h
tropical swiftness, and already the glorious amber tint was paling in
the sky, and the water beneath the trees looking black.

"See anything of them, Rob?" cried Brazier again and again; but the
answer was always the same: a low despondent "No."

All at once there was a loud shout, and they looked back to see Shaddy
waving his cap and beckoning to them.

"Found them?" cried Rob as he ran to meet their guide.

"No, my lad; they're not here. Might have known it by there being no
fire. Hi, Mr Brazier, sir!"

The latter came panting up, for it required no little exertion to get
through the dense bushes and thick grass.

"What is it? Where are they?"

"That's what I want to know, sir. But look here, I'm so fagged out that
my head won't go properly. I mean I can't think straight."

"What do you mean, man?"

"This, sir: look round, both of you, 'fore it gets darker. I'm all
doubty, and I've got thinking that we've come to the wrong place."

"What?" cried Rob excitedly.

"I say I've got a fancy that this ain't the right place, for there's no
one here, and no boat, and there ain't been no fire."

"How do you know, Shaddy?"

"'Cause, if the boys had made a fire, they would nat'rally have put it
there under that patch of bushes near the trees."

"Why there, and not anywhere else?"

"'Cause that's the place any one used to making fires on the rivers
would pick at once. It's shaded from the wind, handy to the trees, so
as to get plenty of dead wood, and nigh the river to fetch water."

"But the other side would have done as well," said Rob excitedly.

"No, it wouldn't, sir, for the wind ketches there, and the sparks and
smoke would be blowing all over the place. I say, is this the place
where we left the boat this morning?"

"I--I dare not say, Naylor," replied Brazier, after a little hesitation.
"I am so faint and worn-out that I too cannot be certain."

"I'm sure it is," said Rob quickly.

"There's some one who can think, then," cried Shaddy. "Stop a moment,
though, Mr Rob, sir. Tell me how is it you are sure?"

"Because I noticed that big tree on the other side of the water--that
one out of which those two big birds flew. There, you can see it
plainly against the sky."

"Bah! nonsense, my lad! There are thousands of those great trees
about."

"But not like that, Shaddy," said Rob eagerly. "Look there against the
light. It's just like a man's face, a giant's, as if he were lying on
his