“And you think that in some remote part of Brazil a living specimen of such an animal may be found?” demanded Mr. Chadwick, the only one of the party able to find words at the moment in the face of the professor’s astounding statements.
“I do not dink idt, I know idt,” declared the little man earnestly. “I do nodt know if I can secure a specimen. Even proof vill be pedder dan nuddings. But dot der Megatherium still lives undt roams der forest, I pelief as I pelief dot vee are here.”
“And where do you expect to find such an animal?” inquired Mr. Chadwick.
“Anyvere towardt der headvaters of der Amazon among der foothills off der Andes. If idt exists idt exists somevere in dot locality.”
“But the specimen you spoke of was found in Patagonia,” objected Jack. “Egzacly. Undt following Moreno’s death a secredt expedition vos sendt to obtain, if possible, a living specimen or proof dot der Megatherium existed. Dey were absent two years. Dere fundts hadt giffen oudt. Budt dey brought back data undt accounts giffen by Indians dot showed dot if der Megatherium existed, idt vos somevere in der solitudes of der upper Amazon. Undt now you know my mission undt vy I vant to charter your ship. Vot do you say?”
[CHAPTER XVIII.]
IN THE JUNGLE.
From the first mention of the Megatherium, the party had become inoculated with a feverish desire to plunge into the adventurous channels the professor’s narrative appeared to open. But the matter involved was far too weighty to be decided in a moment. An hour or more of earnest discussion followed, until at last Captain Sprowl, throwing off all pretense of reserve, said:
“I’m frank to say that I’m for it. It’s two thousand miles from here to the foothills of the Andes on a rough calculation. You kin fly fifty miles an hour, kain’t you?”
“Easily,” was Jack’s reply, “but we can do better if the wind is with us and we develop full power,—say sixty-five.”