“In that case we had better be careful. We don’t want to be chewed up. Let us rest here in the open for a bit and see if he comes this way.”
This was agreed to, and sitting on a rock they waited, each with his gun ready for use. Quarter of an hour slipped by, which seemed much longer to both boys. Then came a howling from the direction of the river.
“Those rascally monkeys are coming back!” exclaimed Mark. “I hope they don’t come this way. We might have lots of trouble with them if they got to throwing stones at us.”
“Oh, we can give them a shot or two if they do that.”
“They seem to be having quite a time of it along the river. By ginger! do you think they’d bother our canoe?”
“Perhaps so! Let’s go down and see if the boat is safe!”
Much alarmed the two boys caught up the birds they had shot and started down the hill on the back trail. The road was plain so there was no danger of getting lost. Mark ran ahead and was the first to catch sight of the Orinoco at the spot where they had left their craft.
The sight that met his gaze filled him with dismay. The shore was lined with howling monkeys who filled the air with their noise. Out in the stream were a score of the creatures on the canoe, howling with equal vigor. The paddles to the craft had been dropped overboard and the canoe was floating at the mercy of the wind and current.
CHAPTER XXIX
LOST ON THE ORINOCO
“Well did you ever see such impudent beggars!” cried Mark, as Frank reached his side. “If they haven’t gone and taken possession of our canoe!”