"Do not fear; we have found acquaintances."
"It is time something of the kind was discovered," Jake said in a tone of relief. "I was beginning to think we should never meet one again."
"They looked like Indians," Teddy said doubtfully, and Neal added:
"I fancy we can take Cummings' word for it. Here they are, and it will soon be possible to know why they were so foolish as to come into this part of the country where wild beasts are not the least of the dangers to be encountered."
The strangers appeared, escorted by Poyor and the white man, and the latter said as they came into the opening selected as a halting place:
"These are acquaintances of ours from Merida, who have visited this section of the country in search of bird skins, which find a ready sale among your people. They have a canoe, and report that a dozen miles below here the stream widens until it can be navigated by reasonably large crafts."
"Since we haven't so much as the smallest kind of a boat I can't see how that information will be of any use to us," Neal replied laughingly.
"It won't take long for me to explain. I propose to hire them to carry us to the sea-shore, and thus save just so much labor of traveling on foot."
"Is their canoe large enough?"
"It will carry a dozen."