Rob looked at him reproachfully, for he was thinking of Giovanni being
snatched away from them, and then of the loss of the boat.

Brazier read his face, and held out his hand, which Rob eagerly grasped.

"Cheer up, my lad," said Shaddy, following suit. "One never knows
what's going to happen; so let's look at the best side of things.
There, gen'lemen, it's going to be a fine warm time, and we know it
might have been a drowning storm like it was last night; so that's
better for us. It will be very tiring, but we must change our position
now and then, and spend the night listening to the calls in the forest
and trying to make out what they are."

So as not to be left longer than they could help without food, they
partook of a very small portion that night, and then settled themselves
down; the puma became more watchful as the darkness approached, and
whined and snuffled and grew uneasy. Now it was making its way from one
bough to another, and staring hard at the tops of the trees away from
the river; now its attention was fixed upon the great coiled-up serpent,
which lay with fold heaped over fold and its head invisible, perfectly
still, and apparently sleeping till the flood had subsided.

But Rob thought with horror of the darkness, and the possibility of the
great reptile rousing up and making an effort to reach them, though he
was fain to confess that unless the creature swam it was impossible.

Then the stars began to appear and the noises of the forest commenced;
and, as far as Rob could make out, they were as loud as ever.

"One would have thought that nearly everything had been drowned," he
said in an awe-stricken whisper to his companions.

Brazier was silent, so after waiting for a few moments Shaddy replied:

"We're used to floods out here, Mr Rob, sir; and the things which make
noises live in the water as well as in the trees. I don't suppose many
of 'em get drowned in a flood like this. Deer and things of that sort
make for higher ground when there's a chance of the water rising; the
cats get on the trees, and the monkeys are already there, with the
insects and birds sheltered under the big leaves; and the snakes crawl
up too, so that there isn't much left to drown, is there?"

Rob made no reply, but changed his position, for he was stiff and weary
from sitting so long.

"Take care, Mr Rob, sir, or you may slip down. No fear of your being
swept away, but it's as well not to get a wetting. War