ly 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 wit