“No,” said Brazier sadly. “In one hour we lost our young companion and my first collection; in one minute I was hopelessly lost; and now this morning all my second collection has been swept away. As you say, Naylor, we do not know what a couple of days may bring forth.”
“No, sir,” replied the old sailor; “and there’s plenty of time yet. Every day brings its own trouble.”
“Yes,” said Brazier solemnly; “and every morning brings with it fresh hope.”
“Hope!” thought Rob; “hope, shut up here in the middle of this waste of water—in this tree, with a little food, a wild beast, and that horrible serpent looking as if it is waiting to snatch us all away one by one. How can a fellow hope?”
It was a time to think about home and the chances of ever getting back in safety, and Rob found it impossible to help wishing himself on board the great river boat as the evening drew near. At last, after standing up to talk to the puma, which accepted his caresses as if they were comforting in such a time of peril, the question arose as to how they would settle themselves for the night.
“I needn’t say one of us must keep watch,” said Brazier sadly, “for I suppose that no one will wish to sleep.”
“Couldn’t if we wanted to,” said Rob, in rather an ill-used tone; and Shaddy chuckled.
“Oh, I don’t know, Mr Rob, sir. Nice elevated sort o’ bedroom, with a good view. Plenty o’ room for swinging hammocks if we’d got any to swing. There, cheer up, my lad,—there’s worse disasters at sea; and our worst troubles have come right at last.”
Rob looked at him reproachfully, for he was thinking of Giovanni being snatched away from them, and then of the loss of the boat.
Brazier read his face, and held out his hand, which Rob eagerly grasped.