n living
like. Why, it's a ready-made Paradise, and we seem to have pretty
nearly got beyond the reach of the flood."

"Then let's lie up here," said the captain, "and set your Dan to work.
It is very beautiful, but it will be better after we've had a bit of
something to eat."

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

NIGHT IN THE CANON.

There was a murmur of approval all through the boat, and soon after the
lines were made fast ashore, and Brace was one of the first to climb up
to the level shelf the captain had marked out. From here he could
command a view of the river banks for quite a mile before the narrow
canon curved, and they loveliness of the place was so surpassing that he
stood speechless, forgetting everything in the beauty of the scene,
green and golden in the level rays of the sun, with every here and there
the shadows deepening into violet.

Brace started as if out of a waking dream as a hand was laid upon his
shoulder, and he turned to face Briscoe.

"What can you see?" said the latter, in a low voice.

For answer Brace simply pointed along the canon, and the American took a
long look in silence before venturing to speak again.

"Yes," he said slowly; "very pretty, but I'm not a very sentimental man.
One minute I feel as if I should like to live here, and the next I feel
certain it would be too dull. Can't see any more signs of the Indians,
can you?"

"No," said Brace.

"What sort of a place have you got here? Oh! that's all right; quite a
cavern there. Do splendidly for Dan and the boys to make the fire in,
out of sight, for we don't want it to bring down strangers upon us.
Let's have a look."

Brace had not noticed any cavern, but now his attention was drawn to it
he saw at the back of the shelf that there was a broad rift in the
cliff, some ten or a dozen feet wide and seven or eight high, while upon
entering it was to find that they could look forward into darkness of
unknown depth, while the roof seemed to rise as it receded.

"Looks big," said Briscoe, raising his gun as if to fire.

"You had better not shoot," said Brace, laying his hand upon his
companion's arm. "It would raise echoes all along the canon, and
perhaps bring down the Indians."

"Quite right; but let's see what's here. Might be a jaguar or something
of that kind. Aha, there! Rah-rah-rah-rah-rah!"

The cry ran echoing into the chasm far enough, and was followed by the
sound as of a rushing wind approaching them. Direc