a full bushy beard and large
whiskers. His eyes were full and round, and of the brightest blue I
have ever seen in those of a man. His month was large, and filled with
strong white teeth, and his nose, though rather thick and prominent, was
otherwise well cut. Indeed he came up fully to the description of a
fine-looking fellow without being handsome. His dress was that of an
ordinary seaman of those days. He wore a belt with a brace of pistols
stuck in it, which were partly concealed by his loose cloth jacket. His
head was covered by a small low-crowned straw hat; and the puzzle seemed
to be how he could manage to keep it on. Altogether he presented a
figure very seldom seen so far inland as we then were.

"Come, mates," he exclaimed, "it's time to be making headway again."

We jumped up, and having divided our stores into three equal parts, and
cut some thick walking-sticks, we shouldered our bundles, and
recommenced our journey.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

OUR FLIGHT WITH NED GALE, AND THE ADVENTURES WE MET WITH.

We travelled all day through the forest, the glimpses we every now and
then obtained of the mountains serving to guide our steps. On emerging
from the forest we arrived at a rapid stream.

"How are we to cross this?" I exclaimed. "We shall spoil all our
provisions, and have our clothes wet for the night, if we are obliged to
swim across."

"Oh, I think we may be able to ford it," said Ned Gale. "Here, mates,
let's catch hold of each other's hands, that if one falls the rest can
pick him up. I'll lead across, and sound with my stick. To my mind,
that's the way people should help each other through the world."

After hunting about for some time, we found a broad place, where, from
the appearance of the bank on either side, we fancied there might be a
ford. So we took off our lower garments, and fastening our loads high
up on our shoulders, we commenced the passage. For some way the water
was shallow, and rose but little above our knees; but we went on slowly,
Ned carefully sounding with his stick in advance. It was fortunate that
we did so, for on a sudden Ned sung out that he could find no bottom;
and scarcely had he spoken, when he sunk up to his armpits, and had not
we not hauled him back with all our might, the current would have
carried him down the stream. We tried several other places, but
everywhere found the water too deep to ford.

"It won't do," observed Ned. "We must stand b