e other side. Ashman was forced to give his whole
attention for the moment to the former's approach.

His suspense was brief, for while he stood with rifle ready, a large
puma, or American lion, emerged from a point a couple of rods away,
walked in his stealthy fashion to the edge of the river and began
lapping the water.

Ashman wished nothing with him in view of more important business
elsewhere, and he, therefore, stepped softly back in the wood, before
the beast finished drinking.

The puma quickly slaked his thirst, and then, raising his head, looked
about him with an inquiring stare as though he scented something
suspicious. He gazed toward the other shore and finally swung himself
lightly around, and trotted back to the forest.

Just before entering, he abruptly stopped and looked toward the spot
where Ashman was concealed. He offered a tempting shot, but it hardly
need be said that the young man restrained himself, and the next minute
the beast vanished.

CHAPTER XI.

A MYSTIFIED SENTINEL.

Jared Long, the New Englander, and Quincal, the native helper, were the
sentinels on duty in the immediate vicinity of the camp.

The professor was wearied from a hard day's work, and, feeling that
everything possible had been done for the safety of all, stretched out
upon his blanket on the soft ground and was soon asleep.

He expected to assume his duty as guardsman in the course of a few
hours, and needed all the rest he could get before that time.

Bippo and Pedros were so disturbed by what they had witnessed, that,
though they lay down at the same time, it was a good while before they
closed their eyes in slumber. Their homes were near the mouth of the
Xingu, and, even at that remote point, they had heard so many fearful
accounts of the ferocious savages that infested the upper portions of
the river, that they never would have dared to help in an attempt to
explore the region but for the liberal pay promised, and their
unbounded faith in the white men and their firearms.

The poor fellows would have given all they had, or expected to have, to
be transported down the Xingu and out of the reach of the terrible
natives who used their poisoned arrows and javelins with such effect;
but, behold! the explorers, undaunted by what had taken place, had no
thought of turning back, but were resolved to push on for an unknown
distance, and Bippo and his friends had no choice but to go with them,
for to run awa