"Through the wind-screen," said Will, not turning his head. "No harm done. I'll make it fifteen."
The hydroplane swept round the first "twist" in the stream, and passed from the sight of the look-out. Another shot rang out, and half-a-minute later two more.
"A waste of ammunition," said Will, smiling.
"Stop, señor!" cried Machado in terror, from his place in the bottom. "We shall all be killed. His Excellency will be shot."
"Hold your tongue," growled Ruggles, "or we'll set you and his Excellency up as targets."
From some spot down-stream came the crack of another rifle, and then a second. Half-a-minute later there seemed to be an echo from a point still lower, and Azito declared that he heard two more shots even farther away.
"They're signals," said Ruggles. "Confound 'em, why are they so careful?"
"I daren't go any faster yet," said Will. "The stream's too narrow. We shall get to the tributary directly, and then I'll make her go."
A few minutes brought them to the broader stream. Then Will opened the throttle further, increasing the speed to twenty miles an hour. More shots sounded faintly in several directions. Ruggles turned his head and glanced up-stream.
"There's a canoe after us," he cried. "Indians paddling like mad, and half-a-dozen fellows with rifles."