The night came down dark and beautiful; the great purple velvet arch that spread from side to side of the river was gloriously spangled with stars, for in the day’s ascent the little party seemed to have left the river mists behind, and as they sat together the doctor and his young companions revelled in the loveliness of the scene, while they listened to the strange sounds from forest and river which constantly smote upon their ears and now seemed wondrously near.
“It seems very different,” whispered Rodd to Morny, for something preyed upon his spirits and stayed him from speaking aloud.
“Yes,” said Morny, in the same subdued tone; “it is very different from being aboard the vessels. I shan’t go to sleep to-night; shall you?”
“No. Who could go to sleep? Why, as soon as one lay down I should expect to see the great slimy snout of a crocodile thrust over the boat’s gunwale, and then—”
“I say,” said Morny, “don’t!”
But nothing worse than sounds troubled the party that night, as not long after this conversation the two lads obeyed the doctor’s suggestion that they should creep under the awning, whose canvas sides were tightly belayed to the gunwale; and though both declared that they would never close their eyes, they and the watches into which the little crew was divided followed the Spanish skipper’s example, and in turn slept heavily till sunrise, the great orange globe slowly rolling up over the edge of the forest and shining brilliantly down upon the glittering river, for as over-night there was not a sign of mist.
About half the day passed with plenty of favouring gales to help the boat along, and spare the men’s arms, and Rodd commented on this to their guide.
“Wait a bit,” he said. “A little farther on, and we shall turn into one of the little rivers where the high trees are close together at the sides. There won’t be much wind there, and the men will have to row.”
Everything was as he said, for as they passed out of the main stream the banks were but a little way apart, and in place of the full flow of the great river the stream grew sluggish; but everything being so close at hand the beauties of the forest became far enhanced.
“You said rivers,” said the doctor suddenly. “Are there more than this one?”