easts,
unless, indeed, they had fallen in with a herd of peccaries; and this, it
is now thought, must have been their fate. Fortunately, no one associated
your coming with the discovery of the canoe."

Gradually Stephen regained strength, but it was some weeks before he was
fit to travel again.

"I suppose," he said one day to Hurka, "that you will follow the track
straight through the forest to the mission, instead of going all the way
round as you did."

"I don't know yet, senor. We shall have some difficulty in getting away.
Our skill with the bow and gun have so impressed them that they want to
make Pita their chief and keep him here, and they want to adopt me into
the tribe for the same reason. Till you began to get stronger we could
roam about as we liked alone, but of late we have noticed that we are
always watched, and Pita has been told that unless he consents to remain,
you and I will both be killed and eaten. Pita has put off giving them a
decided answer, but he cannot do so much longer; and now that you are well
enough to travel, we shall have to make off as soon as we can. He has been
told that if he and I consent to remain with them, they will take you to a
place among the hills, eight days away, where you can find much gold and
return rich to your own country."

"It is very awkward, Hurka, but I should think that you and Pita can
contrive some plan for getting off."

The little Indian nodded.

"We can manage that," he said. "We have only been waiting until we were
sure that you were strong enough to travel. I know that even now you could
not go far, but once in the forest, we shall be able to outwit them and to
travel slowly. Pita and I have been hiding up a store of food for the
journey, and if you are willing we will try to make our escape to-night.
There have, for the last fortnight, been men posted round us as soon as it
became dark, but we shall be able either to crawl through them or to
dispose of any who may bar our way."

Pita presently returned from hunting. He carried a dozen large pigeons in
his hand.

"We must go to-night," he said briefly. "I have been told that I must give
an answer to-morrow."

"I have been telling the senor," Hurka said, "and he is ready to make the
attempt at once; but I wish that they had given you a day or two longer,
for there will be extra vigilance to-night."

Pita made a gesture of contempt.

"They will but throw away their lives," he said. "Let us go