ur father and I, that, when we reached this convenient
resting-place, we determined to remain here till your arrival. We have,
indeed, cause to be thankful that we did not attempt to go further, now
that we have seen the creatures which inhabit this part of the channel.
Had we known it before, the fact would have tended to unnerve us."

"I am indeed thankful that I did not know it," said Marian; "for I
should have been miserable with the thought that at any moment my father
or Arthur might have been attacked by one of the monsters."

Kallolo took the matter very coolly. "If the cayman had come near me,
he would have had to repent of his boldness," he observed. "My knife
was ready for him, and I should have stuck it into his throat before he
could have touched me. I should not fear to encounter a much larger
one, provided I knew that he was approaching. These creatures are
dangerous only when people are unprepared to meet them."

"But as I had no knife ready, and should not have known where or how to
strike him, I am very thankful that I got out of the water in time to
avoid his sharp teeth," I observed.

Marian shuddered. "Yes, indeed, it was dreadful even for the few
moments in which I thought there was danger," she observed. "Oh, I am
so thankful that when my father and Arthur were swimming by the side of
my raft, they were not attacked by the monster."

"We indeed ran a great risk," observed my father. "Probably the
creature was frightened by the splashing we made in the water, and by
the appearance of the raft; or possibly it may not have been in the
neighbourhood at the time."

"I suspect that it was not far off," observed Uncle Paul. "These
creatures do not move much about; they frequent particular pools and
parts of the river. However, its appearance must make us cautious how
we venture into the water in future. We may be well-satisfied that our
long swim is over.--Do you see anything of Sambo and Tim with the raft?"
he shouted to the Indians, who were still looking out.

"Yes, yes; they have this moment come in sight, and are standing on the
raft poling it along,--so it seems to me," answered Maco, pointing along
the igarape, down which a stream of light came from the setting sun,
tingeing here and there the boughs on either side, and gilding the
summits of the lofty trees. No scene of the same character could have
surpassed it in beauty.

"It is indeed lovely," exclaimed Marian. "Till we ca