r men leaped ashore and raced madly toward the huts.
Pausing only long enough to slide the boat beyond the grip of the river,
we followed, considerably mystified. Quick as we were, we found both the
_padrone_ and his man, together with a dozen others, already seated
at a _monte_ table. The _padrone_ was acting as banker!

We discovered the name of this place to be Gatun. Talbot found us a
native hut in which were hammocks we could rent for the night. The hut
was a two-storied affair, with a notched pole by which to clamber aloft.
I took one look and decided to stay below. My weight seemed sufficient
to bring the whole thing down about our ears.

I do not know which had the better of it. My hammock was slung across
one corner of the single room. A cooking fire blazed merrily five or six
feet away. Some ten or a dozen natives were drinking and talking until
nearly morning; and to my personal knowledge some ten or a dozen
thousand fleas were doing the same. Six dogs were that hut's allowance.
They discovered that my weight sagged my hammock down to a height just
suitable for the rubbing of their backs. In vain I smote with boot or
pistol barrel. They kiyied and departed; but only for a moment. I had
not even time to fall into a doze before one of the others was back at
it. This amused the drinking natives. I suppose the poor beasts very
passionately wanted to scratch their backs. I could sympathize with
them; none of them could have had as many fleas as I had, for their
superficial area was not as great; but perhaps they had as many per
square inch.

In the course of the night it began to rain. I mean really rain,
"without going into details as to drops," as somebody has said. Then I
ceased envying my friends upstairs; for from all sounds I judged the
roof was leaking.

Next morning it was still drizzling. The town was full of sad-eyed,
wearied men. I think every one had had about the same experience. The
_padrone_ was at first a little inclined to delay; but he quickly
recognized that our mood was bad, so shortly we were under way.

That day was not an unmitigated joy. It rained, picking the surface of
the river up in little spots and rings. The forest dripped steadily. All
the butterflies and bright birds had disappeared; and sullen, shifting
clouds fairly touched the treetops. It was cold. Wrap ourselves as we
would, we became thoroughly chilled. We should have liked to go ashore
for a little fire, or at least a tr