and there's no following him
there."

Rob gazed wistfully across the opening now beginning to look gloomy, and
his eyes rested on the figures of the boatmen who were busily piling up
great pieces of dead wood to keep up the fire for the night, the
principal objects being to scare away animals, and have a supply of hot
embers in the morning ready for cooking purposes. And as the fire
glowed and the shadows of evening came on, the figures of the men stood
out as if made of bronze, till they had done and came down to the boat.

An hour later the men were on board, the rope paid out so that they were
a dozen yards from the shore, where a little grapnel had been dropped to
hold the boat from drifting in, and once more Rob lay beneath the awning
watching the glow of the fire as it lit up the canvas, which was light
and dark in patches as it was free from burden or laden with the objects
spread upon it to dry. From the forest and lake came the chorus to
which he was growing accustomed; and as the lad looked out through the
open end of the tent--an arrangement which seemed that night as if it
did nothing but keep out the comparatively cool night air--he could see
one great planet slowly rising and peering in. Then, all at once, there
was dead silence. The nocturnal chorus, with all its weird shrieks and
cries, ceased as if by magic, and the darkness was intense.

That is, to Rob: for the simple reason that he had dropped asleep.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

FOE OR FRIEND?

It was still dark when Rob awoke, and lay listening to the heavy
breathing of the other occupants of the boat. Then, turning over, he
settled himself down for another hour's sleep.

But the attempt was vain. He had had his night's rest--all for which
nature craved--and he now found that he might lie and twist and turn as
long as he liked without any effect whatever.

Under these circumstances he crept softly out and looked at the cool,
dark water lying beneath the huge leaves, some of which kept on moving
in a silent, secretive manner, as if the occupants of the lake were
trying to see what manner of thing the boat was, which lay so silent and
dark on the surface.

It had been terribly hot and stuffy under the awning, and the water
looked deliciously cool and tempting. There was a fascination about the
great, black leaves floating there, which seemed to invite the lad to
strip off the light flannels in which he had slept, to lower himself
gently