some part of his family who ought long
since to have arrived. He has already sent two messengers to inquire
for them; and his heart, and those of the senora and senorita, are
well-nigh worn out with anxiety on their account. At last I begged that
he would let me go; and I promised not to return without gaining tidings
of them."

"Why, then you must be Antonio, and we are those you are looking for!"
said John.

"Heaven be praised!" exclaimed Antonio, our father's old servant, who,
rushing forward, seized John in his arms, and gave him a warm embrace.
He then turned to me, and gave me the same affectionate yet respectful
greeting. "And this is the senorita!" he exclaimed, turning to Ellen.
"Oh, it does my old heart good to see you. How little did I think that
before the sun set I should behold those I so longed to find. And
Domingos and Maria; surely they have come with you!"

"Oh yes," said John; "they are at the camp. Send your montaria round
the point, and come with us. We shall soon be there."

As may be supposed, we had numberless questions to ask about our father
and family; how far off they were from us, and all that had happened.

"Oh, senor, I should like to have a dozen tongues in my head to reply to
you," answered Antonio. "They are well and safe now, though the times
are perilous. And, Heaven be praised, they have passed numberless
dangers unharmed. It has taken me two weary weeks to come thus far, but
I hope that we may descend the river to them in far less time. How
could I have expected to meet with you when others, we had cause to
fear, had failed. First, a Brazilian trader, who was proceeding up in
his montaria, undertook the task, promising without fail to find you,
and speedily to send down notice; but after waiting and waiting some
weary weeks, no news came, and my master, your father, was resolved to
go himself, though unwilling to leave the senoras without his
protection, when, just then, two young Englishmen arrived from Para, and
made themselves known to your father as friends of yours; and hearing
that you were missing, agreed to go up in search of you."

"Why, those must be our two school-fellows, Houlston and Tony Nyass!" I
exclaimed.

From the description which Antonio had given of them, we had no doubt
that this was the case. But what had become of them? A few minutes
before I had thought all our anxieties were over, but now they were
again aroused on account of our fri