more up
here."

Jumbo understood his master, and was proceeding to execute his orders,
when we heard my uncle's voice shouting to us to return, in tones which
showed that he had good reason for doing so. Making our way through the
tangled forest, we soon reached the camp, where we found every one
astir, our mosquito-curtains and sleeping-rugs packed up, and the men
busy loading the boat.

"Jump on board, and I'll tell you all about it afterwards," said my
uncle.

We obeyed him, Jumbo leaping in after us; when the men, shoving the boat
off with their poles, began to paddle rapidly across the lake.

"I will now tell you the reason why I was in a hurry to be off," said my
uncle. "One of our crew, Choco, a quick-witted fellow, going to the
further end of yonder point, observed a canoe with several Indians in
her coming along the canal. As soon as they saw him, they paddled back
at a rapid rate; but he was convinced that the canoe was one of several
in pursuit of us, and that the Indians have gone back to summon their
companions, believing that they will find us sitting at breakfast. He
may have been mistaken; but discretion is the better part of valour, and
though we might beat them off, it would be unwise to run the risk of a
fight when it can be avoided."

"You are a wise man, Mr Concannan," observed the doctor. "Why should
people spend their lives in fighting, when they would be so much happier
living at peace with each other? It appears to me that the world is
full of great fools, and that they are its rulers."

"I hope you don't include us in the category?" said my uncle. "If one
set of people will attack another, what are the peaceably disposed to
do?"

"They must fight to defend themselves, I own," answered the doctor; "and
that proves to me that the fools rule the world, for they compel the
wise, who must of necessity love peace, to go to war. The world will
never be at rest till not only the great majority, but the whole have
become wise; and as I never expect to see that, I believe it will
continue to the end the same troublous, unhappy world it is."

The doctor, I thought, took matters very coolly.

I very frequently looked out astern, expecting to see a fleet of canoes
full of Indian warriors emerging from the canal; but as none appeared, I
began to suppose that Senor Choco had made a mistake.

We had still another narrow passage or canal to pass through before we
could enter the main branc