“Yes, sir, I know you did,” was the reply.
“But where are we? What place is this?”
“This here’s the river I wanted to bring you to, sir.”
“But it does not run into the Paraguay, it runs out.”
“Yes, sir, it do. It’s a way it has. It’s a curious place, as you’ll say before we’ve done.”
“But it seems impossible. How can it run like this?”
“Dunno, sir. Natur’ made it, not me. I’ve never been up it very far, but it strikes me it’s something to do with the big waterworks higher up the big river.”
“Waterworks! Why, surely—”
“Natur’s waterworks, sir, not man’s; the big falls many miles to the north.”
Rob and Joe exchanged glances.