the schooner, over whose stern
several dark faces had now appeared, and soon after the gorgeous-looking
trophy was hauled up the vessel's side and disappeared.

CHAPTER THREE.

AN ITALIAN ALLIANCE.

"Now, sir, if you please," said Shaddy, "I think it's time to do
something to this covering-in. We've had fine weather so far, but it's
going to change. What do you say to spreading another canvas over the
top?"

"If you think it's necessary, do it at once."

"It's going to rain soon," said the Italian lad, who was seated by Rob
carefully winding up the line so that it might dry.

"And when it do rain out here, sir, it ain't one of your British
mizzles, but regular cats and dogs. It comes down in bucketfuls. And,
as you know, the best thing toward being healthy's keeping a dry skin,
which you can't do in wet clothes."

Work was commenced at once after the boat had been swabbed clean, and a
canvas sheet being unfolded, it was stretched over the ridge pole which
covered in a portion of the boat, tightly tied down over the sides, and
secured fore and aft.

"There," said Shaddy when he had finished, the boys and Mr Brazier
helping willingly, "if we can keep the wind out we shall be all right
now. Nothing like keeping your victuals and powder dry. Not much too
soon, sir, eh?"

Martin Brazier and his companion had been too busy to notice the change
that had come over the sky; but now they looked up to see that the sun
was covered by a dull haze, which rapidly grew more dense. The heat
that had prevailed for many days, during which they had fought their way
slowly up the great river, passed rapidly away, and Rob suggested that
rain would begin to fall soon.

"Not yet, my lad. These are not rain-clouds," said Shaddy; "that's only
dust."

"Dust? Where are the roads for it to blow off?" said Rob incredulously.

"Roads? No roads, but off the thousands of miles of dry plains."

Just then a hail came from the schooner, the captain looking over, and
in extremely bad English suggesting that the party should come on board;
but directly after he lapsed into Italian, addressed to his son.

"Father says we shall have two or three days' rain and bad weather, and
that you will be more comfortable on board till the storm has gone by."

"Yes," said Mr Brazier, "no doubt, but I don't like leaving the boat."

"She'll be all right, sir," said Shaddy. "I'll stop aboard with one of
the Indians. Bit o' rain won't hur