and being still weary and drowsy, he was about to close his
eyes again and follow the example of those about him, when he became
conscious of a peculiar odour and a choking smell of burning.

This completely aroused him, and hurriedly creeping from beneath the
awning without awakening his companions, he found that the boatmen and
Shaddy were fast asleep and a line of fire was rapidly approaching them
from the shore; not with any rush of flame, but in a curious sputtering,
smouldering way, as the touchwood of which the huge trunk, to which they
were tethered, was composed rapidly burned away.

It was all plain enough: the root had caught fire at last from the
intense heat so near and gradually started the rest, so that as Rob
gazed shoreward there was a dull incandescent trunk where the previous
night there had been one long line of beautiful orchids and epiphytic
plants.

But there was no time to waste. Waking Shaddy with a sharp slap on the
shoulder, that worthy started up, saw the mischief pointed out, and
shouting, "Only shut my eye because the fire made it ache," he took up a
boat-hook, went right forward, trampling on the boatmen in his
eagerness, and, hauling on the line, drew the boat close up to the
glowing trunk, hitching on to one of the neighbouring branches. It was
only just in time, for the rope gave way, burned through as he got hold,
and the smouldering end dropped into the water, giving a hiss like a
serpent as the glowing end was quenched.

Brazier and Giovanni were aroused before this, and were fully alive to
the peril which had been averted by Rob's opportune awakening.

"Why," cried Brazier, "we should have been drifting down the stream, and
been carried miles, and in all probability capsized."

Shaddy made no reply for the moment, but busied himself in altering the
position of the boat before letting go, and then hooking the bough of
another of the trees, one which did not communicate with the fire, and
to this he made fast before rising up in the boat, taking off his cap,
and dashing it down.

"Yes," he said harshly, "right, sir. We should have been carried right
down the stream--Be off, you brute!"

This was to an alligator which was approaching the boat with the
protuberances above its eyes just visible, and as he uttered the
adjuration he made a stroke with the hitcher harpoon fashion, struck the
reptile full on its tough hide, and there was a swirl, a rush, and a
tremendous splash o