cquaintance."

When the guide had translated this, and the Indian had returned a
complimentary rejoinder, they continued to converse in the Indian tongue
with much animation, and, on the part of Spotted Tiger, with some
excitement. Of course Lawrence understood nothing, but he continued to
watch the expressive features of the savage with interest, and observed,
when their glances showed they were talking of Manuela, that Tiger first
raised his eyebrows in surprise, and then smiled peculiarly.

"Strange," thought Lawrence, "what can he mean by that? Perhaps he
knows the chief, her father, but why look surprised and smile on that
account? I wish Pedro was not so secretive. However, it's his
business, not mine!"

Consoling himself with this philosophic thought, Lawrence re-embarked
with his friends, and, accompanied by Tiger, proceeded down stream till
they came to a beautiful spot where the banks widened out into a small
lake or pond. On its shores, under the cool shade of many trees, stood
the hut of the savage.

The scenery here was more than usually beautiful, being diversified not
only in form, but in its wealth and variety of trees, and twining
parasites and graceful ferns, with, in one place, groves of tall trees
covered with balls of wild cotton, as large as an orange, and,
elsewhere, inextricable entanglements of gorgeously flowering creepers,
such as the most vivid imagination would fail to invent or conceive.
Behind one part of the scene the setting sun shone with intense light,
turning all into dark forms, while in other parts the slanting rays fell
upon masses of rich foliage, and intensified its colour.

In front of the hut a handsome Indian woman stood awaiting the arrival
of her husband. She held in her arms a naked little ball of
whitey-brown fat, which represented the youngest Tiger-cub of the
family. Other cubs, less whitey, and more brown, romped around,
while up in the trees several remembrancers of Quashy's
great-great-grandmother sat grinning with delight, if not indignation,
at the human beings below.

After being hospitably entertained by the Indian with fish, alligator
soup, roast parrot, and young monkey, the party assembled round a fire,
kindled outside the hut more for the purpose of scaring away wild beasts
than cooking, though the little Tiger-cubs used it for the latter
purpose.

Then Pedro said to Lawrence--

"Now, Senhor Armstrong, I am going to ask you to exercise a littl