unship the mast.

"No, uncle; the boughs are too thick--yes--yes, I can see a monkey
hanging by his tail."

"A six-footer? Bring him down, then. We must have his skin."

"Six-footer? No!" I said. "It's about as big as a fat baby."

"I thought so," said my uncle. "Never mind the poor little thing;
look-out for the monstrous snake. I daresay it's one of the anacondas
crept up out of the river. See it?"

"No, uncle; but there might be a dozen up there."

"Keep on looking. You must see it if it's as big as Pete here says.
Was it close to the trunk, my lad?"

"Not very, sir; it was just out a little way, where the boughs spread
out."

"I see it!" I cried. "Keep the boat quite still. It's curled up all
in a knot."

"A hundred feet long?" said my uncle, laughing.

"Not quite, uncle."

"Well, fifty?"

"I don't think so, uncle."

"Five-and-twenty, then?"

"Oh, no," I said; "it's rather hard to tell, because of the way she
folds double about; but I should think it's twelve feet long."

"I thought so," said my uncle. "Pete, you'll have to wear diminishing
glasses."

"That aren't the one, sir," said Pete gruffly.

"Shall I shoot, uncle?"

"No; we don't want the skin, and it would be a very unpleasant task to
take it off. Push off, Cross, and let's go up the stream. I want to
get to clearer parts, where we can land and make some excursions."

Pete hung his head when I looked at him, but he said no more, and a
couple of hours after, with his clothes thoroughly dry, he was helping
to navigate the boat, rowing, poling, and managing the sail till night
fell, when we once more moored to a great tree trunk, as we had made a
practice all the way up, and slept in safety on board, with the strange
noises of the forest all around.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

SNAKES AND PUMAS.

It was a relief at last, after many days of hard work, sailing and
rowing and poling over the shallows by means of the light bamboos we cut
upon the banks, to find that we were well above the dense, jungle-like
forest where, save in places, landing was impossible. Instead of
creeping along between the two high walls of verdure, the river ran
clear, shallow, and sparkling, among gravelly beds and rocks; while,
though the growth was abundant on banks, there were plenty of open
places full of sunshine and shadow, where flowers bloomed and birds far
brighter in colour flitted from shrub to shrub, or darted in flocks
among the trees.