time, for the enraged monster thrashed about with
his tail, churning the muddy water to foam.

The man-eater was trapped.

The harder he struggled, the more firmly he impaled his open jaws upon
the sharp stick, and all his thrashing about was futile, for the
following boats sped by close to the opposite bank.

"Those black fellows are smart!" gasped Dan. "Jehosephat, I thought I
was a goner, sure!"

"The natives are pretty well pleased!" said Dick. "Listen to them
laugh and jeer at the unlucky beast."

"Don't waste any pity on crocodiles! This one was ready to make a
lunch out of me."

"I am not sorry for him. And it's no wonder the natives hate those
man-eaters that lurk in the shallows to snap off an arm."

"I've read that they are particularly fond of black children," said
Dan, "so there's one croc' at least that won't eat any babies."

"Hush! Listen!" said Dick.

Close to his ear came the even voice of the Mahatma as before:

"Quiet, my children. We are near the journey's end."

Dick and Dan stared at each other. It was uncanny. They were sure
this time that they had not actually _heard_ the Mahatma's voice, but
that their minds had received the message in some occult way.

Shadows were slanting from the west. The river was wider now and the
surface was sluggish with hardly a ripple.

From the depths of the forest echoed the weird call of a bird with a
human note that sounded like lunatic laughter. Otherwise all was still
and the shadows of the jungle seemed to grow blacker and more
mysterious at every moment.

"It's spooky," whispered Dan. "Like passing a haunted house at
midnight."

"Cheer up," said Dick. "It's going to be worse when we have to cut a
path through it."

"Just the same, I'd go through worse than this to save your father and
my sister."

"I don't suppose my Dad worries as much as we do. Being a scientist,
he is seeing so many new plants, animals and birds, that he has no time
to get scared. But Ray, poor girl, she must be terrified. If only we
can get to her before it is too late!"

"The Mahatma said we would save her."

"But you didn't believe a word he said. You were always kidding him."

"I believe in him now," said Dan. "Boy, _how_ I believe in him!"

"I would like him better if he would let us have some of his warriors,"
said Dick. "He's doing us a good turn by lending the canoes and
showing us how to reach the Muta-Gunga camp but what worries me is t