quickly suppressed it and went with Don
Nicolas to receive in person his patient's effusive thanks. When he
returned and took his place in the waiting boat, he shook his head.
"It's past all understanding," he muttered to Harris, "what faith will
do! I can believe now that it will remove mountains."

Throughout the long, interminably long, hot day the perspiring men
poled and paddled, urged and teased, waded and pushed against the
increasing current, until, as the shadows began to close around them,
they sighted the scarcely visible opening in the bush which marked the
trail to the _hacienda_ of Maria Rosa. It was a desperately lonely
clearing on the verge of the jungle; but there were two thatch-covered
sheds, and to the exhausted travelers it gave assurance of rest and
protection. Before they made the landing Rosendo's sharp eyes had
spied a large ant-eater and her cub, moving sluggishly through the
bush; and Reed's quick shots had brought them both down. The men's
eyes dilated when the animals were dragged into the canoes. It meant
fresh meat instead of salt _bagre_ for at least two days.

Early next morning the travelers bade farewell to Don Nicolas and set
their course again up-stream. They would now see no human being other
than the members of their own little party until they reached Llano,
on the distant Nechi.

"Remember," called Don Nicolas, as the canoes drifted out into the
stream, "the _quebrada_ of Caracoli is the third on the right. An old
trail used to lead from there across to the Tiguicito--but I doubt if
you find even a trace of it now. There is no water between that point
and the Tiguicito. _Conque, adios, senores, adios_!"

The hallooing of farewells echoed along the river and died away in the
dark forest on either hand. Harris and Reed settled back in their
canoe and yielded to the fascination of the slowly shifting scene.
Carmen chose to occupy the same canoe with them, and perforce Rosendo
acted as _patron_. They therefore took the lead. Between his knees
Reed held the rifle upright, in readiness for any animal whose
curiosity might bring it to the water's edge to view the rare pageant
passing through that unbroken solitude.

The river was now narrowing, and there were often rapids whose ascent
necessitated disembarking from the canoes, while the _bogas_ strained
and teased the lumbering dugouts up over them. In places the stream
was choked by fallen trees and tangled driftwood, until only a