but
which proved to be a fringe of bamboos fully fourteen feet high.

Shaddy soon selected a couple of these suitable for his purpose, and had
before long trimmed them down to spear shafts nine feet in length.

"There, sir," he said, "we'll get a couple of heads fitted into these
to-night. First thing is to get something else to eat, so let's try for
fruit or a bird. Now, if we could only come upon a deer!"

"Not likely, as we want one," responded Rob, who was looking round in
search of Mr Brazier, and now caught sight of him right at the far end
of the clearing, evidently engaged in cutting down some of his favourite
plants.

"Mr Brazier is busy," said Rob; "but isn't it a pity to let him waste
time in getting what can never be wanted?"

"How do we know that?" replied Shaddy. "Even if they're not, I did it
for the best."

"But is it safe to leave him alone?"

"Safe as it is for us to go out here alone into the forest."

"Are we going into the forest?"

"Must, my lad--a little way."

"But are there likely to be any Indians about?"

"I should say not, Mr Rob, so come along."

Shaddy led the way to where the clearing ceased and the dense growth of
the primeval forest began, and after hesitating a little and making a
few observations as to the position of the sun--observations absolutely
necessary if a traveller wished to find his way back--the guide plunged
in amongst the dense growth, threading his way in through the trees,
which grew more and more thickly for a short distance and then opened
out a little, whereupon Shaddy halted and began to reconnoitre
carefully, holding up his band to enforce silence and at the end of a
few minutes saying eagerly to Rob,--

"Here you are, my lad! Now's our chance. There's nearly a dozen in
that big tree to the right yonder, playing about among the branches,
good big ones, too. Now you steal forward a bit, keeping under cover,
then lay all your arrows down but one, take a good long aim, and let it
go. Bring one down if you can."

"What birds are they?" whispered Rob.

"Who said anything about birds?" replied Shaddy sourly; "I said
monkeys."

"No."

"Well, I meant to, my lad. There: on you go."

"Monkey--a little man," said Rob, shaking his head. "No, I couldn't
shoot one of them."

"Here, give us hold of the bow and arrow, then, my lad," cried the old
sailor. "'Tisn't a time for being nice. Better shoot a monkey and eat
it than for me and Mr Brazier