declined
to attack.

"Whurra!" exclaimed Tom with a shudder. "Say, Mas'r Harry, do newts
grow as big as that out here?"

"It was a crocodile, Tom," I said with a shiver. "And look--look! Why,
the river swarms with them!"

"So it does, seemin'ly," exclaimed Tom as I pointed out the slimy backs
of half-a-score of them floating down the stream; for I could see now
that they were no trees, while here and there on the muddy bank we could
make out a solitary monster basking, open-mouthed, in the sun.

"Come along," I said, "let's get over."

"But will they touch the boat, Mas'r Harry? I ain't afraid, you know,
only they are queersome beasts as ever I did see."

"I don't think there's any fear of that," I said; "but at any rate we
must get over."

Stepping close to the water's edge I drew the light canoe up by its bark
rope, disturbing either a small reptile or some great fish as I did so,
for there was a rushing swirl in the water and the frail vessel rocked
to and fro.

In spite of Tom's declarations to the effect that such a pea-shuck would
sink with us, I stepped in and he followed; when, taking the paddles, we
pushed off and began to make our way out into the stream, Tom's eyes
glancing around as he dipped in his paddle cautiously, expecting every
moment that it would touch a crocodile; but using our paddles--clumsily
enough, as may be supposed--we made some way, and then paused to
consider whether we should go forward or backward, for we had at one and
the same time arrived at the knowledge that the strong stream was our
master, and that until we had attained to some skill in the use of the
paddles any progress upstream towards the landing-place was out of the
question.

"We must get across lower down, Tom," I said, "and then walk back."

"What! through the wood, Mas'r Harry?"

"Yes, through the wood."

"Lor'! No, don't do that, Mas'r Harry. We shall be eat up alive! Them
there woods swarms with snakes--I know they do. And just look there!"
he cried, splashing fiercely with his paddle to frighten a huge reptile,
but without effect; for the great beast came slowly floating down in all
its native hideousness, its rugged bark-like back and the rough
prominences above its eyes out of the muddy water, one eye peering at us
with the baleful look peculiar to this fearful beast.

The next minute it had passed us, and we were once more paddling slowly
on, the river having swept us quite out of sight of th