm in the hinterland had flooded the low country and they
had been swept out again far away from the spot where the Spanish
captain had guided them in, and, as they were soon to learn, for reasons
of his own.

Without question they had descended some miles along the main river,
which ran swiftly, burdened as it was by the waters of the flood, but
not sufficiently to do more than raise it to a rather abnormal height.
Still it was not safe to continue their journey downward by night, and
in spite of the anxiety of all, the boat was moored to a huge tree up
which the wat