re, just off to your left."

"So um are, Mass' George. 'Gator no like um, an' 'pit um out 'gain."

"There: mind! Now then, quick! Catch hold."

I had managed to check the boat enough to let the oar overtake us, and
Pomp made a snatch at it, but drew back sharply with a low cry of
horror.

"What's the matter now?" I said. "Make haste; you'll lose it."

"Great big Injum down dah," he whispered, hoarsely. "Um want to bite
off poor Pomp arm."

"Nonsense! How could an Indian be there?" I said, as we floated on
side by side with the oar.

"Injum? Pomp say great big 'gator. You look, Mass' George."

"You said Indian, Pomp," I continued, as I drew in my oar, picked up the
boat-hook, and went cautiously to the side to look down into the
transparent water, where, sure enough, one of the reptiles was swimming
along; but it was quite a small one, and a sharp dig down with the
boat-hook sent it undulating away, and I recovered the oar, passing it
to Pomp with a gesture, as there arose once more a cry from the forest
right away back, and it was answered in two places.

Pomp took the oar and began to row again steadily, staring back at the
sandspit, now fast growing distant. Then all at once, as the faint cry
arose from the forest--

"Dat not Injum," he cried sharply; "dat fock."

"Fox!" I said, recalling the little jackal-like creatures, of which I
had seen one or two that had been shot by Morgan.

"Yes, dat fock. Um shout like dat to noder fock in um wood when um lose
umself."

"Yes, but that would be at night," I said, wondering whether he was
right.

"'Pose um lose umself in de day. Make um cry?"

"No," I said, thoughtfully. "It is like the cry of the fox, Pomp, but I
think it's the Indians making it."

"Why Injum cry out like fock when um can cry like Injum?"

"To deceive any one who hears them."

"What deceive?" said Pomp.

"Cheat--trick."

"Oh!" he said, and we rowed on steadily hour after hour, realising how
we must have increased our distance from home in the night.

Sometimes as we swept round one of the river bends we encountered a
breath of fresh air, but mostly deep down in that narrow way winding
through the forest the heat was intense; and there were times when, as I
paused to sweep the perspiration from my face, I felt that I must give
up, and lie down at the bottom of the boat.

But almost invariably at these times I heard faintly what I believed to
be the Indians calling to