"Nor I to have been so cross, sir. It was my head hurt me, and made me
speak shortly."

"Say no more now, boy. Come and let me play surgeon."

"What, for this?" cried Rob, laughing. "It's only a scratch, sir, and
doesn't matter a bit."

But Brazier insisted, and soon after Rob's forehead was ornamented with
a strip of diachylon plaster, and the injury forgotten.

The men soon prepared a meal, and the rest of the day was spent in
preparing the deer meat to keep in store; the effect of the hot sun
being wonderful, the heat drying up the juices and checking the
decomposition that might have been expected to succeed its exposure.
But it in no case improved the appearance of the boat.

Toward evening Brazier did a little collecting, helped by the boys, and
later on the latter fished from the boat, with no small success, so that
there was no fear of the stores being placed too much under contribution
for some days to come.

The fishing was brought to a close, and their captives hung over the
side in a great bag composed of net, so that they could be kept alive
ready for use when required; and this done, Rob turned to Giovanni.

"Come ashore, Joe," he said.

Brazier looked up sharply from where he was taking notes and numbering
his dried specimens of plants.

"Where are you going?" he said.

"Only to have a bit of a wander ashore," replied Rob.

"No, no; be content with your day's work. We shall have some supper
soon, and then turn in for a long night's rest. Besides, I don't care
for you to go alone."

"Very well, sir," said Rob quietly; "only we couldn't go far and be
lost. Shall we take Shaddy with us?"

"No; I wish you to stay in the boat this evening, and I'm going to call
the men on board as soon as they have well made up the fire. There are
savage beasts about, and we don't want more trouble than we can help."

Rob looked disappointed, but he said nothing, and went right forward to
where Shaddy was busy washing out one of the guns; and there the two
lads sat, gazing across the green surface of lily leaves, watching the
birds which ran to and fro, the gorgeous colouring of the sky, and the
many tints reflected by the water where the stream ran winding through.
Then, too, there were splashings and plungings of heavy fish, beasts,
and reptiles to note, and very little to see, for by the time they had
made out the spot where the splash had been made, there was nothing
visible but the heaving of the g