easant; for
the sun, which had already shot up high into the heavens, sent down his
rays with great force. The air was full of life. Insects were buzzing
about, and gaily-decked parrots flew from bough to bough, while the
monkeys came out of their leafy covers and looked down upon us with
astonishment. We took the opportunity of eating some of the food we had
brought in our pockets. It was not very nice, but it satisfied our
hunger. I was soon ready to proceed. Natty, however, urged me to rest
a little longer, thinking that I should be over-fatigued by such unusual
exercise.

"Come along," I said; "the further we are off, the less likely our
friends at the village will be to insist on our returning with them."

We went on as before. Sometimes a snake glided across our path, but
quickly got out of our way, more frightened at us than we were at seeing
it. Now we heard a rustling in the underwood, and a panther or hyena
dashed away amid the foliage without thinking of attacking us. We had
gone on at a slower pace than at first, when, by the appearance of the
sun in the sky, I saw that it must be noon. I now once more called a
halt, for I felt tired myself, and was afraid that Natty must be equally
so. We had for some time been crossing the open prairie, steering, by
the sun and the distant line of mountain, as I hoped in the right
direction. Before us lay a thick wood. Natty proposed that we should
take shelter within it, as, even should the natives closely pursue us,
we might there have the prospect of remaining concealed while they
passed by.

"I am afraid that you have scarcely yet recovered your strength
sufficiently to march on all day without rest," said Natty; "and as I
could not find my way without you, I hope, for my sake as well as yours,
that you will stop for an hour or so here."

This argument prevailed with me; for I was so anxious to reach home, and
felt so strong, that I should have gone on till night would prevent us
from proceeding further. We accordingly entered the wood, and after
making our way a short distance into it, came to a small open spot, free
of trees or thick underwood.

"I propose that we build a hut of boughs here," said Natty. "We can
take our turns to go to sleep in it, and it will help to guard us
against the attacks of lions or other beasts."

With our axes we cut down a sufficient number of boughs to form a
shelter, and having planted them close together, a hut wa