e
projecting shadow of the wood, they should cautiously push their way up
the bank, as near as possible to the rapids, so as to lessen the
distance that was to be passed on the morrow. There could be no
objection to this, and adjusting themselves in the usual manner in the
large canoe, they began the ascent of the river.

Naturally they would have kept close to the shore to escape, so far as
they could, the force of the current, and the main object now was to
prevent their movements being seen by the vigilant Aryks across the
stream, who might resume hostilities before Ziffak could make his
wishes known to them.

Our friends did not forget that a large body of these warriors had
passed the Xingu above the rapids to reach the bank along which the
craft was now stealing its way; but they had received such treatment
that the survivors hurried from the vicinity.

Still there was a probability that after rallying from their repulse,
more of them had swam across and were at that moment on the western
shore, on the watch for just such a movement as was under way.

If this should prove the case, it could not be expected that Ziffak
could interfere in time to prevent another sanguinary conflict; but
that might come about, even if the explorers remained where they had
stopped until daylight. If the Aryks were prepared to attack them
while on the move, they could do so with equal effect while they were
not in motion.

The increasing roar of the rapids was a great disadvantage, for it
drowned all inferior noises and compelled our friends to depend on
their eyesight alone to discover the approach of danger.

There was an involuntary shudder on the part of all, when they came
opposite the scene of the desperate fight, and they hastened past
without exchanging a word.

They had not much further to go when they found themselves, for the
time, at the end of their voyage. It was impossible to ascend further,
because of the rapids, which tossed the canoe about as though it were
an eggshell.

A halt was therefore made, and, at the moment this took place, all
observed that day was breaking, the light rapidly increasing in the
direction of the Aryk village.

"_Just what I told you_!" exclaimed Jared Long, as the simultaneous
discovery was made by all, that the forest around them was swarming
with the vengeful savages, eager for another and bloodier joust at arms.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE NICK OF TIME.

The peril which m