“Big water” said Jack puzzled. “Does he mean the sea?”
“No — I know what it is — it’s a waterfall!” said Mike. “Hark! It sounds like thunder, but it’s really water tumbling down the mountain-side not far off. Come on — I bet I’m right.”
The little company pressed on, following their new guide. The noise grew louder. It really did sound like thunder, but was more musical. The echoes went rolling round the valley, and now and again the noise seemed to get inside the children’s heads in a queer manner. They shook their heads to get it out! It was funny.
And then they suddenly saw the waterfall! It was simply magnificent. It fell almost straight down the steep mountain-side with a tremendous noise. Spray rose high into the air, and hung like a mist over the fall. The children could feel its wetness on their faces now and again from where they stood, awed and silent at the sight of such a wonderful fall of water.
“My goodness!” said Peggy, full of astonishment and delight. “No wonder it makes such a noise! It’s a marvellous waterfall. It’s coming from the inside of the mountain!”
“Yes — it is,” said Mike, shading his eyes and looking upwards. “There must be an underground river that wanders through the mountain and comes out at that steep place. Golly! How are we going to get by?”
It was very difficult. They had to go a good way out of their path. The waterfall made a surging, violent river at its foot, that shouted and tumbled its way down the valley, and joined the hidden river down which they had come not long before.
Mafumu was not to be beaten by a waterfall! He made his way alongside the surging water until he came to a shallow part, where big boulders stuck up all the way across.
“Hurryup, hurryup,” he said, pointing to the stones. “We go there, hurryup.”
“I believe we could get across there,” said Ranni. “The stones are almost like stepping-stones. I will carry Nora across, and then Peggy — and you take Paul, Pilescu. The boys can manage themselves.”