l act wisely if we at
once prepare for our voyage, and commence it as soon as Timbo returns."

"But about these two boys, what shall we do with them?" asked David.

"I am afraid their fate must be a sad one," was the answer, "whether
their father comes for them or not. If he takes them away, they will
probably fall into the hands of their enemies; or if they are left here,
they are too likely to perish from hunger."

"Oh, then let us take them with us," said Kate, and little Bella echoed
her words. "Surely the canoes are large enough to carry them, and it
would be terrible to leave them to die."

"They shall have part of my share of food," said Bella.

"And mine and mine," added Leo and Natty.

"I would rather leave Chico behind," said Leo, "though I am afraid those
dreadful savages would eat him."

"Oh, we must carry him too," said Natty; "for I am sure when we stop at
night he will be able to forage for himself; he will find out roots and
fruit when very often we are not able to discover them."

We did not spend much more time in talking. It was arranged that we
should start immediately on the return of Timbo. We therefore at once
set to work to pack up our goods and to collect all the provisions we
had in store to carry with us. As we could not tell into what regions
the river might carry us it was important to kill some game and to
collect as many plantains as we could carry off from the deserted
village. Chickango and the two boys undertook to set off for the latter
object, while Stanley and I went out with our guns into the woods. We
were unusually successful, and in an hour had bagged as many pigeons and
other birds as we could carry. We found, as we neared the Castle, Natty
and Leo staggering on under a load of plantains.

"We shall have no fear of starving now, at all events!" cried Leo, "for
Chickango has got as many more. As we came along, however, he started
off to the top of the hill, where we understood him to say he could get
a sight of the Bakeles village, and I suppose that he will be soon with
us."

We were disappointed on our arrival at finding that Timbo had not
returned.

"I am afraid that some accident has happened to the poor fellow," said
Stanley; "or he may have been incautious, and fallen into the hands of
the savages."

David and Jack had been so well employed, that, with the assistance of
the young ladies, everything was prepared for a start.

"I wish that we could be