little
hesitation, confided in the old sailor, who chuckled softly. "You
needn't be alarmed about that," he said. "If such a thing did happen
your lion would be upon his head in a moment, and in a few minutes
there'd be no lion and no snake, only the mud stirred up in the water to
show which way they'd gone."

"The water is sinking, Naylor," cried Brazier just then, in an excited
tone.

"Yes, sir, but very slowly."

"How long will it take to go down?"

"Days, sir. This place will not be dry for a week."

"Then what about food and a place to rest?"

"We've got enough to last us two days with great care," said the man
slowly, "and we shan't want for water nor shelter from the sun. Rest we
must get as we can up here, and thankfully too, sir, for our lives are
safe. As to what's to come after two days I don't know. There is, I
say, no knowing what may happen out here in two days."

"No," said Brazier sadly. "In one hour we lost our young companion and
my first collection; in one minute I was hopelessly lost; and now this
morning all my second collection has been swept away. As you say,
Naylor, we do not know what a couple of days may bring forth."

"No, sir," replied the old sailor; "and there's plenty of time yet.
Every day brings its own trouble."

"Yes," said Brazier solemnly; "and every morning brings with it fresh
hope."

"Hope!" thought Rob; "hope, shut up here in the middle of this waste of
water--in this tree, with a little food, a wild beast, and that horrible
serpent looking as if it is waiting to snatch us all away one by one.
How can a fellow hope?"

It was a time to think about home and the chances of ever getting back
in safety, and Rob found it impossible to help wishing himself on board
the great river boat as the evening drew near. At last, after standing
up to talk to the puma, which accepted his caresses as if they were
comforting in such a time of peril, the question arose as to how they
would settle themselves for the night.

"I needn't say one of us must keep watch," said Brazier sadly, "for I
suppose that no one will wish to sleep."

"Couldn't if we wanted to," said Rob, in rather an ill-used tone; and
Shaddy chuckled.

"Oh, I don't know, Mr Rob, sir. Nice elevated sort o' bedroom, with a
good view. Plenty o' room for swinging hammocks if we'd got any to
swing. There, cheer up, my lad,--there's worse disasters at sea; and
our worst troubles have come right at last."