guide pointed proudly
to his river.

It was short. We could see where it poured down a narrow vertical
cataract from an opening in the face of the cliff. It was sweet water.
The guide drank eagerly and so did we.

"That's snow water," Terry announced. "Must come from way back in the
hills."

But as to being red and blue--it was greenish in tint. The guide seemed
not at all surprised. He hunted about a little and showed us a quiet
marginal pool where there were smears of red along the border; yes, and
of blue.

Terry got out his magnifying glass and squatted down to investigate.

"Chemicals of some sort--I can't tell on the spot. Look to me like
dyestuffs. Let's get nearer," he urged, "up there by the fall."

We scrambled along the steep banks and got close to the pool that foamed
and boiled beneath the falling water. Here we searched the border and
found traces of color beyond dispute. More--Jeff suddenly held up an
unlooked-for trophy.

It was only a rag, a long, raveled fragment of cloth. But it was a
well-woven fabric, with a pattern, and of a clear scarlet that the water
had not faded. No savage tribe that we had heard of made such fabrics.

The guide stood serenely on the bank, well pleased with our excitement.

"One day blue--one day red--one day green," he told us, and pulled from
his pouch another strip of bright-hued cloth.

"Come down," he said, pointing to the cataract. "Woman Country--up
there."

Then we were interested. We had our rest and lunch right there and
pumped the man for further information. He could tell us only what the
others had--a land of women--no men--babies, but all girls. No place for
men--dangerous. Some had gone to see--none had come back.

I could see Terry's jaw set at that. No place for men? Dangerous? He
looked as if he might shin up the waterfall on the spot. But the guide
would not hear of going up, even if there had been any possible method
of scaling that sheer cliff, and we had to get back to our party before
night.

"They might stay if we told them," I suggested.

But Terry stopped in his tracks. "Look here, fellows," he said. "This
is our find. Let's not tell those cocky old professors. Let's go on home
with 'em, and then come back--just us--have a little expedition of our
own."

We looked at him, much impressed. There was something attractive to a
bunch of unattached young men in finding an undiscovered country of a
strictly Amazonian nature.

Of course