h loaded, and I'll come on
deck directly."

"That's right," said Brace sharply. "But what can happen?"

"Who can say?" replied the American. "We know we're in a wild country,
perhaps the very first of all people who have come so far into the
forest, and we don't know what enemies may come. I'm pretty sure of
two: stinging insects and fever; but there's no telling what may come
out of the dark jungles. We're pretty safe from wild beasts, but for
aught we know we may have been watched by savages ever since the
morning. Savages generally have canoes, bows, spears, and clubs. I
don't say it's likely, but some of them might come creeping aboard in
the night, and if I was captain I should arm the watch. Ugh! what's
that?" he cried, in a horrified tone.

"Barrel of my rifle, Mr Briscoe," said Lynton quietly, from out of the
darkness.

"Why did you do that?" said the American sharply.

"Only to show you that the watch is armed, sir; and if there is anything
unpleasant in the night we shan't be long in letting you know."

Another hour passed before Sir Humphrey and his brother went below, and
then their first act was to thrust cartridges into their guns and
rifles, and to lay them with their ammunition-belts ready to hand; but
even after that precaution sleep was slow in coming to Brace's pillow,
for he lay listening to the rush, gurgle, and splash of the river till
the strange sounds grew confused and died out, all but a peculiar
rustling that seemed to be made by a huge serpent creeping among the
branches of the trees: and this puzzled the listener, for it was
impossible that trees and a huge reptile could be out in the middle of
the great muddy river.

Then it seemed that the anchor which held them fast out in mid-stream
must have dragged and the brig have been carried by an eddy close in
shore, to run aground, so that the masts were tangled with the
overhanging boughs.

Thoughts came fast after this, but more and more confused, till they
were so mixed that the listener could pick out nothing clear from what
had become a mental tangle in which he grew so weary that nothing seemed
to matter in the least, and he did not trouble about anything more till
a voice said:

"Come, Brace, isn't it time you roused up?"

The reply was a dull thump on the floor caused by the young man rolling
out of his berth, to find his brother half-dressed, and that the
troubles of the night had been merely dreams, for a glance out