d out fan-like, offering them five different routes
onward.

"Which shall it be, Brace?" said Sir Humphrey, as he stood up with his
brother in the bows. "If the enemy is following us he is as likely to
take one as the other."

"I don't know," said Brace, with a laugh. "They are all beautiful.
That left one seems the deepest, and the stream flows slowly, so I think
we had better choose that."

"Best too for the wind," said Briscoe. "There's a ripple up it as far
as we can see."

"It's to the left and not to the right," said Brace.

"All the better," said Briscoe, laughing. "You know what you English
folks say about driving: `If you go to the left you are sure to be
right; if you go to the right you'll be wrong.' I think we might well
stick to that rule in this case."

The left branch was chosen, and they sailed swiftly up it, finding to
their surprise that there was scarcely any appearance of current, and
soon after a suitable spot for a landing-place presented itself in one
of the many bends of the river's sinuous course.

Here they landed, and Dan was soon busy preparing food, while as far as
they could make out they were where human foot had never pressed the
soil before.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

THE SOUND OF MANY WATERS.

The fire was carefully extinguished before night-fall, so that no flash
or gleam might betray the adventurers' whereabouts to any prowling foe,
and watch was set in each boat after they had been moored about twenty
feet from the shore. Everything had been made snug, arms issued round
and loaded ready, and once more sleep came to all save Brace and his
American companion, who sat together for a good hour, gazing into the
forest gloom and listening to the many strange sounds which rose among
the dense growth.

Then sleep overtook them, just when they were vainly trying to puzzle
out the meaning of a strange booming roar, which sounded not unlike
thunder at a distance.

"I guess that's what it is," Briscoe had said. "That's the nearest I
can get to it. Maybe there's a clump of mountains not very far away,
and they've got a storm there."

"We shall know in the morning," said Brace. "If it's a storm the water
will have risen in the night."

"Let it," said Briscoe drowsily. "We're in shelter, and the boats will
rise, so it will not matter to us."

The next minute both were asleep, and the night passed tranquilly enough
till they were awakened by Lynton, who had the mornin