was the constellation of
the Cross, commonly known by mariners as the Southern Cross, and which
is composed of four brilliant stars. Sirius, Canopus, and Centaur also
filled a part of the heavens with their splendid light. Mars, Venus,
Saturn, and Jupiter were old friends in new surroundings, and were all
dazzlingly dressed. The part of the Milky Way between the stars Sirius
and Centaur was so rich in stars and crowded nebula: that it seemed a
perfect blaze of illumination. And there were the Magellanic clouds,
white-looking patches made up of countless stars individually unseen to
the naked eye, and nebulae--mists of radiating light--all shining
brilliantly and revolving around the starless South Pole. To the
northward was the constellation of the Great Bear, which reaches its
meridian altitude about the same time as the constellations of the
Cross and the Centaur. As the boys looked, stars appeared and
disappeared. They were like a succession of guests, coming and going.

After a while, the flyers saw a small river glinting in the moonlight
and running along for the most part in the direction they were taking.

"The first time we come to a level, open spot along this stream we will
try for a landing," stated John. "It will afford us plenty of water
for the radiator if we can get down to it."

"And plenty of water for a good plunge, too," said Paul. "I haven't
had a bath since we left Miami, and I'm fairly suffering for a wetting,
if it's no more than a quick dip."

"Same here," seconded Bob and Tom.

They were running much lower now, on the lookout for a place to stop,
and so once more they could hear each other's voices.

Presently, just after clearing a dense forest, they saw the opening
they sought. It was a grassy level, free of bushes and other
obstructions, and well bathed in the soft light of the stars and moon.

After some careful maneuvering, John brought the Sky-Bird down, and
though the tall grasses wound in the landing-gear in coming to a stop,
they broke off without doing any damage.

"We'd better take the guns along," Tom remarked.

"That's so," agreed John; "we might run into some ferocious animal in
this wild jungle."

So each armed himself with a rifle and a pail, and John led the way, as
he was the only one of the party supplied with a lantern, the others
having small flashlights which were none too good for breaking a path
in such wilds. They knew the river lay a short distance