“Well, no, sir, because before night we shall have made a big run right into the country you want to see, without tiring my lads, and I want to save them up. But there’s no stopping to-day for collecting.”
“But shall we be able to land somewhere?”
“Hope so, sir. If we can’t we shall have to go on. But you leave it to me, sir, and I’ll do my best. Don’t talk to me now, because I’ve got to steer and look out against an upset, and, as you know, bathing ain’t pleasant in these waters.”
Brazier looked uneasy, and went and sat down in the stern, to become absorbed soon after in the beauty of the scene as they raced down the silvery flashing river, while Joe, who was near him, appeared to be looking at the birds and wondrous butterflies which flapped across from shore to shore, but really seeing nothing but one of a company of monkeys, which, after the fashion of their kind, were trying to keep pace with the boat by bounding and swinging themselves from tree to tree along the shore.
That seemed to the young Italian’s disordered imagination, blurred, as it were, by rankling anger, like the monkey to which his companion had compared him, and his annoyance grew hotter, not only against Rob, but against himself for refusing to shake hands and once more be friends.
Meanwhile Rob stayed in the fore-part of the boat talking to Shaddy, who stood on one of the thwarts, so as to get a better view of the river ahead over the cabin roof, and kept on making an observation to the boy from time to time.
“Easy travelling this, my lad, only a bit too fast.”
“Oh, I don’t know; it’s very delightful,” said Rob.
“Glad you like it, my lad; but I wish Mr Jovanni wouldn’t sit on the starn like that. He ought to know better. Least touch, and over he’d go.”
“Look: what’s that, Shaddy?” cried Rob, pointing to a black-looking animal standing knee-deep in water staring at them as they passed.