come, expressed their opinion that the pirates
would not attempt to follow us, and that we were perfectly safe from
pursuit. We ourselves were glad to get some rest, and lay down in the
shade to wait until evening, when we proposed building the raft. The
Frenchmen had several axes amongst their goods, and furnished us with
three, so that we might cut down any small trees we required for the
framework of the raft. After a sleep of some hours we got up much
refreshed. Harry, Tubbs, and I immediately began to select trees for
our purpose. The other men, whom Tubbs roused up, however, showed no
inclination to assist, declaring that they were too tired, and must wait
until the next day. Tubbs went back two or three times to speak to
them, but without success. At last, on his return to us he said--

"I am afraid these fellows intend to play the Frenchmen some scurvy
trick. Their idea is to carry off the canoe, and if you and Mr
Bracewell won't go, to leave you behind."

"We must defeat their treachery," I observed. "I will tell the
Frenchmen and put them on their guard; I will at once do so."

Our friends, at first, would scarcely believe that the fellows would be
guilty of so abominable a trick, but when I reminded them of the lawless
lives they had led, they saw that it was too probable, and promised to
keep a guard on their canoe. We laboured away until nightfall, our
companions either sleeping or pretending to be asleep all the time.
They got up, however, to eat some supper which the Frenchmen had
prepared for us. Our hosts then produced some bottles of liquor,
looking significantly at each other as they did so. I guessed their
object, but said nothing. The seamen fell into the trap, but Harry and
I took very little of the spirits, and Tubbs followed our example. The
Frenchmen having plied the pirates with more and more liquor, they soon
appeared to forget all about their previous intentions; they talked,
laughed, and sang, and clapped their entertainers on the back, vowing
that they were thorough good fellows. They then became very uproarious,
and seemed disposed to quarrel amongst each other, but by degrees they
became quiet again, and ultimately crawling to the bank of the river,
lay down to sleep, entirely thoughtless of the risk they ran of being
snapped up by alligators.

"They will do us no harm at present, at all events," said one of the
Frenchmen, "and to-morrow I hope that our companion will be