and as the words left his lips the horrible noise rang out, apparently
from behind the fire, and without hesitation the little party hurried on
board the boat.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

SHADDY'S REMORSE.

That last movement was not performed without difficulty, for at this
fresh alarm, urged by a desire for self-preservation, the men had thrust
the boat away from the bank, and were actually in the act of unfastening
the mooring rope, when Rob shouted to Shaddy.

"What!" he roared, running to the other end where it was fast to a
branch, and then yelling out such a furious tirade of words in their own
tongue that the men shrank back, and the boat was drawn close in among
the boughs that were worn sharp by the action of the stream.

"Lucky for them," growled Shaddy, as he held the boat's gunwale for the
others to get on board, while the singular silence which had followed
the first cry of the beast was again maintained. "I never did break a
man's neck yet, Master Rob," he whispered, as they took their places on
board, "and I never mean to if I can help it; but if those fellows had
run off and left us in the lurch I'd have gone as far as I could without
doing it quite."

"First catch your hare," whispered back Rob, who felt better now he was
safe on board, with the boat gliding outward to the full length of the
mooring line.

"Eh! what hare? No hares about here," said Shaddy.

"I mean, how would you have managed to punish the men if they had gone
off and left us here?"

"I never thought of that," said Shaddy, shaking his head; and then they
all sat in the boat listening, and thinking that it was a good thing
they had had enough supper before the interruption.

There was no fresh alarm for awhile. The birds, insects, quadrupeds,
and reptiles resumed their performances, the boatmen settled down to
sleep, and at last, after watching the fire sinking, rising up as some
piece of wood fell in, and then blazing brightly just beyond the great
root, the hole from which this had been wrenched having been selected by
the crew of the boat as an excellent place for cooking, Rob suddenly
fell asleep, to dream of huge boa constrictors and anacondas twisting
themselves up into knots which they could not untie.

It only seemed to be a few minutes since Rob had lain down, when he
awoke with a start to gaze about him, wondering where he was and why the
awning looked so light. Then coming to the conclusion that it was
sunrise,