tifled voice.

Talbot Ward thawed completely, and a most winning smile illumined his
face.

"Why, that's what I call handsome, Johnny!" he cried. "It's pretty hard
to admit the wrong. You and Yank certainly looked bold and warlike when
he came along. Where's that confounded _mozo_? Oh, you have him,
Frank. Good boy! Come here, my amiable citizen. I guess you understand
English after all, or you couldn't have bargained so shrewdly with our
blackleg friends."

The flush slowly faded from Johnny's face. Yank's sole contribution to
the changed conditions was to spit with great care, and to shift the
butt of his rifle to the ground.

"Now," Talbot was admonishing the boatman, "that was very bad. When you
make a bargain, stick to it. But I'll tell you what I will do. I will
ask all people, _sabe_, everywhere, your people, my people, and if
everybody pay twenty dollars, then we pay twenty dollars. _Sabe?_
But we no pay twenty dollars unless you get us to Cruces _poco pronto,
sabe_? Now we start."

The boatman broke into a torrent of talk.

"Says he's got to find his assistant," Talbot explained to us. "Come on,
my son, I'll just go with you after that precious assistant."

We sat on the edge of our boat for half an hour, watching the most
comical scenes. Everybody was afflicted with the same complaint--absence
of boatmen. Some took possession, and settled themselves patiently
beneath their little roofs. Others made forays and returned dragging
protesting natives by the arm. These generally turned out to be the
wrong natives; but that was a mere detail. Once in a lucky while the
full boat's complement would be gathered; and then the craft would pull
away up the river to the tune of pistol shots and vociferous yells.

At the end of the period mentioned Talbot and the two men appeared. They
were quite amicable; indeed, friendly, and laughed together as they
came. The "assistant" proved to be a tremendous negro, nearly naked,
with fine big muscles, and a good-natured, grinning face. He wore large
brass ear circlets and bracelets of copper. We all pushed the canoe to
the very edge of the water and clambered aboard. The negro bent his
mighty shoulders. We were afloat.

CHAPTER V

A TROPICAL RIVER

Our _padrone_, as Talbot told us we should call him, stood in front
clad in a coloured muslin shirt. The broad sluggish river was alive with
boats, all making their way against the current. By the time the lagoon
had