“Accident?” said Morny. “Why, what accident could happen?”
“Out of sight, sir, out of mind; and that aren’t a French proverb, but you might like to turn it into one as your countrymen could use. They might forget, sir, as we are here.”
Well rested, in high spirits, and with a good breakfast waiting, the morning meal was eaten with the greatest of gusto, while to every one the expedition wore more and more the appearance of a delightful holiday.
There was an exception, though, and that was in the person of the Spanish captain, who looked grim and sombre, and ate little, but smoked a great deal.
Just as the tent was being struck and a clearance being made of the remains of the breakfast, Rodd suddenly called out—
“There they are again!” And he called attention to the two nearly nude blacks, who were creeping along the edge of the bank opposite to them in their canoe.
“Why, they are watching us,” said Uncle Paul.
“Hungry,” said the Spanish skipper laconically.
“Yes, that’s it,” cried Rodd, and after a glance at his uncle he tore down a wild banana leaf, turned it into a natural green dish, heaped upon it some of the remains of the breakfast, and carried it a short distance along the bank, where he placed it close to the water’s edge, signed to the blacks, and then joined his companions, who were about to enter the boat.
Very soon afterwards they were gliding along the stream again, after the sailors, by Uncle Paul’s orders, had carefully extinguished the remains of the fire.