r end?), until with a plash the last of it fell into the
water and swirling the surface the monster disappeared.

"Bueno! Bueno! Mucho culebra (Good! Good! Big snake)" exclaimed
Maria; and chattering in Spanish he and Francisco hastily veered the
canoe further from the bank.

"They say the snake's mate is liable to be near and we'd better stand
out," explained Mr. Adams. "He was a big one, sure."

"Forty feet, I judge," answered Mr. Grigsby.

"Where'd you hit him?" asked Charley, eagerly.

"In the eye," asserted Mr. Grigsby. "You don't think a Fremont man
would shoot for any other mark, do you?"

Mile after mile steadily paddled Maria and Francisco, up the magic
river. Already their bronze bodies, sinewy and naked, were glistening
with perspiration, for in here, between the high wooded hills, it was
very hot and moist. Charley's neck was tired, from twisting his head
so that he could see everything at once; and on their seat amidships
his father and Mr. Grigsby were constantly craning right and left.

Abruptly Maria and Francisco ceased paddling, threw aside their plaited
hats, kicked off their cotton trousers, and crying together "Bano!
Bano!" plunged overboard. Charley gazed in alarm. What had happened?
Another boa threatening? But his father and Mr. Grigsby read his
alarmed face and laughed.

"Oh, they're just taking a swim, that's all," explained his father.
"They said 'bano,' which is Spanish for bath."

Nevertheless, this struck Charley as a dangerous thing to do, in a
river swarming with alligators and other reptiles; yet frisking about
and blowing and ducking Maria and Francisco seemed to be enjoying
themselves. They swam like seals.

"We might as well have a snack to eat, while we wait," quoth Mr.
Grigsby. He threw Charley some bananas, and cut off chunks of the
dried meat for the company. By the time they three had eaten a little
lunch, Maria and Francisco had climbed aboard, donned their trousers
and hats, and resuming their paddles were starting on again, evidently
much refreshed.

In the straightaways behind and before other canoes, hurrying up-river,
were sighted. One of the canoes behind crept closer and closer. Maria
and Francisco occasionally glanced over their wet shoulders at it, but
although they worked bravely, and Maria sang lustily:

Yankee doodle doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy;
Yankee doodle doodle doo,
Yankee doodle dandy.
Yankee doodle dandy,