savages had given up all hope of
overtaking me, for I could see nothing of them."

"How long ago is that?" I inquired quickly.

"About an hour."

"Then poor Peterkin must have been caught," said I, in a voice of
despair.

"No, that is not likely," replied Jack; "for I climbed a high tree and
saw the savages recrossing the plain alone. I think it probable he may
have lost his way, and is afraid to climb trees or to fire off his gun
to signal us, for fear of being heard or seen by the niggers. I have
sent Mak, who came here soon after I did, to search for him."

"It may be as you say, Jack, but we must go at once to look for him."

"With all my heart, Ralph. I only waited until you had sufficiently
rested."

"The body cannot rest when the mind is ill at ease. Come, let us start
at once. I shall tell you of my little adventure as we go along."

We soon reached the edge of the plain where Jack had been separated from
his companion, and here we proceeded to make a careful search. Being
certain that the savages were now out of earshot, we began to halloo
occasionally as we went along. But monkeys and parrots alone replied to
us.

"This is the very spot where I last saw him," said Jack, leading me to a
palm-tree which stood a little within the outer verge of the wood; "and
here are his footsteps faintly indicated on the grass."

"Ah! then let us follow these up," said I eagerly.

"We might, if we were North American backwoodsmen or Red Indians; but I
can scarcely follow. Stay, here they enter upon a piece of soft ground,
and are more distinct. Now, then, we shall get on."

For nearly quarter of an hour we followed the footprints; then we came
to dry ground again, and lost all traces of them. We wandered about
perseveringly, nevertheless, and were rewarded by again discovering them
about quarter of a mile farther on, leading down to the banks of the
river on another part of which I had had such a narrow escape.

While we were advancing--I in front--I felt the ground beneath me
suddenly begin to give way with a crackling sound. I instinctively
threw up my arms and sprang back.

"Hollo, Ralph!" cried my companion, seizing me with one hand by the
collar, and hauling, or rather lifting me back, as if I had been a
poodle dog. "Why, you were as near as possible into a pitfall."

"Thanks to you, Jack, that I am not actually in," said I, putting my
somewhat twisted costume to rights. "But, I say, does it