e to assure himself that he had the
free use of them. He looked round; no one was in sight. His first
impulse was to set off and run back to the coast, but then he
recollected that he might be easily pursued, that it must be seven or
eight miles off at least, as three or four hours had passed since he and
his captors had left it. After a moment's reflection he determined to
find his way as soon as possible to the banks of the river. He was
certain that the boats would be sent in to look for his party, and, by
watching for them, he hoped to be able to make some signal to call their
attention to himself. He still heard the voices of the pirates. A tall
palm-tree was near. He thought that the safest plan would be to get to
the top of it. He could easily hide himself among the wide-spreading
leaves, and the Spaniards, believing that his arms were bound, would
never think of looking there for him. He would also have the advantage
of watching all that was going on below. He had seen blacks climb a
tree with a band partly round their stem and partly round their waists.
The rope he had just got clear of his arms would help him up in the same
way. He rapidly fitted it, and, with knees and hands working away, up
he went the smooth stem. He had got nearly to the top, when he heard a
chattering, and looking up, he saw a very ugly face grinning down upon
him. An ape had previous possession of his proposed stronghold. He was
not to be daunted, however, but, swinging himself up on the bough,
prepared to do battle for its possession. He had still a pistol in his
belt, though it was not loaded. The pirates had forgotten to deprive
him of it. He held it by the muzzle, and Master Quacko, who seemed to
be a very sensible monkey, thought that it would be foolish to pick a
quarrel with so well-armed a stranger. As Jack advanced, he retreated,
till Jack reached the centre of the tree, where he could coil himself
away without the possibility of any one below discovering him. He
looked round before sitting down. Below him was a dense mass of
foliage, with only here and there an opening. To the west, in the far
distance, was the sea, looking bright and blue; to the east were ranges
of mountains, the most remote evidently of considerable elevation; while
to the north he caught a glimpse of the river, to his great
satisfaction, not very far off. He could still hear the voices of the
pirates, but he could not discover whether th