were from the collapse of our raft, from the
reptiles that we kept seeing from time to time as we glided slowly on,
and from the Indians, whom, as I scanned the bank, I expected moment by
moment to see start from the dense growth which fringed the sides with a
yell.

If we could have felt secure, the ride down the river would have been
delightful, for it was all in the bright sunshine, with a wall of the
loveliest verdure on either side. Flowers hung in clusters, or sprang
from the moist banks; birds flitted here and there, and every now and
then some great heron or crane sprang up with flapping wings and harsh
cry at being disturbed while fishing.

But every now and then an excited movement on the part of Pomp told me
that an alligator was in sight, sunning himself on a shoal, or where he
had beaten down the reedy growth as he had crawled out upon the bank.

Such movements on the boy's part were perilous, the side of the raft
going down slowly and steadily, till I forced him to lie still.

"They will not touch us," I said, "unless we are struggling in the
water. Do you want to fall in or upset the raft?"

He shuddered, and his eyes rolled a little, but he lay still, and we
glided on till we must have gone down a couple of miles, when all at
once Pomp uttered a cry.

"Hush!" I said, despairingly. "You will be heard."

"Nebber mind. Quick, Mass' George! Push! Push!"

I could not understand what he meant, but it was evident that something
was wrong, and there was no time to ask for an explanation; so I helped
all I could to push the raft toward the farther shore, convinced that
the Indians were upon us, and that we must seek safety in the forest
once again.

It was easy enough to float with the stream, but hard work to make the
raft to move as we wished, and we must have gone down fully a hundred
yards farther before there was a chance to seize an overhanging branch,
and tow the raft to a clear piece of the farther bank, on to which Pomp
scrambled at once.

"Quick, Mass' George, quick!" he cried; and leaving me to follow, he
disappeared at once in the dense cane and bush.

I was not long in following; and as I got ashore I saw the raft caught
by an eddy, as it rose relieved from my weight, and as I plunged into
the thicket I had a glimpse of it being carried out into the swift
stream.

I was too much excited and hurried to follow Pomp, whom I heard crashing
on before me, to pause to think about our r