when some loud cries resounded through the woods, and gave them notice
of the approach of some more of their companions.

"To the camp, to the camp, my friends!" exclaimed Manco, when he was
aware of this; and obeying his order, we all retreated at once towards
the huts. The Cashibos had received too strong a taste of our quality
to follow at that instant, and allowed us to reach the camp unmolested.
We instantly held a council of war, and at first Manco, when he saw the
fortification we had thrown up, proposed waiting where we were to
receive the attack of our enemies; but he soon agreed with me and Ned,
that it would be wiser to escape while we could, on horseback. We could
not tell how many Cashibos there might be, and they would probably
collect ultimately in such numbers as to overwhelm us, even should we at
first succeed in beating them off. Our Indians, I found, were fully
expecting to see their companion drop down dead, from the effects of the
poison they supposed to have been on the arrow; but either it had not
been poisoned at all, or the poison had dried and peeled off, for the
man did not seem to suffer more than from an ordinary wound.

The advantage of our having made our preparations for moving beforehand
was now apparent, and to it we probably owed our safety; for, without
the loss of a moment, as soon as our plan of proceeding was settled, we
mounted and rode off at a rapid rate through the woods. The Cashibos
caught sight of us, and saluted us with loud shouts and war-whoops, and
a flight of arrows came whistling after us; but we were already beyond
their reach, and it only made us gallop the faster.

"Sing away, old fellows!" shouted Ned; "though you've lost your supper,
we've saved ours," and he held out the monkey at the end of the spit
which he had snatched from the fire as we were mounting, and brought
along with him.

Fortunately the country before us was tolerably free of trees, and the
rock I have mentioned served to guide us; but the sun soon sunk below
the horizon, and left as for a time in darkness. The sky was clear, and
a bright star soon came out, by which we steered our course towards the
river. The chief danger now to be apprehended, was from the fallen
trunks of trees, or any soft bogs into which our horses might sink.
After a time the moon got up, and showed us more clearly our way. On we
pushed, therefore, for though the Indians might not follow us in the
dark, we were ve