they eagerly looked up the
channel. Anxious as I was to go ahead, I felt as if my arms and legs
were so heavily weighted that I could only move them with a sensation I
had sometimes experienced in my dreams when trying to overtake a person
with whom I desired to communicate, or when pursued by some wild beast
from which I was endeavouring to escape.

My father and Marian were standing up; Arthur was lying on the trunk of
the tree; and Uncle Paul was sitting down with his feet just above the
water. Suddenly he started up, and cried out, "Quick, quick, Guy;
strike out for your life!" I did my best, for I knew he had good reason
for bidding me haste. Just as I reached the bank, looking back for an
instant, I saw a dark object rise to the surface, and presently a long
pair of jaws, with formidable rows of teeth, opened slowly! I sprang
up, knowing at once that it was an alligator, and though one of moderate
size, large enough to have given an ugly bite, even if it could not snap
off a limb or carry its victim down to the bottom. Uncle Paul stretched
out his arms; and Arthur, who had not till then seen my danger, stooped
down to assist me. I had scarcely time to receive my father's and
Marian's embraces before I sank almost fainting by the side of Arthur on
the trunk of the tree.

I saw, however, that they were still looking anxiously down the channel
towards Kallolo, who had been some way behind me with Quacko on his
back. They shouted to him, and pointed out the creature, whose wicked
eye was turned towards the monkey; and he would very speedily have
crunched him up in his jaws if he had not held tight hold of the Indian.
Kallolo, nothing daunted, cast a glance at the amphibious animal, and
instead of continuing his course, struck across the stream, drawing, as
he did so, his long knife from his belt, ready to defend himself and his
favourite should he be attacked. The shouts of my friends frightened
the creature; which, instead of darting at Kallolo, as they expected it
would, dived beneath the surface, probably to seek for shelter under the
bank or to escape to a distance. Kallolo quickly gained a fallen stem,
and made his way up to us.

"What has become of Tim and Sambo?" I asked faintly; for though too
weak to stand, I had not lost consciousness.

"They have gone on ahead to the raft, which is only a little distance
off," answered Arthur; "and we are now looking out for their return. So
fatigued were yo