t
whether it was a wild man or an ape."

"It's my opinion that it was the former," said Brace, gazing back at the
little embayment they had just passed.

The next few minutes were passed in silence which was at length broken
by Brace.

"Look, there he is again," he said; "he's watching us from behind those
bushes. Couldn't be a wild man, though, could it?"

"Of course not," said Lynton: "whoever saw a wild Indian go off on
all-fours? It was a great monkey."

"But there are no great monkeys in this part of the world," said Brace.
"One has to go to West Africa and Borneo for them. What do you say, Mr
Briscoe?"

"The naturalists all say that there are no big apes in South America;
but some travellers tell a different tale, and the Indians report that
there are great half-human creatures that they are afraid of roaming
about in the woods."

"I suppose that must mean that there are some species of apes on this
continent, but that no specimens have been captured," said Brace.

"I'm going to make a note of what we've seen to-day," said Briscoe, "for
that chap was as big as an orang-outang, and quite as ugly."

"Yes," said Brace. "It looks as if we had made a discovery. I don't
see why there shouldn't be big ones in these vast forests."

"Nor I," said Briscoe thoughtfully. "There's plenty of room, and people
are too ready to say that nothing more remains to be discovered. Why,
only the other day they wouldn't believe in the existence of the
gorilla."

"Look here," said Brace; "don't you think we ought to go back and
endeavour to catch one of those young ones?"

"Perhaps," said the American drily; "but it will mean a fight, and we
should have to kill the old one first."

"Do you think he would make a fight of it?" asked Brace.

"I am certain of it," said Briscoe. "Suppose we put it off for a day or
two and think about it. There is plenty of time, and we are certain to
get another chance."

"Go on, then," said Brace. "Let's prospect up to the falls, cross over,
and try on the other side for the ducks and fish we have got to take
back for the cook."

Lynton chuckled and sent the boat gliding swiftly along for the next few
minutes, opening out again and again lovely vistas of river, forest, and
verdant shore, all of which invited landing and promised endless
collecting excursions. But the present was looked upon as a tour of
inspection, and all eyes scanned the shore and every creek that was
passed