o go out hunting next day.

"I think not," said Lawrence; "no doubt he may _feel_ able for it, but
if he shows any disposition to do so, I shall forbid him."

"How you forbid him, when you not can speak hims tongue?" asked Manuela,
in a mild little voice, but with an arch look to which her arched black
eyebrows gave intense expression.

"Well," replied Lawrence, laughing, "I must try signs, I suppose, as
usual."

"No use, massa," said Quashy; "nebber make him understan'. I gib you a
plan. See here. You tie him up hand an' foot; den we go off huntin' by
our lone, an' let him lie till we comes back."

Lawrence shook his head. "I fear he would kill us on our return. No,
we must just go off early in the morning before he wakes, and get
Manuela to try her hand at sign-language. She can prevail on him, no
doubt, to remain at home."

"I vill try," said Manuela, with a laugh.

In pursuance of this plan, Lawrence and Quashy rose before broad
daylight the following morning, launched the little canoe they had used
the day before, put gun, spears, etcetera, on board, and were about to
push off, when one of the boys of the family ran down, and seemed to
wish to accompany them.

"We'd better take him," said Lawrence; "he's not very big or old, but he
seems intelligent enough, and no doubt knows something of his father's
haunts and sporting customs."

"You's right, massa," assented the negro.

Lawrence made a sign to the lad to embark, and Quashy backed the
invitation with--

"Jump aboord, Leetle Cub."

Instead of obeying, Leetle Cub ran up into the bush, but presently
returned with a long stick like a headless lance, a bow and arrows, and
an instrument resembling a large grappling anchor, made of wood.
Placing these softly in the canoe, the little fellow, who seemed to be
about ten years of age, stepped in, and they all pushed off into the
river--getting out of sight of the hut without having roused any one.
Turning into the same stream which they had visited the day before, they
pushed past the place where the jaguar had been killed, and entered on
an exploration, as Lawrence called it.

"I'm very fond of an exploration, Quashy," he said, dipping his paddle
softly, and working gently, for there was so little current that it
seemed more like the narrows of a lake than a stream.

"Yes, I's bery fond ob 'sploration too, massa," replied the negro, with
a self-satisfied nod. "It am so nice not to know whar you's