said, pointing upward:

"No fear of our wanting food, Joe, while there are such birds as these."

As he spoke, with a noise like a whirlwind a flock of great pigeons took
flight--great fellows, three times as big as ordinary pigeons, and, as
we knew from those shot in Australia, splendid eating.

The great tree offered so pleasant a camping place that we decided to
pass the night there, and after a look round to see if there was likely
to be danger lurking near, the fire was lit, the blacks setting to work
at once to collect wood when they had put down their burdens. Then food
was prepared and a hearty meal enjoyed, the restful sensation that came
over us after the day's exertion being most delicious. Then one by one
our followers dropped asleep, Jack Penny, who was still rather grumpy,
last.

The doctor and I were sitting together by the fire that night, talking
in a low voice about our plans, and agreeing that we could not do better
than wander on and on through the wilds until we learned some tidings of
the lost man, when suddenly my companion laid his finger on his lips and
bent forward as if listening.

I listened too, thinking the while how strange it all looked about us,
with the fire casting weird shadows all around, while the silence now
was almost appalling.

"Nothing, Joe," said the doctor, dropping his hand. "I thought I heard
something."

"I'm sure I did," I whispered, with a strange feeling upon me that it
would be dangerous to speak aloud.

"There are curious sounds heard sometimes in forests," he said
thoughtfully. "There, go on--what were we talking about?"

As he spoke there was a strange rushing noise, then a peculiar whining
sound not far distant among the trees.

"What can that be, doctor?" I whispered.

"Can't say, Joe. Sounds as if some animal had been climbing along a
branch, or had bent down a sapling and then let it fly up again with a
loud whish among the trees."

"That is just how it sounded to me," I said, gazing full in his eyes.

He remained silent for a few moments, not listening but thinking.

"We must take a lesson from our friend Jack Penny, there," he said,
smiling in my face as he stroked his broad beard. "I must confess, Joe,
to feeling a curious sensation of awe as we sit out here in this
primeval forest, surrounded by teeming savage life; but Jack Penny
coolly sleeps through it all, and, as I say, we must take a lesson from
him, and get used to these stran