he twigs and branches as the blue
smoke rose. Then the fire increased to a ruddy glow; and feeling chilly
after the heat to which he had been exposed, Rob sat listlessly down
gazing at the increasing flames, which lit up his sun-browned face as he
thought and thought of his boyish comrade, then of Mr Brazier, and at
last of himself.

They were sad thoughts, for he felt that he should never see home again,
that he would be the next to be struck down by some savage beast, bitten
by a poisonous snake, or lost in the forest, where he would be too weak
to find his way back. And as he thought he wondered what Shaddy would
do when he was gone--whether he would be picked up by some passing boat,
or live on in a kind of Robinson Crusoe life to a good old age.

Rob started involuntarily as he reached this point, for something
touched him; and turning sharply, he found that the puma was rubbing its
head against his shoulder, the beautiful creature uttering its peculiar
purring sound as Rob threw an arm round its neck and began to caress it,
ready as he was out there to cling to anything in his weariness and
desolation.

He was thus occupied when the puma started away, for there was a step
behind him.

"Tired, my lad? Only got one, but he's a fine fellow," said Shaddy, who
rapidly chopped off the head and a good-sized piece of the tail of a
fine dorado.

"Not so very; only low-spirited."

"Not you, my lad: hungry's the word. That's what's the matter with me.
Here, I say, squire, if you're anything of a cat you'll like fish," he
continued, as he threw the head, tail, and other portions of the fish
toward the puma, which hesitated for a few moments and then secured and
bore them off.

Meanwhile, to help his companion more than from any desire for food, Rob
had risen and cut some big palm leaves, laid them down, and then raked a
hole in the heap of embers ready for the fish.

"That's better," said Shaddy, as he lifted the great parcel he had made
of the fish; and depositing his load in the embers, he took the rough
branch they used for a rake and poker in one, and covered the packet
deeply.

"There, Mr Rob, sir; that's the best thing for our low spirits. We
shall be better after that physic."

"Hush!" cried Rob excitedly.

"Eh! What? Did you hear something?"

"Yes: a faint cry."

"No!"

"But I did. And look at the puma: he heard it too. Didn't you see it
start and leave the fish?"

"Yes, but I thought I