fort to wipe out the deadly insults that had been theirs from
the beginning.

It was not yet midnight, nor indeed anywhere near it, but the Professor
volunteered to take his turn with Bippo for the remaining hours of
darkness. But no such arrangement was necessary, since every member of
the party was rendered wakeful by the exciting incidents, while the
grief of Bippo and Pedros over the loss of their friend was sure to
drive away all slumber for a long time.

The luggage was left in the canoe, where all the party would have
stayed, had not their positions been so cramped as to render sleeping
difficult. Their blankets were spread on the ground, where they
reclined, talking in low tones, watching, listening, and speculating as
to the cause of Fred Ashman's continued absence.

Long was about to open his mouth to advance a new theory, when a slight
sound apprised him that either the young man they were talking about,
or some one else, was approaching.

CHAPTER XIV.

A STRANGE ENCOUNTER.

Fred Ashman was standing near the edge of the Xingu, as will be
remembered, when his attention was diverted for the moment by a puma,
which came out of the wood, drank from the stream, and then, after a
brief pause, returned to his shelter.

All this while, the dull roar of the rapids was in the explorer's ears,
and he was eager to withdraw his attention from the beast and direct it
upon the opposite shore, where he was convinced something unusual was
going on.

The minute the beast disappeared, he looked across at the point that
had so interested him.

The question which he had asked himself some time before, was answered
by the sight of a small canoe that was stealing down the river, instead
of heading directly across to where he was standing. In this boat was
a single individual, using a paddle with the deftness of an American
Indian.

Here was something that needed attention, and, with the aid of the
brilliant moonlight. Ashman watched the craft and its occupant as
closely as if his own fate were wrapped up in its movements--a
supposition which it was not improbable was fact itself.

The savage moved slowly, as if sensible of the call for the utmost
care, went only a few rods down stream, when he turned out in the water
and aimed for the shore where the watcher was standing. He had gone
some distance below, and it was to be supposed that the force of the
current would carry him still farther, so that if he ma