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diff --git a/45974-0.txt b/45974-0.txt index 24afd5d..f517cdc 100644 --- a/45974-0.txt +++ b/45974-0.txt @@ -1,30 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Ken Ward in the Jungle, by Zane Grey - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: Ken Ward in the Jungle -Author: Zane Grey -Release Date: June 14, 2014 [EBook #45974] -Language: English -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - - -[Illustration: THE JAGUAR OPENED HIS JAWS THREATENINGLY (see page 182)] - - - - - KEN WARD - IN THE JUNGLE - - - BY - - ZANE GREY - - AUTHOR OF - THE YOUNG FORESTER, - THE YOUNG PITCHER, - THE YOUNG LION HUNTER, - THE U. P. TRAIL, ETC. - - - - ILLUSTRATED - - - - NEW YORK - GROSSET & DUNLAP - PUBLISHERS - - Published by Arrangement with Harper & Brothers - Made in the United States of America - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1912, BY HARPER & BROTHERS - - PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - - - *CONTENTS* - -CHAP. - - I. The Prize - II. The Home of the Tarpon - III. An Indian Boatman - IV. At the Jungle River - V. The First Camp - VI. Wilderness Life - VII. Running the Rapids - VIII. The First Tiger-cat - IX. In the White Water - X. Lost! - XI. An Army of Snakes - XII. Catching Strange Fish - XIII. A Turkey-Hunt - XIV. A Fight with a Jaguar - XV. The Vicious Garrapatoes - XVI. Field Work of a Naturalist - XVII. A Mixed-up Tiger-hunt - XVIII. Watching a Runway - XIX. Adventures with Crocodiles - XX. Treed by Wild Pigs - XXI. The Leaping Tarpon - XXII. Stricken Down - XXIII. Out of the Jungle - - - - - *KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE* - - - - *I* - - *THE PRIZE* - - -"What a change from the Arizona desert!" - -The words broke from the lips of Ken Ward as he leaned from the window -of the train which was bearing his brother and himself over the plateau -to Tampico in Tamaulipas, the southeastern state of Mexico. He had -caught sight of a river leaping out between heavily wooded slopes and -plunging down in the most beautiful waterfall he had ever seen. - -"Look, Hal," he cried. - -The first fall was a long white streak, ending in a dark pool; below -came cascade after cascade, fall after fall, some wide, others narrow, -and all white and green against the yellow rock. Then the train curved -round a spur of the mountain, descended to a level, to be lost in a -luxuriance of jungle growth. - -It was indeed a change for Ken Ward, young forester, pitcher of the -varsity nine at school, and hunter of lions in the Arizona caons. Here -he was entering the jungle of the tropics. The rifles and the camp -outfit on the seat beside his brother Hal and himself spoke of coming -adventures. Before them lay an unknown wilderness--the semi-tropical -jungle. And the future was to show that the mystery of the jungle was -stranger even than their imaginings. - -It was not love of adventure alone or interest in the strange new forest -growths that had drawn Ken to the jungle. His uncle, the one who had -gotten Ken letters from the Forestry Department at Washington, had been -proud of Ken's Arizona achievements. This uncle was a member of the -American Geographical Society and a fellow of the New York Museum of -Natural History. He wanted Ken to try his hand at field work in the -jungle of Mexico, and if that was successful, then to explore the ruined -cities of wild Yucatan. If Ken made good as an explorer his reward was -to be a trip to Equatorial Africa after big game. And of course that -trip meant opportunity to see England and France, and, what meant more -to Ken, a chance to see the great forests of Germany, where forestry had -been carried on for three hundred years. - -In spite of the fact that the inducement was irresistible, and that -Ken's father was as proud and eager as Ken's uncle to have him make a -name for himself, and that Hal would be allowed to go with him, Ken had -hesitated. There was the responsibility for Hal and the absolute -certainty that Hal could not keep out of mischief. Still Ken simply -could not have gone to Mexico leaving his brother at home -broken-hearted. - -At last the thing had been decided. It was Hal's ambition to be a -naturalist and to collect specimens, and the uncle had held out possible -recognition from the Smithsonian Institution at Washington. Perhaps he -might find a new variety of some animal to which the scientists would -attach his name. Then the lad was passionately eager to see Ken win -that trip to Africa. There had been much study of maps and books of -travel, science, and natural history. There had been the most careful -instruction and equipment for semi-tropical camp life. The uncle had -given Ken valuable lessons in map-drawing, in estimating distance and -topography, and he had indicated any one of several rivers in the jungle -belt of Mexico. Traversing one hundred miles of unknown jungle river, -with intelligent observation and accurate reports, would win the prize -for Ken Ward. Now the race was on. Would Ken win? - -Presently the train crossed a bridge. Ken Ward had a brief glance at -clear green water, at great cypress-trees, gray and graceful with long, -silvery, waving moss, and at the tangled, colorful banks. A water-fowl -black as coal, with white-crested wings, skimmed the water in swift wild -flight, to disappear up the shady river-lane. Then the train clattered -on, and, a mile or more beyond the bridge, stopped at a station called -Valles. In the distance could be seen the thatched palm-leaf huts and -red-tiled roofs of a hamlet. - -The boys got out to stretch their legs. The warm, sweet, balmy air was -a new and novel thing to them. They strolled up and down the gravel -walk, watching the natives. Hal said he rather liked the looks of their -brown bare feet and the thin cotton trousers and shirts, but he fancied -the enormous sombreros were too heavy and unwieldy. Ken spoke to -several pleasant-faced Mexicans, each of whom replied: "No sabe, Seor." - -The ticket agent at the station was an American, and from the way he -smiled and spoke Ken knew he was more than glad to see one of his own -kind. So, after Ken had replied to many questions about the States, he -began to ask some of his own. - -"What's the name of the waterfall we passed?" - -"Micas Falls," replied the agent. - -"And the river?" - -"It's called the Santa Rosa." - -"Where does it go?" - -The agent did not know, except that it disappeared in the jungle. -Southward the country was wild. The villages were few and all along the -railroad; and at Valles the river swung away to the southwest. - -"But it must flow into the Panuco River," said Ken. He had studied maps -of Mexico and had learned all that it was possible to learn before he -undertook the journey. - -"Why, yes, it must find the Panuco somewhere down over the mountain," -answered the agent. - -"Then there are rapids in this little river?" asked Ken, in growing -interest. - -"Well, I guess. It's all rapids." - -"How far to Tampico by rail?" went on Ken. - -"Something over a hundred miles." - -"Any game in the jungle hereabouts--or along the Santa Rosa?" continued -Ken. - -The man laughed, and laughed in such a way that Ken did not need his -assertion that it was not safe to go into the jungle. - -Whereupon Ken Ward became so thoughtful that he did not hear the talk -that followed between the agent and Hal. The engine bell roused him -into action, and with Hal he hurried back to their seats. And then the -train sped on. But the beauty of Micas Falls and the wildness of the -Santa Rosa remained with Ken. Where did that river go? How many -waterfalls and rapids did it have? What teeming life must be along its -rich banks! It haunted Ken. He wanted to learn the mystery of the -jungle. There was the same longing which had gotten him into the wild -adventures in Penetier Forest and the Grand Caon country of Arizona. -And all at once flashed over him the thought that here was the jungle -river for him to explore. - -"Why, that's the very thing," he said, thinking aloud. - -"What's wrong with you," asked Hal, "talking to yourself that way?" - -Ken did not explain. The train clattered between green walls of jungle, -and occasionally stopped at a station. But the thought of the jungle -haunted him until the train arrived at Tampico. - -Ken had the name of an American hotel, and that was all he knew about -Tampico. The station was crowded with natives. Man after man accosted -the boys, jabbering excitedly in Mexican. Some of these showed brass -badges bearing a number and the word _Cargodore_. - -"Hal, I believe these fellows are porters or baggage-men," said Ken. -And he showed his trunk check to one of them. The fellow jerked it out -of Ken's hand and ran off. The boys ran after him. They were relieved -to see him enter a shed full of baggage. And they were amazed to see -him kneel down and take their trunk on his back. It was a big trunk and -heavy. The man was small and light. - -"It 'll smash him!" cried Hal. - -But the little _cargodore_ walked off with the trunk on his back. Then -Ken and Hal saw other _cargodores_ packing trunks. The boys kept close -to their man and used their eyes with exceeding interest. The sun was -setting, and the square, colored buildings looked as if they were in a -picture of Spain. - -"Look at the boats--canoes!" cried Hal, as they crossed a canal. - -Ken saw long narrow canoes that had been hollowed out from straight -tree-trunks. They were of every size, and some of the paddles were -enormous. Crowds of natives were jabbering and jostling each other at a -rude wharf. - -"Look back," called Hal, who seemed to have a hundred eyes. - -Ken saw a wide, beautiful river, shining red in the sunset. Palm-trees -on the distant shore showed black against the horizon. - -"Hal, that's the Panuco. What a river!" - -"Makes the Susquehanna look like a creek," was Hal's comment. - -The _cargodore_ led the boys through a plaza, down a narrow street to -the hotel. Here they were made to feel at home. The proprietor was a -kindly American. The hotel was crowded, and many of the guests were -Englishmen there for the tarpon-fishing, with sportsmen from the States, -and settlers coming in to take up new lands. It was pleasant for Ken -and Hal to hear their own language once more. After dinner they sallied -forth to see the town. But the narrow dark streets and the blanketed -natives stealing silently along were not particularly inviting. The -boys got no farther than the plaza, where they sat down on a bench. It -was wholly different from any American town. Ken suspected that Hal was -getting homesick, for the boy was quiet and inactive. - -"I don't like this place," said Hal. "What 'd you ever want to drag me -way down here for?" - -"Humph! drag you? Say, you pestered the life out of me, and bothered -Dad till he was mad, and worried mother sick to let you come on this -trip." - -Hal hung his head. - -"Now, you're not going to show a streak of yellow?" asked Ken. He knew -how to stir his brother. - -Hal rose to the attack and scornfully repudiated the insinuation. Ken -replied that they were in a new country and must not reach conclusions -too hastily. - -"I liked it back up there at the little village where we saw the green -river and the big trees with the gray streamers on them," said Hal. - -"Well, I liked that myself," rejoined Ken. "I'd like to go back there -and put a boat in the river and come all the way here." - -Ken had almost unconsciously expressed the thought that had been forming -in his mind. Hal turned slowly and looked at his brother. - -"Ken, that 'd be great--that's what we came for!" - -"I should say so," replied Ken. - -"Well?" asked Hal, simply. - -That question annoyed Ken. Had he not come south to go into the jungle? -Had he come with any intention of shirking the danger of a wild trip? -There was a subtle flattery in Hal's question. - -"That Santa Rosa River runs through the jungle," went on Hal. "It flows -into the Panuco somewhere. You know we figured out on the map that the -Panuco's the only big river in this jungle. That's all we want to know. -And, Ken, you know you're a born boatman. Why, look at the rapids we've -shot on the Susquehanna. Remember that trip we came down the Juniata? -The water was high, too. Ken, you can take a boat down that Santa -Rosa!" - -"By George! I believe I can," exclaimed Ken, and he thrilled at the -thought. - -"Ken, let's go. You'll win the prize, and I'll get specimens. Think -what we'd have to tell Jim Williams and Dick Leslie when we go West next -summer!" - -"Oh, Hal, I know--but this idea of a trip seems too wild." - -"Maybe it wouldn't be so wild." - -In all fairness Ken could not deny this, so he kept silent. - -"Ken, listen," went on Hal, and now he was quite cool. "If we'd -promised the Governor not to take a wild trip I wouldn't say another -word. But we're absolutely free." - -"That's why we ought to be more careful. Dad trusts me." - -"He trusts you because he knows you can take care of yourself, and me, -too. You're a wonder, Ken. Why, if you once made up your mind, you'd -make that Santa Rosa River look like a canal." - -Ken began to fear that he would not be proof against the haunting call -of that jungle river and the flattering persuasion of his brother and -the ever-present ambition to show his uncle what he could do. - -"Hal, if I didn't have you with me I'd already have made up my mind to -tackle this river." - -That appeared to insult Hal. - -"All I've got to say is I'd be a help to you--not a drag," he said, with -some warmth. - -"You're always a help, Hal. I can't say anything against your -willingness. But you know your weakness. By George! you made trouble -enough for me in Arizona. On a trip such as this you'd drive me crazy." - -"Ken, I won't make any rash promises. I don't want to queer myself with -you. But I'm all right." - -"Look here, Hal; let's wait. We've only got to Tampico. Maybe such a -trip is impracticable--impossible. Let's find out more about the -country." - -Hal appeared to take this in good spirit. The boys returned to the hotel -and went to bed. Hal promptly fell asleep. But Ken Ward lay awake a -long time thinking of the green Santa Rosa, with its magnificent -moss-festooned cypresses. And when he did go to sleep it was to dream -of the beautiful waterfowl with the white-crested wings, and he was -following it on its wild flight down the dark, mysterious river-trail -into the jungle. - - - - - *II* - - *THE HOME OF THE TARPON* - - -Hal's homesickness might never have been in evidence at all, to judge -from the way the boy, awakening at dawn, began to talk about the Santa -Rosa trip. - -"Well," said Ken, as he rolled out of bed, "I guess we're in for it." - -"Ken, will we go?" asked Hal, eagerly. - -"I'm on the fence." - -"But you're leaning on the jungle side?" - -"Yes, kid--I'm slipping." - -Hal opened his lips to let out a regular Hiram Bent yell, when Ken -clapped a hand over his mouth. - -"Hold on--we're in the hotel yet." - -It took the brothers long to dress, because they could not keep away -from the window. The sun was rising in rosy glory over misty lagoons. -Clouds of creamy mist rolled above the broad Panuco. Wild ducks were -flying low. The tiled roofs of the stone houses gleamed brightly, and -the palm-trees glistened with dew. The soft breeze that blew in was -warm, sweet, and fragrant. - -After breakfast the boys went out to the front and found the hotel lobby -full of fishermen and their native boatmen. It was an interesting -sight, as well as a surprise, for Ken and Hal did not know that Tampico -was as famous for fishing as it was for hunting. The huge rods and -reels amazed them. - -"What kind of fish do these fellows fish for?" asked Hal. - -Ken was well enough acquainted with sport to know something about -tarpon, but he had never seen one of the great silver fish. And he was -speechless when Hal led him into a room upon the walls of which were -mounted specimens of tarpon from six to seven feet in length and half as -wide as a door. - -"Say, Ken! We've come to the right place. Those fishermen are all -going out to fish for such whales as these here." - -"Hal, we never saw a big fish before," said Ken. "And before we leave -Tampico we'll know what it means to hook tarpon." - -"I'm with you," replied Hal, gazing doubtfully and wonderingly at a fish -almost twice as big as himself. - -Then Ken, being a practical student of fishing, as of other kinds of -sport, began to stroll round the lobby with an intent to learn. He -closely scrutinized the tackle. And he found that the bait used was a -white mullet six to ten inches long, a little fish which resembled the -chub. Ken did not like the long, cruel gaff which seemed a necessary -adjunct to each outfit of tackle, and he vowed that in his fishing for -tarpon he would dispense with it. - -Ken was not backward about asking questions, and he learned that -Tampico, during the winter months, was a rendezvous for sportsmen from -all over the world. For the most part, they came to catch the leaping -tarpon; the shooting along the Panuco, however, was as well worth while -as the fishing. But Ken could not learn anything about the Santa Rosa -River. The _tierra caliente_, or hot belt, along the curve of the Gulf -was intersected by small streams, many of them unknown and unnamed. The -Panuco swung round to the west and had its source somewhere up in the -mountains. Ken decided that the Santa Rosa was one of its headwaters. -Valles lay up on the first swell of higher ground, and was distant from -Tampico some six hours by train. So, reckoning with the meandering -course of jungle streams, Ken calculated he would have something like -one hundred and seventy-five miles to travel by water from Valles to -Tampico. There were Indian huts strung along the Panuco River, and fifty -miles inland a village named Panuco. What lay between Panuco and -Valles, up over the wild steppes of that jungle, Ken Ward could only -conjecture. - -Presently he came upon Hal in conversation with an American boy, who at -once volunteered to show them around. So they set out, and were soon -becoming well acquainted. Their guide said he was from Kansas; had been -working in the railroad offices for two years; and was now taking a -vacation. His name was George Alling. Under his guidance the boys spent -several interesting hours going about the city. During this walk Hal -showed his first tendency to revert to his natural bent of mind. Not -for long could Hal Ward exist without making trouble for something. In -this case it was buzzards, of which the streets of Tampico were full. -In fact, George explained, the buzzards were the only street-cleaning -department in the town. They were as tame as tame turkeys, and Hal -could not resist the desire to chase them. And he could be made to stop -only after a white-helmeted officer had threatened him. George -explained further that although Tampico had no game-laws it protected -these buzzard-scavengers of the streets. - -The market-house at the canal wharf was one place where Ken thought Hal -would forget himself in the bustle and din and color. All was so strange -and new. Indeed, for a time Hal appeared to be absorbed in his -surroundings, but when he came to a stall where a man had parrots and -racoons and small deer, and three little yellow, black-spotted -tiger-cats, as George called them, then once more Ken had to take Hal in -tow. Outside along the wharf were moored a hundred or more canoes of -manifold variety. All had been hewn from solid tree-trunks. Some were -long, slender, graceful, pretty to look at, and easy to handle in -shallow lagoons, but Ken thought them too heavy and cumbersome for fast -water. Happening just then to remember Micas Falls, Ken had a momentary -chill and a check to his enthusiasm for the jungle trip. What if he -encountered, in coming down the Santa Rosa, some such series of cascades -as those which made Micas Falls! - -It was about noon when George led the boys out to the banks of the broad -Panuco. Both Hal and Ken were suffering from the heat. They had removed -their coats, and were now very glad to rest in the shade. - -"This is a nice cool day," said George, and he looked cool. - -"We've got on our heavy clothes, and this tropic sun is new to us," -replied Ken. "Say, Hal--" - -A crash in the water near the shore interrupted Ken. - -"Was that a rhinoceros?" inquired Hal. - -"Savalo," said George. - -"What's that?" - -"Silver king. A tarpon. Look around and you'll see one break water. -There are some fishermen trolling down-stream. Watch. Maybe one will -hook a fish presently. Then you'll see some jumping." - -It was cool in the shade, as the brothers soon discovered, and they -spent a delightful hour watching the river and the wild fowl and the -tarpon. Ken and Hal were always lucky. Things happened for their -benefit and pleasure. Not only did they see many tarpon swirl like bars -of silver on the water, but a fisherman hooked one of the great fish not -fifty yards from where the boys sat. And they held their breath, and -with starting eyes watched the marvelous leaps and dashes of the tarpon -till, as he shot up in a last mighty effort, wagging his head, slapping -his huge gills, and flinging the hook like a bullet, he plunged back -free. - -"Nine out of ten get away," remarked George. - -"Did you ever catch one?" asked Hal. - -"Sure." - -"Hal, I've got to have some of this fishing," said Ken. "But if we -start at it now--would we ever get that jungle trip?" - -"Oh, Ken, you've made up your mind to go!" exclaimed Hal, in glee. - -"No, I haven't," protested Ken. - -"Yes, you have," declared Hal. "I know you." And the whoop that he had -suppressed in the hotel he now let out with good measure. - -Naturally George was interested, and at his inquiry Ken told him the -idea for the Santa Rosa trip. - -"Take me along," said George. There was a note of American spirit in -his voice, a laugh on his lips, and a flash in his eyes that made Ken -look at him attentively. He was a slim youth, not much Hal's senior, -and Ken thought if ever a boy had been fashioned to be a boon comrade of -Hal Ward this George Alling was the boy. - -"What do you think of the trip?" inquired Ken, curiously. - -"Fine. We'll have some fun. We'll get a boat and a mozo--" - -"What's a mozo?" - -"A native boatman." - -"That's a good idea. I hadn't thought of a boatman to help row. But -the boat is the particular thing. I wouldn't risk a trip in one of -those canoes." - -"Come on, I'll find a boat," said George. - -And before he knew it George and Hal were leading him back from the -river. George led him down narrow lanes, between painted stone houses -and iron-barred windows, till they reached the canal. They entered a -yard where buzzards, goats, and razor-back pigs were contesting over the -scavenger rights. George went into a boat-house and pointed out a long, -light, wide skiff with a flat bottom. Ken did not need George's praise, -or the shining light in Hal's eyes, or the boat-keeper's importunities -to make him eager to try this particular boat. Ken Ward knew a boat -when he saw one. He jumped in, shoved it out, rowed up the canal, -pulled and turned, backed water, and tried every stroke he knew. Then -he rested on the oars and whistled. Hal's shout of delight made him -stop whistling. Those two boys would have him started on the trip if he -did not look sharp. - -"It's a dandy boat," said Ken. - -"Only a peso a day, Ken," went on Hal. "One dollar Mex--fifty cents in -our money. Quick, Ken, hire it before somebody else gets it." - -"Sure I'll hire the boat," replied Ken; "but Hal, it's not for that -Santa Rosa trip. We'll have to forget that." - -"Forget your grandmother!" cried Hal. And then it was plain that he -tried valiantly to control himself, to hide his joy, to pretend to agree -with Ken's ultimatum. - -Ken had a feeling that his brother knew him perfectly, and he was -divided between anger and amusement. They returned to the hotel and -lounged in the lobby. The proprietor was talking with some Americans, -and as he now appeared to be at leisure he introduced the brothers and -made himself agreeable. Moreover, he knew George Alling well. They -began to chat, and Ken was considerably annoyed to hear George calmly -state that he and his new-found friends intended to send a boat up to -Valles and come down an unknown jungle river. - -The proprietor laughed, and, though the laugh was not unpleasant, -somehow it nettled Ken Ward. - -"Why not go?" he asked, quietly, and he looked at the hotel man. - -"My boy, you can't undertake any trip like that." - -"Why not?" persisted Ken. "Is there any law here to prevent our going -into the jungle?" - -"There's no law. No one could stop you. But, my lad, what's the sense -of taking such a fool trip? The river here is full of tarpon right now. -There are millions of ducks and geese on the lagoons. You can shoot -deer and wild turkey right on the edge of town. If you want tiger and -javelin, go out to one of the ranches where they have dogs to hunt with, -where you'll have a chance for your life. These tigers and boars will -kill a man. There's all the sport any one wants right close to Tampico." - -"I don't see how all that makes a reason why we shouldn't come down the -Santa Rosa," replied Ken. "We want to explore--map the river." - -The hotel man seemed nettled in return. - -"You're only kids. It 'd be crazy to start out on that wild trip." - -It was on Ken's lips to mention a few of the adventures which he -believed justly gave him a right to have pride and confidence in his -ability. But he forbore. - -"It's a fool trip," continued the proprietor. "You don't know this -river. You don't know where you'll come out. It's wild up in that -jungle. I've hunted up at Valles, and no native I ever met would go a -mile from the village. If you take a mozo he'll get soaked with canya. -He'll stick a knife in you or run off and leave you when you most need -help. Nobody ever explored that river. It 'll likely be full of -swamps, sandbars, bogs. You'd get fever. Then the crocodiles, the -boars, the bats, the snakes, the tigers! Why, if you could face these -you'd still have the ticks--the worst of all. The ticks would drive men -crazy, let alone boys. It's no undertaking for a boy." - -The mention of all these dangers would have tipped the balance for Ken -in favor of the Santa Rosa trip, even if the hint of his callowness had -not roused his spirit. - -"Thank you. I'm sure you mean kindly," said Ken. "But I'm going to -Valles and I'll come down that jungle river." - - - - - *III* - - *AN INDIAN BOATMAN* - - -The moment the decision was made Ken felt both sorry and glad. He got -the excited boys outside away from the critical and anxious proprietor. -And Ken decided it was incumbent upon him to adopt a serious and -responsible manner, which he was far from feeling. So he tried to be as -cool as Hiram Bent, with a fatherly interest in the two wild boys who -were to accompany him down the Santa Rosa. - -"Now, George, steer us around till we find a mozo," said Ken. "Then -we'll buy an outfit and get started on this trip before you can say Jack -Robinson." - -All the mozos the boys interviewed were eager to get work; however, when -made acquainted with the nature of the trip they refused point blank. - -"Tigre!" exclaimed one. - -"Javelin!" exclaimed another. - -The big spotted jaguar of the jungle and the wild boar, or peccary, were -held in much dread by the natives. - -"These natives will climb a tree at sight of a tiger or pig," said -George. "For my part I'm afraid of the garrapatoes and the pinilius." - -"What 're they?" asked Hal. - -"Ticks--jungle ticks. Just wait till you make their acquaintance." - -Finally the boys met a _mozo_ named Pepe, who had often rowed a boat for -George. Pepe looked sadly in need of a job; still he did not ask for it. -George said that Pepe had been one of the best boatmen on the river -until _canya_, the fiery white liquor to which the natives were -addicted, had ruined his reputation. Pepe wore an old sombrero, a -cotton, shirt and sash, and ragged trousers. He was barefooted. Ken -noted the set of his muscular neck, his brawny shoulders and arms, and -appreciated the years of rowing that had developed them. But Pepe's -haggard face, deadened eyes, and listless manner gave Ken pause. Still, -Ken reflected, there was never any telling what a man might do, if -approached right. Pepe's dejection excited Ken's sympathy. So Ken -clapped him on the shoulder, and, with George acting as interpreter, -offered Pepe work for several weeks at three pesos a day. That was more -than treble the _mozo's_ wage. Pepe nearly fell off the canal bridge, -where he was sitting, and a light as warm and bright as sunshine flashed -into his face. - -"Si, Seor--Si, Seor," he began to jabber, and waved his brown hands. - -Ken suspected that Pepe needed a job and a little kind treatment. He -was sure of it when George said Pepe's wife and children were in want. -Somehow Ken conceived a liking for Pepe, and believed he could trust -him. He thought he knew how to deal with poor Pepe. So he gave him -money, told him to get a change of clothes and a pair of shoes, and come -to the hotel next day. - -"He'll spend the money for canya, and not show up to-morrow," said -George. - -"I don't know anything about your natives, but that fellow will come," -declared Ken. - -It appeared that the whole American colony in Tampico had been -acquainted with Ken Ward's project, and made a business to waylay the -boys at each corner. They called the trip a wild-goose chase. They -declared it was a dime-novel idea, and could hardly take Ken seriously. -They mingled astonishment with amusement and concern. They advised Ken -not to go, and declared they would not let him go. Over and over again -the boys were assured of the peril from ticks, bats, boars, crocodiles, -snakes, tigers, and fevers. - -"That's what I'm taking the trip for," snapped Ken, driven to -desperation by all this nagging. - -"Well, young man, I admire your nerve," concluded the hotel man. "If -you're determined to go, we can't stop you. And there's some things we -would like you to find out for us. How far do tarpon run up the Panuco -River? Do they spawn up there? How big are the new-born fish? I'll -furnish you with tackle and preserved mullet, for bait. We've always -wondered about how far tarpon go up into fresh water. Keep your eye -open for signs of oil. Also look at the timber. And be sure to make a -map of the river." - -When it came to getting the boat shipped the boys met with more -obstacles. But for the friendly offices of a Texan, an employee of the -railroad, they would never have been able to convince the native -shipping agent that a boat was merchandise. The Texan arranged the -matter and got Ken a freight bill. He took an entirely different view -of Ken's enterprise, compared with that of other Americans, and in a -cool, drawling voice, which somehow reminded Ken of Jim Williams, he -said: - -"Shore you-all will have the time of your lives. I worked at Valles for -a year. That jungle is full of game. I killed three big tigers. -You-all want to look out for those big yellow devils. One in every -three will jump for a man. There's nothing but shoot, then. And the -wild pigs are bad. They put me up a tree more than once. I don't know -much about the Santa Rosa. Its source is above Micas Falls. Never heard -where it goes. I know it's full of crocodiles and rapids. Never saw a -boat or a canoe at Valles. And say--there are big black snakes in the -jungle. Look out for them, too. Shore you-all have sport a-comin'." - -Ken thanked the Texan, and as he went on up-street, for all his sober -thoughtfulness, he was as eager as Hal or George. However, his position -as their guardian would not permit any show of extravagant enthusiasm. - -Ken bought blankets, cooking utensils, and supplies for three weeks. -There was not such a thing as a tent in Tampico. The best the boys -could get for a shelter was a long strip of canvas nine feet wide. - -"That 'll keep off the wet," said Ken, "but it won't keep out the -mosquitoes and things." - -"Couldn't keep 'em out if we had six tents," replied George. - -The remainder of that day the boys were busy packing the outfit. - -Pepe presented himself at the hotel next morning an entirely different -person. He was clean-shaven, and no longer disheveled. He wore a new -sombrero, a white cotton shirt, a red sash, and blue trousers. He -earned a small bundle, a pair of shoes, and a long _machete_. The -dignity with which he approached before all the other _mozos_ was not -lost upon Ken Ward. A sharp scrutiny satisfied him that Pepe had not -been drinking. Ken gave him several errands to do. Then he ordered the -outfit taken to the station in Pepe's charge. - -The boys went down early in the afternoon. It was the time when the -_mozos_ were returning from the day's tarpon-fishing on the river, and -they, with the _cargodores_, streamed to and fro on the platform. Pepe -was there standing guard over Ken's outfit. He had lost his fame among -his old associates, and for long had been an outsider. Here he was in -charge of a pile of fine guns, fishing-tackle, baggage, and supplies--a -collection representing a fortune to him and his simple class. He had -been trusted with it. It was under his eye. All his old associates -passed by to see him there. That was a great time for Pepe. He looked -bright, alert, and supremely happy. It would have fared ill with -thieves or loafers who would have made themselves free with any of the -articles under his watchful eye. - -The train pulled out of Tampico at five o'clock, and Hal's "We're off!" -was expressive. - -The railroad lay along the river-bank, and the broad Panuco was rippling -with the incoming tide. If Ken and Hal had not already found George to -be invaluable as a companion in this strange country they would have -discovered it then. For George could translate Pepe's talk, and explain -much that otherwise would have been dark to the brothers. Wild ducks -dotted the green surface, and spurts showed where playful _ravalo_ were -breaking water. Great green-backed tarpon rolled their silver sides -against the little waves. White cranes and blue herons stood like -statues upon the reedy bars. Low down over the opposite bank of the -river a long line of wild geese winged its way toward a shimmering -lagoon. And against the gold and crimson of the sunset sky a flight of -wild fowl stood out in bold black relief. The train crossed the Tamesi -River and began to draw away from the Panuco. On the right, wide -marshes, gleaming purple in the darkening light, led the eye far beyond -to endless pale lagoons. Birds of many kinds skimmed the weedy flats. -George pointed out a flock of aigrets, the beautiful wild fowl with the -priceless plumes. Then there was a string of pink flamingoes, tall, -grotesque, wading along with waddling stride, feeding with heads under -water. - -"Great!" exclaimed Ken Ward. - -"It's all so different from Arizona," said Hal. - -At Tamos, twelve miles out of Tampico, the train entered the jungle. -Thereafter the boys could see nothing but the impenetrable green walls -that lined the track. At dusk the train reached a station called Las -Palmas, and then began to ascend the first step of the mountain. The -ascent was steep, and, when it was accomplished, Ken looked down and -decided that step of the mountain was between two and three thousand -feet high. The moon was in its first quarter, and Ken, studying this -tropical moon, found it large, radiant, and a wonderful green-gold. It -shed a soft luminous glow down upon the sleeping, tangled web of jungle. -It was new and strange to Ken, so vastly different from barren desert or -iron-ribbed caon, and it thrilled him with nameless charm. - -The train once more entered jungle walls, and as the boys could not see -anything out of the windows they lay back in their seats and waited for -the ride to end. They were due at Valles at ten o'clock, and the -impatient Hal complained that they would never get there. At length a -sharp whistle from the engine caused Pepe to turn to the boys with a -smile. - -"Valles," he said. - -With rattle and clank the train came to a halt. Ken sent George and -Pepe out, and he and Hal hurriedly handed the luggage through the open -window. When the last piece had been passed into Pepe's big hands the -boys made a rush for the door, and jumped off as the train started. - -"Say, but it's dark," said Hal. - -As the train with its lights passed out of sight Ken found himself in -what seemed a pitchy blackness. He could not see the boys. And he felt -a little cold sinking of his heart at the thought of such black nights -on an unknown jungle river. - -IV - -AT THE JUNGLE RIVER - -Presently, as Ken's eyes became accustomed to the change, the darkness -gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of chattering natives, with wide -sombreros on their heads and blankets over their shoulders, moved round -the little stone station. Visitors were rare in Valles, as was -manifested by the curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile of luggage. - -"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for the night," said Ken to -George. - -Pepe began to question the natives, and soon was lost in the crowd. -Awhile after, as Ken was making up his mind they might have to camp on -the station platform, a queer low 'bus drawn by six little mules creaked -up. Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and began to stow the -luggage away in the 'bus. Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon -bowling along a white moonlit road. The soft voices of natives greeted -their passing. - -Valles appeared to be about a mile from the station, and as they entered -the village Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here and there a -more pretentious habitation of stone. At length the driver halted -before a rambling house, partly stone and partly thatch. There were no -lights; in fact, Ken did not see a light in the village. George told -the boys to take what luggage each could carry and follow the guide. -Inside the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The boys bumped into -things and fell over each other trying to keep close to the barefooted -and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed to a kind of loft, where the -moonlight streamed in at the open sides. - -"What do you think of this?" panted Hal, who had struggled with a heavy -load of luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to fetch up the remainder -of the outfit. Ken thought it best to stand still until he knew just -where he was. But Hal and George began moving about in the loft. It -was very large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full of objects. Hal -jostled into something which creaked and fell with a crash. Then -followed a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and a scuffling -about. - -"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely. - -"You can search me," replied Hal Ward. "One thing--I busted my shin." - -"He knocked over a bed with some one sleeping in it," said George. - -Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon soothed the injured feelings of -the native who had been so rudely disturbed. He then led the boys to -their cots, which were no more than heavy strips of canvas stretched -over tall frameworks. They appeared to be enormously high for beds. -Ken's was as high as his head, and Ken was tall for his age. - -"Say, I'll never get up into this thing," burst out Hal. "These people -must be afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why are these cots so -high?" - -"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and all that from sleeping with the -natives," answered George. "Besides, the higher you sleep in Mexico the -farther you get from creeping, crawling things." - -Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on the floor, but George's remark -had persuaded him to risk the lofty cot. It was most awkward to climb -into. Ken tried several times without success, and once he just escaped -a fall. By dint of muscle and a good vault he finally landed in the -center of his canvas. From there he listened to his more - - - - - *IV* - - *AT THE JUNGLE RIVER* - - -Presently, as Ken's eyes became accustomed to the change, the darkness -gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of chattering natives, with wide -sombreros on their heads and blankets over their shoulders, moved round -the little stone station. Visitors were rare in Valles, as was -manifested by the curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile of luggage. - -"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for the night," said Ken to -George. - -Pepe began to question the natives, and soon was lost in the crowd. -Awhile after, as Ken was making up his mind they might have to camp on -the station platform, a queer low 'bus drawn by six little mules creaked -up. Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and began to stow the -luggage away in the 'bus. Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon -bowling along a white moonlit road. The soft voices of natives greeted -their passing. - -Valles appeared to be about a mile from the station, and as they entered -the village Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here and there a -more pretentious habitation of stone. At length the driver halted -before a rambling house, partly stone and partly thatch. There were no -lights; in fact, Ken did not see a light in the village. George told -the boys to take what luggage each could carry and follow the guide. -Inside the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The boys bumped into -things and fell over each other trying to keep close to the barefooted -and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed to a kind of loft, where the -moonlight streamed in at the open sides. - -"What do you think of this?" panted Hal, who had struggled with a heavy -load of luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to fetch up the remainder -of the outfit. Ken thought it best to stand still until he knew just -where he was. But Hal and George began moving about in the loft. It -was very large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full of objects. Hal -jostled into something which creaked and fell with a crash. Then -followed a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and a scuffling -about. - -"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely. - -"You can search me," replied Hal Ward. "One thing--I busted my shin." - -"He knocked over a bed with some one sleeping in it," said George. - -Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon soothed the injured feelings of -the native who had been so rudely disturbed. He then led the boys to -their cots, which were no more than heavy strips of canvas stretched -over tall frameworks. They appeared to be enormously high for beds. -Ken's was as high as his head, and Ken was tall for his age. - -"Say, I'll never get up into this thing," burst out Hal. "These people -must be afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why are these cots so -high?" - -"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and all that from sleeping with the -natives," answered George. "Besides, the higher you sleep in Mexico the -farther you get from creeping, crawling things." - -Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on the floor, but George's remark -had persuaded him to risk the lofty cot. It was most awkward to climb -into. Ken tried several times without success, and once he just escaped -a fall. By dint of muscle and a good vault he finally landed in the -center of his canvas. From there he listened to his more unfortunate -comrades. Pepe got into his without much difficulty. George, however, -in climbing up, on about the fifth attempt swung over too hard and -rolled off on the other side. The thump he made when he dropped jarred -the whole loft. From the various growls out of the darkness it -developed that the loft was full of sleepers, who were not pleased at -this invasion. Then Hal's cot collapsed, and went down with a crash. -And Hal sat on the flattened thing and laughed. - -"Mucho malo," Pepe said, and he laughed, too. Then he had to get out -and put up Hal's trestle bed. Hal once again went to climbing up the -framework, and this time, with Pepe's aid, managed to surmount it. - -"George, what does Pepe mean by _mucho malo_?" asked Hal. - -"Bad--very much bad," replied George. - -"Nix--tell him nix. This is fine," said Hal. - -"Boys, if you don't want to sleep yourselves, shut up so the rest of us -can," ordered Ken. - -He liked the sense of humor and the good fighting spirit of the boys, -and fancied they were the best attributes in comrades on a wild trip. -For a long time he heard a kind of shuddering sound, which he imagined -was Hal's cot quivering as the boy laughed. Then absolute quiet -prevailed, the boys slept, and Ken felt himself drifting. - -When he awakened the sun was shining through the holes in the thatched -roof. Pepe was up, and the other native sleepers were gone. Ken and the -boys descended from their perches without any tumbles, had a breakfast -that was palatable--although even George could not name what they -ate--and then were ready for the day. - -Valles consisted of a few stone houses and many thatched huts of bamboo -and palm. There was only one street, and it was full of pigs, dogs, and -buzzards. The inhabitants manifested a kindly interest and curiosity, -which changed to consternation when they learned of the boys' project. -Pepe questioned many natives, and all he could learn about the Santa -Rosa was that there was an impassable waterfall some few kilometers -below Valles. Ken gritted his teeth and said they would have to get -past it. Pepe did not encounter a man who had ever heard of the -headwaters of the Panuco River. There were only a few fields under -cultivation around Valles, and they were inclosed by impenetrable -jungle. It seemed useless to try to find out anything about the river. -But Pepe's advisers in the village told enough about _tigre_ and -_javelin_ to make Hal's hair stand on end, and George turn pale, and Ken -himself wish they had not come. It all gave Ken both a thrill and a -shock. - -There was not much conversation among the boys on the drive back to the -station. However, sight of the boat, which had come by freight, stirred -Ken with renewed spirit, and through him that was communicated to the -others. - -The hardest task, so far, developed in the matter of transporting boat -and supplies out to the river. Ken had hoped to get a handcar and haul -the outfit on the track down to where the bridge crossed the Santa Rosa. -But there was no hand-car. Then came the staggering information that -there was no wagon which would carry the boat, and then worse still in -the fact that there was no road. This discouraged Ken; nevertheless he -had not the least idea of giving up. He sent Pepe out to tell the -natives there must be some way to get the outfit to the river. - -Finally Pepe found a fellow who had a cart. This fellow claimed he knew -a trail that went to a point from which it would be easy to carry the -boat to the river. Ken had Pepe hire the man at once. - -"Bring on your old cart," said the irrepressible Hal. - -That cart turned out to be a remarkable vehicle. It consisted of a -narrow body between enormously high wheels. A trio of little mules was -hitched to it. The driver willingly agreed to haul the boat and outfit -for one _peso_, but when he drove up to the platform to be surrounded by -neighbors, he suddenly discovered that he could not possibly accommodate -the boys. Patiently Pepe tried to persuade him. No, the thing was -impossible. He made no excuses, but he looked mysterious. - -"George, tell Pepe to offer him five pesos," said Ken. - -Pepe came out bluntly with the inducement, and the driver began to -sweat. From the look of his eyes Ken fancied he had not earned so much -money in a year. Still he was cunning, and his whispering neighbors -lent him support. He had the only cart in the village, and evidently it -seemed that fortune had come to knock at least once at his door. He -shook his head. - -Ken held up both hands with fingers spread. "Ten pesos," he said. - -The driver, like a crazy man, began to jabber his consent. - -The boys lifted the boat upon the cart, and tied it fast in front so -that the stern would not sag. Then they packed the rest of the outfit -inside. - -Ken was surprised to see how easily the little mules trotted off with -such a big load. At the edge of the jungle he looked back toward the -station. The motley crowd of natives were watching, making excited -gestures, and all talking at once. The driver drove into a narrow -trail, which closed behind him. Pepe led on foot, brushing aside the -thick foliage. Ken drew a breath of relief as he passed into the cool -shade. The sun was very hot. Hal and George brought up the rear, -talking fast. - -The trail was lined and overgrown with slender trees, standing very -close, making dense shade. Many birds, some of beautiful coloring, -flitted in the branches. In about an hour the driver entered a little -clearing where there were several thatched huts. Ken heard the puffing -of an engine, and, looking through the trees, he saw the railroad and -knew they had arrived at the pumping-station and the bridge over the -Santa Rosa. - -Pepe lost no time in rounding up six natives to carry the boat. They -did not seem anxious to oblige Pepe, although they plainly wanted the -money he offered. The trouble was the boat, at which they looked -askance. As in the case with the driver, however, the weight and -clinking of added silver overcame their reluctance. They easily lifted -the boat upon their shoulders. And as they entered the trail, making a -strange procession in the close-bordering foliage, they encountered two -natives, who jumped and ran, yelling: "La diable! La diable!" - -"What ails those gazabos?" asked Hal. - -"They're scared," replied George. "They thought the boat was the -devil." - -If Ken needed any more than had already come to him about the wildness -of the Santa Rosa, he had it in the frightened cries and bewilderment of -these natives. They had never seen a boat. The Santa Rosa was a -beautiful wild river upon which boats were unknown. Ken had not hoped -for so much. And now that the die was cast he faced the trip with -tingling gladness. - -"George and Hal, you stay behind to watch the outfit. Pepe and I will -carry what we can and follow the boat. I'll send back after you," said -Ken. - -Then as he followed Pepe and the natives down the trail there was a deep -satisfaction within him. He heard the soft rush of water over stones -and the mourning of turtledoves. He rounded a little hill to come -abruptly upon the dense green mass of river foliage. Giant -cypress-trees, bearded with gray moss, fringed the banks. Through the -dark green of leaves Ken caught sight of light-green water. Birds rose -all about him. There were rustlings in the thick underbrush and the whir -of ducks. The natives penetrated the dark shade and came out to an -open, grassy point. - -The Santa Rosa, glistening, green, swift, murmured at Ken's feet. The -natives dropped the boat into the water, and with Pepe went back for the -rest of the outfit. Ken looked up the shady lane of the river and -thought of the moment when he had crossed the bridge in the train. -Then, as much as he had longed to be there, he had not dared to hope it. -And here he was! How strange it was, just then, to see a large black -duck with white-crested wings sweep by as swift as the wind! Ken had -seen that wild fowl, or one of his kind, and it had haunted him. - - - - - *V* - - *THE FIRST CAMP* - - -In less than an hour all the outfit had been carried down to the river, -and the boys sat in the shade, cooling off, happily conscious that they -had made an auspicious start. - -It took Ken only a moment to decide to make camp there and the next day -try to reach Micas Falls. The mountains appeared close at hand, and -were so lofty that, early in the afternoon as it was, the westering sun -hung over the blue summits. The notch where the Santa Rosa cut through -the range stood out clear, and at most it was not more than eighteen -miles distant. So Ken planned to spend a day pulling up the river, and -then to turn for the down-stream trip. - -"Come, boys, let's make camp," said Ken. - -He sent Pepe with his long _machete_ into the brush to cut fire-wood. -Hal he set to making a stone fireplace, which work the boy rather prided -himself upon doing well. Ken got George to help him to put up the strip -of canvas. They stretched a rope between two trees, threw the canvas -over it, and pegged down the ends. - -"Say, how 're we going to sleep?" inquired Hal, suddenly. - -"Sleep? Why, on our backs, of course," retorted Ken, who could read -Hal's mind. - -"If we don't have some hot old times keeping things out of this tent, -I'm a lobster," said George, dubiously. "I'm going to sleep in the -middle." - -"You're a brave boy, George," replied Ken. - -"Me for between Ken and Pepe," added Hal. - -"And you're twice as brave," said Ken. "I dare say Pepe and I will be -able to keep things from getting at you." - -Just as Pepe came into camp staggering under a load of wood, a flock of -russet-colored ducks swung round the bend. They alighted near the shore -at a point opposite the camp. The way George and Hal made headers into -the pile of luggage for their guns gave Ken an inkling of what he might -expect from these lads. He groaned, and then he laughed. George came up -out of the luggage first, and he had a .22-caliber rifle, which he -quickly loaded and fired into the flock. He crippled one; the others -flew up-stream. Then George began to waste shells trying to kill the -crippled duck. Hal got into action with his .22. They bounced bullets -off the water all around the duck, but they could not hit it. - -Pepe grew as excited as the boys, and he jumped into the boat and with a -long stick began to pole out into the stream. Ken had to caution George -and Hal to lower their guns and not shoot Pepe. Below camp and just -under the bridge the water ran into a shallow rift. The duck got onto -the current and went round the bend, with Pepe poling in pursuit and -George and Hal yelling along the shore. When they returned a little -later, they had the duck, which was of an unknown species to Ken. Pepe -had fallen overboard; George was wet to his knees; and, though Hal did -not show any marks of undue exertion, his eyes would have enlightened -any beholder. The fact was that they were glowing with the excitement -of the chase. It amused Ken. He felt that he had to try to stifle his -own enthusiasm. There had to be one old head in the party. But if he -did have qualms over the possibilities of the boys to worry him with -their probable escapades, he still felt happy at their boundless life -and spirit. - -It was about the middle of the afternoon, and the heat had become -intense. Ken realized it doubly when he saw Pepe favoring the shade. -George and Hal were hot, but they appeared to be too supremely satisfied -with their surroundings to care about that. - -During this hot spell, which lasted from three o'clock until five, there -was a quiet and a lack of life around camp that surprised Ken. It was -slumberland; even the insects seemed drowsy. Not a duck and scarcely a -bird passed by. Ken heard the mourning of turtle-doves, and was at once -struck with the singular deep, full tone. Several trains crossed the -bridge, and at intervals the engine at the pumping-tank puffed and -chugged. From time to time a native walked out upon the bridge to stare -long and curiously at the camp. - -When the sun set behind the mountain a hard breeze swept down the river. -Ken did not know what to make of it, and at first thought there was -going to be a storm. Pepe explained that the wind blew that way every -day after sunset. For a while it tossed the willows, and waved the -Spaniard's-beard upon the cypresses. Then as suddenly as it had come it -died away, taking the heat with it. - -Whereupon the boys began to get supper. - -"George, do you know anything about this water?" asked Ken. "Is it -safe?" - -George supposed it was all right, but he did not know. The matter of -water had bothered Ken more than any other thing in consideration of the -trip. This river-water was cool and clear; it apparently was safe. But -Ken decided not to take any chances, and to boil all the water used. -All at once George yelled, "Canvasbacks!" and made a dive for his gun. -Ken saw a flock of ducks swiftly winging flight up-stream. - -"Hold on, George; don't shoot," called Ken. "Let's go a little slow at -the start." - -George appeared to be disappointed, though he promptly obeyed. - -Then the boys had supper, finding the russet duck much to their taste. -Ken made a note of Pepe's capacity, and was glad there were prospects of -plenty of meat. While they were eating, a group of natives gathered on -the bridge. Ken would not have liked to interpret their opinion of his -party from their actions. - -Night came on almost before the boys were ready for it. They -replenished the camp-fire, and sat around it, looking into the red blaze -and then out into the flickering shadows. Ken thought the time -propitious for a little lecture he had to give the boys, and he -remembered how old Hiram Bent had talked to him and Hal that first night -down under the great black rim-wall of the Grand Caon. - -"Well, fellows," began Ken, "we're started, we're here, and the trip -looks great to me. Now, as I am responsible, I intend to be boss. I want -you boys to do what I tell you. I may make mistakes, but if I do I'll -take them on my shoulders. Let's try to make the trip a great success. -Let's be careful. We're not game-hogs. We'll not kill any more than we -can eat. I want you boys to be careful with your guns. Think all the -time where you're pointing them. And as to thinking, we'd do well to -use our heads all the time. We've no idea what we're going up against in -this jungle." - -Both boys listened to Ken with attention and respect, but they did not -bind themselves by any promises. - -Ken had got out the mosquito-netting, expecting any moment to find it -very serviceable; however, to his surprise it was not needed. When it -came time to go to bed, Hal and George did not forget to slip in between -Pepe and Ken. The open-sided tent might keep off rain or dew, but for -all the other protection it afforded, the boys might as well have slept -outside. Nevertheless they were soon fast asleep. Ken awoke a couple -of times during the night and rolled over to find a softer spot in the -hard bed. These times he heard only the incessant hum of insects. - -When he opened his eyes in the gray morning light, he did hear something -that made him sit up with a start. It was a deep booming sound, -different from anything that he had ever heard. Ken called Pepe, and -that roused the boys. - -"Listen," said Ken. - -In a little while the sound was repeated, a heavy "boo-oom! ... -boo-oom!" There was a resemblance to the first strong beats of a -drumming grouse, only infinitely wilder. - -Pepe called it something like "_faisan real_." - -"What's that?" asked Hal. - -The name was as new to Ken as the noise itself. Pepe explained through -George that it was made by a huge black bird not unlike a turkey. It -had a golden plume, and could run as fast as a deer. The boys rolled -out, all having conceived a desire to see such a strange bird. The -sound was not repeated. Almost immediately, however, the thicket across -the river awoke to another sound, as much a contrast to the boom as -could be imagined. It was a bird medley. At first Ken thought of -magpies, but Pepe dispelled this illusion with another name hard to -pronounce. - -"Chicalocki," he said. - -And that seemed just like what they were singing. It was a sharp, clear -song--"Chic-a-lock-i ... chic-a-lock-i," and to judge from the full -chorus there must have been many birds. - -"They're a land of pheasant," added George, "and make fine pot-stews." - -The _chicalocki_ ceased their salute to the morning, and then, as the -river mist melted away under the rising sun, other birds took it up. -Notes new to Ken burst upon the air. And familiar old songs thrilled -him, made him think of summer days on the Susquehanna--the sweet carol -of the meadow-lark, the whistle of the quail, the mellow, sad call of -the swamp-blackbird. The songs blended in an exquisite harmony. - -"Why, some of them are our own birds come south for the winter," -declared Hal. - -"It's music," said Ken. - -"Just wait," laughed George. - -It dawned upon Ken then that George was a fellow who had the mysterious -airs of a prophet hinting dire things. - -Ken did not know what to wait for, but he enjoyed the suggestion and -anticipated much. Ducks began to whir by; flocks of blackbirds alighted -in the trees across the river. Suddenly Hal jumped up, and Ken was -astounded at a great discordant screeching and a sweeping rush of -myriads of wings. Ken looked up to see the largest flock of birds he had -ever seen. - -"Parrots," he yelled. - -Indeed they were, and they let the boys know it. They flew across the -river, wheeled to come back, all the time screeching, and then they -swooped down into the tops of the cypress-trees. - -"Red-heads," said George. "Just wait till you see the yellow-heads!" - -At the moment the red-heads were quite sufficient for Ken. They broke -out into a chattering, screaming, cackling discordance. It was plainly -directed at the boys. These intelligent birds were curious and -resentful. As Pepe put it, they were scolding. Ken enjoyed it for a -full half-hour and reveled in the din. That morning serenade was worth -the trip. Presently the parrots flew away, and Ken was surprised to -find that most of the other birds had ceased singing. They had set -about the business of the day--something it was nigh time for Ken to -consider. - -Breakfast over, the boys broke camp, eager for the adventures that they -felt to be before them. - - - - - *VI* - - *WILDERNESS LIFE* - - -"Now for the big job, boys," called Ken. "Any ideas will be welcome, but -don't all talk at once." - -And this job was the packing of the outfit in the boat. It was a study -for Ken, and he found himself thanking his lucky stars that he had -packed boats for trips on rapid rivers. George and Hal came to the fore -with remarkable advice which Ken was at the pains of rejecting. And as -fast as one wonderful idea emanated from the fertile minds another one -came in. At last Ken lost patience. - -"Kids, it's going to take brains to pack this boat," he said, with some -scorn. - -And when Hal remarked that in that case he did not see how they ever -were going to pack the boat, Ken drove both boys away and engaged Pepe -to help. - -The boat had to be packed for a long trip, with many things taken into -consideration. The very best way to pack it must be decided upon and -thereafter held to strictly. Balance was all-important; comfort and -elbow-room were not to be overlooked; a flat surface easy to crawl and -jump over was absolutely necessary. Fortunately, the boat was large and -roomy, although not heavy. The first thing Ken did was to cut out the -narrow bow-seat. Here he packed a small bucket of preserved mullet, -some bottles of kerosene and _canya_, and a lantern. The small, flat -trunk, full of supplies, went in next. Two boxes with the rest of the -supplies filled up the space between the trunk and the rowing-seat. By -slipping an extra pair of oars, coils of rope, the ax, and a few other -articles between the gunwales and the trunk and boxes Ken made them fit -snugly. He cut off a piece of the canvas, and, folding it, he laid it -with the blankets lengthwise over the top. This made a level surface, -one that could be gotten over quickly, or a place to sleep, for that -matter, and effectually disposed of the bow half of the boat. Of course -the boat sank deep at the bow, but Ken calculated when they were all -aboard their weight would effect an even balance. - -The bags with clothing Ken put under the second seat. Then he arranged -the other piece of canvas so that it projected up back of the stern of -the boat. He was thinking of the waves to be buffeted in going stern -first down-stream through the rapids. The fishing-tackle and guns he -laid flat from seat to seat. Last of all he placed the ammunition on -one side next the gunwale, and the suit-case carrying camera, films, -medicines, on the other. - -"Come now, fellows," called Ken. "Hal, you and George take the second -seat. Pepe will take the oars. I'll sit in the stern." - -Pepe pushed off, jumped to his place, and grasped the oars. Ken was -delighted to find the boat trim, and more buoyant than he had dared to -hope. - -"We're off," cried Hal, and he whooped. And George exercised his already -well-developed faculty of imitating Hal. - -Pepe bent to the oars, and under his powerful strokes the boat glided -up-stream. Soon the bridge disappeared. Ken had expected a long, shady -ride, but it did not turn out so. Shallow water and gravelly rapids made -rowing impossible. - -"Pile out, boys, and pull," said Ken. - -The boys had dressed for wading and rough work, and went overboard with -a will. Pulling, at first, was not hard work. They were fresh and -eager, and hauled the boat up swift, shallow channels, making nearly as -good time as when rowing in smooth water. Then, as the sun began to get -hot, splashing in the cool river was pleasant. They passed little -islands green with willows and came to high clay-banks gradually wearing -away, and then met with rocky restrictions in the stream-bed. From -round a bend came a hollow roar of a deeper rapid. Ken found it a -swift-rushing incline, very narrow, and hard to pull along. The margin -of the river was hidden and obstructed by willows so that the boys could -see very little ahead. - -When they got above this fall the water was deep and still. Entering -the boat again, they turned a curve into a long, beautiful stretch of -river. - -"Ah! this 's something like," said Hal. - -The green, shady lane was alive with birds and water-fowl. Ducks of -various kinds rose before the boat. White, blue, gray, and speckled -herons, some six feet tall, lined the low bars, and flew only at near -approach. There were many varieties of bitterns, one kind with a purple -back and white breast. They were very tame and sat on the overhanging -branches, uttering dismal croaks. Everywhere was the flash and glitter -and gleam of birds in flight, up and down and across the river. - -Hal took his camera and tried to get pictures. - -The strangeness, beauty, and life of this jungle stream absorbed Ken. -He did not take his guns from their cases. The water was bright green -and very deep; here and there were the swirls of playing fish. The -banks were high and densely covered with a luxuriant foliage. Huge -cypress-trees, moss-covered, leaned half-way across the river. Giant -gray-barked ceibas spread long branches thickly tufted with aloes, -orchids, and other jungle parasites. Palm-trees lifted slender stems -and graceful broad-leaved heads. Clumps of bamboo spread an enormous -green arch out over the banks. These bamboo-trees were particularly -beautiful to Ken. A hundred yellow, black-circled stems grew out of the -ground close together, and as they rose high they gracefully leaned -their bodies and drooped their tips. The leaves were arrowy, exquisite -in their fineness. - -He looked up the long river-lane, bright in the sun, dark and still -under the moss-veiled cypresses, at the turning vines and blossoming -creepers, at the changeful web of moving birds, and indulged to the -fullest that haunting sense for wild places. - -"Chicalocki," said Pepe, suddenly. - -A flock of long-tailed birds, resembling the pheasant in body, was -sailing across the river. Again George made a dive for a gun. This one -was a sixteen-gage and worn out. He shot twice at the birds on the wing. -Then Pepe rowed under the overhanging branches, and George killed three -_chicalocki_ with his rifle. They were olive green in color, and the -long tail had a brownish cast. Heavy and plump, they promised fine -eating. - -"Pato real!" yelled Pepe, pointing excitedly up the river. - -Several black fowl, as large as geese, hove in sight, flying pretty low. -Ken caught a glimpse of wide, white-crested wings, and knew then that -these were the birds he had seen. - -"Load up and get ready," he said to George. "They're coming fast--shoot -ahead of them." - -How swift and powerful they were on the wing! They swooped up when they -saw the boat, and offered a splendid target. The little sixteen-gage -rang out. Ken heard the shot strike. The leader stopped in midair, -dipped, and plunged with a sounding splash. Ken picked him up and found -him to be most beautiful, and as large and heavy as a goose. His black -feathers shone with the latent green luster of an opal, and the pure -white of the shoulder of the wings made a remarkable contrast. - -"George, we've got enough meat for to-day, more than we can use. Don't -shoot any more," said Ken. - -Pepe resumed rowing, and Ken told him to keep under the overhanging -branches and to row without splashing. He was skilled in the use of the -oars, so the boat glided along silently. Ken felt he was rewarded for -this stealth. Birds of rare and brilliant plumage flitted among the -branches. There was one, a long, slender bird, gold and black with a -white ring round its neck. There were little yellow-breasted -kingfishers no larger than a wren, and great red-breasted kingfishers -with blue backs and tufted heads. The boat passed under a leaning -ceiba-tree that was covered with orchids. Ken saw the slim, sharp head -of a snake dart from among the leaves. His neck was as thick as Ken's -wrist. - -"What kind of a snake, Pepe?" whispered Ken, as he fingered the trigger -of George's gun. But Pepe did not see the snake, and then Ken thought -better of disturbing the silence with a gunshot. He was reminded, -however, that the Texan had told him of snakes in this jungle, some of -which measured more than fifteen feet and were as large as a man's leg. - -Most of the way the bank was too high and steep and overgrown for any -animal to get down to the water. Still there were dry gullies, or -arroyos, every few hundred yards, and these showed the tracks of -animals, but Pepe could not tell what species from the boat. Often Ken -heard the pattering of hard feet, and then he would see a little cloud -of dust in one of these drinking-places. So he cautioned Pepe to row -slower and closer in to the bank. - -"Look there! lemme out!" whispered Hal, and he seemed to be on the point -of jumping overboard. - -"Coons," said George. "Oh, a lot of them. There--some young ones." - -Ken saw that they had come abruptly upon a band of racoons, not less -than thirty in number, some big, some little, and a few like tiny balls -of fur, and all had long white-ringed tails. What a scampering the big -ones set up! The little ones were frightened, and the smallest so tame -they scarcely made any effort to escape. Pepe swung the boat in to the -bank, and reaching out he caught a baby racoon and handed it to Hal. - -"Whoop! We'll catch things and tame them," exclaimed Hal, much -delighted, and he proceeded to tie the little racoon under the seat. - -"Sure, we'll get a whole menagerie," said George. - -So they went on up-stream. Often Ken motioned Pepe to stop in dark, -cool places under the golden-green canopy of bamboos. He was as much -fascinated by the beautiful foliage and tree growths as by the wild -life. Hal appeared more taken up with the fluttering of birds in the -thick jungle, rustlings, and soft, stealthy steps. Then as they moved -on Ken whispered and pointed out a black animal vanishing in the -thicket. Three times he caught sight of a spotted form slipping away in -the shade. George saw it the last time, and whispered: "Tiger-cat! -Let's get him." - -"What's that, Ken, a kind of a wildcat?" asked Hal. - -"Yes." Ken took George's .32-caliber and tried to find a way up the -bank. There was no place to climb up unless he dragged himself up -branches of trees or drooping bamboos, and this he did not care to -attempt encumbered with a rifle. Only here and there could he see over -the matted roots and creepers. Then the sound of rapids put hunting out -of his mind. - -"Boys, we've got Micas Falls to reach," he said, and told Pepe to row -on. - -The long stretch of deep river ended in a wide, shallow, noisy rapid. -Fir-trees lined the banks. The palms, cypresses, bamboos, and the -flowery, mossy growths were not here in evidence. Thickly wooded hills -rose on each side. The jungle looked sear and yellow. - -The boys began to wade up the rapid, and before they had reached the -head of it Pepe yelled and jumped back from where he was wading at the -bow. He took an oar and began to punch at something in the water, at -the same time calling out. - -"Crocodile!" cried George, and he climbed in the boat. Hal was not slow -in following suit. Then Ken saw Pepe hitting a small crocodile, which -lashed out with its tail and disappeared. - -"Come out of there," called Ken to the boys. "We can't pull you -up-stream." - -"Say, I don't want to step on one of those ugly brutes," protested Hal. - -"Look sharp, then. Come out." - -Above the rapid extended a quarter-mile stretch where Pepe could row, -and beyond that another long rapid. When the boys had waded up that it -was only to come to another. It began to be hard work. But Ken kept -the boys buckled down, and they made fair progress. They pulled up -through eighteen rapids, and covered distance that Ken estimated to be -about ten miles. The blue mountain loomed closer and higher, yet Ken -began to have doubts of reaching Micas Falls that day. - -Moreover, as they ascended the stream, the rapids grew rougher. - -"It 'll be great coming down," panted Hal. - -Finally they reached a rapid which had long dinned in Ken's ears. All -the water in the river rushed down on the right-hand side through a -channel scarcely twenty feet wide. It was deep and swift. With the aid -of ropes, and by dint of much hard wading and pulling, the boys got the -boat up. A little farther on was another bothersome rapid. At last -they came to a succession of falls, steps in the river, that barred -farther advance up-stream. - -Here Ken climbed up on the bank, to find the country hilly and open, -with patches of jungle and palm groves leading up to the mountains. -Then he caught a glint of Micas Falls, and decided that it would be -impossible to get there. He made what observations he could, and -returned to camp. - -"Boys, here's where we stop," said Ken. "It 'll be all down-stream now, -and I'm glad." - -There was no doubt that the boys were equally glad. They made camp on a -grassy bench above a foam-flecked pool. Ken left the others to get -things in shape for supper, and, taking his camera, he hurried off to -try to get a picture of Micas Falls. He found open places and by-paths -through the brushy forest. He saw evidences of forest fire, and then -knew what had ruined that part of the jungle. There were no birds. It -was farther than he had estimated to the foothill he had marked, but, -loath to give up, he kept on and finally reached a steep, thorny ascent. -Going up he nearly suffocated with heat. He felt rewarded for his -exertions when he saw Micas Falls glistening in the distance. It was -like a string of green fans connected by silver ribbons. He remained -there watching it while the sun set in the golden notch between the -mountains. - -On the way back to camp he waded through a flat overgrown with coarse -grass and bushes. Here he jumped a herd of deer, eight in number. These -small, sleek, gray deer appeared tame, and if there had been sufficient -light, Ken would have photographed them. It cost him an effort to -decide not to fetch his rifle, but as he had meat enough in camp there -was nothing to do except let the deer go. - -When he got back to the river Pepe grinned at him, and, pointing to -little red specks on his shirt, he said: - -"Pinilius." - -"Aha! the ticks!" exclaimed Ken. - -They were exceedingly small, not to be seen without close scrutiny. -They could not be brushed off, so Ken began laboriously to pick them -off. Pepe and George laughed, and Hal appeared to derive some sort of -enjoyment from the incident. - -"Say, these ticks don't bother me any," declared Ken. - -Pepe grunted; and George called out, "Just wait till you get the big -fellows--the garrapatoes." - -It developed presently that the grass and bushes on the camp-site -contained millions of the ticks. Ken found several of the larger -ticks--almost the size of his little finger-nail--but he did not get -bitten. Pepe and George, however, had no such good luck, as was -manifested at different times. By the time they had cut down the bushes -and carried in a stock of fire-wood, both were covered with the little -pests. Hal found a spot where there appeared to be none, and here he -stayed. - -Pepe and George had the bad habit of smoking, and Ken saw them burning -the ticks off shirt-sleeves and trousers-legs, using the fiery end of -their cigarettes. This feat did not puzzle Ken anything like the one -where they held the red point of the cigarettes close to their naked -flesh. Ken, and Hal, too, had to see that performance at close range. - -"Why do you do that?" asked Ken. - -"Popping ticks," replied George. He and Pepe were as sober as judges. - -The fact of the matter was soon clear to Ken. The ticks stuck on as if -glued. When the hot end of the burning cigarette was held within a -quarter of an inch of them they simply blew up, exploded with a pop. -Ken could easily distinguish between the tiny pop of an exploding -_pinilius_ and the heavier pop of a _garrapato_. - -"But, boy, while you're taking time to do that, half a dozen other ticks -can bite you!" exclaimed Ken. - -"Sure they can," replied George. "But if they get on me I'll kill 'em. -I don't mind the little ones--it's the big boys I hate." - -On the other hand, Pepe seemed to mind most the _pinilius_. - -"Say, from now on you fellows will be Garrapato George and Pinilius -Pepe." - -"Pretty soon you'll laugh on the other side of your face," said George. -"In three days you'll be popping ticks yourself." - -Just then Hal let out a yell and began to hunt for a tick that had bit -him. If there was anything that could bother Hal Ward it was a crawling -bug of some kind. - -"I'll have to christen you too, brother," said Ken, gurgling with mirth. -"A very felicitous name--Hollering Hal!" - -Despite the humor of the thing, Ken really saw its serious side. When -he found the grass under his feet alive with ticks he cast about in his -mind for some way to get rid of them. And he hit upon a remedy. On the -ridge above the bench was a palm-tree, and under it were many dead palm -leaves. These were large in size, had long stems, and were as dry as -tinder. Ken lighted one, and it made a flaming hot torch. It did not -take him long to scorch all the ticks near that camp. - -The boys had supper and enjoyed it hugely. The scene went well with the -camp-fire and game-dinner. They gazed out over the foaming pool, the -brawling rapids, to the tufted palm-trees, and above them the dark-blue -mountain. At dusk Hal and George were so tired they went to bed and at -once dropped into slumber. Pepe sat smoking before the slumbering fire. - -And Ken chose that quiet hour to begin the map of the river, and to set -down in his note-book his observations on the mountains and in the -valley, and what he had seen that day of bird, animal, and plant life in -the jungle. - - - - - *VII* - - *RUNNING THE RAPIDS* - - -Some time in the night a yell awakened Ken. He sat up, clutching his -revolver. The white moonlight made all as clear as day. Hal lay deep in -slumber. George was raising himself, half aroused. But Pepe was gone. - -Ken heard a thrashing about outside. Leaping up he ran out, and was -frightened to see Pepe beating and clawing and tearing at himself like a -man possessed of demons. - -"Pepe, what's wrong?" shouted Ken. - -It seemed that Pepe only grew more violent in his wrestling about. Then -Ken was sure Pepe had been stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. - -But he was dumfounded to see George bound like an apparition out of the -tent and begin evolutions that made Pepe's look slow. - -"Hey, what's wrong with you jumping-jacks?" yelled Ken. - -George was as grimly silent as an Indian running the gantlet, but Ken -thought it doubtful if any Indian ever slapped and tore at his body in -George's frantic manner. To add to the mystery Hal suddenly popped out -of the tent. He was yelling in a way to do justice to the name Ken had -lately given him, and, as for wild and whirling antics, his were simply -marvelous. - -"Good land!" ejaculated Ken. Had the boys all gone mad? Despite his -alarm, Ken had to roar with laughter at those three dancing figures in -the moonlight. A rush of ideas went through Ken's confused mind. And -the last prompted him to look in the tent. - -He saw a wide bar of black crossing the moonlit ground, the grass, and -the blankets. This bar moved. It was alive. Bending low Ken descried -that it was made by ants. An army of jungle ants on a march! They had -come in a straight line along the base of the little hill and their -passageway led under the canvas. Pepe happened to be the first in line, -and they had surged over him. As he had awakened, and jumped up of -course, the ants had begun to bite. The same in turn happened to George -and then Hal. - -Ken was immensely relieved, and had his laugh out. The stream of ants -moved steadily and quite rapidly, and soon passed from sight. By this -time Pepe and the boys had threshed themselves free of ants and into -some degree of composure. - -"Say, you nightmare fellows! Come back to bed," said Ken. "Any one -would think something had really happened to you." - -Pepe snorted, which made Ken think the native understood something of -English. And the boys grumbled loudly. - -"Ants! Ants as big as wasps! They bit worse than helgramites," -declared Hal. "Oh, they missed you. You always are lucky. I'm not -afraid of all the old jaguars in this jungle. But I can't stand biting, -crawling bugs. I wish you hadn't made me come on this darn trip." - -"Ha! Ha!" laughed Ken. - -"Just wait, Hal," put in George, grimly. "Just wait. It's coming to -him!" - -The boys slept well the remainder of the night and, owing to the break -in their rest, did not awaken early. The sun shone hot when Ken rolled -out; a creamy mist was dissolving over the curve of the mountain-range; -parrots were screeching in the near-by trees. - -After breakfast Ken set about packing the boat as it had been done the -day before. - -"I think we'll do well to leave the trunk in the boat after this, unless -we find a place where we want to make a permanent camp for a while," -said Ken. - -Before departing he carefully looked over the ground to see that nothing -was left, and espied a heavy fish-line which George had baited, set, and -forgotten. - -"Hey, George, pull up your trot-line. It looks pretty much stretched to -me. Maybe you've got a fish." - -Ken happened to be busy at the boat when George started to take in the -line. An exclamation from Pepe, George's yell, and a loud splash made -Ken jump up in double-quick time. Hal also came running. - -George was staggering on the bank, leaning back hard on the heavy line. -A long, angry swirl in the pool told of a powerful fish. It was likely -to pull George in. - -"Let go the line!" yelled Ken. - -But George was not letting go of any fish-lines. He yelled for Pepe, -and went down on his knees before Pepe got to him. Both then pulled on -the line. The fish, or whatever it was at the other end, gave a mighty -jerk that almost dragged the two off the bank. - -"Play him, play him!" shouted Ken. "You've got plenty of line. Give him -some." - -Hal now added his weight and strength, and the three of them, unmindful -of Ken's advice, hauled back with might and main. The line parted and -they sprawled on the grass. - -"What a sockdologer!" exclaimed Hal. - -"I had that hook baited with a big piece of duck meat," said George. -"We must have been hooked to a crocodile. Things are happening to us." - -"Yes, so I've noticed," replied Ken, dryly. "But if you fellows hadn't -pulled so hard you might have landed that thing, whatever it was. All -aboard now. We must be on the move--we don't know what we have before -us." - -When they got into the boat Ken took the oars, much to Pepe's surprise. -It was necessary to explain to him that Ken would handle the boat in -swift water. They shoved off, and Ken sent one regretful glance up the -river, at the shady aisle between the green banks, at the white rapids, -and the great colored dome of the mountain. He almost hesitated, for he -desired to see more of that jungle-covered mountain. But something -already warned Ken to lose no time in the trip down the Santa Rosa. -There did not seem to be any reason for hurry, yet he felt it necessary. -But he asked Pepe many questions and kept George busy interpreting names -of trees and flowers and wild creatures. - -Going down-stream on any river, mostly, would have been pleasure, but -drifting on the swift current of the Santa Rosa and rowing under the -wonderful moss-bearded cypresses was almost like a dream. It was too -beautiful to seem real. The smooth stretch before the first rapid was -short, however, and then all Ken's attention had to be given to the -handling of the boat. He saw that George and Pepe both expected to get -out and wade down the rapids as they had waded up. He had a surprise in -store for them. The rapids that he could not shoot would have to be -pretty bad. - -"You're getting close," shouted George, warningly. - -With two sweeps of the oars Ken turned the boat stern first down-stream, -then dipped on the low green incline, and sailed down toward the waves. -They struck the first wave with a shock, and the water flew all over the -boys. Pepe was tremendously excited; he yelled and made wild motions -with his hands; George looked a little frightened. Hal enjoyed it. -Whatever the rapid appeared to them, it was magnificent to Ken; and it -was play to manage the boat in such water. A little pull on one oar and -then on the other kept the stern straight down-stream. The channel he -could make out a long way ahead. He amused himself by watching George -and Pepe. There were stones in the channel, and the water rose angrily -about them. A glance was enough to tell that he could float over these -without striking. But the boys thought they were going to hit every -stone, and were uneasy all the time. Twice he had to work to pass -ledges and sunken trees upon which the current bore down hard. When Ken -neared one of these he dipped the oars and pulled back to stop or lessen -the momentum; then a stroke turned the boat half broadside to the -current. That would force it to one side, and another stroke would turn -the boat straight. At the bottom of this rapid they encountered a long -triangle of choppy waves that they bumped and splashed over. They came -through with nothing wet but the raised flap of canvas in the stern. - -Pepe regarded Ken with admiring eyes, and called him _grande mozo_. - -"Shooting rapids is great sport," proclaimed George. - -They drifted through several little rifts, and then stopped at the head -of the narrow chute that had been such a stumbling-block on the way up. -Looked at from above, this long, narrow channel, with several S curves, -was a fascinating bit of water for a canoeist. It tempted Ken to shoot -it even with the boat. But he remembered the four-foot waves at the -bottom, and besides he resented the importunity of the spirit of daring -so early in the game. Risk, and perhaps peril, would come soon enough. -So he decided to walk along the shore and float the boat through with a -rope. - -The thing looked a good deal easier than it turned out to be. Half-way -through, at the narrowest point and most abrupt curve, Pepe -misunderstood directions and pulled hard on the bow-rope, when he should -have let it slack. - -The boat swung in, nearly smashing Ken against the bank, and the -sweeping current began to swell dangerously near the gunwale. - -"Let go! Let go!" yelled Ken. "George, make him let go!" - -But George, who was trying to get the rope out of Pepe's muscular hands, -suddenly made a dive for his rifle. - -"Deer! deer!" he cried, hurriedly throwing a shell into the chamber. He -shot downstream, and Ken, looking that way, saw several deer under the -firs on a rocky flat. George shot three more times, and the bullets -went "spinging" into the trees. The deer bounded out of sight. - -When Ken turned again, water was roaring into the boat. He was being -pressed harder into the bank, and he saw disaster ahead. - -"Loosen the rope--tell him, George," yelled Ken. - -Pepe only pulled the harder. - -"Quick, or we're ruined," cried Ken. - -George shouted in Spanish, and Pepe promptly dropped the rope in the -water. That was the worst thing he could have done. - -"Grab the rope!" ordered Ken, wildly. "Grab the bow! Don't let it swing -out! Hal!" - -Before either boy could reach it the bow swung out into the current. -Ken was not only helpless, but in a dangerous position. He struggled to -get out from where the swinging stern was wedging him into the bank, but -could not budge. Fearing that all the outfit would be lost in the -river, he held on to the boat and called for some one to catch the rope. - -George pushed Pepe head first into the swift current. Pepe came up, -caught the rope, and then went under again. The boat swung round and, -now half full of water, got away from Ken. It gathered headway. Ken -leaped out on the ledge and ran along with the boat. It careened round -the bad curve and shot down-stream. Pepe was still under water. - -"He's drowned! He's drowned!" cried George. - -Hal took a header right off the ledge, came up, and swam with a few -sharp strokes to the drifting boat. He gained the bow, grasped it, and -then pulled on the rope. - -Ken had a sickening feeling that Pepe might be drowned. Suddenly Pepe -appeared like a brown porpoise. He was touching bottom in places and -holding back on the rope. Then the current rolled him over and over. The -boat drifted back of a rocky point into shallow water. Hal gave a haul -that helped to swing it out of the dangerous current. Then Pepe came up, -and he, too, pulled hard. Just as Ken plunged in the boat sank in two -feet of water. Ken's grip, containing camera, films, and other -perishable goods, was on top, and he got it just in time. He threw it -out on the rocks. Then together the boys lifted the boat and hauled the -bow well up on the shore. - -"Pretty lucky!" exclaimed Ken, as he flopped down. - -"Doggone it!" yelled Hal, suddenly. And he dove for the boat, and -splashed round in the water under his seat, to bring forth a very limp -and drenched little racoon. - -"Good! he's all right," said Ken. - -Pepe said "Mucho malo," and pointed to his shins, which bore several -large bumps from contact with the rocks in the channel. - -"I should say mucha malo," growled George. - -He jerked open his grip, and, throwing out articles of wet clothing--for -which he had no concern--he gazed in dismay at his whole store of -cigarettes wet by the water. - -"So that's all you care for," said Ken, severely. "Young man, I'll have -something to say to you presently. All hands now to unpack the boat." - -Fortunately nothing had been carried away. That part of the supplies -which would have been affected by water was packed in tin cases, and so -suffered no damage. The ammunition was waterproof. Ken's Parker -hammerless and his 351 automatic rifle were full of water, and so were -George's guns and Hal's. While they took their weapons apart, wiped -them, and laid them in the sun, Pepe spread out the rest of the things -and then baled out the boat. The sun was so hot that everything dried -quickly and was not any the worse for the wetting. The boys lost -scarcely an hour by the accident. Before the start Ken took George and -Pepe to task, and when he finished they were both very sober and quiet. - -Ken observed, however, that by the time they had run the next rapid they -were enjoying themselves again. Then came a long succession of rapids -which Ken shot without anything approaching a mishap. When they drifted -into the level stretch Pepe relieved him at the oars. They glided -down-stream under the drooping bamboo, under the silken streamers of -silvery moss, under the dark, cool bowers of matted vine and blossoming -creepers. And as they passed this time the jungle silence awoke to the -crack of George's .22 and the discordant cry of river fowl. Ken's guns -were both at hand, and the rifle was loaded, but he did not use either. -He contented himself with snapping a picture here and there and watching -the bamboo thickets and the mouths of the little dry ravines. - -That ride was again so interesting, so full of sound and action and -color, that it seemed a very short one. The murmur of the water on the -rocks told Ken that it was time to change seats with Pepe. They drifted -down two short rapids, and then came to the gravelly channels between -the islands noted on the way up. The water was shallow down these -rippling channels; and, fearing they might strike a stone, Ken tumbled -out over the bow and, wading slowly, let the boat down to still water -again. He was about to get in when he espied what he thought was an -alligator lying along a log near the river. He pointed it out to Pepe. - -That worthy yelled gleefully in Mexican, and reached for his _machete_. - -"Iguana!" exclaimed George. "I've heard it's good to eat." - -The reptile had a body about four feet long and a very long tail. Its -color was a steely blue-black on top, and it had a blunt, rounded head. - -Pepe slipped out of the boat and began to wade ashore. When the iguana -raised itself on short, stumpy legs George shot at it, and missed, as -usual. But he effectually frightened the reptile, which started to -climb the bank with much nimbleness. Pepe began to run, brandishing his -long _machete_. George plunged into the water in hot pursuit, and then -Hal yielded to the call of the chase. Pepe reached the iguana before it -got up the bank, aimed a mighty blow with his _machete_, and would -surely have cut the reptile in two pieces if the blade had not caught on -an overhanging branch. Then Pepe fell up the bank and barely grasped -the tail of the iguana. Pepe hauled back, and Pepe was powerful. The -frantic creature dug its feet in the clay-bank and held on for dear -life. But Pepe was too strong. He jerked the iguana down and flung it -square upon George, who had begun to climb the bank. - -George uttered an awful yell, as if he expected to be torn asunder, and -rolled down, with the reptile on top of him. Ken saw that it was as -badly frightened as George. But Hal did not see this. And he happened -to have gained a little sand-bar below the bank, in which direction the -iguana started with wonderful celerity. Then Hal made a jump that Ken -believed was a record. - -Remarkably awkward as that iguana was, he could surely cover ground with -his stumpy legs. Again he dashed up the bank. Pepe got close enough -once more, and again he swung the _machete_. The blow cut off a piece -of the long tail, but the only effect this produced was to make the -iguana run all the faster. It disappeared over the bank, with Pepe -scrambling close behind. Then followed a tremendous crashing in the dry -thickets, after which the iguana could be heard rattling and tearing -away through the jungle. Pepe returned to the boat with the crestfallen -boys, and he was much concerned over the failure to catch the big -lizard, which he said made fine eating. - -"What next?" asked George, ruefully, and at that the boys all laughed. - -"The fun is we don't have any idea what's coming off," said Hal. - -"Boys, if you brave hunters had thought to throw a little salt on that -lizard's tail you might have caught him," added Ken. - -Presently Pepe espied another iguana in the forks of a tree, and he -rowed ashore. This lizard was only a small one, not over two feet in -length, but he created some excitement among the boys. George wanted -him to eat, and Hal wanted the skin for a specimen, and Ken wanted to -see what the lizard looked like close at hand. So they all clamored for -Pepe to use caution and to be quick. - -When Pepe started up the tree the iguana came down on the other side, -quick as a squirrel. Then they had a race round the trunk until Pepe -ended it with a well-directed blow from his _machete_. - -Hal began to skin the iguana. - -"Ken, I'm going to have trouble preserving specimens in this hot place," -he said. - -"Salt and alum will do the trick. Remember what old Hiram used to say," -replied Ken. - -Shortly after that the boat passed the scene of the first camp, and then -drifted under the railroad bridge. - -Hal and George, and Pepe too, looked as if they were occupied with the -same thought troubling Ken--that once beyond the bridge they would -plunge into the jungle wilderness from which there could be no turning -back. - - - - - *VIII* - - *THE FIRST TIGER-CAT* - - -The Santa Rosa opened out wide, and ran swiftly over smooth rock. Deep -cracks, a foot or so wide, crossed the river diagonally, and fish darted -in and out. - -The boys had about half a mile of this, when, after turning a hilly -bend, they entered a long rapid. It was a wonderful stretch of river to -look down. - -"By George!" said Ken, as he stood up to survey it. "This is great!" - -"It's all right _now_," added George, with his peculiar implication as -to the future. - -"What gets me is the feeling of what might be round the next bend," said -Hal. - -This indeed, Ken thought, made the fascination of such travel. The -water was swift and smooth and shallow. There was scarcely a wave or -ripple. At times the boat stuck fast on the flat rock, and the boys -would have to get out to shove off. As far ahead as Ken could see -extended this wide slant of water. On the left rose a thick line of -huge cypresses all festooned with gray moss that drooped to the water; -on the right rose a bare bluff of crumbling rock. It looked like blue -clay baked and cracked by the sun. A few palms fringed the top. - -"Say, we can beat this," said Ken, as for the twentieth time the boys -had to step out and shove off a flat, shallow place. "Two of you in the -bow and Pepe with me in the stern, feet overboard." - -The little channels ran every way, making it necessary often to turn the -boat. Ken's idea was to drift along and keep the boat from grounding by -an occasional kick. - -"Ken manages to think of something once in a while," observed Hal. - -Then the boat drifted down-stream, whirling round and round. Here Pepe -would drop his brown foot in and kick his end clear of a shallow ledge; -there George would make a great splash when his turn came to ward off -from a rock; and again Hal would give a greater kick than was necessary -to the righting of the boat. Probably Hal was much influenced by the -fact that when he kicked hard he destroyed the lazy equilibrium of his -companions. - -It dawned upon Ken that here was a new and unique way to travel down a -river. It was different from anything he had ever tried before. The -water was swift and seldom more than a foot deep, except in diagonal -cracks that ribbed the river-bed. This long, shut-in stretch appeared -to be endless. But for the quick, gliding movement of the boat, which -made a little breeze, the heat would have been intolerable. When one of -Hal's kicks made Ken lurch overboard to sit down ludicrously, the cool -water sent thrills over him. Instead of retaliating on Hal, he was glad -to be wet. And the others, soon discovering the reason for Ken's -remarkable good-nature, went overboard and lay flat in the cool ripples. -Then little clouds of steam began to rise from their soaked clothes. - -Ken began to have an idea that he had been wise in boiling the water -which they drank. They all suffered from a parching thirst. Pepe scooped -up water in his hand; George did likewise, and then Hal. - -"You've all got to stop that," ordered Ken, sharply. "No drinking this -water unless it's boiled." - -The boys obeyed, for the hour, but they soon forgot, or deliberately -allayed their thirst despite Ken's command. Ken himself found his -thirst unbearable. He squeezed the juice of a wild lime into a cup of -water and drank that. Then he insisted on giving the boys doses of -quinine and anti-malaria pills, which treatment he meant to continue -daily. - -Toward the lower part of that rapid, where the water grew deeper, fish -began to be so numerous that the boys kicked at many as they darted -under the boat. There were thousands of small fish and some large ones. -Occasionally, as a big fellow lunged for a crack in the rock, he would -make the water roar. There was a fish that resembled a mullet, and -another that Hal said was some kind of bass with a blue tail. Pepe -chopped at them with his _machete_; George whacked with an oar; Hal -stood up in the boat and shot at them with his .22 rifle. - -"Say, I've got to see what that blue-tailed bass looks like," said Ken. -"You fellows will never get one." - -Whereupon Ken jointed up a small rod and, putting on a spinner, began to -cast it about. He felt two light fish hit it. Then came a heavy shock -that momentarily checked the boat. The water foamed as the line cut -through, and Ken was just about to jump off the boat to wade and follow -the fish, when it broke the leader. - -"That was a fine exhibition," remarked the critical Hal. - -"What's the matter with you?" retorted Ken, who was sensitive as to his -fishing abilities. "It was a big fish. He broke things." - -"Haven't you got a reel on that rod and fifty yards of line?" queried -Hal. - -Ken did not have another spinner, and he tried an artificial minnow, but -could not get a strike on it. He took Hal's gun and shot at several of -the blue-tailed fish, but though he made them jump out of the water like -a real northern black-bass, it was all of no avail. - -Then Hal caught one with a swoop of the landing net. It was a beautiful -fish, and it did have a blue tail. Pepe could not name it, nor could -Ken classify it, so Hal was sure he had secured a rare specimen. - -When the boat drifted round a bend to enter another long, wide, shallow -rapid, the boys demurred a little at the sameness of things. The bare -blue bluffs persisted, and the line of gray-veiled cypresses and the -strange formation of stream-bed. Five more miles of drifting under the -glaring sun made George and Hal lie back in the boat, under an -improvised sun-shade. The ride was novel and strange to Ken Ward, and -did not pall upon him, though he suffered from the heat and glare. He -sat on the bow, occasionally kicking the boat off a rock. - -All at once a tense whisper from Pepe brought Ken round with a jerk. -Pepe was pointing down along the right-hand shore. George heard, and, -raising himself, called excitedly: "Buck! buck!" - -Ken saw a fine deer leap back from the water and start to climb the side -of a gully that indented the bluff. Snatching up the .351 rifle, he -shoved in the safety catch. The distance was far--perhaps two hundred -yards--but without elevating the sights he let drive. A cloud of dust -puffed up under the nose of the climbing deer. - -"Wow!" yelled George, and Pepe began to jabber. Hal sprang up, nearly -falling overboard, and he shouted: "Give it to him, Ken!" - -The deer bounded up a steep, winding trail, his white flag standing, his -reddish coat glistening. Ken fired again. The bullet sent up a white -puff of dust, this time nearer still. That shot gave Ken the range, and -he pulled the automatic again--and again. Each bullet hit closer. The -boys were now holding their breath, watching, waiting. Ken aimed a -little firmer and finer at the space ahead of the deer--for in that -instant he remembered what the old hunter on Penetier had told him--and -he pulled the trigger twice. - -The buck plunged down, slipped off the trail, and, raising a cloud of -dust, rolled over and over. Then it fell sheer into space, and whirled -down to strike the rock with a sodden crash. - -It was Ken's first shooting on this trip, and he could not help adding a -cry of exultation to the yells of his admiring comrades. - -"Guess you didn't plug him!" exclaimed Hal Ward, with flashing eyes. - -Wading, the boys pulled the boat ashore. Pepe pronounced the buck to be -very large, but to Ken, remembering the deer in Coconino Forest, it -appeared small. If there was an unbroken bone left in that deer, Ken -greatly missed his guess. He and Pepe cut out the haunch least crushed -by the fail. - -"There's no need to carry along more meat than we can use," said George. -"It spoils overnight. That's the worst of this jungle, I've heard -hunters say." - -Hal screwed up his face in the manner he affected when he tried to -imitate old Hiram Bent. "Wal, youngster, I reckon I'm right an' down -proud of thet shootin'. You air comin' along." - -Ken was as pleased as Hal, but he replied, soberly: "Well, kid, I hope I -can hold as straight as that when we run up against a jaguar." - -"Do you think we'll see one?" asked Hal. - -"Just you wait!" exclaimed George, replying for Ken. "Pepe says we'll -have to sleep in the boat, and anchor the boat in the middle of the -river." - -"What for?" - -"To keep those big yellow tigers from eating us up." - -"How nice!" replied Hal, with a rather forced laugh. - -So, talking and laughing, the boys resumed their down-stream journey. -Ken, who was always watching with sharp eyes, saw buzzards appear, as if -by magic. Before the boat was half a mile down the river buzzards were -circling over the remains of the deer. These birds of prey did not fly -from the jungle on either side of the stream. They sailed, dropped down -from the clear blue sky where they had been invisible. How wonderful -that was to Ken! Nature had endowed these vulture-like birds with -wonderful scent or instinct or sight, or all combined. But Ken believed -that it was power of sight which brought the buzzards so quickly to the -scene of the killing. He watched them circling, sweeping down till a -curve in the river hid them from view. - -And with this bend came a welcome change. The bluff played out in a -rocky slope below which the green jungle was relief to aching eyes. As -the boys made this point, the evening breeze began to blow. They -beached the boat and unloaded to make camp. - -"We haven't had any work to-day, but we're all tired just the same," -observed Ken. - -"The heat makes a fellow tired," said George. - -They were fortunate in finding a grassy plot where there appeared to be -but few ticks and other creeping things. That evening it was a little -surprise to Ken to realize how sensitive he had begun to feel about -these jungle vermin. - -Pepe went up the bank for fire-wood. Ken heard him slashing away with -his _machete_. Then this sound ceased, and Pepe yelled in fright. Ken -and George caught up guns as they bounded into the thicket; Hal started -to follow, likewise armed. Ken led the way through a thorny brake to -come suddenly upon Pepe. At the same instant Ken caught a glimpse of -gray, black-striped forms slipping away in the jungle. Pepe shouted out -something. - -"Tiger-cats!" exclaimed George. - -Ken held up his finger to enjoin silence. With that he stole cautiously -forward, the others noiselessly at his heels. The thicket was lined -with well-beaten trails, and by following these and stooping low it was -possible to go ahead without rustling the brush. Owing to the gathering -twilight Ken could not see very far. When he stopped to listen he heard -the faint crackling of dead brush and soft, quick steps. He had not -proceeded far when pattering footsteps halted him. Ken dropped to his -knee. The boys knelt behind him, and Pepe whispered. Peering along the -trail Ken saw what he took for a wildcat. Its boldness amazed him. -Surely it had heard him, but instead of bounding into the thicket it -crouched not more than twenty-five feet away. Ken took a quick shot at -the gray huddled form. It jerked, stretched out, and lay still. Then a -crashing in the brush, and gray streaks down the trail told Ken of more -game. - -"There they go. Peg away at them," called Ken. - -George and Hal burned a good deal of powder and sent much lead whistling -through the dry branches, but the gray forms vanished in the jungle. - -"We got one, anyway," said Ken. - -He advanced to find his quarry quite dead. It was bigger than any -wildcat Ken had ever seen. The color was a grayish yellow, almost -white, lined and spotted with black. Ken lifted it and found it heavy -enough to make a good load. - -"He's a beauty," said Hal. - -"Pepe says it's a tiger-cat," remarked George. "There are two or three -kinds besides the big tiger. We may run into a lot of them and get some -skins." - -It was almost dark when they reached camp. While Pepe and Hal skinned -the tiger-cat and stretched the pelt over a framework of sticks the -other boys got supper. They were all very hungry and tired, and pleased -with the events of the day. As they sat round the camp-fire there was a -constant whirring of water-fowl over their heads and an incessant hum of -insects from the jungle. - -"Ken, does it feel as wild to you here as on Buckskin Mountain?" asked -Hal. - -"Oh yes, much wilder, Hal," replied his brother. "And it's different, -somehow. Out in Arizona there was always the glorious expectancy of -to-morrow's fun or sport. Here I have a kind of worry--a feeling--" - -But he concluded it wiser to keep to himself that strange feeling of -dread which came over him at odd moments. - -"It suits me," said Hal. "I want to get a lot of things and keep them -alive. Of course, I want specimens. I'd like some skins for my den, -too. But I don't care so much about killing things." - -"Just wait!" retorted George, who evidently took Hal's remark as a -reflection upon his weakness. "Just wait! You'll be shooting pretty -soon for your life." - -"Now, George, what do you mean by that?" questioned Ken, determined to -pin George down to facts. "You said you didn't really know anything -about this jungle. Why are you always predicting disaster for us?" - -"Why? Because I've heard things about the jungle," retorted George. -"And Pepe says wait till we get down off the mountain. He doesn't _know_ -anything, either. But it's his instinct--Pepe's half Indian. So I say, -too, wait till we get down in the jungle!" - -"Confound you! Where are we now?" queried Ken. - -"The real jungle is the lowland. There we'll find the tigers and the -crocodiles and the wild cattle and wild pigs." - -"Bring on your old pigs and things," replied Hal. - -But Ken looked into the glowing embers of the camp-fire and was silent. -When he got out his note-book and began his drawing, he forgot the worry -and dread in the interest of his task. He was astonished at his memory, -to see how he could remember every turn in the river and yet not lose -his sense of direction. He could tell almost perfectly the distance -traveled, because he knew so well just how much a boat would cover in -swift or slow waters in a given time. He thought he could give a fairly -correct estimate of the drop of the river. And, as for descriptions of -the jungle life along the shores, that was a delight, all except trying -to understand and remember and spell the names given to him by Pepe. -Ken imagined Pepe spoke a mixture of Toltec, Aztec, Indian, Spanish, and -English. - - - - - *IX* - - *IN THE WHITE WATER* - - -Upon awakening next morning Ken found the sun an hour high. He was -stiff and sore and thirsty. Pepe and the boys slept so soundly it -seemed selfish to wake them. - -All around camp there was a melodious concourse of birds. But the -parrots did not make a visit that morning. While Ken was washing in the -river a troop of deer came down to the bar on the opposite side. Ken -ran for his rifle, and by mistake took up George's .32. He had a -splendid shot at less than one hundred yards. But the bullet dropped -fifteen feet in front of the leading buck. The deer ran into the deep, -bushy willows. - -"That gun's leaded," muttered Ken. "It didn't shoot where I aimed." - -Pepe jumped up; George rolled out of his blanket with one eye still -glued shut; and Hal stretched and yawned and groaned. - -"Do I have to get up?" he asked. - -"Shore, lad," said Ken, mimicking Jim Williams, "or I'll hev to be -reconsiderin' that idee of mine about you bein' pards with me." - -Such mention of Hal's ranger friend brought the boy out of his lazy bed -with amusing alacrity. - -"Rustle breakfast, now, you fellows," said Ken, and, taking his rifle, -he started off to climb the high river bluff. - -It was his idea to establish firmly in mind the trend of the -mountain-range, and the relation of the river to it. The difficulty in -mapping the river would come after it left the mountains to wind away -into the wide lowlands. The matter of climbing the bluff would have -been easy but for the fact that he wished to avoid contact with grass, -brush, trees, even dead branches, as all were covered with ticks. The -upper half of the bluff was bare, and when he reached that part he soon -surmounted it. Ken faced south with something of eagerness. -Fortunately the mist had dissolved under the warm rays of the sun, -affording an unobstructed view. That scene was wild and haunting, yet -different from what his fancy had pictured. The great expanse of jungle -was gray, the green line of cypress, palm, and bamboo following the -southward course of the river. The mountain-range some ten miles -distant sloped to the south and faded away in the haze. The river -disappeared in rich dark verdure, and but for it, which afforded a -water-road back to civilization, Ken would have been lost in a dense -gray-green overgrowth of tropical wilderness. Once or twice he thought -he caught the faint roar of a waterfall on the morning breeze, yet could -not be sure, and he returned toward camp with a sober appreciation of -the difficulty of his enterprise and a more thrilling sense of its -hazard and charm. - -"Didn't see anything to peg at, eh?" greeted Hal. "Well, get your teeth -in some of this venison before it's all gone." - -Soon they were under way again, Pepe strong and willing at the oars. -This time Ken had his rifle and shotgun close at hand, ready for use. -Half a mile below, the river, running still and deep, entered a shaded -waterway so narrow that in places the branches of wide-spreading and -leaning cypresses met and intertwined their moss-fringed foliage. This -lane was a paradise for birds, that ranged from huge speckled cranes, -six feet high, to little yellow birds almost too small to see. - -Black squirrels were numerous and very tame. In fact, all the creatures -along this shaded stream were so fearless that it was easy to see they -had never heard a shot. Ken awoke sleepy cranes with his fishing-rod and -once pushed a blue heron off a log. He heard animals of some species -running back from the bank, out could not see them. All at once a soft -breeze coming up-stream bore a deep roar of tumbling rapids. The -sensation of dread which had bothered Ken occasionally now returned and -fixed itself in his mind. He was in the jungle of Mexico, and knew not -what lay ahead of him. But if he had been in the wilds of unexplored -Brazil and had heard that roar, it would have been familiar to him. In -his canoe experience on the swift streams of Pennsylvania Ken Ward had -learned, long before he came to rapids, to judge what they were from the -sound. His attention wandered from the beautiful birds, the moss-shaded -bowers, and the overhanging jungle. He listened to the heavy, sullen -roar of the rapids. - -"That water sounds different," remarked George. - -"Grande," said Pepe, with a smile. - -"Pretty heavy, Ken, eh?" asked Hal, looking quickly at his brother. - -But Ken Ward made his face a mask, and betrayed nothing of the grim -nature of his thought. Pepe and the boys had little idea of danger, and -they had now a blind faith in Ken. - -"I dare say we'll get used to that roar," replied Ken, easily, and he -began to pack his guns away in their cases. - -Hal forgot his momentary anxiety; Pepe rowed on, leisurely; and George -lounged in his seat. There was no menace for them in that dull, -continuous roar. - -But Ken knew they would soon be in fast water and before long would drop -down into the real wilderness. It was not now too late to go back up -the river, but soon that would be impossible. Keeping a sharp lookout -ahead, Ken revolved in mind the necessity for caution and skilful -handling of the boat. But he realized, too, that overzealousness on the -side of caution was a worse thing for such a trip than sheer -recklessness. Good judgment in looking over rapids, a quick eye to pick -the best channel, then a daring spirit--that was the ideal to be striven -for in going down swift rivers. - -Presently Ken saw a break in the level surface of the water. He took -Pepe's place at the oars, and, as usual, turned the boat stern first -down-stream. The banks were low and shelved out in rocky points. This -relieved Ken, for he saw that he could land just above the falls. What -he feared was a narrow gorge impossible to portage round or go through. -As the boat approached the break the roar seemed to divide itself, -hollow and shallow near at hand, rushing and heavy farther on. - -Ken rowed close to the bank and landed on the first strip of rock. He -got out and, walking along this ledge, soon reached the fall. It was a -straight drop of some twelve or fifteen feet. The water was shallow all -the way across. - -"Boys, this is easy," said Ken. "We'll pack the outfit round the fall, -and slide the boat over." - -But Ken did not say anything about the white water extending below the -fall as far as he could see. From here came the sullen roar that had -worried him. - -Portaging the supplies around that place turned out to be far from easy. -The portage was not long nor rugged, but the cracked, water-worn, rock -made going very difficult. The boys often stumbled. Pepe fell and broke -open a box, and almost broke his leg. Ken had a hard knock. Then, when -it came to carrying the trunk, one at each corner, progress was -laborious and annoying. Full two hours were lost in transporting the -outfit around the fall. - -Below there was a wide, shelving apron, over which the water ran a foot -or so in depth. Ken stationed Pepe and the boys there, and went up to -get the boat. He waded out with it. Ken saw that his end of this -business was going to be simple enough, but he had doubts as to what -would happen to the boys. - -"Brace yourselves, now," he yelled. "When I drop her over she'll come -a-humming. Hang on if she drags you a mile!" - -Wading out deeper Ken let the boat swing down with the current till the -stern projected over the fall. He had trouble in keeping his footing, -for the rock was slippery. Then with a yell he ran the stern far out -over the drop, bore down hard on the bow, and shoved off. - -The boat shot out and down, to alight with a heavy souse. Then it -leaped into the swift current. George got his hands on it first, and -went down like a ninepin. The boat floated over him. The bow struck -Hal, and would have dragged him away had not Pepe laid powerful hands on -the stern. They waded to the lower ledge. - -"Didn't ship a bucketful," said Hal. "Fine work, Ken." - -"I got all the water," added the drenched and dripping George. - -"Bail out, boys, and repack, while I look below," said Ken. - -He went down-stream a little way to take a survey of the rapids. If -those rapids had been back in Pennsylvania, Ken felt that he could have -gone at them in delight. If the jungle country had been such that -damage to boat or supplies could have been remedied or replaced, these -rapids would not have appeared so bad. Ken walked up and down looking -over the long white inclines more than was wise, and he hesitated about -going into them. But it had to be done. So he went back to the boys. -Then he took the oars with gripping fingers. - -"George, can you swim?" he asked. - -"I'm a second cousin to a fish," replied George. - -"All right. We're off. Now, if we upset, hang to the boat, if you can, -and hold up your legs. George, tell Pepe." - -Ken backed the boat out from the shore. To his right in the middle of -the narrow river was a racy current that he kept out of as long as -possible. But presently he was drawn into it, and the boat shot -forward, headed into the first incline, and went racing smoothly down -toward the white waves of the rapids. - -This was a trying moment for Ken. Grip as hard as he might, the -oar-handles slipped in his sweaty hands. - -The boys were yelling, but Ken could not hear for the din of roaring -waters. The boat sailed down with swift, gliding motion. When it -thumped into the back-lash of the first big waves the water threshed -around and over the boys. Then they were in the thick of rush and roar. -Ken knew he was not handling the boat well. It grazed stones that -should have been easy to avoid, and bumped on hidden ones, and got half -broadside to the current. Pepe, by quick action with an oar, pushed the -stern aside from collision with more than one rock. Several times Ken -missed a stroke when a powerful one was needed. He passed between -stones so close together that he had to ship the oars. It was all rapid -water, this stretch, but the bad places, with sunken rocks, falls, and -big waves, were strung out at such distances apart that Ken had time to -get the boat going right before entering them. - -Ken saw scarcely anything of the banks of the river. They blurred in -his sight. Sometimes they were near, sometimes far. The boat turned -corners where rocky ledges pointed out, constricting the stream and -making a curved channel. What lay around the curve was always a -question and a cause for suspense. Often the boat raced down a chute -and straight toward a rocky wall. Ken would pull back with all his -might, and Pepe would break the shock by striking the wall with his oar. - -More than once Pepe had a narrow escape from being knocked overboard. -George tried to keep him from standing up. Finally at the end of a long -rapid, Pepe, who had the stern-seat, jumped up and yelled. Ken saw a -stone directly in the path of the boat, and he pulled back on the oars -with a quick, strong jerk. Pepe shot out of the stern as if he had been -flung from a catapult. He swam with the current while the boat drifted. -He reached smooth water and the shore before Ken could pick him up. - -It was fun for everybody but Ken. There were three inches of water in -the boat. The canvas, however, had been arranged to protect guns, -grips, and supplies. George had been wet before he entered the rapids, -so a little additional water did not matter to him. Hal was almost as -wet as Pepe. - -"I'm glad that's past," said Ken. - -With that long rapid behind him he felt different. It was what he had -needed. His nervousness disappeared and he had no dread of the next -fall. While the boys bailed out the boat Ken rested and thought. He -had made mistakes in that rapid just passed. Luck had favored him. He -went over the mistakes and saw where he had been wrong, and how he could -have avoided them if he had felt right. Ken realized now that this was -a daredevil trip. And the daredevil in him had been shut up in dread. -It took just that nervous dread, and the hard work, blunders and -accidents, the danger and luck, to liberate the spirit that would make -the trip a success. Pepe and George were loud in their praises of Ken. -But they did not appreciate the real hazard of the undertaking, and if -Hal did he was too much of a wild boy to care. - -"All aboard," called George. - -Then they were on their way again. Ken found himself listening for -rapids. It was no surprise to hear a dull roar round the next bend. -His hair rose stiffly under his hat. But this time he did not feel the -chill, the uncertainty, the lack of confidence that had before weakened -him. - -At the head of a long, shallow incline the boys tumbled overboard, Ken -and Hal at the bow, Pepe and George at the stern. They waded with the -bow up-stream. The water tore around their legs, rising higher and -higher. Soon Pepe and George had to climb in the boat, for the water -became so deep and swift they could not wade. - -"Jump in, Hal," called Ken. - -Then he held to the bow an instant longer, wading a little farther down. -This was ticklish business, and all depended upon Ken. He got the stern -of the boat straight in line with the channel he wanted to run, then he -leaped aboard and made for the oars. The boat sped down. At the bottom -of this incline was a mass of leaping green and white waves. The blunt -stern of the boat made a great splash and the water flew over the boys. -They came through the roar and hiss and spray to glide into a mill-race -current. - -"Never saw such swift water!" exclaimed Ken. - -This incline ended in a sullen plunge between two huge rocks. Ken saw -the danger long before it became evident to his companions. There was -no other way to shoot the rapid. He could not reach the shore. He must -pass between the rocks. Ken pushed on one oar, then on the other, till -he got the boat in line, and then he pushed with both oars. The boat -flew down that incline. It went so swiftly that if it had hit one of -the rocks it would have been smashed to kindling wood. Hal crouched -low. George's face was white. And Pepe leaned forward with his big -arms outstretched, ready to try to prevent a collision. - -Down! down with the speed of the wind! The boat flashed between the -black stones. Then it was raised aloft, light as a feather, to crash -into the back-lashers. The din deafened Ken; the spray blinded him. -The boat seemed to split a white pall of water, then, with many a -bounce, drifted out of that rapid into little choppy waves, and from -them into another long, smooth runway. - -Ken rested, and had nothing to say. Pepe shook his black head. Hal -looked at his brother. George had forgotten his rifle. No one spoke. - -Soon Ken had more work on hand. For round another corner lay more fast -water. The boat dipped on a low fall, and went down into the midst of -green waves with here and there ugly rocks splitting the current. The -stream-bed was continually new and strange to Ken, and he had never seen -such queer formation of rocks. This rapid, however, was easy to -navigate. A slanting channel of swift water connected it with another -rapid. Ken backed into that one, passed through, only to face another. -And so it went for a long succession of shallow rapids. - -A turn in the winding lane of cypresses revealed walls of gray, between -which the river disappeared. - -"Aha!" muttered Ken. - -"Ken, I'll bet this is the place you've been looking for," said Hal. - -The absence of any roar of water emboldened Ken. Nearing the head of -the ravine, he stood upon the seat and looked ahead. But Ken could not -see many rods ahead. The ravine turned, and it was the deceiving turns -in the river that he had feared. What a strange sensation Ken had when -he backed the boat into the mouth of that gorge! He was forced against -his will. Yet there seemed to be a kind of blood-tingling pleasure in -the prospect. - -The current caught the boat and drew it between the gray-green walls of -rock. - -"It's coming to us," said the doubtful George. - -The current ran all of six miles an hour. This was not half as fast as -the boys had traveled in rapids, but it appeared swift enough because of -the nearness of the overshadowing walls. In the shade the water took on -a different coloring. It was brown and oily. It slid along silently. -It was deep, and the swirling current suggested power. Here and there -long, creeping ferns covered the steep stone sides, and above ran a -stream of blue sky fringed by leaning palms. Once Hal put his hands to -his lips and yelled: "Hel-lo!" The yell seemed to rip the silence and -began to clap from wall to wall. It gathered quickness until it clapped -in one fiendish rattle. Then it wound away from the passage, growing -fainter and fainter, and at last died in a hollow echo. - -"Don't do that again," ordered Ken. - -He began to wish he could see the end of that gorge. But it grew -narrower, and the shade changed to twilight, and there were no long, -straight stretches. The river kept turning corners. Quick to note the -slightest change in conditions, Ken felt a breeze, merely a zephyr, fan -his hot face. The current had almost imperceptibly quickened. Yet it -was still silent. Then on the gentle wind came a low murmur. Ken's -pulse beat fast. Turning his ear down-stream, he strained his hearing. -The low murmur ceased. Perhaps he had imagined it. Still he kept -listening. There! Again it came, low, far away, strange. It might -have been the wind in the palms. But no, he could not possibly persuade -himself it was wind. And as that faint breeze stopped he lost the sound -once more. The river was silent, and the boat, and the boys--it was a -silent ride. Ken divined that his companions were enraptured. But this -ride had no beauty, no charm for him. - -There! Another faint puff of wind, and again the low murmur! He -fancied it was louder. He was beginning to feel an icy dread when all -was still once more. So the boat drifted swiftly on with never a gurgle -of water about her gunwales. The river gleamed in brown shadows. Ken -saw bubbles rise and break on the surface, and there was a slight rise -or swell of the water toward the center of the channel. This bothered -him. He could not understand it. But then there had been many other -queer formations of rock and freaks of current along this river. - -The boat glided on and turned another corner, the sharpest one yet. A -long, shadowy water-lane, walled in to the very sides, opened up to -Ken's keen gaze. The water here began to race onward, still wonderfully -silent. And now the breeze carried a low roar. It was changeable yet -persistent. It deepened. - -Once more Ken felt his hair rise under his hat. Cold sweat wet his -skin. Despite the pounding of his heart and the throb of his veins, his -blood seemed to clog, to freeze, to stand still. - -That roar was the roar of rapids. Impossible to go back! If there had -been four sets of oars, Ken and his comrades could not row the heavy -boat back up that swift, sliding river. - -They must go on. - - - - - *X* - - *LOST!* - - -"Ken, old man, do you hear that?" questioned Hal, waking from his -trance. - -George likewise rose out of his lazy contentment. "Must be rapids," he -muttered. "If we strike rapids in this gorge it's all day with us. What -did I tell you!" - -Pepe's dark, searching eyes rested on Ken. - -But Ken had no word for any of them. He was fighting an icy numbness, -and the weakness of muscle and the whirl of his mind. It was thought of -responsibility that saved him from collapse. - -"It's up to you, old man," said Hal, quietly. - -In a moment like this the boy could not wholly be deceived. - -Ken got a grip upon himself. He looked down the long, narrow lane of -glancing water. Some hundred yards on, it made another turn round a -corner, and from this dim curve came the roar. The current was hurrying -the boat toward it, but not fast enough to suit Ken. He wanted to see -the worst, to get into the thick of it, to overcome it. So he helped -the boat along. A few moments sufficed to cover that gliding stretch of -river, yet to Ken it seemed never to have an end. The roar steadily -increased. The current became still stronger. Ken saw eruptions of -water rising as from an explosion beneath the surface. Whirlpools raced -along with the boat. The dim, high walls re-echoed the roaring of the -water. - -The first thing Ken saw when he sailed round that corner was a widening -of the chasm and bright sunlight ahead. Perhaps an eighth of a mile -below the steep walls ended abruptly. Next in quick glance he saw a -narrow channel of leaping, tossing, curling white-crested waves under -sunlighted mist and spray. - -Pulling powerfully back and to the left Ken brought the boat alongside -the cliff. Then he shipped his oars. - -"Hold hard," he yelled, and he grasped the stone. The boys complied, -and thus stopped the boat. Ken stood up on the seat. It was a bad -place he looked down into, but he could not see any rocks. And rocks -were what he feared most. - -"Hold tight, boys," he said. Then he got Pepe to come to him and sit on -the seat. Ken stepped up on Pepe's shoulders and, by holding to the -rock, was able to get a good view of the rapid. It was not a rapid at -all, but a constriction of the channel, and also a steep slant. The -water rushed down so swiftly to get through that it swelled in the -center in a long frothy ridge of waves. The water was deep. Ken could -not see any bumps or splits or white-wreathed rocks, such as were -conspicuous in a rapid. The peril here for Ken was to let the boat hit -the wall or turn broadside or get out of that long swelling ridge. - -He stepped down and turned to the white-faced boys. He had to yell -close to them to make them hear him in the roar. - -"I--can--run--this--place. But--you've got--to help. Pull--the -canvas--up higher in the stern--and hold it." - -Then he directed Pepe to kneel in the bow of the boat with an oar and be -ready to push off from the walls. - -If Ken had looked again or hesitated a moment he would have lost his -nerve. He recognized that fact. And he shoved off instantly. Once the -boat had begun to glide down, gathering momentum, he felt his teeth -grind hard and his muscles grow tense. He had to bend his head from -side to side to see beyond the canvas George and Hal were holding round -their shoulders. He believed with that acting as a buffer in the stern -he could go pounding through those waves. Then he was in the middle of -the channel, and the boat fairly sailed along. Ken kept his oars -poised, ready to drop either one for a stroke. All he wanted was to -enter those foaming, tumultuous waves with his boat pointed right. He -knew he could not hope to see anything low down after he entered the -race. He calculated that the last instant would give him an opportunity -to get his direction in line with some object. - -Then, even as he planned it, the boat dipped on a beautiful glassy -incline, and glided down toward the engulfing, roaring waves. Above -them, just in the center, Ken caught sight of the tufted top of a -palm-tree. That was his landmark! - -The boat shot into a great, curling, back-lashing wave. There was a -heavy shock, a pause, and then Ken felt himself lifted high, while a -huge sheet of water rose fan-shape behind the buffer in the stern. -Walls and sky and tree faded under a watery curtain. Then the boat shot -on again; the light came, the sky shone, and Ken saw his palm-tree. He -pulled hard on the right oar to get the stern back in line. Another -heavy shock, a pause, a blinding shower of water, and then the downward -rush! Ken got a fleeting glimpse of his guiding mark, and sunk the left -oar deep for a strong stroke. The beating of the waves upon the -upraised oars almost threw him out of the boat. The wrestling waters -hissed and bellowed. Down the boat shot and up, to pound and pound, and -then again shoot down. Through the pall of mist and spray Ken always -got a glimpse, quick as lightning, of the palm-tree, and like a demon he -plunged in his oars to keep the boat in line. He was only dimly -conscious of the awfulness of the place. But he was not afraid. He -felt his action as being inspirited by something grim and determined. -He was fighting the river. - -All at once a grating jar behind told him the bow had hit a stone or a -wall. He did not dare look back. The most fleeting instant of time -might be the one for him to see his guiding mark. Then the boat lurched -under him, lifted high with bow up, and lightened. He knew Pepe had -been pitched overboard. - -In spite of the horror of the moment, Ken realized that the lightening -of the boat made it more buoyant, easier to handle. That weight in the -bow had given him an unbalanced craft. But now one stroke here and one -there kept the stern straight. The palm-tree loomed higher and closer -through the brightening mist. Ken no longer felt the presence of the -walls. The thunderous roar had begun to lose some of its volume. Then -with a crash through a lashing wave the boat raced out into the open -light. Ken saw a beautiful foam-covered pool, down toward which the -boat kept bumping over a succession of diminishing waves. - -He gave a start of joy to see Pepe's black head bobbing in the choppy -channel. Pepe had beat the boat to the outlet. He was swimming easily, -and evidently he had not been injured. - -Ken turned the bow toward him. But Pepe did not need any help, and a -few more strokes put him in shallow water. Ken discovered that the -boat, once out of the current, was exceedingly loggy and hard to row. -It was half full of water. Ken's remaining strength went to pull -ashore, and there he staggered out and dropped on the rocky bank. - -The blue sky was very beautiful and sweet to look at just then. But Ken -had to close his eyes. He did not have strength left to keep them open. -For a while all seemed dim and obscure to him. Then he felt a -dizziness, which in turn succeeded to a racing riot of his nerves and -veins. His heart gradually resumed a normal beat, and his bursting -lungs seemed to heal. A sickening languor lay upon him. He could not -hold little stones which he felt under his fingers. He could not raise -his hands. The life appeared to have gone from his legs. - -All this passed, at length, and, hearing Hal's voice, Ken sat up. The -outfit was drying in the sun; Pepe was bailing out the boat; George was -wiping his guns; and Hal was nursing a very disheveled little racoon. - -"You can bring on any old thing now, for all I care," said Hal. "I'd -shoot Lachine Rapids with Ken at the oars." - -"He's a fine boatman," replied George. "Weren't you scared when we were -in the middle of that darned place?" - -"Me? Naw!" - -"Well, I was scared, and don't you forget it," said Ken to them. - -"You were all in, Ken," replied Hal. "Never saw you so tuckered out. -The day you and Prince went after the cougar along that caon -precipice--you were all in that time. George, it took Ken six hours to -climb out of that hole." - -"Tell me about it," said George, all eyes. - -"No stories now," put in Ken. "The sun is still high. We've got to be -on our way. Let's look over the lay of the land." - -Below the pool was a bold, rocky bluff, round which the river split. -What branch to take was a matter of doubt and anxiety to Ken. Evidently -this bluff was an island. It had a yellow front and long bare ledges -leading into the river. - -Ken climbed the bluff, accompanied by the boys, and found it covered -with palm-trees. Up there everything was so dry and hot that it did not -seem to be jungle at all. Even the palms were yellow and parched. Pepe -stood the heat, but the others could not endure it. Ken took one long -look at the surrounding country, so wild and dry and still, and then led -the way down the loose, dusty shelves. - -Thereupon he surveyed the right branch of the river and followed it a -little distance. The stream here foamed and swirled among jagged rocks. -At the foot of this rapid stretched the first dead water Ken had -encountered for miles. A flock of wild geese rose from under his feet -and flew down-stream. - -"Geese!" exclaimed Ken. "I wonder if that means we are getting down -near lagoons or big waters. George, wild geese don't frequent little -streams, do they?" - -"There's no telling where you'll find them in this country," answered -George. "I've chased them right in our orange groves." - -They returned to look at the left branch of the river. It was open and -one continuous succession of low steps. That would have decided Ken -even if the greater volume of water had not gone down on this left side. -As far as he could see was a wide, open river running over little -ledges. It looked to be the easiest and swiftest navigation he had come -upon, and so indeed it proved. The water was swift, and always dropped -over some ledge in a rounded fall that was safe for him to shoot. It -was great fun going over these places. The boys hung their feet over -the gunwales most of the time, sliding them along the slippery ledge or -giving a kick to help the momentum. When they came to a fall, Ken would -drop off the bow, hold the boat back and swing it straight, then jump -in, and over it would go--souse! - -There were so many of these ledges, and they were so close together, -that going over them grew to be a habit. It induced carelessness. The -boat drifted to a brow of a fall full four feet high. Ken, who was at -the bow. leaped off just in time to save the boat. He held on while the -swift water surged about his knees. He yelled for the boys to jump. As -the stern where they sat was already over the fall it was somewhat -difficult to make the boys vacate quickly enough. - -"Tumble out! Quick!" bawled Ken. "Do you think I'm Samson?" - -Over they went, up to their necks in the boiling foam, and not a second -too soon, for Ken could hold the boat no longer. It went over smoothly, -just dipping the stern under water. If the boys had remained aboard, -the boat would have swamped. As it was, Pepe managed to catch the rope, -which Ken had wisely thrown out, and he drifted down to the next ledge. -Ken found this nearly as high as the last one. So he sent the boys -below to catch the boat. This worked all right. The shelves slanted -slightly, with the shallow part of the water just at the break of the -ledge. They passed half a dozen of these, making good time, and before -they knew it were again in a deep, smooth jungle lane with bamboo and -streamers of moss waving over them. - -The shade was cool, and Ken settled down in the stern-seat, grateful for -a rest. To his surprise, he did not see a bird. The jungle was asleep. -Once or twice Ken fancied he heard the tinkle and gurgle of water -running over rocks. The boat glided along silently, with Pepe rowing -leisurely, George asleep, Hal dreaming. - -Ken watched the beautiful green banks. They were high, a mass of -big-leafed vines, flowering and fragrant, above which towered the jungle -giants. Ken wanted to get out and study those forest trees. But he -made no effort to act upon his good intentions, and felt that he must -take the most of his forestry study at long range. He was reveling in -the cool recesses under the leaning cypresses, in the soft swish of -bearded moss, and the strange rustle of palms, in the dreamy hum of the -resting jungle, when his pleasure was brought to an abrupt end. - -"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe. - -George woke up with a start. Hal had been jarred out of his day-dream, -and looked resentful. Ken gazed about him with the feeling of a man -going into a trance, instead of coming out of one. - -The boat was fast on a mud-bank. That branch of the river ended right -there. The boys had come all those miles to run into a blind pocket. - -Ken's glance at the high yellow bank, here crumbling and bare, told him -there was no outlet. He had a sensation of blank dismay. - -"Gee!" exclaimed Hal, softly. - -George rubbed his eyes; and, searching for a cigarette, he muttered: -"We're lost! I said it was coming to us. We've got to go back!" - - - - - *XI* - - *AN ARMY OF SNAKES* - - -For a moment Ken Ward was utterly crushed under the weight of this -sudden blow. It was so sudden that he had no time to think; or his mind -was clamped on the idea of attempting to haul the boat up that long, -insurmountable series of falls. - -"It 'll be an awful job," burst out Hal. - -No doubt in the mind of each boy was the same idea--the long haul, -wading over slippery rocks; the weariness of pushing legs against the -swift current; the packing of supplies uphill; and then the toil of -lifting the heavy boat up over a fall. - -"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and he groaned. That was significant, coming -from a _mozo_, who thought nothing of rowing forty miles in a day. - -"Oh, but it's tough luck," cried Ken. "Why didn't I choose the right -branch of this pesky river?" - -"I think you used your head at that," said Hal. "Most of the water came -down on this side. Where did it go?" - -Hal had hit the vital question, and it cleared Ken's brain. - -"Hal, you're talking sense. Where did that water go? It couldn't all -have sunk into the earth. We'll find out. We won't try to go back. We -_can't_ go back." - -Pepe shoved off the oozy mud, and, reluctantly, as if he appreciated the -dilemma, he turned the boat and rowed along the shore. As soon as Ken -had recovered somewhat he decided there must be an outlet which he had -missed. This reminded him that at a point not far back he had heard the -tinkle and gurgle of unseen water flowing over rocks. - -He directed Pepe to row slowly along the bank that he thought was the -island side. As they glided under the drooping bamboos and silky -curtains of moss George began to call out: "Low bridge! Low bridge!" -For a boy who was forever voicing ill-omened suggestions as to what -might soon happen he was extraordinarily cheerful. - -There were places where all had to lie flat and others where Pepe had to -use his _machete_. This disturbed the _siesta_ of many aquatic birds, -most of which flew swiftly away. But there were many of the -gray-breasted, blue-backed bitterns that did not take to flight. These -croaked dismally, and looked down upon the boys with strange, protruding -eyes. - -"Those darn birds 'll give me the willies," declared Hal. "George, you -just look like them when you croak about what's coming to us." - -"Just wait!" retorted George. "It 'll come, all right. Then I'll have -the fun of seeing you scared silly." - -"What! You'll not do anything of the kind!" cried Hal, hotly. "I've -been in places where such--such a skinny little sap-head as you--" - -"Here, you kids stop wrangling," ordered Ken, who sensed hostilities in -the air. "We've got trouble enough." - -Suddenly Ken signaled Pepe to stop rowing. - -"Boys, I hear running water. Aha! Here's a current. See--it's making -right under this bank." - -Before them was a high wall of broad-leaved vines, so thick that nothing -could be seen through them. Apparently this luxuriant canopy concealed -the bank. Pepe poked an oar into it, but found nothing solid. - -"Pepe, cut a way through. We've got to see where this water runs." - -It was then that Ken came to a full appreciation of a _machete_. He had -often fancied it a much less serviceable tool than an ax. Pepe flashed -the long, bright blade up, down, and around, and presently the boat was -its own length in a green tunnel. Pepe kept on slashing while Ken poled -the boat in and the other boys dumped the cut foliage overboard. Soon -they got through this mass of hanging vine and creeper. Much to Ken's -surprise and delight, he found no high bank, but low, flat ground, -densely wooded, through which ran a narrow, deep outlet of the river. - -"By all that's lucky!" ejaculated Ken. - -George and Hal whooped their pleasure, and Pepe rubbed his muscular -hands. Then all fell silent. The deep, penetrating silence of that -jungle was not provocative of speech. The shade was so black that when a -ray of sunlight did manage to pierce the dense canopy overhead it -resembled a brilliant golden spear. A few lofty palms and a few clumps -of bamboo rather emphasized the lack of these particular species in this -forest. Nor was there any of the familiar streaming moss hanging from -the trees. This glen was green, cool, dark. It did not smell exactly -swampy, but rank, like a place where many water plants were growing. - -[Illustration: KEN SHOT TWICE AT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE] - -The outlet was so narrow that Ken was not able to use the oars. Still, -as the current was swift, the boat went along rapidly. He saw a light -ahead and heard the babble of water. The current quickened, and the -boat drifted suddenly upon the edge of an oval glade, where the hot sun -beat down. A series of abrupt mossy benches, over which the stream slid -almost noiselessly, blocked further progress. - -The first thing about this glade that Ken noted particularly, after the -difficulties presented by the steep steps, was the multitude of snakes -sunning themselves along the line of further progress. - -"Boys, it 'll be great wading down there, hey?" he queried. - -Pepe grumbled for the first time on the trip. Ken gathered from the -native's looks and speech that he did not like snakes. - -"Watch me peg 'em!" yelled Hal, and he began to throw stones with -remarkable accuracy. "Hike, you brown sons-of-guns!" - -George, not to be outdone, made a dive for his .22 and began to pop as -if he had no love for snakes. Ken had doubts about this species. The -snakes were short, thick, dull brown in color, and the way they slipped -into the stream proved they were water-snakes. Ken had never read of a -brown water-moccasin, so he doubted that these belonged to that -poisonous family. Anyway, snakes were the least of his troubles. - -"Boys, you're doing fine," he said. "There are about a thousand snakes -there, and you've hit about six." - -He walked down through the glade into the forest, and was overjoyed to -hear once more the heavy roar of rapids. He went on. The timber grew -thinner, and light penetrated the jungle. Presently he saw the gleam of -water through the trees. Then he hurried back. - -"All right, boys," he shouted. "Here's the river." - -The boys were so immensely relieved that packing the outfit round the -waterfalls was work they set about with alacrity. Ken, who had on his -boots, broke a trail through the ferns and deep moss. Pepe, being -barefoot, wasted time looking for snakes. George teased him. But Pepe -was deadly serious. And the way he stepped and looked made Ken -thoughtful. He had made his last trip with supplies, and was about to -start back to solve the problem of getting the boat down, when a hoarse -yell resounded through the sleeping jungle. Parrots screeched, and -other birds set up a cackling. - -Ken bounded up the slope. - -"Santa Maria!" cried Pepe. - -Ken followed the direction indicated by Pepe's staring eyes and -trembling finger. Hanging from a limb of a tree was a huge black-snake. -It was as thick as Ken's leg. The branch upon which it poised its neck -so gracefully was ten feet high, and the tail curled into the ferns on -the ground. - -"Boys, it's one of the big fellows," cried Ken. - -"Didn't I tell you!" yelled George, running down for his gun. - -Hal seemed rooted to the spot. Pepe began to jabber. Ken watched the -snake, and felt instinctively from its sinister looks that it was -dangerous. George came running back with his .32 and waved it in the -air as he shot. He was so frightened that he forgot to aim. Ken took -the rifle from him. - -"You can't hit him with this. Run after your shotgun. Quick!" - -But the sixteen-gage was clogged with a shell that would not eject. -Ken's guns were in their cases. - -"Holy smoke!" cried George. "He's coming down." - -The black-snake moved his body and began to slide toward the tree-trunk. - -Ken shot twice at the head of the snake. It was a slow-swaying mark hard -to hit. The reptile stopped and poised wonderfully on the limb. He was -not coiled about it, but lay over it with about four feet of neck -waving, swaying to and fro. He watched the boys, and his tongue, like a -thin, black streak, darted out viciously. - -Ken could not hit the head, so he sent a bullet through the thick part -of the body. Swift as a gleam the snake darted from the limb. - -"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe, and he ran off. - -"Look out, boys," shouted Ken. He picked up Pepe's _machete_ and took -to his heels. George and Hal scrambled before him. They ran a hundred -yards or more, and Ken halted in an open rocky spot. He was angry, and -a little ashamed that he had run. The snake did not pursue, and -probably was as badly frightened as the boys had been. Pepe stopped -some distance away, and Hal and George came cautiously back. - -"I don't see anything of him," said Ken. "I'm going back." - -He walked slowly, keeping a sharp outlook, and, returning to the glade, -found blood-stains under the tree. The snake had disappeared without -leaving a trail. - -"If I'd had my shotgun ready!" exclaimed Ken, in disgust. And he made a -note that in the future he would be prepared to shoot. - -"Wasn't he a whopper, Ken?" said Hal. "We ought to have got his hide. -What a fine specimen!" - -"Boys, you drive away those few little snakes while I figure on a way to -get the boat down." - -"Not on your life!" replied Hal. - -George ably sustained Hal's objection. - -"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and then added a loud "No" in English. - -"All right, my brave comrades," rejoined Ken, scornfully. "As I've not -done any work yet or taken any risks, I'll drive the snakes away." - -With Pepe's _machete_ he cut a long forked pole, trimmed it, and, armed -with this weapon, he assaulted the rolls and bands and balls of brown -snakes. He stalked boldly down upon them, pushed and poled, and even -kicked them off the mossy banks. Hal could not stand that, and -presently he got a pole and went to Ken's assistance. - -"Who's hollering now?" he yelled to George. - -Whereupon George cut a long branch and joined the battle. They whacked -and threshed and pounded, keeping time with yells. Everywhere along the -wet benches slipped and splashed the snakes. But after they were driven -into the water they did not swim away. They dove under the banks and -then stretched out their pointed heads from the dripping edge of moss. - -"Say, fellows, we're making it worse for us," declared Ken. "See, the -brown devils won't swim off. We'd better have left them on the bank. -Let's catch one and see if he'll bite." - -He tried to pick up one on his pole, but it slipped off. George fished -after another. Hal put the end of his stick down inside the coil of -still another and pitched it. The brown, wriggling, wet snake shot -straight at the unsuspecting George, and struck him and momentarily -wound about him. - -"Augrrh!" bawled George, flinging off the reptile and leaping back. -"What 'd you do that for? I'll punch you!" - -"George, he didn't mean it," said Ken. "It was an accident. Come on, -let's tease that fellow and see if he'll bite." - -The snake coiled and raised his flat head and darted a wicked tongue out -and watched with bright, beady eyes, but he did not strike. Ken went as -close as he thought safe and studied the snake. - -"Boys, his head isn't a triangle, and there are no little pits under his -eyes. Those are two signs of a poisonous snake. I don't believe this -fellow's one." - -"He'll be a dead snake, b' gosh," replied George, and he fell to -pounding it with his pole. - -"Don't smash him. I want the skin," yelled Hal. - -Ken pondered on the situation before him. - -"Come, the sooner we get at this the better," he said. - -There was a succession of benches through which the stream zigzagged and -tumbled. These benches were rock ledges over which moss had grown fully -a foot thick, and they were so oozy and slippery that it was no easy -task to walk upon them. Then they were steep, so steep that it was -remarkable how the water ran over them so smoothly, with very little -noise or break. It was altogether a new kind of waterfall to Ken. But -if the snakes had not been hidden there, navigation would have presented -an easier problem. - -"Come on boys, alongside now, and hold back," he ordered, gripping the -bow. - -Exactly what happened the next few seconds was not clear in his mind. -There was a rush, and all were being dragged by the boat. The glade -seemed to whizz past. There were some sodden thumps, a great splashing, -a check--and lo! they were over several benches. It was the quickest -and easiest descent he had ever made down a steep waterfall. - -"Fine!" ejaculated George, wiping the ooze from his face. - -"Yes, it was fine," Ken replied. "But unless this boat has wings -something 'll happen soon." - -Below was a long, swift curve of water, very narrow and steep, with a -moss-covered rock dividing the lower end. Ken imagined if there was a -repetition of the first descent the boat would be smashed on that rock. -He ordered Pepe, who was of course the strongest, to go below and jump -to the rock. There he might prevent a collision. - -Pepe obeyed, but as he went he yelled and doubled up in contortions as -he leaped over snakes in the moss. - -Then gently, gingerly the boys started the boat off the bench, where it -had lodged. George was at the stern, Ken and Hal at the bow. Suddenly -Hal shrieked and jumped straight up, to land in the boat. - -"Snakes!" he howled. - -"Give us a rest!" cried Ken, in disgust. - -The boat moved as if instinct with life. It dipped, then--_wheeze!_ it -dove over the bench. Hal was thrown off his feet, fell back on the -gunwale, and thence into the snaky moss. George went sprawling face -downward into the slimy ooze, and Ken was jerked clear off the bench -into the stream. He got his footing and stood firm in water to his -waist, and he had the bow-rope coiled round his hands. - -"Help! Help!" he yelled, as he felt the dragging weight too much for -him. - -If Ken retarded the progress of the boat at all, it was not much. -George saw his distress and the danger menacing the boat, and he leaped -valiantly forward. As he dashed down a slippery slant his feet flew up -higher than where his head had been; he actually turned over in the air, -and fell with a great sop. - -Hal had been trying to reach Ken, but here he stopped and roared with -laughter. - -Despite Ken's anger and fear of snakes, and his greater fear for the -boat, he likewise had to let out a peal of laughter. That tumble of -George's was great. Then Ken's footing gave way and he went down. His -mouth filled with nasty water, nearly strangling him. He was almost -blinded, too. His arms seemed to be wrenched out of their sockets, and -he felt himself bumping over moss-covered rocks as soft as cushions. -Slimy ropes or roots of vegetation, that felt like snakes, brushed his -face and made him cold and sick. It was impossible to hold the boat any -longer. He lodged against a stone, and the swift water forced him upon -it. Blinking and coughing, he stuck fast. - -Ken saw the boat headed like a dart for the rock where Pepe stood. - -"Let 'er go!" yelled Ken. "Don't try to stop her. Pepe, you'll be -smashed!" - -Pepe acted like a man determined to make up for past cowardice. He made -a great show of brave intentions. He was not afraid of a boat. He -braced himself and reached out with his brawny arms. Ken feared for the -obstinate native's life, for the boat moved with remarkable velocity. - -At the last second Pepe's courage vanished. He turned tail to get out of -the way. But he slipped. The boat shot toward him and the blunt stern -struck him with a dull thud. Pepe sailed into the air, over the rock, -and went down cleaving the water. - -The boat slipped over the stone as easily as if it had been a wave and, -gliding into still water below, lodged on the bank. - -Ken crawled out of the stream, and when he ascertained that no one was -injured he stretched himself on the ground and gave up to mirth. Pepe -resembled a drowned rat; Hal was an object to wonder at; and George, in -his coating of slime and with strings of moss in his hair, was the -funniest thing Ken had ever seen. It was somewhat of a surprise to him -to discover, presently, that the boys were convulsed with fiendish glee -over the way he himself looked. - -By and by they recovered, and, with many a merry jest and chuckle of -satisfaction, they repacked the boat and proceeded on their way. No -further obstacle hindered them. They drifted out of the shady jungle -into the sunlit river. - -In half a mile of drifting the heat of the sun dried the boys' clothes. -The water was so hot that it fairly steamed. Once more the boat entered -a placid aisle over which the magnificent gray-wreathed cypresses bowed, -and the west wind waved long ribbons of moss, and wild fowl winged -reluctant flight. - -Ken took advantage of this tranquil stretch of river to work on his map. -He realized that he must use every spare moment and put down his -drawings and notes as often as time and travel permitted. It had dawned -on Ken that rapids and snakes, and all the dangers along the river, made -his task of observation and study one apt to be put into eclipse at -times. Once or twice he landed on shore to climb a bluff, and was -pleased each time to see that he had lined a comparatively true course -on his map. He had doubts of its absolute accuracy, yet he could not -help having pride in his work. So far so good, he thought, and hoped -for good-fortune farther down the river. - - - - - *XII* - - *CATCHING STRANGE FISH* - - -Beyond a bend in the river the boys came upon an island with a narrow, -shaded channel on one side, a wide shoal on the other, and a group of -huge cypresses at the up-stream end. - -"Looks good to me," said Hal. - -The instant Ken saw the island he knew it was the place he had long been -seeking to make a permanent camp for a few days. They landed, to find an -ideal camping site. The ground under the cypresses was flat, dry, and -covered with short grass. Not a ray of sunlight penetrated the foliage. -A pile of driftwood had lodged against one of the trees, and this made -easy the question of fire-wood. - -"Great!" exclaimed Ken. "Come on, let's look over the ground." - -The island was about two hundred yards long, and the lower end was -hidden by a growth of willows. Bursting through this, the boys saw a -weedy flat leading into a wide, shallow back-eddy. Great numbers of -ducks were sporting and feeding. The stones of the rocky shore were -lined with sleeping ducks. Herons of all colors and sizes waded about, -or slept on one leg. Snipe ran everywhere. There was a great squawking -and flapping of wings. But at least half the number of waterfowl were -too tame or too lazy to fly. - -Ken returned to camp with his comrades, all highly elated over the -prospects. The best feature about this beautiful island was the absence -of ticks and snakes. - -"Boys, this is the place," said Ken. "We'll hang up here for a while. -Maybe we won't strike another such nice place to stay." - -So they unloaded the boat, taking everything out, and proceeded to pitch -a camp that was a delight. They were all loud in expressions of -satisfaction. Then Pepe set about leisurely peeling potatoes; George -took his gun and slipped off toward the lower end of the island; Hal -made a pen for his racoon, and then more pens, as if he meant to capture -a menagerie; and Ken made a comfortable lounging-bed under a cypress. -He wanted to forget that nagging worry as to farther descent of the -river, and to enjoy this place. - -"Bang!" went George's sixteen-gage. A loud whirring of wings followed, -and the air was full of ducks. - -"Never touched one!" yelled Hal, in taunting voice. - -A flock of teal skimmed the water and disappeared up-stream. The shot -awakened parrots in the trees, where for a while there was clamor. Ken -saw George wade out into the shoal and pick up three ducks. - -"Pot-shot!" exclaimed Hal, disgustedly. "Why couldn't he be a sport and -shoot them on the fly?" - -George crossed to the opposite shore and, climbing a bare place, stood -looking before him. - -"Hey, George, don't go far," called Ken. - -"Fine place over here," replied George, and, waving his hand, he passed -into the bushes out of sight. - -Ken lay back upon his blanket with a blissful sense of rest and -contentment. Many a time he had lain so, looking up through the broad -leaves of a sycamore or the lacy foliage of a birch or the delicate -crisscross of millions of pine needles. This overhead canopy, however, -was different. Only here and there could he catch little slivers of -blue sky. The graceful streamers of exquisite moss hung like tassels of -silver. In the dead stillness of noonday they seemed to float curved in -the shape in which the last soft breeze had left them. High upon a -branch he saw a red-headed parrot hanging back downward, after the -fashion of a monkey. Then there were two parrots asleep in the fork of -a branch. It was the middle of the day, and all things seemed tired and -sleepy. The deep channel murmured drowsily, and the wide expanse of -river on the other side lapped lazily at the shore. The only other -sound was the mourning of turtle-doves, one near and another far away. -Again the full richness, the mellow sweetness of this song struck Ken -forcibly. He remembered that all the way down the river he had heard -that mournful note. It was beautiful but melancholy. Somehow it made -him think that it had broken the dreamy stillness of the jungle noonday -long, long ago. It was sweet but sad and old. He did not like to hear -it. - -Ken yielded to the soothing influence of the hour and fell asleep. When -he awoke there was George, standing partially undressed and very soberly -popping ticks. He had enlisted the services of Pepe, and, to judge from -the remarks of both, they needed still more assistance. - -"Say, Garrapato George, many ticks over there?" - -"Ticks!" shouted George, wildly, waving his cigarette. "Millions of -'em! And there's--ouch! Kill that one, Pepe. Wow! he's as big as a -penny. There's game over there. It's a flat with some kind of berry -bush. There's lots of trails. I saw cat-tracks, and I scared up wild -turkeys--" - -"Turkeys!" Ken exclaimed, eagerly. - -"You bet. I saw a dozen. How they can run! I didn't flush them. Then -I saw a flock of those black and white ducks, like the big fellow I -shot. They were feeding. I believe they're Muscovy ducks." - -"I'm sure I don't know, but we can call them that." - -"Well, I'd got a shot, too, but I saw some gray things sneaking in the -bushes. I thought they were pigs, so I got out of there quick." - -"You mean javelin?" - -"Yep, I mean wild pigs. Oh! We've struck the place for game. I'll bet -it's coming to us." - -When George anticipated pleasurable events he was the most happy of -companions. It was good to look forward. He was continually expecting -things to happen; he was always looking ahead with great eagerness. But -unfortunately he had a twist of mind toward the unfavorable side of -events, and so always had the boys fearful. - -"Well, pigs or no pigs, ticks or no ticks, we'll hunt and fish, and see -all there is to see," declared Ken, and he went back to his lounging. - -When he came out of that lazy spell, George and Hal were fishing. -George had Ken's rod, and it happened to be the one Ken thought most of. - -"Do you know how to fish?" he asked. - -"I've caught tarpon bigger'n you," retorted George. - -That fact was indeed too much for Ken, and he had nothing to do but risk -his beloved rod in George's hands. And the way George swung it about, -slashed branches with it, dropped the tip in the water, was exceedingly -alarming to Ken. The boy would break the tip in a minute. Yet Ken -could not take his rod away from a boy who had caught tarpon. - -There were fish breaking water. Where a little while before the river -had been smooth, now it was ruffled by _ravalo_, gar, and other fish -Pepe could not name. But George and Hal did not get a bite. They tried -all their artificial flies and spoons and minnows, then the preserved -mullet, and finally several kinds of meat. - -"Bah! they want pie," said Hal. - -For Ken Ward to see little and big fish capering around under his very -nose and not be able to hook one was exasperating. He shot a small -fish, not unlike a pickerel, and had the boys bait with that. Still no -strike was forthcoming. - -This put Ken on his mettle. He rigged up a minnow tackle, and, going to -the lower end of the island, he tried to catch some minnows. There were -plenty of them in the shallow water, but they would not bite. Finally -Ken waded in the shoal and turned over stones. He found some snails -almost as large as mussels, and with these he hurried back to the boys. - -"Here, if you don't get a bite on one of these I'm no fisherman," said -Ken. "Try one." - -George got his hands on the new bait in advance of Hal and so threw his -hook into the water first. No sooner had the bait sunk than he got a -strong pull. - -"There! Careful now," said Ken. - -George jerked up, hooking a fish that made the rod look like a -buggy-whip. - -"Give me the rod," yelled Ken, trying to take it. - -"It's my fish," yelled back George. - -He held on and hauled with all his might. A long, finely built fish, -green as emerald, split the water and churned it into foam. Then, -sweeping out in strong dash, it broke Ken's rod square in the middle. -Ken eyed the wreck with sorrow, and George with no little disapproval. - -"You said you knew how to fish," protested Ken. - -"Those split-bamboo rods are no good," replied George. "They won't hold -a fish." - -"George, you're a grand fisherman!" observed Hal, with a chuckle. "Why, -you only dreamed you've caught tarpon." - -Just then Hal had a tremendous strike. He was nearly hauled off the -bank. But he recovered his balance and clung to his nodding rod. Hal's -rod was heavy cane, and his line was thick enough to suit. So nothing -broke. The little brass reel buzzed and rattled. - -"I've got a whale!" yelled Hal. - -"It's a big gar--alligator-gar," said George. "You haven't got him. -He's got you." - -The fish broke water, showing long, open jaws with teeth like saw-teeth. -It threshed about and broke away. Hal reeled in to find the hook -straightened out. Then George kindly commented upon the very skilful -manner in which Hal had handled the gar. For a wonder Hal did not reply. - -By four o'clock, when Ken sat down to supper, he was so thirsty that his -mouth puckered as dry as if he had been eating green persimmons. This -matter of thirst had become serious. Twice each day Ken had boiled a -pot of water, into which he mixed cocoa, sugar, and condensed milk, and -begged the boys to drink that and nothing else. Nevertheless Pepe and -George, and occasionally Hal, would drink unboiled water. For this meal -the boys had venison and duck, and canned vegetables and fruit, so they -fared sumptuously. - -Pepe pointed to a string of Muscovy ducks sailing up the river. George -had a good shot at the tail end of the flock, and did not even loosen a -feather. Then a line of cranes and herons passed over the island. When -a small bunch of teal flew by, to be followed by several canvasbacks, -Ken ran for his shotgun. It was a fine hammerless, a hard-shooting gun, -and one Ken used for grouse-hunting. In his hurry he grasped a handful -of the first shells he came to and, when he ran to the river-bank, found -they were loads of small shot. He decided to try them anyhow. - -While Pepe leisurely finished the supper Ken and George and Hal sat on -the bank watching for ducks. Just before the sun went down a hard wind -blew, making difficult shooting. Every few moments ducks would whir by. -George's gun missed fire often, and when it did work all right, he -missed the ducks. To Ken's surprise he found the load of small shot -very deadly. He could sometimes reach a duck at eighty yards. The -little brown ducks and teal he stopped as if they had hit a stone wall. -He dropped a canvasback with the sheer dead plunge that he liked. Ken -thought a crippled duck enough to make a hunter quit shooting. With six -ducks killed, he decided to lay aside his gun for that time, when Pepe -pointed down the river. - -"Pato real," he said. - -Ken looked eagerly and saw three of the big black ducks flying as high -as the treetops and coming fast. Snapping a couple of shells in the -gun, Ken stood ready. At the end of the island two of the ducks wheeled -to the left, but the big leader came on like a thunderbolt. To Ken he -made a canvasback seem slow. Ken caught him over the sights of the gun, -followed him up till he was abreast and beyond; then, sweeping a little -ahead of him, Ken pulled both triggers. The Muscovy swooped up and -almost stopped in his flight while a cloud of black feathers puffed away -on the wind. He sagged a little, recovered, and flew on as strong as -ever. The small shot were not heavy enough to stop him. - -"We'll need big loads for the Muscovies and the turkeys," said George. - -"We've all sizes up to BB's," replied Ken. "George, let's take a walk -over there where you saw the turkeys. It's early yet." - -Then Pepe told George if they wanted to see game at that hour the thing -to do was to sit still in camp and watch the game come down to the river -to drink. And he pointed down-stream to a herd of small deer quietly -walking out on the bar. - -"After all the noise we made!" exclaimed Ken. "Well, this beats me. -George, we'll stay right here and not shoot again to-night. I've an -idea we'll see something worth while." - -It was Pepe's idea, but Ken instantly saw its possibilities. There were -no tributaries to the river or springs in that dry jungle, and, as -manifestly the whole country abounded in game, it must troop down to the -river in the cool of the evening to allay the hot day's thirst. The -boys were perfectly situated for watching the dark bank on the channel -side of the island as well as the open bars on the other. The huge -cypresses cast shadows that even in daylight effectually concealed them. -They put out the camp-fire and, taking comfortable seats in the folds of -the great gnarled roots, began to watch and listen. - -The vanguard of thirsty deer had prepared Ken for something remarkable, -and he was in no wise disappointed. The trooping of deer down to the -water's edge and the flight of wild fowl up-stream increased in -proportion to the gathering shadows of twilight. The deer must have got -a scent, for they raised their long ears and stood still as statues, -gazing across toward the upper end of the island. But they showed no -fear. It was only when they had drunk their fill and wheeled about to -go up the narrow trails over the bank that they showed uneasiness and -haste. This made Ken wonder if they were fearful of being ambushed by -jaguars. Soon the dark line of deer along the shore shaded into the -darkness of night. Then Ken heard soft splashes and an occasional -patter of hard hoofs. The whir of wings had ceased. - -A low exclamation from Pepe brought attention to interesting -developments closer at hand. - -"Javelin!" he whispered. - -On the channel side of the island was impenetrable pitchy blackness. -Ken tried to pierce it with straining eyes, but he could not even make -out the shore-line that he knew was only ten yards distant. Still he -could hear, and that was thrilling enough. Everywhere on this side, -along the edge of the water and up the steep bank, were faint tickings -of twigs and soft rustlings of leaves. Then there was a continuous -sound, so low as to be almost inaudible, that resembled nothing Ken -could think of so much as a long line of softly dripping water. It -swelled in volume to a tiny roll, and ended in a sharp clicking on rocks -and a gentle splashing in the water. A drove of _javelin_ had come down -to drink. Occasionally the glint of green eyes made the darkness all the -more weird. Suddenly a long, piercing wail, a keen cry almost human, -quivered into the silence. - -"Panther!" Ken whispered, instantly, to the boys. It was a different -cry from that of the lion of the caon, but there was a strange wild -note that betrayed the species. A stillness fell, dead as that of a -subterranean cavern. Strain his ears as he might, Ken could not detect -the slightest sound. It was as if no _javelin_ or any other animals had -come down to drink. That listening, palpitating moment seemed endless. -What mystery of wild life it meant, that silence following the cry of -the panther! Then the jungle sounds recommenced--the swishing of water, -the brushing in the thicket, stealthy padded footsteps, the faint -snapping of twigs. Some kind of a cat uttered an unearthly squall. Close -upon this the clattering of deer up the bank on the other side rang out -sharply. The deer were running, and the striking of the little hoofs -ceased in short order. Ken listened intently. From far over the bank -came a sound not unlike a cough--deep, hoarse, inexpressibly wild and -menacing. - -"Tigre!" cried Pepe, gripping Ken hard with both hands. He could feel -him trembling. It showed how the native of the jungle-belt feared the -jaguar. - -Again the cough rasped out, nearer and louder this time. It was not a -courage-provoking sound, and seemed on second thought more of a growl -than a cough. Ken felt safe on the island; nevertheless, he took up his -rifle. - -"That's a tiger," whispered George. "I heard one once from the porch of -the Alamitas hacienda." - -A third time the jaguar told of his arrival upon the night scene. Ken -was excited, and had a thrill of fear. He made up his mind to listen -with clearer ears, but the cough or growl was not repeated. - -Then a silence set in, so unbroken that it seemed haunted by the echoes -of those wild jungle cries. Perhaps Ken had the haunting echoes in -mind. He knew what had sent the deer away and stilled the splashings -and creepings. It was the hoarse voice of the lord of the jungle. - -Pepe and the boys, too, fell under the spell of the hour. They did not -break the charm by talking. Giant fireflies accentuated the ebony -blackness and a low hum of insects riveted the attention on the -stillness. Ken could not understand why he was more thoughtful on this -trip than he had ever been before. Somehow he felt immeasurably older. -Probably that was because it had seemed necessary for him to act like a -man, even if he was only a boy. - -The black mantle of night lifted from under the cypresses, leaving a -gloom that slowly paled. Through the dark foliage, low down over the -bank, appeared the white tropical moon. Shimmering gleams chased the -shadows across the ripples, and slowly the river brightened to a silver -sheen. - -A great peace fell upon the jungle world. How white, how wild, how -wonderful! It only made the island more beautiful and lonely. The -thought of leaving it gave Ken Ward a pang. Almost he wished he were a -savage. - -And he lay there thinking of the wild places that he could never see, -where the sun shone, the wind blew, the twilight shadowed, the rain -fell; where the colors and beauties changed with the passing hours; -where a myriad of wild creatures preyed upon each other and night never -darkened but upon strife and death. - - - - - *XIII* - - *A TURKEY-HUNT* - - -Upon awakening in the early morning Ken found his state one of huge -enjoyment. He was still lazily tired, but the dead drag and ache had -gone from his bones. A cool breeze wafted the mist from the river, -breaking it up into clouds, between which streamed rosy shafts of -sunlight. Wood-smoke from the fire Pepe was starting blew fragrantly -over him. A hundred thousand birds seemed to be trying to burst their -throats. The air was full of music. He lay still, listening to this -melodious herald of the day till it ceased. - -Then a flock of parrots approached and circled over the island, -screeching like a band of flying imps. Presently they alighted in the -cypresses, bending the branches to a breaking-point and giving the trees -a spotted appearance of green and red. Pepe waved his hand toward -another flock sweeping over. - -"Parrakeets," he said. - -These birds were a solid green, much smaller than the red-heads, with -longer tails. They appeared wilder than the red-heads, and flew higher, -circling the same way and screeching, but they did not alight. Other -flocks sailed presently from all directions. The last one was a cloud -of parrots, a shining green and yellow mass several acres in extent. -They flew still higher than the parrakeets. - -"Yellow-heads!" shouted George. "They're the big fellows, the talkers. -If there ain't a million of 'em!" - -The boys ate breakfast in a din that made conversation useless. The -red-heads swooped down upon the island, and the two unfriendly species -flew back and forth, manifestly trying to drive the boys off. The mist -had blown away, the sun was shining bright, when the myriad of parrots, -in large and small flocks, departed to other jungle haunts. - -Pepe rowed across the wide shoal to the sand-bars. There in the soft -ooze, among the hundreds of deer-tracks, Ken found a jaguar-track larger -than his spread hand. It was different from a lion-track, yet he could -not distinguish just what the difference was. Pepe, who had accompanied -the boys to carry the rifles and game, pointed to the track and said, -vehemently: - -"Tigre!" He pronounced it "tee-gray." And he added, "Grande!" - -"Big he certainly is," Ken replied. "Boys, we'll kill this jaguar. -We'll bait this drinking-trail with a deer carcass and watch to-night." - -Once upon the bank, Ken was surprised to see a wide stretch of -comparatively flat land. It was covered with a low vegetation, with -here and there palm-trees on the little ridges and bamboo clumps down in -the swales. Beyond the flat rose the dark line of dense jungle. It was -not clear to Ken why that low piece of ground was not overgrown with the -matted thickets and vines and big trees characteristic of other parts of -the jungle. They struck into one of the trails, and had not gone a -hundred paces when they espied a herd of deer. The grass and low bushes -almost covered them. George handed his shotgun to Pepe and took his -rifle. - -"Shoot low," said Ken. - -George pulled the trigger, and with the report a deer went down, but it -was not the one Ken was looking at, nor the one at which he believed -George had aimed. The rest of the herd bounded away, to disappear in a -swale. Wading through bushes and grass, they found George's quarry, a -small deer weighing perhaps sixty pounds. Pepe carried it over to the -trail. Ken noted that he was exceedingly happy to carry the rifles. -They went on at random, somehow feeling that, no matter in what -direction, they would run into something to shoot at. - -The first bamboo swale was alive with _chicalocki_. Up to this time Ken -had not seen this beautiful pheasant fly in the open, and he was -astonished at its speed. It would burst out of the thick bamboo, whir -its wings swiftly, then sail. That sail was a most graceful thing to -see. George pulled his 16-gage twice, and missed both times. He had -the beginner's fault--shooting too soon. Presently Pepe beat a big cock -_chicalocki_ out of the bush. He made such a fine target, he sailed so -evenly, that Ken simply looked at him over the gun-sights and followed -him till he was out of sight. The next one he dropped like a plummet. -Shooting _chicalocki_ was too easy, he decided; they presented so fair a -mark that it was unfair to pull on them. - -George was an impetuous hunter. Ken could not keep near him, nor coax -or command him to stay near. He would wander off by himself. That was -one mark in his favor: at least he had no fear. Pepe hung close to Ken -and Hal, with his dark eyes roving everywhere. Ken climbed out on one -side of the swale, George on the other. Catching his whistle, Ken -turned to look after him. He waved, and, pointing ahead, began to stoop -and slip along from bush to bush. Presently a flock of Muscovy ducks -rose before him, sailed a few rods, and alighted. Then from right under -his feet labored up great gray birds. Wild geese! Ken recognized them -as George's gun went _bang_! One tumbled over, the others wheeled -toward the river. Ken started down into the swale to cross to where -George was, when Pepe touched his arm. - -"Turkeys!" he whispered. - -That changed Ken's mind. Pepe pointed into the low bushes ahead and -slowly led Ken forward. He heard a peculiar low thumping. Trails led -everywhere, and here and there were open patches covered with a scant -growth of grass. Across one of these flashed a bronze streak, then -another and another. - -"Shoot! Shoot!" said Pepe, tensely. - -Those bronze streaks were running turkeys! The thumpings were made by -their rapidly moving feet! - -"Don't they flush--fly?" Ken queried of Pepe. - -"No--no--shoot!" exclaimed he, as another streak of brown crossed an -open spot. Ken hurriedly unbreached his gun and changed the light -shells for others loaded with heavy shot. He reached the edge of a bare -spot across which a turkey ran with incredible swiftness. He did not -get the gun in line with it at all. Then two more broke out of the -bushes. Run! They were as swift as flying quail. Ken took two -snap-shots, and missed both times. If any one had told him that he -would miss a running turkey at fifty feet, he would have been insulted. -But he did not loosen a feather. Loading again, he yelled for George. - -"Hey, George--turkeys!" - -He whooped, and started across on the run. - -"Gee!" said Hal. "Ken, I couldn't do any worse shooting than you. Let -me take a few pegs." - -Ken handed over the heavy gun and fell back a little, giving Hal the -lead. They walked on, peering closely into the bushes. Suddenly a -beautiful big gobbler ran out of a thicket, and then stopped to stretch -out his long neck and look. - -"Shoot--hurry!" whispered Ken. "What a chance!" - -"That's a tame turkey," said Hal. - -"Tame! Why, you tenderfoot! He's as wild as wild. Can't you see -that?" - -Ken's excitement and Pepe's intense eagerness all at once seemed -communicated to Hal. He hauled up the gun, fingered the triggers -awkwardly, then shot both barrels. He tore a tremendous hole in the -brush some few feet to one side of the turkey. Then the great bird ran -swiftly out of sight. - -"Didn't want to kill him sitting, anyhow," said Hal, handing the gun -back to Ken. - -"We want to eat some wild turkey, don't we? Well, we'd better take any -chance. These birds are game, Hal, and don't you forget that!" - -"What's all the shooting?" panted George, as he joined the march. - -Just then there was a roar in the bushes, and a brown blur rose and -whizzed ahead like a huge bullet. That turkey had flushed. Ken watched -him fly till he went down out of sight into a distant swale. - -"Pretty nifty flier, eh?" said George. "He was too quick for me." - -"Great!" replied Ken. - -There was another roar, and a huge bronze cannon-ball sped straight -ahead. Ken shot both barrels, then George shot one, all clean misses. -Ken watched this turkey fly, and saw him clearer. He had to admit that -the wild turkey of the Tamaulipas jungle had a swifter and more -beautiful flight than his favorite bird, the ruffled grouse. - -"Walk faster," said George. "They'll flush better. I don't see how I'm -to hit one. This goose I'm carrying weighs about a ton." - -The hunters hurried along, crashing through the bushes. They saw turkey -after turkey. _Bang!_ went George's gun. - -Then a beautiful sight made Ken cry out and forget to shoot. Six -turkeys darted across an open patch--how swiftly they ran!--then rose in -a bunch. The roar they made, the wonderfully rapid action of their -powerful wings, and then the size of them, their wildness and noble -gameness made them the royal game for Ken. - -At the next threshing in the bushes his gun was leveled; he covered the -whistling bronze thing that shot up. The turkey went down with a crash. -Pepe yelled, and as he ran forward the air all about him was full of -fine bronze feathers. Ken hurried forward to see his bird. Its -strength and symmetry, and especially the beautiful shades of bronze, -captivated his eye. - -"Come on, boys--this is the greatest game I ever hunted," he called. - -Again Pepe yelled, and this time he pointed. From where Ken stood he -could not see anything except low, green bushes. In great excitement -George threw up his gun and shot. Ken heard a squealing. - -"Javelin! Javelin!" yelled Pepe, in piercing alarm. - -George jerked a rifle from him and began to shoot. Hal pumped his .22 -into the bushes. The trampling of hard little hoofs and a cloud of dust -warned Ken where the javelin were. Suddenly Pepe broke and fled for the -river. - -"Hyar, Pepe, fetch back my rifle," shouted Ken, angrily. - -Pepe ran all the faster. - -George turned and dashed away yelling: "Wild pigs! Wild pigs!" - -"Look out, Ken! Run! Run!" added Hal; and he likewise took to his -heels. - -It looked as if there was nothing else for Ken to do but to make tracks -from that vicinity. Never before had he run from a danger which he had -not seen; but the flight of the boys was irresistibly contagious, and -this, coupled with the many stories he had heard of the _javelin_, made -Ken execute a sprint that would have been a record but for the hampering -weight of gun and turkey. He vowed he would hold on to both, pigs or no -pigs; nevertheless he listened as he ran and nervously looked back -often. It may have been excited imagination that the dust-cloud -appeared to be traveling in his wake. Fortunately, the distance to the -river did not exceed a short quarter of a mile. Hot, winded, and -thoroughly disgusted with himself, Ken halted on the bank. Pepe was -already in the boat, and George was scrambling aboard. - -"A fine--chase--you've given--me," Ken panted. "There's nothing--after -us." - -"Don't you fool yourself," returned George, quickly. "I saw those pigs, -and, like the ass I am, I blazed away at one with my shotgun." - -"Did he run at you? That's what I want to know?" demanded Ken. - -George said he was not certain about that, but declared there always was -danger if a wounded _javelin_ squealed. Pepe had little to say; he -refused to go back after the deer left in the trail. So they rowed -across the shoal, and on the way passed within a rod of a big crocodile. - -"Look at that fellow," cried George. "Wish I had my rifle loaded. He's -fifteen feet long." - -"Oh no, George, he's not more than ten feet," said Ken. - -"You don't see his tail. He's a whopper. Pepe told me there was one in -this pool. We'll get him, all right." - -They reached camp tired out, and all a little ruffled in temper, which -certainly was not eased by the discovery that they were covered with -ticks. Following the cue of his companions, Ken hurriedly stripped off -his clothes and hung them where they could singe over the camp-fire. -There were broad red bands of _pinilius_ round both ankles, and reddish -patches on the skin of his arms. Here and there were black spots about -the size of his little finger-nail, and these were _garrapatoes_. He -picked these off one by one, rather surprised to find them come off so -easily. Suddenly he jumped straight up with a pain as fierce as if it -had been a puncture from a red-hot wire. - -Pepe grinned; and George cried: - -"Aha! that was a garrapato bite, that was! You just wait!" - -George had a hundred or more of the big black ticks upon him, and he was -remorselessly popping them with his cigarette. Some of them were biting -him, too, judging from the way he flinched. Pepe had attracted to -himself a million or more of the _pinilius_, but very few of the larger -pests. He generously came to Ken's assistance. Ken was trying to pull -off the _garrapato_ that had bitten a hole in him. Pepe said it had -embedded its head, and if pulled would come apart, leaving the head -buried in the flesh, which would cause inflammation. Pepe held the -glowing end of his cigarette close over the tick, and it began to squirm -and pull out its head. When it was free of the flesh Pepe suddenly -touched it with the cigarette, and it exploded with a pop. A difficult -question was: Which hurt Ken the most, the burn from the cigarette or -the bite of the tick? Pepe scraped off as many _pinilius_ as would -come, and then rubbed Ken with _canya_, the native alcohol. If this was -not some kind of vitriol, Ken missed his guess. It smarted so keenly he -thought his skin was peeling off. Presently, however, the smarting -subsided, and so did the ticks. - -Hal, who by far was the most sensitive one in regard to the crawling and -biting of the jungle pests, had been remarkably fortunate in escaping -them. So he made good use of his opportunity to poke fun at the others, -particularly Ken. - -George snapped out: "Just wait, Hollering Hal!" - -"Don't you call me that!" said Hal, belligerently. - -Ken eyed his brother in silence, but with a dark, meaning glance. It -had occurred to Ken that here in this jungle was the only place in the -world where he could hope to pay off old scores on Hal. And plots began -to form in his mind. - -They lounged about camp, resting in the shade during the hot midday -hours. For supper they had a superfluity of meat, the waste of which -Ken deplored, and he assuaged his conscience by deciding to have a taste -of each kind. The wild turkey he found the most toothsome, delicious -meat it had ever been his pleasure to eat. What struck him at once was -the flavor, and he could not understand it until Pepe explained that the -jungle turkey lived upon a red pepper. So the Tamaulipas wild turkey -turned out to be doubly the finest game he had ever shot. - -All afternoon the big crocodile sunned himself on the surface of the -shoal. - -Ken wanted a crocodile-skin, and this was a chance to get one; but he -thought it as well to wait, and kept the boys from wasting ammunition. - -Before sundown Pepe went across the river and fetched the deer carcass -down to the sandbar, where the jaguar-trail led to the water. - -At twilight Ken stationed the boys at the lower end of the island, -ambushed behind stones. He placed George and Pepe some rods below his -own position. They had George's .32 rifle, and the 16-gage loaded with -a solid ball. Ken put Hal, with the double-barreled shotgun, also -loaded with ball, some little distance above. And Ken, armed with his -automatic, hid just opposite the deer-trails. - -"Be careful where you shoot," Ken warned repeatedly. "Be cool--think -quick--and aim." - -Ken settled down for a long wait, some fifty yards from the deer -carcass. A wonderful procession of wild fowl winged swift flight over -his head. They flew very low. It was strange to note the difference in -the sound of their flying. The cranes and herons softly swished the -air, the teal and canvasbacks whirred by, and the great Muscovies -whizzed like bullets. - -When the first deer came down to drink it was almost dark, and when they -left the moon was up, though obscured by clouds. Faint sounds rose from -the other side of the island. Ken listened until his ears ached, but he -could hear nothing. Heavier clouds drifted over the moon. The deer -carcass became indistinct, and then faded entirely, and the bar itself -grew vague. He was about to give up watching for that night when he -heard a faint rustling below. Following it came a grating or crunching -of gravel. - -Bright flares split the darkness--_crack! crack!_ rang out George's -rifle, then the heavy _boom! boom!_ of the shotgun. - -"There he is!" yelled George. "He's down--we got him--there's two! -Look out!" - -_Boom! Boom!_ roared the heavy shotgun from Hal's covert. - -"George missed him! I got him!" yelled Hal. "No, there he goes--Ken! -Ken!" - -Ken caught the flash of a long gray body in the hazy gloom of the bar -and took a quick shot at it. The steel-jacketed bullet scattered the -gravel and then hummed over the bank. The gray body moved fast up the -bank. Ken could just see it. He turned loose the little automatic and -made the welkin ring. - - - - - *XIV* - - *A FIGHT WITH A JAGUAR* - - -When the echoes of the shots died away the stillness seemed all the -deeper. No rustle in the brush or scuffle on the sand gave evidence of -a wounded or dying jaguar. George and Hal and Pepe declared there were -two tigers, and that they had hit one. Ken walked out upon the stones -till he could see the opposite bar, but was not rewarded by a sight of -dead game. Thereupon they returned to camp, somewhat discouraged at -their ill luck, but planning another night-watch. - -In the morning George complained that he did not feel well. Ken told -him he had been eating too much fresh meat, and that he had better be -careful. Then Ken set off alone, crossed the river, and found that the -deer carcass was gone. In the sand near where it had lain were plenty -of cat-tracks, but none of the big jaguar. Upon closer scrutiny he -found the cat-tracks to be those of a panther. He had half dragged, half -carried the carcass up one of the steep trails, but from that point -there was no further trace. - -Ken struck out across the fiat, intending to go as far as the jungle. -Turtle-doves fluttered before him in numberless flocks. Far to one side -he saw Muscovy ducks rising, sailing a few rods, then alighting. This -occurred several times before he understood what it meant. There was -probably a large flock feeding on the flat, and the ones in the rear -were continually flying to get ahead of those to the fore. - -Several turkeys ran through the bushes before Ken, but as he was -carrying a rifle he paid little heed to them. He kept a keen lookout -for _javelin_. Two or three times he was tempted to turn off the trail -into little bamboo hollows; this, however, owing to a repugnance to -ticks, he did not do. Finally, as he neared the high moss-decked wall -of the jungle, he came upon a runway leading through the bottom of a -deep swale, and here he found tiger-tracks. - -Farther down the swale, under a great cluster of bamboo, he saw the -scattered bones of several deer. Ken was sure that in this spot the -lord of the jungle had feasted more than once. It was an open hollow, -with the ground bare under the bamboos. The runway led on into dense, -leafy jungle. Ken planned to bait that lair with a deer carcass and -watch it during the late afternoon. - -First, it was necessary to get the deer. This might prove bothersome, -for Ken's hands and wrists were already sprinkled with _pinilius_, and -he certainly did not want to stay very long in the brush. Ken imagined -he felt an itching all the time, and writhed inside his clothes. - -"Say, blame you! bite!" he exclaimed, resignedly, and stepped into the -low bushes. He went up and out of the swale. Scarcely had he reached a -level when he saw a troop of deer within easy range. Before they winded -danger Ken shot, and the one he had singled out took a few bounds, then -fell over sideways. The others ran off into the brush. Ken remembered -that the old hunter on Penetier had told him how seldom a deer dropped -at once. When he saw the work of the soft-nose .351 bullet, he no -longer wondered at this deer falling almost in his tracks. - -"If I ever hit a jaguar like that it will be all day with him," was -Ken's comment. - -There were two things about hunting the jaguar that Ken had been bidden -to keep in mind--fierce aggressiveness and remarkable tenacity of life. - -Ken dragged the deer down into the bamboo swale and skinned out a -haunch. Next to wild-turkey meat, he liked venison best. He was glad to -have that as an excuse, for killing these tame tropical deer seemed like -murder to Ken. He left the carcass in a favorable place and then -hurried back to camp. - -To Ken's relief, he managed to escape bringing any _garrapatoes_ with -him, but it took a half-hour to rid himself of the collection of -_pinilius_. - -"George, ask Pepe what's the difference between a garrapato and a -pinilius," said Ken. - -"The big tick is the little one's mother," replied Pepe. - -"Gee! you fellows fuss a lot about ticks," said Hal, looking up from his -task. He was building more pens to accommodate the turtles, snakes, -snails, mice, and young birds that he had captured during the morning. - -Pepe said there were few ticks there in the uplands compared to the -number down along the Panuco River. In the lowlands where the cattle -roamed there were millions in every square rod. The under side of every -leaf and blade of grass was red with ticks. The size of these pests -depended on whether or not they got a chance to stick to a steer or any -beast. They appeared to live indefinitely, but if they could not suck -blood they could not grow. The _pinilius_ grew into a _garrapato_, and a -_garrapato_ bred a hundred thousand _pinilius_ in her body. Two -singular things concerning these ticks were that they always crawled -upward, and they vanished from the earth during the wet season. - -Ken soaked his Duxbax hunting-suit in kerosene in the hope that this -method would enable him to spend a reasonable time hunting. Then, while -the other boys fished and played around, he waited for the long, hot -hours to pass. It was cool in the shade, but the sunlight resembled the -heat of fire. At last five o'clock came, and Ken put on the damp suit. -Soaked with the oil, it was heavier and hotter than sealskin, and before -he got across the river he was nearly roasted. The evening wind sprang -up, and the gusts were like blasts from a furnace. Ken's body was -bathed in perspiration; it ran down his wrists, over his hands, and wet -the gun. This cure for ticks--if it were one--was worse than their -bites. When he reached the shade of the bamboo swale it was none too -soon for him. He threw off the coat, noticing there were more ticks -upon it than at anytime before. The bottom of his trousers, too, had -gathered an exceeding quantity. He brushed them off, muttering the -while that he believed they liked kerosene, and looked as if they were -drinking it. Ken found it easy, however, to brush them off the wet -Duxbax, and soon composed himself to rest and watch. - -The position chosen afforded Ken a clear view of the bare space under -the bamboos and of the hollow where the runway disappeared in the -jungle. The deer carcass, which lay as he had left it, was about a -hundred feet from him. This seemed rather close, but he had to accept -it, for if he had moved farther away he could not have commanded both -points. - -Ken sat with his back against a clump of bamboos, the little rifle -across his knees and an extra clip of cartridges on the ground at his -left. After taking that position he determined not to move a yard when -the tiger came, and to kill him. - -Ken went over in mind the lessons he had learned hunting bear in -Penetier Forest with old Hiram Bent and lassoing lions on the wild -north-rim of the Grand Caon. Ken knew that the thing for a hunter to -do, when his quarry was dangerous, was to make up his mind beforehand. -Ken had twelve powerful shells that he could shoot in the half of twelve -seconds. He would have been willing to face two jaguars. - -The sun set and the wind died down. What a relief was the cooling shade! -The little breeze that was left fortunately blew at right angles to the -swale, so that there did not seem much danger of the tiger winding Ken -down the jungle runway. - -For long moments he was tense and alert. He listened till he thought he -had almost lost the sense of hearing. The jungle leaves were -whispering; the insects were humming. He had expected to hear myriad -birds and see processions of deer, and perhaps a drove of _javelin_. -But if any living creatures ventured near him it was without his -knowledge. The hour between sunset and twilight passed--a long wait; -still he did not lose the feeling that something would happen. Ken's -faculties of alertness tired, however, and needed distraction. So he -took stock of the big clump of bamboos under which lay the deer carcass. - -It was a remarkable growth, that gracefully drooping cluster of slender -bamboo poles. He remembered how, as a youngster, not many years back, -he had wondered where the fishing-poles came from. Here Ken counted one -hundred and sixty-nine in a clump no larger than a barrel. They were -yellow in color with black bands, and they rose straight for a few -yards, then began to lean out, to bend slightly, at last to droop with -their abundance of spiked leaves. Ken was getting down to a real, -interested study of this species of jungle growth when a noise startled -him. - -He straightened out of his lounging position and looked around. The -sound puzzled him. He could not place its direction or name what it was. -The jungle seemed strangely quiet. He listened. After a moment of -waiting he again heard the sound. Instantly Ken was as tense and -vibrating as a violin string. The thing he had heard was from the lungs -of some jungle beast. He was almost ready to pronounce it a cough. -Warily he glanced around, craning his neck. Then a deep, hoarse growl -made him whirl. - -There stood a jaguar with head up and paw on the deer carcass. Ken -imagined he felt perfectly cool, but he knew he was astounded. And even -as he cautiously edged the rifle over his knee he took in the beautiful -points of the jaguar. He was yellow, almost white, with black spots. -He was short and stocky, with powerful stumpy bow-legs. But his head -most amazed Ken. It was enormous. And the expression of his face was so -singularly savage and wild that Ken seemed to realize instantly the -difference between a mountain-lion and this fierce tropical brute. - -The jaguar opened his jaws threateningly. He had an enormous stretch of -jaw. His long, yellow fangs gleamed. He growled again. - -Not hurriedly, nor yet slowly, Ken fired. - -He heard the bullet strike him as plainly as if he had hit him with a -board. He saw dust fly from his hide. Ken expected to see the jaguar -roll over. Instead of that he leaped straight up with a terrible roar. -Something within Ken shook. He felt cold and sick. - -When the jaguar came down, sprawled on all fours, Ken pulled the -automatic again, and he saw the fur fly. Then the jaguar leaped forward -with a strange, hoarse cry. Ken shot again, and knocked the beast flat. -He tumbled and wrestled about, scattering the dust and brush. Three -times more Ken fired, too hastily, and inflicted only slight wounds. - -In reloading Ken tried to be deliberate in snapping in the second clip -and pushing down the rod that threw the shell into the barrel. But his -hands shook. His fingers were all thumbs, and he fumbled at the breech -of the rifle. - -In that interval, if the jaguar could have kept his sense of direction, -he would have reached Ken. But the beast zigzagged; he had lost his -equilibrium; he was hard hit. - -Then he leaped magnificently. He landed within twenty-five feet of Ken, -and when he plunged down he rolled clear over. Ken shot him through and -through. Yet he got up, wheezing blood, uttering a hoarse bellow, and -made again at Ken. - -Ken had been cold, sick. Now panic almost overpowered him. The rifle -wabbled. The bamboo glade blurred in his sight. A terrible dizziness -and numbness almost paralyzed him. He was weakening, sinking, when -thought of life at stake lent him a momentary grim and desperate spirit. - -Once while the jaguar was in the air Ken pulled, twice while he was -down. Then the jaguar stood up pawing the air with great spread claws, -coughing, bleeding, roaring. He was horrible. - -Ken shot him straight between the wide-spread paws. - -With twisted body, staggering, and blowing bloody froth all over Ken, -the big tiger blindly lunged forward and crashed to earth. - -Then began a furious wrestling. Ken imagined it was the death-throes of -the jaguar. Ken could not see him down among the leaves and vines; -nevertheless, he shot into the commotion. The struggles ceased. Then a -movement of the weeds showed Ken that the jaguar was creeping toward the -jungle. - -Ken fell rather than sat down. He found he was wringing wet with cold -sweat. He was panting hard. - -"Say, but--that--was--awful!" he gasped. "What--was--wrong--with me?" - -He began to reload the clips. They were difficult to load for even a -calm person, and now, in the reaction, Ken was the farthest removed from -calm. The jaguar crept steadily away, as Ken could tell by the swaying -weeds and shaking vines. - -"What--a hard-lived beast!" muttered Ken. "I--must have shot--him all to -pieces. Yet he's getting away from me." - -At last Ken's trembling fingers pushed some shells in the two clips, and -once more he reloaded the rifle. Then he stood up, drew a deep, full -breath, and made a strong effort at composure. - -"I've shot at bear--and deer--and lions out West," said Ken. "But this -was different. I'll never get over it." - -How close that jaguar came to reaching Ken was proved by the blood -coughed into his face. He recalled that he had felt the wind of one -great sweeping paw. - -Ken regained his courage and determination. He meant to have that -beautiful spotted skin for his den. So he hurried along the runway and -entered the jungle. Beyond the edge, where the bushes made a dense -thicket, it was dry forest, with little green low down. The hollow gave -place to a dry wash. He could not see the jaguar, but he could hear him -dragging himself through the brush, cracking sticks, shaking saplings. - -Presently Ken ran across a bloody trail and followed it. Every little -while he would stop to listen. When the wounded jaguar was still, he -waited until he started to move again. It was hard going. The brush -was thick, and had to be broken and crawled under or through. As Ken -had left his coat behind, his shirt was soon torn to rags. He peered -ahead with sharp eyes, expecting every minute to come in sight of the -poor, crippled beast. He wanted to put him out of agony. So he kept on -doggedly for what must have been a long time. - -The first premonition he had of carelessness was to note that the -shadows were gathering in the jungle. It would soon be night. He must -turn back while there was light enough to follow his back track out to -the open. The second came in shape of a hot pain in his arm, as keen as -if he had jagged it with a thorn. Holding it out, he discovered to his -dismay that it was spotted with _garrapatoes_. - - - - - *XV* - - *THE VICIOUS GARRAPATOES* - - -At once Ken turned back, and if he thought again of the jaguar it was -that he could come after him the next day or send Pepe. Another vicious -bite, this time on his leg, confirmed his suspicions that many of the -ticks had been on him long enough to get their heads in. Then he was -bitten in several places. - -Those bites were as hot as the touch of a live coal, yet they made Ken -break out in dripping cold sweat. It was imperative that he get back to -camp without losing a moment which could be saved. From a rapid walk he -fell into a trot. He got off his back trail and had to hunt for it. -Every time a tick bit he jumped as if stung. The worst of it was that -he knew he was collecting more _garrapatoes_ with almost every step. -When he grasped a dead branch to push it out of the way he could feel -the ticks cling to his hand. Then he would whip his arm in the air, -flinging some of them off to patter on the dry ground. Impossible as it -was to run through that matted jungle, Ken almost accomplished it. When -he got out into the open he did run, not even stopping for his coat, and -he crossed the flat at top speed. - -It was almost dark when Ken reached the river-bank and dashed down to -frighten a herd of drinking deer. He waded the narrowest part of the -shoal. Running up the island he burst into the bright circle of -camp-fire. Pepe dropped a stew-pan and began to jabber. George dove for -a gun. - -"What's after you?" shouted Hal, in alarm. - -Ken was so choked up and breathless that at first he could not speak. -His fierce aspect and actions, as he tore off his sleeveless and ragged -shirt and threw it into the fire, added to the boys' fright. - -"Good Lord! are you bug-house, Ken?" shrieked Hal. - -"_Bug-house! Yes!_" roared Ken, swiftly undressing. "Look at me!" - -In the bright glare he showed his arms black with _garrapatoes_ and a -sprinkling of black dots over the rest of his body. - -"Is that all?" demanded Hal, in real or simulated scorn. "Gee! but -you're a brave hunter. I thought not less than six tigers were after -you." - -"I'd rather have six tigers after me," yelled Ken. "You little -freckle-faced redhead!" - -It was seldom indeed that Ken called his brother that name. Hal was -proof against any epithets except that one relating to his freckles and -his hair. But just now Ken felt that he was being eaten alive. He was -in an agony, and he lost his temper. And therefore he laid himself open -to Hal's scathing humor. - -"Never mind the kid," said Ken to Pepe and George. "Hurry now, and get -busy with these devils on me." - -It was well for Ken that he had a native like Pepe with him. For Pepe -knew just what to do. First he dashed a bucket of cold water over Ken. -How welcome that was! - -"Pepe says for you to point out the ticks that 're biting the hardest," -said George. - -In spite of his pain Ken stared in mute surprise. - -"Pepe wants you to point out the ticks that are digging in the deepest," -explained George. "Get a move on, now." - -"What!" roared Ken, glaring at Pepe and George. He thought even the -native might be having fun with him. And for Ken this was not a funny -time. - -But Pepe was in dead earnest. - -"Say, it's impossible to tell _where_ I'm being bitten most! It's all -over!" protested Ken. - -Still he discovered that by absolute concentration on the pain he was -enduring he was able to locate the severest points. And that showed him -the soundness of Pepe's advice. - -"Here--this one--here--there.... Oh! here," began Ken, indicating -certain ticks. - -"Not so fast, now," interrupted the imperturbable George, as he and Pepe -set to work upon Ken. - -Then the red-hot cigarette-tips scorched Ken's skin. Ken kept pointing -and accompanying his directions with wild gestures and exclamations. - -"Here.... Oo-oo! Here.... Wow! Here.... Ouch!--that one stung! -Here.... _Augh_! Say, can't you hurry? Here! ... Oh! that one was in a -mile! Here.... _Hold on_! You're burning a hole in me! ... George, -you're having fun out of this. Pepe gets two to your one." - -"He's been popping ticks all his life," was George's reasonable protest. - -"Hurry!" cried Ken, in desperation. "George, if you monkey round--fool -over this job--I'll--I'll punch you good." - -All this trying time Hal Ward sat on a log and watched the proceedings -with great interest and humor. Sometimes he smiled, at others he -laughed, and yet again he burst out into uproarious mirth. - -"George, he wouldn't punch anybody," said Hal. "I tell you he's all in. -He hasn't any nerve left. It's a chance of your life. You'll never get -another. He's been bossing you around. Pay him up. Make him holler. -Why, what's a few little ticks? Wouldn't phase me! But Ken Ward's such -a delicate, fine-skinned, sensitive, girly kind of a boy! He's too nice -to be bitten by bugs. Oh dear, yes, yes! ... Ken, why don't you show -courage?" - -Ken shook his fist at Hal. - -"All right," said Ken, grimly. "Have all the fun you can. Because I'll -get even with you." - -Hal relapsed into silence, and Ken began to believe he had intimidated -his brother. But he soon realized how foolish it was to suppose such a -thing. Hal had only been working his fertile brain. - -"George, here's a little verse for the occasion," said Hal. - - "There was a brave hunter named Ken, - And he loved to get skins for his den, - Not afraid was he of tigers or pigs, - Or snakes or cats or any such things, - But one day in the jungle he left his clothes, - And came hollering back with _garrapatoes_." - - -"Gre-at-t-t!" sputtered Ken. "Oh, brother mine, we're a long way from -home, I'll make you crawl." - -Pepe smoked, and wore out three cigarettes, and George two, before they -had popped all the biting ticks. Then Ken was still covered with them. -Pepe bathed him in _canya_, which was like a bath of fire, and soon -removed them all. Ken felt flayed alive, peeled of his skin, and -sprinkled with fiery sparks. When he lay down he was as weak as a sick -cat. Pepe said the _canya_ would very soon take the sting away, but it -was some time before Ken was resting easily. - -It would not have been fair to ask Ken just then whether the prize for -which he worked was worth his present gain. _Garrapatoes_ may not seem -important to one who simply reads about them, but such pests are a -formidable feature of tropical life. - -However, Ken presently felt that he was himself again. - -Then he put his mind to the serious problem of his note-book and the -plotting of the island. As far as his trip was concerned, Cypress -Island was an important point. When he had completed his map down to the -island, he went on to his notes. He believed that what he had found out -from his knowledge of forestry was really worth something. He had seen -a gradual increase in the size and number of trees as he had proceeded -down the river, a difference in the density and color of the jungle, a -flattening-out of the mountain range, and a gradual change from rocky to -clayey soil. And on the whole his note-book began to assume such a -character that he was beginning to feel willing to submit it to his -uncle. - - - - - *XVI* - - *FIELD WORK OF A NATURALIST* - - -That night Ken talked natural history to the boys and read extracts from -a small copy of Sclater he had brought with him. - -They were all particularly interested in the cat tribe. - -The fore feet of all cats have five toes, the hind feet only four. -Their claws are curved and sharp, and, except in case of one species of -leopard, can be retracted in their sheaths. The claws of the great cat -species are kept sharp by pulling them down through bark of trees. All -cats walk on their toes. And the stealthy walk is due to hairy pads or -cushions. The claws of a cat do not show in its track as do those of a -dog. The tongues of all cats are furnished with large papill. They are -like files, and the use is to lick bones and clean their fur. Their -long whiskers are delicate organs of perception to aid them in finding -their way on their night quests. The eyes of all cats are large and -full, and can be altered by contraction or expansion of iris, according -to the amount of light they receive. The usual color is gray or tawny -with dark spots or stripes. The uniform tawny color of the lion and the -panther is perhaps an acquired color, probably from the habit of these -animals of living in desert countries. It is likely that in primitive -times cats were all spotted or striped. - -Naturally the boys were most interested in the jaguar, which is the -largest of the cat tribe in the New World. The jaguar ranges from -northern Mexico to northern Patagonia. Its spots are larger than those -of the leopard. Their ground color is a rich tan or yellow, sometimes -almost gold. Large specimens have been known nearly seven feet from -nose to end of tail. - -The jaguar is an expert climber and swimmer. Humboldt says that where -the South American forests are subject to floods the jaguar sometimes -takes to tree life, living on monkeys. All naturalists agree on the -ferocious nature of jaguars, and on the loudness and frequency of their -cries. There is no record of their attacking human beings without -provocation. Their favorite haunts are the banks of jungle rivers, and -they often prey upon fish and turtles. - -The attack of a jaguar is terrible. It leaps on the back of its prey -and breaks its neck. In some places there are well-known scratching -trees where jaguars sharpen their claws. The bark is worn smooth in -front from contact with the breasts of the animals as they stand up, and -there is a deep groove on each side. When new scars appear on these -trees it is known that jaguars are in the vicinity. The cry of the -jaguar is loud, deep, hoarse, something like _pu, pu, pu_. There is -much enmity between the panther, or mountain-lion, and the jaguar, and -it is very strange that generally the jaguar fears the lion, although he -is larger and more powerful. - -Pepe had interesting things to say about jaguars, or _tigres_, as he -called them. But Ken, of course, could not tell how much Pepe said was -truth and how much just native talk. At any rate, Pepe told of one -Mexican who had a blind and deaf jaguar that he had tamed. Ken knew -that naturalists claimed the jaguar could not be tamed, but in this -instance Ken was inclined to believe Pepe. This blind jaguar was -enormous in size, terrible of aspect, and had been trained to trail -anything his master set him to. And Tigre, as he was called, never -slept or stopped till he had killed the thing he was trailing. As he was -blind and deaf, his power of scent had been abnormally developed. - -Pepe told of a fight between a huge crocodile and a jaguar in which both -were killed. He said jaguars stalked natives and had absolutely no -fear. He knew natives who said that jaguars had made off with children -and eaten them. Lastly, Pepe told of an incident that had happened in -Tampico the year before. There was a ship at dock below Tampico, just on -the outskirts where the jungle began, and one day at noon two big -jaguars leaped on the deck. They frightened the crew out of their wits. -George verified this story, and added that the jaguars had been chased -by dogs, had boarded the ship, where they climbed into the rigging, and -stayed there till they were shot. - -"Well," said Ken, thoughtfully, "from my experience I believe a jaguar -would do anything." - -The following day promised to be a busy one for Hal, without any time -for tricks. George went hunting before breakfast--in fact, before the -others were up--and just as the boys were sitting down to eat he -appeared on the nearer bank and yelled for Pepe. It developed that for -once George had bagged game. - -He had a black squirrel, a small striped wildcat, a peccary, a -three-foot crocodile, and a duck of rare plumage. - -After breakfast Hal straightway got busy, and his skill and knowledge -earned praise from George and Pepe. They volunteered to help, which -offer Hal gratefully accepted. He had brought along a folding canvas -tank, forceps, knives, scissors, several packages of preservatives, and -tin boxes in which to pack small skins. - -His first task was to mix a salt solution in the canvas tank. This was -for immersing skins. Then he made a paste of salt and alum, and after -that a mixture of two-thirds glycerin and one-third water and carbolic -acid, which was for preserving small skins and to keep them soft. - -And as he worked he gave George directions on how to proceed with the -wildcat and squirrel skins. - -"Skin carefully and tack up the pelts fur side down. Scrape off all the -fat and oil, but don't scrape through. To-morrow when the skins are dry -soak them in cold water till soft. Then take them out and squeeze dry. -I'll make a solution of three quarts water, one-half pint salt, and one -ounce oil of vitriol. Put the skins in that for half an hour. Squeeze -dry again, and hang in shade. That 'll tan the skin, and the moths will -never hurt them." - -When Hal came to take up the duck he was sorry that some of the -beautiful plumage had been stained. - -"I want only a few water-fowl," he said. "And particularly one of the -big Muscovies. And you must keep the feathers from getting soiled." - -It was interesting to watch Hal handle that specimen. First he took -full measurements. Then, separating the feathers along the breast, he -made an incision with a sharp knife, beginning high up on breast-bone -and ending at tail. He exercised care so as not to cut through the -abdomen. Raising the skin carefully along the cut as far as the muscles -of the leg, he pushed out the knee joint and cut it off. Then he -loosened the skin from the legs and the back, and bent the tail down to -cut through the tail joint. Next he removed the skin from the body and -cut off the wings at the shoulder joint. Then he proceeded down the -neck, being careful not to pull or stretch the skin. Extreme care was -necessary in cutting round the eyes. Then, when he had loosened the -skin from the skull, he severed the head and cleaned out the skull. He -coated all with the paste, filled the skull with cotton, and then -immersed them in the glycerin bath. - -The skinning of the crocodile was an easy matter compared with that of -the duck. Hal made an incision at the throat, cut along the middle of -the abdomen all the way to the tip of the tail, and then cut the skin -away all around the carcass. Then he set George and Pepe to scraping -the skin, after which he immersed it in the tank. - -About that time Ken, who was lazily fishing in the shade of the -cypresses, caught one of the blue-tailed fish. Hal was delighted. He -had made a failure of the other specimen of this unknown fish. This one -was larger and exquisitely marked, being dark gold on the back, white -along the belly, and its tail had a faint bluish tinge. Hal promptly -killed the fish, and then made a dive for his suitcase. He produced -several sheets of stiff cardboard and a small box of water-colors and -brushes. He laid the fish down on a piece of paper and outlined its -exact size. Then, placing it carefully in an upright position on a box, -he began to paint it in the actual colors of the moment. Ken laughed -and teased him. George also was inclined to be amused. But Pepe was -amazed and delighted. Hal worked on unmindful of his audience, and, -though he did not paint a very artistic picture, he produced the vivid -colors of the fish before they faded. - -His next move was to cover the fish with strips of thin cloth, which -adhered to the scales and kept them from being damaged. Then he cut -along the middle line of the belly, divided the pelvic arch where the -ventral fins joined, cut through the spines, and severed the fins from -the bones. Then he skinned down to the tail, up to the back, and cut -through caudal processes. The vertebral column he severed at the base -of the skull. He cleaned and scraped the entire inside of the skin, and -then put it to soak. - -"Hal, you're much more likely to make good with Uncle Jim than I am," -said Ken. "You've really got skill, and you know what to do. Now, my -job is different. So far I've done fairly well with my map of the -river. But as soon as we get on level ground I'll be stumped." - -"We'll cover a hundred miles before we get to low land," replied Hal, -cheerily. "That's enough, even if we do get lost for the rest of the -way. You'll win that trip abroad, Ken, never fear, and little Willie is -going to be with you." - - - - - *XVII* - - *A MIXED-UP TIGER-HUNT* - - -Next morning Hal arose bright as a lark, but silent, mysterious, and -with far-seeing eyes. It made Ken groan in spirit to look at the boy. -Yes, indeed, they were far from home, and the person did not live on the -earth who could play a trick on Hal Ward and escape vengeance. - -After breakfast Hal went off with a long-handled landing-net, obviously -to capture birds or fish or mice or something. - -George said he did not feel very well, and he looked grouchy. He -growled around camp in a way that might have nettled Ken, but Ken, -having had ten hours of undisturbed sleep, could not have found fault -with anybody. - -"Garrapato George, come out of it. Cheer up," said Ken. "Why don't you -take Pinilius Pepe as gun-bearer and go out to shoot something? You -haven't used up much ammunition yet." - -Ken's sarcasm was not lost upon George. - -"Well, if I do go, I'll not come running back to camp without some -game." - -"My son," replied Ken, genially, "if you should happen to meet a jaguar -you'd--you'd just let out one squawk and then never touch even the high -places of the jungle. You'd take that crazy .32 rifle for a -golf-stick." - -"Would I?" returned George. "All right." - -Ken watched George awhile that morning. The lad performed a lot of weird -things around camp. Then he bounced bullets off the water in vain -effort to locate the basking crocodile. Then he tried his hand at -fishing once more. He could get more bites than any fisherman Ken ever -saw, but he could not catch anything. - -By and by the heat made Ken drowsy, and, stretching himself in the -shade, he thought of a scheme to rid the camp of the noisy George. - -"Say, George, take my hammerless and get Pepe to row you up along the -shady bank of the river," suggested Ken. "Go sneaking along and you'll -have some sport." - -George was delighted with that idea. He had often cast longing eyes at -the hammerless gun. Pepe, too, looked exceedingly pleased. They got in -the boat and were in the act of starting when George jumped ashore. He -reached for his .32 and threw the lever down to see if there was a shell -in the chamber. Then he proceeded to fill his pockets with ammunition. - -"Might need a rifle," he said. "You can't tell what you're going to see -in this unholy jungle." - -Whereupon he went aboard again and Pepe rowed leisurely up-stream. - -"Be careful, boys," Ken called, and composed himself for a nap. He -promptly fell asleep. How long he slept he had no idea, and when he -awoke he lay with languor, not knowing at the moment what had awakened -him. Presently he heard a shout, then a rifle-shot. Sitting up, he saw -the boat some two hundred yards above, drifting along about the edge of -the shade. Pepe was in it alone. He appeared to be excited, for Ken -observed him lay down an oar and pick up a gun, and then reverse the -performance. Also he was jabbering to George, who evidently was out on -the bank, but invisible to Ken. - -"Hey, Pepe!" Ken yelled. "What 're you doing?" - -Strange to note, Pepe did not reply or even turn. - -"Now where in the deuce is George?" Ken said, impatiently. - -The hollow crack of George's .32 was a reply to the question. Ken heard -the singing of a bullet. Suddenly, _spou!_ it twanged on a branch not -twenty feet over his head, and then went whining away. He heard it tick -a few leaves or twigs. There was not any languor in the alacrity with -which Ken put the big cypress-tree between him and up-stream. Then he -ventured to peep forth. - -"Look out where you're slinging lead!" he yelled. He doubted not that -George had treed a black squirrel or was pegging away at parrots. Yet -Pepe's motions appeared to carry a good deal of feeling, too much, he -thought presently, for small game. So Ken began to wake up thoroughly. -He lost sight of Pepe behind a low branch of a tree that leaned some -fifty yards above the island. Then he caught sight of him again. He was -poling with an oar, evidently trying to go up or down--Ken could not -tell which. - -_Spang_! _Spang_! George's .32 spoke twice more, and the bullets both -struck in the middle of the stream and ricochetted into the far bank -with little thuds. - -Something prompted Ken to reach for his automatic, snap the clip in -tight, and push in the safety. At the same time he muttered George's -words: "You can never tell what's coming off in this unholy jungle." - -Then, peeping out from behind the cypress, Ken watched the boat drift -down-stream. Pepe had stopped poling and was looking closely into the -thick grass and vines of the bank. Ken heard his voice, but could not -tell what he said. He watched keenly for some sight of George. The -moments passed, the boat drifted, and Ken began to think there was -nothing unusual afoot. In this interval Pepe drifted within -seventy-five yards of camp. Again Ken called to ask him what George was -stalking, and this time Pepe yelled; but Ken did not know what he said. -Hard upon this came George's sharp voice: - -"Look out, there, on the island. Get behind something. I've got him -between the river and the flat. He's in this strip of shore brush. -There!" - -_Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! Bullets hummed and whistled all about the -island. Ken was afraid to peep out with even one eye. He began to -fancy that George was playing Indian. - -"Fine, Georgie! You're doing great!" he shouted. "You couldn't come -any closer to me if you were aiming at me. What is it?" - -Then a crashing of brush and a flash of yellow low down along the bank -changed the aspect of the situation. - -"Panther! or jaguar!" Ken ejaculated, in amaze. In a second he was -tight-muscled, cold, and clear-witted. At that instant he saw George's -white shirt about the top of the brush. - -"Go back! Get out in the open!" Ken ordered. "Do you hear me?" - -"Where is he?" shouted George, paying not the slightest attention to -Ken. Ken jumped from behind the tree, and, running to the head of the -island, he knelt low near the water with rifle ready. - -"Tigre! Tigre! Tigre!" screamed Pepe, waving his arms, then pointing. - -George crashed into the brush. Ken saw the leaves move, then a long -yellow shape. With the quickness of thought and the aim of the -wing-shot, Ken fired. From the brush rose a strange wild scream. -George aimed at a shaking mass of grass and vines, but, before he could -fire, a long, lean, ugly beast leaped straight out from the bank to drop -into the water with a heavy splash. - -Like a man half scared to death Pepe waved Ken's double-barreled gun. -Then a yellow head emerged from the water. It was in line with the -boat. Ken dared not shoot. - -"Kill him, George," yelled Ken. "Tell Pepe to kill him." - -George seemed unaccountably silent. But Ken had no time to look for -him, for his eyes were riveted on Pepe. The native did not know how to -hold a gun properly, let alone aim it. He had, however, sense enough to -try. He got the stock under his chin, and, pointing the gun, he -evidently tried to fire. But the hammerless did not go off. Then Pepe -fumbled at the safety-catch, which he evidently remembered seeing Ken -use. - -The jaguar, swimming with difficulty, perhaps badly wounded, made right -for the boat. Pepe was standing on the seat. Awkwardly he aimed. - -_Boom_! He had pulled both triggers. The recoil knocked him backward. -The hammerless fell in the boat, and Pepe's broad back hit the water; -his bare, muscular legs clung to the gunwale, and slipped loose. - -He had missed the jaguar, for it kept on toward the boat. Still Ken -dared not shoot. - -"George, what on earth is the matter with you?" shouted Ken. - -Then Ken saw him standing in the brush on the bank, fussing over the -crazy .32. Of course at the critical moment something had gone wrong -with the old rifle. - -Pepe's head bobbed up just on the other side of the boat. The jaguar -was scarcely twenty feet distant and now in line with both boat and man. -At that instant a heavy swirl in the water toward the middle of the -river drew Ken's attention. He saw the big crocodile, and the great -creature did not seem at all lazy at that moment. - -George began to scream in Spanish. Ken felt his hair stiffen and his -face blanch. Pepe, who had been solely occupied with the jaguar, caught -George's meaning and turned to see the peril in his rear. - -He bawled his familiar appeal to the saints. Then he grasped the gunwale -of the boat just as it swung against the branches of the low-leaning -tree. He vaulted rather than climbed aboard. - -Ken forgot that Pepe could understand little English, and he yelled: -"Grab an oar, Pepe. Keep the jaguar in the water. Don't let him in the -boat." - -But Pepe, even if he had understood, had a better idea. Nimble, he ran -over the boat and grasped the branches of the tree just as the jaguar -flopped paws and head over the stern gunwale. - -Ken had only a fleeting instant to get a bead on that yellow body, and -before he could be sure of an aim the branch weighted with Pepe sank -down to hide both boat and jaguar. The chill of fear for Pepe changed -to hot rage at this new difficulty. - -Then George began to shoot. - -_Spang_! - -Ken heard the bullet hit the boat. - -"George--wait!" shouted Ken. "Don't shoot holes in the boat. You'll -sink it." - -_Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! - -That was as much as George cared about such a possibility. He stood on -the bank and worked the lever of his .32 with wild haste. Ken plainly -heard the spat of the bullets, and the sound was that of lead in contact -with wood. So he knew George was not hitting the jaguar. - -"You'll ruin the boat!" roared Ken. - -Pepe had worked up from the lower end of the branch, and as soon as he -straddled it and hunched himself nearer shore the foliage rose out of -the water, exposing the boat. George kept on shooting till his magazine -was empty. Ken's position was too low for him to see the jaguar. - -Then the boat swung loose from the branch and, drifting down, gradually -approached the shore. - -"Pull yourself together, George," called Ken. "Keep cool. Make sure of -your aim. We've got him now." - -"He's mine! He's mine! He's mine! Don't you dare shoot!" howled -George. "I got him!" - -"All right. But steady up, can't you? Hit him once, anyway." - -Apparently without aim George fired. Then, jerking the lever, he fired -again. The boat drifted into overhanging vines. Once more Ken saw a -yellow and black object, then a trembling trail of leaves. - -"He's coming out below you. Look out," yelled Ken. - -George disappeared. Ken saw no sign of the jaguar and heard no shot or -shout from George. Pepe dropped from his branch to the bank and caught -the boat. Ken called, and while Pepe rowed over to the island, he got -into some clothes fit to hunt in. Then they hurried back across the -channel to the bank. - -Ken found the trail of the jaguar, followed it up to the edge of the -brush, and lost it in the weedy flat. George came out of a patch of -bamboos. He looked white and shaky and wild with disappointment. - -"Oh, I had a dandy shot as he came out, but the blamed gun jammed again. -Come on, we'll get him. He's all shot up. I bet I hit him ten times. -He won't get away." - -Ken finally got George back to camp. The boat was half full of water, -making it necessary to pull it out on the bank and turn it over. There -were ten bullet-holes in it. - -"George, you hit the boat, anyway," Ken said; "now we've a job on our -hands." - -Hal came puffing into camp. He was red of face, and the sweat stood out -on his forehead. He had a small animal of some kind in a sack, and his -legs were wet to his knees. - -"What was--all the--pegging about?" he asked, breathlessly. "I expected -to find camp surrounded by Indians." - -"Kid, it's been pretty hot round here for a little. George and Pepe -rounded up a tiger. Tell us about it, George," said Ken. - -So while Ken began to whittle pegs to pound into the bullet-holes, -George wiped his flushed, sweaty face and talked. - -"We were up there a piece, round the bend. I saw a black squirrel and -went ashore to get him. But I couldn't find him, and in kicking round -in the brush I came into a kind of trail or runway. Then I ran plumb -into that darned jaguar. I was so scared I couldn't remember my gun. -But the cat turned and ran. It was lucky he didn't make at me. When I -saw him run I got back my courage. I called for Pepe to row down-stream -and keep a lookout. Then I got into the flat. I must have come down a -good ways before I saw him. I shot, and he dodged back into the brush -again. I fired into the moving bushes where he was. And pretty soon I -ventured to get in on the bank, where I had a better chance. I guess it -was about that time that I heard you yell. Then it all happened. You -hit him! Didn't you hear him scream? What a jump he made! If it hadn't -been so terrible when your hammerless kicked Pepe overboard, I would -have died laughing. Then I was paralyzed when the jaguar swam for the -boat. He was hurt, for the water was bloody. Things came off quick, I -tell you. Like a monkey Pepe scrambled into the tree. When I got my gun -loaded the jaguar was crouched down in the bottom of the boat watching -Pepe. Then I began to shoot. I can't realize he got away from us. -What was the reason you didn't knock him?" - -"Well, you see, George, there were two good reasons," Ken replied. "The -first was that at that time I was busy dodging bullets from your rifle. -And the second was that you threatened my life if I killed your jaguar." - -"Did I get as nutty as that? But it was pretty warm there for a -little.... Say, was he a big one? My eyes were so hazy I didn't see -him clear." - -"He wasn't big, not half as big as the one I lost yesterday. Yours was -a long, wiry beast, like a panther, and mean-looking." - -Pepe sat on the bank, and while he nursed his bruises he smoked. Once -he made a speech that was untranslatable, but Hal gave it an -interpretation which was probably near correct. - -"That's right, Pepe. Pretty punk tiger-hunters--mucho punk!" - - - - - *XVIII* - - *WATCHING A RUNWAY* - - -"I'll tell you what, fellows," said Hal. "I know where we _can_ get a -tiger." - -"We'll get one in the neck if we don't watch out," replied George. - -Ken thought that Hal looked very frank and earnest, and honest and -eager, but there was never any telling about him. - -"Where?" he asked, skeptically. - -"Down along the river. You know I've been setting traps all along. -There's a flat sand-bar for a good piece down. I came to a little gully -full of big tracks, big as my two hands. And fresh!" - -"Honest Injun, kid?" queried Ken. - -"Hope to die if I'm lyin'," replied Hal. "I want to see somebody kill a -tiger. Now let's go down there in the boat and wait for one to come to -drink. There's a big log with driftwood lodged on it. We can hide -behind that." - -"Great idea, Hal," said Ken. "We'd be pretty safe in the boat. I want -to say that tigers have sort of got on my nerves. I ought to go over in -the jungle to look for the one I crippled. He's dead by now. But the -longer I put it off the harder it is to go. I'll back out yet.... -Come, we'll have an early dinner. Then to watch for Hal's tiger." - -The sun had just set, and the hot breeze began to swirl up the river -when Ken slid the boat into the water. He was pleased to find that it -did not leak. - -"We'll take only two guns," said Ken, "my .351 and the hammerless, with -some ball-cartridges. We want to be quiet to-night, and if you fellows -take your guns you'll be pegging at ducks and things. That won't do." - -Pepe sat at the oars with instructions to row easily. George and Hal -occupied the stern-seats, and Ken took his place in the bow, with both -guns at hand. - -The hot wind roared in the cypresses, and the river whipped up little -waves with white crests. Long streamers of gray moss waved out over the -water and branches tossed and swayed. The blow did not last for many -minutes. Trees and river once more grew quiet. And suddenly the heat -was gone. - -As Pepe rowed on down the river, Cypress Island began to disappear round -a bend, and presently was out of sight. Ducks were already in flight. -They flew low over the boat, so low that Ken could almost have reached -them with the barrel of his gun. The river here widened. It was full -of huge snags. A high, wooded bluff shadowed the western shore. On the -left, towering cypresses, all laced together in dense vine and moss -webs, leaned out. - -Under Hal's direction Pepe rowed to a pile of driftwood, and here the -boat was moored. The gully mentioned by Hal was some sixty yards -distant. It opened like the mouth of a cave. Beyond the cypresses -thick, intertwining bamboos covered it. - -"I wish we'd gone in to see the tracks," said Ken. "But I'll take your -word, Hal." - -"Oh, they're there, all right." - -"I don't doubt it. Looks great to me! That's a runway, Hal.... Now, -boys, get a comfortable seat, and settle down to wait. Don't talk. Just -listen and watch. Remember, soon we'll be out of the jungle, back home. -So make hay while the sun shines. Watch and listen! Whoever sees or -hears anything first is the best man." - -For once the boys were as obedient as lambs. But then, Ken thought, the -surroundings were so beautiful and wild and silent that any boys would -have been watchful. - -There was absolutely no sound but the intermittent whir of wings. The -water-fowl flew by in companies--ducks, cranes, herons, snipe, and the -great Muscovies. Ken never would have tired of that procession. It -passed all too soon, and then only an occasional water-fowl swept -swiftly by, as if belated. - -Slowly the wide river-lane shaded. But it was still daylight, and the -bank and the runway were clearly distinguishable. There was a -moment--Ken could not tell just how he knew--when the jungle awakened. -It was not only the faint hum of insects; it was a sense as if life -stirred with the coming of twilight. - -Pepe was the first to earn honors at the listening game. He held up a -warning forefinger. Then he pointed under the bluff. Ken saw a doe -stepping out of a fringe of willows. - -"Don't move--don't make a noise," whispered Ken. - -The doe shot up long ears and watched the boat. Then a little fawn -trotted out and splashed in the water. Both deer drank, then seemed in -no hurry to leave the river. - -Next moment Hal heard something downstream and George saw something -up-stream. Pepe again whispered. As for Ken, he saw little dark shapes -moving out of the shadow of the runway. He heard a faint trampling of -hard little hoofs. But if these animals were _javelin_--of which he was -sure--they did not come out into the open runway. Ken tried to catch -Pepe's attention without making a noise; however, Pepe was absorbed in -his side of the river. Ken then forgot he had companions. All along -the shores were faint splashings and rustlings and crackings. - -A loud, trampling roar rose in the runway and seemed to move backward -toward the jungle, diminishing in violence. - -"Pigs running--something scared 'em," said George. - -"S-s-s-sh!" whispered Ken. - -All the sounds ceased. The jungle seemed to sleep in deep silence. - -Ken's eyes were glued to the light patch of sand-bank where it merged in -the dark of the runway. Then Ken heard a sound--what, he could not have -told. But it made his heart beat fast. - -There came a few pattering thuds, soft as velvet; and a shadow, paler -than the dark background, moved out of the runway. - -With that a huge jaguar loped into the open. He did not look around. He -took a long, easy bound down to the water and began to lap. - -Either Pepe or George jerked so violently as to make the boat lurch. -They seemed to be stifling. - -"Oh, Ken, don't miss!" whispered Hal. - -Ken had the automatic over the log and in line. His teeth were shut -tight, and he was cold and steady. He meant not to hurry. - -The jaguar was a heavy, squat, muscular figure, not graceful and -beautiful like the one Ken had crippled. Suddenly he raised his head -and looked about. He had caught a scent. - -It was then that Ken lowered the rifle till the sight covered the -beast--lower yet to his huge paws, then still lower to the edge of the -water. Ken meant to shoot low enough this time. Holding the rifle -there, and holding it with all his strength, he pressed the trigger -once--twice. The two shots rang out almost simultaneously. Ken -expected to see this jaguar leap, but the beast crumpled up and sank in -his tracks. - -Then the boys yelled, and Ken echoed them. Pepe was wildly excited, and -began to fumble with the oars. - -"Wait! Wait, I tell you!" ordered Ken. - -"Oh, Ken, you pegged him!" cried Hal. "He doesn't move. Let's go -ashore. What did I tell you? It took me to find the tiger." - -Ken watched with sharp eyes and held his rifle ready, but the huddled -form on the sand never so much as twitched. - -"I guess I plugged him," said Ken, with unconscious pride. - -Pepe rowed the boat ashore, and when near the sand-bar he reached out -with an oar to touch the jaguar. There was no doubt about his being -dead. The boys leaped ashore and straightened out the beast. He was -huge, dirty, spotted, bloody, and fiercely savage even in death. Ken's -bullets had torn through the chest, making fearful wounds. Pepe -jabbered, and the boys all talked at once. When it came to lifting the -jaguar into the boat they had no slight task. The short, thick-set body -was very heavy. But at last they loaded it in the bow, and Pepe rowed -back to the island. It was still a harder task to get the jaguar up the -high bank. Pepe kindled a fire so they would have plenty of light, and -then they set to work at the skinning. - -What with enthusiasm over the stalk, and talk of the success of the -trip, and compliments to Ken's shooting, and care of the skinning, the -boys were three hours at the job. Ken, remembering Hiram Bent's -teachings, skinned out the great claws himself. They salted the pelt -and nailed it up on the big cypress. - -"You'd never have got one but for me," said Hal. "That's how I pay you -for the tricks you've played me!" - -"By George, Hal, it's a noble revenge!" cried Ken, who, in the warmth -and glow of happiness of the time, quite believed his brother. - -Pepe went to bed first. George turned in next. Ken took a last look at -the great pelt stretched on the cypress, and then he sought his -blankets. Hal, however, remained up. Ken heard him pounding stakes in -the ground. - -"Hal, what 're you doing?" - -"I'm settin' my trot-lines," replied Hal, cheerfully. - -"Well, come to bed." - -"Keep your shirt on, Ken, old boy. I'll be along presently." - -Ken fell asleep. He did not have peaceful slumbers. He had been too -excited to rest well. He would wake up out of a nightmare, then go to -sleep again. He seemed to wake suddenly out of one of these black -spells, and he was conscious of pain. Something tugged at his leg. - -"What the dickens!" he said, and raised on his elbow. Hal was asleep -between George and Pepe, who were snoring. - -Just then Ken felt a violent jerk. The blankets flew up at his feet, -and his left leg went out across his brother's body. There was a -string--a rope--something fast round his ankle, and it was pulling hard. -It hurt. - -"Jiminy!" shouted Ken, reaching for his foot. But before he could reach -it another tug, more violent, pulled his leg straight out. Ken began to -slide. - -"What on earth?" yelled Ken. "Say! Something's got me!" - -The yells and Ken's rude exertions aroused the boys. And they were -frightened. Ken got an arm around Hal and the other around George and -held on for dear life. He was more frightened than they. Pepe leaped -up, jabbering, and, tripping, he fell all in a heap. - -"Oh! my leg!" howled Ken. "It's being pulled off. Say, I can't be -dreaming!" - -Most assuredly Ken was wide awake. The moonlight showed his bare leg -sticking out and round his ankle a heavy trot-line. It was stretched -tight. It ran down over the bank. And out there in the river a -tremendous fish or a crocodile was surging about, making the water roar. - -Pepe was trying to loosen the line or break it. George, who was always -stupid when first aroused, probably imagined he was being mauled by a -jaguar, for he loudly bellowed. Ken had a strangle-hold on Hal. - -"Oh! _Oh_! _Oh-h-h_!" bawled Ken. Not only was he scared out of a -year's growth; he was in terrible pain. Then his cries grew -unintelligible. He was being dragged out of the tent. Still he clung -desperately to the howling George and the fighting Hal. - -All at once something snapped. The tension relaxed. Ken fell back upon -Hal. - -"Git off me, will you?" shouted Hal. "Are you c-c-cr-azy?" - -But Hal's voice had not the usual note when he was angry or impatient. -He was laughing so he could not speak naturally. - -"Uh-huh!" said Ken, and sat up. "I guess here was where I got it. Is -my leg broken? What came off?" - -Pepe was staggering about on the bank, going through strange motions. -He had the line in his hands, and at the other end was a monster of some -land threshing about in the water. It was moonlight and Ken could see -plainly. Around the ankle that felt broken was a twisted loop of -trot-line. Hal had baited a hook and slipped the end of the trot-line -over Ken's foot. During the night the crocodile or an enormous fish had -taken the bait. Then Ken had nearly been hauled off the island. - -Pepe was doing battle with the hooked thing, whatever it was, and Ken -was about to go to his assistance when again the line broke. - -"Great! Hal, you have a nice disposition," exclaimed Ken. "You have a -wonderful affection for your brother. You care a lot about his legs or -his life. Idiot! Can't you play a safe trick? If I hadn't grabbed you -and George, I'd been pulled into the river. Eaten up, maybe! And my -ankle is sprained. It won't be any good for a week. You are a bright -boy!" - -And in spite of his laughter Hal began to look ashamed. - - - - - *XIX* - - *ADVENTURES WITH CROCODILES* - - -The rest of that night Ken had more dreams; and they were not pleasant. -He awoke from one in a cold fright. - -It must have been late, for the moon was low. His ankle pained and -throbbed, and to that he attributed his nightmare. He was falling -asleep again when the clink of tin pans made him sit up with a start. -Some animal was prowling about camp. He peered into the moonlit -shadows, but could make out no unfamiliar object. Still he was not -satisfied; so he awoke Pepe. - -Certainly it was not Ken's intention to let Pepe get out ahead; -nevertheless he was lame and slow, and before he started Pepe rolled out -of the tent. - -"Santa Maria!" shrieked Pepe. - -Ken fumbled under his pillow for a gun. Hal raised up so quickly that he -bumped Ken's head, making him see a million stars. George rolled over, -nearly knocking down the tent. - -From outside came a sliddery, rustling noise, then another yell that was -deadened by a sounding splash. Ken leaped out with his gun, George at -his elbow. Pepe stood just back of the tent, his arms upraised, and he -appeared stunned. The water near the bank was boiling and bubbling; -waves were dashing on the shore and ripples spreading in a circle. - -George shouted in Spanish. - -"Crocodile!" cried Ken. - -"Si, si, Seor," replied Pepe. Then he said that when he stepped out of -the tent the crocodile was right in camp, not ten feet from where the -boys lay. Pepe also said that these brutes were man-eaters, and that he -had better watch for the rest of the night. Ken thought him, like all -the natives, inclined to exaggerate; however, he made no objection to -Pepe's holding watch over the crocodile. - -"What'd I tell you?" growled George. "Why didn't you let me shoot him? -Let's go back to bed." - -In the morning when Ken got up he viewed his body with great curiosity. -The ticks and the cigarette burns had left him a beautifully tattoed -specimen of aborigine. His body, especially his arms, bore hundreds of -little reddish scars--bites and burns together. There was not, however, -any itching or irritation, for which he made sure he had to thank Pepe's -skill and the _canya_. - -George did not get up when Ken called him. Thinking his sleep might -have been broken, Ken let him alone a while longer, but when breakfast -was smoking he gave him a prod. George rolled over, looking haggard and -glum. - -"I'm sick," he said. - -Ken's cheerfulness left him, for he knew what sickness or injury did to -a camping trip. George complained of aching bones, headache and cramps, -and showed a tongue with a yellow coating. Ken said he had eaten too -much fresh meat, but Pepe, after looking George over, called it a name -that sounded like _calentura_. - -"What's that?" Ken inquired. - -"Tropic fever," replied George. "I've had it before." - -For a while he was a very sick boy. Ken had a little medicine-case, and -from it he administered what he thought was best, and George grew easier -presently. Then Ken sat down to deliberate on the situation. - -Whatever way he viewed it, he always came back to the same thing--they -must get out of the jungle; and as they could not go back, they must go -on down the river. That was a bad enough proposition without being -hampered by a sick boy. It was then Ken had a subtle change of feeling; -a shade of gloom seemed to pervade his spirit. - -By nine o'clock they were packed, and, turning into the shady channel, -soon were out in the sunlight saying good-by to Cypress Island. At the -moment Ken did not feel sorry to go, yet he knew that feeling would come -by and by, and that Cypress Island would take its place in his memory as -one more haunting, calling wild place. - -They turned a curve to run under a rocky bluff from which came a muffled -roar of rapids. A long, projecting point of rock extended across the -river, allowing the water to rush through only at a narrow mill-race -channel close to the shore. It was an obstacle to get around. There was -no possibility of lifting the boat over the bridge of rock, and the -alternative was shooting the channel. Ken got out upon the rocks, only -to find that drifting the boat round the sharp point was out of the -question, owing to a dangerously swift current. Ken tried the depth of -the water--about four feet. Then he dragged the boat back a little -distance and stepped into the river. - -"Look! Look!" cried Pepe, pointing to the bank. - -About ten yards away was a bare shelf of mud glistening with water and -showing the deep tracks of a crocodile. It was a slide, and manifestly -had just been vacated. The crocodile-tracks resembled the imprints of a -giant's hand. - -"Come out!" yelled George, and Pepe jabbered to his saints. - -"We've got to go down this river," Ken replied, and he kept on wading -till he got the boat in the current. He was frightened, of course, but -he kept on despite that. The boat lurched into the channel, stern -first, and he leaped up on the bow. It shot down with the speed of a -toboggan, and the boat whirled before he could scramble to the oars. -What was worse, an overhanging tree with dead snags left scarce room to -pass beneath. Ken ducked to prevent being swept overboard, and one of -the snags that brushed and scraped him ran under his belt and lifted him -into the air. He grasped at the first thing he could lay hands on, -which happened to be a box, but he could not hold to it because the boat -threatened to go on, leaving him kicking in midair and holding up a box -of potatoes. Ken clutched a gunwale, only to see the water swell -dangerously over the edge. In angry helplessness he loosened his hold. -Then the snag broke, just in the nick of time, for in a second more the -boat would have been swept away. Ken fell across the bow, held on, and -soon drifted from under the threshing branches, and seized the oars. - -Pepe and George and Hal walked round the ledge and, even when they -reached Ken, had not stopped laughing. - -"Boys, it wasn't funny," declared Ken, soberly. - -"I said it was coming to us," replied George. - -There were rapids below, and Ken went at them with stern eyes and set -lips. It was the look of men who face obstacles in getting out of the -wilderness. More than one high wave circled spitefully round Pepe's -broad shoulders. - -They came to a fall where the river dropped a few feet straight down. -Ken sent the boys below. Hal and George made a detour. But Pepe jumped -off the ledge into shallow water. - -"_Ah-h!_" yelled Pepe. - -Ken was becoming accustomed to Pepe's wild yell, but there was a note in -this which sent a shiver over him. Before looking, Ken snatched his -rifle from the boat. - -Pepe appeared to be sailing out into the pool. But his feet were not -moving. - -Ken had only an instant, but in that he saw under Pepe a long, yellow, -swimming shape, leaving a wake in the water. Pepe had jumped upon the -back of a crocodile. He seemed paralyzed, or else he was wisely -trusting himself there rather than in the water. Ken was too shocked to -offer advice. Indeed, he would not have known how to meet this -situation. - -Suddenly Pepe leaped for a dry stone, and the energy of his leap carried -him into the river beyond. Like a flash he was out again, spouting -water. - -Ken turned loose the automatic on the crocodile and shot a magazine of -shells. The crocodile made a tremendous surge, churning up a slimy -foam, then vanished in a pool. - -"Guess this 'll be crocodile day," said Ken, changing the clip in his -rifle. "I'll bet I made a hole in that one. Boys, look out below." - -Ken shoved the boat over the ledge in line with Pepe, and it floated to -him, while Ken picked his way round the rocky shore. The boys piled -aboard again. The day began to get hot. Ken cautioned the boys to -avoid wading, if possible, and to be extremely careful where they -stepped. Pepe pointed now and then to huge bubbles breaking on the -surface of the water and said they were made by crocodiles. - -From then on Ken's hands were full. He struck swift water, where rapid -after rapid, fall on fall, took the boat downhill at a rate to afford -him satisfaction. The current had a five or six mile speed, and, as Ken -had no portages to make and the corrugated rapids of big waves gave him -speed, he made by far the best time of the voyage. - -The hot hours passed--cool for the boys because they were always wet. -The sun sank behind a hill. The wind ceased to whip the streamers of -moss. At last, in a gathering twilight, Ken halted at a wide, flat rock -to make camp. - -"Forty miles to-day if we made an inch!" exclaimed Ken. - -The boys said more. - -They built a fire, cooked supper, and then, weary and silent, Hal and -George and Pepe rolled into their blankets. But Ken doggedly worked an -hour at his map and notes. That hard forty miles meant a long way -toward the success of his trip. - -Next morning the mists had not lifted from the river when they shoved -off, determined to beat the record of yesterday. Difficulties beset -them from the start--the highest waterfall of the trip, a leak in the -boat, deep, short rapids, narrows with choppy waves, and a whirlpool -where they turned round and round, unable to row out. Nor did they get -free till Pepe lassoed a snag and pulled them out. - -About noon they came to another narrow chute brawling down into a deep, -foamy pool. Again Ken sent the boys around, and he backed the boat into -the chute; and just as the current caught it he leaped aboard. He was -either tired or careless, for he drifted too close to a half-submerged -rock, and, try as he might, at the last moment he could not avoid a -collision. - -As the stern went hard on the rock Ken expected to break something, but -was surprised at the soft thud with which he struck. It flashed into his -mind that the rock was moss-covered. - -Quick as the thought there came a rumble under the boat, the stern -heaved up, there was a great sheet-like splash, and then a blow that -splintered the gunwale. Then the boat shunted off, affording the -astounded Ken a good view of a very angry crocodile. He had been -sleeping on the rock. - -The boys were yelling and crowding down to the shore where Ken was -drifting in. Pepe waded in to catch the boat. - -"What was it hit you, Ken?" asked Hal. - -"Mucho malo," cried Pepe. - -"The boat's half full of water--the gunwale's all split!" ejaculated -George. - -"Only an accident of river travel," replied Ken, with mock nonchalance. -"Say, Garrapato, _when_, about _when_ is it coming to me?" - -"Well, if he didn't get slammed by a crocodile!" continued George. - -They unloaded, turned out the water, broke up a box to use for repairs, -and mended the damaged gunwale--work that lost more than a good hour. -Once again under way, Ken made some interesting observations. The river -ceased to stand on end in places; crocodiles slipped off every muddy -promontory, and wide trails ridged the steep clay-banks. - -"Cattle-trails, Pepe says," said George. "Wild cattle roam all through -the jungle along the Panuco." - -It was a well-known fact that the rancheros of Tamaulipas State had no -idea how many cattle they owned. Ken was so eager to see if Pepe had -been correct that he went ashore, to find the trails were, indeed, those -of cattle. - -"Then, Pepe, we must be somewhere near the Panuco River," he said. - -"Quien sabe?" rejoined he, quietly. - -When they rounded the curve they came upon a herd of cattle that -clattered up the bank, raising a cloud of dust. - -"Wilder than deer!" Ken exclaimed. - -From that point conditions along the river changed. The banks were no -longer green; the beautiful cypresses gave place to other trees, as -huge, as moss-wound, but more rugged and of gaunt outline; the flowers -and vines and shady nooks disappeared. Everywhere wide-horned steers -and cows plunged up the banks. Everywhere buzzards rose from gruesome -feasts. The shore was lined with dead cattle, and the stench of -putrefying flesh was almost unbearable. They passed cattle mired in the -mud, being slowly tortured to death by flies and hunger; they passed -cattle that had slipped off steep banks and could not get back and were -bellowing dismally; and also strangely acting cattle that Pepe said had -gone crazy from ticks in their ears. Ken would have put these miserable -beasts out of their misery had not George restrained him with a few -words about Mexican law. - -A sense of sickness came to Ken, and though he drove the feeling from -him, it continually returned. George and Hal lay flat on the canvas, -shaded with a couple of palm leaves; Pepe rowed on and on, growing more -and more serious and quiet. His quick, responsive smile was wanting -now. - -By way of diversion, and also in the hope of securing a specimen, Ken -began to shoot at the crocodiles. George came out of his lethargy and -took up his rifle. He would have had to be ill indeed, to forswear any -possible shooting; and, now that Ken had removed the bar, he forgot he -had fever. Every hundred yards or so they would come upon a crocodile -measuring somewhere from about six feet upward, and occasionally they -would see a great yellow one, as large as a log. Seldom did they get -within good range of these huge fellows, and shooting from a moving boat -was not easy. The smaller ones, however, allowed the boat to approach -quite close. George bounced many a .32 bullet off the bank, but he -never hit a crocodile. Ken allowed him to have the shots for the fun of -it, and, besides, he was watching for a big one. - -"George, that rifle of yours is leaded. It doesn't shoot where you -aim." - -When they got unusually close to a small crocodile George verified Ken's -statement by missing his game some yards. He promptly threw the -worn-out rifle overboard, an act that caused Pepe much concern. - -Whereupon Ken proceeded to try his luck. Instructing Pepe to row about -in the middle of the stream, he kept eye on one shore while George -watched the other. He shot half a dozen small crocodiles, but they -slipped off the bank before Pepe could get ashore. This did not appear -to be the fault of the rifle, for some of the reptiles were shot almost -in two pieces. But Ken had yet to learn more about the tenacity of life -of these water-brutes. Several held still long enough for Ken to shoot -them through, then with a plunge they went into the water, sinking at -once in a bloody foam. He knew he had shot them through, for he saw -large holes in the mud-banks lined with bits of bloody skin and bone. - -"There's one," said George, pointing. "Let's get closer, so we can grab -him. He's got a good piece to go before he reaches the water." - -Pepe rowed slowly along, guiding the boat a little nearer the shore. At -forty feet the crocodile raised up, standing on short legs, so that all -but his tail was free of the ground. He opened his huge jaws either in -astonishment or to intimidate them, and then Ken shot him straight down -the throat. He flopped convulsively and started to slide and roll. -When he reached the water he turned over on his back, with his feet -sticking up, resembling a huge frog. Pepe rowed hard to the shore, just -as the crocodile with one last convulsion rolled off into deeper water. -Ken reached over, grasped his foot, and was drawing it up when a sight -of cold, glassy eyes and open-fanged jaws made him let go. Then the -crocodile sank in water where Pepe could not touch bottom with an oar. - -"Let's get one if it takes a week," declared George. The lad might be -sick, but there was nothing wrong with his spirit. "Look there!" he -exclaimed. "Oh, I guess it's a log. Too big!" - -They had been unable to tell the difference between a crocodile and a -log of driftwood until it was too late. In this instance a long, -dirty-gray object lay upon a low bank. Despite its immense size, which -certainly made the chances in favor of its being a log, Ken determined -this time to be fooled on the right side. He had seen a dozen logs--as -he thought--suddenly become animated and slip into the river. - -"Hold steady, Pepe. I'll take a crack at that just for luck." - -The distance was about a hundred yards, a fine range for the little -rifle. Resting on his knee, he sighted low, under the gray object, and -pulled the trigger twice. There were two spats so close together as to -be barely distinguishable. The log of driftwood leaped into life. - -"Whoop!" shouted Hal. - -"It's a crocodile!" yelled George. "You hit--you hit! Will you listen -to that?" - -"Row hard, Pepe--pull!" - -He bent to the oars, and the boat flew shoreward. - -The huge crocodile, opening yard-long jaws, snapped them shut with loud -cracks. Then he beat the bank with his tail. It was as limber as a -willow, but he seemed unable to move his central parts, his thick bulk, -where Ken had sent the two mushroom bullets. _Whack_! _Whack_! -_Whack_! The sodden blows jarred pieces from the clay-bank above him. -Each blow was powerful enough to have staved in the planking of a ship. -All at once he lunged upward and, falling over backward, slid down his -runway into a few inches of water, where he stuck. - -"Go in above him, Pepe," Ken shouted. "Here-- Heavens! What a -monster!" - -Deliberately, at scarce twenty feet, Ken shot the remaining four shells -into the crocodile. The bullets tore through his horny hide, and blood -and muddy water spouted up. George and Pepe and Hal yelled, and Ken kept -time with them. The terrible lashing tail swung back and forth almost -too swiftly for the eye to catch. A deluge of mud and water descended -upon the boys, bespattering, blinding them and weighing down the boat. -They jumped out upon the bank to escape it. They ran to and fro in -aimless excitement. Ken still clutched the rifle, but he had no shells -for it. George was absurd enough to fling a stone into the blood-tinged -cloud of muddy froth and spray that hid the threshing leviathan. -Presently the commotion subsided enough for them to see the great -crocodile lying half on his back, with belly all torn and bloody and -huge claw-like hands pawing the air. He was edging, slipping off into -deeper water. - -"He'll get away--he'll get away!" cried Hal. "What 'll we do?" - -Ken racked his brains. - -"Pepe, get your lasso--rope him--rope him! Hurry! he's slipping!" -yelled George. - -Pepe snatched up his lariat, and, without waiting to coil it, cast the -loop. He caught one of the flippers and hauled tight on it just as the -crocodile slipped out of sight off the muddy ledge. The others ran to -the boat, and, grasping hold of the lasso with Pepe, squared away and -began to pull. Plain it was that the crocodile was not coming up so -easily. They could not budge him. - -"Hang on, boys!" Ken shouted. "It's a tug-of-war." - -The lasso was suddenly jerked out with a kind of twang. Crash! went -Pepe and Hal into the bottom of the boat. Ken went sprawling into the -mud, and George, who had the last hold, went to his knees, but valiantly -clung to the slipping rope. Bounding up, Ken grasped it from him and -wound it round the sharp nose of the bowsprit. - -"Get in--hustle!" he called, falling aboard. "You're always saying it's -coming to us. Here's where!" - -George had hardly got into the boat when the crocodile pulled it off -shore, and away it went, sailing down-stream. - -"Whoop! All aboard for Panuco!" yelled Hal. - -"Now, Pepe, you don't need to row any more--we've a water-horse," Ken -added. - -But Pepe did not enter into the spirit of the occasion. He kept calling -on the saints and crying, "Mucho malo." George and Ken and Hal, -however, were hilarious. They had not yet had experience enough to know -crocodiles. - -Faster and faster they went. The water began to surge away from the bow -and leave a gurgling wake behind the stern. Soon the boat reached the -middle of the river where the water was deepest, and the lasso went -almost straight down. - -Ken felt the stern of the boat gradually lifted, and then, in alarm, he -saw the front end sinking in the water. The crocodile was hauling the -bow under. - -"Pepe--your machete--cut the lasso!" he ordered, sharply. George had to -repeat the order. - -Wildly Pepe searched under the seat and along the gunwales. He could -not find the _machete_. - -"Cut the rope!" Ken thundered. "Use a knife, the ax--anything--only cut -it--and cut it quick!" - -Pepe could find nothing. Knife in hand, Ken leaped over his head, -sprawled headlong over the trunk, and slashed the taut lasso just as the -water began to roar into the boat. The bow bobbed up as a cork that had -been under. But the boat had shipped six inches of water. - -[Illustration: KNIFE IN HAND, KEN LEAPED OVER HIS HEAD AND SLASHED THE -TAUT LASSO] - -"Row ashore, Pepe. Steady, there. Trim the boat, George." - -They beached at a hard clay-bank and rested a little before unloading to -turn out the water. - -"Grande!" observed Pepe. - -"Yes; he was big," assented George. - -"I wonder what's going to happen to us next," added Hal. - -Ken Ward looked at these companions of his and he laughed outright. -"Well, if you all don't take the cake for nerve!" - - - - - *XX* - - *TREED BY WILD PIGS* - - -Pepe's long years of _mozo_ work, rowing for tarpon fishermen, now stood -the boys in good stead. All the hot hours of the day he bent steadily -to the oars. Occasionally they came to rifts, but these were not -difficult to pass, being mere swift, shallow channels over sandy bottom. -The rocks and the rapids were things of the past. - -George lay in a kind of stupor, and Hal lolled in his seat. Ken, -however, kept alert, and as the afternoon wore on began to be annoyed at -the scarcity of camp-sites. - -The muddy margins of the river, the steep banks, and the tick-infested -forests offered few places where it was possible to rest, to say nothing -of sleep. Every turn in the widening river gave Ken hope, which -resulted in disappointment. He found consolation, however, in the fact -that every turn and every hour put him so much farther on the way. - -About five o'clock Ken had unexpected good luck in shape of a small -sand-bar cut off from the mainland, and therefore free of cattle-tracks. -It was clean and dry, with a pile of driftwood at one end. - -"Tumble out, boys," called Ken, as Pepe beached the boat. "We'll pitch -camp here." - -Neither Hal nor George showed any alacrity. Ken watched his brother; he -feared to see some of the symptoms of George's sickness. Both lads, -however, seemed cheerful, though too tired to be of much use in the -pitching of camp. - -Ken could not recover his former good spirits. There was a sense of -foreboding in his mind that all was not well, that he must hurry, hurry. -And although George appeared to be holding his own, Hal healthy enough, -and Pepe's brooding quiet at least no worse, Ken could not rid himself -of gloom. If he had answered the question that knocked at his mind he -would have admitted a certainty of disaster. So he kept active, and -when there were no more tasks for that day he worked on his note-book, -and then watched the flight of wild fowl. - -The farther down the river the boys traveled the more numerous were the -herons and cranes and ducks. But they saw no more of the beautiful -_pato real_, as Pepe called them, or the little russet-colored ducks, or -the dismal-voiced bitterns. On the other hand, wild geese were common, -and there were flocks and flocks of teal and canvasbacks. - -Pepe, as usual, cooked duck. And he had to eat it. George had lost his -appetite altogether. Hal had lost his taste for meat, at least. And -Ken made a frugal meal of rice. - -"Boys," he said, "the less you eat from now on the better for you." - -It took resolution to drink the cocoa, for Ken could not shut out -remembrance of the green water and the shore-line of dead and decaying -cattle. Still, he was parched with thirst; he had to drink. That night -he slept ten hours without turning over. Next morning he had to shake -Pepe to rouse him. - -Ken took turns at the oars with Pepe. It was not only that he fancied -Pepe was weakening and in need of an occasional rest, but the fact that -he wanted to be occupied, and especially to keep in good condition. They -made thirty miles by four o'clock, and most of it against a breeze. Not -in the whole distance did they pass half a dozen places fit for a camp. -Toward evening the river narrowed again, resembling somewhat the Santa -Rosa of earlier acquaintance. The magnificent dark forests crowded high -on the banks, always screened and curtained by gray moss, as if to keep -their secrets. - -The sun was just tipping with gold the mossy crests of a grove of giant -ceibas, when the boys rounded a bend to come upon the first ledge of -rocks for two days. A low, grassy promontory invited the eyes searching -for camping-ground. This spot appeared ideal; it certainly was -beautiful. The ledge jutted into the river almost to the opposite -shore, forcing the water to rush through a rocky trough into a great -foam-spotted pool below. - -They could not pitch the tent, since the stony ground would not admit -stakes, so they laid the canvas flat. Pepe went up the bank with his -_machete_ in search of firewood. To Ken's utmost delight he found a -little spring of sweet water trickling from the ledge, and by digging a -hole was enabled to get a drink, the first one in more than a week. - -A little later, as he was spreading the blankets, George called his -attention to shouts up in the woods. - -"Pepe's treed something," Ken said. "Take your gun and hunt him up." - -Ken went on making a bed and busying himself about camp, with little -heed to George's departure. Presently, however, he was startled by -unmistakable sounds of alarm. George and Pepe were yelling in unison, -and, from the sound, appeared to be quite a distance away. - -"What the deuce!" Ken ejaculated, snatching up his rifle. He snapped a -clip in the magazine and dropped several loaded clips and a box of extra -shells into his coat pocket. After his adventure with the jaguar he -decided never again to find himself short of ammunition. Running up the -sloping bank, he entered the forest, shouting for his companions. -Answering cries came from in front and a little to the left. He could -not make out what was said. - -Save for drooping moss the forest was comparatively open, and at a -hundred paces from the river-bank were glades covered with thickets and -long grass and short palm-trees. The ground sloped upward quite -perceptibly. - -"Hey, boys, where are you?" called Ken. - -Pepe's shrill yells mingled with George's shouts. At first their -meaning was unintelligible, but after calling twice Ken understood. - -"Javelin! Go back! Javelin! We're treed! Wild pigs! Santa Maria! -Run for your life!" - -This was certainly enlightening and rather embarrassing. Ken remembered -the other time the boys had made him run, and he grew hot with anger. - -"I'll be blessed if I'll run!" he said, in the pride of conceit and -wounded vanity. Whereupon he began to climb the slope, stopping every -few steps to listen and look. Ken wondered what had made Pepe go so far -for fire-wood; still, there was nothing but green wood all about. -Walking round a clump of seared and yellow palms that rustled in the -breeze, Ken suddenly espied George's white shirt. He was in a scrubby -sapling not fifteen feet from the ground. Then Ken espied Pepe, perched -in the forks of a ceiba, high above the thickets and low shrubbery. Ken -was scarcely more than a dozen rods from them down the gradual slope. -Both saw him at once. - -"Run, you Indian! Run!" bawled George, waving his hands. - -George implored Ken to fly to save his precious life. - -"What for? you fools! I don't see anything to run from," Ken shouted -back. His temper had soured a little during the last few days. - -"You'd better run, or you'll have to climb," replied George. "Wild -pigs--a thousand of 'em!" - -"Where?" - -"Right under us. There! Oh, if they see you! Listen to this." He -broke off a branch, trimmed it of leaves, and flung it down. Ken heard -a low, trampling roar of many hard little feet, brushings in the -thicket, and cracking of twigs. As close as he was, however, he could -not see a moving object. The dead grass and brush were several feet -high, up to his waist in spots, and, though he changed position several -times, no _javelin_ did he see. - -"You want to look out. Say, man, these are wild pigs--boars, I tell -you! They'll kill you!" bellowed George. - -"Are you going to stay up there all night?" Ken asked, sarcastically. - -"We'll stay till they go away." - -"All right, I'll scare them away," Ken replied, and, suiting action to -word, he worked the automatic as fast as it would shoot, aiming into the -thicket under George. - -Of all the foolish things a nettled hunter ever did that was the worst. -A roar answered the echoes of the rifle, and the roar rose from every -side of the trees the victims were in. Nervously Ken clamped a fresh -clip of shells into the rifle. Clouds of dust arose, and strange little -squeals and grunts seemed to come from every quarter. Then the grass -and bushes were suddenly torn apart by swift gray forms with glittering -eyes. They were everywhere. - -"_Run_! _Run_!" shrieked George, high above the tumult. - -For a thrilling instant Ken stood his ground and fired at the bobbing -gray backs. But every break made in the ranks by the powerful shells -filled in a flash. Before that vicious charge he wavered, then ran as -if pursued by demons. - -The way was downhill. Ken tripped, fell, rolled over and over, then, -still clutching the rifle, rose with a bound and fled. The javelin had -gained. They were at his heels. He ran like a deer. Then, seeing a low -branch, he leaped for it, grasped it with one hand, and, crooking an -elbow round it, swung with the old giant swing. - -Before Ken knew how it had happened he was astride a dangerously swaying -branch directly over a troop of brownish-gray, sharp-snouted, -fiendish-eyed little peccaries. - -Some were young and sleek, others were old and rough; some had little -yellow teeth or tusks, and all pointed their sharp noses upward, as if -expecting him to fall into their very mouths. Feeling safe, once more -Ken loaded the rifle and began to kill the biggest, most vicious -_javelin_. When he had killed twelve in twelve shots, he saw that -shooting a few would be of no avail. There were hundreds, it seemed, -and he had scarcely fifty shells left. Moreover, the rifle-barrel grew -so hot that it burnt his hands. Hearing George's yell, he replied, -somewhat to his disgust: - -"I'm all right, George--only treed. How 're you?" - -"Pigs all gone--they chased you--Pepe thinks we can risk running." - -"Don't take any chances," Ken yelled, in answer. - -"Hi! Hi! What's wrong with you gazabos?" came Hal's yell from down the -slope. - -"Go back to the boat," shouted Ken. - -"What for?" - -"We're all treed by javelin--wild pigs." - -"I've got to see that," was Hal's reply. - -Ken called a sharp, angry order for Hal to keep away. But Hal did not -obey. Ken heard him coming, and presently saw him enter one of the -little glades. He had Ken's shotgun, and was peering cautiously about. - -"Ken, where are you?" - -"Here! Didn't I tell you to keep away? The pigs heard you--some of them -are edging out there. Look out! Run, kid, run!" - -A troop of _javelin_ flashed into the glade. Hal saw them and raised the -shotgun. - -_Boom_! He shot both barrels. - -The shot tore through the brush all around Ken, but fortunately beneath -him. Neither the noise nor the lead stopped the pugnacious little -peccaries. - -Hal dropped Ken's hammerless and fled. - -"Run faster!" yelled George, who evidently enjoyed Hal's plight. -"They'll get you! Run hard!" - -The lad was running close to the record when he disappeared. - -In trying to find a more comfortable posture, so he could apply himself -to an interesting study of his captors, Ken made the startling discovery -that the branch which upheld him was splitting from the tree-trunk. His -heart began to pound in his breast; then it went up into his throat. -Every move he made--for he had started to edge toward the tree--widened -the little white split. - -"Boys, my branch is breaking!" he called, piercingly. - -"Can't you get another?" returned George. - -"No; I daren't move! Hurry, boys! If you don't scare these brutes off -I'm a goner!" - -Ken's eyes were riveted upon the gap where the branch was slowly -separating from the tree-trunk. He glanced about to see if he could not -leap to another branch. There was nothing near that would hold him. In -desperation he resolved to drop the rifle, cautiously get to his feet -upon the branch, and with one spring try to reach the tree. When about -to act upon this last chance he heard Pepe's shrill yell and a crashing -in the brush. Then followed the unmistakable roar and crackling of fire. -Pepe had fired the brush--no, he was making his way toward Ken, armed -with a huge torch. - -"Pepe, you'll fire the jungle!" cried Ken, forgetting what was at stake -and that Pepe could not understand much English. But Ken had been in -one forest-fire and remembered it with horror. - -The _javelin_ stirred uneasily, and ran around under Ken, tumbling over -one another. - -When Pepe burst through the brush, holding before him long-stemmed palm -leaves flaring in hissing flames, the whole pack of pigs bowled away -into the forest at breakneck speed. - -Ken leaped down, and the branch came with him. George came running up, -his face white, his eyes big. Behind him rose a roar that Ken thought -might be another drove of pigs till he saw smoke and flame. - -"Boys, the jungle's on fire. Run for the river!" - -In their hurry they miscalculated the location of camp and dashed out of -the jungle over a steep bank, and they all had a tumble. It was -necessary to wade to reach the rocky ledge. - -Ken shook hands with Pepe. - -"George, tell him that was a nervy thing to do. He saved my life, I do -believe." - -"You fellows did a lot of hollering," said Hal, from his perch in the -boat. - -"Say, young man, you've got to go back after my gun. Why didn't you do -what I told you? Foolish, to run into danger that way!" declared Ken, -severely. - -"You don't suppose I was going to overlook a chance to see Ken Ward -treed, do you?" - -"Well, you saw him, and that was no joke. But I wish Pepe could have -scared those pigs off without firing the jungle." - -"Pepe says it 'll give the ticks a good roasting," said George. - -"We'll have roast pig, anyway," added Ken. - -He kept watching the jungle back of the camp as if he expected it to -blow up like a powder-mine. But this Tamaulipas jungle was not Penetier -Forest. A cloud of smoke rolled up; there was a frequent roaring of dry -palms; but the green growths did not burn. It was not much of a -forest-fire, and Ken concluded that it would soon burn out. - -So he took advantage of the waning daylight to spread out his map and -plot in the day's travel. This time Hal watched him with a quiet -attention that was both flattering and stimulating; and at the -conclusion of the task he said: - -"Well, Ken, we're having sport, but we're doing something -more--something worth while." - - - - - *XXI* - - *THE LEAPING TARPON* - - -Just before dark, when the boys were at supper, a swarm of black -mosquitoes swooped down upon camp. - -Pepe could not have shown more fear at angry snakes, and he began to -pile green wood and leaves on the fire to make a heavy smoke. - -These mosquitoes were very large, black-bodied, with white-barred wings. -Their bite was as painful as the sting of a bee. After threshing about -until tired out the boys went to bed. But it was only to get up again, -for the mosquitoes could bite through two thicknesses of blanket. - -For a wonder every one was quiet. Even George did not grumble. The -only thing to do was to sit or stand in the smoke of the campfire. The -boys wore their gloves and wrapped blankets round heads and shoulders. -They crouched over the fire until tired of that position, then stood up -till they could stand no longer. It was a wretched, sleepless night -with the bloodthirsty mosquitoes humming about like a swarm of bees. -They did not go away until dawn. - -"That's what I get for losing the mosquito-netting," said Ken, wearily. - -Breakfast was not a cheerful meal, despite the fact that the boys all -tried to brace up. - -George's condition showed Ken the necessity for renewed efforts to get -out of the jungle. Pepe appeared heavy and slow, and, what was more -alarming, he had lost his appetite. Hal was cross, but seemed to keep -well. It was hard enough for Ken to persuade George and Pepe to take -the bitter doses of quinine, and Hal positively refused. - -"It makes me sick, I tell you," said Hal, impatiently. - -"But Hal, you ought to be guided by my judgment now," replied Ken, -gently. - -"I don't care. I've had enough of bitter pills." - -"I ask you--as a favor?" persisted Ken, quietly. - -"No!" - -"Well, then, I'll have to make you take them." - -"Wha-at?" roared Hal. - -"If necessary, I'll throw you down and pry open your mouth and get Pepe -to stuff these pills down your throat. There!" went on Ken, and now he -did not recognize his own voice. - -Hal looked quickly at his brother, and was amazed and all at once -shaken. - -"Why, Ken--" he faltered. - -"I ought to have made you take them before," interrupted Ken. "But I've -been too easy. Now, Hal, listen--and you, too, George. I've made a bad -mess of this trip. I got you into this jungle, and I ought to have taken -better care of you, whether you would or not. George has fever. Pepe -is getting it. I'm afraid you won't escape. You all _would_ drink -unboiled water." - -"Ken, that's all right, but you can get fever from the bites of the -ticks," said George. - -"I dare say. But just the same you could have been careful about the -water. Not only that--look how careless we have been. Think of the -things that have happened! We've gotten almost wild on this trip. We -don't realize. But wait till we get home. Then we'll hardly be able to -believe we ever had these adventures. But our foolishness, our -carelessness, must stop right here. If we can't profit by our lucky -escapes yesterday--from that lassoed crocodile and the wild pigs--we are -simply no good. I love fun and sport. But there's a limit. Hal, -remember what old Hiram told you about being foolhardily brave. I think -we have been wonderfully lucky. Now let's deserve our good luck. Let's -not prove what that Tampico hotel-man said. Let's show we are not just -wild-goose-chasing boys. I put it to you straight. I think the real -test is yet to come, and I want you to help me. No more tricks. No -more drinking unboiled water. No more shooting except in self-defense. -We must not eat any more meat. No more careless wandering up the banks. -No chances. See? And fight the fever. Don't give up. Then when we -get out of this awful jungle we can look back at our adventures--and, -better, we can be sure we've learned a lot. We shall have accomplished -something, and that's learning. Now, how about it? Will you help me?" - -"You can just bet your life," replied George, and he held out his hand. - -"Ken, I'm with you," was Hal's quiet promise; and Ken knew from the way -the lad spoke that he was in dead earnest. When it came to the last -ditch Hal Ward was as true as steel. He took the raw, bitter quinine -Ken offered and swallowed it without a grimace. - -"Good!" exclaimed Ken. "Now, boys, let's pack. Hal, you let your -menagerie go. There's no use keeping your pets any longer. George, you -make yourself a bed on the trunk, and fix a palm-leaf sun-shelter. Then -lie down." - -When the boat had been packed and all was in readiness for the start, -George was sound asleep. They shoved off into the current. Pepe and Ken -took turns at the oars, making five miles an hour. - -As on the day before, they glided under the shadows of the great -moss-twined cypresses, along the muddy banks where crocodiles basked in -the sun and gaunt cattle came down to drink. Once the boat turned a -bushy point to startle a large flock of wild turkeys, perhaps -thirty-five in number. They had been resting in the cool sand along the -river. Some ran up the bank, some half-dozen flew right over the boat, -and most of them squatted down as if to evade detection. Thereafter -turkeys and ducks and geese became so common as to be monotonous. - -About one o'clock Ken sighted a thatched bamboo and palm-leaf hut on the -bank. - -"Oh, boys, look! look!" cried Ken, joyfully. - -Hal was as pleased as Ken, and George roused out of his slumber. Pepe -grinned and nodded his head. - -Some naked little children ran like quail. A disheveled black head -peeped out of a door, then swiftly vanished. - -"Indians," said George. - -"I don't care," replied Ken, "they're human beings--people. We're -getting somewhere." - -From there on the little bamboo huts were frequently sighted. And soon -Ken saw a large one situated upon a high bluff. Ken was wondering if -these natives would be hospitable. - -Upon rounding the next bend the boys came unexpectedly upon a connecting -river. It was twice as wide as the Santa Rosa, and quite swift. - -"Tamaulipas," said Pepe. - -"Hooray! boys, this is the source of the Panuco, sure as you're born," -cried Ken. "I told you we were getting somewhere." - -He was overcome with the discovery. This meant success. - -"Savalo! Savalo!" exclaimed Pepe, pointing. - -"Tarpon! Tarpon! What do you think of that? 'Way up here! We must be -a long distance from tide-water," said George. - -Ken looked around over the broad pool below the junction of the two -rivers. And here and there he saw swirls, and big splashes, and then -the silver sides of rolling tarpon. - -"Boys, seeing we've packed that can of preserved mullet all the way, and -those thundering heavy tackles, let's try for tarpon," suggested Ken. - -It was wonderful to see how the boys responded. Pepe was no longer slow -and heavy. George forgot he was sick. Hal, who loved to fish better -than to hunt, was as enthusiastic as on the first day. - -"Ken, let me boss this job," said George, as he began to rig the -tackles. "Pepe will row; you and Hal sit back here and troll. I'll make -myself useful. Open the can. See, I hook the mullet just back of the -head, letting the bar come out free. There! Now run out about forty -feet of line. Steady the butt of the rod under your leg. Put your left -hand above the reel. Hold the handle of the reel in your right, and -hold it hard. The drag is in the handle. Now when a tarpon takes the -bait, jerk with all your might. Their mouths are like iron, and it's -hard to get a hook to stick." - -Pepe rowed at a smooth, even stroke and made for the great curve of the -pool where tarpon were breaking water. - -"If they're on the feed, we'll have more sport than we've had yet," said -George. - -Ken was fascinated, and saw that Hal was going to have the best time of -the trip. Also Ken was very curious to have a tarpon strike. He had no -idea what it would be like. Presently, when the boat glided among the -rolling fish and there was prospect of one striking at any moment, Ken -could not subdue a mounting excitement. - -"Steady now--be ready," warned George. - -Suddenly Hal's line straightened. The lad yelled and jerked at the same -instant. There came a roar of splitting waters, and a beautiful silver -fish, longer than Hal himself, shot up into the air. The tarpon shook -himself and dropped back into the water with a crash. - -Hal was speechless. He wound in his line to find the bait gone. - -"Threw the hook," said George, as he reached into the can for another -bait. "He wasn't so big. You'll get used to losing 'em. There! try -again." - -Ken had felt several gentle tugs at his line, as if tarpon were rolling -across it. And indeed he saw several fish swim right over where his -line disappeared in the water. There were splashes all around the boat, -some gentle swishes and others hard, cutting rushes. Then his line -straightened with a heavy jerk. He forgot to try to hook the fish; -indeed, he had no time. The tarpon came half out of the water, wagged -his head, and plumped back. Ken had not hooked the fish, nor had the -fish got the bait. So Ken again let out his line. - -The next thing which happened was that the boys both had strikes at the -same instant. Hal stood up, and as his tarpon leaped it pulled him -forward, and he fell into the stern-seat. His reel-handle rattled on -the gunwale. The line hissed. Ken leaned back and jerked. His fish did -not break water, but he was wonderfully active under the surface. Pepe -was jabbering. George was yelling. Hal's fish was tearing the water to -shreds. He crossed Ken's fish; the lines fouled, and then slacked. Ken -began to wind in. Hal rose to do likewise. - -"Gee!" he whispered, with round eyes. - -Both lines had been broken. George made light of this incident, and -tied on two more leaders and hooks and baited afresh. - -"The fish are on the feed, boys. It's a cinch you'll each catch one. -Better troll one at a time, unless you can stand for crossed lines." - -But Ken and Hal were too eager to catch a tarpon to troll one at a time, -so once more they let their lines out. A tarpon took Hal's bait right -under the stern of the boat. Hal struck with all his might. This fish -came up with a tremendous splash, drenching the boys. His great, -gleaming silver sides glistened in the sun. He curved his body and -straightened out with a snap like the breaking of a board, and he threw -the hook whistling into the air. - -Before Hal had baited up, Ken got another strike. This fish made five -leaps, one after the other, and upon the last threw the hook like a -bullet. As he plunged down, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the misty -spray. - -"Hal, do you see that rainbow?" cried Ken, quickly. "There's a sight -for a fisherman!" - -This time in turn, before Ken started to troll, Hal hooked another -tarpon. This one was not so large, but he was active. His first rush -was a long surge on the surface. He sent the spray in two streaks like a -motor-boat. Then he sounded. - -"Hang on, Hal!" yelled George and Ken in unison. - -Hal was bent almost double and his head was bobbing under the strain. -He could not hold the drag. The line was whizzing out. - -"You got that one hooked," shouted George. "Let go the reel--drop the -handle. Let him run." - -He complied, and then his fish began a marvelous exhibition of lofty -tumbling. He seemed never to stay down at all. Now he shot up, mouth -wide, gills spread, eyes wild, and he shook himself like a wet dog. -Then he dropped back, and before the boys had time to think where he -might be he came up several rods to the right and cracked his gills like -pistol-shots. He skittered on his tail and stood on his head and -dropped flat with a heavy smack. Then he stayed under and began to tug. - -"Hang on, now," cried George. "Wind in. Hold him tight. Don't give -him an inch unless he jumps." - -This was heartbreaking work for Hal. He toiled to keep the line in. He -grew red in the face. He dripped with sweat. He panted for breath. -But he hung on. - -Ken saw how skilfully Pepe managed the boat. The _mozo_ seemed to know -just which way the fish headed, and always kept the boat straight. -Sometimes he rowed back and lent his help to Hal. But this appeared to -anger the tarpon, for the line told he was coming to the surface. Then, -as Pepe ceased to let him feel the weight of the boat, the tarpon sank -again. So the battle went on round and round the great pool. After an -hour of it Hal looked ready to drop. - -"Land him alone if you can," said Ken. "He's tiring, Hal." - -"I'll--land him--or--or bust!" panted Hal. - -"Look out, now!" warned George again. "He's coming up. See the line. -Be ready to trim the boat if he drops aboard. _Wow!_" - -The tarpon slipped smoothly out of the water and shot right over the bow -of the boat. Quick-witted George flung out his hand and threw Hal's rod -round in time to save the line from catching. The fish went down, came -up wagging his head, and then fell with sullen splash. - -"He's done," yelled George. "Now, Hal, hold him for all you're worth. -Not an inch of line!" - -Pepe headed the boat for a sandy beach; and Hal, looking as if about to -have a stroke of apoplexy, clung desperately to the bending rod. The -tarpon rolled and lashed his tail, but his power was mostly gone. -Gradually he ceased to roll, until by the time Pepe reached shore he was -sliding wearily through the water, his silvery side glittering in the -light. - -The boat grated on the sand. Pepe leaped out. Then he grasped Hal's -line, slipped his hands down to the long wire leader, and with a quick, -powerful pull slid the tarpon out upon the beach. - -"Oh-h!" gasped Hal, with glistening eyes. "Oh-h! Ken, just look!" - -"I'm looking, son, and don't you forget it." - -The tarpon lay inert, a beautiful silver-scaled creature that looked as -if he had just come from a bath of melted opals. The great dark eyes -were fixed and staring, the tail moved feebly, the long dorsal fin -quivered. - -He measured five feet six inches in length, which was one inch more than -Hal's height. - -"Ken, the boys back home will never believe I caught him," said Hal, in -distress. - -"Take his picture to prove it," replied Ken. - -Hal photographed his catch. Pepe took out the hook, showing, as he did -so, the great iron-like plates in the mouth of the fish. - -"No wonder it's hard to hook them," said Ken. - -Hal certainly wanted his beautiful fish to go back, free and little -hurt, to the river. But also he wanted him for a specimen. Hal -deliberated. Evidently he was considering the labor of skinning such a -huge fish and the difficulty of preserving and packing the hide. - -"Say, Hal, wouldn't you like to see me hook one?" queried Ken, -patiently. - -That brought Hal to his senses. - -"Sure, Ken, old man, I want you to catch one--a big one--bigger than -mine," replied Hal, and restored the fish to the water. - -They all watched the liberated tarpon swim wearily off and slip down -under the water. - -"He'll have something to tell the rest, won't he?" said George. - -In a few minutes the boat was again in the center of the great pool -among the rolling tarpon. Ken had a strike immediately. He missed. -Then he tried again. And in a short space of time he saw five tarpon in -the air, one after the other, and not one did he hook securely. He got -six leaps out of one, however, and that was almost as good as landing -him. - -"There 're some whales here," said George. - -"Grande savalo," added Pepe, and he rowed over to where a huge fish was -rolling. - -"Oh, I don't want to hook the biggest one first," protested Ken. - -Pepe rowed to and fro. The boys were busy trying to see the rolling -tarpon. There would be a souse on one side, then a splash on the other, -then a thump behind. What with trying to locate all these fish and -still keep an eye on Ken's line the boys almost dislocated their necks. - -Then, quick as a flash, Ken had a strike that pulled him out of his seat -to his knees. He could not jerk. His line was like a wire. It began to -rise. With all his strength he held on. The water broke in a hollow, -slow roar, and a huge humpbacked tarpon seemed to be climbing into the -air. But he did not get all the way out, and he plunged back with a -thunderous crash. He made as much noise as if a horse had fallen off a -bridge. - -The handle of the reel slipped out of Ken's grasp, and it was well. The -tarpon made a long, wonderful run and showed on the surface a hundred -yards from the boat. He was irresistibly powerful. Ken was astounded -and thrilled at his strength and speed. There, far away from the boat, -the tarpon leaped magnificently, clearing the water, and then went down. -He did not come up again. - -"Ken, he's a whale," said George. "I believe he's well hooked. He -won't jump any more. And you've got a job on your hands." - -"I want him to jump." - -"The big ones seldom break water after the first rush or so." - -"Ken, it's coming to you with that fellow," said Hal. "My left arm is -paralyzed. Honestly, I can pinch it and not feel the pain." - -Pepe worked the boat closer and Ken reeled in yard after yard of line. -The tarpon was headed down-stream, and he kept up a steady, strong -strain. - -"Let him tow the boat," said George. "Hold the drag, Ken. Let him tow -the boat." - -"What!" exclaimed Ken, in amaze. - -"Oh, he'll do it, all right." - -And so it proved. Ken's tarpon, once headed with the current, did not -turn, and he towed the boat. - -"This is a new way for me to tire out a fish," said Ken. "What do you -think of it, Hal?" - -Hal's eyes glistened. - -"This is fishing. Ken, did you see him when he came up?" - -"Not very clearly. I had buck-fever. You know how a grouse looks when -he flushes right under your feet--a kind of brown blur. Well, this was -the same, only silver." - -At the end of what Ken judged to be a mile the tarpon was still going. -At the end of the second mile he was tired. And three miles down the -river from where the fish was hooked Pepe beached the boat on a sandbar -and hauled ashore a tarpon six feet ten inches long. - -Here Ken echoed Hal's panting gasp of wonder and exultation. As he sat -down on the boat to rest he had no feeling in his left arm, and little -in his right. His knuckles were skinned and bloody. No game of -baseball he had ever pitched had taken his strength like the conquest of -this magnificent fish. - -"Hal, we'll have some more of this fishing when we get to Tampico," said -Ken. "Why, this beats hunting. You have the sport, and you needn't -kill anything. This tarpon isn't hurt." - -So Ken photographed his prize and measured him, and, taking a last -lingering glance at the great green back, the silver-bronze sides, the -foot-wide flukes of the tail, at the whole quivering fire-tinted length, -he slid the tarpon back into the river. - - - - - *XXII* - - *STRICKEN DOWN* - - -Much as Ken would have liked to go back to that pool, he did not think -of it twice. And as soon as the excitement had subsided and the journey -was resumed, George and Hal, and Pepe, too, settled down into a silent -weariness that made Ken anxious. - -During the afternoon Ken saw Pepe slowly droop lower and lower at the -oars till the time came when he could scarcely lift them to make a -stroke. And when Ken relieved him of them, Pepe fell like a log in the -boat. - -George slept. Hal seemed to be fighting stupor. Pepe lay motionless on -his seat. They were all going down with the fever, that Ken knew, and -it took all his courage to face the situation. It warmed his heart to -see how Hal was trying to bear up under a languor that must have been -well-nigh impossible to resist. At last Hal said: - -"Ken, let me row." He would not admit that he was sick. - -Ken thought it would do Hal no harm to work. But Ken did not want to -lose time. So he hit upon a plan that pleased him. There was an extra -pair of oars in the boat. Ken fashioned rude pegs from a stick and drove -these down into the cleat inside the gunwales. With stout rope he tied -the oars to the pegs, which answered fairly well as oarlocks. Then they -had a double set of oars going, and made much better time. - -George woke and declared that he must take a turn at the oars. So Ken -let him row, too, and rested himself. He had a grim foreboding that he -would need all his strength. - -The succeeding few hours before sunset George and Hal more than made up -for all their delinquencies of the past. At first it was not very hard -for them to row; but soon they began to weary, then weaken. Neither -one, however, would give up. Ken let them row, knowing that it was good -for them. Slower and slower grew George's strokes, there were times when -he jerked up spasmodically and made an effort, only to weaken again. At -last, with a groan he dropped the oars. Ken had to lift him back into -the bow. - -Hal was not so sick as George, and therefore not so weak. He lasted -longer. Ken had seen the lad stick to many a hard job, but never as he -did to this one. Hal was making good his promise. There were times -when his breath came in whistles. He would stop and pant awhile, then -row on. Ken pretended he did not notice. But he had never been so -proud of his brother nor loved him so well. - -"Ken, old man," said Hal, presently. "I was--wrong--about the water. I -ought to have obeyed you. I--I'm pretty sick." - -What a confession for Hal Ward! - -Ken turned in time to see Hal vomit over the gunwale. - -"It's pretty tough, Hal," said Ken, as he reached out to hold his -brother's head; "but you're game. I'm so glad to see that." - -Whereupon Hal went back to his oars and stayed till he dropped. Ken -lifted him and laid him beside George. - -Ken rowed on with his eyes ever in search of a camping-site. But there -was no place to camp. The muddy banks were too narrow at the bottom, -too marshy and filthy. And they were too steep to climb to the top. - -The sun set. Twilight fell. Darkness came on, and still Ken rowed down -the river. At last he decided to make a night of it at the oars. He -preferred to risk the dangers of the river at night rather than spend -miserable hours in the mud. Rousing the boys, he forced them to swallow -a little cold rice and some more quinine. Then he covered them with -blankets, and had scarce completed the task when they were deep in -slumber. - -Then the strange, dense tropical night settled down upon Ken. The oars -were almost noiseless, and the water gurgled softly from the bow. -Overhead the expanse was dark blue, with a few palpitating stars. The -river was shrouded in gray gloom, and the banks were lost in black -obscurity. Great fireflies emphasized the darkness. He trusted a good -deal to luck in the matter of going right; yet he kept his ear keen for -the sound of quickening current, and turned every few strokes to peer -sharply into the gloom. He seemed to have little sense of peril, for, -though he hit submerged logs and stranded on bars, he kept on unmindful, -and by and by lost what anxiety he had felt. The strange wildness of -the river at night, the gray, veiled space into which he rowed unheeding -began to work upon his mind. - -That was a night to remember--a night of sounds and smells, of the -feeling of the cool mist, the sight of long, dark forest-line and a -golden moon half hidden by clouds. Prominent among these was the trill -of river frogs. The trill of a northern frog was music, but that of -these great, silver-throated jungle frogs was more than music. Close at -hand one would thrill Ken with mellow, rich notes; and then from far -would come the answer, a sweet, high tenor, wilder than any other -wilderness sound, long sustained, dying away till he held his breath to -listen. - -So the hours passed; and the moon went down into the weird shadows, and -the Southern Cross rose pale and wonderful. - -Gradually the stars vanished in a kind of brightening gray, and dawn was -at hand. Ken felt weary for sleep, and his arms and back ached. Morning -came, with its steely light on the river, the rolling and melting of -vapors, the flight of ducks and call of birds. The rosy sun brought no -cheer. - -Ken beached the boat on a sand-bar. While he was building a fire George -raised his head and groaned. But neither Pepe nor Hal moved. Ken -cooked rice and boiled cocoa, which he choked down. He opened a can of -fruit and found that most welcome. Then he lifted George's head, shook -him, roused him, and held him, and made him eat and drink. Nor did he -neglect to put a liberal dose of quinine in the food. Pepe was easily -managed, but poor Hal was almost unable to swallow. Something terribly -grim mingled with a strong, passionate thrill as Ken looked at Hal's -haggard face. Then Ken Ward knew how much he could stand, what work he -could do to get his brother out of the jungle. - -He covered the boys again and pushed out the boat. At the moment he -felt a strength that he had never felt before. There was a good, swift -current in the river, and Ken was at great pains to keep in it. The -channel ran from one side of the river to the other. Many times Ken -stranded on sandy shoals and had to stand up and pole the boat into -deeper water. This was work that required all his attention. It -required more than patience. But as he rowed and poled and drifted he -studied the shallow ripples and learned to avoid the places where the -boat would not float. - -There were stretches of river where the water was comparatively deep, -and along these he rested and watched the shores as he drifted by. He -saw no Indian huts that morning. The jungle loomed high and dark, a -matted gray wall. The heat made the river glare and smoke. Then where -the current quickened he rowed steadily and easily, husbanding his -strength. - -More than all else, even the ravings of Hal in fever, the thing that -wore on Ken and made him gloomy was the mourning of turtle-doves. As -there had been thousands of these beautiful birds along the Santa Rosa -River, so there were millions along the Panuco. Trees were blue with -doves. There was an incessant soft, sad moaning. He fought his -nervous, sensitive imaginings. And for a time he would conquer the -sense of some sad omen sung by the doves. Then the monotony, the -endless sweet "coo-ooo-ooo," seemed to drown him in melancholy sound. -There were three distinct tones--a moan, swelling to full ring, and -dying away: "Coo-_ooo_-ooo--coo-_ooo_-ooo." - -All the afternoon the mourning, haunting song filled Ken Ward's ears. -And when the sun set and night came, with relief to his tortured ear but -not to mind, Ken kept on without a stop. - -The day had slipped behind Ken with the miles, and now it was again -dark. It seemed that he had little sense of time. But his faculties of -sight and hearing were singularly acute. Otherwise his mind was like -the weird gloom into which he was drifting. - -Before the stars came out the blackness was as thick as pitch. He could -not see a yard ahead. He backed the boat stern first down-stream and -listened for the soft murmur of ripples on shoals. He avoided these by -hearing alone. Occasionally a huge, dark pile of driftwood barred his -passage, and he would have to go round it. Snags loomed up specter-like -in his path, seemingly to reach for him with long, gaunt arms. -Sometimes he drifted upon sand-bars, from which he would patiently pole -the boat. - -When the heavy dew began to fall he put on his waterproof coat. The -night grew chill. Then the stars shone out. This lightened the river. -Yet everywhere were shadows. Besides, clouds of mist hung low, in places -obscuring the stars. - -Ken turned the boat bow first downstream and rowed with slow, even -stroke. He no longer felt tired. He seemed to have the strength of a -giant. He fancied that with one great heave he could lift the boat out -of the water or break the oars. From time to time he ceased to row, -and, turning his head, he looked and listened. The river had numerous -bends, and it was difficult for Ken to keep in the middle channel. He -managed pretty well to keep right by watching the dark shore-line where -it met the deep-blue sky. In the bends the deepest water ran close to -the shore of the outside curve. And under these high banks and the -leaning cypresses shadows were thicker and blacker than in the earlier -night. There was mystery in them that Ken felt. - -The sounds he heard when he stopped during these cautious resting -intervals were the splashes of fish breaking water, the low hum of -insects, and the trill of frogs. The mourning of the doves during -daylight had haunted him, and now he felt the same sensation at this -long-sustained, exquisitely sweet trill. It pierced him, racked him, -and at last, from sheer exhaustion of his sensibilities, he seemed not -to hear it any more, but to have it in his brain. - -The moon rose behind the left-hand jungle wall, silvered half of the -river and the opposite line of cypresses, then hid under clouds. - -Suddenly, near or far away, down the river Ken saw a wavering light. It -was too large for a firefly, and too steady. He took it for a -Jack-o'-lantern. And for a while it enhanced the unreality, the -ghostliness of the river. But it was the means of bringing Ken out of -his dreamy gloom. It made him think. The light was moving. It was too -wavering for a Jack-o'-lantern. It was coming up-stream. It grew -larger. - -Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished. Ken lost sight of it -under a deep shadow of overhanging shore. As he reached a point -opposite to where it disappeared he thought he heard a voice. But he -could not be sure. He did not trust his ears. The incident, however, -gave him a chill. What a lonesome ride! He was alone on that unknown -river with three sick boys in the boat. Their lives depended upon his -care, his strength, his skill, his sight and hearing. And the -realization, striking him afresh, steeled his arms again and his spirit. - -The night wore on. The moon disappeared entirely. The mists hung low -like dim sheets along the water. Ken was wringing-wet with dew. Long -periods of rowing he broke with short intervals of drifting, when he -rested at the oars. - -Then drowsiness attacked him. For hours it seemed he fought it off. -But at length it grew overpowering. Only hard rowing would keep him -awake. And, as he wanted to reserve his strength, he did not dare exert -himself violently. He could not keep his eyes open. Time after time he -found himself rowing when he was half asleep. The boat drifted against -a log and stopped. Ken drooped over his oars and slept, and yet he -seemed not altogether to lose consciousness. He roused again to row on. - -It occurred to him presently that he might let the boat drift and take -naps between whiles. When he drifted against a log or a sand-bar the -jar would awaken him. The current was sluggish. There seemed to be no -danger whatever. He must try to keep his strength. A little sleep -would refresh him. So he reasoned, and fell asleep over the oars. - -Sooner or later--he never knew how long after he had fallen asleep--a -little jar awakened him. Then the gurgle and murmur of water near him -and the rush and roar of a swift current farther off made him look up -with a violent start. All about him was wide, gray gloom. Yet he could -see the dark, glancing gleam of the water. Movement of the oars told -him the boat was fast on a sand-bar. That relieved him, for he was not -drifting at the moment into the swift current he heard. Ken peered -keenly into the gloom. Gradually he made out a long, dark line running -diagonally ahead of him and toward the right-hand shore. It could not -be an island or a sand-bar or a shore-line. It could not be piles of -driftwood. There was a strange regularity in the dark upheavals of this -looming object. Ken studied it. He studied the black, glancing water. -Whatever the line was, it appeared to shunt the current over to the -right, whence came the low rush and roar. - -Altogether it was a wild, strange place. Ken felt a fear of something he -could not name. It was the river--the night--the loneliness--the unknown -about him and before him. - -Suddenly he saw a dull, red light far down the river. He stiffened in -his seat. Then he saw another red light. They were like two red eyes. -Ken shook himself to see if he had nightmare. No; the boat was there; -the current was there; the boys were there, dark and silent under their -blankets. This was no dream. Ken's fancy conjured up some red-eyed -river demon come to destroy him and his charges. He scorned the fancy, -laughed at it. But, all the same, in that dark, weird place, with the -murmuring of notes in his ears and with those strange red eyes glowing -in the distance, he could not help what his emotions made the truth. He -was freezing to the marrow, writhing in a clammy sweat when a low -"chug-chug-chug" enlightened him. The red eyes were those of a -steamboat. - -A steamboat on the wild Panuco! Ken scarcely believed his own judgment. -Then he remembered that George said there were a couple of boats plying -up and down the lower Panuco, mostly transporting timber and cattle. -Besides, he had proof of his judgment in the long, dark line that had so -puzzled him--it was a breakwater. It turned the current to the left, -where there evidently was a channel. - -The great, red eyes gleamed closer, the "chug-chug-chug" sounded louder. -Then another sound amazed Ken--a man's voice crying out steadily and -monotonously. - -Ken wanted to rouse the boys and Pepe, but he refrained. It was best -for them to sleep. How surprised they would be when he told them about -the boat that passed in the night! Ken now clearly heard the splashing -of paddles, the chug of machinery, and the man's voice. He was -singsonging: "Dos y media, dos y media, dos y media." - -Ken understood a little Mexican, and this strange cry became clear to -him. The man was taking soundings with a lead and crying out to the -pilot. _Dos y media_ meant two and a half feet of water. Then the -steam-boat loomed black in the gray gloom. It was pushing a low, flat -barge. Ken could not see the man taking soundings, but he heard him and -knew he was on the front end of the barge. The boat passed at fair -speed, and it cheered Ken. For he certainly ought to be able to take a -rowboat where a steamboat had passed. And, besides, he must be getting -somewhere near the little village of Panuco. - -He poled off the bar and along the breakwater to the channel. It was -narrow and swift. He wondered how the pilot of the steamboat had -navigated in the gloom. He slipped down-stream, presently to find -himself once more in a wide river. Refreshed by his sleep and -encouraged by the meeting with the steamboat, Ken settled down to steady -rowing. - -The stars paled, the mist thickened, fog obscured the water and shore; -then all turned gray, lightened, and dawn broke. The sun burst out. -Ken saw thatched huts high on the banks and occasionally natives. This -encouraged him all the more. - -He was not hungry, but he was sick for a drink. He had to fight himself -to keep from drinking the dirty river-water. How different it was here -from the clear green of the upper Santa Rosa! Ken would have given his -best gun for one juicy orange. George was restless and rolling about, -calling for water; Hal lay in slumber or stupor; and Pepe sat up. He -was a sick-looking fellow, but he was better; and that cheered Ken as -nothing yet had. - -Ken beached the boat on a sandy shore, and once again forced down a -little rice and cocoa. Pepe would not eat, yet he drank a little. -George was burning up with fever, and drank a full cup. Hal did not -stir, and Ken thought it best to let him lie. - -As Ken resumed the journey the next thing to attract his attention was a -long canoe moored below one of the thatched huts. This afforded him -great satisfaction. At least he had passed the jungle wilderness, where -there was nothing that even suggested civilization. In the next few -miles he noticed several canoes and as many natives. Then he passed a -canoe that was paddled by two half-naked bronze Indians. Pepe hailed -them, but either they were too unfriendly to reply or they did not -understand him. - -Some distance below Pepe espied a banana grove, and he motioned Ken to -row ashore. Ken did so with pleasure at the thought of getting some -fresh fruit. There was a canoe moored to the roots of a tree and a path -leading up the steep bank. Pepe got out and laboriously toiled up the -bare path. He was gone a good while. - -Presently Ken heard shouts, then the bang of a lightly loaded gun, then -yells from Pepe. - -"What on earth!" cried Ken, looking up in affright. - -Pepe appeared with his arms full of red bananas. He jumped and -staggered down the path and almost fell into the boat. But he hung on -to the bananas. - -"Santa Maria!" gasped Pepe, pointing to little bloody spots on the calf -of his leg. - -"Pepe, you've been shot!" ejaculated Ken. "You stole the fruit--somebody -shot you!" - -Pepe howled his affirmative. Ken was angry at himself, angrier at Pepe, -and angriest at the native who had done the shooting. With a strong -shove Ken put the boat out and then rowed hard down-stream. As he -rounded a bend a hundred yards below he saw three natives come tumbling -down the path. They had a gun. They leaped into the canoe. They meant -pursuit. - -"Say, but this is a pretty kettle of fish!" muttered Ken, and he bent to -the oars. - -Of course Pepe had been in the wrong. He should have paid for the -bananas or asked for them. All the same, Ken was not in any humor to be -fooled with by excitable natives. He had a sick brother in the boat and -meant to get that lad out of the jungle as quickly as will and strength -could do it. He certainly did not intend to be stopped by a few -miserable Indians angry over the loss of a few bananas. If it had not -been for the gun, Ken would have stopped long enough to pay for the -fruit. But he could not risk it now. So he pulled a strong stroke -down-stream. - -The worst of the matter developed when Pepe peeled one of the bananas. -It was too green to eat. - -Presently the native canoe hove in sight round the bend. All three men -were paddling. They made the long craft fly through the water. Ken saw -instantly that they would overhaul him in a long race, and this added to -his resentment. Pepe looked back and jabbered and shook his brawny -fists at the natives. Ken was glad to see that the long stretch of -river below did not show a canoe or hut along the banks. He preferred -to be overhauled, if he had to be, in a rather lonely spot. - -It was wonderful how those natives propelled that log canoe. And when -one of the three dropped his paddle to pick up the gun, the speed of the -canoe seemed not to diminish. They knew the channels, and so gained on -Ken. He had to pick the best he could choose at short notice, and -sometimes he chose poorly. - -Two miles or more below the bend the natives with the gun deliberately -fired, presumably at Pepe. The shot scattered and skipped along the -water and did not come near the boat. Nevertheless, as the canoe was -gaining and the crazy native was reloading, Ken saw he would soon be -within range. Something had to be done. - -Ken wondered if he could not frighten those natives. They had probably -never heard the quick reports of a repeating rifle, let alone the -stinging cracks of an automatic. Ken decided it would be worth trying. -But he must have a chance to get the gun out of its case and load it. - -That chance came presently. The natives, in paddling diagonally across -a narrow channel, ran aground in the sand. They were fast for only a -few moments, but in that time Ken had got out the little rifle and -loaded it. - -Pepe's dark face turned a dirty white, and his eyes dilated. He -imagined Ken was going to kill some of his countrymen. But Pepe never -murmured. He rubbed the place in his leg where he had been shot, and -looked back. - -Ken rowed on, now leisurely. There was a hot anger within him, but he -had it in control. He knew what he was about. Again the native fired, -and again his range was short. The distance was perhaps two hundred -yards. - -Ken waited until the canoe, in crossing one of the many narrow places, -was broadside toward him. Then he raised the automatic. There were at -least ten feet in the middle of the canoe where it was safe for him to -hit without harm to the natives. And there he aimed. The motion of his -boat made it rather hard to keep the sights right. He was cool, -careful; he aimed low, between gunwale and the water, and steadily he -pulled the trigger--once, twice, three times, four, five. - -The steel-jacketed bullets "spoued" on the water and "cracked" into the -canoe. They evidently split both gunwales low down at the water-line. -The yelling, terror-stricken natives plunged about, and what with their -actions and the great split in the middle the canoe filled and sank. -The natives were not over their depth; that was plainly evident. -Moreover, it was equally evident that they dared not wade in the -quicksand. So they swam to the shallower water, and there, like huge -turtles, floundered toward the shore. - - - - - *XXIII* - - *OUT OF THE JUNGLE* - - -Before the natives had reached the shore they were hidden from Ken's -sight by leaning cypress-trees. Ken, however, had no fear for their -safety. He was sorry to cause the Indians' loss of a gun and a canoe; -nevertheless, he was not far from echoing Pepe's repeated: "Bueno! -Bueno! Bueno!" - -Upon examination Ken found two little bloody holes in the muscles of -Pepe's leg. A single shot had passed through. Ken bathed the wounds -with an antiseptic lotion and bound them with clean bandages. - -Pepe appeared to be pretty weak, so Ken did not ask him to take the -oars. Then, pulling with long, steady stroke, Ken set out to put a long -stretch between him and the angry natives. The current was swift, and -Ken made five miles or more an hour. He kept that pace for three hours -without a rest. And then he gave out. It seemed that all at once he -weakened. His back bore an immense burden. His arms were lead, and his -hands were useless. There was an occasional mist or veil before his -sight. He was wet, hot, breathless, numb. But he knew he was safe from -pursuit. So he rested and let the boat drift. - -George sat up, green in the face, a most miserable-looking boy. But -that he could sit up at all was hopeful. - -"Oh, my head!" he moaned. "Is there anything I can drink? My mouth is -dry--pasted shut." - -Ken had two lemons he had been saving. He cut one in halves and divided -it between Pepe and George. The relief the sour lemon afforded both -showed Ken how wise he had been to save the lemons. Then he roused Hal, -and, lifting the lad's head, made him drink a little of the juice. Hal -was a sick boy, too weak to sit up without help. - -"Don't--you worry--Ken," he said. "I'm going--to be--all right." - -Hal was still fighting. - -Ken readjusted the palm-leaf shelter over the boys so as to shade them -effectually from the hot sun, and then he went back to the oars. - -As he tried once more to row, Ken was reminded of the terrible lassitude -that had overtaken him the day he had made the six-hour climb out of the -Grand Caon. The sensation now was worse, but Ken had others depending -upon his exertions, and that spurred him to the effort which otherwise -would have been impossible. - -It was really not rowing that Ken accomplished. It was a weary puttering -with oars he could not lift, handles he could not hold. At best he -managed to guide the boat into the swiftest channels. Whenever he felt -that he was just about to collapse, then he would look at Hal's pale -face. That would revive him. So the hot hours dragged by. - -They came, after several miles, upon more huts and natives. And farther -down they met canoes on the river. Pepe interrogated the natives. -According to George, who listened, Panuco was far, far away, many -kilometers. This was most disheartening. Another native said the -village was just round the next bend. This was most nappy information. -But it turned out to be a lie. There was no village around any -particular bend--nothing save bare banks for miles. The stretches of -the river were long, and bends far apart. - -Ken fell asleep. When he awoke he found Pepe at the oars. Watching -him, Ken fancied he was recovering, and was overjoyed. - -About four o'clock in the afternoon Pepe rowed ashore and beached the -boat at the foot of a trail leading up to a large bamboo and thatch hut. -This time Ken thought it well to accompany Pepe. And as he climbed the -path he found his legs stiffer and shakier than ever before. - -Ken saw a cleared space in which were several commodious huts, gardens, -and flowers. There was a grassy yard in which little naked children were -playing with tame deer and tiger-cats. Parrots were screeching, and -other tame birds fluttered about. It appeared a real paradise to Ken. - -Two very kindly disposed and wondering native women made them welcome. -Then Ken and Pepe went down to the boat and carried Hal up, and went -back for George. - -It developed that the native women knew just what to do for the -fever-stricken boys. They made some kind of a native drink for them, and -after that gave them hot milk and chicken and rice soup. George -improved rapidly, and Hal brightened a little and showed signs of -gathering strength. - -Ken could not eat until he had something to quench his thirst. Upon -inquiring, Pepe found that the natives used the river-water. Ken could -not drink that. Then Pepe pointed out an orange-tree, and Ken made a -dive for it. The ground was littered with oranges. Collecting an -armful, Ken sat under the tree and with wild haste began to squeeze the -juice into his mouth. Never had anything before tasted so cool, so -sweet, so life-giving! He felt a cool, wet sensation steal all through -his body. He never knew till that moment how really wonderful and -precious an orange could be. He thought that as he would hate mourning -turtle-doves all the rest of his life, so he would love the sight and -smell and taste of oranges. And he demolished twenty-two before he -satisfied his almost insatiable thirst. After that the chicken and rice -made him feel like a new boy. - -Then Ken made beds under a kind of porch, and he lay down in one, -stretched out languidly and gratefully, as if he never intended to move -again, and his eyes seemed to be glued shut. - -When he awoke the sun was shining in his face. When he had gone to bed -it had been shining at his back. He consulted his watch. He had slept -seventeen hours. - -When he got up and found Pepe as well as before he had been taken with -the fever and George on his feet and Hal awake and actually smiling, Ken -experienced a sensation of unutterable thankfulness. A terrible burden -slipped from his shoulders. For a moment he felt a dimming of his eyes -and a lump in his throat. - -"How about you, Ken, old man?" inquired Hal, with a hint of his usual -spirit. - -"Wal, youngster, I reckon fer a man who's been through some right pert -happenin's, I'm in tol'able shape," drawled Ken. - -"I'll bet two dollars you've been up against it," declared Hal, -solemnly. - -Then, as they sat to an appetizing breakfast, Ken gave them a brief -account of the incidents of the two days and two nights when they were -too ill to know anything. - -It was a question whether George's voluble eulogy of Ken's feat or Hal's -silent, bright-eyed pride in his brother was the greater compliment. - -Finally Hal said: "Won't that tickle Jim Williams when we tell him how -you split up the Indians' canoe and spilled them into the river?" - -Then Ken conceived the idea of climbing into the giant ceiba that stood -high on the edge of the bluff. It was hard work, but he accomplished -it, and from a fork in the top-most branches he looked out. That was a -warm, rich, wonderful scene. Ken felt that he would never forget it. -His interest now, however, was not so much in its beauty and wildness. -His keen eye followed the river as it wound away into the jungle, and -when he could no longer see the bright ribbon of water he followed its -course by the line of magnificent trees. It was possible to trace the -meandering course of the river clear to the rise of the mountains, dim -and blue in the distance. And from here Ken made more observations and -notes. - -As he went over in his mind the map and notes and report he had prepared -he felt that he had made good. He had explored and mapped more than a -hundred miles of wild jungle river. He felt confident that he had -earned the trip to England and the German forests. He might win a -hunting trip on the vast uplands of British East Africa. But he felt -also that the reward of his uncle's and his father's pride would be more -to him. That was a great moment for Ken Ward. And there was yet much -more that he could do to make this exploring trip a success. - -[Illustration: Ken Ward's Map] - -When he joined the others he found that Pepe had learned that the -village of Panuco was distant a day or a night by canoe. How many miles -or kilometers Pepe could not learn. Ken decided it would be best to go -on at once. It was not easy to leave that pleasant place, with its music -of parrots and other birds, and the tiger-cats that played like kittens, -and the deer that ate from the hand. The women would accept no pay, so -Ken made them presents. - -Once more embarked, Ken found his mood reverting to that of the last -forty-eight hours. He could not keep cheerful. The river was dirty and -the smell sickening. The sun was like the open door of a furnace. And -Ken soon discovered he was tired, utterly tired. - -That day was a repetition of the one before, hotter, wearier, and the -stretches of river were longer, and the natives met in canoes were -stolidly ignorant of distance. The mourning of turtle-doves almost -drove Ken wild. There were miles and miles of willows, and every tree -was full of melancholy doves. At dusk the boys halted on a sand-bar, -too tired to cook a dinner, and sprawled in the warm sand to sleep like -logs. - -In the morning they brightened up a little, for surely just around the -bend they would come to Panuco. Pepe rowed faithfully on, and bend -after bend lured Ken with deceit. He was filled with weariness and -disgust, so tired he could hardly lift his hand, so sleepy he could -scarcely keep his eyes open. He hated the wide, glassy stretches of -river and the muddy banks and dusty cattle. - -At noon they came unexpectedly upon a cluster of thatched huts, to find -that they made up the village of Panuco. Ken was sick, for he had -expected a little town where they could get some drinking-water and hire -a launch to speed them down to Tampico. This appeared little more than -the other places he had passed, and he climbed up the bank wearily, -thinking of the long fifty miles still to go. - -But Panuco was bigger and better than it looked from the river. The -boys found a clean, comfortable inn, where they dined well, and learned -to their joy that a coach left in an hour for Tamos to meet the -five-o'clock train to Tampico. - -They hired a _mozo_ to row the boat to Tampico and, carrying the lighter -things, boarded the coach, and, behind six mules, were soon bowling over -a good level road. - -It was here that the spirit of Ken's mood again changed, and somehow -seemed subtly conveyed to the others. The gloom faded away as Ken had -seen the mist-clouds dissolve in the morning sunlight. It was the end -of another wild trip. Hal was ill, but a rest and proper care would -soon bring him around. Ken had some trophies and pictures, but he also -had memories. And he believed he had acquired an accurate knowledge of -the jungle and its wild nature, and he had mapped the river from Micas -Falls to Panuco. - -"Well, it certainly _did come_ to us, didn't it?" asked George, navely, -for the hundredth time. "Didn't I tell you? By gosh, I can't remember -what did come off. But we had a dandy time." - -"Great!" replied Ken. "I had more than I wanted. I'll never spring -another stunt like this one!" - -Hal gazed smilingly at his brother. - -"Bah! Ken Ward, bring on your next old trip!" - -Which proved decidedly that Hal was getting better and that he alone -understood his brother. - -Pepe listened and rubbed his big hands, and there was a light in his -dark eyes. - -Ken laughed. It was good to feel happy just then; it was enough to feel -safe and glad in the present, with responsibility removed, without a -thought of the future. - -Yet, when some miles across country he saw the little town of Tamos -shining red-roofed against the sky, he came into his own again. The old -calling, haunting love of wild places and wild nature returned, and with -dreamy eyes he looked out. He saw the same beauty and life and -wildness. Beyond the glimmering lagoons stretched the dim, dark jungle. -A flock of flamingoes showed pink across the water. Ducks dotted the -weedy marshes. And low down on the rosy horizon a long curved line of -wild geese sailed into the sunset. - -When the boys arrived at Tampico and George had secured comfortable -lodgings for them, the first thing Ken did was to put Hal to bed. It -required main strength to do this. Ken was not taking any chances with -tropical fever, and he sent for a doctor. - -It was not clear whether the faces Hal made were at the little dried-up -doctor or at the medicine he administered. However, it was very clear -that Hal made fun of him and grew bolder the more he believed the man -could not understand English. - -Ken liked the silent, kindly physician, and remonstrated with Hal, and -often, just to keep Hal's mind occupied, he would talk of the university -and baseball, topics that were absorbing to the boy. - -And one day, as the doctor was leaving, he turned to Ken with a twinkle -in his eyes and said in perfect English: "I won't need to come any -more." - -Hal's jaw began to drop. - -"Your brother is all right," went on the doctor. "But he's a fresh kid, -and he'll never make the Wayne Varsity--or a good explorer, either--till -he gets over that freshness. I'm a Wayne man myself. Class of '82. -Good day, boys." - -Ken Ward was astounded. "By George! What do you think of that? He's a -Wayne med. I'll have to look him up. And, Hal, he was just right about -you." - -Hal looked extremely crestfallen and remorseful. - -"I'm always getting jars." - -It took a whole day for him to recover his usual spirits. - -Ken had promptly sent the specimens and his notes to his uncle, and as -the days passed the boys began to look anxiously for some news. In ten -days Hal was as well as ever, and then the boys had such sport with the -tarpon and big sharks and alligator-gars that they almost forgot about -the rewards they had striven so hard for and hoped to win. But finally, -when the mail arrived from home, they were at once happy and fearful. -George was with them that evening, and shared their excitement and -suspense. Hal's letters were from his mother and his sister, and they -were read first. Judge Ward's letter to Ken was fatherly and -solicitous, but brief. He gave the boys six more weeks, cautioned them -to be sensible and to profit by their opportunity, and he inclosed a -bank-draft. Not a word about rewards! - -Ken's fingers trembled a little as he tore open the uncle's letter. He -read it aloud: - - -DEAR KEN,--Congratulations! You've done well. You win the trip to -Africa. Hal's work also was good--several specimens accepted by the -Smithsonian. I'll back you for the Yucatan trip. Will send letters to -the American consul at Progreso, and arrange for you to meet the -Austrian archologist Maler, who I hope will take you in hand. - -I want you to make a study of some of the ruins of Yucatan, which I -believe are as wonderful as any in Egypt. I advise you to make this -trip short and to the point, for there are indications of coming -revolution throughout Mexico. - -With best wishes, - UNCLE G. - - -The old varsity cheer rang out from Ken, and Hal began a war-dance. -Then both boys pounced upon George, and for a few moments made life -miserable for him. - -"And I can't go with you!" he exclaimed, sorrowfully. - -Both Ken and Hal shared his disappointment. But presently. George -brightened up. The smile came back which he always wore when prophesying -the uncertain adventures of the future. - -"Well, anyway, I'll be safe home. And you fellows! You'll be getting -yours when you're lost in the wilderness of Yucatan!" - - - - THE END - - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - - _*There's More to Follow!*_ - - -More stories of the sort you like; more, probably, by the author of this -one; more than 500 titles all told by writers of world-wide reputation, -in the Authors' Alphabetical List which you will find on the _reverse -side_ of the wrapper of this book. Look it over before you lay it -aside. There are books here you are sure to want--some, possibly, that -you have _always_ wanted. - -It is a _selected_ list; every book in it has achieved a certain measure -of success. - -The Grosset & Dunlap list is not only the greatest Index of Good Fiction -available, it represents in addition a generally accepted Standard of -Value. It will pay you to - -_Look on the Other Side of the Wrapper!_ - -In case the wrapper is lost write to the publishers for a complete -catalog. - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - *ZANE GREY'S NOVELS* - -May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset and Dunlap's list. - -THE CALL OF THE CANYON -WANDERER OF THE WASTELAND -TO THE LAST MAN -THE MYSTERIOUS RIDER -THE MAN OF THE FOREST -THE DESERT OF WHEAT -THE U. P. TRAIL -WILDFIRE -THE BORDER LEGION -THE RAINBOW TRAIL -THE HERITAGE OF THE DESERT -RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE -THE LIGHT OF WESTERN STARS -THE LAST OF THE PLAINSMEN -THE LONE STAR RANGER -DESERT GOLD -BETTY ZANE -THE DAY OF THE BEAST - -* * * * * - -LAST OF THE GREAT SCOUTS - -The life story of "Buffalo Bill" by his sister Helen Cody Wetmore, with -Foreword and conclusion by Zane Grey. - - - - *ZANE GREY'S BOOKS FOR BOYS* - -KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE -THE YOUNG LION HUNTER -THE YOUNG FORESTER -THE YOUNG PITCHER -THE SHORT STOP -THE RED-HEADED OUTFIELD AND OTHER BASEBALL STORIES - - - - * * * * * - - - - *NOVELS OF FRONTIER LIFE* - - *WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE* - - May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list - -BIG-TOWN ROUND-UP, THE -BRAND BLOTTERS -BUCKY O'CONNOR -CROOKED TRAILS AND STRAIGHT -DAUGHTER OF THE DONS, A -DESERT'S PRICE, THE -FIGHTING EDGE, THE -GUNSIGHT PASS -HIGHGRADER, THE -IRONHEART -MAN FOUR-SQUARE, A -MAN-SIZE -MAVERICKS -OH, YOU TEX! -PIRATE OF PANAMA, THE -RIDGWAY OF MONTANA -SHERIFF'S SON, THE -STEVE YEAGER -TANGLED TRAILS -TEXAS RANGER, A -VISION SPLENDID, THE -WYOMING -YUKON TRAIL, THE - - - - * * * * * - - - - *JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD'S* - - *STORIES OF ADVENTURE* - - May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list - -THE COUNTRY BEYOND -THE FLAMING FOREST -THE VALLEY OF SILENT MEN -THE RIVER'S END -THE GOLDEN SNARE -NOMADS OF THE NORTH -KAZAN -BAREE, SON OF KAZAN -THE COURAGE OF CAPTAIN PLUM -THE DANGER TRAIL -THE HUNTED WOMAN -THE FLOWER OF THE NORTH -THE GRIZZLY KING -ISOBEL -THE WOLF HUNTERS -THE GOLD HUNTERS -THE COURAGE OF MARGE O'DOONE -BACK TO GOD'S COUNTRY - -_Ask for Complete free list of G. & D. Popular Copyrighted Fiction_ - - - - * * * * * - - - - *EDGAR RICE BURROUGH'S NOVELS* - - May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset and Dunlap's list - -BANDIT OF HELL'S BEND, THE -CAVE GIRL, THE -LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, THE -TARZAN AND THE ANT MEN -TARZAN AND THE GOLDEN LION -TARZAN THE TERRIBLE -TARZAN THE UNTAMED -JUNGLE TALES OF TARZAN -AT THE EARTH'S CORE -THE MUCKER -A PRINCESS OF MARS -THE GODS OF MARS -THE WARLORD OF MARS -THUVIA, MAID OF MARS -THE CHESSMEN OF MARS - - - - *GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK* - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45974 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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-
-.. meta::
- :PG.Id: 45974
- :PG.Title: Ken Ward in the Jungle
- :PG.Released: 2014-06-14
- :PG.Rights: Public Domain
- :PG.Producer: Al Haines
- :DC.Creator: Zane Grey
- :DC.Title: Ken Ward in the Jungle
- :DC.Language: en
- :DC.Created: 1912
- :coverpage: images/img-cover.jpg
-
-======================
-KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE
-======================
-
-.. clearpage::
-
-.. pgheader::
-
-.. container:: coverpage
-
- .. vspace:: 3
-
- .. _`Cover art`:
-
- .. figure:: images/img-cover.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: Cover art
-
- Cover art
-
- .. vspace:: 4
-
-.. container:: frontispiece
-
- .. _`THE JAGUAR OPENED HIS JAWS THREATENINGLY (see page 182)`:
-
- .. figure:: images/img-front.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: THE JAGUAR OPENED HIS JAWS THREATENINGLY (see page 182)
-
- THE JAGUAR OPENED HIS JAWS THREATENINGLY (see page `182`_)
-
- .. vspace:: 4
-
-.. container:: titlepage center white-space-pre-line
-
- .. class:: x-large
-
- KEN WARD
- IN THE JUNGLE
-
- .. vspace:: 2
-
- .. class:: medium
-
- BY
-
- .. class:: large
-
- ZANE GREY
-
- .. class:: small
-
- AUTHOR OF
- THE YOUNG FORESTER,
- THE YOUNG PITCHER,
- THE YOUNG LION HUNTER,
- THE U. P. TRAIL, ETC.
-
- .. vspace:: 3
-
- .. class:: medium
-
- ILLUSTRATED
-
- .. vspace:: 3
-
- .. class:: medium
-
- NEW YORK
- GROSSET & DUNLAP
- PUBLISHERS
-
- .. class:: small
-
- Published by Arrangement with Harper & Brothers
- Made in the United States of America
-
- .. vspace:: 4
-
-.. container:: verso center white-space-pre-line
-
- .. class:: small
-
- COPYRIGHT, 1912, BY HARPER & BROTHERS
-
- .. class:: small
-
- PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
-
- .. vspace:: 4
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- CONTENTS
-
-.. class:: noindent small
-
-CHAP.
-
-.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line
-
-I. `The Prize`_
-II. `The Home of the Tarpon`_
-III. `An Indian Boatman`_
-IV. `At the Jungle River`_
-V. `The First Camp`_
-VI. `Wilderness Life`_
-VII. `Running the Rapids`_
-VIII. `The First Tiger-cat`_
-IX. `In the White Water`_
-X. `Lost!`_
-XI. `An Army of Snakes`_
-XII. `Catching Strange Fish`_
-XIII. `A Turkey-Hunt`_
-XIV. `A Fight with a Jaguar`_
-XV. `The Vicious Garrapatoes`_
-XVI. `Field Work of a Naturalist`_
-XVII. `A Mixed-up Tiger-hunt`_
-XVIII. `Watching a Runway`_
-XIX. `Adventures with Crocodiles`_
-XX. `Treed by Wild Pigs`_
-XXI. `The Leaping Tarpon`_
-XXII. `Stricken Down`_
-XXIII. `Out of the Jungle`_
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`THE PRIZE`:
-
-.. class:: center x-large bold
-
- KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- I
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- THE PRIZE
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-"What a change from the Arizona
-desert!"
-
-The words broke from the lips of Ken
-Ward as he leaned from the window of
-the train which was bearing his brother
-and himself over the plateau to Tampico
-in Tamaulipas, the southeastern state of
-Mexico. He had caught sight of a river
-leaping out between heavily wooded slopes
-and plunging down in the most beautiful
-waterfall he had ever seen.
-
-"Look, Hal," he cried.
-
-The first fall was a long white streak,
-ending in a dark pool; below came cascade
-after cascade, fall after fall, some wide,
-others narrow, and all white and green against
-the yellow rock. Then the train curved
-round a spur of the mountain, descended to
-a level, to be lost in a luxuriance of jungle
-growth.
-
-It was indeed a change for Ken Ward,
-young forester, pitcher of the varsity nine at
-school, and hunter of lions in the Arizona
-cañons. Here he was entering the jungle
-of the tropics. The rifles and the camp
-outfit on the seat beside his brother Hal and
-himself spoke of coming adventures. Before
-them lay an unknown wilderness--the
-semi-tropical jungle. And the future was to show
-that the mystery of the jungle was stranger
-even than their imaginings.
-
-It was not love of adventure alone or
-interest in the strange new forest growths that
-had drawn Ken to the jungle. His uncle,
-the one who had gotten Ken letters from the
-Forestry Department at Washington, had
-been proud of Ken's Arizona achievements.
-This uncle was a member of the American
-Geographical Society and a fellow of the New
-York Museum of Natural History. He wanted
-Ken to try his hand at field work in the jungle
-of Mexico, and if that was successful, then to
-explore the ruined cities of wild Yucatan.
-If Ken made good as an explorer his reward
-was to be a trip to Equatorial Africa after big
-game. And of course that trip meant
-opportunity to see England and France, and, what
-meant more to Ken, a chance to see the great
-forests of Germany, where forestry had been
-carried on for three hundred years.
-
-In spite of the fact that the inducement
-was irresistible, and that Ken's father was as
-proud and eager as Ken's uncle to have him
-make a name for himself, and that Hal
-would be allowed to go with him, Ken had
-hesitated. There was the responsibility for
-Hal and the absolute certainty that Hal
-could not keep out of mischief. Still Ken
-simply could not have gone to Mexico
-leaving his brother at home broken-hearted.
-
-At last the thing had been decided. It was
-Hal's ambition to be a naturalist and to
-collect specimens, and the uncle had held out
-possible recognition from the Smithsonian
-Institution at Washington. Perhaps he might
-find a new variety of some animal to which
-the scientists would attach his name. Then
-the lad was passionately eager to see Ken
-win that trip to Africa. There had been
-much study of maps and books of travel,
-science, and natural history. There had
-been the most careful instruction and
-equipment for semi-tropical camp life. The uncle
-had given Ken valuable lessons in
-map-drawing, in estimating distance and
-topography, and he had indicated any one of
-several rivers in the jungle belt of Mexico.
-Traversing one hundred miles of unknown
-jungle river, with intelligent observation and
-accurate reports, would win the prize for Ken
-Ward. Now the race was on. Would Ken win?
-
-Presently the train crossed a bridge. Ken
-Ward had a brief glance at clear green water,
-at great cypress-trees, gray and graceful
-with long, silvery, waving moss, and at the
-tangled, colorful banks. A water-fowl black
-as coal, with white-crested wings, skimmed the
-water in swift wild flight, to disappear up the
-shady river-lane. Then the train clattered
-on, and, a mile or more beyond the bridge,
-stopped at a station called Valles. In the
-distance could be seen the thatched
-palm-leaf huts and red-tiled roofs of a hamlet.
-
-The boys got out to stretch their legs. The
-warm, sweet, balmy air was a new and novel
-thing to them. They strolled up and down
-the gravel walk, watching the natives. Hal
-said he rather liked the looks of their brown
-bare feet and the thin cotton trousers and
-shirts, but he fancied the enormous sombreros
-were too heavy and unwieldy. Ken spoke
-to several pleasant-faced Mexicans, each of
-whom replied: "No sabe, Señor."
-
-The ticket agent at the station was an
-American, and from the way he smiled and
-spoke Ken knew he was more than glad to
-see one of his own kind. So, after Ken had
-replied to many questions about the States,
-he began to ask some of his own.
-
-"What's the name of the waterfall we passed?"
-
-"Micas Falls," replied the agent.
-
-"And the river?"
-
-"It's called the Santa Rosa."
-
-"Where does it go?"
-
-The agent did not know, except that it
-disappeared in the jungle. Southward the
-country was wild. The villages were few and
-all along the railroad; and at Valles the river
-swung away to the southwest.
-
-"But it must flow into the Panuco River,"
-said Ken. He had studied maps of Mexico
-and had learned all that it was possible to
-learn before he undertook the journey.
-
-"Why, yes, it must find the Panuco
-somewhere down over the mountain," answered
-the agent.
-
-"Then there are rapids in this little river?"
-asked Ken, in growing interest.
-
-"Well, I guess. It's all rapids."
-
-"How far to Tampico by rail?" went on Ken.
-
-"Something over a hundred miles."
-
-"Any game in the jungle hereabouts--or
-along the Santa Rosa?" continued Ken.
-
-The man laughed, and laughed in such a
-way that Ken did not need his assertion
-that it was not safe to go into the jungle.
-
-Whereupon Ken Ward became so thoughtful
-that he did not hear the talk that followed
-between the agent and Hal. The engine
-bell roused him into action, and with Hal
-he hurried back to their seats. And then
-the train sped on. But the beauty of Micas
-Falls and the wildness of the Santa Rosa
-remained with Ken. Where did that river
-go? How many waterfalls and rapids did
-it have? What teeming life must be along
-its rich banks! It haunted Ken. He wanted
-to learn the mystery of the jungle. There
-was the same longing which had gotten him
-into the wild adventures in Penetier Forest and
-the Grand Cañon country of Arizona. And
-all at once flashed over him the thought that
-here was the jungle river for him to explore.
-
-"Why, that's the very thing," he said,
-thinking aloud.
-
-"What's wrong with you," asked Hal,
-"talking to yourself that way?"
-
-Ken did not explain. The train clattered
-between green walls of jungle, and occasionally
-stopped at a station. But the thought of the
-jungle haunted him until the train arrived at
-Tampico.
-
-Ken had the name of an American hotel,
-and that was all he knew about Tampico.
-The station was crowded with natives. Man
-after man accosted the boys, jabbering
-excitedly in Mexican. Some of these showed
-brass badges bearing a number and the
-word *Cargodore*.
-
-"Hal, I believe these fellows are porters
-or baggage-men," said Ken. And he showed
-his trunk check to one of them. The fellow
-jerked it out of Ken's hand and ran off.
-The boys ran after him. They were relieved
-to see him enter a shed full of baggage. And
-they were amazed to see him kneel down and
-take their trunk on his back. It was a big
-trunk and heavy. The man was small and light.
-
-"It 'll smash him!" cried Hal.
-
-But the little *cargodore* walked off with the
-trunk on his back. Then Ken and Hal saw
-other *cargodores* packing trunks. The boys
-kept close to their man and used their eyes
-with exceeding interest. The sun was
-setting, and the square, colored buildings looked
-as if they were in a picture of Spain.
-
-"Look at the boats--canoes!" cried Hal,
-as they crossed a canal.
-
-Ken saw long narrow canoes that had been
-hollowed out from straight tree-trunks. They
-were of every size, and some of the paddles
-were enormous. Crowds of natives were
-jabbering and jostling each other at a rude
-wharf.
-
-"Look back," called Hal, who seemed to
-have a hundred eyes.
-
-Ken saw a wide, beautiful river, shining
-red in the sunset. Palm-trees on the distant
-shore showed black against the horizon.
-
-"Hal, that's the Panuco. What a river!"
-
-"Makes the Susquehanna look like a creek,"
-was Hal's comment.
-
-The *cargodore* led the boys through a plaza,
-down a narrow street to the hotel. Here
-they were made to feel at home. The
-proprietor was a kindly American. The hotel
-was crowded, and many of the guests were
-Englishmen there for the tarpon-fishing, with
-sportsmen from the States, and settlers
-coming in to take up new lands. It was pleasant
-for Ken and Hal to hear their own language
-once more. After dinner they sallied forth
-to see the town. But the narrow dark streets
-and the blanketed natives stealing silently
-along were not particularly inviting. The
-boys got no farther than the plaza, where
-they sat down on a bench. It was wholly
-different from any American town. Ken
-suspected that Hal was getting homesick,
-for the boy was quiet and inactive.
-
-"I don't like this place," said Hal. "What
-'d you ever want to drag me way down here for?"
-
-"Humph! drag you? Say, you pestered
-the life out of me, and bothered Dad till he
-was mad, and worried mother sick to let
-you come on this trip."
-
-Hal hung his head.
-
-"Now, you're not going to show a streak of
-yellow?" asked Ken. He knew how to stir
-his brother.
-
-Hal rose to the attack and scornfully
-repudiated the insinuation. Ken replied that
-they were in a new country and must not
-reach conclusions too hastily.
-
-"I liked it back up there at the little village
-where we saw the green river and the big
-trees with the gray streamers on them,"
-said Hal.
-
-"Well, I liked that myself," rejoined Ken.
-"I'd like to go back there and put a
-boat in the river and come all the way here."
-
-Ken had almost unconsciously expressed
-the thought that had been forming in his
-mind. Hal turned slowly and looked at his
-brother.
-
-"Ken, that 'd be great--that's what we
-came for!"
-
-"I should say so," replied Ken.
-
-"Well?" asked Hal, simply.
-
-That question annoyed Ken. Had he not
-come south to go into the jungle? Had he
-come with any intention of shirking the
-danger of a wild trip? There was a subtle
-flattery in Hal's question.
-
-"That Santa Rosa River runs through the
-jungle," went on Hal. "It flows into the
-Panuco somewhere. You know we figured
-out on the map that the Panuco's the only
-big river in this jungle. That's all we want
-to know. And, Ken, you know you're a
-born boatman. Why, look at the rapids we've
-shot on the Susquehanna. Remember that
-trip we came down the Juniata? The water
-was high, too. Ken, you can take a boat
-down that Santa Rosa!"
-
-"By George! I believe I can," exclaimed
-Ken, and he thrilled at the thought.
-
-"Ken, let's go. You'll win the prize, and
-I'll get specimens. Think what we'd have
-to tell Jim Williams and Dick Leslie when we
-go West next summer!"
-
-"Oh, Hal, I know--but this idea of a trip
-seems too wild."
-
-"Maybe it wouldn't be so wild."
-
-In all fairness Ken could not deny this, so
-he kept silent.
-
-"Ken, listen," went on Hal, and now he
-was quite cool. "If we'd promised the
-Governor not to take a wild trip I wouldn't
-say another word. But we're absolutely free."
-
-"That's why we ought to be more careful.
-Dad trusts me."
-
-"He trusts you because he knows you can
-take care of yourself, and me, too. You're
-a wonder, Ken. Why, if you once made up
-your mind, you'd make that Santa Rosa River
-look like a canal."
-
-Ken began to fear that he would not be
-proof against the haunting call of that jungle
-river and the flattering persuasion of his
-brother and the ever-present ambition to show
-his uncle what he could do.
-
-"Hal, if I didn't have you with me I'd
-already have made up my mind to tackle
-this river."
-
-That appeared to insult Hal.
-
-"All I've got to say is I'd be a help to
-you--not a drag," he said, with some warmth.
-
-"You're always a help, Hal. I can't say
-anything against your willingness. But you
-know your weakness. By George! you made
-trouble enough for me in Arizona. On a trip
-such as this you'd drive me crazy."
-
-"Ken, I won't make any rash promises.
-I don't want to queer myself with you.
-But I'm all right."
-
-"Look here, Hal; let's wait. We've only
-got to Tampico. Maybe such a trip is
-impracticable--impossible. Let's find out more
-about the country."
-
-Hal appeared to take this in good spirit.
-The boys returned to the hotel and went to
-bed. Hal promptly fell asleep. But Ken
-Ward lay awake a long time thinking of the
-green Santa Rosa, with its magnificent
-moss-festooned cypresses. And when he did go to
-sleep it was to dream of the beautiful
-waterfowl with the white-crested wings, and he
-was following it on its wild flight down the
-dark, mysterious river-trail into the jungle.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`THE HOME OF THE TARPON`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- II
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- THE HOME OF THE TARPON
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Hal's homesickness might never have
-been in evidence at all, to judge from
-the way the boy, awakening at dawn, began
-to talk about the Santa Rosa trip.
-
-"Well," said Ken, as he rolled out of bed,
-"I guess we're in for it."
-
-"Ken, will we go?" asked Hal, eagerly.
-
-"I'm on the fence."
-
-"But you're leaning on the jungle side?"
-
-"Yes, kid--I'm slipping."
-
-Hal opened his lips to let out a regular
-Hiram Bent yell, when Ken clapped a hand
-over his mouth.
-
-"Hold on--we're in the hotel yet."
-
-It took the brothers long to dress, because
-they could not keep away from the window.
-The sun was rising in rosy glory over misty
-lagoons. Clouds of creamy mist rolled above
-the broad Panuco. Wild ducks were flying
-low. The tiled roofs of the stone houses
-gleamed brightly, and the palm-trees glistened
-with dew. The soft breeze that blew in was
-warm, sweet, and fragrant.
-
-After breakfast the boys went out to the
-front and found the hotel lobby full of
-fishermen and their native boatmen. It was an
-interesting sight, as well as a surprise, for
-Ken and Hal did not know that Tampico
-was as famous for fishing as it was for
-hunting. The huge rods and reels amazed them.
-
-"What kind of fish do these fellows fish
-for?" asked Hal.
-
-Ken was well enough acquainted with
-sport to know something about tarpon, but
-he had never seen one of the great silver fish.
-And he was speechless when Hal led him
-into a room upon the walls of which were
-mounted specimens of tarpon from six to
-seven feet in length and half as wide as a
-door.
-
-"Say, Ken! We've come to the right
-place. Those fishermen are all going out to
-fish for such whales as these here."
-
-"Hal, we never saw a big fish before," said
-Ken. "And before we leave Tampico we'll
-know what it means to hook tarpon."
-
-"I'm with you," replied Hal, gazing doubtfully
-and wonderingly at a fish almost twice
-as big as himself.
-
-Then Ken, being a practical student of
-fishing, as of other kinds of sport, began to
-stroll round the lobby with an intent to learn.
-He closely scrutinized the tackle. And he
-found that the bait used was a white mullet
-six to ten inches long, a little fish which
-resembled the chub. Ken did not like the long,
-cruel gaff which seemed a necessary adjunct
-to each outfit of tackle, and he vowed that
-in his fishing for tarpon he would dispense
-with it.
-
-Ken was not backward about asking
-questions, and he learned that Tampico, during
-the winter months, was a rendezvous for
-sportsmen from all over the world. For the
-most part, they came to catch the leaping
-tarpon; the shooting along the Panuco,
-however, was as well worth while as the fishing.
-But Ken could not learn anything about the
-Santa Rosa River. The *tierra caliente*, or hot
-belt, along the curve of the Gulf was
-intersected by small streams, many of them
-unknown and unnamed. The Panuco swung
-round to the west and had its source
-somewhere up in the mountains. Ken decided
-that the Santa Rosa was one of its
-headwaters. Valles lay up on the first swell of
-higher ground, and was distant from Tampico
-some six hours by train. So, reckoning with
-the meandering course of jungle streams,
-Ken calculated he would have something
-like one hundred and seventy-five miles to
-travel by water from Valles to Tampico.
-There were Indian huts strung along the
-Panuco River, and fifty miles inland a village
-named Panuco. What lay between Panuco
-and Valles, up over the wild steppes of that
-jungle, Ken Ward could only conjecture.
-
-Presently he came upon Hal in conversation
-with an American boy, who at once
-volunteered to show them around. So they
-set out, and were soon becoming well
-acquainted. Their guide said he was from
-Kansas; had been working in the railroad
-offices for two years; and was now taking a
-vacation. His name was George Alling.
-Under his guidance the boys spent several
-interesting hours going about the city.
-During this walk Hal showed his first tendency
-to revert to his natural bent of mind. Not for
-long could Hal Ward exist without making
-trouble for something. In this case it was
-buzzards, of which the streets of Tampico
-were full. In fact, George explained, the
-buzzards were the only street-cleaning
-department in the town. They were as tame
-as tame turkeys, and Hal could not resist
-the desire to chase them. And he could be
-made to stop only after a white-helmeted
-officer had threatened him. George
-explained further that although Tampico had
-no game-laws it protected these
-buzzard-scavengers of the streets.
-
-The market-house at the canal wharf was
-one place where Ken thought Hal would
-forget himself in the bustle and din and color.
-All was so strange and new. Indeed, for a
-time Hal appeared to be absorbed in his
-surroundings, but when he came to a stall where
-a man had parrots and racoons and small
-deer, and three little yellow, black-spotted
-tiger-cats, as George called them, then once
-more Ken had to take Hal in tow. Outside
-along the wharf were moored a hundred or
-more canoes of manifold variety. All had
-been hewn from solid tree-trunks. Some
-were long, slender, graceful, pretty to look
-at, and easy to handle in shallow lagoons,
-but Ken thought them too heavy and
-cumbersome for fast water. Happening just
-then to remember Micas Falls, Ken had a
-momentary chill and a check to his
-enthusiasm for the jungle trip. What if he
-encountered, in coming down the Santa Rosa,
-some such series of cascades as those which
-made Micas Falls!
-
-It was about noon when George led the
-boys out to the banks of the broad Panuco.
-Both Hal and Ken were suffering from the
-heat. They had removed their coats, and
-were now very glad to rest in the shade.
-
-"This is a nice cool day," said George, and
-he looked cool.
-
-"We've got on our heavy clothes, and this
-tropic sun is new to us," replied Ken. "Say,
-Hal--"
-
-A crash in the water near the shore
-interrupted Ken.
-
-"Was that a rhinoceros?" inquired Hal.
-
-"Savalo," said George.
-
-"What's that?"
-
-"Silver king. A tarpon. Look around
-and you'll see one break water. There are
-some fishermen trolling down-stream. Watch.
-Maybe one will hook a fish presently. Then
-you'll see some jumping."
-
-It was cool in the shade, as the brothers
-soon discovered, and they spent a delightful
-hour watching the river and the wild fowl
-and the tarpon. Ken and Hal were always
-lucky. Things happened for their benefit
-and pleasure. Not only did they see many
-tarpon swirl like bars of silver on the water,
-but a fisherman hooked one of the great fish
-not fifty yards from where the boys sat.
-And they held their breath, and with starting
-eyes watched the marvelous leaps and dashes
-of the tarpon till, as he shot up in a last
-mighty effort, wagging his head, slapping his
-huge gills, and flinging the hook like a bullet,
-he plunged back free.
-
-"Nine out of ten get away," remarked George.
-
-"Did you ever catch one?" asked Hal.
-
-"Sure."
-
-"Hal, I've got to have some of this fishing,"
-said Ken. "But if we start at it now--would
-we ever get that jungle trip?"
-
-"Oh, Ken, you've made up your mind to
-go!" exclaimed Hal, in glee.
-
-"No, I haven't," protested Ken.
-
-"Yes, you have," declared Hal. "I know
-you." And the whoop that he had suppressed
-in the hotel he now let out with good measure.
-
-Naturally George was interested, and at
-his inquiry Ken told him the idea for the
-Santa Rosa trip.
-
-"Take me along," said George. There was
-a note of American spirit in his voice, a laugh
-on his lips, and a flash in his eyes that made
-Ken look at him attentively. He was a slim
-youth, not much Hal's senior, and Ken
-thought if ever a boy had been fashioned to
-be a boon comrade of Hal Ward this George
-Alling was the boy.
-
-"What do you think of the trip?" inquired
-Ken, curiously.
-
-"Fine. We'll have some fun. We'll get
-a boat and a mozo--"
-
-"What's a mozo?"
-
-"A native boatman."
-
-"That's a good idea. I hadn't thought of a
-boatman to help row. But the boat is the
-particular thing. I wouldn't risk a trip in
-one of those canoes."
-
-"Come on, I'll find a boat," said George.
-
-And before he knew it George and Hal
-were leading him back from the river. George
-led him down narrow lanes, between painted
-stone houses and iron-barred windows, till
-they reached the canal. They entered a yard
-where buzzards, goats, and razor-back pigs
-were contesting over the scavenger rights.
-George went into a boat-house and pointed
-out a long, light, wide skiff with a flat bottom.
-Ken did not need George's praise, or the
-shining light in Hal's eyes, or the
-boat-keeper's importunities to make him eager to
-try this particular boat. Ken Ward knew a
-boat when he saw one. He jumped in,
-shoved it out, rowed up the canal, pulled and
-turned, backed water, and tried every stroke
-he knew. Then he rested on the oars and
-whistled. Hal's shout of delight made him
-stop whistling. Those two boys would have
-him started on the trip if he did not look sharp.
-
-"It's a dandy boat," said Ken.
-
-"Only a peso a day, Ken," went on Hal.
-"One dollar Mex--fifty cents in our money.
-Quick, Ken, hire it before somebody else gets it."
-
-"Sure I'll hire the boat," replied Ken; "but
-Hal, it's not for that Santa Rosa trip. We'll
-have to forget that."
-
-"Forget your grandmother!" cried Hal.
-And then it was plain that he tried valiantly
-to control himself, to hide his joy, to pretend
-to agree with Ken's ultimatum.
-
-Ken had a feeling that his brother knew
-him perfectly, and he was divided between
-anger and amusement. They returned to
-the hotel and lounged in the lobby. The
-proprietor was talking with some Americans,
-and as he now appeared to be at leisure he
-introduced the brothers and made himself
-agreeable. Moreover, he knew George Alling
-well. They began to chat, and Ken was
-considerably annoyed to hear George calmly
-state that he and his new-found friends
-intended to send a boat up to Valles and come
-down an unknown jungle river.
-
-The proprietor laughed, and, though the
-laugh was not unpleasant, somehow it nettled
-Ken Ward.
-
-"Why not go?" he asked, quietly, and he
-looked at the hotel man.
-
-"My boy, you can't undertake any trip
-like that."
-
-"Why not?" persisted Ken. "Is there any
-law here to prevent our going into the jungle?"
-
-"There's no law. No one could stop you.
-But, my lad, what's the sense of taking such
-a fool trip? The river here is full of tarpon
-right now. There are millions of ducks and
-geese on the lagoons. You can shoot deer
-and wild turkey right on the edge of town.
-If you want tiger and javelin, go out to one of
-the ranches where they have dogs to hunt
-with, where you'll have a chance for your
-life. These tigers and boars will kill a man.
-There's all the sport any one wants right
-close to Tampico."
-
-"I don't see how all that makes a reason
-why we shouldn't come down the Santa
-Rosa," replied Ken. "We want to explore--map
-the river."
-
-The hotel man seemed nettled in return.
-
-"You're only kids. It 'd be crazy to start
-out on that wild trip."
-
-It was on Ken's lips to mention a few of
-the adventures which he believed justly gave
-him a right to have pride and confidence in
-his ability. But he forbore.
-
-"It's a fool trip," continued the proprietor.
-"You don't know this river. You don't
-know where you'll come out. It's wild up
-in that jungle. I've hunted up at Valles,
-and no native I ever met would go a mile
-from the village. If you take a mozo he'll
-get soaked with canya. He'll stick a knife
-in you or run off and leave you when you
-most need help. Nobody ever explored that
-river. It 'll likely be full of swamps,
-sandbars, bogs. You'd get fever. Then the
-crocodiles, the boars, the bats, the snakes, the
-tigers! Why, if you could face these you'd
-still have the ticks--the worst of all. The
-ticks would drive men crazy, let alone boys.
-It's no undertaking for a boy."
-
-The mention of all these dangers would
-have tipped the balance for Ken in favor of
-the Santa Rosa trip, even if the hint of his
-callowness had not roused his spirit.
-
-"Thank you. I'm sure you mean kindly,"
-said Ken. "But I'm going to Valles and I'll
-come down that jungle river."
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
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-.. _`AN INDIAN BOATMAN`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- III
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- AN INDIAN BOATMAN
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-The moment the decision was made Ken
-felt both sorry and glad. He got the
-excited boys outside away from the critical
-and anxious proprietor. And Ken decided
-it was incumbent upon him to adopt a serious
-and responsible manner, which he was far
-from feeling. So he tried to be as cool as
-Hiram Bent, with a fatherly interest in the
-two wild boys who were to accompany him
-down the Santa Rosa.
-
-"Now, George, steer us around till we find
-a mozo," said Ken. "Then we'll buy an
-outfit and get started on this trip before you
-can say Jack Robinson."
-
-All the mozos the boys interviewed were
-eager to get work; however, when made
-acquainted with the nature of the trip they
-refused point blank.
-
-"Tigre!" exclaimed one.
-
-"Javelin!" exclaimed another.
-
-The big spotted jaguar of the jungle and
-the wild boar, or peccary, were held in much
-dread by the natives.
-
-"These natives will climb a tree at sight
-of a tiger or pig," said George. "For my
-part I'm afraid of the garrapatoes and the
-pinilius."
-
-"What 're they?" asked Hal.
-
-"Ticks--jungle ticks. Just wait till you
-make their acquaintance."
-
-Finally the boys met a *mozo* named Pepe,
-who had often rowed a boat for George.
-Pepe looked sadly in need of a job; still he
-did not ask for it. George said that Pepe
-had been one of the best boatmen on the
-river until *canya*, the fiery white liquor to
-which the natives were addicted, had ruined
-his reputation. Pepe wore an old sombrero,
-a cotton, shirt and sash, and ragged trousers.
-He was barefooted. Ken noted the set of
-his muscular neck, his brawny shoulders and
-arms, and appreciated the years of rowing
-that had developed them. But Pepe's haggard
-face, deadened eyes, and listless manner
-gave Ken pause. Still, Ken reflected, there
-was never any telling what a man might do,
-if approached right. Pepe's dejection excited
-Ken's sympathy. So Ken clapped him on
-the shoulder, and, with George acting as
-interpreter, offered Pepe work for several weeks
-at three pesos a day. That was more than
-treble the *mozo's* wage. Pepe nearly fell off
-the canal bridge, where he was sitting, and a
-light as warm and bright as sunshine flashed
-into his face.
-
-"Si, Señor--Si, Señor," he began to jabber,
-and waved his brown hands.
-
-Ken suspected that Pepe needed a job
-and a little kind treatment. He was sure of
-it when George said Pepe's wife and children
-were in want. Somehow Ken conceived a
-liking for Pepe, and believed he could trust
-him. He thought he knew how to deal with
-poor Pepe. So he gave him money, told
-him to get a change of clothes and a pair of
-shoes, and come to the hotel next day.
-
-"He'll spend the money for canya, and not
-show up to-morrow," said George.
-
-"I don't know anything about your natives,
-but that fellow will come," declared Ken.
-
-It appeared that the whole American colony
-in Tampico had been acquainted with Ken
-Ward's project, and made a business to
-waylay the boys at each corner. They called
-the trip a wild-goose chase. They declared
-it was a dime-novel idea, and could hardly
-take Ken seriously. They mingled
-astonishment with amusement and concern. They
-advised Ken not to go, and declared they
-would not let him go. Over and over again
-the boys were assured of the peril from
-ticks, bats, boars, crocodiles, snakes, tigers,
-and fevers.
-
-"That's what I'm taking the trip for,"
-snapped Ken, driven to desperation by all
-this nagging.
-
-"Well, young man, I admire your nerve,"
-concluded the hotel man. "If you're
-determined to go, we can't stop you. And
-there's some things we would like you to find
-out for us. How far do tarpon run up the
-Panuco River? Do they spawn up there?
-How big are the new-born fish? I'll furnish
-you with tackle and preserved mullet, for
-bait. We've always wondered about how
-far tarpon go up into fresh water. Keep your
-eye open for signs of oil. Also look at the
-timber. And be sure to make a map of the river."
-
-When it came to getting the boat shipped
-the boys met with more obstacles. But
-for the friendly offices of a Texan, an employee
-of the railroad, they would never have been
-able to convince the native shipping agent
-that a boat was merchandise. The Texan
-arranged the matter and got Ken a freight
-bill. He took an entirely different view of
-Ken's enterprise, compared with that of other
-Americans, and in a cool, drawling voice,
-which somehow reminded Ken of Jim
-Williams, he said:
-
-"Shore you-all will have the time of
-your lives. I worked at Valles for a year.
-That jungle is full of game. I killed three
-big tigers. You-all want to look out for
-those big yellow devils. One in every three
-will jump for a man. There's nothing but
-shoot, then. And the wild pigs are bad.
-They put me up a tree more than once.
-I don't know much about the Santa Rosa.
-Its source is above Micas Falls. Never
-heard where it goes. I know it's full of
-crocodiles and rapids. Never saw a boat or a
-canoe at Valles. And say--there are big black
-snakes in the jungle. Look out for them, too.
-Shore you-all have sport a-comin'."
-
-Ken thanked the Texan, and as he went
-on up-street, for all his sober thoughtfulness,
-he was as eager as Hal or George. However,
-his position as their guardian would not
-permit any show of extravagant enthusiasm.
-
-Ken bought blankets, cooking utensils,
-and supplies for three weeks. There was not
-such a thing as a tent in Tampico. The
-best the boys could get for a shelter was a
-long strip of canvas nine feet wide.
-
-"That 'll keep off the wet," said Ken, "but
-it won't keep out the mosquitoes and things."
-
-"Couldn't keep 'em out if we had six
-tents," replied George.
-
-The remainder of that day the boys were
-busy packing the outfit.
-
-Pepe presented himself at the hotel next
-morning an entirely different person. He was
-clean-shaven, and no longer disheveled. He
-wore a new sombrero, a white cotton shirt,
-a red sash, and blue trousers. He earned
-a small bundle, a pair of shoes, and a long
-*machete*. The dignity with which he
-approached before all the other *mozos* was not
-lost upon Ken Ward. A sharp scrutiny
-satisfied him that Pepe had not been
-drinking. Ken gave him several errands to do.
-Then he ordered the outfit taken to the
-station in Pepe's charge.
-
-The boys went down early in the afternoon.
-It was the time when the *mozos* were returning
-from the day's tarpon-fishing on the
-river, and they, with the *cargodores*, streamed
-to and fro on the platform. Pepe was there
-standing guard over Ken's outfit. He had
-lost his fame among his old associates, and
-for long had been an outsider. Here he was
-in charge of a pile of fine guns, fishing-tackle,
-baggage, and supplies--a collection
-representing a fortune to him and his simple class.
-He had been trusted with it. It was under
-his eye. All his old associates passed by to
-see him there. That was a great time for
-Pepe. He looked bright, alert, and
-supremely happy. It would have fared ill with
-thieves or loafers who would have made
-themselves free with any of the articles under
-his watchful eye.
-
-The train pulled out of Tampico at five
-o'clock, and Hal's "We're off!" was expressive.
-
-The railroad lay along the river-bank,
-and the broad Panuco was rippling with the
-incoming tide. If Ken and Hal had not
-already found George to be invaluable as a
-companion in this strange country they would
-have discovered it then. For George could
-translate Pepe's talk, and explain much that
-otherwise would have been dark to the
-brothers. Wild ducks dotted the green surface,
-and spurts showed where playful *ravalo* were
-breaking water. Great green-backed tarpon
-rolled their silver sides against the little
-waves. White cranes and blue herons stood
-like statues upon the reedy bars. Low down
-over the opposite bank of the river a long
-line of wild geese winged its way toward a
-shimmering lagoon. And against the gold
-and crimson of the sunset sky a flight of
-wild fowl stood out in bold black relief. The
-train crossed the Tamesi River and began to
-draw away from the Panuco. On the right,
-wide marshes, gleaming purple in the darkening
-light, led the eye far beyond to endless
-pale lagoons. Birds of many kinds skimmed
-the weedy flats. George pointed out a flock
-of aigrets, the beautiful wild fowl with the
-priceless plumes. Then there was a string
-of pink flamingoes, tall, grotesque, wading
-along with waddling stride, feeding with
-heads under water.
-
-"Great!" exclaimed Ken Ward.
-
-"It's all so different from Arizona," said Hal.
-
-At Tamos, twelve miles out of Tampico,
-the train entered the jungle. Thereafter
-the boys could see nothing but the impenetrable
-green walls that lined the track. At
-dusk the train reached a station called Las
-Palmas, and then began to ascend the first
-step of the mountain. The ascent was steep,
-and, when it was accomplished, Ken looked
-down and decided that step of the mountain
-was between two and three thousand feet
-high. The moon was in its first quarter,
-and Ken, studying this tropical moon, found
-it large, radiant, and a wonderful green-gold.
-It shed a soft luminous glow down upon the
-sleeping, tangled web of jungle. It was new
-and strange to Ken, so vastly different from
-barren desert or iron-ribbed cañon, and it
-thrilled him with nameless charm.
-
-The train once more entered jungle walls,
-and as the boys could not see anything out
-of the windows they lay back in their seats
-and waited for the ride to end. They were
-due at Valles at ten o'clock, and the impatient
-Hal complained that they would never get
-there. At length a sharp whistle from the
-engine caused Pepe to turn to the boys with a
-smile.
-
-"Valles," he said.
-
-With rattle and clank the train came to a
-halt. Ken sent George and Pepe out, and he
-and Hal hurriedly handed the luggage through
-the open window. When the last piece had
-been passed into Pepe's big hands the boys
-made a rush for the door, and jumped off
-as the train started.
-
-"Say, but it's dark," said Hal.
-
-As the train with its lights passed out of
-sight Ken found himself in what seemed a
-pitchy blackness. He could not see the boys.
-And he felt a little cold sinking of his heart
-at the thought of such black nights on an
-unknown jungle river.
-
-
-
-
-IV
-
-AT THE JUNGLE RIVER
-
-Presently, as Ken's eyes became
-accustomed to the change, the darkness
-gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of
-chattering natives, with wide sombreros on
-their heads and blankets over their shoulders,
-moved round the little stone station. Visitors
-were rare in Valles, as was manifested by the
-curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile
-of luggage.
-
-"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for
-the night," said Ken to George.
-
-Pepe began to question the natives, and soon
-was lost in the crowd. Awhile after, as Ken
-was making up his mind they might have to
-camp on the station platform, a queer low
-'bus drawn by six little mules creaked up.
-Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and
-began to stow the luggage away in the 'bus.
-Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon
-bowling along a white moonlit road. The
-soft voices of natives greeted their passing.
-
-Valles appeared to be about a mile from
-the station, and as they entered the village
-Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here
-and there a more pretentious habitation of
-stone. At length the driver halted before
-a rambling house, partly stone and partly
-thatch. There were no lights; in fact, Ken
-did not see a light in the village. George
-told the boys to take what luggage each
-could carry and follow the guide. Inside
-the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The
-boys bumped into things and fell over each
-other trying to keep close to the barefooted
-and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed
-to a kind of loft, where the moonlight streamed
-in at the open sides.
-
-"What do you think of this?" panted Hal,
-who had struggled with a heavy load of
-luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to
-fetch up the remainder of the outfit. Ken
-thought it best to stand still until he knew
-just where he was. But Hal and George
-began moving about in the loft. It was very
-large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full
-of objects. Hal jostled into something which
-creaked and fell with a crash. Then followed
-a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and
-a scuffling about.
-
-"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely.
-
-"You can search me," replied Hal Ward.
-"One thing--I busted my shin."
-
-"He knocked over a bed with some one
-sleeping in it," said George.
-
-Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon
-soothed the injured feelings of the native
-who had been so rudely disturbed. He then
-led the boys to their cots, which were no more
-than heavy strips of canvas stretched over
-tall frameworks. They appeared to be
-enormously high for beds. Ken's was as high
-as his head, and Ken was tall for his age.
-
-"Say, I'll never get up into this thing,"
-burst out Hal. "These people must be
-afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why
-are these cots so high?"
-
-"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and
-all that from sleeping with the natives,"
-answered George. "Besides, the higher you
-sleep in Mexico the farther you get from
-creeping, crawling things."
-
-Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on
-the floor, but George's remark had persuaded
-him to risk the lofty cot. It was most
-awkward to climb into. Ken tried several
-times without success, and once he just
-escaped a fall. By dint of muscle and a good
-vault he finally landed in the center of his
-canvas. From there he listened to his more
-
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- IV
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- AT THE JUNGLE RIVER
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Presently, as Ken's eyes became
-accustomed to the change, the darkness
-gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of
-chattering natives, with wide sombreros on
-their heads and blankets over their shoulders,
-moved round the little stone station. Visitors
-were rare in Valles, as was manifested by the
-curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile
-of luggage.
-
-"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for
-the night," said Ken to George.
-
-Pepe began to question the natives, and soon
-was lost in the crowd. Awhile after, as Ken
-was making up his mind they might have to
-camp on the station platform, a queer low
-'bus drawn by six little mules creaked up.
-Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and
-began to stow the luggage away in the 'bus.
-Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon
-bowling along a white moonlit road. The
-soft voices of natives greeted their passing.
-
-Valles appeared to be about a mile from
-the station, and as they entered the village
-Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here
-and there a more pretentious habitation of
-stone. At length the driver halted before
-a rambling house, partly stone and partly
-thatch. There were no lights; in fact, Ken
-did not see a light in the village. George
-told the boys to take what luggage each
-could carry and follow the guide. Inside
-the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The
-boys bumped into things and fell over each
-other trying to keep close to the barefooted
-and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed
-to a kind of loft, where the moonlight streamed
-in at the open sides.
-
-"What do you think of this?" panted Hal,
-who had struggled with a heavy load of
-luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to
-fetch up the remainder of the outfit. Ken
-thought it best to stand still until he knew
-just where he was. But Hal and George
-began moving about in the loft. It was very
-large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full
-of objects. Hal jostled into something which
-creaked and fell with a crash. Then followed
-a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and
-a scuffling about.
-
-"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely.
-
-"You can search me," replied Hal Ward.
-"One thing--I busted my shin."
-
-"He knocked over a bed with some one
-sleeping in it," said George.
-
-Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon
-soothed the injured feelings of the native
-who had been so rudely disturbed. He then
-led the boys to their cots, which were no more
-than heavy strips of canvas stretched over
-tall frameworks. They appeared to be
-enormously high for beds. Ken's was as high
-as his head, and Ken was tall for his age.
-
-"Say, I'll never get up into this thing,"
-burst out Hal. "These people must be
-afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why
-are these cots so high?"
-
-"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and
-all that from sleeping with the natives,"
-answered George. "Besides, the higher you
-sleep in Mexico the farther you get from
-creeping, crawling things."
-
-Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on
-the floor, but George's remark had persuaded
-him to risk the lofty cot. It was most
-awkward to climb into. Ken tried several
-times without success, and once he just
-escaped a fall. By dint of muscle and a good
-vault he finally landed in the center of his
-canvas. From there he listened to his more
-unfortunate comrades. Pepe got into his
-without much difficulty. George, however,
-in climbing up, on about the fifth attempt
-swung over too hard and rolled off on the
-other side. The thump he made when he
-dropped jarred the whole loft. From the
-various growls out of the darkness it developed
-that the loft was full of sleepers, who were not
-pleased at this invasion. Then Hal's cot
-collapsed, and went down with a crash.
-And Hal sat on the flattened thing and laughed.
-
-"Mucho malo," Pepe said, and he laughed,
-too. Then he had to get out and put up
-Hal's trestle bed. Hal once again went to
-climbing up the framework, and this time,
-with Pepe's aid, managed to surmount it.
-
-"George, what does Pepe mean by *mucho
-malo*?" asked Hal.
-
-"Bad--very much bad," replied George.
-
-"Nix--tell him nix. This is fine," said Hal.
-
-"Boys, if you don't want to sleep yourselves,
-shut up so the rest of us can," ordered Ken.
-
-He liked the sense of humor and the good
-fighting spirit of the boys, and fancied they
-were the best attributes in comrades on a
-wild trip. For a long time he heard a kind
-of shuddering sound, which he imagined was
-Hal's cot quivering as the boy laughed. Then
-absolute quiet prevailed, the boys slept,
-and Ken felt himself drifting.
-
-When he awakened the sun was shining
-through the holes in the thatched roof.
-Pepe was up, and the other native sleepers
-were gone. Ken and the boys descended from
-their perches without any tumbles, had a
-breakfast that was palatable--although even
-George could not name what they ate--and
-then were ready for the day.
-
-Valles consisted of a few stone houses and
-many thatched huts of bamboo and palm.
-There was only one street, and it was full of
-pigs, dogs, and buzzards. The inhabitants
-manifested a kindly interest and curiosity,
-which changed to consternation when they
-learned of the boys' project. Pepe
-questioned many natives, and all he could learn
-about the Santa Rosa was that there was an
-impassable waterfall some few kilometers
-below Valles. Ken gritted his teeth and said
-they would have to get past it. Pepe did not
-encounter a man who had ever heard of the
-headwaters of the Panuco River. There were
-only a few fields under cultivation around
-Valles, and they were inclosed by
-impenetrable jungle. It seemed useless to try to
-find out anything about the river. But
-Pepe's advisers in the village told enough
-about *tigre* and *javelin* to make Hal's hair
-stand on end, and George turn pale, and
-Ken himself wish they had not come. It all
-gave Ken both a thrill and a shock.
-
-There was not much conversation among the
-boys on the drive back to the station.
-However, sight of the boat, which had come by
-freight, stirred Ken with renewed spirit, and
-through him that was communicated to the
-others.
-
-The hardest task, so far, developed in the
-matter of transporting boat and supplies out
-to the river. Ken had hoped to get a
-handcar and haul the outfit on the track down to
-where the bridge crossed the Santa Rosa.
-But there was no hand-car. Then came the
-staggering information that there was no
-wagon which would carry the boat, and then
-worse still in the fact that there was no road.
-This discouraged Ken; nevertheless he had
-not the least idea of giving up. He sent
-Pepe out to tell the natives there must be
-some way to get the outfit to the river.
-
-Finally Pepe found a fellow who had a cart.
-This fellow claimed he knew a trail that went
-to a point from which it would be easy to
-carry the boat to the river. Ken had Pepe
-hire the man at once.
-
-"Bring on your old cart," said the
-irrepressible Hal.
-
-That cart turned out to be a remarkable
-vehicle. It consisted of a narrow body
-between enormously high wheels. A trio of
-little mules was hitched to it. The driver
-willingly agreed to haul the boat and outfit
-for one *peso*, but when he drove up to the
-platform to be surrounded by neighbors, he
-suddenly discovered that he could not possibly
-accommodate the boys. Patiently Pepe tried
-to persuade him. No, the thing was
-impossible. He made no excuses, but he looked
-mysterious.
-
-"George, tell Pepe to offer him five pesos,"
-said Ken.
-
-Pepe came out bluntly with the inducement,
-and the driver began to sweat. From
-the look of his eyes Ken fancied he had not
-earned so much money in a year. Still he
-was cunning, and his whispering neighbors
-lent him support. He had the only cart in
-the village, and evidently it seemed that
-fortune had come to knock at least once at his
-door. He shook his head.
-
-Ken held up both hands with fingers spread.
-"Ten pesos," he said.
-
-The driver, like a crazy man, began to
-jabber his consent.
-
-The boys lifted the boat upon the cart, and
-tied it fast in front so that the stern would not
-sag. Then they packed the rest of the
-outfit inside.
-
-Ken was surprised to see how easily the
-little mules trotted off with such a big load.
-At the edge of the jungle he looked back
-toward the station. The motley crowd of
-natives were watching, making excited
-gestures, and all talking at once. The driver
-drove into a narrow trail, which closed
-behind him. Pepe led on foot, brushing aside
-the thick foliage. Ken drew a breath of
-relief as he passed into the cool shade. The
-sun was very hot. Hal and George brought
-up the rear, talking fast.
-
-The trail was lined and overgrown with
-slender trees, standing very close, making
-dense shade. Many birds, some of beautiful
-coloring, flitted in the branches. In about
-an hour the driver entered a little clearing
-where there were several thatched huts.
-Ken heard the puffing of an engine, and,
-looking through the trees, he saw the
-railroad and knew they had arrived at the
-pumping-station and the bridge over the
-Santa Rosa.
-
-Pepe lost no time in rounding up six
-natives to carry the boat. They did not seem
-anxious to oblige Pepe, although they plainly
-wanted the money he offered. The trouble
-was the boat, at which they looked askance.
-As in the case with the driver, however, the
-weight and clinking of added silver overcame
-their reluctance. They easily lifted the boat
-upon their shoulders. And as they entered
-the trail, making a strange procession in the
-close-bordering foliage, they encountered two
-natives, who jumped and ran, yelling: "La
-diable! La diable!"
-
-"What ails those gazabos?" asked Hal.
-
-"They're scared," replied George. "They
-thought the boat was the devil."
-
-If Ken needed any more than had already
-come to him about the wildness of the Santa
-Rosa, he had it in the frightened cries and
-bewilderment of these natives. They had
-never seen a boat. The Santa Rosa was a
-beautiful wild river upon which boats were
-unknown. Ken had not hoped for so much.
-And now that the die was cast he faced the
-trip with tingling gladness.
-
-"George and Hal, you stay behind to watch
-the outfit. Pepe and I will carry what we
-can and follow the boat. I'll send back after
-you," said Ken.
-
-Then as he followed Pepe and the natives
-down the trail there was a deep satisfaction
-within him. He heard the soft rush of water
-over stones and the mourning of turtledoves.
-He rounded a little hill to come
-abruptly upon the dense green mass of river
-foliage. Giant cypress-trees, bearded with
-gray moss, fringed the banks. Through the
-dark green of leaves Ken caught sight of
-light-green water. Birds rose all about him.
-There were rustlings in the thick
-underbrush and the whir of ducks. The natives
-penetrated the dark shade and came out to
-an open, grassy point.
-
-The Santa Rosa, glistening, green, swift,
-murmured at Ken's feet. The natives dropped
-the boat into the water, and with Pepe
-went back for the rest of the outfit. Ken
-looked up the shady lane of the river and
-thought of the moment when he had crossed
-the bridge in the train. Then, as much as he
-had longed to be there, he had not dared to
-hope it. And here he was! How strange
-it was, just then, to see a large black duck
-with white-crested wings sweep by as swift
-as the wind! Ken had seen that wild fowl,
-or one of his kind, and it had haunted him.
-
-
-
-
-
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-
-
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-
- THE FIRST CAMP
-
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-
-In less than an hour all the outfit had been
-carried down to the river, and the boys
-sat in the shade, cooling off, happily conscious
-that they had made an auspicious start.
-
-It took Ken only a moment to decide to
-make camp there and the next day try to
-reach Micas Falls. The mountains appeared
-close at hand, and were so lofty that, early
-in the afternoon as it was, the westering sun
-hung over the blue summits. The notch
-where the Santa Rosa cut through the range
-stood out clear, and at most it was not
-more than eighteen miles distant. So Ken
-planned to spend a day pulling up the river,
-and then to turn for the down-stream trip.
-
-"Come, boys, let's make camp," said Ken.
-
-He sent Pepe with his long *machete* into the
-brush to cut fire-wood. Hal he set to making
-a stone fireplace, which work the boy rather
-prided himself upon doing well. Ken got
-George to help him to put up the strip of
-canvas. They stretched a rope between two
-trees, threw the canvas over it, and pegged
-down the ends.
-
-"Say, how 're we going to sleep?" inquired
-Hal, suddenly.
-
-"Sleep? Why, on our backs, of course,"
-retorted Ken, who could read Hal's mind.
-
-"If we don't have some hot old times
-keeping things out of this tent, I'm a lobster,"
-said George, dubiously. "I'm going to sleep
-in the middle."
-
-"You're a brave boy, George," replied Ken.
-
-"Me for between Ken and Pepe," added Hal.
-
-"And you're twice as brave," said Ken.
-"I dare say Pepe and I will be able to keep
-things from getting at you."
-
-Just as Pepe came into camp staggering
-under a load of wood, a flock of russet-colored
-ducks swung round the bend. They alighted
-near the shore at a point opposite the camp.
-The way George and Hal made headers into
-the pile of luggage for their guns gave Ken
-an inkling of what he might expect from these
-lads. He groaned, and then he laughed.
-George came up out of the luggage first, and
-he had a .22-caliber rifle, which he quickly
-loaded and fired into the flock. He crippled
-one; the others flew up-stream. Then George
-began to waste shells trying to kill the
-crippled duck. Hal got into action with his .22.
-They bounced bullets off the water all around
-the duck, but they could not hit it.
-
-Pepe grew as excited as the boys, and he
-jumped into the boat and with a long stick
-began to pole out into the stream. Ken
-had to caution George and Hal to lower their
-guns and not shoot Pepe. Below camp and
-just under the bridge the water ran into a
-shallow rift. The duck got onto the current
-and went round the bend, with Pepe poling
-in pursuit and George and Hal yelling along
-the shore. When they returned a little
-later, they had the duck, which was of an
-unknown species to Ken. Pepe had fallen
-overboard; George was wet to his knees; and,
-though Hal did not show any marks of undue
-exertion, his eyes would have enlightened any
-beholder. The fact was that they were
-glowing with the excitement of the chase.
-It amused Ken. He felt that he had to try
-to stifle his own enthusiasm. There had to
-be one old head in the party. But if he did
-have qualms over the possibilities of the boys
-to worry him with their probable escapades,
-he still felt happy at their boundless life and
-spirit.
-
-It was about the middle of the afternoon,
-and the heat had become intense. Ken
-realized it doubly when he saw Pepe favoring
-the shade. George and Hal were hot, but they
-appeared to be too supremely satisfied with
-their surroundings to care about that.
-
-During this hot spell, which lasted from
-three o'clock until five, there was a quiet
-and a lack of life around camp that
-surprised Ken. It was slumberland; even the
-insects seemed drowsy. Not a duck and
-scarcely a bird passed by. Ken heard the
-mourning of turtle-doves, and was at once
-struck with the singular deep, full tone.
-Several trains crossed the bridge, and at
-intervals the engine at the pumping-tank
-puffed and chugged. From time to time a
-native walked out upon the bridge to stare
-long and curiously at the camp.
-
-When the sun set behind the mountain
-a hard breeze swept down the river. Ken
-did not know what to make of it, and at first
-thought there was going to be a storm. Pepe
-explained that the wind blew that way every
-day after sunset. For a while it tossed the
-willows, and waved the Spaniard's-beard upon
-the cypresses. Then as suddenly as it had
-come it died away, taking the heat with it.
-
-Whereupon the boys began to get supper.
-
-"George, do you know anything about
-this water?" asked Ken. "Is it safe?"
-
-George supposed it was all right, but he
-did not know. The matter of water had
-bothered Ken more than any other thing in
-consideration of the trip. This river-water
-was cool and clear; it apparently was safe.
-But Ken decided not to take any chances,
-and to boil all the water used. All at once
-George yelled, "Canvasbacks!" and made a
-dive for his gun. Ken saw a flock of ducks
-swiftly winging flight up-stream.
-
-"Hold on, George; don't shoot," called
-Ken. "Let's go a little slow at the start."
-
-George appeared to be disappointed, though
-he promptly obeyed.
-
-Then the boys had supper, finding the
-russet duck much to their taste. Ken made
-a note of Pepe's capacity, and was glad there
-were prospects of plenty of meat. While
-they were eating, a group of natives gathered
-on the bridge. Ken would not have liked to
-interpret their opinion of his party from their
-actions.
-
-Night came on almost before the boys
-were ready for it. They replenished the
-camp-fire, and sat around it, looking into the
-red blaze and then out into the flickering
-shadows. Ken thought the time propitious
-for a little lecture he had to give the boys,
-and he remembered how old Hiram Bent
-had talked to him and Hal that first night
-down under the great black rim-wall of the
-Grand Cañon.
-
-"Well, fellows," began Ken, "we're started,
-we're here, and the trip looks great to me.
-Now, as I am responsible, I intend to be boss.
-I want you boys to do what I tell you. I may
-make mistakes, but if I do I'll take them on
-my shoulders. Let's try to make the trip
-a great success. Let's be careful. We're
-not game-hogs. We'll not kill any more than
-we can eat. I want you boys to be careful
-with your guns. Think all the time where
-you're pointing them. And as to thinking,
-we'd do well to use our heads all the time.
-We've no idea what we're going up against
-in this jungle."
-
-Both boys listened to Ken with attention
-and respect, but they did not bind themselves
-by any promises.
-
-Ken had got out the mosquito-netting,
-expecting any moment to find it very
-serviceable; however, to his surprise it was not
-needed. When it came time to go to bed,
-Hal and George did not forget to slip in
-between Pepe and Ken. The open-sided tent
-might keep off rain or dew, but for all the
-other protection it afforded, the boys might as
-well have slept outside. Nevertheless they
-were soon fast asleep. Ken awoke a couple
-of times during the night and rolled over to
-find a softer spot in the hard bed. These
-times he heard only the incessant hum of insects.
-
-When he opened his eyes in the gray
-morning light, he did hear something that
-made him sit up with a start. It was a deep
-booming sound, different from anything that
-he had ever heard. Ken called Pepe, and
-that roused the boys.
-
-"Listen," said Ken.
-
-In a little while the sound was repeated, a
-heavy "boo-oom! ... boo-oom!" There was
-a resemblance to the first strong beats of a
-drumming grouse, only infinitely wilder.
-
-Pepe called it something like "*faisan real*."
-
-"What's that?" asked Hal.
-
-The name was as new to Ken as the noise
-itself. Pepe explained through George that
-it was made by a huge black bird not unlike a
-turkey. It had a golden plume, and could
-run as fast as a deer. The boys rolled out,
-all having conceived a desire to see such a
-strange bird. The sound was not repeated.
-Almost immediately, however, the thicket
-across the river awoke to another sound, as
-much a contrast to the boom as could be
-imagined. It was a bird medley. At first Ken
-thought of magpies, but Pepe dispelled this
-illusion with another name hard to pronounce.
-
-"Chicalocki," he said.
-
-And that seemed just like what they were
-singing. It was a sharp, clear
-song--"Chic-a-lock-i ... chic-a-lock-i," and to judge from
-the full chorus there must have been many birds.
-
-"They're a land of pheasant," added
-George, "and make fine pot-stews."
-
-The *chicalocki* ceased their salute to the
-morning, and then, as the river mist melted
-away under the rising sun, other birds took
-it up. Notes new to Ken burst upon the air.
-And familiar old songs thrilled him, made him
-think of summer days on the Susquehanna--the
-sweet carol of the meadow-lark, the whistle
-of the quail, the mellow, sad call of the
-swamp-blackbird. The songs blended in an exquisite
-harmony.
-
-"Why, some of them are our own birds
-come south for the winter," declared Hal.
-
-"It's music," said Ken.
-
-"Just wait," laughed George.
-
-It dawned upon Ken then that George was
-a fellow who had the mysterious airs of a
-prophet hinting dire things.
-
-Ken did not know what to wait for, but
-he enjoyed the suggestion and anticipated
-much. Ducks began to whir by; flocks of
-blackbirds alighted in the trees across the
-river. Suddenly Hal jumped up, and Ken
-was astounded at a great discordant screeching
-and a sweeping rush of myriads of wings.
-Ken looked up to see the largest flock of birds
-he had ever seen.
-
-"Parrots," he yelled.
-
-Indeed they were, and they let the boys
-know it. They flew across the river, wheeled
-to come back, all the time screeching, and then
-they swooped down into the tops of the
-cypress-trees.
-
-"Red-heads," said George. "Just wait till
-you see the yellow-heads!"
-
-At the moment the red-heads were quite
-sufficient for Ken. They broke out into a
-chattering, screaming, cackling discordance.
-It was plainly directed at the boys. These
-intelligent birds were curious and resentful.
-As Pepe put it, they were scolding. Ken
-enjoyed it for a full half-hour and reveled
-in the din. That morning serenade was
-worth the trip. Presently the parrots flew
-away, and Ken was surprised to find that most
-of the other birds had ceased singing. They
-had set about the business of the
-day--something it was nigh time for Ken to consider.
-
-Breakfast over, the boys broke camp,
-eager for the adventures that they felt to be
-before them.
-
-
-
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- WILDERNESS LIFE
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-
-"Now for the big job, boys," called Ken.
-"Any ideas will be welcome, but don't
-all talk at once."
-
-And this job was the packing of the
-outfit in the boat. It was a study for Ken, and
-he found himself thanking his lucky stars
-that he had packed boats for trips on rapid
-rivers. George and Hal came to the fore
-with remarkable advice which Ken was at
-the pains of rejecting. And as fast as one
-wonderful idea emanated from the fertile
-minds another one came in. At last Ken lost
-patience.
-
-"Kids, it's going to take brains to pack
-this boat," he said, with some scorn.
-
-And when Hal remarked that in that case
-he did not see how they ever were going to
-pack the boat, Ken drove both boys away
-and engaged Pepe to help.
-
-The boat had to be packed for a long trip,
-with many things taken into consideration.
-The very best way to pack it must be decided
-upon and thereafter held to strictly. Balance
-was all-important; comfort and elbow-room
-were not to be overlooked; a flat surface
-easy to crawl and jump over was absolutely
-necessary. Fortunately, the boat was large
-and roomy, although not heavy. The first
-thing Ken did was to cut out the narrow
-bow-seat. Here he packed a small bucket
-of preserved mullet, some bottles of kerosene
-and *canya*, and a lantern. The small, flat
-trunk, full of supplies, went in next. Two
-boxes with the rest of the supplies filled up
-the space between the trunk and the
-rowing-seat. By slipping an extra pair of oars,
-coils of rope, the ax, and a few other articles
-between the gunwales and the trunk and boxes
-Ken made them fit snugly. He cut off a
-piece of the canvas, and, folding it, he laid it
-with the blankets lengthwise over the top.
-This made a level surface, one that could be
-gotten over quickly, or a place to sleep, for
-that matter, and effectually disposed of the
-bow half of the boat. Of course the boat sank
-deep at the bow, but Ken calculated when they
-were all aboard their weight would effect an
-even balance.
-
-The bags with clothing Ken put under the
-second seat. Then he arranged the other
-piece of canvas so that it projected up back
-of the stern of the boat. He was thinking
-of the waves to be buffeted in going stern
-first down-stream through the rapids. The
-fishing-tackle and guns he laid flat from seat
-to seat. Last of all he placed the ammunition
-on one side next the gunwale, and the
-suit-case carrying camera, films, medicines,
-on the other.
-
-"Come now, fellows," called Ken. "Hal,
-you and George take the second seat. Pepe
-will take the oars. I'll sit in the stern."
-
-Pepe pushed off, jumped to his place, and
-grasped the oars. Ken was delighted to
-find the boat trim, and more buoyant than he
-had dared to hope.
-
-"We're off," cried Hal, and he whooped.
-And George exercised his already
-well-developed faculty of imitating Hal.
-
-Pepe bent to the oars, and under his powerful
-strokes the boat glided up-stream. Soon
-the bridge disappeared. Ken had expected
-a long, shady ride, but it did not turn out so.
-Shallow water and gravelly rapids made
-rowing impossible.
-
-"Pile out, boys, and pull," said Ken.
-
-The boys had dressed for wading and rough
-work, and went overboard with a will. Pulling,
-at first, was not hard work. They were
-fresh and eager, and hauled the boat up
-swift, shallow channels, making nearly as
-good time as when rowing in smooth water.
-Then, as the sun began to get hot, splashing
-in the cool river was pleasant. They passed
-little islands green with willows and came to
-high clay-banks gradually wearing away,
-and then met with rocky restrictions in the
-stream-bed. From round a bend came a
-hollow roar of a deeper rapid. Ken found it
-a swift-rushing incline, very narrow, and hard
-to pull along. The margin of the river was
-hidden and obstructed by willows so that the
-boys could see very little ahead.
-
-When they got above this fall the water
-was deep and still. Entering the boat again,
-they turned a curve into a long, beautiful
-stretch of river.
-
-"Ah! this 's something like," said Hal.
-
-The green, shady lane was alive with birds
-and water-fowl. Ducks of various kinds rose
-before the boat. White, blue, gray, and
-speckled herons, some six feet tall, lined the
-low bars, and flew only at near approach.
-There were many varieties of bitterns, one
-kind with a purple back and white breast.
-They were very tame and sat on the
-overhanging branches, uttering dismal croaks.
-Everywhere was the flash and glitter and
-gleam of birds in flight, up and down and
-across the river.
-
-Hal took his camera and tried to get pictures.
-
-The strangeness, beauty, and life of this
-jungle stream absorbed Ken. He did not
-take his guns from their cases. The water
-was bright green and very deep; here and
-there were the swirls of playing fish. The
-banks were high and densely covered with a
-luxuriant foliage. Huge cypress-trees,
-moss-covered, leaned half-way across the river.
-Giant gray-barked ceibas spread long branches
-thickly tufted with aloes, orchids, and other
-jungle parasites. Palm-trees lifted slender
-stems and graceful broad-leaved heads.
-Clumps of bamboo spread an enormous green
-arch out over the banks. These bamboo-trees
-were particularly beautiful to Ken.
-A hundred yellow, black-circled stems grew
-out of the ground close together, and as they
-rose high they gracefully leaned their bodies
-and drooped their tips. The leaves were
-arrowy, exquisite in their fineness.
-
-He looked up the long river-lane, bright
-in the sun, dark and still under the
-moss-veiled cypresses, at the turning vines and
-blossoming creepers, at the changeful web
-of moving birds, and indulged to the fullest
-that haunting sense for wild places.
-
-"Chicalocki," said Pepe, suddenly.
-
-A flock of long-tailed birds, resembling
-the pheasant in body, was sailing across the
-river. Again George made a dive for a gun.
-This one was a sixteen-gage and worn out.
-He shot twice at the birds on the wing.
-Then Pepe rowed under the overhanging
-branches, and George killed three *chicalocki*
-with his rifle. They were olive green in
-color, and the long tail had a brownish cast.
-Heavy and plump, they promised fine eating.
-
-"Pato real!" yelled Pepe, pointing excitedly
-up the river.
-
-Several black fowl, as large as geese, hove
-in sight, flying pretty low. Ken caught a
-glimpse of wide, white-crested wings, and
-knew then that these were the birds he had seen.
-
-"Load up and get ready," he said to
-George. "They're coming fast--shoot ahead
-of them."
-
-How swift and powerful they were on the
-wing! They swooped up when they saw the
-boat, and offered a splendid target. The
-little sixteen-gage rang out. Ken heard the
-shot strike. The leader stopped in midair,
-dipped, and plunged with a sounding splash.
-Ken picked him up and found him to be most
-beautiful, and as large and heavy as a goose.
-His black feathers shone with the latent green
-luster of an opal, and the pure white of the
-shoulder of the wings made a remarkable
-contrast.
-
-"George, we've got enough meat for to-day,
-more than we can use. Don't shoot any
-more," said Ken.
-
-Pepe resumed rowing, and Ken told him
-to keep under the overhanging branches and
-to row without splashing. He was skilled
-in the use of the oars, so the boat glided along
-silently. Ken felt he was rewarded for this
-stealth. Birds of rare and brilliant plumage
-flitted among the branches. There was one,
-a long, slender bird, gold and black with a
-white ring round its neck. There were little
-yellow-breasted kingfishers no larger than
-a wren, and great red-breasted kingfishers
-with blue backs and tufted heads. The boat
-passed under a leaning ceiba-tree that was
-covered with orchids. Ken saw the slim,
-sharp head of a snake dart from among the
-leaves. His neck was as thick as Ken's wrist.
-
-"What kind of a snake, Pepe?" whispered
-Ken, as he fingered the trigger of George's
-gun. But Pepe did not see the snake, and
-then Ken thought better of disturbing the
-silence with a gunshot. He was reminded,
-however, that the Texan had told him of
-snakes in this jungle, some of which measured
-more than fifteen feet and were as large as a
-man's leg.
-
-Most of the way the bank was too high
-and steep and overgrown for any animal to
-get down to the water. Still there were dry
-gullies, or arroyos, every few hundred yards,
-and these showed the tracks of animals, but
-Pepe could not tell what species from the
-boat. Often Ken heard the pattering of
-hard feet, and then he would see a little
-cloud of dust in one of these drinking-places.
-So he cautioned Pepe to row slower and closer
-in to the bank.
-
-"Look there! lemme out!" whispered Hal,
-and he seemed to be on the point of jumping
-overboard.
-
-"Coons," said George. "Oh, a lot of
-them. There--some young ones."
-
-Ken saw that they had come abruptly
-upon a band of racoons, not less than thirty
-in number, some big, some little, and a few
-like tiny balls of fur, and all had long
-white-ringed tails. What a scampering the big
-ones set up! The little ones were frightened,
-and the smallest so tame they scarcely made
-any effort to escape. Pepe swung the boat
-in to the bank, and reaching out he caught a
-baby racoon and handed it to Hal.
-
-"Whoop! We'll catch things and tame
-them," exclaimed Hal, much delighted, and
-he proceeded to tie the little racoon under
-the seat.
-
-"Sure, we'll get a whole menagerie," said George.
-
-So they went on up-stream. Often Ken
-motioned Pepe to stop in dark, cool places
-under the golden-green canopy of bamboos.
-He was as much fascinated by the beautiful
-foliage and tree growths as by the wild life.
-Hal appeared more taken up with the fluttering
-of birds in the thick jungle, rustlings,
-and soft, stealthy steps. Then as they moved
-on Ken whispered and pointed out a black
-animal vanishing in the thicket. Three times
-he caught sight of a spotted form slipping
-away in the shade. George saw it the last
-time, and whispered: "Tiger-cat! Let's get him."
-
-"What's that, Ken, a kind of a wildcat?"
-asked Hal.
-
-"Yes." Ken took George's .32-caliber and
-tried to find a way up the bank. There was
-no place to climb up unless he dragged
-himself up branches of trees or drooping
-bamboos, and this he did not care to attempt
-encumbered with a rifle. Only here and there
-could he see over the matted roots and creepers.
-Then the sound of rapids put hunting out of
-his mind.
-
-"Boys, we've got Micas Falls to reach,"
-he said, and told Pepe to row on.
-
-The long stretch of deep river ended in a
-wide, shallow, noisy rapid. Fir-trees lined
-the banks. The palms, cypresses, bamboos,
-and the flowery, mossy growths were not here
-in evidence. Thickly wooded hills rose on
-each side. The jungle looked sear and yellow.
-
-The boys began to wade up the rapid,
-and before they had reached the head of it
-Pepe yelled and jumped back from where he
-was wading at the bow. He took an oar and
-began to punch at something in the water,
-at the same time calling out.
-
-"Crocodile!" cried George, and he climbed
-in the boat. Hal was not slow in following
-suit. Then Ken saw Pepe hitting a small
-crocodile, which lashed out with its tail and
-disappeared.
-
-"Come out of there," called Ken to the boys.
-"We can't pull you up-stream."
-
-"Say, I don't want to step on one of those
-ugly brutes," protested Hal.
-
-"Look sharp, then. Come out."
-
-Above the rapid extended a quarter-mile
-stretch where Pepe could row, and beyond
-that another long rapid. When the boys
-had waded up that it was only to come to
-another. It began to be hard work. But
-Ken kept the boys buckled down, and they
-made fair progress. They pulled up through
-eighteen rapids, and covered distance that
-Ken estimated to be about ten miles. The
-blue mountain loomed closer and higher, yet
-Ken began to have doubts of reaching Micas
-Falls that day.
-
-Moreover, as they ascended the stream,
-the rapids grew rougher.
-
-"It 'll be great coming down," panted Hal.
-
-Finally they reached a rapid which had long
-dinned in Ken's ears. All the water in the
-river rushed down on the right-hand side
-through a channel scarcely twenty feet wide.
-It was deep and swift. With the aid of ropes,
-and by dint of much hard wading and pulling,
-the boys got the boat up. A little farther
-on was another bothersome rapid. At last
-they came to a succession of falls, steps in the
-river, that barred farther advance up-stream.
-
-Here Ken climbed up on the bank, to find
-the country hilly and open, with patches of
-jungle and palm groves leading up to the
-mountains. Then he caught a glint of Micas
-Falls, and decided that it would be impossible
-to get there. He made what observations
-he could, and returned to camp.
-
-"Boys, here's where we stop," said Ken.
-"It 'll be all down-stream now, and I'm glad."
-
-There was no doubt that the boys were
-equally glad. They made camp on a
-grassy bench above a foam-flecked pool.
-Ken left the others to get things in shape for
-supper, and, taking his camera, he hurried off
-to try to get a picture of Micas Falls. He
-found open places and by-paths through the
-brushy forest. He saw evidences of forest
-fire, and then knew what had ruined that part
-of the jungle. There were no birds. It was
-farther than he had estimated to the foothill
-he had marked, but, loath to give up, he kept
-on and finally reached a steep, thorny ascent.
-Going up he nearly suffocated with heat.
-He felt rewarded for his exertions when he
-saw Micas Falls glistening in the distance.
-It was like a string of green fans connected
-by silver ribbons. He remained there watching
-it while the sun set in the golden notch
-between the mountains.
-
-On the way back to camp he waded through
-a flat overgrown with coarse grass and bushes.
-Here he jumped a herd of deer, eight in
-number. These small, sleek, gray deer appeared
-tame, and if there had been sufficient light,
-Ken would have photographed them. It
-cost him an effort to decide not to fetch his
-rifle, but as he had meat enough in camp
-there was nothing to do except let the deer go.
-
-When he got back to the river Pepe grinned
-at him, and, pointing to little red specks on
-his shirt, he said:
-
-"Pinilius."
-
-"Aha! the ticks!" exclaimed Ken.
-
-They were exceedingly small, not to be
-seen without close scrutiny. They could not
-be brushed off, so Ken began laboriously to
-pick them off. Pepe and George laughed,
-and Hal appeared to derive some sort of
-enjoyment from the incident.
-
-"Say, these ticks don't bother me any,"
-declared Ken.
-
-Pepe grunted; and George called out, "Just
-wait till you get the big fellows--the
-garrapatoes."
-
-It developed presently that the grass and
-bushes on the camp-site contained millions
-of the ticks. Ken found several of the larger
-ticks--almost the size of his little finger-nail--but
-he did not get bitten. Pepe and George,
-however, had no such good luck, as was
-manifested at different times. By the time they
-had cut down the bushes and carried in
-a stock of fire-wood, both were covered with
-the little pests. Hal found a spot where
-there appeared to be none, and here he stayed.
-
-Pepe and George had the bad habit of smoking,
-and Ken saw them burning the ticks off
-shirt-sleeves and trousers-legs, using the fiery
-end of their cigarettes. This feat did not
-puzzle Ken anything like the one where they
-held the red point of the cigarettes close to
-their naked flesh. Ken, and Hal, too, had
-to see that performance at close range.
-
-"Why do you do that?" asked Ken.
-
-"Popping ticks," replied George. He and
-Pepe were as sober as judges.
-
-The fact of the matter was soon clear to
-Ken. The ticks stuck on as if glued. When
-the hot end of the burning cigarette was held
-within a quarter of an inch of them they
-simply blew up, exploded with a pop. Ken
-could easily distinguish between the tiny pop
-of an exploding *pinilius* and the heavier pop
-of a *garrapato*.
-
-"But, boy, while you're taking time to do
-that, half a dozen other ticks can bite you!"
-exclaimed Ken.
-
-"Sure they can," replied George. "But
-if they get on me I'll kill 'em. I don't mind
-the little ones--it's the big boys I hate."
-
-On the other hand, Pepe seemed to mind
-most the *pinilius*.
-
-"Say, from now on you fellows will be
-Garrapato George and Pinilius Pepe."
-
-"Pretty soon you'll laugh on the other
-side of your face," said George. "In three
-days you'll be popping ticks yourself."
-
-Just then Hal let out a yell and began to
-hunt for a tick that had bit him. If there
-was anything that could bother Hal Ward
-it was a crawling bug of some kind.
-
-"I'll have to christen you too, brother,"
-said Ken, gurgling with mirth. "A very
-felicitous name--Hollering Hal!"
-
-Despite the humor of the thing, Ken really
-saw its serious side. When he found the
-grass under his feet alive with ticks he cast
-about in his mind for some way to get rid
-of them. And he hit upon a remedy. On the
-ridge above the bench was a palm-tree, and
-under it were many dead palm leaves. These
-were large in size, had long stems, and were
-as dry as tinder. Ken lighted one, and it
-made a flaming hot torch. It did not take
-him long to scorch all the ticks near that camp.
-
-The boys had supper and enjoyed it hugely.
-The scene went well with the camp-fire and
-game-dinner. They gazed out over the
-foaming pool, the brawling rapids, to the
-tufted palm-trees, and above them the
-dark-blue mountain. At dusk Hal and George
-were so tired they went to bed and at once
-dropped into slumber. Pepe sat smoking
-before the slumbering fire.
-
-And Ken chose that quiet hour to begin
-the map of the river, and to set down in his
-note-book his observations on the mountains
-and in the valley, and what he had seen that
-day of bird, animal, and plant life in the
-jungle.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`RUNNING THE RAPIDS`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- VII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- RUNNING THE RAPIDS
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Some time in the night a yell awakened
-Ken. He sat up, clutching his revolver.
-The white moonlight made all as clear as
-day. Hal lay deep in slumber. George was
-raising himself, half aroused. But Pepe was gone.
-
-Ken heard a thrashing about outside.
-Leaping up he ran out, and was frightened to
-see Pepe beating and clawing and tearing
-at himself like a man possessed of demons.
-
-"Pepe, what's wrong?" shouted Ken.
-
-It seemed that Pepe only grew more violent
-in his wrestling about. Then Ken was sure
-Pepe had been stung by a scorpion or bitten by
-a snake.
-
-But he was dumfounded to see George
-bound like an apparition out of the tent and
-begin evolutions that made Pepe's look slow.
-
-"Hey, what's wrong with you jumping-jacks?"
-yelled Ken.
-
-George was as grimly silent as an Indian
-running the gantlet, but Ken thought it
-doubtful if any Indian ever slapped and tore
-at his body in George's frantic manner. To
-add to the mystery Hal suddenly popped out
-of the tent. He was yelling in a way to do
-justice to the name Ken had lately given him,
-and, as for wild and whirling antics, his were
-simply marvelous.
-
-"Good land!" ejaculated Ken. Had the
-boys all gone mad? Despite his alarm, Ken
-had to roar with laughter at those three
-dancing figures in the moonlight. A rush of
-ideas went through Ken's confused mind.
-And the last prompted him to look in the tent.
-
-He saw a wide bar of black crossing the
-moonlit ground, the grass, and the blankets.
-This bar moved. It was alive. Bending
-low Ken descried that it was made by ants.
-An army of jungle ants on a march! They
-had come in a straight line along the base of
-the little hill and their passageway led under
-the canvas. Pepe happened to be the first
-in line, and they had surged over him. As
-he had awakened, and jumped up of course,
-the ants had begun to bite. The same in
-turn happened to George and then Hal.
-
-Ken was immensely relieved, and had his
-laugh out. The stream of ants moved steadily
-and quite rapidly, and soon passed from
-sight. By this time Pepe and the boys had
-threshed themselves free of ants and into
-some degree of composure.
-
-"Say, you nightmare fellows! Come back
-to bed," said Ken. "Any one would think
-something had really happened to you."
-
-Pepe snorted, which made Ken think the
-native understood something of English. And
-the boys grumbled loudly.
-
-"Ants! Ants as big as wasps! They bit
-worse than helgramites," declared Hal. "Oh,
-they missed you. You always are lucky.
-I'm not afraid of all the old jaguars in this
-jungle. But I can't stand biting, crawling
-bugs. I wish you hadn't made me come on
-this darn trip."
-
-"Ha! Ha!" laughed Ken.
-
-"Just wait, Hal," put in George, grimly.
-"Just wait. It's coming to him!"
-
-The boys slept well the remainder of the
-night and, owing to the break in their rest,
-did not awaken early. The sun shone hot
-when Ken rolled out; a creamy mist was
-dissolving over the curve of the mountain-range;
-parrots were screeching in the near-by trees.
-
-After breakfast Ken set about packing the
-boat as it had been done the day before.
-
-"I think we'll do well to leave the trunk
-in the boat after this, unless we find a place
-where we want to make a permanent camp
-for a while," said Ken.
-
-Before departing he carefully looked over
-the ground to see that nothing was left, and
-espied a heavy fish-line which George had
-baited, set, and forgotten.
-
-"Hey, George, pull up your trot-line.
-It looks pretty much stretched to me. Maybe
-you've got a fish."
-
-Ken happened to be busy at the boat when
-George started to take in the line. An
-exclamation from Pepe, George's yell, and a loud
-splash made Ken jump up in double-quick
-time. Hal also came running.
-
-George was staggering on the bank, leaning
-back hard on the heavy line. A long, angry
-swirl in the pool told of a powerful fish.
-It was likely to pull George in.
-
-"Let go the line!" yelled Ken.
-
-But George was not letting go of any
-fish-lines. He yelled for Pepe, and went down
-on his knees before Pepe got to him. Both
-then pulled on the line. The fish, or
-whatever it was at the other end, gave a mighty
-jerk that almost dragged the two off the bank.
-
-"Play him, play him!" shouted Ken.
-"You've got plenty of line. Give him some."
-
-Hal now added his weight and strength,
-and the three of them, unmindful of Ken's
-advice, hauled back with might and main.
-The line parted and they sprawled on the
-grass.
-
-"What a sockdologer!" exclaimed Hal.
-
-"I had that hook baited with a big piece
-of duck meat," said George. "We must have
-been hooked to a crocodile. Things are
-happening to us."
-
-"Yes, so I've noticed," replied Ken, dryly.
-"But if you fellows hadn't pulled so hard you
-might have landed that thing, whatever it
-was. All aboard now. We must be on the
-move--we don't know what we have before us."
-
-When they got into the boat Ken took the
-oars, much to Pepe's surprise. It was
-necessary to explain to him that Ken would handle
-the boat in swift water. They shoved off,
-and Ken sent one regretful glance up the river,
-at the shady aisle between the green banks, at
-the white rapids, and the great colored dome
-of the mountain. He almost hesitated, for
-he desired to see more of that jungle-covered
-mountain. But something already warned
-Ken to lose no time in the trip down the Santa
-Rosa. There did not seem to be any reason
-for hurry, yet he felt it necessary. But he
-asked Pepe many questions and kept George
-busy interpreting names of trees and flowers
-and wild creatures.
-
-Going down-stream on any river, mostly,
-would have been pleasure, but drifting on the
-swift current of the Santa Rosa and rowing
-under the wonderful moss-bearded cypresses
-was almost like a dream. It was too beautiful
-to seem real. The smooth stretch before
-the first rapid was short, however, and then
-all Ken's attention had to be given to the
-handling of the boat. He saw that George
-and Pepe both expected to get out and wade
-down the rapids as they had waded up.
-He had a surprise in store for them. The
-rapids that he could not shoot would have to
-be pretty bad.
-
-"You're getting close," shouted George,
-warningly.
-
-With two sweeps of the oars Ken turned
-the boat stern first down-stream, then dipped
-on the low green incline, and sailed down
-toward the waves. They struck the first wave
-with a shock, and the water flew all over the
-boys. Pepe was tremendously excited; he
-yelled and made wild motions with his hands;
-George looked a little frightened. Hal
-enjoyed it. Whatever the rapid appeared to
-them, it was magnificent to Ken; and it was
-play to manage the boat in such water. A
-little pull on one oar and then on the other
-kept the stern straight down-stream. The
-channel he could make out a long way ahead.
-He amused himself by watching George and
-Pepe. There were stones in the channel,
-and the water rose angrily about them. A
-glance was enough to tell that he could float
-over these without striking. But the boys
-thought they were going to hit every stone,
-and were uneasy all the time. Twice he had
-to work to pass ledges and sunken trees upon
-which the current bore down hard. When
-Ken neared one of these he dipped the oars
-and pulled back to stop or lessen the
-momentum; then a stroke turned the boat half
-broadside to the current. That would force
-it to one side, and another stroke would turn
-the boat straight. At the bottom of this
-rapid they encountered a long triangle of
-choppy waves that they bumped and splashed
-over. They came through with nothing wet
-but the raised flap of canvas in the stern.
-
-Pepe regarded Ken with admiring eyes,
-and called him *grande mozo*.
-
-"Shooting rapids is great sport," proclaimed
-George.
-
-They drifted through several little rifts,
-and then stopped at the head of the narrow
-chute that had been such a stumbling-block
-on the way up. Looked at from above, this
-long, narrow channel, with several S curves,
-was a fascinating bit of water for a canoeist.
-It tempted Ken to shoot it even with the boat.
-But he remembered the four-foot waves at
-the bottom, and besides he resented the
-importunity of the spirit of daring so early in
-the game. Risk, and perhaps peril, would
-come soon enough. So he decided to walk
-along the shore and float the boat through
-with a rope.
-
-The thing looked a good deal easier than it
-turned out to be. Half-way through, at the
-narrowest point and most abrupt curve,
-Pepe misunderstood directions and pulled
-hard on the bow-rope, when he should have
-let it slack.
-
-The boat swung in, nearly smashing Ken
-against the bank, and the sweeping current
-began to swell dangerously near the gunwale.
-
-"Let go! Let go!" yelled Ken. "George,
-make him let go!"
-
-But George, who was trying to get the rope
-out of Pepe's muscular hands, suddenly made
-a dive for his rifle.
-
-"Deer! deer!" he cried, hurriedly throwing
-a shell into the chamber. He shot downstream,
-and Ken, looking that way, saw several
-deer under the firs on a rocky flat. George
-shot three more times, and the bullets went
-"spinging" into the trees. The deer bounded
-out of sight.
-
-When Ken turned again, water was roaring
-into the boat. He was being pressed harder
-into the bank, and he saw disaster ahead.
-
-"Loosen the rope--tell him, George," yelled Ken.
-
-Pepe only pulled the harder.
-
-"Quick, or we're ruined," cried Ken.
-
-George shouted in Spanish, and Pepe
-promptly dropped the rope in the water.
-That was the worst thing he could have done.
-
-"Grab the rope!" ordered Ken, wildly.
-"Grab the bow! Don't let it swing out! Hal!"
-
-Before either boy could reach it the bow
-swung out into the current. Ken was not
-only helpless, but in a dangerous position.
-He struggled to get out from where the
-swinging stern was wedging him into the bank,
-but could not budge. Fearing that all the
-outfit would be lost in the river, he held
-on to the boat and called for some one to
-catch the rope.
-
-George pushed Pepe head first into the swift
-current. Pepe came up, caught the rope,
-and then went under again. The boat swung
-round and, now half full of water, got away
-from Ken. It gathered headway. Ken leaped
-out on the ledge and ran along with the boat.
-It careened round the bad curve and shot
-down-stream. Pepe was still under water.
-
-"He's drowned! He's drowned!" cried George.
-
-Hal took a header right off the ledge, came
-up, and swam with a few sharp strokes to the
-drifting boat. He gained the bow, grasped it,
-and then pulled on the rope.
-
-Ken had a sickening feeling that Pepe might
-be drowned. Suddenly Pepe appeared like
-a brown porpoise. He was touching bottom
-in places and holding back on the rope.
-Then the current rolled him over and over.
-The boat drifted back of a rocky point into
-shallow water. Hal gave a haul that helped
-to swing it out of the dangerous current.
-Then Pepe came up, and he, too, pulled hard.
-Just as Ken plunged in the boat sank in two
-feet of water. Ken's grip, containing camera,
-films, and other perishable goods, was on top,
-and he got it just in time. He threw it out
-on the rocks. Then together the boys lifted
-the boat and hauled the bow well up on the
-shore.
-
-"Pretty lucky!" exclaimed Ken, as he
-flopped down.
-
-"Doggone it!" yelled Hal, suddenly. And
-he dove for the boat, and splashed round
-in the water under his seat, to bring forth a
-very limp and drenched little racoon.
-
-"Good! he's all right," said Ken.
-
-Pepe said "Mucho malo," and pointed
-to his shins, which bore several large bumps
-from contact with the rocks in the channel.
-
-"I should say mucha malo," growled George.
-
-He jerked open his grip, and, throwing out
-articles of wet clothing--for which he had no
-concern--he gazed in dismay at his whole
-store of cigarettes wet by the water.
-
-"So that's all you care for," said Ken,
-severely. "Young man, I'll have something
-to say to you presently. All hands now to
-unpack the boat."
-
-Fortunately nothing had been carried away.
-That part of the supplies which would have
-been affected by water was packed in tin cases,
-and so suffered no damage. The ammunition
-was waterproof. Ken's Parker hammerless
-and his 351 automatic rifle were full of water,
-and so were George's guns and Hal's. While
-they took their weapons apart, wiped them,
-and laid them in the sun, Pepe spread out the
-rest of the things and then baled out the boat.
-The sun was so hot that everything dried
-quickly and was not any the worse for the
-wetting. The boys lost scarcely an hour by
-the accident. Before the start Ken took
-George and Pepe to task, and when he finished
-they were both very sober and quiet.
-
-Ken observed, however, that by the time
-they had run the next rapid they were
-enjoying themselves again. Then came a long
-succession of rapids which Ken shot without
-anything approaching a mishap. When they
-drifted into the level stretch Pepe relieved
-him at the oars. They glided down-stream
-under the drooping bamboo, under the silken
-streamers of silvery moss, under the dark, cool
-bowers of matted vine and blossoming creepers.
-And as they passed this time the jungle
-silence awoke to the crack of George's .22
-and the discordant cry of river fowl. Ken's
-guns were both at hand, and the rifle was
-loaded, but he did not use either. He
-contented himself with snapping a picture here
-and there and watching the bamboo thickets
-and the mouths of the little dry ravines.
-
-That ride was again so interesting, so full
-of sound and action and color, that it seemed
-a very short one. The murmur of the water
-on the rocks told Ken that it was time to
-change seats with Pepe. They drifted down
-two short rapids, and then came to the gravelly
-channels between the islands noted on the
-way up. The water was shallow down these
-rippling channels; and, fearing they might
-strike a stone, Ken tumbled out over the bow
-and, wading slowly, let the boat down to
-still water again. He was about to get in
-when he espied what he thought was an
-alligator lying along a log near the river.
-He pointed it out to Pepe.
-
-That worthy yelled gleefully in Mexican,
-and reached for his *machete*.
-
-"Iguana!" exclaimed George. "I've heard
-it's good to eat."
-
-The reptile had a body about four feet long
-and a very long tail. Its color was a steely
-blue-black on top, and it had a blunt, rounded
-head.
-
-Pepe slipped out of the boat and began
-to wade ashore. When the iguana raised
-itself on short, stumpy legs George shot at
-it, and missed, as usual. But he effectually
-frightened the reptile, which started to climb
-the bank with much nimbleness. Pepe began
-to run, brandishing his long *machete*. George
-plunged into the water in hot pursuit, and then
-Hal yielded to the call of the chase. Pepe
-reached the iguana before it got up the bank,
-aimed a mighty blow with his *machete*, and
-would surely have cut the reptile in two
-pieces if the blade had not caught on an
-overhanging branch. Then Pepe fell up the bank
-and barely grasped the tail of the iguana. Pepe
-hauled back, and Pepe was powerful. The
-frantic creature dug its feet in the clay-bank
-and held on for dear life. But Pepe was too
-strong. He jerked the iguana down and
-flung it square upon George, who had begun
-to climb the bank.
-
-George uttered an awful yell, as if he
-expected to be torn asunder, and rolled down,
-with the reptile on top of him. Ken saw
-that it was as badly frightened as George.
-But Hal did not see this. And he happened
-to have gained a little sand-bar below the
-bank, in which direction the iguana started
-with wonderful celerity. Then Hal made a
-jump that Ken believed was a record.
-
-Remarkably awkward as that iguana was,
-he could surely cover ground with his stumpy
-legs. Again he dashed up the bank. Pepe got
-close enough once more, and again he swung
-the *machete*. The blow cut off a piece of the
-long tail, but the only effect this produced
-was to make the iguana run all the faster.
-It disappeared over the bank, with Pepe
-scrambling close behind. Then followed a
-tremendous crashing in the dry thickets,
-after which the iguana could be heard
-rattling and tearing away through the jungle.
-Pepe returned to the boat with the
-crestfallen boys, and he was much concerned over
-the failure to catch the big lizard, which he
-said made fine eating.
-
-"What next?" asked George, ruefully, and
-at that the boys all laughed.
-
-"The fun is we don't have any idea what's
-coming off," said Hal.
-
-"Boys, if you brave hunters had thought
-to throw a little salt on that lizard's tail you
-might have caught him," added Ken.
-
-Presently Pepe espied another iguana in
-the forks of a tree, and he rowed ashore.
-This lizard was only a small one, not over two
-feet in length, but he created some
-excitement among the boys. George wanted him
-to eat, and Hal wanted the skin for a
-specimen, and Ken wanted to see what the
-lizard looked like close at hand. So they all
-clamored for Pepe to use caution and to be
-quick.
-
-When Pepe started up the tree the iguana
-came down on the other side, quick as a
-squirrel. Then they had a race round the
-trunk until Pepe ended it with a well-directed
-blow from his *machete*.
-
-Hal began to skin the iguana.
-
-"Ken, I'm going to have trouble preserving
-specimens in this hot place," he said.
-
-"Salt and alum will do the trick. Remember
-what old Hiram used to say," replied Ken.
-
-Shortly after that the boat passed the scene
-of the first camp, and then drifted under the
-railroad bridge.
-
-Hal and George, and Pepe too, looked as if
-they were occupied with the same thought
-troubling Ken--that once beyond the bridge
-they would plunge into the jungle wilderness
-from which there could be no turning back.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`THE FIRST TIGER-CAT`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- VIII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- THE FIRST TIGER-CAT
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-The Santa Rosa opened out wide, and ran
-swiftly over smooth rock. Deep cracks, a
-foot or so wide, crossed the river diagonally,
-and fish darted in and out.
-
-The boys had about half a mile of this,
-when, after turning a hilly bend, they entered
-a long rapid. It was a wonderful stretch
-of river to look down.
-
-"By George!" said Ken, as he stood up to
-survey it. "This is great!"
-
-"It's all right *now*," added George, with
-his peculiar implication as to the future.
-
-"What gets me is the feeling of what
-might be round the next bend," said Hal.
-
-This indeed, Ken thought, made the
-fascination of such travel. The water was
-swift and smooth and shallow. There was
-scarcely a wave or ripple. At times the boat
-stuck fast on the flat rock, and the boys would
-have to get out to shove off. As far ahead as
-Ken could see extended this wide slant of
-water. On the left rose a thick line of huge
-cypresses all festooned with gray moss that
-drooped to the water; on the right rose a bare
-bluff of crumbling rock. It looked like blue
-clay baked and cracked by the sun. A few
-palms fringed the top.
-
-"Say, we can beat this," said Ken, as for
-the twentieth time the boys had to step out
-and shove off a flat, shallow place. "Two of
-you in the bow and Pepe with me in the stern,
-feet overboard."
-
-The little channels ran every way, making
-it necessary often to turn the boat. Ken's
-idea was to drift along and keep the boat
-from grounding by an occasional kick.
-
-"Ken manages to think of something once
-in a while," observed Hal.
-
-Then the boat drifted down-stream, whirling
-round and round. Here Pepe would drop
-his brown foot in and kick his end clear of a
-shallow ledge; there George would make a
-great splash when his turn came to ward off
-from a rock; and again Hal would give a
-greater kick than was necessary to the
-righting of the boat. Probably Hal was much
-influenced by the fact that when he kicked
-hard he destroyed the lazy equilibrium of
-his companions.
-
-It dawned upon Ken that here was a new
-and unique way to travel down a river. It
-was different from anything he had ever tried
-before. The water was swift and seldom
-more than a foot deep, except in diagonal
-cracks that ribbed the river-bed. This long,
-shut-in stretch appeared to be endless. But
-for the quick, gliding movement of the boat,
-which made a little breeze, the heat would
-have been intolerable. When one of Hal's
-kicks made Ken lurch overboard to sit down
-ludicrously, the cool water sent thrills over
-him. Instead of retaliating on Hal, he was
-glad to be wet. And the others, soon
-discovering the reason for Ken's remarkable
-good-nature, went overboard and lay flat in
-the cool ripples. Then little clouds of steam
-began to rise from their soaked clothes.
-
-Ken began to have an idea that he had been
-wise in boiling the water which they drank.
-They all suffered from a parching thirst.
-Pepe scooped up water in his hand; George
-did likewise, and then Hal.
-
-"You've all got to stop that," ordered Ken,
-sharply. "No drinking this water unless it's
-boiled."
-
-The boys obeyed, for the hour, but they
-soon forgot, or deliberately allayed their
-thirst despite Ken's command. Ken himself
-found his thirst unbearable. He squeezed
-the juice of a wild lime into a cup of water
-and drank that. Then he insisted on giving
-the boys doses of quinine and anti-malaria
-pills, which treatment he meant to continue
-daily.
-
-Toward the lower part of that rapid, where
-the water grew deeper, fish began to be so
-numerous that the boys kicked at many as
-they darted under the boat. There were
-thousands of small fish and some large ones.
-Occasionally, as a big fellow lunged for a
-crack in the rock, he would make the water
-roar. There was a fish that resembled a mullet,
-and another that Hal said was some kind of
-bass with a blue tail. Pepe chopped at them
-with his *machete*; George whacked with an
-oar; Hal stood up in the boat and shot at
-them with his .22 rifle.
-
-"Say, I've got to see what that blue-tailed
-bass looks like," said Ken. "You fellows
-will never get one."
-
-Whereupon Ken jointed up a small rod
-and, putting on a spinner, began to cast it
-about. He felt two light fish hit it. Then
-came a heavy shock that momentarily checked
-the boat. The water foamed as the line cut
-through, and Ken was just about to jump off
-the boat to wade and follow the fish, when
-it broke the leader.
-
-"That was a fine exhibition," remarked the
-critical Hal.
-
-"What's the matter with you?" retorted
-Ken, who was sensitive as to his fishing
-abilities. "It was a big fish. He broke
-things."
-
-"Haven't you got a reel on that rod and
-fifty yards of line?" queried Hal.
-
-Ken did not have another spinner, and he
-tried an artificial minnow, but could not get
-a strike on it. He took Hal's gun and shot
-at several of the blue-tailed fish, but though
-he made them jump out of the water like
-a real northern black-bass, it was all of no
-avail.
-
-Then Hal caught one with a swoop of the
-landing net. It was a beautiful fish, and it
-did have a blue tail. Pepe could not name
-it, nor could Ken classify it, so Hal was sure
-he had secured a rare specimen.
-
-When the boat drifted round a bend to
-enter another long, wide, shallow rapid, the
-boys demurred a little at the sameness of
-things. The bare blue bluffs persisted, and
-the line of gray-veiled cypresses and the
-strange formation of stream-bed. Five more
-miles of drifting under the glaring sun made
-George and Hal lie back in the boat, under
-an improvised sun-shade. The ride was novel
-and strange to Ken Ward, and did not pall
-upon him, though he suffered from the heat
-and glare. He sat on the bow, occasionally
-kicking the boat off a rock.
-
-All at once a tense whisper from Pepe
-brought Ken round with a jerk. Pepe was
-pointing down along the right-hand shore.
-George heard, and, raising himself, called
-excitedly: "Buck! buck!"
-
-Ken saw a fine deer leap back from the water
-and start to climb the side of a gully that
-indented the bluff. Snatching up the .351
-rifle, he shoved in the safety catch. The
-distance was far--perhaps two hundred yards--but
-without elevating the sights he let
-drive. A cloud of dust puffed up under the
-nose of the climbing deer.
-
-"Wow!" yelled George, and Pepe began to
-jabber. Hal sprang up, nearly falling
-overboard, and he shouted: "Give it to him, Ken!"
-
-The deer bounded up a steep, winding trail,
-his white flag standing, his reddish coat
-glistening. Ken fired again. The bullet sent
-up a white puff of dust, this time nearer still.
-That shot gave Ken the range, and he pulled
-the automatic again--and again. Each bullet
-hit closer. The boys were now holding their
-breath, watching, waiting. Ken aimed a little
-firmer and finer at the space ahead of the
-deer--for in that instant he remembered
-what the old hunter on Penetier had told
-him--and he pulled the trigger twice.
-
-The buck plunged down, slipped off the
-trail, and, raising a cloud of dust, rolled over
-and over. Then it fell sheer into space,
-and whirled down to strike the rock with a
-sodden crash.
-
-It was Ken's first shooting on this trip,
-and he could not help adding a cry of exultation
-to the yells of his admiring comrades.
-
-"Guess you didn't plug him!" exclaimed
-Hal Ward, with flashing eyes.
-
-Wading, the boys pulled the boat ashore.
-Pepe pronounced the buck to be very large,
-but to Ken, remembering the deer in Coconino
-Forest, it appeared small. If there was an
-unbroken bone left in that deer, Ken greatly
-missed his guess. He and Pepe cut out the
-haunch least crushed by the fail.
-
-"There's no need to carry along more
-meat than we can use," said George. "It
-spoils overnight. That's the worst of this
-jungle, I've heard hunters say."
-
-Hal screwed up his face in the manner he
-affected when he tried to imitate old Hiram
-Bent. "Wal, youngster, I reckon I'm right
-an' down proud of thet shootin'. You air
-comin' along."
-
-Ken was as pleased as Hal, but he replied,
-soberly: "Well, kid, I hope I can hold as
-straight as that when we run up against a jaguar."
-
-"Do you think we'll see one?" asked Hal.
-
-"Just you wait!" exclaimed George, replying
-for Ken. "Pepe says we'll have to sleep
-in the boat, and anchor the boat in the
-middle of the river."
-
-"What for?"
-
-"To keep those big yellow tigers from
-eating us up."
-
-"How nice!" replied Hal, with a rather
-forced laugh.
-
-So, talking and laughing, the boys resumed
-their down-stream journey. Ken, who was
-always watching with sharp eyes, saw buzzards
-appear, as if by magic. Before the boat was
-half a mile down the river buzzards were
-circling over the remains of the deer. These
-birds of prey did not fly from the jungle on
-either side of the stream. They sailed,
-dropped down from the clear blue sky where
-they had been invisible. How wonderful
-that was to Ken! Nature had endowed these
-vulture-like birds with wonderful scent or
-instinct or sight, or all combined. But Ken
-believed that it was power of sight which
-brought the buzzards so quickly to the scene
-of the killing. He watched them circling,
-sweeping down till a curve in the river hid
-them from view.
-
-And with this bend came a welcome change.
-The bluff played out in a rocky slope below
-which the green jungle was relief to aching
-eyes. As the boys made this point, the
-evening breeze began to blow. They beached
-the boat and unloaded to make camp.
-
-"We haven't had any work to-day, but
-we're all tired just the same," observed Ken.
-
-"The heat makes a fellow tired," said George.
-
-They were fortunate in finding a grassy
-plot where there appeared to be but few
-ticks and other creeping things. That evening
-it was a little surprise to Ken to realize
-how sensitive he had begun to feel about
-these jungle vermin.
-
-Pepe went up the bank for fire-wood. Ken
-heard him slashing away with his *machete*.
-Then this sound ceased, and Pepe yelled in
-fright. Ken and George caught up guns as
-they bounded into the thicket; Hal started
-to follow, likewise armed. Ken led the way
-through a thorny brake to come suddenly
-upon Pepe. At the same instant Ken
-caught a glimpse of gray, black-striped forms
-slipping away in the jungle. Pepe shouted
-out something.
-
-"Tiger-cats!" exclaimed George.
-
-Ken held up his finger to enjoin silence.
-With that he stole cautiously forward, the
-others noiselessly at his heels. The thicket
-was lined with well-beaten trails, and by
-following these and stooping low it was
-possible to go ahead without rustling the
-brush. Owing to the gathering twilight Ken
-could not see very far. When he stopped to
-listen he heard the faint crackling of dead
-brush and soft, quick steps. He had not
-proceeded far when pattering footsteps halted
-him. Ken dropped to his knee. The boys
-knelt behind him, and Pepe whispered.
-Peering along the trail Ken saw what he took for
-a wildcat. Its boldness amazed him. Surely
-it had heard him, but instead of bounding
-into the thicket it crouched not more than
-twenty-five feet away. Ken took a quick
-shot at the gray huddled form. It jerked,
-stretched out, and lay still. Then a crashing
-in the brush, and gray streaks down the trail
-told Ken of more game.
-
-"There they go. Peg away at them," called Ken.
-
-George and Hal burned a good deal of
-powder and sent much lead whistling through
-the dry branches, but the gray forms vanished
-in the jungle.
-
-"We got one, anyway," said Ken.
-
-He advanced to find his quarry quite dead.
-It was bigger than any wildcat Ken had
-ever seen. The color was a grayish yellow,
-almost white, lined and spotted with black.
-Ken lifted it and found it heavy enough to
-make a good load.
-
-"He's a beauty," said Hal.
-
-"Pepe says it's a tiger-cat," remarked
-George. "There are two or three kinds
-besides the big tiger. We may run into a
-lot of them and get some skins."
-
-It was almost dark when they reached
-camp. While Pepe and Hal skinned the
-tiger-cat and stretched the pelt over a framework
-of sticks the other boys got supper. They
-were all very hungry and tired, and pleased
-with the events of the day. As they sat
-round the camp-fire there was a constant
-whirring of water-fowl over their heads and
-an incessant hum of insects from the jungle.
-
-"Ken, does it feel as wild to you here as on
-Buckskin Mountain?" asked Hal.
-
-"Oh yes, much wilder, Hal," replied his
-brother. "And it's different, somehow. Out
-in Arizona there was always the glorious
-expectancy of to-morrow's fun or sport. Here
-I have a kind of worry--a feeling--"
-
-But he concluded it wiser to keep to himself
-that strange feeling of dread which came
-over him at odd moments.
-
-"It suits me," said Hal. "I want to get
-a lot of things and keep them alive. Of course,
-I want specimens. I'd like some skins for
-my den, too. But I don't care so much
-about killing things."
-
-"Just wait!" retorted George, who evidently
-took Hal's remark as a reflection upon his
-weakness. "Just wait! You'll be shooting
-pretty soon for your life."
-
-"Now, George, what do you mean by
-that?" questioned Ken, determined to pin
-George down to facts. "You said you didn't
-really know anything about this jungle.
-Why are you always predicting disaster for us?"
-
-"Why? Because I've heard things about
-the jungle," retorted George. "And Pepe
-says wait till we get down off the mountain.
-He doesn't *know* anything, either. But it's
-his instinct--Pepe's half Indian. So I say,
-too, wait till we get down in the jungle!"
-
-"Confound you! Where are we now?" queried Ken.
-
-"The real jungle is the lowland. There
-we'll find the tigers and the crocodiles and the
-wild cattle and wild pigs."
-
-"Bring on your old pigs and things," replied Hal.
-
-But Ken looked into the glowing embers
-of the camp-fire and was silent. When he
-got out his note-book and began his drawing,
-he forgot the worry and dread in the interest
-of his task. He was astonished at his memory,
-to see how he could remember every turn in
-the river and yet not lose his sense of
-direction. He could tell almost perfectly the
-distance traveled, because he knew so well just
-how much a boat would cover in swift or
-slow waters in a given time. He thought he
-could give a fairly correct estimate of the
-drop of the river. And, as for descriptions
-of the jungle life along the shores, that was a
-delight, all except trying to understand and
-remember and spell the names given to him
-by Pepe. Ken imagined Pepe spoke a mixture
-of Toltec, Aztec, Indian, Spanish, and English.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`IN THE WHITE WATER`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- IX
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- IN THE WHITE WATER
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Upon awakening next morning Ken found
-the sun an hour high. He was stiff and
-sore and thirsty. Pepe and the boys slept
-so soundly it seemed selfish to wake them.
-
-All around camp there was a melodious
-concourse of birds. But the parrots did not
-make a visit that morning. While Ken was
-washing in the river a troop of deer came down
-to the bar on the opposite side. Ken ran for
-his rifle, and by mistake took up George's
-.32. He had a splendid shot at less than one
-hundred yards. But the bullet dropped
-fifteen feet in front of the leading buck. The
-deer ran into the deep, bushy willows.
-
-"That gun's leaded," muttered Ken. "It
-didn't shoot where I aimed."
-
-Pepe jumped up; George rolled out of his
-blanket with one eye still glued shut; and
-Hal stretched and yawned and groaned.
-
-"Do I have to get up?" he asked.
-
-"Shore, lad," said Ken, mimicking Jim Williams,
-"or I'll hev to be reconsiderin' that idee
-of mine about you bein' pards with me."
-
-Such mention of Hal's ranger friend brought
-the boy out of his lazy bed with amusing
-alacrity.
-
-"Rustle breakfast, now, you fellows," said
-Ken, and, taking his rifle, he started off to
-climb the high river bluff.
-
-It was his idea to establish firmly in mind
-the trend of the mountain-range, and the
-relation of the river to it. The difficulty
-in mapping the river would come after it
-left the mountains to wind away into the
-wide lowlands. The matter of climbing the
-bluff would have been easy but for the fact
-that he wished to avoid contact with grass,
-brush, trees, even dead branches, as all were
-covered with ticks. The upper half of the
-bluff was bare, and when he reached that part
-he soon surmounted it. Ken faced south
-with something of eagerness. Fortunately
-the mist had dissolved under the warm rays
-of the sun, affording an unobstructed view.
-That scene was wild and haunting, yet
-different from what his fancy had pictured. The
-great expanse of jungle was gray, the green
-line of cypress, palm, and bamboo following
-the southward course of the river. The
-mountain-range some ten miles distant sloped
-to the south and faded away in the haze.
-The river disappeared in rich dark verdure,
-and but for it, which afforded a water-road
-back to civilization, Ken would have been
-lost in a dense gray-green overgrowth of
-tropical wilderness. Once or twice he thought
-he caught the faint roar of a waterfall on the
-morning breeze, yet could not be sure, and he
-returned toward camp with a sober appreciation
-of the difficulty of his enterprise
-and a more thrilling sense of its hazard and
-charm.
-
-"Didn't see anything to peg at, eh?"
-greeted Hal. "Well, get your teeth in some
-of this venison before it's all gone."
-
-Soon they were under way again, Pepe
-strong and willing at the oars. This time
-Ken had his rifle and shotgun close at hand,
-ready for use. Half a mile below, the river,
-running still and deep, entered a shaded
-waterway so narrow that in places the branches
-of wide-spreading and leaning cypresses met
-and intertwined their moss-fringed foliage.
-This lane was a paradise for birds, that ranged
-from huge speckled cranes, six feet high, to
-little yellow birds almost too small to see.
-
-Black squirrels were numerous and very
-tame. In fact, all the creatures along this
-shaded stream were so fearless that it was
-easy to see they had never heard a shot.
-Ken awoke sleepy cranes with his fishing-rod
-and once pushed a blue heron off a log.
-He heard animals of some species running
-back from the bank, out could not see them.
-All at once a soft breeze coming up-stream
-bore a deep roar of tumbling rapids. The
-sensation of dread which had bothered Ken
-occasionally now returned and fixed itself in
-his mind. He was in the jungle of Mexico,
-and knew not what lay ahead of him. But if
-he had been in the wilds of unexplored
-Brazil and had heard that roar, it would have
-been familiar to him. In his canoe experience
-on the swift streams of Pennsylvania Ken Ward
-had learned, long before he came to rapids,
-to judge what they were from the sound.
-His attention wandered from the beautiful
-birds, the moss-shaded bowers, and the
-overhanging jungle. He listened to the heavy,
-sullen roar of the rapids.
-
-"That water sounds different," remarked George.
-
-"Grande," said Pepe, with a smile.
-
-"Pretty heavy, Ken, eh?" asked Hal,
-looking quickly at his brother.
-
-But Ken Ward made his face a mask, and
-betrayed nothing of the grim nature of his
-thought. Pepe and the boys had little idea
-of danger, and they had now a blind faith in Ken.
-
-"I dare say we'll get used to that roar,"
-replied Ken, easily, and he began to pack his
-guns away in their cases.
-
-Hal forgot his momentary anxiety; Pepe
-rowed on, leisurely; and George lounged in his
-seat. There was no menace for them in that
-dull, continuous roar.
-
-But Ken knew they would soon be in fast
-water and before long would drop down into
-the real wilderness. It was not now too late
-to go back up the river, but soon that would
-be impossible. Keeping a sharp lookout
-ahead, Ken revolved in mind the necessity
-for caution and skilful handling of the boat.
-But he realized, too, that overzealousness on
-the side of caution was a worse thing for such
-a trip than sheer recklessness. Good
-judgment in looking over rapids, a quick eye to
-pick the best channel, then a daring spirit--that
-was the ideal to be striven for in going
-down swift rivers.
-
-Presently Ken saw a break in the level
-surface of the water. He took Pepe's place
-at the oars, and, as usual, turned the boat
-stern first down-stream. The banks were low
-and shelved out in rocky points. This
-relieved Ken, for he saw that he could land just
-above the falls. What he feared was a
-narrow gorge impossible to portage round or go
-through. As the boat approached the break
-the roar seemed to divide itself, hollow and
-shallow near at hand, rushing and heavy
-farther on.
-
-Ken rowed close to the bank and landed on
-the first strip of rock. He got out and,
-walking along this ledge, soon reached the fall.
-It was a straight drop of some twelve or fifteen
-feet. The water was shallow all the way across.
-
-"Boys, this is easy," said Ken. "We'll
-pack the outfit round the fall, and slide the
-boat over."
-
-But Ken did not say anything about the
-white water extending below the fall as far
-as he could see. From here came the sullen
-roar that had worried him.
-
-Portaging the supplies around that place
-turned out to be far from easy. The portage
-was not long nor rugged, but the cracked,
-water-worn, rock made going very difficult.
-The boys often stumbled. Pepe fell and
-broke open a box, and almost broke his leg.
-Ken had a hard knock. Then, when it came
-to carrying the trunk, one at each corner,
-progress was laborious and annoying. Full
-two hours were lost in transporting the
-outfit around the fall.
-
-Below there was a wide, shelving apron,
-over which the water ran a foot or so in depth.
-Ken stationed Pepe and the boys there, and
-went up to get the boat. He waded out with
-it. Ken saw that his end of this business was
-going to be simple enough, but he had doubts
-as to what would happen to the boys.
-
-"Brace yourselves, now," he yelled. "When
-I drop her over she'll come a-humming.
-Hang on if she drags you a mile!"
-
-Wading out deeper Ken let the boat swing
-down with the current till the stern projected
-over the fall. He had trouble in keeping
-his footing, for the rock was slippery. Then
-with a yell he ran the stern far out over the
-drop, bore down hard on the bow, and
-shoved off.
-
-The boat shot out and down, to alight with
-a heavy souse. Then it leaped into the swift
-current. George got his hands on it first,
-and went down like a ninepin. The boat
-floated over him. The bow struck Hal, and
-would have dragged him away had not Pepe
-laid powerful hands on the stern. They waded
-to the lower ledge.
-
-"Didn't ship a bucketful," said Hal.
-"Fine work, Ken."
-
-"I got all the water," added the drenched
-and dripping George.
-
-"Bail out, boys, and repack, while I look
-below," said Ken.
-
-He went down-stream a little way to take
-a survey of the rapids. If those rapids had
-been back in Pennsylvania, Ken felt that he
-could have gone at them in delight. If the
-jungle country had been such that damage to
-boat or supplies could have been remedied or
-replaced, these rapids would not have appeared
-so bad. Ken walked up and down looking
-over the long white inclines more than was
-wise, and he hesitated about going into them.
-But it had to be done. So he went back to
-the boys. Then he took the oars with
-gripping fingers.
-
-"George, can you swim?" he asked.
-
-"I'm a second cousin to a fish," replied
-George.
-
-"All right. We're off. Now, if we upset,
-hang to the boat, if you can, and hold up
-your legs. George, tell Pepe."
-
-Ken backed the boat out from the shore.
-To his right in the middle of the narrow river
-was a racy current that he kept out of as long
-as possible. But presently he was drawn
-into it, and the boat shot forward, headed
-into the first incline, and went racing smoothly
-down toward the white waves of the rapids.
-
-This was a trying moment for Ken. Grip
-as hard as he might, the oar-handles slipped
-in his sweaty hands.
-
-The boys were yelling, but Ken could not
-hear for the din of roaring waters. The boat
-sailed down with swift, gliding motion. When
-it thumped into the back-lash of the first
-big waves the water threshed around and over
-the boys. Then they were in the thick of
-rush and roar. Ken knew he was not
-handling the boat well. It grazed stones that
-should have been easy to avoid, and bumped
-on hidden ones, and got half broadside to
-the current. Pepe, by quick action with an
-oar, pushed the stern aside from collision with
-more than one rock. Several times Ken
-missed a stroke when a powerful one was
-needed. He passed between stones so close
-together that he had to ship the oars. It was
-all rapid water, this stretch, but the bad
-places, with sunken rocks, falls, and big waves,
-were strung out at such distances apart that
-Ken had time to get the boat going right
-before entering them.
-
-Ken saw scarcely anything of the banks
-of the river. They blurred in his sight.
-Sometimes they were near, sometimes far.
-The boat turned corners where rocky ledges
-pointed out, constricting the stream and
-making a curved channel. What lay around the
-curve was always a question and a cause for
-suspense. Often the boat raced down a
-chute and straight toward a rocky wall.
-Ken would pull back with all his might, and
-Pepe would break the shock by striking the
-wall with his oar.
-
-More than once Pepe had a narrow escape
-from being knocked overboard. George tried
-to keep him from standing up. Finally at
-the end of a long rapid, Pepe, who had the
-stern-seat, jumped up and yelled. Ken saw
-a stone directly in the path of the boat, and
-he pulled back on the oars with a quick,
-strong jerk. Pepe shot out of the stern as
-if he had been flung from a catapult. He
-swam with the current while the boat drifted.
-He reached smooth water and the shore
-before Ken could pick him up.
-
-It was fun for everybody but Ken. There
-were three inches of water in the boat. The
-canvas, however, had been arranged to
-protect guns, grips, and supplies. George had
-been wet before he entered the rapids, so a
-little additional water did not matter to him.
-Hal was almost as wet as Pepe.
-
-"I'm glad that's past," said Ken.
-
-With that long rapid behind him he felt
-different. It was what he had needed. His
-nervousness disappeared and he had no dread
-of the next fall. While the boys bailed out
-the boat Ken rested and thought. He had
-made mistakes in that rapid just passed.
-Luck had favored him. He went over the
-mistakes and saw where he had been wrong,
-and how he could have avoided them if he
-had felt right. Ken realized now that this
-was a daredevil trip. And the daredevil
-in him had been shut up in dread. It took
-just that nervous dread, and the hard work,
-blunders and accidents, the danger and luck,
-to liberate the spirit that would make the
-trip a success. Pepe and George were loud
-in their praises of Ken. But they did not
-appreciate the real hazard of the undertaking,
-and if Hal did he was too much of a wild
-boy to care.
-
-"All aboard," called George.
-
-Then they were on their way again. Ken
-found himself listening for rapids. It was no
-surprise to hear a dull roar round the next
-bend. His hair rose stiffly under his hat.
-But this time he did not feel the chill, the
-uncertainty, the lack of confidence that had
-before weakened him.
-
-At the head of a long, shallow incline the
-boys tumbled overboard, Ken and Hal at
-the bow, Pepe and George at the stern.
-They waded with the bow up-stream. The
-water tore around their legs, rising higher
-and higher. Soon Pepe and George had to
-climb in the boat, for the water became so
-deep and swift they could not wade.
-
-"Jump in, Hal," called Ken.
-
-Then he held to the bow an instant longer,
-wading a little farther down. This was
-ticklish business, and all depended upon
-Ken. He got the stern of the boat straight
-in line with the channel he wanted to run,
-then he leaped aboard and made for the oars.
-The boat sped down. At the bottom of this
-incline was a mass of leaping green and white
-waves. The blunt stern of the boat made a
-great splash and the water flew over the boys.
-They came through the roar and hiss and spray
-to glide into a mill-race current.
-
-"Never saw such swift water!" exclaimed Ken.
-
-This incline ended in a sullen plunge
-between two huge rocks. Ken saw the danger
-long before it became evident to his
-companions. There was no other way to shoot the
-rapid. He could not reach the shore. He
-must pass between the rocks. Ken pushed
-on one oar, then on the other, till he got the
-boat in line, and then he pushed with both
-oars. The boat flew down that incline. It
-went so swiftly that if it had hit one of the
-rocks it would have been smashed to kindling
-wood. Hal crouched low. George's face was
-white. And Pepe leaned forward with his big
-arms outstretched, ready to try to prevent a
-collision.
-
-Down! down with the speed of the wind!
-The boat flashed between the black stones.
-Then it was raised aloft, light as a feather, to
-crash into the back-lashers. The din deafened
-Ken; the spray blinded him. The boat seemed
-to split a white pall of water, then, with many
-a bounce, drifted out of that rapid into little
-choppy waves, and from them into another
-long, smooth runway.
-
-Ken rested, and had nothing to say. Pepe
-shook his black head. Hal looked at his
-brother. George had forgotten his rifle. No
-one spoke.
-
-Soon Ken had more work on hand. For
-round another corner lay more fast water.
-The boat dipped on a low fall, and went down
-into the midst of green waves with here and
-there ugly rocks splitting the current. The
-stream-bed was continually new and strange
-to Ken, and he had never seen such queer
-formation of rocks. This rapid, however, was
-easy to navigate. A slanting channel of swift
-water connected it with another rapid. Ken
-backed into that one, passed through, only
-to face another. And so it went for a long
-succession of shallow rapids.
-
-A turn in the winding lane of cypresses
-revealed walls of gray, between which the
-river disappeared.
-
-"Aha!" muttered Ken.
-
-"Ken, I'll bet this is the place you've been
-looking for," said Hal.
-
-The absence of any roar of water
-emboldened Ken. Nearing the head of the
-ravine, he stood upon the seat and looked
-ahead. But Ken could not see many rods
-ahead. The ravine turned, and it was the
-deceiving turns in the river that he had
-feared. What a strange sensation Ken had
-when he backed the boat into the mouth of
-that gorge! He was forced against his will.
-Yet there seemed to be a kind of blood-tingling
-pleasure in the prospect.
-
-The current caught the boat and drew
-it between the gray-green walls of rock.
-
-"It's coming to us," said the doubtful George.
-
-The current ran all of six miles an hour.
-This was not half as fast as the boys had
-traveled in rapids, but it appeared swift
-enough because of the nearness of the
-overshadowing walls. In the shade the water
-took on a different coloring. It was brown
-and oily. It slid along silently. It was
-deep, and the swirling current suggested
-power. Here and there long, creeping ferns
-covered the steep stone sides, and above ran
-a stream of blue sky fringed by leaning palms.
-Once Hal put his hands to his lips and yelled:
-"Hel-lo!" The yell seemed to rip the silence
-and began to clap from wall to wall. It
-gathered quickness until it clapped in one
-fiendish rattle. Then it wound away from
-the passage, growing fainter and fainter, and
-at last died in a hollow echo.
-
-"Don't do that again," ordered Ken.
-
-He began to wish he could see the end of
-that gorge. But it grew narrower, and the
-shade changed to twilight, and there were
-no long, straight stretches. The river kept
-turning corners. Quick to note the slightest
-change in conditions, Ken felt a breeze,
-merely a zephyr, fan his hot face. The
-current had almost imperceptibly quickened.
-Yet it was still silent. Then on the gentle
-wind came a low murmur. Ken's pulse
-beat fast. Turning his ear down-stream, he
-strained his hearing. The low murmur ceased.
-Perhaps he had imagined it. Still he kept
-listening. There! Again it came, low, far
-away, strange. It might have been the wind
-in the palms. But no, he could not possibly
-persuade himself it was wind. And as that
-faint breeze stopped he lost the sound once
-more. The river was silent, and the boat,
-and the boys--it was a silent ride. Ken
-divined that his companions were enraptured.
-But this ride had no beauty, no charm for him.
-
-There! Another faint puff of wind, and
-again the low murmur! He fancied it was
-louder. He was beginning to feel an icy
-dread when all was still once more. So the
-boat drifted swiftly on with never a gurgle
-of water about her gunwales. The river
-gleamed in brown shadows. Ken saw bubbles
-rise and break on the surface, and there
-was a slight rise or swell of the water toward
-the center of the channel. This bothered him.
-He could not understand it. But then there
-had been many other queer formations of
-rock and freaks of current along this river.
-
-The boat glided on and turned another
-corner, the sharpest one yet. A long, shadowy
-water-lane, walled in to the very sides, opened
-up to Ken's keen gaze. The water here
-began to race onward, still wonderfully silent.
-And now the breeze carried a low roar. It
-was changeable yet persistent. It deepened.
-
-Once more Ken felt his hair rise under
-his hat. Cold sweat wet his skin. Despite
-the pounding of his heart and the throb of
-his veins, his blood seemed to clog, to freeze,
-to stand still.
-
-That roar was the roar of rapids. Impossible
-to go back! If there had been four
-sets of oars, Ken and his comrades could not
-row the heavy boat back up that swift,
-sliding river.
-
-They must go on.
-
-
-
-
-
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-
-"Ken, old man, do you hear that?"
-questioned Hal, waking from his trance.
-
-George likewise rose out of his lazy
-contentment. "Must be rapids," he muttered.
-"If we strike rapids in this gorge it's all day
-with us. What did I tell you!"
-
-Pepe's dark, searching eyes rested on Ken.
-
-But Ken had no word for any of them.
-He was fighting an icy numbness, and the
-weakness of muscle and the whirl of his
-mind. It was thought of responsibility that
-saved him from collapse.
-
-"It's up to you, old man," said Hal, quietly.
-
-In a moment like this the boy could not
-wholly be deceived.
-
-Ken got a grip upon himself. He looked
-down the long, narrow lane of glancing water.
-Some hundred yards on, it made another turn
-round a corner, and from this dim curve came
-the roar. The current was hurrying the boat
-toward it, but not fast enough to suit Ken.
-He wanted to see the worst, to get into the
-thick of it, to overcome it. So he helped the
-boat along. A few moments sufficed to cover
-that gliding stretch of river, yet to Ken it
-seemed never to have an end. The roar
-steadily increased. The current became still
-stronger. Ken saw eruptions of water rising
-as from an explosion beneath the surface.
-Whirlpools raced along with the boat. The
-dim, high walls re-echoed the roaring of the
-water.
-
-The first thing Ken saw when he sailed
-round that corner was a widening of the chasm
-and bright sunlight ahead. Perhaps an eighth
-of a mile below the steep walls ended abruptly.
-Next in quick glance he saw a narrow channel
-of leaping, tossing, curling white-crested waves
-under sunlighted mist and spray.
-
-Pulling powerfully back and to the left
-Ken brought the boat alongside the cliff.
-Then he shipped his oars.
-
-"Hold hard," he yelled, and he grasped the
-stone. The boys complied, and thus stopped
-the boat. Ken stood up on the seat. It was
-a bad place he looked down into, but he could
-not see any rocks. And rocks were what he
-feared most.
-
-"Hold tight, boys," he said. Then he
-got Pepe to come to him and sit on the seat.
-Ken stepped up on Pepe's shoulders and, by
-holding to the rock, was able to get a good
-view of the rapid. It was not a rapid at all,
-but a constriction of the channel, and also a
-steep slant. The water rushed down so swiftly
-to get through that it swelled in the center
-in a long frothy ridge of waves. The water
-was deep. Ken could not see any bumps or
-splits or white-wreathed rocks, such as were
-conspicuous in a rapid. The peril here for
-Ken was to let the boat hit the wall or turn
-broadside or get out of that long swelling
-ridge.
-
-He stepped down and turned to the white-faced
-boys. He had to yell close to them to
-make them hear him in the roar.
-
-"I--can--run--this--place. But--you've
-got--to help. Pull--the canvas--up higher
-in the stern--and hold it."
-
-Then he directed Pepe to kneel in the
-bow of the boat with an oar and be ready to
-push off from the walls.
-
-If Ken had looked again or hesitated a
-moment he would have lost his nerve. He
-recognized that fact. And he shoved off
-instantly. Once the boat had begun to
-glide down, gathering momentum, he felt
-his teeth grind hard and his muscles grow
-tense. He had to bend his head from side to
-side to see beyond the canvas George and Hal
-were holding round their shoulders. He
-believed with that acting as a buffer in the stern
-he could go pounding through those waves.
-Then he was in the middle of the channel,
-and the boat fairly sailed along. Ken kept
-his oars poised, ready to drop either one for
-a stroke. All he wanted was to enter those
-foaming, tumultuous waves with his boat
-pointed right. He knew he could not hope
-to see anything low down after he entered
-the race. He calculated that the last instant
-would give him an opportunity to get his
-direction in line with some object.
-
-Then, even as he planned it, the boat dipped
-on a beautiful glassy incline, and glided down
-toward the engulfing, roaring waves. Above
-them, just in the center, Ken caught sight of
-the tufted top of a palm-tree. That was his
-landmark!
-
-The boat shot into a great, curling,
-back-lashing wave. There was a heavy shock, a
-pause, and then Ken felt himself lifted high,
-while a huge sheet of water rose fan-shape
-behind the buffer in the stern. Walls and
-sky and tree faded under a watery curtain.
-Then the boat shot on again; the light came,
-the sky shone, and Ken saw his palm-tree.
-He pulled hard on the right oar to get the
-stern back in line. Another heavy shock,
-a pause, a blinding shower of water, and then
-the downward rush! Ken got a fleeting
-glimpse of his guiding mark, and sunk the left
-oar deep for a strong stroke. The beating
-of the waves upon the upraised oars almost
-threw him out of the boat. The wrestling
-waters hissed and bellowed. Down the boat
-shot and up, to pound and pound, and then
-again shoot down. Through the pall of mist
-and spray Ken always got a glimpse, quick as
-lightning, of the palm-tree, and like a demon
-he plunged in his oars to keep the boat in
-line. He was only dimly conscious of the
-awfulness of the place. But he was not
-afraid. He felt his action as being inspirited
-by something grim and determined. He was
-fighting the river.
-
-All at once a grating jar behind told him
-the bow had hit a stone or a wall. He did
-not dare look back. The most fleeting
-instant of time might be the one for him to
-see his guiding mark. Then the boat lurched
-under him, lifted high with bow up, and
-lightened. He knew Pepe had been pitched
-overboard.
-
-In spite of the horror of the moment, Ken
-realized that the lightening of the boat made
-it more buoyant, easier to handle. That
-weight in the bow had given him an
-unbalanced craft. But now one stroke here and
-one there kept the stern straight. The
-palm-tree loomed higher and closer through the
-brightening mist. Ken no longer felt the
-presence of the walls. The thunderous roar
-had begun to lose some of its volume.
-Then with a crash through a lashing wave
-the boat raced out into the open light. Ken
-saw a beautiful foam-covered pool, down
-toward which the boat kept bumping over a
-succession of diminishing waves.
-
-He gave a start of joy to see Pepe's black
-head bobbing in the choppy channel. Pepe
-had beat the boat to the outlet. He was
-swimming easily, and evidently he had not
-been injured.
-
-Ken turned the bow toward him. But
-Pepe did not need any help, and a few more
-strokes put him in shallow water. Ken
-discovered that the boat, once out of the current,
-was exceedingly loggy and hard to row. It
-was half full of water. Ken's remaining
-strength went to pull ashore, and there he
-staggered out and dropped on the rocky bank.
-
-The blue sky was very beautiful and sweet
-to look at just then. But Ken had to close
-his eyes. He did not have strength left to
-keep them open. For a while all seemed dim
-and obscure to him. Then he felt a dizziness,
-which in turn succeeded to a racing riot of
-his nerves and veins. His heart gradually
-resumed a normal beat, and his bursting
-lungs seemed to heal. A sickening languor
-lay upon him. He could not hold little stones
-which he felt under his fingers. He could
-not raise his hands. The life appeared to
-have gone from his legs.
-
-All this passed, at length, and, hearing Hal's
-voice, Ken sat up. The outfit was drying
-in the sun; Pepe was bailing out the boat;
-George was wiping his guns; and Hal was
-nursing a very disheveled little racoon.
-
-"You can bring on any old thing now, for
-all I care," said Hal. "I'd shoot Lachine
-Rapids with Ken at the oars."
-
-"He's a fine boatman," replied George.
-"Weren't you scared when we were in the
-middle of that darned place?"
-
-"Me? Naw!"
-
-"Well, I was scared, and don't you forget
-it," said Ken to them.
-
-"You were all in, Ken," replied Hal.
-"Never saw you so tuckered out. The day
-you and Prince went after the cougar along
-that cañon precipice--you were all in that
-time. George, it took Ken six hours to
-climb out of that hole."
-
-"Tell me about it," said George, all eyes.
-
-"No stories now," put in Ken. "The
-sun is still high. We've got to be on our
-way. Let's look over the lay of the land."
-
-Below the pool was a bold, rocky bluff,
-round which the river split. What branch
-to take was a matter of doubt and anxiety
-to Ken. Evidently this bluff was an island.
-It had a yellow front and long bare ledges
-leading into the river.
-
-Ken climbed the bluff, accompanied by the
-boys, and found it covered with palm-trees.
-Up there everything was so dry and hot
-that it did not seem to be jungle at all. Even
-the palms were yellow and parched. Pepe
-stood the heat, but the others could not
-endure it. Ken took one long look at the
-surrounding country, so wild and dry and still,
-and then led the way down the loose, dusty
-shelves.
-
-Thereupon he surveyed the right branch
-of the river and followed it a little distance.
-The stream here foamed and swirled among
-jagged rocks. At the foot of this rapid
-stretched the first dead water Ken had
-encountered for miles. A flock of wild geese
-rose from under his feet and flew down-stream.
-
-"Geese!" exclaimed Ken. "I wonder if
-that means we are getting down near lagoons
-or big waters. George, wild geese don't
-frequent little streams, do they?"
-
-"There's no telling where you'll find them
-in this country," answered George. "I've
-chased them right in our orange groves."
-
-They returned to look at the left branch
-of the river. It was open and one continuous
-succession of low steps. That would have
-decided Ken even if the greater volume of
-water had not gone down on this left side.
-As far as he could see was a wide, open river
-running over little ledges. It looked to be
-the easiest and swiftest navigation he had
-come upon, and so indeed it proved. The
-water was swift, and always dropped over
-some ledge in a rounded fall that was safe
-for him to shoot. It was great fun going
-over these places. The boys hung their
-feet over the gunwales most of the time,
-sliding them along the slippery ledge or giving
-a kick to help the momentum. When they
-came to a fall, Ken would drop off the bow,
-hold the boat back and swing it straight,
-then jump in, and over it would go--souse!
-
-There were so many of these ledges, and
-they were so close together, that going over
-them grew to be a habit. It induced
-carelessness. The boat drifted to a brow of a fall
-full four feet high. Ken, who was at the bow.
-leaped off just in time to save the boat. He
-held on while the swift water surged about
-his knees. He yelled for the boys to jump.
-As the stern where they sat was already over
-the fall it was somewhat difficult to make the
-boys vacate quickly enough.
-
-"Tumble out! Quick!" bawled Ken. "Do
-you think I'm Samson?"
-
-Over they went, up to their necks in the
-boiling foam, and not a second too soon, for
-Ken could hold the boat no longer. It went
-over smoothly, just dipping the stern under
-water. If the boys had remained aboard,
-the boat would have swamped. As it was,
-Pepe managed to catch the rope, which Ken
-had wisely thrown out, and he drifted down
-to the next ledge. Ken found this nearly as
-high as the last one. So he sent the boys
-below to catch the boat. This worked all
-right. The shelves slanted slightly, with the
-shallow part of the water just at the break of
-the ledge. They passed half a dozen of these,
-making good time, and before they knew it were
-again in a deep, smooth jungle lane with
-bamboo and streamers of moss waving over them.
-
-The shade was cool, and Ken settled down
-in the stern-seat, grateful for a rest. To his
-surprise, he did not see a bird. The jungle
-was asleep. Once or twice Ken fancied he
-heard the tinkle and gurgle of water running
-over rocks. The boat glided along silently,
-with Pepe rowing leisurely, George asleep,
-Hal dreaming.
-
-Ken watched the beautiful green banks.
-They were high, a mass of big-leafed vines,
-flowering and fragrant, above which towered
-the jungle giants. Ken wanted to get out
-and study those forest trees. But he made
-no effort to act upon his good intentions, and
-felt that he must take the most of his forestry
-study at long range. He was reveling in the
-cool recesses under the leaning cypresses, in
-the soft swish of bearded moss, and the
-strange rustle of palms, in the dreamy hum
-of the resting jungle, when his pleasure was
-brought to an abrupt end.
-
-"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe.
-
-George woke up with a start. Hal had
-been jarred out of his day-dream, and looked
-resentful. Ken gazed about him with the
-feeling of a man going into a trance, instead
-of coming out of one.
-
-The boat was fast on a mud-bank. That
-branch of the river ended right there. The
-boys had come all those miles to run into a
-blind pocket.
-
-Ken's glance at the high yellow bank,
-here crumbling and bare, told him there was
-no outlet. He had a sensation of blank dismay.
-
-"Gee!" exclaimed Hal, softly.
-
-George rubbed his eyes; and, searching for
-a cigarette, he muttered: "We're lost! I said
-it was coming to us. We've got to go back!"
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`AN ARMY OF SNAKES`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XI
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- AN ARMY OF SNAKES
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-For a moment Ken Ward was utterly
-crushed under the weight of this sudden
-blow. It was so sudden that he had no time
-to think; or his mind was clamped on the
-idea of attempting to haul the boat up that
-long, insurmountable series of falls.
-
-"It 'll be an awful job," burst out Hal.
-
-No doubt in the mind of each boy was the
-same idea--the long haul, wading over
-slippery rocks; the weariness of pushing legs
-against the swift current; the packing of
-supplies uphill; and then the toil of lifting the
-heavy boat up over a fall.
-
-"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and he groaned.
-That was significant, coming from a *mozo*,
-who thought nothing of rowing forty miles
-in a day.
-
-"Oh, but it's tough luck," cried Ken.
-"Why didn't I choose the right branch of this
-pesky river?"
-
-"I think you used your head at that,"
-said Hal. "Most of the water came down
-on this side. Where did it go?"
-
-Hal had hit the vital question, and it
-cleared Ken's brain.
-
-"Hal, you're talking sense. Where did
-that water go? It couldn't all have sunk into
-the earth. We'll find out. We won't try
-to go back. We *can't* go back."
-
-Pepe shoved off the oozy mud, and, reluctantly,
-as if he appreciated the dilemma, he
-turned the boat and rowed along the shore.
-As soon as Ken had recovered somewhat he
-decided there must be an outlet which he had
-missed. This reminded him that at a point
-not far back he had heard the tinkle and gurgle
-of unseen water flowing over rocks.
-
-He directed Pepe to row slowly along the
-bank that he thought was the island side.
-As they glided under the drooping bamboos
-and silky curtains of moss George began to
-call out: "Low bridge! Low bridge!" For a
-boy who was forever voicing ill-omened
-suggestions as to what might soon happen he
-was extraordinarily cheerful.
-
-There were places where all had to lie
-flat and others where Pepe had to use his
-*machete*. This disturbed the *siesta* of many
-aquatic birds, most of which flew swiftly
-away. But there were many of the
-gray-breasted, blue-backed bitterns that did not
-take to flight. These croaked dismally, and
-looked down upon the boys with strange,
-protruding eyes.
-
-"Those darn birds 'll give me the willies,"
-declared Hal. "George, you just look like
-them when you croak about what's coming
-to us."
-
-"Just wait!" retorted George. "It 'll come,
-all right. Then I'll have the fun of seeing
-you scared silly."
-
-"What! You'll not do anything of the
-kind!" cried Hal, hotly. "I've been in places
-where such--such a skinny little sap-head as
-you--"
-
-"Here, you kids stop wrangling," ordered
-Ken, who sensed hostilities in the air. "We've
-got trouble enough."
-
-Suddenly Ken signaled Pepe to stop rowing.
-
-"Boys, I hear running water. Aha! Here's
-a current. See--it's making right under this
-bank."
-
-Before them was a high wall of broad-leaved
-vines, so thick that nothing could be
-seen through them. Apparently this
-luxuriant canopy concealed the bank. Pepe poked
-an oar into it, but found nothing solid.
-
-"Pepe, cut a way through. We've got
-to see where this water runs."
-
-It was then that Ken came to a full appreciation
-of a *machete*. He had often fancied
-it a much less serviceable tool than an ax.
-Pepe flashed the long, bright blade up, down,
-and around, and presently the boat was its
-own length in a green tunnel. Pepe kept on
-slashing while Ken poled the boat in and the
-other boys dumped the cut foliage overboard.
-Soon they got through this mass of hanging
-vine and creeper. Much to Ken's surprise
-and delight, he found no high bank, but low,
-flat ground, densely wooded, through which
-ran a narrow, deep outlet of the river.
-
-"By all that's lucky!" ejaculated Ken.
-
-George and Hal whooped their pleasure,
-and Pepe rubbed his muscular hands. Then
-all fell silent. The deep, penetrating silence
-of that jungle was not provocative of speech.
-The shade was so black that when a ray of
-sunlight did manage to pierce the dense
-canopy overhead it resembled a brilliant
-golden spear. A few lofty palms and a few
-clumps of bamboo rather emphasized the
-lack of these particular species in this forest.
-Nor was there any of the familiar streaming
-moss hanging from the trees. This glen was
-green, cool, dark. It did not smell exactly
-swampy, but rank, like a place where many
-water plants were growing.
-
-.. _`KEN SHOT TWICE AT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE`:
-
-.. figure:: images/img-130.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: KEN SHOT TWICE AT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE
-
- KEN SHOT TWICE AT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE
-
-The outlet was so narrow that Ken was not
-able to use the oars. Still, as the current
-was swift, the boat went along rapidly. He
-saw a light ahead and heard the babble of
-water. The current quickened, and the boat
-drifted suddenly upon the edge of an oval
-glade, where the hot sun beat down. A
-series of abrupt mossy benches, over which
-the stream slid almost noiselessly, blocked
-further progress.
-
-The first thing about this glade that Ken
-noted particularly, after the difficulties
-presented by the steep steps, was the multitude
-of snakes sunning themselves along the line
-of further progress.
-
-"Boys, it 'll be great wading down there,
-hey?" he queried.
-
-Pepe grumbled for the first time on the
-trip. Ken gathered from the native's looks
-and speech that he did not like snakes.
-
-"Watch me peg 'em!" yelled Hal, and he
-began to throw stones with remarkable
-accuracy. "Hike, you brown sons-of-guns!"
-
-George, not to be outdone, made a dive
-for his .22 and began to pop as if he had no
-love for snakes. Ken had doubts about this
-species. The snakes were short, thick, dull
-brown in color, and the way they slipped
-into the stream proved they were
-water-snakes. Ken had never read of a brown
-water-moccasin, so he doubted that these belonged
-to that poisonous family. Anyway, snakes
-were the least of his troubles.
-
-"Boys, you're doing fine," he said. "There
-are about a thousand snakes there, and you've
-hit about six."
-
-He walked down through the glade into the
-forest, and was overjoyed to hear once more
-the heavy roar of rapids. He went on. The
-timber grew thinner, and light penetrated the
-jungle. Presently he saw the gleam of water
-through the trees. Then he hurried back.
-
-"All right, boys," he shouted. "Here's
-the river."
-
-The boys were so immensely relieved that
-packing the outfit round the waterfalls was
-work they set about with alacrity. Ken,
-who had on his boots, broke a trail through
-the ferns and deep moss. Pepe, being barefoot,
-wasted time looking for snakes. George
-teased him. But Pepe was deadly serious.
-And the way he stepped and looked made
-Ken thoughtful. He had made his last trip
-with supplies, and was about to start back
-to solve the problem of getting the boat
-down, when a hoarse yell resounded through
-the sleeping jungle. Parrots screeched, and
-other birds set up a cackling.
-
-Ken bounded up the slope.
-
-"Santa Maria!" cried Pepe.
-
-Ken followed the direction indicated by
-Pepe's staring eyes and trembling finger.
-Hanging from a limb of a tree was a huge
-black-snake. It was as thick as Ken's leg.
-The branch upon which it poised its neck
-so gracefully was ten feet high, and the tail
-curled into the ferns on the ground.
-
-"Boys, it's one of the big fellows," cried Ken.
-
-"Didn't I tell you!" yelled George, running
-down for his gun.
-
-Hal seemed rooted to the spot. Pepe
-began to jabber. Ken watched the snake,
-and felt instinctively from its sinister looks
-that it was dangerous. George came running
-back with his .32 and waved it in the air as
-he shot. He was so frightened that he
-forgot to aim. Ken took the rifle from him.
-
-"You can't hit him with this. Run after
-your shotgun. Quick!"
-
-But the sixteen-gage was clogged with a
-shell that would not eject. Ken's guns were
-in their cases.
-
-"Holy smoke!" cried George. "He's coming down."
-
-The black-snake moved his body and began
-to slide toward the tree-trunk.
-
-Ken shot twice at the head of the snake.
-It was a slow-swaying mark hard to hit.
-The reptile stopped and poised wonderfully
-on the limb. He was not coiled about it,
-but lay over it with about four feet of neck
-waving, swaying to and fro. He watched
-the boys, and his tongue, like a thin, black
-streak, darted out viciously.
-
-Ken could not hit the head, so he sent a
-bullet through the thick part of the body.
-Swift as a gleam the snake darted from the limb.
-
-"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe, and he ran off.
-
-"Look out, boys," shouted Ken. He
-picked up Pepe's *machete* and took to his
-heels. George and Hal scrambled before him.
-They ran a hundred yards or more, and Ken
-halted in an open rocky spot. He was angry,
-and a little ashamed that he had run. The
-snake did not pursue, and probably was as
-badly frightened as the boys had been. Pepe
-stopped some distance away, and Hal and
-George came cautiously back.
-
-"I don't see anything of him," said Ken.
-"I'm going back."
-
-He walked slowly, keeping a sharp outlook,
-and, returning to the glade, found blood-stains
-under the tree. The snake had disappeared
-without leaving a trail.
-
-"If I'd had my shotgun ready!" exclaimed
-Ken, in disgust. And he made a note that in
-the future he would be prepared to shoot.
-
-"Wasn't he a whopper, Ken?" said Hal.
-"We ought to have got his hide. What a
-fine specimen!"
-
-"Boys, you drive away those few little
-snakes while I figure on a way to get the boat
-down."
-
-"Not on your life!" replied Hal.
-
-George ably sustained Hal's objection.
-
-"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and then added
-a loud "No" in English.
-
-"All right, my brave comrades," rejoined
-Ken, scornfully. "As I've not done any work
-yet or taken any risks, I'll drive the snakes
-away."
-
-With Pepe's *machete* he cut a long forked
-pole, trimmed it, and, armed with this weapon,
-he assaulted the rolls and bands and balls
-of brown snakes. He stalked boldly down
-upon them, pushed and poled, and even
-kicked them off the mossy banks. Hal
-could not stand that, and presently he got
-a pole and went to Ken's assistance.
-
-"Who's hollering now?" he yelled to George.
-
-Whereupon George cut a long branch and
-joined the battle. They whacked and threshed
-and pounded, keeping time with yells.
-Everywhere along the wet benches slipped and
-splashed the snakes. But after they were
-driven into the water they did not swim away.
-They dove under the banks and then stretched
-out their pointed heads from the dripping
-edge of moss.
-
-"Say, fellows, we're making it worse for
-us," declared Ken. "See, the brown devils
-won't swim off. We'd better have left them
-on the bank. Let's catch one and see if he'll
-bite."
-
-He tried to pick up one on his pole, but
-it slipped off. George fished after another.
-Hal put the end of his stick down inside the
-coil of still another and pitched it. The
-brown, wriggling, wet snake shot straight at
-the unsuspecting George, and struck him and
-momentarily wound about him.
-
-"Augrrh!" bawled George, flinging off the
-reptile and leaping back. "What 'd you do
-that for? I'll punch you!"
-
-"George, he didn't mean it," said Ken.
-"It was an accident. Come on, let's tease
-that fellow and see if he'll bite."
-
-The snake coiled and raised his flat head
-and darted a wicked tongue out and watched
-with bright, beady eyes, but he did not
-strike. Ken went as close as he thought
-safe and studied the snake.
-
-"Boys, his head isn't a triangle, and there
-are no little pits under his eyes. Those are
-two signs of a poisonous snake. I don't
-believe this fellow's one."
-
-"He'll be a dead snake, b' gosh," replied
-George, and he fell to pounding it with his
-pole.
-
-"Don't smash him. I want the skin,"
-yelled Hal.
-
-Ken pondered on the situation before him.
-
-"Come, the sooner we get at this the better,"
-he said.
-
-There was a succession of benches through
-which the stream zigzagged and tumbled.
-These benches were rock ledges over which
-moss had grown fully a foot thick, and they
-were so oozy and slippery that it was no easy
-task to walk upon them. Then they were
-steep, so steep that it was remarkable how
-the water ran over them so smoothly, with
-very little noise or break. It was altogether
-a new kind of waterfall to Ken. But if the
-snakes had not been hidden there, navigation
-would have presented an easier problem.
-
-"Come on boys, alongside now, and hold
-back," he ordered, gripping the bow.
-
-Exactly what happened the next few seconds
-was not clear in his mind. There was a rush,
-and all were being dragged by the boat.
-The glade seemed to whizz past. There were
-some sodden thumps, a great splashing, a check--and
-lo! they were over several benches. It
-was the quickest and easiest descent he had
-ever made down a steep waterfall.
-
-"Fine!" ejaculated George, wiping the ooze
-from his face.
-
-"Yes, it was fine," Ken replied. "But
-unless this boat has wings something 'll
-happen soon."
-
-Below was a long, swift curve of water,
-very narrow and steep, with a moss-covered
-rock dividing the lower end. Ken imagined
-if there was a repetition of the first descent
-the boat would be smashed on that rock.
-He ordered Pepe, who was of course the strongest,
-to go below and jump to the rock. There
-he might prevent a collision.
-
-Pepe obeyed, but as he went he yelled and
-doubled up in contortions as he leaped over
-snakes in the moss.
-
-Then gently, gingerly the boys started the
-boat off the bench, where it had lodged.
-George was at the stern, Ken and Hal at the
-bow. Suddenly Hal shrieked and jumped
-straight up, to land in the boat.
-
-"Snakes!" he howled.
-
-"Give us a rest!" cried Ken, in disgust.
-
-The boat moved as if instinct with life.
-It dipped, then--*wheeze!* it dove over the
-bench. Hal was thrown off his feet, fell
-back on the gunwale, and thence into the
-snaky moss. George went sprawling face
-downward into the slimy ooze, and Ken was
-jerked clear off the bench into the stream.
-He got his footing and stood firm in water to
-his waist, and he had the bow-rope coiled
-round his hands.
-
-"Help! Help!" he yelled, as he felt the
-dragging weight too much for him.
-
-If Ken retarded the progress of the boat at
-all, it was not much. George saw his distress
-and the danger menacing the boat, and he
-leaped valiantly forward. As he dashed down
-a slippery slant his feet flew up higher than
-where his head had been; he actually turned
-over in the air, and fell with a great sop.
-
-Hal had been trying to reach Ken, but
-here he stopped and roared with laughter.
-
-Despite Ken's anger and fear of snakes,
-and his greater fear for the boat, he likewise
-had to let out a peal of laughter. That
-tumble of George's was great. Then Ken's
-footing gave way and he went down. His
-mouth filled with nasty water, nearly
-strangling him. He was almost blinded, too. His
-arms seemed to be wrenched out of their
-sockets, and he felt himself bumping over
-moss-covered rocks as soft as cushions. Slimy
-ropes or roots of vegetation, that felt like
-snakes, brushed his face and made him cold
-and sick. It was impossible to hold the boat
-any longer. He lodged against a stone, and
-the swift water forced him upon it. Blinking
-and coughing, he stuck fast.
-
-Ken saw the boat headed like a dart for
-the rock where Pepe stood.
-
-"Let 'er go!" yelled Ken. "Don't try to
-stop her. Pepe, you'll be smashed!"
-
-Pepe acted like a man determined to make
-up for past cowardice. He made a great show
-of brave intentions. He was not afraid of a
-boat. He braced himself and reached out
-with his brawny arms. Ken feared for the
-obstinate native's life, for the boat moved
-with remarkable velocity.
-
-At the last second Pepe's courage vanished.
-He turned tail to get out of the way. But
-he slipped. The boat shot toward him and
-the blunt stern struck him with a dull thud.
-Pepe sailed into the air, over the rock, and
-went down cleaving the water.
-
-The boat slipped over the stone as easily
-as if it had been a wave and, gliding into still
-water below, lodged on the bank.
-
-Ken crawled out of the stream, and when
-he ascertained that no one was injured he
-stretched himself on the ground and gave up
-to mirth. Pepe resembled a drowned rat;
-Hal was an object to wonder at; and George,
-in his coating of slime and with strings of
-moss in his hair, was the funniest thing Ken
-had ever seen. It was somewhat of a
-surprise to him to discover, presently, that the
-boys were convulsed with fiendish glee over
-the way he himself looked.
-
-By and by they recovered, and, with many
-a merry jest and chuckle of satisfaction, they
-repacked the boat and proceeded on their
-way. No further obstacle hindered them.
-They drifted out of the shady jungle into the
-sunlit river.
-
-In half a mile of drifting the heat of the
-sun dried the boys' clothes. The water was
-so hot that it fairly steamed. Once more the
-boat entered a placid aisle over which the
-magnificent gray-wreathed cypresses bowed,
-and the west wind waved long ribbons of
-moss, and wild fowl winged reluctant flight.
-
-Ken took advantage of this tranquil stretch
-of river to work on his map. He realized that
-he must use every spare moment and put
-down his drawings and notes as often as time
-and travel permitted. It had dawned on
-Ken that rapids and snakes, and all the
-dangers along the river, made his task of
-observation and study one apt to be put into
-eclipse at times. Once or twice he landed
-on shore to climb a bluff, and was pleased
-each time to see that he had lined a
-comparatively true course on his map. He had
-doubts of its absolute accuracy, yet he could
-not help having pride in his work. So far
-so good, he thought, and hoped for
-good-fortune farther down the river.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`CATCHING STRANGE FISH`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- CATCHING STRANGE FISH
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Beyond a bend in the river the boys
-came upon an island with a narrow,
-shaded channel on one side, a wide shoal on
-the other, and a group of huge cypresses at
-the up-stream end.
-
-"Looks good to me," said Hal.
-
-The instant Ken saw the island he knew it
-was the place he had long been seeking to
-make a permanent camp for a few days.
-They landed, to find an ideal camping site.
-The ground under the cypresses was flat,
-dry, and covered with short grass. Not a ray
-of sunlight penetrated the foliage. A pile
-of driftwood had lodged against one of the
-trees, and this made easy the question of
-fire-wood.
-
-"Great!" exclaimed Ken. "Come on, let's
-look over the ground."
-
-The island was about two hundred yards
-long, and the lower end was hidden by a
-growth of willows. Bursting through this,
-the boys saw a weedy flat leading into a wide,
-shallow back-eddy. Great numbers of ducks
-were sporting and feeding. The stones of
-the rocky shore were lined with sleeping ducks.
-Herons of all colors and sizes waded about,
-or slept on one leg. Snipe ran everywhere.
-There was a great squawking and flapping of
-wings. But at least half the number of
-waterfowl were too tame or too lazy to fly.
-
-Ken returned to camp with his comrades,
-all highly elated over the prospects. The
-best feature about this beautiful island was
-the absence of ticks and snakes.
-
-"Boys, this is the place," said Ken. "We'll
-hang up here for a while. Maybe we won't
-strike another such nice place to stay."
-
-So they unloaded the boat, taking everything
-out, and proceeded to pitch a camp
-that was a delight. They were all loud in
-expressions of satisfaction. Then Pepe set
-about leisurely peeling potatoes; George took
-his gun and slipped off toward the lower end
-of the island; Hal made a pen for his racoon,
-and then more pens, as if he meant to capture
-a menagerie; and Ken made a comfortable
-lounging-bed under a cypress. He wanted
-to forget that nagging worry as to farther
-descent of the river, and to enjoy this place.
-
-"Bang!" went George's sixteen-gage. A
-loud whirring of wings followed, and the air
-was full of ducks.
-
-"Never touched one!" yelled Hal, in taunting voice.
-
-A flock of teal skimmed the water and
-disappeared up-stream. The shot awakened
-parrots in the trees, where for a while there
-was clamor. Ken saw George wade out
-into the shoal and pick up three ducks.
-
-"Pot-shot!" exclaimed Hal, disgustedly.
-"Why couldn't he be a sport and shoot them
-on the fly?"
-
-George crossed to the opposite shore and,
-climbing a bare place, stood looking before him.
-
-"Hey, George, don't go far," called Ken.
-
-"Fine place over here," replied George,
-and, waving his hand, he passed into the
-bushes out of sight.
-
-Ken lay back upon his blanket with a
-blissful sense of rest and contentment. Many
-a time he had lain so, looking up through the
-broad leaves of a sycamore or the lacy foliage
-of a birch or the delicate crisscross of
-millions of pine needles. This overhead canopy,
-however, was different. Only here and there
-could he catch little slivers of blue sky. The
-graceful streamers of exquisite moss hung
-like tassels of silver. In the dead stillness
-of noonday they seemed to float curved in the
-shape in which the last soft breeze had left
-them. High upon a branch he saw a
-red-headed parrot hanging back downward, after
-the fashion of a monkey. Then there were
-two parrots asleep in the fork of a branch.
-It was the middle of the day, and all things
-seemed tired and sleepy. The deep channel
-murmured drowsily, and the wide expanse
-of river on the other side lapped lazily at the
-shore. The only other sound was the
-mourning of turtle-doves, one near and another far
-away. Again the full richness, the mellow
-sweetness of this song struck Ken forcibly.
-He remembered that all the way down the
-river he had heard that mournful note. It
-was beautiful but melancholy. Somehow it
-made him think that it had broken the dreamy
-stillness of the jungle noonday long, long ago.
-It was sweet but sad and old. He did not
-like to hear it.
-
-Ken yielded to the soothing influence of
-the hour and fell asleep. When he awoke
-there was George, standing partially undressed
-and very soberly popping ticks. He had
-enlisted the services of Pepe, and, to judge from
-the remarks of both, they needed still more
-assistance.
-
-"Say, Garrapato George, many ticks over there?"
-
-"Ticks!" shouted George, wildly, waving
-his cigarette. "Millions of 'em! And
-there's--ouch! Kill that one, Pepe. Wow! he's
-as big as a penny. There's game over there.
-It's a flat with some kind of berry bush.
-There's lots of trails. I saw cat-tracks, and I
-scared up wild turkeys--"
-
-"Turkeys!" Ken exclaimed, eagerly.
-
-"You bet. I saw a dozen. How they can
-run! I didn't flush them. Then I saw a
-flock of those black and white ducks, like the
-big fellow I shot. They were feeding. I
-believe they're Muscovy ducks."
-
-"I'm sure I don't know, but we can call
-them that."
-
-"Well, I'd got a shot, too, but I saw some
-gray things sneaking in the bushes. I thought
-they were pigs, so I got out of there quick."
-
-"You mean javelin?"
-
-"Yep, I mean wild pigs. Oh! We've struck
-the place for game. I'll bet it's coming to us."
-
-When George anticipated pleasurable events
-he was the most happy of companions. It
-was good to look forward. He was
-continually expecting things to happen; he was
-always looking ahead with great eagerness.
-But unfortunately he had a twist of mind
-toward the unfavorable side of events, and
-so always had the boys fearful.
-
-"Well, pigs or no pigs, ticks or no ticks,
-we'll hunt and fish, and see all there is to
-see," declared Ken, and he went back to his
-lounging.
-
-When he came out of that lazy spell,
-George and Hal were fishing. George had
-Ken's rod, and it happened to be the one
-Ken thought most of.
-
-"Do you know how to fish?" he asked.
-
-"I've caught tarpon bigger'n you," retorted George.
-
-That fact was indeed too much for Ken,
-and he had nothing to do but risk his
-beloved rod in George's hands. And the way
-George swung it about, slashed branches with
-it, dropped the tip in the water, was exceedingly
-alarming to Ken. The boy would break
-the tip in a minute. Yet Ken could not
-take his rod away from a boy who had caught
-tarpon.
-
-There were fish breaking water. Where a
-little while before the river had been smooth,
-now it was ruffled by *ravalo*, gar, and other
-fish Pepe could not name. But George and
-Hal did not get a bite. They tried all their
-artificial flies and spoons and minnows, then
-the preserved mullet, and finally several
-kinds of meat.
-
-"Bah! they want pie," said Hal.
-
-For Ken Ward to see little and big fish
-capering around under his very nose and not
-be able to hook one was exasperating. He
-shot a small fish, not unlike a pickerel, and
-had the boys bait with that. Still no strike
-was forthcoming.
-
-This put Ken on his mettle. He rigged
-up a minnow tackle, and, going to the lower
-end of the island, he tried to catch some
-minnows. There were plenty of them in the
-shallow water, but they would not bite.
-Finally Ken waded in the shoal and turned
-over stones. He found some snails almost
-as large as mussels, and with these he hurried
-back to the boys.
-
-"Here, if you don't get a bite on one of
-these I'm no fisherman," said Ken. "Try one."
-
-George got his hands on the new bait in
-advance of Hal and so threw his hook into
-the water first. No sooner had the bait
-sunk than he got a strong pull.
-
-"There! Careful now," said Ken.
-
-George jerked up, hooking a fish that made
-the rod look like a buggy-whip.
-
-"Give me the rod," yelled Ken, trying to
-take it.
-
-"It's my fish," yelled back George.
-
-He held on and hauled with all his might.
-A long, finely built fish, green as emerald,
-split the water and churned it into foam.
-Then, sweeping out in strong dash, it broke
-Ken's rod square in the middle. Ken eyed
-the wreck with sorrow, and George with no
-little disapproval.
-
-"You said you knew how to fish," protested Ken.
-
-"Those split-bamboo rods are no good,"
-replied George. "They won't hold a fish."
-
-"George, you're a grand fisherman!"
-observed Hal, with a chuckle. "Why, you
-only dreamed you've caught tarpon."
-
-Just then Hal had a tremendous strike.
-He was nearly hauled off the bank. But he
-recovered his balance and clung to his nodding
-rod. Hal's rod was heavy cane, and his line
-was thick enough to suit. So nothing broke.
-The little brass reel buzzed and rattled.
-
-"I've got a whale!" yelled Hal.
-
-"It's a big gar--alligator-gar," said George.
-"You haven't got him. He's got you."
-
-The fish broke water, showing long, open
-jaws with teeth like saw-teeth. It threshed
-about and broke away. Hal reeled in to
-find the hook straightened out. Then George
-kindly commented upon the very skilful
-manner in which Hal had handled the gar.
-For a wonder Hal did not reply.
-
-By four o'clock, when Ken sat down to
-supper, he was so thirsty that his mouth
-puckered as dry as if he had been eating green
-persimmons. This matter of thirst had
-become serious. Twice each day Ken had
-boiled a pot of water, into which he mixed
-cocoa, sugar, and condensed milk, and begged
-the boys to drink that and nothing else.
-Nevertheless Pepe and George, and occasionally
-Hal, would drink unboiled water. For
-this meal the boys had venison and duck,
-and canned vegetables and fruit, so they
-fared sumptuously.
-
-Pepe pointed to a string of Muscovy ducks
-sailing up the river. George had a good shot
-at the tail end of the flock, and did not even
-loosen a feather. Then a line of cranes and
-herons passed over the island. When a
-small bunch of teal flew by, to be followed
-by several canvasbacks, Ken ran for his
-shotgun. It was a fine hammerless, a
-hard-shooting gun, and one Ken used for
-grouse-hunting. In his hurry he grasped a handful
-of the first shells he came to and, when he
-ran to the river-bank, found they were loads
-of small shot. He decided to try them
-anyhow.
-
-While Pepe leisurely finished the supper
-Ken and George and Hal sat on the bank
-watching for ducks. Just before the sun went
-down a hard wind blew, making difficult
-shooting. Every few moments ducks would
-whir by. George's gun missed fire often,
-and when it did work all right, he missed the
-ducks. To Ken's surprise he found the
-load of small shot very deadly. He could
-sometimes reach a duck at eighty yards.
-The little brown ducks and teal he stopped as
-if they had hit a stone wall. He dropped a
-canvasback with the sheer dead plunge
-that he liked. Ken thought a crippled duck
-enough to make a hunter quit shooting.
-With six ducks killed, he decided to lay aside
-his gun for that time, when Pepe pointed
-down the river.
-
-"Pato real," he said.
-
-Ken looked eagerly and saw three of the
-big black ducks flying as high as the
-treetops and coming fast. Snapping a couple
-of shells in the gun, Ken stood ready. At
-the end of the island two of the ducks wheeled
-to the left, but the big leader came on like
-a thunderbolt. To Ken he made a canvasback
-seem slow. Ken caught him over the
-sights of the gun, followed him up till he was
-abreast and beyond; then, sweeping a little
-ahead of him, Ken pulled both triggers. The
-Muscovy swooped up and almost stopped
-in his flight while a cloud of black feathers
-puffed away on the wind. He sagged a
-little, recovered, and flew on as strong as ever.
-The small shot were not heavy enough to
-stop him.
-
-"We'll need big loads for the Muscovies
-and the turkeys," said George.
-
-"We've all sizes up to BB's," replied Ken.
-"George, let's take a walk over there where
-you saw the turkeys. It's early yet."
-
-Then Pepe told George if they wanted to
-see game at that hour the thing to do was to
-sit still in camp and watch the game come
-down to the river to drink. And he pointed
-down-stream to a herd of small deer quietly
-walking out on the bar.
-
-"After all the noise we made!" exclaimed
-Ken. "Well, this beats me. George, we'll stay
-right here and not shoot again to-night. I've
-an idea we'll see something worth while."
-
-It was Pepe's idea, but Ken instantly saw
-its possibilities. There were no tributaries to
-the river or springs in that dry jungle, and,
-as manifestly the whole country abounded
-in game, it must troop down to the river in
-the cool of the evening to allay the hot day's
-thirst. The boys were perfectly situated for
-watching the dark bank on the channel side
-of the island as well as the open bars on the
-other. The huge cypresses cast shadows that
-even in daylight effectually concealed them.
-They put out the camp-fire and, taking
-comfortable seats in the folds of the great gnarled
-roots, began to watch and listen.
-
-The vanguard of thirsty deer had prepared
-Ken for something remarkable, and he was in
-no wise disappointed. The trooping of deer
-down to the water's edge and the flight of
-wild fowl up-stream increased in proportion
-to the gathering shadows of twilight. The
-deer must have got a scent, for they raised
-their long ears and stood still as statues,
-gazing across toward the upper end of the
-island. But they showed no fear. It was
-only when they had drunk their fill and
-wheeled about to go up the narrow trails
-over the bank that they showed uneasiness
-and haste. This made Ken wonder if they
-were fearful of being ambushed by jaguars.
-Soon the dark line of deer along the shore
-shaded into the darkness of night. Then
-Ken heard soft splashes and an occasional
-patter of hard hoofs. The whir of wings
-had ceased.
-
-A low exclamation from Pepe brought
-attention to interesting developments closer
-at hand.
-
-"Javelin!" he whispered.
-
-On the channel side of the island was
-impenetrable pitchy blackness. Ken tried to
-pierce it with straining eyes, but he could
-not even make out the shore-line that he knew
-was only ten yards distant. Still he could
-hear, and that was thrilling enough. Everywhere
-on this side, along the edge of the water
-and up the steep bank, were faint tickings of
-twigs and soft rustlings of leaves. Then
-there was a continuous sound, so low as to
-be almost inaudible, that resembled nothing
-Ken could think of so much as a long line of
-softly dripping water. It swelled in volume
-to a tiny roll, and ended in a sharp clicking
-on rocks and a gentle splashing in the water.
-A drove of *javelin* had come down to drink.
-Occasionally the glint of green eyes made
-the darkness all the more weird. Suddenly a
-long, piercing wail, a keen cry almost human,
-quivered into the silence.
-
-"Panther!" Ken whispered, instantly, to
-the boys. It was a different cry from that of
-the lion of the cañon, but there was a strange
-wild note that betrayed the species. A
-stillness fell, dead as that of a subterranean
-cavern. Strain his ears as he might, Ken
-could not detect the slightest sound. It
-was as if no *javelin* or any other animals
-had come down to drink. That listening,
-palpitating moment seemed endless. What
-mystery of wild life it meant, that silence
-following the cry of the panther! Then the
-jungle sounds recommenced--the swishing of
-water, the brushing in the thicket, stealthy
-padded footsteps, the faint snapping of twigs.
-Some kind of a cat uttered an unearthly squall.
-Close upon this the clattering of deer up the
-bank on the other side rang out sharply.
-The deer were running, and the striking of
-the little hoofs ceased in short order. Ken
-listened intently. From far over the bank came
-a sound not unlike a cough--deep, hoarse,
-inexpressibly wild and menacing.
-
-"Tigre!" cried Pepe, gripping Ken hard
-with both hands. He could feel him
-trembling. It showed how the native of the
-jungle-belt feared the jaguar.
-
-Again the cough rasped out, nearer and
-louder this time. It was not a
-courage-provoking sound, and seemed on second
-thought more of a growl than a cough. Ken
-felt safe on the island; nevertheless, he took
-up his rifle.
-
-"That's a tiger," whispered George. "I
-heard one once from the porch of the Alamitas
-hacienda."
-
-A third time the jaguar told of his arrival
-upon the night scene. Ken was excited, and
-had a thrill of fear. He made up his mind
-to listen with clearer ears, but the cough or
-growl was not repeated.
-
-Then a silence set in, so unbroken that it
-seemed haunted by the echoes of those wild
-jungle cries. Perhaps Ken had the haunting
-echoes in mind. He knew what had sent
-the deer away and stilled the splashings and
-creepings. It was the hoarse voice of the lord
-of the jungle.
-
-Pepe and the boys, too, fell under the spell
-of the hour. They did not break the charm
-by talking. Giant fireflies accentuated the
-ebony blackness and a low hum of insects
-riveted the attention on the stillness. Ken
-could not understand why he was more
-thoughtful on this trip than he had ever been
-before. Somehow he felt immeasurably older.
-Probably that was because it had seemed
-necessary for him to act like a man, even if he
-was only a boy.
-
-The black mantle of night lifted from under
-the cypresses, leaving a gloom that slowly
-paled. Through the dark foliage, low down
-over the bank, appeared the white tropical
-moon. Shimmering gleams chased the shadows
-across the ripples, and slowly the river
-brightened to a silver sheen.
-
-A great peace fell upon the jungle world.
-How white, how wild, how wonderful! It
-only made the island more beautiful and
-lonely. The thought of leaving it gave Ken
-Ward a pang. Almost he wished he were a
-savage.
-
-And he lay there thinking of the wild places
-that he could never see, where the sun shone,
-the wind blew, the twilight shadowed, the
-rain fell; where the colors and beauties changed
-with the passing hours; where a myriad of
-wild creatures preyed upon each other and
-night never darkened but upon strife and death.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`A TURKEY-HUNT`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XIII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- A TURKEY-HUNT
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Upon awakening in the early morning
-Ken found his state one of huge
-enjoyment. He was still lazily tired, but the
-dead drag and ache had gone from his bones.
-A cool breeze wafted the mist from the river,
-breaking it up into clouds, between which
-streamed rosy shafts of sunlight. Wood-smoke
-from the fire Pepe was starting blew
-fragrantly over him. A hundred thousand
-birds seemed to be trying to burst their
-throats. The air was full of music. He lay
-still, listening to this melodious herald of the
-day till it ceased.
-
-Then a flock of parrots approached and
-circled over the island, screeching like a band
-of flying imps. Presently they alighted in
-the cypresses, bending the branches to a
-breaking-point and giving the trees a spotted
-appearance of green and red. Pepe waved
-his hand toward another flock sweeping over.
-
-"Parrakeets," he said.
-
-These birds were a solid green, much smaller
-than the red-heads, with longer tails. They
-appeared wilder than the red-heads, and flew
-higher, circling the same way and screeching,
-but they did not alight. Other flocks sailed
-presently from all directions. The last one
-was a cloud of parrots, a shining green and
-yellow mass several acres in extent. They
-flew still higher than the parrakeets.
-
-"Yellow-heads!" shouted George. "They're
-the big fellows, the talkers. If there ain't a
-million of 'em!"
-
-The boys ate breakfast in a din that made
-conversation useless. The red-heads swooped
-down upon the island, and the two unfriendly
-species flew back and forth, manifestly trying
-to drive the boys off. The mist had blown
-away, the sun was shining bright, when the
-myriad of parrots, in large and small flocks,
-departed to other jungle haunts.
-
-Pepe rowed across the wide shoal to the
-sand-bars. There in the soft ooze, among
-the hundreds of deer-tracks, Ken found a
-jaguar-track larger than his spread hand.
-It was different from a lion-track, yet he could
-not distinguish just what the difference was.
-Pepe, who had accompanied the boys to
-carry the rifles and game, pointed to the track
-and said, vehemently:
-
-"Tigre!" He pronounced it "tee-gray." And
-he added, "Grande!"
-
-"Big he certainly is," Ken replied. "Boys,
-we'll kill this jaguar. We'll bait this
-drinking-trail with a deer carcass and watch to-night."
-
-Once upon the bank, Ken was surprised
-to see a wide stretch of comparatively flat
-land. It was covered with a low vegetation,
-with here and there palm-trees on the little
-ridges and bamboo clumps down in the swales.
-Beyond the flat rose the dark line of dense
-jungle. It was not clear to Ken why that low
-piece of ground was not overgrown with the
-matted thickets and vines and big trees
-characteristic of other parts of the jungle.
-They struck into one of the trails, and had
-not gone a hundred paces when they espied
-a herd of deer. The grass and low bushes
-almost covered them. George handed his
-shotgun to Pepe and took his rifle.
-
-"Shoot low," said Ken.
-
-George pulled the trigger, and with the
-report a deer went down, but it was not the one
-Ken was looking at, nor the one at which he
-believed George had aimed. The rest of the
-herd bounded away, to disappear in a swale.
-Wading through bushes and grass, they found
-George's quarry, a small deer weighing
-perhaps sixty pounds. Pepe carried it over to
-the trail. Ken noted that he was exceedingly
-happy to carry the rifles. They went on at
-random, somehow feeling that, no matter in
-what direction, they would run into something
-to shoot at.
-
-The first bamboo swale was alive with
-*chicalocki*. Up to this time Ken had not
-seen this beautiful pheasant fly in the open,
-and he was astonished at its speed. It
-would burst out of the thick bamboo, whir its
-wings swiftly, then sail. That sail was a most
-graceful thing to see. George pulled his
-16-gage twice, and missed both times. He
-had the beginner's fault--shooting too soon.
-Presently Pepe beat a big cock *chicalocki*
-out of the bush. He made such a fine target,
-he sailed so evenly, that Ken simply looked
-at him over the gun-sights and followed him
-till he was out of sight. The next one he
-dropped like a plummet. Shooting *chicalocki*
-was too easy, he decided; they presented so
-fair a mark that it was unfair to pull on them.
-
-George was an impetuous hunter. Ken
-could not keep near him, nor coax or command
-him to stay near. He would wander off by
-himself. That was one mark in his favor:
-at least he had no fear. Pepe hung close to
-Ken and Hal, with his dark eyes roving
-everywhere. Ken climbed out on one side of the
-swale, George on the other. Catching his
-whistle, Ken turned to look after him. He
-waved, and, pointing ahead, began to stoop
-and slip along from bush to bush. Presently
-a flock of Muscovy ducks rose before him,
-sailed a few rods, and alighted. Then from
-right under his feet labored up great gray
-birds. Wild geese! Ken recognized them
-as George's gun went *bang*! One tumbled
-over, the others wheeled toward the river.
-Ken started down into the swale to cross to
-where George was, when Pepe touched his arm.
-
-"Turkeys!" he whispered.
-
-That changed Ken's mind. Pepe pointed
-into the low bushes ahead and slowly led
-Ken forward. He heard a peculiar low
-thumping. Trails led everywhere, and here and
-there were open patches covered with a scant
-growth of grass. Across one of these flashed
-a bronze streak, then another and another.
-
-"Shoot! Shoot!" said Pepe, tensely.
-
-Those bronze streaks were running turkeys!
-The thumpings were made by their rapidly
-moving feet!
-
-"Don't they flush--fly?" Ken queried of Pepe.
-
-"No--no--shoot!" exclaimed he, as another
-streak of brown crossed an open spot. Ken
-hurriedly unbreached his gun and changed
-the light shells for others loaded with heavy
-shot. He reached the edge of a bare spot
-across which a turkey ran with incredible
-swiftness. He did not get the gun in line
-with it at all. Then two more broke out
-of the bushes. Run! They were as swift as
-flying quail. Ken took two snap-shots, and
-missed both times. If any one had told him
-that he would miss a running turkey at fifty
-feet, he would have been insulted. But he
-did not loosen a feather. Loading again, he
-yelled for George.
-
-"Hey, George--turkeys!"
-
-He whooped, and started across on the run.
-
-"Gee!" said Hal. "Ken, I couldn't do
-any worse shooting than you. Let me take
-a few pegs."
-
-Ken handed over the heavy gun and fell
-back a little, giving Hal the lead. They
-walked on, peering closely into the bushes.
-Suddenly a beautiful big gobbler ran out of a
-thicket, and then stopped to stretch out his
-long neck and look.
-
-"Shoot--hurry!" whispered Ken. "What a chance!"
-
-"That's a tame turkey," said Hal.
-
-"Tame! Why, you tenderfoot! He's as
-wild as wild. Can't you see that?"
-
-Ken's excitement and Pepe's intense
-eagerness all at once seemed communicated to Hal.
-He hauled up the gun, fingered the triggers
-awkwardly, then shot both barrels. He tore
-a tremendous hole in the brush some few feet
-to one side of the turkey. Then the great
-bird ran swiftly out of sight.
-
-"Didn't want to kill him sitting, anyhow,"
-said Hal, handing the gun back to Ken.
-
-"We want to eat some wild turkey, don't
-we? Well, we'd better take any chance.
-These birds are game, Hal, and don't you
-forget that!"
-
-"What's all the shooting?" panted George,
-as he joined the march.
-
-Just then there was a roar in the bushes,
-and a brown blur rose and whizzed ahead like
-a huge bullet. That turkey had flushed.
-Ken watched him fly till he went down out
-of sight into a distant swale.
-
-"Pretty nifty flier, eh?" said George.
-"He was too quick for me."
-
-"Great!" replied Ken.
-
-There was another roar, and a huge bronze
-cannon-ball sped straight ahead. Ken shot
-both barrels, then George shot one, all clean
-misses. Ken watched this turkey fly, and saw
-him clearer. He had to admit that the wild
-turkey of the Tamaulipas jungle had a
-swifter and more beautiful flight than his
-favorite bird, the ruffled grouse.
-
-"Walk faster," said George. "They'll flush
-better. I don't see how I'm to hit one. This
-goose I'm carrying weighs about a ton."
-
-The hunters hurried along, crashing through
-the bushes. They saw turkey after turkey.
-*Bang!* went George's gun.
-
-Then a beautiful sight made Ken cry out
-and forget to shoot. Six turkeys darted across
-an open patch--how swiftly they ran!--then
-rose in a bunch. The roar they made, the
-wonderfully rapid action of their powerful
-wings, and then the size of them, their
-wildness and noble gameness made them the royal
-game for Ken.
-
-At the next threshing in the bushes his gun
-was leveled; he covered the whistling bronze
-thing that shot up. The turkey went down
-with a crash. Pepe yelled, and as he ran
-forward the air all about him was full of fine
-bronze feathers. Ken hurried forward to
-see his bird. Its strength and symmetry,
-and especially the beautiful shades of bronze,
-captivated his eye.
-
-"Come on, boys--this is the greatest game
-I ever hunted," he called.
-
-Again Pepe yelled, and this time he pointed.
-From where Ken stood he could not see
-anything except low, green bushes. In great
-excitement George threw up his gun and shot.
-Ken heard a squealing.
-
-"Javelin! Javelin!" yelled Pepe, in piercing
-alarm.
-
-George jerked a rifle from him and began to
-shoot. Hal pumped his .22 into the bushes.
-The trampling of hard little hoofs and a
-cloud of dust warned Ken where the javelin
-were. Suddenly Pepe broke and fled for the
-river.
-
-"Hyar, Pepe, fetch back my rifle," shouted
-Ken, angrily.
-
-Pepe ran all the faster.
-
-George turned and dashed away yelling:
-"Wild pigs! Wild pigs!"
-
-"Look out, Ken! Run! Run!" added Hal;
-and he likewise took to his heels.
-
-It looked as if there was nothing else for Ken
-to do but to make tracks from that vicinity.
-Never before had he run from a danger which
-he had not seen; but the flight of the boys was
-irresistibly contagious, and this, coupled with
-the many stories he had heard of the *javelin*,
-made Ken execute a sprint that would have
-been a record but for the hampering weight
-of gun and turkey. He vowed he would hold
-on to both, pigs or no pigs; nevertheless he
-listened as he ran and nervously looked back
-often. It may have been excited imagination
-that the dust-cloud appeared to be traveling
-in his wake. Fortunately, the distance to the
-river did not exceed a short quarter of a mile.
-Hot, winded, and thoroughly disgusted with
-himself, Ken halted on the bank. Pepe was
-already in the boat, and George was
-scrambling aboard.
-
-"A fine--chase--you've given--me," Ken
-panted. "There's nothing--after us."
-
-"Don't you fool yourself," returned George,
-quickly. "I saw those pigs, and, like the ass
-I am, I blazed away at one with my shotgun."
-
-"Did he run at you? That's what I want
-to know?" demanded Ken.
-
-George said he was not certain about that,
-but declared there always was danger if a
-wounded *javelin* squealed. Pepe had little
-to say; he refused to go back after the deer
-left in the trail. So they rowed across the
-shoal, and on the way passed within a rod of a
-big crocodile.
-
-"Look at that fellow," cried George. "Wish
-I had my rifle loaded. He's fifteen feet long."
-
-"Oh no, George, he's not more than ten
-feet," said Ken.
-
-"You don't see his tail. He's a whopper.
-Pepe told me there was one in this pool.
-We'll get him, all right."
-
-They reached camp tired out, and all a
-little ruffled in temper, which certainly was
-not eased by the discovery that they were
-covered with ticks. Following the cue of his
-companions, Ken hurriedly stripped off his
-clothes and hung them where they could
-singe over the camp-fire. There were broad
-red bands of *pinilius* round both ankles, and
-reddish patches on the skin of his arms. Here
-and there were black spots about the size
-of his little finger-nail, and these were
-*garrapatoes*. He picked these off one by one, rather
-surprised to find them come off so easily.
-Suddenly he jumped straight up with a pain
-as fierce as if it had been a puncture from a
-red-hot wire.
-
-Pepe grinned; and George cried:
-
-"Aha! that was a garrapato bite, that was!
-You just wait!"
-
-George had a hundred or more of the big
-black ticks upon him, and he was remorselessly
-popping them with his cigarette. Some
-of them were biting him, too, judging from the
-way he flinched. Pepe had attracted to
-himself a million or more of the *pinilius*, but very
-few of the larger pests. He generously came
-to Ken's assistance. Ken was trying to pull
-off the *garrapato* that had bitten a hole in
-him. Pepe said it had embedded its head,
-and if pulled would come apart, leaving the
-head buried in the flesh, which would cause
-inflammation. Pepe held the glowing end
-of his cigarette close over the tick, and it
-began to squirm and pull out its head. When
-it was free of the flesh Pepe suddenly touched
-it with the cigarette, and it exploded with a
-pop. A difficult question was: Which hurt
-Ken the most, the burn from the cigarette or
-the bite of the tick? Pepe scraped off as many
-*pinilius* as would come, and then rubbed
-Ken with *canya*, the native alcohol. If this
-was not some kind of vitriol, Ken missed his
-guess. It smarted so keenly he thought his
-skin was peeling off. Presently, however,
-the smarting subsided, and so did the ticks.
-
-Hal, who by far was the most sensitive one
-in regard to the crawling and biting of the
-jungle pests, had been remarkably fortunate
-in escaping them. So he made good use of
-his opportunity to poke fun at the others,
-particularly Ken.
-
-George snapped out: "Just wait, Hollering Hal!"
-
-"Don't you call me that!" said Hal,
-belligerently.
-
-Ken eyed his brother in silence, but with
-a dark, meaning glance. It had occurred to
-Ken that here in this jungle was the only place
-in the world where he could hope to pay off
-old scores on Hal. And plots began to form
-in his mind.
-
-They lounged about camp, resting in the
-shade during the hot midday hours. For
-supper they had a superfluity of meat, the
-waste of which Ken deplored, and he
-assuaged his conscience by deciding to have
-a taste of each kind. The wild turkey he
-found the most toothsome, delicious meat it
-had ever been his pleasure to eat. What
-struck him at once was the flavor, and he
-could not understand it until Pepe explained
-that the jungle turkey lived upon a red pepper.
-So the Tamaulipas wild turkey turned out
-to be doubly the finest game he had ever shot.
-
-All afternoon the big crocodile sunned
-himself on the surface of the shoal.
-
-Ken wanted a crocodile-skin, and this was
-a chance to get one; but he thought it as well
-to wait, and kept the boys from wasting
-ammunition.
-
-Before sundown Pepe went across the river
-and fetched the deer carcass down to the
-sandbar, where the jaguar-trail led to the water.
-
-At twilight Ken stationed the boys at the
-lower end of the island, ambushed behind
-stones. He placed George and Pepe some
-rods below his own position. They had
-George's .32 rifle, and the 16-gage loaded with
-a solid ball. Ken put Hal, with the
-double-barreled shotgun, also loaded with ball, some
-little distance above. And Ken, armed with
-his automatic, hid just opposite the deer-trails.
-
-"Be careful where you shoot," Ken warned
-repeatedly. "Be cool--think quick--and aim."
-
-Ken settled down for a long wait, some
-fifty yards from the deer carcass. A
-wonderful procession of wild fowl winged swift
-flight over his head. They flew very low.
-It was strange to note the difference in the
-sound of their flying. The cranes and herons
-softly swished the air, the teal and canvasbacks
-whirred by, and the great Muscovies
-whizzed like bullets.
-
-When the first deer came down to drink it
-was almost dark, and when they left the moon
-was up, though obscured by clouds. Faint
-sounds rose from the other side of the island.
-Ken listened until his ears ached, but he could
-hear nothing. Heavier clouds drifted over
-the moon. The deer carcass became
-indistinct, and then faded entirely, and the bar
-itself grew vague. He was about to give up
-watching for that night when he heard a faint
-rustling below. Following it came a grating
-or crunching of gravel.
-
-Bright flares split the darkness--*crack! crack!*
-rang out George's rifle, then the heavy
-*boom! boom!* of the shotgun.
-
-"There he is!" yelled George. "He's down--we
-got him--there's two! Look out!"
-
-*Boom! Boom!* roared the heavy shotgun
-from Hal's covert.
-
-"George missed him! I got him!" yelled
-Hal. "No, there he goes--Ken! Ken!"
-
-Ken caught the flash of a long gray body
-in the hazy gloom of the bar and took a
-quick shot at it. The steel-jacketed bullet
-scattered the gravel and then hummed over
-the bank. The gray body moved fast up the
-bank. Ken could just see it. He turned
-loose the little automatic and made the
-welkin ring.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`A FIGHT WITH A JAGUAR`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XIV
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- A FIGHT WITH A JAGUAR
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-When the echoes of the shots died away
-the stillness seemed all the deeper. No
-rustle in the brush or scuffle on the sand
-gave evidence of a wounded or dying jaguar.
-George and Hal and Pepe declared there
-were two tigers, and that they had hit one.
-Ken walked out upon the stones till he could
-see the opposite bar, but was not rewarded
-by a sight of dead game. Thereupon they
-returned to camp, somewhat discouraged at
-their ill luck, but planning another night-watch.
-
-In the morning George complained that he
-did not feel well. Ken told him he had been
-eating too much fresh meat, and that he had
-better be careful. Then Ken set off alone,
-crossed the river, and found that the deer
-carcass was gone. In the sand near where
-it had lain were plenty of cat-tracks, but none
-of the big jaguar. Upon closer scrutiny he
-found the cat-tracks to be those of a panther.
-He had half dragged, half carried the carcass
-up one of the steep trails, but from that point
-there was no further trace.
-
-Ken struck out across the fiat, intending
-to go as far as the jungle. Turtle-doves
-fluttered before him in numberless flocks.
-Far to one side he saw Muscovy ducks rising,
-sailing a few rods, then alighting. This
-occurred several times before he understood
-what it meant. There was probably a large
-flock feeding on the flat, and the ones in the
-rear were continually flying to get ahead of
-those to the fore.
-
-Several turkeys ran through the bushes
-before Ken, but as he was carrying a rifle
-he paid little heed to them. He kept a keen
-lookout for *javelin*. Two or three times he
-was tempted to turn off the trail into little
-bamboo hollows; this, however, owing to a
-repugnance to ticks, he did not do. Finally,
-as he neared the high moss-decked wall of
-the jungle, he came upon a runway leading
-through the bottom of a deep swale, and here
-he found tiger-tracks.
-
-Farther down the swale, under a great
-cluster of bamboo, he saw the scattered bones
-of several deer. Ken was sure that in this
-spot the lord of the jungle had feasted more
-than once. It was an open hollow, with the
-ground bare under the bamboos. The runway
-led on into dense, leafy jungle. Ken planned
-to bait that lair with a deer carcass and watch
-it during the late afternoon.
-
-First, it was necessary to get the deer.
-This might prove bothersome, for Ken's hands
-and wrists were already sprinkled with *pinilius*,
-and he certainly did not want to stay very
-long in the brush. Ken imagined he felt an
-itching all the time, and writhed inside his
-clothes.
-
-"Say, blame you! bite!" he exclaimed,
-resignedly, and stepped into the low bushes.
-He went up and out of the swale. Scarcely
-had he reached a level when he saw a troop
-of deer within easy range. Before they
-winded danger Ken shot, and the one he had
-singled out took a few bounds, then fell over
-sideways. The others ran off into the brush.
-Ken remembered that the old hunter on
-Penetier had told him how seldom a deer
-dropped at once. When he saw the work of
-the soft-nose .351 bullet, he no longer
-wondered at this deer falling almost in his
-tracks.
-
-"If I ever hit a jaguar like that it will be all
-day with him," was Ken's comment.
-
-There were two things about hunting the
-jaguar that Ken had been bidden to keep in
-mind--fierce aggressiveness and remarkable
-tenacity of life.
-
-Ken dragged the deer down into the
-bamboo swale and skinned out a haunch. Next
-to wild-turkey meat, he liked venison best.
-He was glad to have that as an excuse, for
-killing these tame tropical deer seemed like
-murder to Ken. He left the carcass in a
-favorable place and then hurried back to camp.
-
-To Ken's relief, he managed to escape
-bringing any *garrapatoes* with him, but it
-took a half-hour to rid himself of the
-collection of *pinilius*.
-
-"George, ask Pepe what's the difference
-between a garrapato and a pinilius," said Ken.
-
-"The big tick is the little one's mother,"
-replied Pepe.
-
-"Gee! you fellows fuss a lot about ticks,"
-said Hal, looking up from his task. He was
-building more pens to accommodate the
-turtles, snakes, snails, mice, and young birds
-that he had captured during the morning.
-
-Pepe said there were few ticks there in the
-uplands compared to the number down along
-the Panuco River. In the lowlands where
-the cattle roamed there were millions in every
-square rod. The under side of every leaf and
-blade of grass was red with ticks. The size
-of these pests depended on whether or not they
-got a chance to stick to a steer or any beast.
-They appeared to live indefinitely, but if they
-could not suck blood they could not grow.
-The *pinilius* grew into a *garrapato*, and a
-*garrapato* bred a hundred thousand *pinilius*
-in her body. Two singular things concerning
-these ticks were that they always crawled
-upward, and they vanished from the earth
-during the wet season.
-
-Ken soaked his Duxbax hunting-suit in
-kerosene in the hope that this method would
-enable him to spend a reasonable time
-hunting. Then, while the other boys fished and
-played around, he waited for the long, hot
-hours to pass. It was cool in the shade, but
-the sunlight resembled the heat of fire. At
-last five o'clock came, and Ken put on the
-damp suit. Soaked with the oil, it was
-heavier and hotter than sealskin, and before
-he got across the river he was nearly roasted.
-The evening wind sprang up, and the gusts
-were like blasts from a furnace. Ken's body
-was bathed in perspiration; it ran down his
-wrists, over his hands, and wet the gun.
-This cure for ticks--if it were one--was
-worse than their bites. When he reached the
-shade of the bamboo swale it was none too
-soon for him. He threw off the coat, noticing
-there were more ticks upon it than at
-anytime before. The bottom of his trousers,
-too, had gathered an exceeding quantity. He
-brushed them off, muttering the while that
-he believed they liked kerosene, and looked
-as if they were drinking it. Ken found it
-easy, however, to brush them off the wet
-Duxbax, and soon composed himself to rest
-and watch.
-
-The position chosen afforded Ken a clear
-view of the bare space under the bamboos
-and of the hollow where the runway
-disappeared in the jungle. The deer carcass,
-which lay as he had left it, was about a
-hundred feet from him. This seemed rather
-close, but he had to accept it, for if he had
-moved farther away he could not have
-commanded both points.
-
-Ken sat with his back against a clump of
-bamboos, the little rifle across his knees and
-an extra clip of cartridges on the ground
-at his left. After taking that position he
-determined not to move a yard when the tiger
-came, and to kill him.
-
-Ken went over in mind the lessons he had
-learned hunting bear in Penetier Forest with
-old Hiram Bent and lassoing lions on the
-wild north-rim of the Grand Cañon. Ken
-knew that the thing for a hunter to do, when
-his quarry was dangerous, was to make up
-his mind beforehand. Ken had twelve powerful
-shells that he could shoot in the half of
-twelve seconds. He would have been willing
-to face two jaguars.
-
-The sun set and the wind died down.
-What a relief was the cooling shade! The
-little breeze that was left fortunately blew at
-right angles to the swale, so that there did
-not seem much danger of the tiger winding
-Ken down the jungle runway.
-
-For long moments he was tense and alert.
-He listened till he thought he had almost
-lost the sense of hearing. The jungle leaves
-were whispering; the insects were humming.
-He had expected to hear myriad birds and
-see processions of deer, and perhaps a drove
-of *javelin*. But if any living creatures
-ventured near him it was without his knowledge.
-The hour between sunset and twilight passed--a
-long wait; still he did not lose the feeling
-that something would happen. Ken's faculties
-of alertness tired, however, and needed
-distraction. So he took stock of the big
-clump of bamboos under which lay the deer
-carcass.
-
-It was a remarkable growth, that gracefully
-drooping cluster of slender bamboo poles. He
-remembered how, as a youngster, not many
-years back, he had wondered where the
-fishing-poles came from. Here Ken counted
-one hundred and sixty-nine in a clump no
-larger than a barrel. They were yellow in
-color with black bands, and they rose straight
-for a few yards, then began to lean out, to
-bend slightly, at last to droop with their
-abundance of spiked leaves. Ken was getting
-down to a real, interested study of this
-species of jungle growth when a noise startled
-him.
-
-He straightened out of his lounging position
-and looked around. The sound puzzled him.
-He could not place its direction or name what
-it was. The jungle seemed strangely quiet.
-He listened. After a moment of waiting he
-again heard the sound. Instantly Ken was
-as tense and vibrating as a violin string. The
-thing he had heard was from the lungs of
-some jungle beast. He was almost ready to
-pronounce it a cough. Warily he glanced
-around, craning his neck. Then a deep,
-hoarse growl made him whirl.
-
-There stood a jaguar with head up and paw
-on the deer carcass. Ken imagined he felt
-perfectly cool, but he knew he was astounded.
-And even as he cautiously edged the rifle
-over his knee he took in the beautiful points
-of the jaguar. He was yellow, almost white,
-with black spots. He was short and stocky,
-with powerful stumpy bow-legs. But his
-head most amazed Ken. It was enormous.
-And the expression of his face was so
-singularly savage and wild that Ken seemed to
-realize instantly the difference between a
-mountain-lion and this fierce tropical brute.
-
-.. _`182`:
-
-The jaguar opened his jaws threateningly.
-He had an enormous stretch of jaw. His long,
-yellow fangs gleamed. He growled again.
-
-Not hurriedly, nor yet slowly, Ken fired.
-
-He heard the bullet strike him as plainly
-as if he had hit him with a board. He saw
-dust fly from his hide. Ken expected to see
-the jaguar roll over. Instead of that he leaped
-straight up with a terrible roar. Something
-within Ken shook. He felt cold and sick.
-
-When the jaguar came down, sprawled on
-all fours, Ken pulled the automatic again,
-and he saw the fur fly. Then the jaguar
-leaped forward with a strange, hoarse cry.
-Ken shot again, and knocked the beast flat.
-He tumbled and wrestled about, scattering the
-dust and brush. Three times more Ken fired,
-too hastily, and inflicted only slight wounds.
-
-In reloading Ken tried to be deliberate in
-snapping in the second clip and pushing down
-the rod that threw the shell into the barrel.
-But his hands shook. His fingers were all
-thumbs, and he fumbled at the breech of the
-rifle.
-
-In that interval, if the jaguar could have
-kept his sense of direction, he would have
-reached Ken. But the beast zigzagged; he
-had lost his equilibrium; he was hard hit.
-
-Then he leaped magnificently. He landed
-within twenty-five feet of Ken, and when
-he plunged down he rolled clear over. Ken
-shot him through and through. Yet he got
-up, wheezing blood, uttering a hoarse bellow,
-and made again at Ken.
-
-Ken had been cold, sick. Now panic
-almost overpowered him. The rifle wabbled.
-The bamboo glade blurred in his sight. A
-terrible dizziness and numbness almost
-paralyzed him. He was weakening, sinking, when
-thought of life at stake lent him a momentary
-grim and desperate spirit.
-
-Once while the jaguar was in the air Ken
-pulled, twice while he was down. Then the
-jaguar stood up pawing the air with great
-spread claws, coughing, bleeding, roaring.
-He was horrible.
-
-Ken shot him straight between the
-wide-spread paws.
-
-With twisted body, staggering, and blowing
-bloody froth all over Ken, the big tiger blindly
-lunged forward and crashed to earth.
-
-Then began a furious wrestling. Ken
-imagined it was the death-throes of the jaguar.
-Ken could not see him down among the leaves
-and vines; nevertheless, he shot into the
-commotion. The struggles ceased. Then a
-movement of the weeds showed Ken that the
-jaguar was creeping toward the jungle.
-
-Ken fell rather than sat down. He found
-he was wringing wet with cold sweat. He was
-panting hard.
-
-"Say, but--that--was--awful!" he gasped.
-"What--was--wrong--with me?"
-
-He began to reload the clips. They were
-difficult to load for even a calm person, and
-now, in the reaction, Ken was the farthest
-removed from calm. The jaguar crept steadily
-away, as Ken could tell by the swaying
-weeds and shaking vines.
-
-"What--a hard-lived beast!" muttered Ken.
-"I--must have shot--him all to pieces. Yet
-he's getting away from me."
-
-At last Ken's trembling fingers pushed
-some shells in the two clips, and once more
-he reloaded the rifle. Then he stood up,
-drew a deep, full breath, and made a strong
-effort at composure.
-
-"I've shot at bear--and deer--and lions
-out West," said Ken. "But this was different.
-I'll never get over it."
-
-How close that jaguar came to reaching
-Ken was proved by the blood coughed into
-his face. He recalled that he had felt the
-wind of one great sweeping paw.
-
-Ken regained his courage and determination.
-He meant to have that beautiful
-spotted skin for his den. So he hurried along
-the runway and entered the jungle. Beyond
-the edge, where the bushes made a dense
-thicket, it was dry forest, with little green
-low down. The hollow gave place to a dry
-wash. He could not see the jaguar, but he
-could hear him dragging himself through the
-brush, cracking sticks, shaking saplings.
-
-Presently Ken ran across a bloody trail
-and followed it. Every little while he would
-stop to listen. When the wounded jaguar
-was still, he waited until he started to move
-again. It was hard going. The brush was
-thick, and had to be broken and crawled
-under or through. As Ken had left his coat
-behind, his shirt was soon torn to rags. He
-peered ahead with sharp eyes, expecting every
-minute to come in sight of the poor, crippled
-beast. He wanted to put him out of agony.
-So he kept on doggedly for what must have
-been a long time.
-
-The first premonition he had of carelessness
-was to note that the shadows were
-gathering in the jungle. It would soon be
-night. He must turn back while there was
-light enough to follow his back track out
-to the open. The second came in shape of
-a hot pain in his arm, as keen as if he had
-jagged it with a thorn. Holding it out, he
-discovered to his dismay that it was spotted
-with *garrapatoes*.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`THE VICIOUS GARRAPATOES`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XV
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- THE VICIOUS GARRAPATOES
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-At once Ken turned back, and if he thought
-again of the jaguar it was that he could
-come after him the next day or send Pepe.
-Another vicious bite, this time on his leg,
-confirmed his suspicions that many of the
-ticks had been on him long enough to get
-their heads in. Then he was bitten in several
-places.
-
-Those bites were as hot as the touch of a
-live coal, yet they made Ken break out in
-dripping cold sweat. It was imperative that
-he get back to camp without losing a moment
-which could be saved. From a rapid walk
-he fell into a trot. He got off his back trail
-and had to hunt for it. Every time a tick
-bit he jumped as if stung. The worst of it
-was that he knew he was collecting more
-*garrapatoes* with almost every step. When
-he grasped a dead branch to push it out of
-the way he could feel the ticks cling to his
-hand. Then he would whip his arm in the
-air, flinging some of them off to patter on the
-dry ground. Impossible as it was to run
-through that matted jungle, Ken almost
-accomplished it. When he got out into the
-open he did run, not even stopping for his
-coat, and he crossed the flat at top speed.
-
-It was almost dark when Ken reached the
-river-bank and dashed down to frighten a
-herd of drinking deer. He waded the narrowest
-part of the shoal. Running up the island
-he burst into the bright circle of camp-fire.
-Pepe dropped a stew-pan and began to jabber.
-George dove for a gun.
-
-"What's after you?" shouted Hal, in alarm.
-
-Ken was so choked up and breathless that
-at first he could not speak. His fierce aspect
-and actions, as he tore off his sleeveless and
-ragged shirt and threw it into the fire, added
-to the boys' fright.
-
-"Good Lord! are you bug-house, Ken?"
-shrieked Hal.
-
-"*Bug-house! Yes!*" roared Ken, swiftly
-undressing. "Look at me!"
-
-In the bright glare he showed his arms
-black with *garrapatoes* and a sprinkling of
-black dots over the rest of his body.
-
-"Is that all?" demanded Hal, in real or
-simulated scorn. "Gee! but you're a brave
-hunter. I thought not less than six tigers
-were after you."
-
-"I'd rather have six tigers after me,"
-yelled Ken. "You little freckle-faced redhead!"
-
-It was seldom indeed that Ken called his
-brother that name. Hal was proof against
-any epithets except that one relating to his
-freckles and his hair. But just now Ken
-felt that he was being eaten alive. He was
-in an agony, and he lost his temper. And
-therefore he laid himself open to Hal's
-scathing humor.
-
-"Never mind the kid," said Ken to Pepe
-and George. "Hurry now, and get busy with
-these devils on me."
-
-It was well for Ken that he had a native
-like Pepe with him. For Pepe knew just
-what to do. First he dashed a bucket of cold
-water over Ken. How welcome that was!
-
-"Pepe says for you to point out the ticks
-that 're biting the hardest," said George.
-
-In spite of his pain Ken stared in mute
-surprise.
-
-"Pepe wants you to point out the ticks
-that are digging in the deepest," explained
-George. "Get a move on, now."
-
-"What!" roared Ken, glaring at Pepe and
-George. He thought even the native might
-be having fun with him. And for Ken this
-was not a funny time.
-
-But Pepe was in dead earnest.
-
-"Say, it's impossible to tell *where* I'm being
-bitten most! It's all over!" protested Ken.
-
-Still he discovered that by absolute
-concentration on the pain he was enduring he
-was able to locate the severest points. And
-that showed him the soundness of Pepe's
-advice.
-
-"Here--this one--here--there.... Oh! here,"
-began Ken, indicating certain ticks.
-
-"Not so fast, now," interrupted the
-imperturbable George, as he and Pepe set to
-work upon Ken.
-
-Then the red-hot cigarette-tips scorched
-Ken's skin. Ken kept pointing and
-accompanying his directions with wild gestures
-and exclamations.
-
-"Here.... Oo-oo! Here.... Wow! Here....
-Ouch!--that one stung! Here.... *Augh*!
-Say, can't you hurry? Here! ... Oh! that
-one was in a mile! Here.... *Hold on*!
-You're burning a hole in me! ... George,
-you're having fun out of this. Pepe gets two
-to your one."
-
-"He's been popping ticks all his life," was
-George's reasonable protest.
-
-"Hurry!" cried Ken, in desperation.
-"George, if you monkey round--fool over
-this job--I'll--I'll punch you good."
-
-All this trying time Hal Ward sat on a
-log and watched the proceedings with great
-interest and humor. Sometimes he smiled,
-at others he laughed, and yet again he burst
-out into uproarious mirth.
-
-"George, he wouldn't punch anybody,"
-said Hal. "I tell you he's all in. He hasn't
-any nerve left. It's a chance of your life.
-You'll never get another. He's been bossing
-you around. Pay him up. Make him holler.
-Why, what's a few little ticks? Wouldn't
-phase me! But Ken Ward's such a delicate,
-fine-skinned, sensitive, girly kind of a boy!
-He's too nice to be bitten by bugs. Oh
-dear, yes, yes! ... Ken, why don't you show
-courage?"
-
-Ken shook his fist at Hal.
-
-"All right," said Ken, grimly. "Have all
-the fun you can. Because I'll get even with you."
-
-Hal relapsed into silence, and Ken began to
-believe he had intimidated his brother. But
-he soon realized how foolish it was to suppose
-such a thing. Hal had only been working
-his fertile brain.
-
-"George, here's a little verse for the
-occasion," said Hal.
-
- | "There was a brave hunter named Ken,
- | And he loved to get skins for his den,
- | Not afraid was he of tigers or pigs,
- | Or snakes or cats or any such things,
- | But one day in the jungle he left his clothes,
- | And came hollering back with *garrapatoes*."
- |
-
-"Gre-at-t-t!" sputtered Ken. "Oh, brother
-mine, we're a long way from home, I'll
-make you crawl."
-
-Pepe smoked, and wore out three cigarettes,
-and George two, before they had popped all
-the biting ticks. Then Ken was still covered
-with them. Pepe bathed him in *canya*,
-which was like a bath of fire, and soon removed
-them all. Ken felt flayed alive, peeled of his
-skin, and sprinkled with fiery sparks. When
-he lay down he was as weak as a sick cat.
-Pepe said the *canya* would very soon take the
-sting away, but it was some time before Ken
-was resting easily.
-
-It would not have been fair to ask Ken just
-then whether the prize for which he worked
-was worth his present gain. *Garrapatoes* may
-not seem important to one who simply reads
-about them, but such pests are a formidable
-feature of tropical life.
-
-However, Ken presently felt that he was
-himself again.
-
-Then he put his mind to the serious problem
-of his note-book and the plotting of the
-island. As far as his trip was concerned,
-Cypress Island was an important point.
-When he had completed his map down to
-the island, he went on to his notes. He
-believed that what he had found out from his
-knowledge of forestry was really worth
-something. He had seen a gradual increase in the
-size and number of trees as he had proceeded
-down the river, a difference in the density and
-color of the jungle, a flattening-out of the
-mountain range, and a gradual change from
-rocky to clayey soil. And on the whole his
-note-book began to assume such a character
-that he was beginning to feel willing to submit
-it to his uncle.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`FIELD WORK OF A NATURALIST`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XVI
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- FIELD WORK OF A NATURALIST
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-That night Ken talked natural history to
-the boys and read extracts from a small
-copy of Sclater he had brought with him.
-
-They were all particularly interested in the
-cat tribe.
-
-The fore feet of all cats have five toes, the
-hind feet only four. Their claws are curved
-and sharp, and, except in case of one species
-of leopard, can be retracted in their sheaths.
-The claws of the great cat species are kept
-sharp by pulling them down through bark
-of trees. All cats walk on their toes. And
-the stealthy walk is due to hairy pads or
-cushions. The claws of a cat do not show in
-its track as do those of a dog. The tongues
-of all cats are furnished with large papillæ.
-They are like files, and the use is to lick bones
-and clean their fur. Their long whiskers are
-delicate organs of perception to aid them in
-finding their way on their night quests. The
-eyes of all cats are large and full, and can be
-altered by contraction or expansion of iris,
-according to the amount of light they receive.
-The usual color is gray or tawny with dark
-spots or stripes. The uniform tawny color
-of the lion and the panther is perhaps an
-acquired color, probably from the habit of
-these animals of living in desert countries. It
-is likely that in primitive times cats were all
-spotted or striped.
-
-Naturally the boys were most interested
-in the jaguar, which is the largest of the cat
-tribe in the New World. The jaguar ranges
-from northern Mexico to northern Patagonia.
-Its spots are larger than those of the leopard.
-Their ground color is a rich tan or yellow,
-sometimes almost gold. Large specimens
-have been known nearly seven feet from nose
-to end of tail.
-
-The jaguar is an expert climber and
-swimmer. Humboldt says that where the South
-American forests are subject to floods the
-jaguar sometimes takes to tree life, living on
-monkeys. All naturalists agree on the
-ferocious nature of jaguars, and on the loudness
-and frequency of their cries. There is no
-record of their attacking human beings
-without provocation. Their favorite haunts are
-the banks of jungle rivers, and they often prey
-upon fish and turtles.
-
-The attack of a jaguar is terrible. It
-leaps on the back of its prey and breaks its
-neck. In some places there are well-known
-scratching trees where jaguars sharpen their
-claws. The bark is worn smooth in front
-from contact with the breasts of the animals
-as they stand up, and there is a deep groove
-on each side. When new scars appear on
-these trees it is known that jaguars are in the
-vicinity. The cry of the jaguar is loud, deep,
-hoarse, something like *pu, pu, pu*. There is
-much enmity between the panther, or mountain-lion,
-and the jaguar, and it is very strange
-that generally the jaguar fears the lion,
-although he is larger and more powerful.
-
-Pepe had interesting things to say about
-jaguars, or *tigres*, as he called them. But
-Ken, of course, could not tell how much
-Pepe said was truth and how much just native
-talk. At any rate, Pepe told of one Mexican
-who had a blind and deaf jaguar that he had
-tamed. Ken knew that naturalists claimed
-the jaguar could not be tamed, but in this
-instance Ken was inclined to believe Pepe.
-This blind jaguar was enormous in size,
-terrible of aspect, and had been trained to
-trail anything his master set him to. And
-Tigre, as he was called, never slept or stopped
-till he had killed the thing he was trailing.
-As he was blind and deaf, his power of scent
-had been abnormally developed.
-
-Pepe told of a fight between a huge crocodile
-and a jaguar in which both were killed. He
-said jaguars stalked natives and had absolutely
-no fear. He knew natives who said that
-jaguars had made off with children and eaten
-them. Lastly, Pepe told of an incident that
-had happened in Tampico the year before.
-There was a ship at dock below Tampico,
-just on the outskirts where the jungle began,
-and one day at noon two big jaguars leaped
-on the deck. They frightened the crew out
-of their wits. George verified this story, and
-added that the jaguars had been chased by
-dogs, had boarded the ship, where they
-climbed into the rigging, and stayed there
-till they were shot.
-
-"Well," said Ken, thoughtfully, "from my
-experience I believe a jaguar would do anything."
-
-The following day promised to be a busy
-one for Hal, without any time for tricks.
-George went hunting before breakfast--in
-fact, before the others were up--and just as
-the boys were sitting down to eat he appeared
-on the nearer bank and yelled for Pepe.
-It developed that for once George had bagged game.
-
-He had a black squirrel, a small striped
-wildcat, a peccary, a three-foot crocodile, and a
-duck of rare plumage.
-
-After breakfast Hal straightway got busy,
-and his skill and knowledge earned praise
-from George and Pepe. They volunteered
-to help, which offer Hal gratefully accepted.
-He had brought along a folding canvas tank,
-forceps, knives, scissors, several packages of
-preservatives, and tin boxes in which to pack
-small skins.
-
-His first task was to mix a salt solution
-in the canvas tank. This was for immersing
-skins. Then he made a paste of salt and
-alum, and after that a mixture of two-thirds
-glycerin and one-third water and carbolic
-acid, which was for preserving small skins
-and to keep them soft.
-
-And as he worked he gave George directions
-on how to proceed with the wildcat
-and squirrel skins.
-
-"Skin carefully and tack up the pelts fur
-side down. Scrape off all the fat and oil,
-but don't scrape through. To-morrow when
-the skins are dry soak them in cold water
-till soft. Then take them out and squeeze
-dry. I'll make a solution of three quarts
-water, one-half pint salt, and one ounce oil
-of vitriol. Put the skins in that for half an
-hour. Squeeze dry again, and hang in shade.
-That 'll tan the skin, and the moths will never
-hurt them."
-
-When Hal came to take up the duck he
-was sorry that some of the beautiful plumage
-had been stained.
-
-"I want only a few water-fowl," he said.
-"And particularly one of the big Muscovies.
-And you must keep the feathers from getting
-soiled."
-
-It was interesting to watch Hal handle
-that specimen. First he took full measurements.
-Then, separating the feathers along
-the breast, he made an incision with a sharp
-knife, beginning high up on breast-bone and
-ending at tail. He exercised care so as not
-to cut through the abdomen. Raising the skin
-carefully along the cut as far as the muscles of
-the leg, he pushed out the knee joint and cut it
-off. Then he loosened the skin from the legs
-and the back, and bent the tail down to cut
-through the tail joint. Next he removed the
-skin from the body and cut off the wings at
-the shoulder joint. Then he proceeded down
-the neck, being careful not to pull or stretch the
-skin. Extreme care was necessary in cutting
-round the eyes. Then, when he had loosened
-the skin from the skull, he severed the head
-and cleaned out the skull. He coated all
-with the paste, filled the skull with cotton,
-and then immersed them in the glycerin bath.
-
-The skinning of the crocodile was an easy
-matter compared with that of the duck. Hal
-made an incision at the throat, cut along the
-middle of the abdomen all the way to the tip
-of the tail, and then cut the skin away all
-around the carcass. Then he set George and
-Pepe to scraping the skin, after which he
-immersed it in the tank.
-
-About that time Ken, who was lazily fishing
-in the shade of the cypresses, caught one of
-the blue-tailed fish. Hal was delighted. He
-had made a failure of the other specimen of
-this unknown fish. This one was larger and
-exquisitely marked, being dark gold on the
-back, white along the belly, and its tail had
-a faint bluish tinge. Hal promptly killed
-the fish, and then made a dive for his
-suitcase. He produced several sheets of stiff
-cardboard and a small box of water-colors
-and brushes. He laid the fish down on a
-piece of paper and outlined its exact size.
-Then, placing it carefully in an upright
-position on a box, he began to paint it in the
-actual colors of the moment. Ken laughed
-and teased him. George also was inclined to
-be amused. But Pepe was amazed and
-delighted. Hal worked on unmindful of his
-audience, and, though he did not paint a very
-artistic picture, he produced the vivid colors
-of the fish before they faded.
-
-His next move was to cover the fish with
-strips of thin cloth, which adhered to the scales
-and kept them from being damaged. Then he
-cut along the middle line of the belly, divided
-the pelvic arch where the ventral fins joined,
-cut through the spines, and severed the fins
-from the bones. Then he skinned down to the
-tail, up to the back, and cut through caudal
-processes. The vertebral column he severed
-at the base of the skull. He cleaned and
-scraped the entire inside of the skin, and then
-put it to soak.
-
-"Hal, you're much more likely to make good
-with Uncle Jim than I am," said Ken.
-"You've really got skill, and you know what
-to do. Now, my job is different. So far
-I've done fairly well with my map of the river.
-But as soon as we get on level ground I'll
-be stumped."
-
-"We'll cover a hundred miles before we get
-to low land," replied Hal, cheerily. "That's
-enough, even if we do get lost for the rest
-of the way. You'll win that trip abroad,
-Ken, never fear, and little Willie is going
-to be with you."
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`A MIXED-UP TIGER-HUNT`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XVII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- A MIXED-UP TIGER-HUNT
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Next morning Hal arose bright as a lark,
-but silent, mysterious, and with far-seeing
-eyes. It made Ken groan in spirit to
-look at the boy. Yes, indeed, they were far
-from home, and the person did not live on the
-earth who could play a trick on Hal Ward
-and escape vengeance.
-
-After breakfast Hal went off with a
-long-handled landing-net, obviously to capture
-birds or fish or mice or something.
-
-George said he did not feel very well, and
-he looked grouchy. He growled around camp
-in a way that might have nettled Ken, but
-Ken, having had ten hours of undisturbed sleep,
-could not have found fault with anybody.
-
-"Garrapato George, come out of it. Cheer
-up," said Ken. "Why don't you take Pinilius
-Pepe as gun-bearer and go out to shoot
-something? You haven't used up much
-ammunition yet."
-
-Ken's sarcasm was not lost upon George.
-
-"Well, if I do go, I'll not come running
-back to camp without some game."
-
-"My son," replied Ken, genially, "if you
-should happen to meet a jaguar you'd--you'd
-just let out one squawk and then never touch
-even the high places of the jungle. You'd
-take that crazy .32 rifle for a golf-stick."
-
-"Would I?" returned George. "All right."
-
-Ken watched George awhile that morning.
-The lad performed a lot of weird things around
-camp. Then he bounced bullets off the water
-in vain effort to locate the basking crocodile.
-Then he tried his hand at fishing once more.
-He could get more bites than any fisherman
-Ken ever saw, but he could not catch anything.
-
-By and by the heat made Ken drowsy,
-and, stretching himself in the shade, he
-thought of a scheme to rid the camp of the
-noisy George.
-
-"Say, George, take my hammerless and get
-Pepe to row you up along the shady bank of
-the river," suggested Ken. "Go sneaking
-along and you'll have some sport."
-
-George was delighted with that idea. He
-had often cast longing eyes at the hammerless
-gun. Pepe, too, looked exceedingly pleased.
-They got in the boat and were in the act of
-starting when George jumped ashore. He
-reached for his .32 and threw the lever down
-to see if there was a shell in the chamber.
-Then he proceeded to fill his pockets with
-ammunition.
-
-"Might need a rifle," he said. "You can't
-tell what you're going to see in this unholy
-jungle."
-
-Whereupon he went aboard again and Pepe
-rowed leisurely up-stream.
-
-"Be careful, boys," Ken called, and
-composed himself for a nap. He promptly fell
-asleep. How long he slept he had no idea,
-and when he awoke he lay with languor, not
-knowing at the moment what had awakened
-him. Presently he heard a shout, then a
-rifle-shot. Sitting up, he saw the boat some
-two hundred yards above, drifting along
-about the edge of the shade. Pepe was in it
-alone. He appeared to be excited, for Ken
-observed him lay down an oar and pick up a
-gun, and then reverse the performance. Also
-he was jabbering to George, who evidently
-was out on the bank, but invisible to Ken.
-
-"Hey, Pepe!" Ken yelled. "What 're you doing?"
-
-Strange to note, Pepe did not reply or even
-turn.
-
-"Now where in the deuce is George?" Ken
-said, impatiently.
-
-The hollow crack of George's .32 was a
-reply to the question. Ken heard the singing
-of a bullet. Suddenly, *spou!* it twanged
-on a branch not twenty feet over his head,
-and then went whining away. He heard it
-tick a few leaves or twigs. There was not
-any languor in the alacrity with which Ken
-put the big cypress-tree between him and
-up-stream. Then he ventured to peep forth.
-
-"Look out where you're slinging lead!"
-he yelled. He doubted not that George had
-treed a black squirrel or was pegging away at
-parrots. Yet Pepe's motions appeared to
-carry a good deal of feeling, too much, he
-thought presently, for small game. So Ken
-began to wake up thoroughly. He lost sight
-of Pepe behind a low branch of a tree that
-leaned some fifty yards above the island.
-Then he caught sight of him again. He was
-poling with an oar, evidently trying to go up
-or down--Ken could not tell which.
-
-*Spang*! *Spang*! George's .32 spoke twice
-more, and the bullets both struck in the middle
-of the stream and ricochetted into the far
-bank with little thuds.
-
-Something prompted Ken to reach for his
-automatic, snap the clip in tight, and push
-in the safety. At the same time he muttered
-George's words: "You can never tell what's
-coming off in this unholy jungle."
-
-Then, peeping out from behind the cypress,
-Ken watched the boat drift down-stream.
-Pepe had stopped poling and was looking
-closely into the thick grass and vines of the
-bank. Ken heard his voice, but could not
-tell what he said. He watched keenly for
-some sight of George. The moments passed,
-the boat drifted, and Ken began to think
-there was nothing unusual afoot. In this
-interval Pepe drifted within seventy-five yards
-of camp. Again Ken called to ask him what
-George was stalking, and this time Pepe yelled;
-but Ken did not know what he said. Hard
-upon this came George's sharp voice:
-
-"Look out, there, on the island. Get
-behind something. I've got him between the
-river and the flat. He's in this strip of shore
-brush. There!"
-
-*Spang*! *Spang*! *Spang*! Bullets hummed
-and whistled all about the island. Ken was
-afraid to peep out with even one eye. He
-began to fancy that George was playing
-Indian.
-
-"Fine, Georgie! You're doing great!" he
-shouted. "You couldn't come any closer to
-me if you were aiming at me. What is it?"
-
-Then a crashing of brush and a flash of
-yellow low down along the bank changed the
-aspect of the situation.
-
-"Panther! or jaguar!" Ken ejaculated, in
-amaze. In a second he was tight-muscled,
-cold, and clear-witted. At that instant he
-saw George's white shirt about the top of the
-brush.
-
-"Go back! Get out in the open!" Ken
-ordered. "Do you hear me?"
-
-"Where is he?" shouted George, paying not
-the slightest attention to Ken. Ken jumped
-from behind the tree, and, running to the
-head of the island, he knelt low near the water
-with rifle ready.
-
-"Tigre! Tigre! Tigre!" screamed Pepe,
-waving his arms, then pointing.
-
-George crashed into the brush. Ken saw
-the leaves move, then a long yellow shape.
-With the quickness of thought and the aim
-of the wing-shot, Ken fired. From the brush
-rose a strange wild scream. George aimed
-at a shaking mass of grass and vines, but,
-before he could fire, a long, lean, ugly beast
-leaped straight out from the bank to drop
-into the water with a heavy splash.
-
-Like a man half scared to death Pepe waved
-Ken's double-barreled gun. Then a yellow
-head emerged from the water. It was in line
-with the boat. Ken dared not shoot.
-
-"Kill him, George," yelled Ken. "Tell
-Pepe to kill him."
-
-George seemed unaccountably silent. But
-Ken had no time to look for him, for his
-eyes were riveted on Pepe. The native did
-not know how to hold a gun properly, let
-alone aim it. He had, however, sense enough
-to try. He got the stock under his chin,
-and, pointing the gun, he evidently tried to
-fire. But the hammerless did not go off.
-Then Pepe fumbled at the safety-catch, which
-he evidently remembered seeing Ken use.
-
-The jaguar, swimming with difficulty,
-perhaps badly wounded, made right for the boat.
-Pepe was standing on the seat. Awkwardly
-he aimed.
-
-*Boom*! He had pulled both triggers. The
-recoil knocked him backward. The hammerless
-fell in the boat, and Pepe's broad back hit
-the water; his bare, muscular legs clung to
-the gunwale, and slipped loose.
-
-He had missed the jaguar, for it kept on
-toward the boat. Still Ken dared not shoot.
-
-"George, what on earth is the matter with
-you?" shouted Ken.
-
-Then Ken saw him standing in the brush
-on the bank, fussing over the crazy .32. Of
-course at the critical moment something had
-gone wrong with the old rifle.
-
-Pepe's head bobbed up just on the other
-side of the boat. The jaguar was scarcely
-twenty feet distant and now in line with both
-boat and man. At that instant a heavy swirl
-in the water toward the middle of the river
-drew Ken's attention. He saw the big
-crocodile, and the great creature did not seem at
-all lazy at that moment.
-
-George began to scream in Spanish. Ken
-felt his hair stiffen and his face blanch. Pepe,
-who had been solely occupied with the
-jaguar, caught George's meaning and turned
-to see the peril in his rear.
-
-He bawled his familiar appeal to the saints.
-Then he grasped the gunwale of the boat
-just as it swung against the branches of the
-low-leaning tree. He vaulted rather than
-climbed aboard.
-
-Ken forgot that Pepe could understand
-little English, and he yelled: "Grab an oar,
-Pepe. Keep the jaguar in the water. Don't
-let him in the boat."
-
-But Pepe, even if he had understood, had
-a better idea. Nimble, he ran over the boat
-and grasped the branches of the tree just as
-the jaguar flopped paws and head over the
-stern gunwale.
-
-Ken had only a fleeting instant to get a
-bead on that yellow body, and before he could
-be sure of an aim the branch weighted with
-Pepe sank down to hide both boat and
-jaguar. The chill of fear for Pepe changed to
-hot rage at this new difficulty.
-
-Then George began to shoot.
-
-*Spang*!
-
-Ken heard the bullet hit the boat.
-
-"George--wait!" shouted Ken. "Don't
-shoot holes in the boat. You'll sink it."
-
-*Spang*! *Spang*! *Spang*! *Spang*!
-
-That was as much as George cared about
-such a possibility. He stood on the bank and
-worked the lever of his .32 with wild haste.
-Ken plainly heard the spat of the bullets, and
-the sound was that of lead in contact with
-wood. So he knew George was not hitting
-the jaguar.
-
-"You'll ruin the boat!" roared Ken.
-
-Pepe had worked up from the lower end
-of the branch, and as soon as he straddled
-it and hunched himself nearer shore the
-foliage rose out of the water, exposing the boat.
-George kept on shooting till his magazine was
-empty. Ken's position was too low for him
-to see the jaguar.
-
-Then the boat swung loose from the branch
-and, drifting down, gradually approached the
-shore.
-
-"Pull yourself together, George," called
-Ken. "Keep cool. Make sure of your aim.
-We've got him now."
-
-"He's mine! He's mine! He's mine!
-Don't you dare shoot!" howled George. "I
-got him!"
-
-"All right. But steady up, can't you?
-Hit him once, anyway."
-
-Apparently without aim George fired. Then,
-jerking the lever, he fired again. The boat
-drifted into overhanging vines. Once more
-Ken saw a yellow and black object, then a
-trembling trail of leaves.
-
-"He's coming out below you. Look out,"
-yelled Ken.
-
-George disappeared. Ken saw no sign of
-the jaguar and heard no shot or shout from
-George. Pepe dropped from his branch to
-the bank and caught the boat. Ken called,
-and while Pepe rowed over to the island, he
-got into some clothes fit to hunt in. Then
-they hurried back across the channel to the
-bank.
-
-Ken found the trail of the jaguar, followed
-it up to the edge of the brush, and lost it in
-the weedy flat. George came out of a patch
-of bamboos. He looked white and shaky
-and wild with disappointment.
-
-"Oh, I had a dandy shot as he came out,
-but the blamed gun jammed again. Come
-on, we'll get him. He's all shot up. I bet
-I hit him ten times. He won't get away."
-
-Ken finally got George back to camp. The
-boat was half full of water, making it necessary
-to pull it out on the bank and turn it over.
-There were ten bullet-holes in it.
-
-"George, you hit the boat, anyway," Ken
-said; "now we've a job on our hands."
-
-Hal came puffing into camp. He was red
-of face, and the sweat stood out on his
-forehead. He had a small animal of some kind
-in a sack, and his legs were wet to his knees.
-
-"What was--all the--pegging about?" he
-asked, breathlessly. "I expected to find camp
-surrounded by Indians."
-
-"Kid, it's been pretty hot round here for a
-little. George and Pepe rounded up a tiger.
-Tell us about it, George," said Ken.
-
-So while Ken began to whittle pegs to
-pound into the bullet-holes, George wiped his
-flushed, sweaty face and talked.
-
-"We were up there a piece, round the bend.
-I saw a black squirrel and went ashore to get
-him. But I couldn't find him, and in
-kicking round in the brush I came into a kind of
-trail or runway. Then I ran plumb into that
-darned jaguar. I was so scared I couldn't
-remember my gun. But the cat turned and
-ran. It was lucky he didn't make at me.
-When I saw him run I got back my courage.
-I called for Pepe to row down-stream and keep
-a lookout. Then I got into the flat. I must
-have come down a good ways before I saw
-him. I shot, and he dodged back into the
-brush again. I fired into the moving bushes
-where he was. And pretty soon I ventured
-to get in on the bank, where I had a better
-chance. I guess it was about that time that
-I heard you yell. Then it all happened.
-You hit him! Didn't you hear him scream?
-What a jump he made! If it hadn't been
-so terrible when your hammerless kicked
-Pepe overboard, I would have died laughing.
-Then I was paralyzed when the jaguar swam
-for the boat. He was hurt, for the water was
-bloody. Things came off quick, I tell you.
-Like a monkey Pepe scrambled into the tree.
-When I got my gun loaded the jaguar was
-crouched down in the bottom of the boat
-watching Pepe. Then I began to shoot. I
-can't realize he got away from us. What
-was the reason you didn't knock him?"
-
-"Well, you see, George, there were two
-good reasons," Ken replied. "The first was
-that at that time I was busy dodging bullets
-from your rifle. And the second was that you
-threatened my life if I killed your jaguar."
-
-"Did I get as nutty as that? But it was
-pretty warm there for a little.... Say, was
-he a big one? My eyes were so hazy I didn't
-see him clear."
-
-"He wasn't big, not half as big as the one
-I lost yesterday. Yours was a long, wiry
-beast, like a panther, and mean-looking."
-
-Pepe sat on the bank, and while he nursed
-his bruises he smoked. Once he made a
-speech that was untranslatable, but Hal gave
-it an interpretation which was probably near
-correct.
-
-"That's right, Pepe. Pretty punk
-tiger-hunters--mucho punk!"
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`WATCHING A RUNWAY`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XVIII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- WATCHING A RUNWAY
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-"I'll tell you what, fellows," said Hal. "I
-know where we *can* get a tiger."
-
-"We'll get one in the neck if we don't
-watch out," replied George.
-
-Ken thought that Hal looked very frank
-and earnest, and honest and eager, but there
-was never any telling about him.
-
-"Where?" he asked, skeptically.
-
-"Down along the river. You know I've
-been setting traps all along. There's a flat
-sand-bar for a good piece down. I came to
-a little gully full of big tracks, big as my
-two hands. And fresh!"
-
-"Honest Injun, kid?" queried Ken.
-
-"Hope to die if I'm lyin'," replied Hal.
-"I want to see somebody kill a tiger. Now
-let's go down there in the boat and wait for
-one to come to drink. There's a big log with
-driftwood lodged on it. We can hide
-behind that."
-
-"Great idea, Hal," said Ken. "We'd be
-pretty safe in the boat. I want to say that
-tigers have sort of got on my nerves. I ought
-to go over in the jungle to look for the one I
-crippled. He's dead by now. But the longer
-I put it off the harder it is to go. I'll back
-out yet.... Come, we'll have an early dinner.
-Then to watch for Hal's tiger."
-
-The sun had just set, and the hot breeze
-began to swirl up the river when Ken slid the
-boat into the water. He was pleased to
-find that it did not leak.
-
-"We'll take only two guns," said Ken,
-"my .351 and the hammerless, with some
-ball-cartridges. We want to be quiet to-night, and
-if you fellows take your guns you'll be pegging
-at ducks and things. That won't do."
-
-Pepe sat at the oars with instructions to
-row easily. George and Hal occupied the
-stern-seats, and Ken took his place in the bow,
-with both guns at hand.
-
-The hot wind roared in the cypresses, and
-the river whipped up little waves with white
-crests. Long streamers of gray moss waved
-out over the water and branches tossed and
-swayed. The blow did not last for many
-minutes. Trees and river once more grew
-quiet. And suddenly the heat was gone.
-
-As Pepe rowed on down the river, Cypress
-Island began to disappear round a bend, and
-presently was out of sight. Ducks were
-already in flight. They flew low over the boat,
-so low that Ken could almost have reached
-them with the barrel of his gun. The river here
-widened. It was full of huge snags. A high,
-wooded bluff shadowed the western shore. On
-the left, towering cypresses, all laced together
-in dense vine and moss webs, leaned out.
-
-Under Hal's direction Pepe rowed to a pile
-of driftwood, and here the boat was moored.
-The gully mentioned by Hal was some sixty
-yards distant. It opened like the mouth of
-a cave. Beyond the cypresses thick,
-intertwining bamboos covered it.
-
-"I wish we'd gone in to see the tracks,"
-said Ken. "But I'll take your word, Hal."
-
-"Oh, they're there, all right."
-
-"I don't doubt it. Looks great to me!
-That's a runway, Hal.... Now, boys, get a
-comfortable seat, and settle down to wait.
-Don't talk. Just listen and watch.
-Remember, soon we'll be out of the jungle,
-back home. So make hay while the sun
-shines. Watch and listen! Whoever sees
-or hears anything first is the best man."
-
-For once the boys were as obedient as
-lambs. But then, Ken thought, the surroundings
-were so beautiful and wild and silent that
-any boys would have been watchful.
-
-There was absolutely no sound but the
-intermittent whir of wings. The water-fowl
-flew by in companies--ducks, cranes, herons,
-snipe, and the great Muscovies. Ken never
-would have tired of that procession. It
-passed all too soon, and then only an
-occasional water-fowl swept swiftly by, as if
-belated.
-
-Slowly the wide river-lane shaded. But it
-was still daylight, and the bank and the
-runway were clearly distinguishable. There was
-a moment--Ken could not tell just how he
-knew--when the jungle awakened. It was not
-only the faint hum of insects; it was a sense
-as if life stirred with the coming of twilight.
-
-Pepe was the first to earn honors at the
-listening game. He held up a warning
-forefinger. Then he pointed under the bluff.
-Ken saw a doe stepping out of a fringe of
-willows.
-
-"Don't move--don't make a noise," whispered Ken.
-
-The doe shot up long ears and watched the
-boat. Then a little fawn trotted out and
-splashed in the water. Both deer drank,
-then seemed in no hurry to leave the river.
-
-Next moment Hal heard something downstream
-and George saw something up-stream.
-Pepe again whispered. As for Ken, he saw
-little dark shapes moving out of the shadow
-of the runway. He heard a faint trampling
-of hard little hoofs. But if these animals
-were *javelin*--of which he was sure--they did
-not come out into the open runway. Ken
-tried to catch Pepe's attention without
-making a noise; however, Pepe was absorbed in
-his side of the river. Ken then forgot he
-had companions. All along the shores were
-faint splashings and rustlings and crackings.
-
-A loud, trampling roar rose in the runway
-and seemed to move backward toward the
-jungle, diminishing in violence.
-
-"Pigs running--something scared 'em,"
-said George.
-
-"S-s-s-sh!" whispered Ken.
-
-All the sounds ceased. The jungle seemed
-to sleep in deep silence.
-
-Ken's eyes were glued to the light patch of
-sand-bank where it merged in the dark of the
-runway. Then Ken heard a sound--what, he
-could not have told. But it made his heart
-beat fast.
-
-There came a few pattering thuds, soft as
-velvet; and a shadow, paler than the dark
-background, moved out of the runway.
-
-With that a huge jaguar loped into the open.
-He did not look around. He took a long, easy
-bound down to the water and began to lap.
-
-Either Pepe or George jerked so violently
-as to make the boat lurch. They seemed to
-be stifling.
-
-"Oh, Ken, don't miss!" whispered Hal.
-
-Ken had the automatic over the log and in
-line. His teeth were shut tight, and he was
-cold and steady. He meant not to hurry.
-
-The jaguar was a heavy, squat, muscular
-figure, not graceful and beautiful like the one
-Ken had crippled. Suddenly he raised his
-head and looked about. He had caught a scent.
-
-It was then that Ken lowered the rifle till
-the sight covered the beast--lower yet to
-his huge paws, then still lower to the edge of
-the water. Ken meant to shoot low enough
-this time. Holding the rifle there, and
-holding it with all his strength, he pressed the
-trigger once--twice. The two shots rang out
-almost simultaneously. Ken expected to see
-this jaguar leap, but the beast crumpled up
-and sank in his tracks.
-
-Then the boys yelled, and Ken echoed
-them. Pepe was wildly excited, and began
-to fumble with the oars.
-
-"Wait! Wait, I tell you!" ordered Ken.
-
-"Oh, Ken, you pegged him!" cried Hal.
-"He doesn't move. Let's go ashore. What
-did I tell you? It took me to find the tiger."
-
-Ken watched with sharp eyes and held his
-rifle ready, but the huddled form on the sand
-never so much as twitched.
-
-"I guess I plugged him," said Ken, with
-unconscious pride.
-
-Pepe rowed the boat ashore, and when near
-the sand-bar he reached out with an oar to
-touch the jaguar. There was no doubt about
-his being dead. The boys leaped ashore and
-straightened out the beast. He was huge,
-dirty, spotted, bloody, and fiercely savage even
-in death. Ken's bullets had torn through the
-chest, making fearful wounds. Pepe jabbered,
-and the boys all talked at once. When it
-came to lifting the jaguar into the boat they
-had no slight task. The short, thick-set body
-was very heavy. But at last they loaded
-it in the bow, and Pepe rowed back to the
-island. It was still a harder task to get the
-jaguar up the high bank. Pepe kindled a fire
-so they would have plenty of light, and then
-they set to work at the skinning.
-
-What with enthusiasm over the stalk, and
-talk of the success of the trip, and compliments
-to Ken's shooting, and care of the skinning,
-the boys were three hours at the job. Ken,
-remembering Hiram Bent's teachings, skinned
-out the great claws himself. They salted the
-pelt and nailed it up on the big cypress.
-
-"You'd never have got one but for me,"
-said Hal. "That's how I pay you for the
-tricks you've played me!"
-
-"By George, Hal, it's a noble revenge!"
-cried Ken, who, in the warmth and glow of
-happiness of the time, quite believed his
-brother.
-
-Pepe went to bed first. George turned in
-next. Ken took a last look at the great pelt
-stretched on the cypress, and then he sought his
-blankets. Hal, however, remained up. Ken
-heard him pounding stakes in the ground.
-
-"Hal, what 're you doing?"
-
-"I'm settin' my trot-lines," replied Hal,
-cheerfully.
-
-"Well, come to bed."
-
-"Keep your shirt on, Ken, old boy. I'll
-be along presently."
-
-Ken fell asleep. He did not have peaceful
-slumbers. He had been too excited to rest
-well. He would wake up out of a nightmare,
-then go to sleep again. He seemed to
-wake suddenly out of one of these black spells,
-and he was conscious of pain. Something
-tugged at his leg.
-
-"What the dickens!" he said, and raised
-on his elbow. Hal was asleep between George
-and Pepe, who were snoring.
-
-Just then Ken felt a violent jerk. The
-blankets flew up at his feet, and his left leg
-went out across his brother's body. There was
-a string--a rope--something fast round his
-ankle, and it was pulling hard. It hurt.
-
-"Jiminy!" shouted Ken, reaching for his
-foot. But before he could reach it another
-tug, more violent, pulled his leg straight out.
-Ken began to slide.
-
-"What on earth?" yelled Ken. "Say!
-Something's got me!"
-
-The yells and Ken's rude exertions aroused
-the boys. And they were frightened. Ken
-got an arm around Hal and the other around
-George and held on for dear life. He was
-more frightened than they. Pepe leaped up,
-jabbering, and, tripping, he fell all in a heap.
-
-"Oh! my leg!" howled Ken. "It's being
-pulled off. Say, I can't be dreaming!"
-
-Most assuredly Ken was wide awake. The
-moonlight showed his bare leg sticking out
-and round his ankle a heavy trot-line. It was
-stretched tight. It ran down over the bank.
-And out there in the river a tremendous fish
-or a crocodile was surging about, making the
-water roar.
-
-Pepe was trying to loosen the line or break
-it. George, who was always stupid when first
-aroused, probably imagined he was being
-mauled by a jaguar, for he loudly bellowed.
-Ken had a strangle-hold on Hal.
-
-"Oh! *Oh*! *Oh-h-h*!" bawled Ken. Not
-only was he scared out of a year's growth;
-he was in terrible pain. Then his cries grew
-unintelligible. He was being dragged out of
-the tent. Still he clung desperately to the
-howling George and the fighting Hal.
-
-All at once something snapped. The
-tension relaxed. Ken fell back upon Hal.
-
-"Git off me, will you?" shouted Hal.
-"Are you c-c-cr-azy?"
-
-But Hal's voice had not the usual note
-when he was angry or impatient. He
-was laughing so he could not speak naturally.
-
-"Uh-huh!" said Ken, and sat up. "I guess
-here was where I got it. Is my leg broken?
-What came off?"
-
-Pepe was staggering about on the bank,
-going through strange motions. He had the
-line in his hands, and at the other end was
-a monster of some land threshing about in
-the water. It was moonlight and Ken could
-see plainly. Around the ankle that felt
-broken was a twisted loop of trot-line. Hal
-had baited a hook and slipped the end of
-the trot-line over Ken's foot. During the
-night the crocodile or an enormous fish had
-taken the bait. Then Ken had nearly been
-hauled off the island.
-
-Pepe was doing battle with the hooked
-thing, whatever it was, and Ken was about
-to go to his assistance when again the line
-broke.
-
-"Great! Hal, you have a nice disposition,"
-exclaimed Ken. "You have a wonderful
-affection for your brother. You care a lot
-about his legs or his life. Idiot! Can't you
-play a safe trick? If I hadn't grabbed you
-and George, I'd been pulled into the river.
-Eaten up, maybe! And my ankle is sprained.
-It won't be any good for a week. You are a
-bright boy!"
-
-And in spite of his laughter Hal began to
-look ashamed.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`ADVENTURES WITH CROCODILES`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XIX
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- ADVENTURES WITH CROCODILES
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-The rest of that night Ken had more dreams;
-and they were not pleasant. He awoke
-from one in a cold fright.
-
-It must have been late, for the moon was
-low. His ankle pained and throbbed, and to
-that he attributed his nightmare. He was
-falling asleep again when the clink of tin
-pans made him sit up with a start. Some
-animal was prowling about camp. He peered
-into the moonlit shadows, but could make
-out no unfamiliar object. Still he was not
-satisfied; so he awoke Pepe.
-
-Certainly it was not Ken's intention to let
-Pepe get out ahead; nevertheless he was lame
-and slow, and before he started Pepe rolled
-out of the tent.
-
-"Santa Maria!" shrieked Pepe.
-
-Ken fumbled under his pillow for a gun.
-Hal raised up so quickly that he bumped Ken's
-head, making him see a million stars. George
-rolled over, nearly knocking down the tent.
-
-From outside came a sliddery, rustling
-noise, then another yell that was deadened
-by a sounding splash. Ken leaped out with
-his gun, George at his elbow. Pepe stood
-just back of the tent, his arms upraised, and
-he appeared stunned. The water near the
-bank was boiling and bubbling; waves were
-dashing on the shore and ripples spreading
-in a circle.
-
-George shouted in Spanish.
-
-"Crocodile!" cried Ken.
-
-"Si, si, Señor," replied Pepe. Then he said
-that when he stepped out of the tent the
-crocodile was right in camp, not ten feet from
-where the boys lay. Pepe also said that
-these brutes were man-eaters, and that he had
-better watch for the rest of the night. Ken
-thought him, like all the natives, inclined
-to exaggerate; however, he made no objection
-to Pepe's holding watch over the crocodile.
-
-"What'd I tell you?" growled George.
-"Why didn't you let me shoot him? Let's
-go back to bed."
-
-In the morning when Ken got up he viewed
-his body with great curiosity. The ticks
-and the cigarette burns had left him a
-beautifully tattoed specimen of aborigine. His
-body, especially his arms, bore hundreds of
-little reddish scars--bites and burns
-together. There was not, however, any itching
-or irritation, for which he made sure he had
-to thank Pepe's skill and the *canya*.
-
-George did not get up when Ken called
-him. Thinking his sleep might have been
-broken, Ken let him alone a while longer, but
-when breakfast was smoking he gave him a
-prod. George rolled over, looking haggard
-and glum.
-
-"I'm sick," he said.
-
-Ken's cheerfulness left him, for he knew
-what sickness or injury did to a camping trip.
-George complained of aching bones, headache
-and cramps, and showed a tongue with a
-yellow coating. Ken said he had eaten too
-much fresh meat, but Pepe, after looking
-George over, called it a name that sounded
-like *calentura*.
-
-"What's that?" Ken inquired.
-
-"Tropic fever," replied George. "I've had
-it before."
-
-For a while he was a very sick boy. Ken
-had a little medicine-case, and from it he
-administered what he thought was best, and
-George grew easier presently. Then Ken sat
-down to deliberate on the situation.
-
-Whatever way he viewed it, he always came
-back to the same thing--they must get out
-of the jungle; and as they could not go back,
-they must go on down the river. That was a
-bad enough proposition without being
-hampered by a sick boy. It was then Ken had a
-subtle change of feeling; a shade of gloom
-seemed to pervade his spirit.
-
-By nine o'clock they were packed, and,
-turning into the shady channel, soon were out
-in the sunlight saying good-by to Cypress
-Island. At the moment Ken did not feel
-sorry to go, yet he knew that feeling would
-come by and by, and that Cypress Island
-would take its place in his memory as one
-more haunting, calling wild place.
-
-They turned a curve to run under a rocky
-bluff from which came a muffled roar of rapids.
-A long, projecting point of rock extended across
-the river, allowing the water to rush through
-only at a narrow mill-race channel close to
-the shore. It was an obstacle to get around.
-There was no possibility of lifting the boat
-over the bridge of rock, and the alternative
-was shooting the channel. Ken got out
-upon the rocks, only to find that drifting the
-boat round the sharp point was out of the
-question, owing to a dangerously swift
-current. Ken tried the depth of the
-water--about four feet. Then he dragged the boat
-back a little distance and stepped into the river.
-
-"Look! Look!" cried Pepe, pointing to the bank.
-
-About ten yards away was a bare shelf of
-mud glistening with water and showing the
-deep tracks of a crocodile. It was a slide,
-and manifestly had just been vacated. The
-crocodile-tracks resembled the imprints of a
-giant's hand.
-
-"Come out!" yelled George, and Pepe
-jabbered to his saints.
-
-"We've got to go down this river," Ken
-replied, and he kept on wading till he got the
-boat in the current. He was frightened, of
-course, but he kept on despite that. The
-boat lurched into the channel, stern first, and
-he leaped up on the bow. It shot down with
-the speed of a toboggan, and the boat whirled
-before he could scramble to the oars. What
-was worse, an overhanging tree with dead
-snags left scarce room to pass beneath. Ken
-ducked to prevent being swept overboard,
-and one of the snags that brushed and scraped
-him ran under his belt and lifted him into the
-air. He grasped at the first thing he could
-lay hands on, which happened to be a box,
-but he could not hold to it because the boat
-threatened to go on, leaving him kicking in
-midair and holding up a box of potatoes. Ken
-clutched a gunwale, only to see the water
-swell dangerously over the edge. In angry
-helplessness he loosened his hold. Then the
-snag broke, just in the nick of time, for in
-a second more the boat would have been
-swept away. Ken fell across the bow, held
-on, and soon drifted from under the threshing
-branches, and seized the oars.
-
-Pepe and George and Hal walked round the
-ledge and, even when they reached Ken,
-had not stopped laughing.
-
-"Boys, it wasn't funny," declared Ken, soberly.
-
-"I said it was coming to us," replied George.
-
-There were rapids below, and Ken went at
-them with stern eyes and set lips. It was the
-look of men who face obstacles in getting out
-of the wilderness. More than one high wave
-circled spitefully round Pepe's broad shoulders.
-
-They came to a fall where the river dropped
-a few feet straight down. Ken sent the boys
-below. Hal and George made a detour. But
-Pepe jumped off the ledge into shallow water.
-
-"*Ah-h!*" yelled Pepe.
-
-Ken was becoming accustomed to Pepe's
-wild yell, but there was a note in this which
-sent a shiver over him. Before looking, Ken
-snatched his rifle from the boat.
-
-Pepe appeared to be sailing out into the
-pool. But his feet were not moving.
-
-Ken had only an instant, but in that he saw
-under Pepe a long, yellow, swimming shape,
-leaving a wake in the water. Pepe had
-jumped upon the back of a crocodile. He
-seemed paralyzed, or else he was wisely
-trusting himself there rather than in the water.
-Ken was too shocked to offer advice. Indeed,
-he would not have known how to meet this
-situation.
-
-Suddenly Pepe leaped for a dry stone, and
-the energy of his leap carried him into the
-river beyond. Like a flash he was out again,
-spouting water.
-
-Ken turned loose the automatic on the
-crocodile and shot a magazine of shells. The
-crocodile made a tremendous surge, churning
-up a slimy foam, then vanished in a pool.
-
-"Guess this 'll be crocodile day," said
-Ken, changing the clip in his rifle. "I'll bet
-I made a hole in that one. Boys, look out
-below."
-
-Ken shoved the boat over the ledge in line
-with Pepe, and it floated to him, while Ken
-picked his way round the rocky shore. The
-boys piled aboard again. The day began to
-get hot. Ken cautioned the boys to avoid
-wading, if possible, and to be extremely
-careful where they stepped. Pepe pointed now
-and then to huge bubbles breaking on the
-surface of the water and said they were made
-by crocodiles.
-
-From then on Ken's hands were full. He
-struck swift water, where rapid after rapid,
-fall on fall, took the boat downhill at a rate to
-afford him satisfaction. The current had a
-five or six mile speed, and, as Ken had no
-portages to make and the corrugated rapids of big
-waves gave him speed, he made by far the best
-time of the voyage.
-
-The hot hours passed--cool for the boys
-because they were always wet. The sun sank
-behind a hill. The wind ceased to whip the
-streamers of moss. At last, in a gathering
-twilight, Ken halted at a wide, flat rock to
-make camp.
-
-"Forty miles to-day if we made an inch!"
-exclaimed Ken.
-
-The boys said more.
-
-They built a fire, cooked supper, and then,
-weary and silent, Hal and George and Pepe
-rolled into their blankets. But Ken doggedly
-worked an hour at his map and notes. That
-hard forty miles meant a long way toward
-the success of his trip.
-
-Next morning the mists had not lifted from
-the river when they shoved off, determined to
-beat the record of yesterday. Difficulties beset
-them from the start--the highest waterfall of
-the trip, a leak in the boat, deep, short rapids,
-narrows with choppy waves, and a whirlpool
-where they turned round and round, unable
-to row out. Nor did they get free till Pepe
-lassoed a snag and pulled them out.
-
-About noon they came to another narrow
-chute brawling down into a deep, foamy pool.
-Again Ken sent the boys around, and he backed
-the boat into the chute; and just as the
-current caught it he leaped aboard. He was
-either tired or careless, for he drifted too close
-to a half-submerged rock, and, try as he
-might, at the last moment he could not avoid
-a collision.
-
-As the stern went hard on the rock Ken
-expected to break something, but was
-surprised at the soft thud with which he struck.
-It flashed into his mind that the rock was
-moss-covered.
-
-Quick as the thought there came a rumble
-under the boat, the stern heaved up, there
-was a great sheet-like splash, and then a blow
-that splintered the gunwale. Then the boat
-shunted off, affording the astounded Ken a
-good view of a very angry crocodile. He had
-been sleeping on the rock.
-
-The boys were yelling and crowding down
-to the shore where Ken was drifting in.
-Pepe waded in to catch the boat.
-
-"What was it hit you, Ken?" asked Hal.
-
-"Mucho malo," cried Pepe.
-
-"The boat's half full of water--the
-gunwale's all split!" ejaculated George.
-
-"Only an accident of river travel," replied
-Ken, with mock nonchalance. "Say, Garrapato,
-*when*, about *when* is it coming to me?"
-
-"Well, if he didn't get slammed by a
-crocodile!" continued George.
-
-They unloaded, turned out the water,
-broke up a box to use for repairs, and mended
-the damaged gunwale--work that lost more
-than a good hour. Once again under way,
-Ken made some interesting observations. The
-river ceased to stand on end in places;
-crocodiles slipped off every muddy promontory,
-and wide trails ridged the steep clay-banks.
-
-"Cattle-trails, Pepe says," said George.
-"Wild cattle roam all through the jungle along
-the Panuco."
-
-It was a well-known fact that the
-rancheros of Tamaulipas State had no idea how
-many cattle they owned. Ken was so eager
-to see if Pepe had been correct that he went
-ashore, to find the trails were, indeed, those of
-cattle.
-
-"Then, Pepe, we must be somewhere near
-the Panuco River," he said.
-
-"Quien sabe?" rejoined he, quietly.
-
-When they rounded the curve they came
-upon a herd of cattle that clattered up the
-bank, raising a cloud of dust.
-
-"Wilder than deer!" Ken exclaimed.
-
-From that point conditions along the river
-changed. The banks were no longer green; the
-beautiful cypresses gave place to other trees,
-as huge, as moss-wound, but more rugged
-and of gaunt outline; the flowers and vines
-and shady nooks disappeared. Everywhere
-wide-horned steers and cows plunged up the
-banks. Everywhere buzzards rose from
-gruesome feasts. The shore was lined with dead
-cattle, and the stench of putrefying flesh was
-almost unbearable. They passed cattle mired
-in the mud, being slowly tortured to death
-by flies and hunger; they passed cattle that
-had slipped off steep banks and could not get
-back and were bellowing dismally; and also
-strangely acting cattle that Pepe said had
-gone crazy from ticks in their ears. Ken
-would have put these miserable beasts out of
-their misery had not George restrained him
-with a few words about Mexican law.
-
-A sense of sickness came to Ken, and though
-he drove the feeling from him, it continually
-returned. George and Hal lay flat on the
-canvas, shaded with a couple of palm leaves;
-Pepe rowed on and on, growing more and more
-serious and quiet. His quick, responsive smile
-was wanting now.
-
-By way of diversion, and also in the hope
-of securing a specimen, Ken began to shoot
-at the crocodiles. George came out of his
-lethargy and took up his rifle. He would
-have had to be ill indeed, to forswear any
-possible shooting; and, now that Ken had
-removed the bar, he forgot he had fever.
-Every hundred yards or so they would come
-upon a crocodile measuring somewhere from
-about six feet upward, and occasionally they
-would see a great yellow one, as large as a
-log. Seldom did they get within good range
-of these huge fellows, and shooting from a
-moving boat was not easy. The smaller
-ones, however, allowed the boat to approach
-quite close. George bounced many a .32
-bullet off the bank, but he never hit a
-crocodile. Ken allowed him to have the shots for
-the fun of it, and, besides, he was watching
-for a big one.
-
-"George, that rifle of yours is leaded. It
-doesn't shoot where you aim."
-
-When they got unusually close to a small
-crocodile George verified Ken's statement by
-missing his game some yards. He promptly
-threw the worn-out rifle overboard, an act
-that caused Pepe much concern.
-
-Whereupon Ken proceeded to try his luck.
-Instructing Pepe to row about in the middle
-of the stream, he kept eye on one shore while
-George watched the other. He shot half a
-dozen small crocodiles, but they slipped off
-the bank before Pepe could get ashore. This
-did not appear to be the fault of the rifle, for
-some of the reptiles were shot almost in two
-pieces. But Ken had yet to learn more about
-the tenacity of life of these water-brutes.
-Several held still long enough for Ken to shoot
-them through, then with a plunge they went
-into the water, sinking at once in a bloody
-foam. He knew he had shot them through,
-for he saw large holes in the mud-banks
-lined with bits of bloody skin and bone.
-
-"There's one," said George, pointing. "Let's
-get closer, so we can grab him. He's got
-a good piece to go before he reaches the
-water."
-
-Pepe rowed slowly along, guiding the boat
-a little nearer the shore. At forty feet the
-crocodile raised up, standing on short legs,
-so that all but his tail was free of the ground.
-He opened his huge jaws either in astonishment
-or to intimidate them, and then Ken
-shot him straight down the throat. He
-flopped convulsively and started to slide and
-roll. When he reached the water he turned
-over on his back, with his feet sticking up,
-resembling a huge frog. Pepe rowed hard to
-the shore, just as the crocodile with one last
-convulsion rolled off into deeper water. Ken
-reached over, grasped his foot, and was
-drawing it up when a sight of cold, glassy eyes
-and open-fanged jaws made him let go.
-Then the crocodile sank in water where Pepe
-could not touch bottom with an oar.
-
-"Let's get one if it takes a week," declared
-George. The lad might be sick, but there was
-nothing wrong with his spirit. "Look there!"
-he exclaimed. "Oh, I guess it's a log. Too big!"
-
-They had been unable to tell the difference
-between a crocodile and a log of driftwood
-until it was too late. In this instance a
-long, dirty-gray object lay upon a low bank.
-Despite its immense size, which certainly
-made the chances in favor of its being a log,
-Ken determined this time to be fooled on the
-right side. He had seen a dozen logs--as he
-thought--suddenly become animated and slip
-into the river.
-
-"Hold steady, Pepe. I'll take a crack at
-that just for luck."
-
-The distance was about a hundred yards,
-a fine range for the little rifle. Resting on
-his knee, he sighted low, under the gray
-object, and pulled the trigger twice. There were
-two spats so close together as to be barely
-distinguishable. The log of driftwood leaped
-into life.
-
-"Whoop!" shouted Hal.
-
-"It's a crocodile!" yelled George. "You
-hit--you hit! Will you listen to that?"
-
-"Row hard, Pepe--pull!"
-
-He bent to the oars, and the boat flew shoreward.
-
-The huge crocodile, opening yard-long jaws,
-snapped them shut with loud cracks. Then
-he beat the bank with his tail. It was as
-limber as a willow, but he seemed unable to
-move his central parts, his thick bulk, where
-Ken had sent the two mushroom bullets.
-*Whack*! *Whack*! *Whack*! The sodden blows
-jarred pieces from the clay-bank above him.
-Each blow was powerful enough to have staved
-in the planking of a ship. All at once he
-lunged upward and, falling over backward,
-slid down his runway into a few inches of
-water, where he stuck.
-
-"Go in above him, Pepe," Ken shouted.
-"Here-- Heavens! What a monster!"
-
-Deliberately, at scarce twenty feet, Ken
-shot the remaining four shells into the
-crocodile. The bullets tore through his horny
-hide, and blood and muddy water spouted up.
-George and Pepe and Hal yelled, and Ken
-kept time with them. The terrible lashing
-tail swung back and forth almost too swiftly
-for the eye to catch. A deluge of mud and
-water descended upon the boys, bespattering,
-blinding them and weighing down the boat.
-They jumped out upon the bank to escape it.
-They ran to and fro in aimless excitement.
-Ken still clutched the rifle, but he had no
-shells for it. George was absurd enough to
-fling a stone into the blood-tinged cloud of
-muddy froth and spray that hid the threshing
-leviathan. Presently the commotion subsided
-enough for them to see the great crocodile
-lying half on his back, with belly all torn
-and bloody and huge claw-like hands pawing
-the air. He was edging, slipping off into
-deeper water.
-
-"He'll get away--he'll get away!" cried
-Hal. "What 'll we do?"
-
-Ken racked his brains.
-
-"Pepe, get your lasso--rope him--rope
-him! Hurry! he's slipping!" yelled George.
-
-Pepe snatched up his lariat, and, without
-waiting to coil it, cast the loop. He caught
-one of the flippers and hauled tight on it just as
-the crocodile slipped out of sight off the muddy
-ledge. The others ran to the boat, and,
-grasping hold of the lasso with Pepe, squared
-away and began to pull. Plain it was that
-the crocodile was not coming up so easily.
-They could not budge him.
-
-"Hang on, boys!" Ken shouted. "It's a
-tug-of-war."
-
-The lasso was suddenly jerked out with a
-kind of twang. Crash! went Pepe and Hal
-into the bottom of the boat. Ken went
-sprawling into the mud, and George, who had
-the last hold, went to his knees, but valiantly
-clung to the slipping rope. Bounding up,
-Ken grasped it from him and wound it round
-the sharp nose of the bowsprit.
-
-"Get in--hustle!" he called, falling aboard.
-"You're always saying it's coming to us.
-Here's where!"
-
-George had hardly got into the boat when
-the crocodile pulled it off shore, and away it
-went, sailing down-stream.
-
-"Whoop! All aboard for Panuco!" yelled Hal.
-
-"Now, Pepe, you don't need to row any
-more--we've a water-horse," Ken added.
-
-But Pepe did not enter into the spirit of
-the occasion. He kept calling on the saints
-and crying, "Mucho malo." George and Ken
-and Hal, however, were hilarious. They had
-not yet had experience enough to know crocodiles.
-
-Faster and faster they went. The water
-began to surge away from the bow and leave
-a gurgling wake behind the stern. Soon the
-boat reached the middle of the river where the
-water was deepest, and the lasso went almost
-straight down.
-
-Ken felt the stern of the boat gradually
-lifted, and then, in alarm, he saw the front
-end sinking in the water. The crocodile was
-hauling the bow under.
-
-"Pepe--your machete--cut the lasso!" he
-ordered, sharply. George had to repeat the
-order.
-
-Wildly Pepe searched under the seat and
-along the gunwales. He could not find the
-*machete*.
-
-"Cut the rope!" Ken thundered. "Use
-a knife, the ax--anything--only cut
-it--and cut it quick!"
-
-Pepe could find nothing. Knife in hand,
-Ken leaped over his head, sprawled headlong
-over the trunk, and slashed the taut lasso
-just as the water began to roar into the
-boat. The bow bobbed up as a cork that had
-been under. But the boat had shipped six
-inches of water.
-
-.. _`KNIFE IN HAND, KEN LEAPED OVER HIS HEAD AND SLASHED THE TAUT LASSO`:
-
-.. figure:: images/img-242.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: KNIFE IN HAND, KEN LEAPED OVER HIS HEAD AND SLASHED THE TAUT LASSO
-
- KNIFE IN HAND, KEN LEAPED OVER HIS HEAD AND SLASHED THE TAUT LASSO
-
-"Row ashore, Pepe. Steady, there. Trim
-the boat, George."
-
-They beached at a hard clay-bank and
-rested a little before unloading to turn out the
-water.
-
-"Grande!" observed Pepe.
-
-"Yes; he was big," assented George.
-
-"I wonder what's going to happen to us
-next," added Hal.
-
-Ken Ward looked at these companions of
-his and he laughed outright. "Well, if you
-all don't take the cake for nerve!"
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`TREED BY WILD PIGS`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XX
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- TREED BY WILD PIGS
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Pepe's long years of *mozo* work, rowing
-for tarpon fishermen, now stood the boys
-in good stead. All the hot hours of the day
-he bent steadily to the oars. Occasionally
-they came to rifts, but these were not difficult
-to pass, being mere swift, shallow channels
-over sandy bottom. The rocks and the rapids
-were things of the past.
-
-George lay in a kind of stupor, and Hal
-lolled in his seat. Ken, however, kept alert,
-and as the afternoon wore on began to be
-annoyed at the scarcity of camp-sites.
-
-The muddy margins of the river, the steep
-banks, and the tick-infested forests offered few
-places where it was possible to rest, to say
-nothing of sleep. Every turn in the widening
-river gave Ken hope, which resulted in
-disappointment. He found consolation,
-however, in the fact that every turn and every
-hour put him so much farther on the way.
-
-About five o'clock Ken had unexpected
-good luck in shape of a small sand-bar cut
-off from the mainland, and therefore free of
-cattle-tracks. It was clean and dry, with a
-pile of driftwood at one end.
-
-"Tumble out, boys," called Ken, as Pepe
-beached the boat. "We'll pitch camp here."
-
-Neither Hal nor George showed any alacrity.
-Ken watched his brother; he feared to see
-some of the symptoms of George's sickness.
-Both lads, however, seemed cheerful, though
-too tired to be of much use in the pitching of
-camp.
-
-Ken could not recover his former good
-spirits. There was a sense of foreboding in
-his mind that all was not well, that he must
-hurry, hurry. And although George appeared
-to be holding his own, Hal healthy enough,
-and Pepe's brooding quiet at least no worse,
-Ken could not rid himself of gloom. If he
-had answered the question that knocked at
-his mind he would have admitted a certainty
-of disaster. So he kept active, and when
-there were no more tasks for that day he
-worked on his note-book, and then watched
-the flight of wild fowl.
-
-The farther down the river the boys
-traveled the more numerous were the herons
-and cranes and ducks. But they saw no more
-of the beautiful *pato real*, as Pepe called them,
-or the little russet-colored ducks, or the
-dismal-voiced bitterns. On the other hand, wild
-geese were common, and there were flocks
-and flocks of teal and canvasbacks.
-
-Pepe, as usual, cooked duck. And he had
-to eat it. George had lost his appetite
-altogether. Hal had lost his taste for meat,
-at least. And Ken made a frugal meal of rice.
-
-"Boys," he said, "the less you eat from now
-on the better for you."
-
-It took resolution to drink the cocoa, for
-Ken could not shut out remembrance of the
-green water and the shore-line of dead and
-decaying cattle. Still, he was parched with
-thirst; he had to drink. That night he slept
-ten hours without turning over. Next
-morning he had to shake Pepe to rouse him.
-
-Ken took turns at the oars with Pepe.
-It was not only that he fancied Pepe was
-weakening and in need of an occasional rest,
-but the fact that he wanted to be occupied,
-and especially to keep in good condition.
-They made thirty miles by four o'clock, and
-most of it against a breeze. Not in the whole
-distance did they pass half a dozen places
-fit for a camp. Toward evening the river
-narrowed again, resembling somewhat the
-Santa Rosa of earlier acquaintance. The
-magnificent dark forests crowded high on
-the banks, always screened and curtained by
-gray moss, as if to keep their secrets.
-
-The sun was just tipping with gold the
-mossy crests of a grove of giant ceibas, when
-the boys rounded a bend to come upon the
-first ledge of rocks for two days. A low,
-grassy promontory invited the eyes searching
-for camping-ground. This spot appeared
-ideal; it certainly was beautiful. The ledge
-jutted into the river almost to the opposite
-shore, forcing the water to rush through a
-rocky trough into a great foam-spotted pool
-below.
-
-They could not pitch the tent, since the
-stony ground would not admit stakes, so
-they laid the canvas flat. Pepe went up
-the bank with his *machete* in search of
-firewood. To Ken's utmost delight he found a
-little spring of sweet water trickling from the
-ledge, and by digging a hole was enabled to
-get a drink, the first one in more than a week.
-
-A little later, as he was spreading the
-blankets, George called his attention to shouts
-up in the woods.
-
-"Pepe's treed something," Ken said. "Take
-your gun and hunt him up."
-
-Ken went on making a bed and busying
-himself about camp, with little heed to
-George's departure. Presently, however, he
-was startled by unmistakable sounds of alarm.
-George and Pepe were yelling in unison, and,
-from the sound, appeared to be quite a
-distance away.
-
-"What the deuce!" Ken ejaculated, snatching
-up his rifle. He snapped a clip in the
-magazine and dropped several loaded clips
-and a box of extra shells into his coat pocket.
-After his adventure with the jaguar he decided
-never again to find himself short of ammunition.
-Running up the sloping bank, he entered
-the forest, shouting for his companions.
-Answering cries came from in front and a little
-to the left. He could not make out what was
-said.
-
-Save for drooping moss the forest was
-comparatively open, and at a hundred paces
-from the river-bank were glades covered with
-thickets and long grass and short palm-trees.
-The ground sloped upward quite perceptibly.
-
-"Hey, boys, where are you?" called Ken.
-
-Pepe's shrill yells mingled with George's
-shouts. At first their meaning was
-unintelligible, but after calling twice Ken
-understood.
-
-"Javelin! Go back! Javelin! We're treed!
-Wild pigs! Santa Maria! Run for your life!"
-
-This was certainly enlightening and rather
-embarrassing. Ken remembered the other
-time the boys had made him run, and he grew
-hot with anger.
-
-"I'll be blessed if I'll run!" he said, in the
-pride of conceit and wounded vanity. Whereupon
-he began to climb the slope, stopping
-every few steps to listen and look. Ken
-wondered what had made Pepe go so far for
-fire-wood; still, there was nothing but green
-wood all about. Walking round a clump of
-seared and yellow palms that rustled in the
-breeze, Ken suddenly espied George's white
-shirt. He was in a scrubby sapling not
-fifteen feet from the ground. Then Ken
-espied Pepe, perched in the forks of a ceiba,
-high above the thickets and low shrubbery.
-Ken was scarcely more than a dozen rods from
-them down the gradual slope. Both saw him
-at once.
-
-"Run, you Indian! Run!" bawled George,
-waving his hands.
-
-George implored Ken to fly to save his
-precious life.
-
-"What for? you fools! I don't see anything
-to run from," Ken shouted back. His temper
-had soured a little during the last few days.
-
-"You'd better run, or you'll have to climb,"
-replied George. "Wild pigs--a thousand of 'em!"
-
-"Where?"
-
-"Right under us. There! Oh, if they
-see you! Listen to this." He broke off a
-branch, trimmed it of leaves, and flung it
-down. Ken heard a low, trampling roar of
-many hard little feet, brushings in the thicket,
-and cracking of twigs. As close as he was,
-however, he could not see a moving object.
-The dead grass and brush were several feet
-high, up to his waist in spots, and, though he
-changed position several times, no *javelin*
-did he see.
-
-"You want to look out. Say, man, these
-are wild pigs--boars, I tell you! They'll
-kill you!" bellowed George.
-
-"Are you going to stay up there all night?"
-Ken asked, sarcastically.
-
-"We'll stay till they go away."
-
-"All right, I'll scare them away," Ken
-replied, and, suiting action to word, he worked
-the automatic as fast as it would shoot,
-aiming into the thicket under George.
-
-Of all the foolish things a nettled hunter
-ever did that was the worst. A roar answered
-the echoes of the rifle, and the roar rose from
-every side of the trees the victims were in.
-Nervously Ken clamped a fresh clip of shells
-into the rifle. Clouds of dust arose, and
-strange little squeals and grunts seemed to
-come from every quarter. Then the grass
-and bushes were suddenly torn apart by swift
-gray forms with glittering eyes. They were
-everywhere.
-
-"*Run*! *Run*!" shrieked George, high above
-the tumult.
-
-For a thrilling instant Ken stood his ground
-and fired at the bobbing gray backs. But
-every break made in the ranks by the powerful
-shells filled in a flash. Before that vicious
-charge he wavered, then ran as if pursued by
-demons.
-
-The way was downhill. Ken tripped, fell,
-rolled over and over, then, still clutching
-the rifle, rose with a bound and fled. The
-javelin had gained. They were at his heels.
-He ran like a deer. Then, seeing a low branch,
-he leaped for it, grasped it with one hand, and,
-crooking an elbow round it, swung with the
-old giant swing.
-
-Before Ken knew how it had happened he
-was astride a dangerously swaying branch
-directly over a troop of brownish-gray,
-sharp-snouted, fiendish-eyed little peccaries.
-
-Some were young and sleek, others were
-old and rough; some had little yellow teeth or
-tusks, and all pointed their sharp noses
-upward, as if expecting him to fall into their
-very mouths. Feeling safe, once more Ken
-loaded the rifle and began to kill the biggest,
-most vicious *javelin*. When he had killed
-twelve in twelve shots, he saw that shooting a
-few would be of no avail. There were
-hundreds, it seemed, and he had scarcely fifty
-shells left. Moreover, the rifle-barrel grew so
-hot that it burnt his hands. Hearing George's
-yell, he replied, somewhat to his disgust:
-
-"I'm all right, George--only treed. How 're you?"
-
-"Pigs all gone--they chased you--Pepe
-thinks we can risk running."
-
-"Don't take any chances," Ken yelled, in answer.
-
-"Hi! Hi! What's wrong with you gazabos?"
-came Hal's yell from down the slope.
-
-"Go back to the boat," shouted Ken.
-
-"What for?"
-
-"We're all treed by javelin--wild pigs."
-
-"I've got to see that," was Hal's reply.
-
-Ken called a sharp, angry order for Hal
-to keep away. But Hal did not obey. Ken
-heard him coming, and presently saw him
-enter one of the little glades. He had Ken's
-shotgun, and was peering cautiously about.
-
-"Ken, where are you?"
-
-"Here! Didn't I tell you to keep away?
-The pigs heard you--some of them are edging
-out there. Look out! Run, kid, run!"
-
-A troop of *javelin* flashed into the glade.
-Hal saw them and raised the shotgun.
-
-*Boom*! He shot both barrels.
-
-The shot tore through the brush all around
-Ken, but fortunately beneath him. Neither
-the noise nor the lead stopped the pugnacious
-little peccaries.
-
-Hal dropped Ken's hammerless and fled.
-
-"Run faster!" yelled George, who evidently
-enjoyed Hal's plight. "They'll get you!
-Run hard!"
-
-The lad was running close to the record
-when he disappeared.
-
-In trying to find a more comfortable posture,
-so he could apply himself to an interesting
-study of his captors, Ken made the startling
-discovery that the branch which upheld him
-was splitting from the tree-trunk. His heart
-began to pound in his breast; then it went
-up into his throat. Every move he made--for
-he had started to edge toward the
-tree--widened the little white split.
-
-"Boys, my branch is breaking!" he called,
-piercingly.
-
-"Can't you get another?" returned George.
-
-"No; I daren't move! Hurry, boys! If
-you don't scare these brutes off I'm a goner!"
-
-Ken's eyes were riveted upon the gap
-where the branch was slowly separating from
-the tree-trunk. He glanced about to see if
-he could not leap to another branch. There
-was nothing near that would hold him. In
-desperation he resolved to drop the rifle,
-cautiously get to his feet upon the branch, and
-with one spring try to reach the tree. When
-about to act upon this last chance he heard
-Pepe's shrill yell and a crashing in the brush.
-Then followed the unmistakable roar and
-crackling of fire. Pepe had fired the
-brush--no, he was making his way toward Ken, armed
-with a huge torch.
-
-"Pepe, you'll fire the jungle!" cried Ken,
-forgetting what was at stake and that Pepe
-could not understand much English. But
-Ken had been in one forest-fire and
-remembered it with horror.
-
-The *javelin* stirred uneasily, and ran around
-under Ken, tumbling over one another.
-
-When Pepe burst through the brush,
-holding before him long-stemmed palm leaves
-flaring in hissing flames, the whole pack of
-pigs bowled away into the forest at breakneck
-speed.
-
-Ken leaped down, and the branch came with
-him. George came running up, his face white,
-his eyes big. Behind him rose a roar that Ken
-thought might be another drove of pigs till
-he saw smoke and flame.
-
-"Boys, the jungle's on fire. Run for the river!"
-
-In their hurry they miscalculated the
-location of camp and dashed out of the jungle
-over a steep bank, and they all had a tumble.
-It was necessary to wade to reach the rocky
-ledge.
-
-Ken shook hands with Pepe.
-
-"George, tell him that was a nervy thing
-to do. He saved my life, I do believe."
-
-"You fellows did a lot of hollering," said
-Hal, from his perch in the boat.
-
-"Say, young man, you've got to go back
-after my gun. Why didn't you do what
-I told you? Foolish, to run into danger that
-way!" declared Ken, severely.
-
-"You don't suppose I was going to overlook
-a chance to see Ken Ward treed, do you?"
-
-"Well, you saw him, and that was no joke.
-But I wish Pepe could have scared those pigs
-off without firing the jungle."
-
-"Pepe says it 'll give the ticks a good
-roasting," said George.
-
-"We'll have roast pig, anyway," added Ken.
-
-He kept watching the jungle back of the
-camp as if he expected it to blow up like
-a powder-mine. But this Tamaulipas jungle
-was not Penetier Forest. A cloud of smoke
-rolled up; there was a frequent roaring of dry
-palms; but the green growths did not burn.
-It was not much of a forest-fire, and Ken
-concluded that it would soon burn out.
-
-So he took advantage of the waning
-daylight to spread out his map and plot in the
-day's travel. This time Hal watched him
-with a quiet attention that was both
-flattering and stimulating; and at the conclusion
-of the task he said:
-
-"Well, Ken, we're having sport, but we're
-doing something more--something worth while."
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`THE LEAPING TARPON`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XXI
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- THE LEAPING TARPON
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Just before dark, when the boys were at
-supper, a swarm of black mosquitoes
-swooped down upon camp.
-
-Pepe could not have shown more fear at
-angry snakes, and he began to pile green
-wood and leaves on the fire to make a heavy
-smoke.
-
-These mosquitoes were very large, black-bodied,
-with white-barred wings. Their bite
-was as painful as the sting of a bee. After
-threshing about until tired out the boys went
-to bed. But it was only to get up again, for
-the mosquitoes could bite through two
-thicknesses of blanket.
-
-For a wonder every one was quiet. Even
-George did not grumble. The only thing to
-do was to sit or stand in the smoke of the
-campfire. The boys wore their gloves and wrapped
-blankets round heads and shoulders. They
-crouched over the fire until tired of that
-position, then stood up till they could stand
-no longer. It was a wretched, sleepless night
-with the bloodthirsty mosquitoes humming
-about like a swarm of bees. They did not
-go away until dawn.
-
-"That's what I get for losing the mosquito-netting,"
-said Ken, wearily.
-
-Breakfast was not a cheerful meal, despite
-the fact that the boys all tried to brace up.
-
-George's condition showed Ken the necessity
-for renewed efforts to get out of the jungle.
-Pepe appeared heavy and slow, and, what was
-more alarming, he had lost his appetite. Hal
-was cross, but seemed to keep well. It was
-hard enough for Ken to persuade George and
-Pepe to take the bitter doses of quinine, and
-Hal positively refused.
-
-"It makes me sick, I tell you," said Hal,
-impatiently.
-
-"But Hal, you ought to be guided by my
-judgment now," replied Ken, gently.
-
-"I don't care. I've had enough of bitter pills."
-
-"I ask you--as a favor?" persisted Ken, quietly.
-
-"No!"
-
-"Well, then, I'll have to make you take them."
-
-"Wha-at?" roared Hal.
-
-"If necessary, I'll throw you down and pry
-open your mouth and get Pepe to stuff these
-pills down your throat. There!" went on
-Ken, and now he did not recognize his own
-voice.
-
-Hal looked quickly at his brother, and was
-amazed and all at once shaken.
-
-"Why, Ken--" he faltered.
-
-"I ought to have made you take them
-before," interrupted Ken. "But I've been
-too easy. Now, Hal, listen--and you, too,
-George. I've made a bad mess of this trip.
-I got you into this jungle, and I ought to have
-taken better care of you, whether you would
-or not. George has fever. Pepe is getting
-it. I'm afraid you won't escape. You all
-*would* drink unboiled water."
-
-"Ken, that's all right, but you can get
-fever from the bites of the ticks," said George.
-
-"I dare say. But just the same you could
-have been careful about the water. Not only
-that--look how careless we have been. Think
-of the things that have happened! We've
-gotten almost wild on this trip. We don't
-realize. But wait till we get home. Then
-we'll hardly be able to believe we ever had
-these adventures. But our foolishness, our
-carelessness, must stop right here. If we can't
-profit by our lucky escapes yesterday--from
-that lassoed crocodile and the wild pigs--we
-are simply no good. I love fun and sport.
-But there's a limit. Hal, remember what old
-Hiram told you about being foolhardily brave.
-I think we have been wonderfully lucky.
-Now let's deserve our good luck. Let's not
-prove what that Tampico hotel-man said.
-Let's show we are not just wild-goose-chasing
-boys. I put it to you straight. I think the
-real test is yet to come, and I want you to
-help me. No more tricks. No more drinking
-unboiled water. No more shooting except
-in self-defense. We must not eat any more
-meat. No more careless wandering up the
-banks. No chances. See? And fight the
-fever. Don't give up. Then when we get
-out of this awful jungle we can look back at
-our adventures--and, better, we can be sure
-we've learned a lot. We shall have accomplished
-something, and that's learning. Now,
-how about it? Will you help me?"
-
-"You can just bet your life," replied George,
-and he held out his hand.
-
-"Ken, I'm with you," was Hal's quiet
-promise; and Ken knew from the way the lad
-spoke that he was in dead earnest. When it
-came to the last ditch Hal Ward was as true
-as steel. He took the raw, bitter quinine Ken
-offered and swallowed it without a grimace.
-
-"Good!" exclaimed Ken. "Now, boys, let's
-pack. Hal, you let your menagerie go.
-There's no use keeping your pets any longer.
-George, you make yourself a bed on the trunk,
-and fix a palm-leaf sun-shelter. Then lie
-down."
-
-When the boat had been packed and all was
-in readiness for the start, George was sound
-asleep. They shoved off into the current.
-Pepe and Ken took turns at the oars, making
-five miles an hour.
-
-As on the day before, they glided under the
-shadows of the great moss-twined cypresses,
-along the muddy banks where crocodiles
-basked in the sun and gaunt cattle came down
-to drink. Once the boat turned a bushy point
-to startle a large flock of wild turkeys,
-perhaps thirty-five in number. They had been
-resting in the cool sand along the river. Some
-ran up the bank, some half-dozen flew right
-over the boat, and most of them squatted down
-as if to evade detection. Thereafter turkeys
-and ducks and geese became so common as to
-be monotonous.
-
-About one o'clock Ken sighted a thatched
-bamboo and palm-leaf hut on the bank.
-
-"Oh, boys, look! look!" cried Ken, joyfully.
-
-Hal was as pleased as Ken, and George
-roused out of his slumber. Pepe grinned and
-nodded his head.
-
-Some naked little children ran like quail.
-A disheveled black head peeped out of a
-door, then swiftly vanished.
-
-"Indians," said George.
-
-"I don't care," replied Ken, "they're human
-beings--people. We're getting somewhere."
-
-From there on the little bamboo huts were
-frequently sighted. And soon Ken saw a large
-one situated upon a high bluff. Ken was
-wondering if these natives would be hospitable.
-
-Upon rounding the next bend the boys
-came unexpectedly upon a connecting river.
-It was twice as wide as the Santa Rosa, and
-quite swift.
-
-"Tamaulipas," said Pepe.
-
-"Hooray! boys, this is the source of the
-Panuco, sure as you're born," cried Ken. "I
-told you we were getting somewhere."
-
-He was overcome with the discovery. This
-meant success.
-
-"Savalo! Savalo!" exclaimed Pepe, pointing.
-
-"Tarpon! Tarpon! What do you think
-of that? 'Way up here! We must be a long
-distance from tide-water," said George.
-
-Ken looked around over the broad pool
-below the junction of the two rivers. And
-here and there he saw swirls, and big splashes,
-and then the silver sides of rolling tarpon.
-
-"Boys, seeing we've packed that can of
-preserved mullet all the way, and those
-thundering heavy tackles, let's try for
-tarpon," suggested Ken.
-
-It was wonderful to see how the boys
-responded. Pepe was no longer slow and
-heavy. George forgot he was sick. Hal,
-who loved to fish better than to hunt, was as
-enthusiastic as on the first day.
-
-"Ken, let me boss this job," said George,
-as he began to rig the tackles. "Pepe will
-row; you and Hal sit back here and troll.
-I'll make myself useful. Open the can.
-See, I hook the mullet just back of the head,
-letting the bar come out free. There! Now
-run out about forty feet of line. Steady the
-butt of the rod under your leg. Put your left
-hand above the reel. Hold the handle of the
-reel in your right, and hold it hard. The
-drag is in the handle. Now when a tarpon
-takes the bait, jerk with all your might.
-Their mouths are like iron, and it's hard to get
-a hook to stick."
-
-Pepe rowed at a smooth, even stroke and
-made for the great curve of the pool where
-tarpon were breaking water.
-
-"If they're on the feed, we'll have more
-sport than we've had yet," said George.
-
-Ken was fascinated, and saw that Hal was
-going to have the best time of the trip. Also
-Ken was very curious to have a tarpon strike.
-He had no idea what it would be like. Presently,
-when the boat glided among the rolling
-fish and there was prospect of one striking
-at any moment, Ken could not subdue a
-mounting excitement.
-
-"Steady now--be ready," warned George.
-
-Suddenly Hal's line straightened. The lad
-yelled and jerked at the same instant. There
-came a roar of splitting waters, and a beautiful
-silver fish, longer than Hal himself, shot
-up into the air. The tarpon shook himself
-and dropped back into the water with a crash.
-
-Hal was speechless. He wound in his line
-to find the bait gone.
-
-"Threw the hook," said George, as he
-reached into the can for another bait. "He
-wasn't so big. You'll get used to losing 'em.
-There! try again."
-
-Ken had felt several gentle tugs at his line,
-as if tarpon were rolling across it. And
-indeed he saw several fish swim right over where
-his line disappeared in the water. There were
-splashes all around the boat, some gentle
-swishes and others hard, cutting rushes.
-Then his line straightened with a heavy
-jerk. He forgot to try to hook the fish;
-indeed, he had no time. The tarpon came half
-out of the water, wagged his head, and plumped
-back. Ken had not hooked the fish, nor had
-the fish got the bait. So Ken again let out his
-line.
-
-The next thing which happened was that
-the boys both had strikes at the same instant.
-Hal stood up, and as his tarpon leaped it
-pulled him forward, and he fell into the
-stern-seat. His reel-handle rattled on the gunwale.
-The line hissed. Ken leaned back and jerked.
-His fish did not break water, but he was
-wonderfully active under the surface. Pepe was
-jabbering. George was yelling. Hal's fish
-was tearing the water to shreds. He crossed
-Ken's fish; the lines fouled, and then slacked.
-Ken began to wind in. Hal rose to do likewise.
-
-"Gee!" he whispered, with round eyes.
-
-Both lines had been broken. George made
-light of this incident, and tied on two more
-leaders and hooks and baited afresh.
-
-"The fish are on the feed, boys. It's a
-cinch you'll each catch one. Better troll one
-at a time, unless you can stand for crossed
-lines."
-
-But Ken and Hal were too eager to catch a
-tarpon to troll one at a time, so once more
-they let their lines out. A tarpon took Hal's
-bait right under the stern of the boat. Hal
-struck with all his might. This fish came up
-with a tremendous splash, drenching the boys.
-His great, gleaming silver sides glistened in
-the sun. He curved his body and straightened
-out with a snap like the breaking of a board,
-and he threw the hook whistling into the air.
-
-Before Hal had baited up, Ken got another
-strike. This fish made five leaps, one after
-the other, and upon the last threw the hook
-like a bullet. As he plunged down, a
-beautiful rainbow appeared in the misty spray.
-
-"Hal, do you see that rainbow?" cried Ken,
-quickly. "There's a sight for a fisherman!"
-
-This time in turn, before Ken started to
-troll, Hal hooked another tarpon. This one
-was not so large, but he was active. His
-first rush was a long surge on the surface.
-He sent the spray in two streaks like a
-motor-boat. Then he sounded.
-
-"Hang on, Hal!" yelled George and Ken
-in unison.
-
-Hal was bent almost double and his head
-was bobbing under the strain. He could
-not hold the drag. The line was whizzing out.
-
-"You got that one hooked," shouted
-George. "Let go the reel--drop the handle.
-Let him run."
-
-He complied, and then his fish began a
-marvelous exhibition of lofty tumbling. He
-seemed never to stay down at all. Now he
-shot up, mouth wide, gills spread, eyes wild,
-and he shook himself like a wet dog. Then
-he dropped back, and before the boys had
-time to think where he might be he came
-up several rods to the right and cracked his
-gills like pistol-shots. He skittered on his
-tail and stood on his head and dropped flat
-with a heavy smack. Then he stayed under
-and began to tug.
-
-"Hang on, now," cried George. "Wind
-in. Hold him tight. Don't give him an
-inch unless he jumps."
-
-This was heartbreaking work for Hal. He
-toiled to keep the line in. He grew red in the
-face. He dripped with sweat. He panted for
-breath. But he hung on.
-
-Ken saw how skilfully Pepe managed the
-boat. The *mozo* seemed to know just which
-way the fish headed, and always kept the boat
-straight. Sometimes he rowed back and lent
-his help to Hal. But this appeared to anger
-the tarpon, for the line told he was coming
-to the surface. Then, as Pepe ceased to let
-him feel the weight of the boat, the tarpon
-sank again. So the battle went on round and
-round the great pool. After an hour of it
-Hal looked ready to drop.
-
-"Land him alone if you can," said Ken.
-"He's tiring, Hal."
-
-"I'll--land him--or--or bust!" panted Hal.
-
-"Look out, now!" warned George again.
-"He's coming up. See the line. Be ready
-to trim the boat if he drops aboard. *Wow!*"
-
-The tarpon slipped smoothly out of the
-water and shot right over the bow of the boat.
-Quick-witted George flung out his hand and
-threw Hal's rod round in time to save the line
-from catching. The fish went down, came
-up wagging his head, and then fell with
-sullen splash.
-
-"He's done," yelled George. "Now, Hal,
-hold him for all you're worth. Not an inch
-of line!"
-
-Pepe headed the boat for a sandy beach;
-and Hal, looking as if about to have a stroke
-of apoplexy, clung desperately to the bending
-rod. The tarpon rolled and lashed his tail,
-but his power was mostly gone. Gradually he
-ceased to roll, until by the time Pepe reached
-shore he was sliding wearily through the water,
-his silvery side glittering in the light.
-
-The boat grated on the sand. Pepe leaped
-out. Then he grasped Hal's line, slipped his
-hands down to the long wire leader, and
-with a quick, powerful pull slid the tarpon
-out upon the beach.
-
-"Oh-h!" gasped Hal, with glistening eyes.
-"Oh-h! Ken, just look!"
-
-"I'm looking, son, and don't you forget it."
-
-The tarpon lay inert, a beautiful silver-scaled
-creature that looked as if he had just
-come from a bath of melted opals. The great
-dark eyes were fixed and staring, the tail
-moved feebly, the long dorsal fin quivered.
-
-He measured five feet six inches in length,
-which was one inch more than Hal's height.
-
-"Ken, the boys back home will never believe
-I caught him," said Hal, in distress.
-
-"Take his picture to prove it," replied Ken.
-
-Hal photographed his catch. Pepe took
-out the hook, showing, as he did so, the great
-iron-like plates in the mouth of the fish.
-
-"No wonder it's hard to hook them," said Ken.
-
-Hal certainly wanted his beautiful fish to
-go back, free and little hurt, to the river.
-But also he wanted him for a specimen. Hal
-deliberated. Evidently he was considering the
-labor of skinning such a huge fish and the
-difficulty of preserving and packing the hide.
-
-"Say, Hal, wouldn't you like to see me hook
-one?" queried Ken, patiently.
-
-That brought Hal to his senses.
-
-"Sure, Ken, old man, I want you to catch
-one--a big one--bigger than mine," replied
-Hal, and restored the fish to the water.
-
-They all watched the liberated tarpon swim
-wearily off and slip down under the water.
-
-"He'll have something to tell the rest,
-won't he?" said George.
-
-In a few minutes the boat was again in the
-center of the great pool among the rolling
-tarpon. Ken had a strike immediately.
-He missed. Then he tried again. And in a
-short space of time he saw five tarpon in the
-air, one after the other, and not one did he
-hook securely. He got six leaps out of one,
-however, and that was almost as good as
-landing him.
-
-"There 're some whales here," said George.
-
-"Grande savalo," added Pepe, and he rowed
-over to where a huge fish was rolling.
-
-"Oh, I don't want to hook the biggest one
-first," protested Ken.
-
-Pepe rowed to and fro. The boys were busy
-trying to see the rolling tarpon. There would
-be a souse on one side, then a splash on the
-other, then a thump behind. What with
-trying to locate all these fish and still keep an
-eye on Ken's line the boys almost dislocated
-their necks.
-
-Then, quick as a flash, Ken had a strike
-that pulled him out of his seat to his knees.
-He could not jerk. His line was like a wire.
-It began to rise. With all his strength he
-held on. The water broke in a hollow, slow
-roar, and a huge humpbacked tarpon seemed
-to be climbing into the air. But he did not
-get all the way out, and he plunged back
-with a thunderous crash. He made as much
-noise as if a horse had fallen off a bridge.
-
-The handle of the reel slipped out of Ken's
-grasp, and it was well. The tarpon made a
-long, wonderful run and showed on the surface
-a hundred yards from the boat. He was
-irresistibly powerful. Ken was astounded and
-thrilled at his strength and speed. There,
-far away from the boat, the tarpon leaped
-magnificently, clearing the water, and then
-went down. He did not come up again.
-
-"Ken, he's a whale," said George. "I
-believe he's well hooked. He won't jump any
-more. And you've got a job on your hands."
-
-"I want him to jump."
-
-"The big ones seldom break water after
-the first rush or so."
-
-"Ken, it's coming to you with that
-fellow," said Hal. "My left arm is paralyzed.
-Honestly, I can pinch it and not feel the pain."
-
-Pepe worked the boat closer and Ken
-reeled in yard after yard of line. The tarpon
-was headed down-stream, and he kept up a
-steady, strong strain.
-
-"Let him tow the boat," said George.
-"Hold the drag, Ken. Let him tow the boat."
-
-"What!" exclaimed Ken, in amaze.
-
-"Oh, he'll do it, all right."
-
-And so it proved. Ken's tarpon, once
-headed with the current, did not turn, and
-he towed the boat.
-
-"This is a new way for me to tire out a
-fish," said Ken. "What do you think of it, Hal?"
-
-Hal's eyes glistened.
-
-"This is fishing. Ken, did you see him
-when he came up?"
-
-"Not very clearly. I had buck-fever. You
-know how a grouse looks when he flushes
-right under your feet--a kind of brown blur.
-Well, this was the same, only silver."
-
-At the end of what Ken judged to be a
-mile the tarpon was still going. At the end
-of the second mile he was tired. And three
-miles down the river from where the fish was
-hooked Pepe beached the boat on a sandbar
-and hauled ashore a tarpon six feet ten
-inches long.
-
-Here Ken echoed Hal's panting gasp
-of wonder and exultation. As he sat down
-on the boat to rest he had no feeling in
-his left arm, and little in his right. His
-knuckles were skinned and bloody. No
-game of baseball he had ever pitched had
-taken his strength like the conquest of this
-magnificent fish.
-
-"Hal, we'll have some more of this fishing
-when we get to Tampico," said Ken. "Why,
-this beats hunting. You have the sport, and
-you needn't kill anything. This tarpon isn't
-hurt."
-
-So Ken photographed his prize and measured
-him, and, taking a last lingering glance at the
-great green back, the silver-bronze sides, the
-foot-wide flukes of the tail, at the whole
-quivering fire-tinted length, he slid the tarpon
-back into the river.
-
-
-
-
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-Much as Ken would have liked to go back
-to that pool, he did not think of it twice.
-And as soon as the excitement had subsided
-and the journey was resumed, George and Hal,
-and Pepe, too, settled down into a silent
-weariness that made Ken anxious.
-
-During the afternoon Ken saw Pepe slowly
-droop lower and lower at the oars till the time
-came when he could scarcely lift them to
-make a stroke. And when Ken relieved him
-of them, Pepe fell like a log in the boat.
-
-George slept. Hal seemed to be fighting
-stupor. Pepe lay motionless on his seat. They
-were all going down with the fever, that
-Ken knew, and it took all his courage to face
-the situation. It warmed his heart to see how
-Hal was trying to bear up under a languor
-that must have been well-nigh impossible to
-resist. At last Hal said:
-
-"Ken, let me row." He would not admit
-that he was sick.
-
-Ken thought it would do Hal no harm to
-work. But Ken did not want to lose time.
-So he hit upon a plan that pleased him.
-There was an extra pair of oars in the boat.
-Ken fashioned rude pegs from a stick and
-drove these down into the cleat inside the
-gunwales. With stout rope he tied the oars
-to the pegs, which answered fairly well as
-oarlocks. Then they had a double set of
-oars going, and made much better time.
-
-George woke and declared that he must take
-a turn at the oars. So Ken let him row, too,
-and rested himself. He had a grim foreboding
-that he would need all his strength.
-
-The succeeding few hours before sunset
-George and Hal more than made up for all
-their delinquencies of the past. At first it was
-not very hard for them to row; but soon they
-began to weary, then weaken. Neither one,
-however, would give up. Ken let them
-row, knowing that it was good for them.
-Slower and slower grew George's strokes,
-there were times when he jerked up
-spasmodically and made an effort, only to weaken
-again. At last, with a groan he dropped the
-oars. Ken had to lift him back into the bow.
-
-Hal was not so sick as George, and therefore
-not so weak. He lasted longer. Ken
-had seen the lad stick to many a hard job,
-but never as he did to this one. Hal was
-making good his promise. There were times when
-his breath came in whistles. He would stop
-and pant awhile, then row on. Ken pretended
-he did not notice. But he had never been
-so proud of his brother nor loved him so well.
-
-"Ken, old man," said Hal, presently. "I
-was--wrong--about the water. I ought to
-have obeyed you. I--I'm pretty sick."
-
-What a confession for Hal Ward!
-
-Ken turned in time to see Hal vomit over
-the gunwale.
-
-"It's pretty tough, Hal," said Ken, as he
-reached out to hold his brother's head; "but
-you're game. I'm so glad to see that."
-
-Whereupon Hal went back to his oars and
-stayed till he dropped. Ken lifted him and
-laid him beside George.
-
-Ken rowed on with his eyes ever in search
-of a camping-site. But there was no place to
-camp. The muddy banks were too narrow
-at the bottom, too marshy and filthy. And
-they were too steep to climb to the top.
-
-The sun set. Twilight fell. Darkness came
-on, and still Ken rowed down the river. At
-last he decided to make a night of it at the
-oars. He preferred to risk the dangers of the
-river at night rather than spend miserable
-hours in the mud. Rousing the boys, he
-forced them to swallow a little cold rice and
-some more quinine. Then he covered them
-with blankets, and had scarce completed the
-task when they were deep in slumber.
-
-Then the strange, dense tropical night
-settled down upon Ken. The oars were
-almost noiseless, and the water gurgled softly
-from the bow. Overhead the expanse was
-dark blue, with a few palpitating stars. The
-river was shrouded in gray gloom, and the
-banks were lost in black obscurity. Great
-fireflies emphasized the darkness. He trusted
-a good deal to luck in the matter of going
-right; yet he kept his ear keen for the sound
-of quickening current, and turned every few
-strokes to peer sharply into the gloom. He
-seemed to have little sense of peril, for, though
-he hit submerged logs and stranded on bars,
-he kept on unmindful, and by and by lost what
-anxiety he had felt. The strange wildness
-of the river at night, the gray, veiled space into
-which he rowed unheeding began to work
-upon his mind.
-
-That was a night to remember--a night
-of sounds and smells, of the feeling of the cool
-mist, the sight of long, dark forest-line and
-a golden moon half hidden by clouds. Prominent
-among these was the trill of river frogs.
-The trill of a northern frog was music, but
-that of these great, silver-throated jungle
-frogs was more than music. Close at hand one
-would thrill Ken with mellow, rich notes;
-and then from far would come the answer,
-a sweet, high tenor, wilder than any other
-wilderness sound, long sustained, dying away
-till he held his breath to listen.
-
-So the hours passed; and the moon went
-down into the weird shadows, and the Southern
-Cross rose pale and wonderful.
-
-Gradually the stars vanished in a kind of
-brightening gray, and dawn was at hand.
-Ken felt weary for sleep, and his arms and back
-ached. Morning came, with its steely light
-on the river, the rolling and melting of vapors,
-the flight of ducks and call of birds. The
-rosy sun brought no cheer.
-
-Ken beached the boat on a sand-bar.
-While he was building a fire George raised
-his head and groaned. But neither Pepe nor
-Hal moved. Ken cooked rice and boiled
-cocoa, which he choked down. He opened
-a can of fruit and found that most welcome.
-Then he lifted George's head, shook him,
-roused him, and held him, and made him eat
-and drink. Nor did he neglect to put a
-liberal dose of quinine in the food. Pepe was
-easily managed, but poor Hal was almost
-unable to swallow. Something terribly grim
-mingled with a strong, passionate thrill as
-Ken looked at Hal's haggard face. Then
-Ken Ward knew how much he could stand,
-what work he could do to get his brother out
-of the jungle.
-
-He covered the boys again and pushed out
-the boat. At the moment he felt a strength
-that he had never felt before. There was a
-good, swift current in the river, and Ken was
-at great pains to keep in it. The channel
-ran from one side of the river to the other.
-Many times Ken stranded on sandy shoals
-and had to stand up and pole the boat into
-deeper water. This was work that required
-all his attention. It required more than
-patience. But as he rowed and poled and
-drifted he studied the shallow ripples and
-learned to avoid the places where the boat
-would not float.
-
-There were stretches of river where the
-water was comparatively deep, and along
-these he rested and watched the shores as he
-drifted by. He saw no Indian huts that
-morning. The jungle loomed high and dark,
-a matted gray wall. The heat made the
-river glare and smoke. Then where the
-current quickened he rowed steadily and easily,
-husbanding his strength.
-
-More than all else, even the ravings of Hal
-in fever, the thing that wore on Ken and made
-him gloomy was the mourning of turtle-doves.
-As there had been thousands of these
-beautiful birds along the Santa Rosa River, so
-there were millions along the Panuco. Trees
-were blue with doves. There was an
-incessant soft, sad moaning. He fought his
-nervous, sensitive imaginings. And for a
-time he would conquer the sense of some sad
-omen sung by the doves. Then the monotony,
-the endless sweet "coo-ooo-ooo," seemed
-to drown him in melancholy sound. There were
-three distinct tones--a moan, swelling to full
-ring, and dying away: "Coo-*ooo*-ooo--coo-*ooo*-ooo."
-
-All the afternoon the mourning, haunting
-song filled Ken Ward's ears. And when the
-sun set and night came, with relief to his
-tortured ear but not to mind, Ken kept on
-without a stop.
-
-The day had slipped behind Ken with the
-miles, and now it was again dark. It seemed
-that he had little sense of time. But his
-faculties of sight and hearing were singularly
-acute. Otherwise his mind was like the weird
-gloom into which he was drifting.
-
-Before the stars came out the blackness was
-as thick as pitch. He could not see a yard
-ahead. He backed the boat stern first
-down-stream and listened for the soft murmur
-of ripples on shoals. He avoided these by
-hearing alone. Occasionally a huge, dark
-pile of driftwood barred his passage, and he
-would have to go round it. Snags loomed up
-specter-like in his path, seemingly to reach for
-him with long, gaunt arms. Sometimes he
-drifted upon sand-bars, from which he would
-patiently pole the boat.
-
-When the heavy dew began to fall he put
-on his waterproof coat. The night grew
-chill. Then the stars shone out. This
-lightened the river. Yet everywhere were shadows.
-Besides, clouds of mist hung low, in places
-obscuring the stars.
-
-Ken turned the boat bow first downstream
-and rowed with slow, even stroke.
-He no longer felt tired. He seemed to have
-the strength of a giant. He fancied that with
-one great heave he could lift the boat out of
-the water or break the oars. From time to
-time he ceased to row, and, turning his head,
-he looked and listened. The river had numerous
-bends, and it was difficult for Ken to keep
-in the middle channel. He managed pretty
-well to keep right by watching the dark
-shore-line where it met the deep-blue sky.
-In the bends the deepest water ran close to
-the shore of the outside curve. And under
-these high banks and the leaning cypresses
-shadows were thicker and blacker than in the
-earlier night. There was mystery in them
-that Ken felt.
-
-The sounds he heard when he stopped
-during these cautious resting intervals were
-the splashes of fish breaking water, the low
-hum of insects, and the trill of frogs. The
-mourning of the doves during daylight had
-haunted him, and now he felt the same
-sensation at this long-sustained, exquisitely sweet
-trill. It pierced him, racked him, and at last,
-from sheer exhaustion of his sensibilities, he
-seemed not to hear it any more, but to have
-it in his brain.
-
-The moon rose behind the left-hand jungle
-wall, silvered half of the river and the
-opposite line of cypresses, then hid under clouds.
-
-Suddenly, near or far away, down the river
-Ken saw a wavering light. It was too large
-for a firefly, and too steady. He took it
-for a Jack-o'-lantern. And for a while it
-enhanced the unreality, the ghostliness of the
-river. But it was the means of bringing
-Ken out of his dreamy gloom. It made him
-think. The light was moving. It was too
-wavering for a Jack-o'-lantern. It was
-coming up-stream. It grew larger.
-
-Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it
-vanished. Ken lost sight of it under a deep
-shadow of overhanging shore. As he reached
-a point opposite to where it disappeared he
-thought he heard a voice. But he could not
-be sure. He did not trust his ears. The
-incident, however, gave him a chill. What
-a lonesome ride! He was alone on that
-unknown river with three sick boys in the boat.
-Their lives depended upon his care, his
-strength, his skill, his sight and hearing.
-And the realization, striking him afresh,
-steeled his arms again and his spirit.
-
-The night wore on. The moon disappeared
-entirely. The mists hung low like dim sheets
-along the water. Ken was wringing-wet with
-dew. Long periods of rowing he broke with
-short intervals of drifting, when he rested at
-the oars.
-
-Then drowsiness attacked him. For hours
-it seemed he fought it off. But at length it
-grew overpowering. Only hard rowing would
-keep him awake. And, as he wanted to
-reserve his strength, he did not dare exert
-himself violently. He could not keep his eyes
-open. Time after time he found himself
-rowing when he was half asleep. The boat
-drifted against a log and stopped. Ken
-drooped over his oars and slept, and yet he
-seemed not altogether to lose consciousness.
-He roused again to row on.
-
-It occurred to him presently that he might
-let the boat drift and take naps between
-whiles. When he drifted against a log or a
-sand-bar the jar would awaken him. The
-current was sluggish. There seemed to be
-no danger whatever. He must try to keep
-his strength. A little sleep would refresh
-him. So he reasoned, and fell asleep over
-the oars.
-
-Sooner or later--he never knew how long
-after he had fallen asleep--a little jar awakened
-him. Then the gurgle and murmur of water
-near him and the rush and roar of a swift
-current farther off made him look up with a
-violent start. All about him was wide, gray
-gloom. Yet he could see the dark, glancing
-gleam of the water. Movement of the oars
-told him the boat was fast on a sand-bar.
-That relieved him, for he was not drifting at
-the moment into the swift current he heard.
-Ken peered keenly into the gloom. Gradually
-he made out a long, dark line running
-diagonally ahead of him and toward the
-right-hand shore. It could not be an island or a
-sand-bar or a shore-line. It could not be
-piles of driftwood. There was a strange
-regularity in the dark upheavals of this
-looming object. Ken studied it. He studied the
-black, glancing water. Whatever the line
-was, it appeared to shunt the current over to
-the right, whence came the low rush and roar.
-
-Altogether it was a wild, strange place.
-Ken felt a fear of something he could not name.
-It was the river--the night--the loneliness--the
-unknown about him and before him.
-
-Suddenly he saw a dull, red light far down
-the river. He stiffened in his seat. Then
-he saw another red light. They were like
-two red eyes. Ken shook himself to see if
-he had nightmare. No; the boat was there;
-the current was there; the boys were there,
-dark and silent under their blankets. This
-was no dream. Ken's fancy conjured up
-some red-eyed river demon come to destroy
-him and his charges. He scorned the fancy,
-laughed at it. But, all the same, in that dark,
-weird place, with the murmuring of notes
-in his ears and with those strange red eyes
-glowing in the distance, he could not help
-what his emotions made the truth. He was
-freezing to the marrow, writhing in a clammy
-sweat when a low "chug-chug-chug" enlightened
-him. The red eyes were those of a steamboat.
-
-A steamboat on the wild Panuco! Ken
-scarcely believed his own judgment. Then
-he remembered that George said there were
-a couple of boats plying up and down the
-lower Panuco, mostly transporting timber and
-cattle. Besides, he had proof of his judgment
-in the long, dark line that had so puzzled
-him--it was a breakwater. It turned the
-current to the left, where there evidently was
-a channel.
-
-The great, red eyes gleamed closer, the
-"chug-chug-chug" sounded louder. Then
-another sound amazed Ken--a man's voice
-crying out steadily and monotonously.
-
-Ken wanted to rouse the boys and Pepe,
-but he refrained. It was best for them to
-sleep. How surprised they would be when he
-told them about the boat that passed in the
-night! Ken now clearly heard the splashing
-of paddles, the chug of machinery, and the
-man's voice. He was singsonging: "Dos y
-media, dos y media, dos y media."
-
-Ken understood a little Mexican, and
-this strange cry became clear to him. The
-man was taking soundings with a lead and
-crying out to the pilot. *Dos y media* meant two
-and a half feet of water. Then the steam-boat
-loomed black in the gray gloom. It was
-pushing a low, flat barge. Ken could not
-see the man taking soundings, but he heard
-him and knew he was on the front end of the
-barge. The boat passed at fair speed, and it
-cheered Ken. For he certainly ought to be
-able to take a rowboat where a steamboat
-had passed. And, besides, he must be getting
-somewhere near the little village of Panuco.
-
-He poled off the bar and along the breakwater
-to the channel. It was narrow and swift.
-He wondered how the pilot of the steamboat
-had navigated in the gloom. He slipped
-down-stream, presently to find himself once
-more in a wide river. Refreshed by his sleep
-and encouraged by the meeting with the
-steamboat, Ken settled down to steady rowing.
-
-The stars paled, the mist thickened, fog
-obscured the water and shore; then all turned
-gray, lightened, and dawn broke. The sun
-burst out. Ken saw thatched huts high on
-the banks and occasionally natives. This
-encouraged him all the more.
-
-He was not hungry, but he was sick for a
-drink. He had to fight himself to keep from
-drinking the dirty river-water. How different
-it was here from the clear green of the upper
-Santa Rosa! Ken would have given his best
-gun for one juicy orange. George was
-restless and rolling about, calling for water;
-Hal lay in slumber or stupor; and Pepe sat
-up. He was a sick-looking fellow, but he
-was better; and that cheered Ken as nothing
-yet had.
-
-Ken beached the boat on a sandy shore,
-and once again forced down a little rice and
-cocoa. Pepe would not eat, yet he drank a
-little. George was burning up with fever,
-and drank a full cup. Hal did not stir, and
-Ken thought it best to let him lie.
-
-As Ken resumed the journey the next thing
-to attract his attention was a long canoe
-moored below one of the thatched huts.
-This afforded him great satisfaction. At
-least he had passed the jungle wilderness,
-where there was nothing that even suggested
-civilization. In the next few miles he noticed
-several canoes and as many natives. Then
-he passed a canoe that was paddled by two
-half-naked bronze Indians. Pepe hailed them,
-but either they were too unfriendly to reply
-or they did not understand him.
-
-Some distance below Pepe espied a banana
-grove, and he motioned Ken to row ashore.
-Ken did so with pleasure at the thought of
-getting some fresh fruit. There was a canoe
-moored to the roots of a tree and a path
-leading up the steep bank. Pepe got out and
-laboriously toiled up the bare path. He was
-gone a good while.
-
-Presently Ken heard shouts, then the bang
-of a lightly loaded gun, then yells from Pepe.
-
-"What on earth!" cried Ken, looking up in
-affright.
-
-Pepe appeared with his arms full of red
-bananas. He jumped and staggered down
-the path and almost fell into the boat. But
-he hung on to the bananas.
-
-"Santa Maria!" gasped Pepe, pointing to
-little bloody spots on the calf of his leg.
-
-"Pepe, you've been shot!" ejaculated Ken.
-"You stole the fruit--somebody shot you!"
-
-Pepe howled his affirmative. Ken was
-angry at himself, angrier at Pepe, and angriest
-at the native who had done the shooting.
-With a strong shove Ken put the boat out
-and then rowed hard down-stream. As he
-rounded a bend a hundred yards below he saw
-three natives come tumbling down the path.
-They had a gun. They leaped into the canoe.
-They meant pursuit.
-
-"Say, but this is a pretty kettle of fish!"
-muttered Ken, and he bent to the oars.
-
-Of course Pepe had been in the wrong.
-He should have paid for the bananas or asked
-for them. All the same, Ken was not in any
-humor to be fooled with by excitable natives.
-He had a sick brother in the boat and meant
-to get that lad out of the jungle as quickly
-as will and strength could do it. He
-certainly did not intend to be stopped by a few
-miserable Indians angry over the loss of a few
-bananas. If it had not been for the gun,
-Ken would have stopped long enough to pay
-for the fruit. But he could not risk it now.
-So he pulled a strong stroke down-stream.
-
-The worst of the matter developed when
-Pepe peeled one of the bananas. It was too
-green to eat.
-
-Presently the native canoe hove in sight
-round the bend. All three men were paddling.
-They made the long craft fly through
-the water. Ken saw instantly that they would
-overhaul him in a long race, and this added
-to his resentment. Pepe looked back and
-jabbered and shook his brawny fists at the
-natives. Ken was glad to see that the long
-stretch of river below did not show a canoe
-or hut along the banks. He preferred to be
-overhauled, if he had to be, in a rather lonely spot.
-
-It was wonderful how those natives propelled
-that log canoe. And when one of the
-three dropped his paddle to pick up the gun,
-the speed of the canoe seemed not to diminish.
-They knew the channels, and so gained on
-Ken. He had to pick the best he could
-choose at short notice, and sometimes he
-chose poorly.
-
-Two miles or more below the bend the
-natives with the gun deliberately fired,
-presumably at Pepe. The shot scattered and
-skipped along the water and did not come
-near the boat. Nevertheless, as the canoe
-was gaining and the crazy native was reloading,
-Ken saw he would soon be within range.
-Something had to be done.
-
-Ken wondered if he could not frighten
-those natives. They had probably never
-heard the quick reports of a repeating rifle,
-let alone the stinging cracks of an automatic.
-Ken decided it would be worth trying. But
-he must have a chance to get the gun out of
-its case and load it.
-
-That chance came presently. The natives,
-in paddling diagonally across a narrow
-channel, ran aground in the sand. They were
-fast for only a few moments, but in that time
-Ken had got out the little rifle and loaded it.
-
-Pepe's dark face turned a dirty white, and
-his eyes dilated. He imagined Ken was
-going to kill some of his countrymen. But
-Pepe never murmured. He rubbed the place
-in his leg where he had been shot, and looked
-back.
-
-Ken rowed on, now leisurely. There was
-a hot anger within him, but he had it in
-control. He knew what he was about. Again
-the native fired, and again his range was short.
-The distance was perhaps two hundred yards.
-
-Ken waited until the canoe, in crossing
-one of the many narrow places, was broadside
-toward him. Then he raised the automatic.
-There were at least ten feet in the
-middle of the canoe where it was safe for him
-to hit without harm to the natives. And
-there he aimed. The motion of his boat made
-it rather hard to keep the sights right. He was
-cool, careful; he aimed low, between gunwale
-and the water, and steadily he pulled the
-trigger--once, twice, three times, four, five.
-
-The steel-jacketed bullets "spoued" on
-the water and "cracked" into the canoe.
-They evidently split both gunwales low down
-at the water-line. The yelling, terror-stricken
-natives plunged about, and what with
-their actions and the great split in the middle
-the canoe filled and sank. The natives were
-not over their depth; that was plainly evident.
-Moreover, it was equally evident that they
-dared not wade in the quicksand. So they
-swam to the shallower water, and there, like
-huge turtles, floundered toward the shore.
-
-
-
-
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-Before the natives had reached the
-shore they were hidden from Ken's
-sight by leaning cypress-trees. Ken,
-however, had no fear for their safety. He was
-sorry to cause the Indians' loss of a gun and
-a canoe; nevertheless, he was not far from
-echoing Pepe's repeated: "Bueno! Bueno!
-Bueno!"
-
-Upon examination Ken found two little
-bloody holes in the muscles of Pepe's leg.
-A single shot had passed through. Ken
-bathed the wounds with an antiseptic lotion
-and bound them with clean bandages.
-
-Pepe appeared to be pretty weak, so Ken
-did not ask him to take the oars. Then,
-pulling with long, steady stroke, Ken set out
-to put a long stretch between him and the
-angry natives. The current was swift, and
-Ken made five miles or more an hour. He
-kept that pace for three hours without a rest.
-And then he gave out. It seemed that all at
-once he weakened. His back bore an
-immense burden. His arms were lead, and his
-hands were useless. There was an occasional
-mist or veil before his sight. He was wet,
-hot, breathless, numb. But he knew he was
-safe from pursuit. So he rested and let the
-boat drift.
-
-George sat up, green in the face, a most
-miserable-looking boy. But that he could
-sit up at all was hopeful.
-
-"Oh, my head!" he moaned. "Is there
-anything I can drink? My mouth is
-dry--pasted shut."
-
-Ken had two lemons he had been saving.
-He cut one in halves and divided it between
-Pepe and George. The relief the sour lemon
-afforded both showed Ken how wise he had
-been to save the lemons. Then he roused
-Hal, and, lifting the lad's head, made him
-drink a little of the juice. Hal was a sick
-boy, too weak to sit up without help.
-
-"Don't--you worry--Ken," he said. "I'm
-going--to be--all right."
-
-Hal was still fighting.
-
-Ken readjusted the palm-leaf shelter over
-the boys so as to shade them effectually from
-the hot sun, and then he went back to the
-oars.
-
-As he tried once more to row, Ken was
-reminded of the terrible lassitude that had
-overtaken him the day he had made the six-hour
-climb out of the Grand Cañon. The
-sensation now was worse, but Ken had others
-depending upon his exertions, and that spurred
-him to the effort which otherwise would have
-been impossible.
-
-It was really not rowing that Ken accomplished.
-It was a weary puttering with oars
-he could not lift, handles he could not hold.
-At best he managed to guide the boat into
-the swiftest channels. Whenever he felt that
-he was just about to collapse, then he would
-look at Hal's pale face. That would revive
-him. So the hot hours dragged by.
-
-They came, after several miles, upon more
-huts and natives. And farther down they
-met canoes on the river. Pepe interrogated
-the natives. According to George, who
-listened, Panuco was far, far away, many
-kilometers. This was most disheartening. Another
-native said the village was just round the
-next bend. This was most nappy information.
-But it turned out to be a lie. There
-was no village around any particular
-bend--nothing save bare banks for miles. The
-stretches of the river were long, and bends
-far apart.
-
-Ken fell asleep. When he awoke he found
-Pepe at the oars. Watching him, Ken fancied
-he was recovering, and was overjoyed.
-
-About four o'clock in the afternoon Pepe
-rowed ashore and beached the boat at the
-foot of a trail leading up to a large bamboo
-and thatch hut. This time Ken thought it
-well to accompany Pepe. And as he climbed
-the path he found his legs stiffer and shakier
-than ever before.
-
-Ken saw a cleared space in which were
-several commodious huts, gardens, and flowers.
-There was a grassy yard in which little naked
-children were playing with tame deer and
-tiger-cats. Parrots were screeching, and other
-tame birds fluttered about. It appeared a real
-paradise to Ken.
-
-Two very kindly disposed and wondering
-native women made them welcome. Then
-Ken and Pepe went down to the boat and
-carried Hal up, and went back for George.
-
-It developed that the native women knew
-just what to do for the fever-stricken boys.
-They made some kind of a native drink for
-them, and after that gave them hot milk and
-chicken and rice soup. George improved
-rapidly, and Hal brightened a little and showed
-signs of gathering strength.
-
-Ken could not eat until he had something
-to quench his thirst. Upon inquiring, Pepe
-found that the natives used the river-water.
-Ken could not drink that. Then Pepe pointed
-out an orange-tree, and Ken made a dive
-for it. The ground was littered with oranges.
-Collecting an armful, Ken sat under the tree
-and with wild haste began to squeeze the juice
-into his mouth. Never had anything before
-tasted so cool, so sweet, so life-giving! He
-felt a cool, wet sensation steal all through his
-body. He never knew till that moment how
-really wonderful and precious an orange could
-be. He thought that as he would hate
-mourning turtle-doves all the rest of his life,
-so he would love the sight and smell and taste
-of oranges. And he demolished twenty-two
-before he satisfied his almost insatiable thirst.
-After that the chicken and rice made him feel
-like a new boy.
-
-Then Ken made beds under a kind of porch,
-and he lay down in one, stretched out
-languidly and gratefully, as if he never intended
-to move again, and his eyes seemed to be
-glued shut.
-
-When he awoke the sun was shining in his
-face. When he had gone to bed it had been
-shining at his back. He consulted his watch.
-He had slept seventeen hours.
-
-When he got up and found Pepe as well as
-before he had been taken with the fever and
-George on his feet and Hal awake and
-actually smiling, Ken experienced a sensation
-of unutterable thankfulness. A terrible
-burden slipped from his shoulders. For a
-moment he felt a dimming of his eyes and a lump
-in his throat.
-
-"How about you, Ken, old man?" inquired
-Hal, with a hint of his usual spirit.
-
-"Wal, youngster, I reckon fer a man who's
-been through some right pert happenin's,
-I'm in tol'able shape," drawled Ken.
-
-"I'll bet two dollars you've been up
-against it," declared Hal, solemnly.
-
-Then, as they sat to an appetizing breakfast,
-Ken gave them a brief account of the
-incidents of the two days and two nights
-when they were too ill to know anything.
-
-It was a question whether George's voluble
-eulogy of Ken's feat or Hal's silent,
-bright-eyed pride in his brother was the greater
-compliment.
-
-Finally Hal said: "Won't that tickle Jim
-Williams when we tell him how you split
-up the Indians' canoe and spilled them into
-the river?"
-
-Then Ken conceived the idea of climbing
-into the giant ceiba that stood high on the
-edge of the bluff. It was hard work, but he
-accomplished it, and from a fork in the
-top-most branches he looked out. That was a
-warm, rich, wonderful scene. Ken felt that
-he would never forget it. His interest now,
-however, was not so much in its beauty and
-wildness. His keen eye followed the river
-as it wound away into the jungle, and when
-he could no longer see the bright ribbon of
-water he followed its course by the line of
-magnificent trees. It was possible to trace
-the meandering course of the river clear to
-the rise of the mountains, dim and blue in
-the distance. And from here Ken made more
-observations and notes.
-
-As he went over in his mind the map and
-notes and report he had prepared he felt that
-he had made good. He had explored and
-mapped more than a hundred miles of wild
-jungle river. He felt confident that he had
-earned the trip to England and the German
-forests. He might win a hunting trip on the
-vast uplands of British East Africa. But he
-felt also that the reward of his uncle's and
-his father's pride would be more to him. That
-was a great moment for Ken Ward. And
-there was yet much more that he could do to
-make this exploring trip a success.
-
-.. _`Ken Ward's Map`:
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-
- Ken Ward's Map
-
-When he joined the others he found that
-Pepe had learned that the village of Panuco
-was distant a day or a night by canoe. How
-many miles or kilometers Pepe could not learn.
-Ken decided it would be best to go on at once.
-It was not easy to leave that pleasant place,
-with its music of parrots and other birds, and
-the tiger-cats that played like kittens, and the
-deer that ate from the hand. The women
-would accept no pay, so Ken made them
-presents.
-
-Once more embarked, Ken found his mood
-reverting to that of the last forty-eight hours.
-He could not keep cheerful. The river was
-dirty and the smell sickening. The sun was
-like the open door of a furnace. And Ken
-soon discovered he was tired, utterly tired.
-
-That day was a repetition of the one before,
-hotter, wearier, and the stretches of river were
-longer, and the natives met in canoes were
-stolidly ignorant of distance. The mourning
-of turtle-doves almost drove Ken wild. There
-were miles and miles of willows, and every tree
-was full of melancholy doves. At dusk the
-boys halted on a sand-bar, too tired to cook a
-dinner, and sprawled in the warm sand to sleep
-like logs.
-
-In the morning they brightened up a little,
-for surely just around the bend they would
-come to Panuco. Pepe rowed faithfully on,
-and bend after bend lured Ken with deceit.
-He was filled with weariness and disgust, so
-tired he could hardly lift his hand, so sleepy
-he could scarcely keep his eyes open. He
-hated the wide, glassy stretches of river and
-the muddy banks and dusty cattle.
-
-At noon they came unexpectedly upon a
-cluster of thatched huts, to find that they made
-up the village of Panuco. Ken was sick, for he
-had expected a little town where they could
-get some drinking-water and hire a launch
-to speed them down to Tampico. This
-appeared little more than the other places he
-had passed, and he climbed up the bank
-wearily, thinking of the long fifty miles still
-to go.
-
-But Panuco was bigger and better than it
-looked from the river. The boys found a
-clean, comfortable inn, where they dined well,
-and learned to their joy that a coach left in
-an hour for Tamos to meet the five-o'clock
-train to Tampico.
-
-They hired a *mozo* to row the boat to
-Tampico and, carrying the lighter things,
-boarded the coach, and, behind six mules,
-were soon bowling over a good level road.
-
-It was here that the spirit of Ken's mood
-again changed, and somehow seemed subtly
-conveyed to the others. The gloom faded
-away as Ken had seen the mist-clouds
-dissolve in the morning sunlight. It was the
-end of another wild trip. Hal was ill, but
-a rest and proper care would soon bring him
-around. Ken had some trophies and pictures,
-but he also had memories. And he believed
-he had acquired an accurate knowledge of
-the jungle and its wild nature, and he had
-mapped the river from Micas Falls to Panuco.
-
-"Well, it certainly *did come* to us, didn't
-it?" asked George, naïvely, for the hundredth
-time. "Didn't I tell you? By gosh, I can't
-remember what did come off. But we had
-a dandy time."
-
-"Great!" replied Ken. "I had more than
-I wanted. I'll never spring another stunt like
-this one!"
-
-Hal gazed smilingly at his brother.
-
-"Bah! Ken Ward, bring on your next old trip!"
-
-Which proved decidedly that Hal was getting
-better and that he alone understood his
-brother.
-
-Pepe listened and rubbed his big hands,
-and there was a light in his dark eyes.
-
-Ken laughed. It was good to feel happy
-just then; it was enough to feel safe and glad
-in the present, with responsibility removed,
-without a thought of the future.
-
-Yet, when some miles across country he saw
-the little town of Tamos shining red-roofed
-against the sky, he came into his own again.
-The old calling, haunting love of wild places
-and wild nature returned, and with dreamy
-eyes he looked out. He saw the same beauty
-and life and wildness. Beyond the glimmering
-lagoons stretched the dim, dark jungle.
-A flock of flamingoes showed pink across the
-water. Ducks dotted the weedy marshes.
-And low down on the rosy horizon a long
-curved line of wild geese sailed into the sunset.
-
-When the boys arrived at Tampico and
-George had secured comfortable lodgings for
-them, the first thing Ken did was to put Hal
-to bed. It required main strength to do this.
-Ken was not taking any chances with tropical
-fever, and he sent for a doctor.
-
-It was not clear whether the faces Hal
-made were at the little dried-up doctor or at
-the medicine he administered. However, it
-was very clear that Hal made fun of him
-and grew bolder the more he believed the man
-could not understand English.
-
-Ken liked the silent, kindly physician, and
-remonstrated with Hal, and often, just to
-keep Hal's mind occupied, he would talk of
-the university and baseball, topics that were
-absorbing to the boy.
-
-And one day, as the doctor was leaving,
-he turned to Ken with a twinkle in his eyes
-and said in perfect English: "I won't need to
-come any more."
-
-Hal's jaw began to drop.
-
-"Your brother is all right," went on the
-doctor. "But he's a fresh kid, and he'll
-never make the Wayne Varsity--or a good
-explorer, either--till he gets over that
-freshness. I'm a Wayne man myself. Class of '82.
-Good day, boys."
-
-Ken Ward was astounded. "By George!
-What do you think of that? He's a Wayne
-med. I'll have to look him up. And, Hal, he
-was just right about you."
-
-Hal looked extremely crestfallen and remorseful.
-
-"I'm always getting jars."
-
-It took a whole day for him to recover his
-usual spirits.
-
-Ken had promptly sent the specimens and
-his notes to his uncle, and as the days passed
-the boys began to look anxiously for some
-news. In ten days Hal was as well as ever,
-and then the boys had such sport with the
-tarpon and big sharks and alligator-gars that
-they almost forgot about the rewards they had
-striven so hard for and hoped to win. But
-finally, when the mail arrived from home,
-they were at once happy and fearful. George
-was with them that evening, and shared their
-excitement and suspense. Hal's letters were
-from his mother and his sister, and they were
-read first. Judge Ward's letter to Ken was
-fatherly and solicitous, but brief. He gave
-the boys six more weeks, cautioned them to be
-sensible and to profit by their opportunity,
-and he inclosed a bank-draft. Not a word
-about rewards!
-
-Ken's fingers trembled a little as he tore
-open the uncle's letter. He read it aloud:
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-DEAR KEN,--Congratulations! You've done well.
-You win the trip to Africa. Hal's work also was
-good--several specimens accepted by the Smithsonian.
-I'll back you for the Yucatan trip. Will send letters
-to the American consul at Progreso, and arrange for
-you to meet the Austrian archæologist Maler, who I
-hope will take you in hand.
-
-I want you to make a study of some of the ruins
-of Yucatan, which I believe are as wonderful as any
-in Egypt. I advise you to make this trip short and to
-the point, for there are indications of coming
-revolution throughout Mexico.
-
-.. vspace:: 1
-
-.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line
-
- With best wishes,
- UNCLE G.
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-The old varsity cheer rang out from Ken,
-and Hal began a war-dance. Then both boys
-pounced upon George, and for a few moments
-made life miserable for him.
-
-"And I can't go with you!" he exclaimed,
-sorrowfully.
-
-Both Ken and Hal shared his disappointment.
-But presently. George brightened up.
-The smile came back which he always wore
-when prophesying the uncertain adventures of
-the future.
-
-"Well, anyway, I'll be safe home. And you
-fellows! You'll be getting yours when you're
-lost in the wilderness of Yucatan!"
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center
-
- THE END
-
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-you will find on the *reverse side* of the
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-before you lay it aside. There are
-books here you are sure to want--some,
-possibly, that you have *always* wanted.
-
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-has achieved a certain measure of
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-ZANE GREY'S NOVELS
-
-.. class:: center small
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-May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset and Dunlap's list.
-
-.. vspace:: 1
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-.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line
-
-THE CALL OF THE CANYON
-WANDERER OF THE WASTELAND
-TO THE LAST MAN
-THE MYSTERIOUS RIDER
-THE MAN OF THE FOREST
-THE DESERT OF WHEAT
-THE U. P. TRAIL
-WILDFIRE
-THE BORDER LEGION
-THE RAINBOW TRAIL
-THE HERITAGE OF THE DESERT
-RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE
-THE LIGHT OF WESTERN STARS
-THE LAST OF THE PLAINSMEN
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-DESERT GOLD
-BETTY ZANE
-THE DAY OF THE BEAST
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-LAST OF THE GREAT SCOUTS
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-The life story of "Buffalo Bill" by his sister Helen Cody
-Wetmore, with Foreword and conclusion by Zane Grey.
-
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-ZANE GREY'S BOOKS FOR BOYS
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-KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE
-THE YOUNG LION HUNTER
-THE YOUNG FORESTER
-THE YOUNG PITCHER
-THE SHORT STOP
-THE RED-HEADED OUTFIELD AND OTHER BASEBALL STORIES
-
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-May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list
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-BRAND BLOTTERS
-BUCKY O'CONNOR
-CROOKED TRAILS AND STRAIGHT
-DAUGHTER OF THE DONS, A
-DESERT'S PRICE, THE
-FIGHTING EDGE, THE
-GUNSIGHT PASS
-HIGHGRADER, THE
-IRONHEART
-MAN FOUR-SQUARE, A
-MAN-SIZE
-MAVERICKS
-OH, YOU TEX!
-PIRATE OF PANAMA, THE
-RIDGWAY OF MONTANA
-SHERIFF'S SON, THE
-STEVE YEAGER
-TANGLED TRAILS
-TEXAS RANGER, A
-VISION SPLENDID, THE
-WYOMING
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-THE VALLEY OF SILENT MEN
-THE RIVER'S END
-THE GOLDEN SNARE
-NOMADS OF THE NORTH
-KAZAN
-BAREE, SON OF KAZAN
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-THE DANGER TRAIL
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-ISOBEL
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-BANDIT OF HELL'S BEND, THE
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-LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, THE
-TARZAN AND THE ANT MEN
-TARZAN AND THE GOLDEN LION
-TARZAN THE TERRIBLE
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-AT THE EARTH'S CORE
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diff --git a/45974-rst/images/img-130.jpg b/45974-rst/images/img-130.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 7f4a898..0000000 --- a/45974-rst/images/img-130.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/45974-rst/images/img-242.jpg b/45974-rst/images/img-242.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 25692de..0000000 --- a/45974-rst/images/img-242.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/45974-rst/images/img-301.jpg b/45974-rst/images/img-301.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 56dad28..0000000 --- a/45974-rst/images/img-301.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/45974-rst/images/img-cover.jpg b/45974-rst/images/img-cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 07805a1..0000000 --- a/45974-rst/images/img-cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/45974-rst/images/img-front.jpg b/45974-rst/images/img-front.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 238f240..0000000 --- a/45974-rst/images/img-front.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/45974.txt b/45974.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6a2ac83..0000000 --- a/45974.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7863 +0,0 @@ - KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE - - - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: Ken Ward in the Jungle -Author: Zane Grey -Release Date: June 14, 2014 [EBook #45974] -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - - -[Illustration: THE JAGUAR OPENED HIS JAWS THREATENINGLY (see page 182)] - - - - - KEN WARD - IN THE JUNGLE - - - BY - - ZANE GREY - - AUTHOR OF - THE YOUNG FORESTER, - THE YOUNG PITCHER, - THE YOUNG LION HUNTER, - THE U. P. TRAIL, ETC. - - - - ILLUSTRATED - - - - NEW YORK - GROSSET & DUNLAP - PUBLISHERS - - Published by Arrangement with Harper & Brothers - Made in the United States of America - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1912, BY HARPER & BROTHERS - - PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - - - *CONTENTS* - -CHAP. - - I. The Prize - II. The Home of the Tarpon - III. An Indian Boatman - IV. At the Jungle River - V. The First Camp - VI. Wilderness Life - VII. Running the Rapids - VIII. The First Tiger-cat - IX. In the White Water - X. Lost! - XI. An Army of Snakes - XII. Catching Strange Fish - XIII. A Turkey-Hunt - XIV. A Fight with a Jaguar - XV. The Vicious Garrapatoes - XVI. Field Work of a Naturalist - XVII. A Mixed-up Tiger-hunt - XVIII. Watching a Runway - XIX. Adventures with Crocodiles - XX. Treed by Wild Pigs - XXI. The Leaping Tarpon - XXII. Stricken Down - XXIII. Out of the Jungle - - - - - *KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE* - - - - *I* - - *THE PRIZE* - - -"What a change from the Arizona desert!" - -The words broke from the lips of Ken Ward as he leaned from the window -of the train which was bearing his brother and himself over the plateau -to Tampico in Tamaulipas, the southeastern state of Mexico. He had -caught sight of a river leaping out between heavily wooded slopes and -plunging down in the most beautiful waterfall he had ever seen. - -"Look, Hal," he cried. - -The first fall was a long white streak, ending in a dark pool; below -came cascade after cascade, fall after fall, some wide, others narrow, -and all white and green against the yellow rock. Then the train curved -round a spur of the mountain, descended to a level, to be lost in a -luxuriance of jungle growth. - -It was indeed a change for Ken Ward, young forester, pitcher of the -varsity nine at school, and hunter of lions in the Arizona canons. Here -he was entering the jungle of the tropics. The rifles and the camp -outfit on the seat beside his brother Hal and himself spoke of coming -adventures. Before them lay an unknown wilderness--the semi-tropical -jungle. And the future was to show that the mystery of the jungle was -stranger even than their imaginings. - -It was not love of adventure alone or interest in the strange new forest -growths that had drawn Ken to the jungle. His uncle, the one who had -gotten Ken letters from the Forestry Department at Washington, had been -proud of Ken's Arizona achievements. This uncle was a member of the -American Geographical Society and a fellow of the New York Museum of -Natural History. He wanted Ken to try his hand at field work in the -jungle of Mexico, and if that was successful, then to explore the ruined -cities of wild Yucatan. If Ken made good as an explorer his reward was -to be a trip to Equatorial Africa after big game. And of course that -trip meant opportunity to see England and France, and, what meant more -to Ken, a chance to see the great forests of Germany, where forestry had -been carried on for three hundred years. - -In spite of the fact that the inducement was irresistible, and that -Ken's father was as proud and eager as Ken's uncle to have him make a -name for himself, and that Hal would be allowed to go with him, Ken had -hesitated. There was the responsibility for Hal and the absolute -certainty that Hal could not keep out of mischief. Still Ken simply -could not have gone to Mexico leaving his brother at home -broken-hearted. - -At last the thing had been decided. It was Hal's ambition to be a -naturalist and to collect specimens, and the uncle had held out possible -recognition from the Smithsonian Institution at Washington. Perhaps he -might find a new variety of some animal to which the scientists would -attach his name. Then the lad was passionately eager to see Ken win -that trip to Africa. There had been much study of maps and books of -travel, science, and natural history. There had been the most careful -instruction and equipment for semi-tropical camp life. The uncle had -given Ken valuable lessons in map-drawing, in estimating distance and -topography, and he had indicated any one of several rivers in the jungle -belt of Mexico. Traversing one hundred miles of unknown jungle river, -with intelligent observation and accurate reports, would win the prize -for Ken Ward. Now the race was on. Would Ken win? - -Presently the train crossed a bridge. Ken Ward had a brief glance at -clear green water, at great cypress-trees, gray and graceful with long, -silvery, waving moss, and at the tangled, colorful banks. A water-fowl -black as coal, with white-crested wings, skimmed the water in swift wild -flight, to disappear up the shady river-lane. Then the train clattered -on, and, a mile or more beyond the bridge, stopped at a station called -Valles. In the distance could be seen the thatched palm-leaf huts and -red-tiled roofs of a hamlet. - -The boys got out to stretch their legs. The warm, sweet, balmy air was -a new and novel thing to them. They strolled up and down the gravel -walk, watching the natives. Hal said he rather liked the looks of their -brown bare feet and the thin cotton trousers and shirts, but he fancied -the enormous sombreros were too heavy and unwieldy. Ken spoke to -several pleasant-faced Mexicans, each of whom replied: "No sabe, Senor." - -The ticket agent at the station was an American, and from the way he -smiled and spoke Ken knew he was more than glad to see one of his own -kind. So, after Ken had replied to many questions about the States, he -began to ask some of his own. - -"What's the name of the waterfall we passed?" - -"Micas Falls," replied the agent. - -"And the river?" - -"It's called the Santa Rosa." - -"Where does it go?" - -The agent did not know, except that it disappeared in the jungle. -Southward the country was wild. The villages were few and all along the -railroad; and at Valles the river swung away to the southwest. - -"But it must flow into the Panuco River," said Ken. He had studied maps -of Mexico and had learned all that it was possible to learn before he -undertook the journey. - -"Why, yes, it must find the Panuco somewhere down over the mountain," -answered the agent. - -"Then there are rapids in this little river?" asked Ken, in growing -interest. - -"Well, I guess. It's all rapids." - -"How far to Tampico by rail?" went on Ken. - -"Something over a hundred miles." - -"Any game in the jungle hereabouts--or along the Santa Rosa?" continued -Ken. - -The man laughed, and laughed in such a way that Ken did not need his -assertion that it was not safe to go into the jungle. - -Whereupon Ken Ward became so thoughtful that he did not hear the talk -that followed between the agent and Hal. The engine bell roused him -into action, and with Hal he hurried back to their seats. And then the -train sped on. But the beauty of Micas Falls and the wildness of the -Santa Rosa remained with Ken. Where did that river go? How many -waterfalls and rapids did it have? What teeming life must be along its -rich banks! It haunted Ken. He wanted to learn the mystery of the -jungle. There was the same longing which had gotten him into the wild -adventures in Penetier Forest and the Grand Canon country of Arizona. -And all at once flashed over him the thought that here was the jungle -river for him to explore. - -"Why, that's the very thing," he said, thinking aloud. - -"What's wrong with you," asked Hal, "talking to yourself that way?" - -Ken did not explain. The train clattered between green walls of jungle, -and occasionally stopped at a station. But the thought of the jungle -haunted him until the train arrived at Tampico. - -Ken had the name of an American hotel, and that was all he knew about -Tampico. The station was crowded with natives. Man after man accosted -the boys, jabbering excitedly in Mexican. Some of these showed brass -badges bearing a number and the word _Cargodore_. - -"Hal, I believe these fellows are porters or baggage-men," said Ken. -And he showed his trunk check to one of them. The fellow jerked it out -of Ken's hand and ran off. The boys ran after him. They were relieved -to see him enter a shed full of baggage. And they were amazed to see -him kneel down and take their trunk on his back. It was a big trunk and -heavy. The man was small and light. - -"It 'll smash him!" cried Hal. - -But the little _cargodore_ walked off with the trunk on his back. Then -Ken and Hal saw other _cargodores_ packing trunks. The boys kept close -to their man and used their eyes with exceeding interest. The sun was -setting, and the square, colored buildings looked as if they were in a -picture of Spain. - -"Look at the boats--canoes!" cried Hal, as they crossed a canal. - -Ken saw long narrow canoes that had been hollowed out from straight -tree-trunks. They were of every size, and some of the paddles were -enormous. Crowds of natives were jabbering and jostling each other at a -rude wharf. - -"Look back," called Hal, who seemed to have a hundred eyes. - -Ken saw a wide, beautiful river, shining red in the sunset. Palm-trees -on the distant shore showed black against the horizon. - -"Hal, that's the Panuco. What a river!" - -"Makes the Susquehanna look like a creek," was Hal's comment. - -The _cargodore_ led the boys through a plaza, down a narrow street to -the hotel. Here they were made to feel at home. The proprietor was a -kindly American. The hotel was crowded, and many of the guests were -Englishmen there for the tarpon-fishing, with sportsmen from the States, -and settlers coming in to take up new lands. It was pleasant for Ken -and Hal to hear their own language once more. After dinner they sallied -forth to see the town. But the narrow dark streets and the blanketed -natives stealing silently along were not particularly inviting. The -boys got no farther than the plaza, where they sat down on a bench. It -was wholly different from any American town. Ken suspected that Hal was -getting homesick, for the boy was quiet and inactive. - -"I don't like this place," said Hal. "What 'd you ever want to drag me -way down here for?" - -"Humph! drag you? Say, you pestered the life out of me, and bothered -Dad till he was mad, and worried mother sick to let you come on this -trip." - -Hal hung his head. - -"Now, you're not going to show a streak of yellow?" asked Ken. He knew -how to stir his brother. - -Hal rose to the attack and scornfully repudiated the insinuation. Ken -replied that they were in a new country and must not reach conclusions -too hastily. - -"I liked it back up there at the little village where we saw the green -river and the big trees with the gray streamers on them," said Hal. - -"Well, I liked that myself," rejoined Ken. "I'd like to go back there -and put a boat in the river and come all the way here." - -Ken had almost unconsciously expressed the thought that had been forming -in his mind. Hal turned slowly and looked at his brother. - -"Ken, that 'd be great--that's what we came for!" - -"I should say so," replied Ken. - -"Well?" asked Hal, simply. - -That question annoyed Ken. Had he not come south to go into the jungle? -Had he come with any intention of shirking the danger of a wild trip? -There was a subtle flattery in Hal's question. - -"That Santa Rosa River runs through the jungle," went on Hal. "It flows -into the Panuco somewhere. You know we figured out on the map that the -Panuco's the only big river in this jungle. That's all we want to know. -And, Ken, you know you're a born boatman. Why, look at the rapids we've -shot on the Susquehanna. Remember that trip we came down the Juniata? -The water was high, too. Ken, you can take a boat down that Santa -Rosa!" - -"By George! I believe I can," exclaimed Ken, and he thrilled at the -thought. - -"Ken, let's go. You'll win the prize, and I'll get specimens. Think -what we'd have to tell Jim Williams and Dick Leslie when we go West next -summer!" - -"Oh, Hal, I know--but this idea of a trip seems too wild." - -"Maybe it wouldn't be so wild." - -In all fairness Ken could not deny this, so he kept silent. - -"Ken, listen," went on Hal, and now he was quite cool. "If we'd -promised the Governor not to take a wild trip I wouldn't say another -word. But we're absolutely free." - -"That's why we ought to be more careful. Dad trusts me." - -"He trusts you because he knows you can take care of yourself, and me, -too. You're a wonder, Ken. Why, if you once made up your mind, you'd -make that Santa Rosa River look like a canal." - -Ken began to fear that he would not be proof against the haunting call -of that jungle river and the flattering persuasion of his brother and -the ever-present ambition to show his uncle what he could do. - -"Hal, if I didn't have you with me I'd already have made up my mind to -tackle this river." - -That appeared to insult Hal. - -"All I've got to say is I'd be a help to you--not a drag," he said, with -some warmth. - -"You're always a help, Hal. I can't say anything against your -willingness. But you know your weakness. By George! you made trouble -enough for me in Arizona. On a trip such as this you'd drive me crazy." - -"Ken, I won't make any rash promises. I don't want to queer myself with -you. But I'm all right." - -"Look here, Hal; let's wait. We've only got to Tampico. Maybe such a -trip is impracticable--impossible. Let's find out more about the -country." - -Hal appeared to take this in good spirit. The boys returned to the hotel -and went to bed. Hal promptly fell asleep. But Ken Ward lay awake a -long time thinking of the green Santa Rosa, with its magnificent -moss-festooned cypresses. And when he did go to sleep it was to dream -of the beautiful waterfowl with the white-crested wings, and he was -following it on its wild flight down the dark, mysterious river-trail -into the jungle. - - - - - *II* - - *THE HOME OF THE TARPON* - - -Hal's homesickness might never have been in evidence at all, to judge -from the way the boy, awakening at dawn, began to talk about the Santa -Rosa trip. - -"Well," said Ken, as he rolled out of bed, "I guess we're in for it." - -"Ken, will we go?" asked Hal, eagerly. - -"I'm on the fence." - -"But you're leaning on the jungle side?" - -"Yes, kid--I'm slipping." - -Hal opened his lips to let out a regular Hiram Bent yell, when Ken -clapped a hand over his mouth. - -"Hold on--we're in the hotel yet." - -It took the brothers long to dress, because they could not keep away -from the window. The sun was rising in rosy glory over misty lagoons. -Clouds of creamy mist rolled above the broad Panuco. Wild ducks were -flying low. The tiled roofs of the stone houses gleamed brightly, and -the palm-trees glistened with dew. The soft breeze that blew in was -warm, sweet, and fragrant. - -After breakfast the boys went out to the front and found the hotel lobby -full of fishermen and their native boatmen. It was an interesting -sight, as well as a surprise, for Ken and Hal did not know that Tampico -was as famous for fishing as it was for hunting. The huge rods and -reels amazed them. - -"What kind of fish do these fellows fish for?" asked Hal. - -Ken was well enough acquainted with sport to know something about -tarpon, but he had never seen one of the great silver fish. And he was -speechless when Hal led him into a room upon the walls of which were -mounted specimens of tarpon from six to seven feet in length and half as -wide as a door. - -"Say, Ken! We've come to the right place. Those fishermen are all -going out to fish for such whales as these here." - -"Hal, we never saw a big fish before," said Ken. "And before we leave -Tampico we'll know what it means to hook tarpon." - -"I'm with you," replied Hal, gazing doubtfully and wonderingly at a fish -almost twice as big as himself. - -Then Ken, being a practical student of fishing, as of other kinds of -sport, began to stroll round the lobby with an intent to learn. He -closely scrutinized the tackle. And he found that the bait used was a -white mullet six to ten inches long, a little fish which resembled the -chub. Ken did not like the long, cruel gaff which seemed a necessary -adjunct to each outfit of tackle, and he vowed that in his fishing for -tarpon he would dispense with it. - -Ken was not backward about asking questions, and he learned that -Tampico, during the winter months, was a rendezvous for sportsmen from -all over the world. For the most part, they came to catch the leaping -tarpon; the shooting along the Panuco, however, was as well worth while -as the fishing. But Ken could not learn anything about the Santa Rosa -River. The _tierra caliente_, or hot belt, along the curve of the Gulf -was intersected by small streams, many of them unknown and unnamed. The -Panuco swung round to the west and had its source somewhere up in the -mountains. Ken decided that the Santa Rosa was one of its headwaters. -Valles lay up on the first swell of higher ground, and was distant from -Tampico some six hours by train. So, reckoning with the meandering -course of jungle streams, Ken calculated he would have something like -one hundred and seventy-five miles to travel by water from Valles to -Tampico. There were Indian huts strung along the Panuco River, and fifty -miles inland a village named Panuco. What lay between Panuco and -Valles, up over the wild steppes of that jungle, Ken Ward could only -conjecture. - -Presently he came upon Hal in conversation with an American boy, who at -once volunteered to show them around. So they set out, and were soon -becoming well acquainted. Their guide said he was from Kansas; had been -working in the railroad offices for two years; and was now taking a -vacation. His name was George Alling. Under his guidance the boys spent -several interesting hours going about the city. During this walk Hal -showed his first tendency to revert to his natural bent of mind. Not -for long could Hal Ward exist without making trouble for something. In -this case it was buzzards, of which the streets of Tampico were full. -In fact, George explained, the buzzards were the only street-cleaning -department in the town. They were as tame as tame turkeys, and Hal -could not resist the desire to chase them. And he could be made to stop -only after a white-helmeted officer had threatened him. George -explained further that although Tampico had no game-laws it protected -these buzzard-scavengers of the streets. - -The market-house at the canal wharf was one place where Ken thought Hal -would forget himself in the bustle and din and color. All was so strange -and new. Indeed, for a time Hal appeared to be absorbed in his -surroundings, but when he came to a stall where a man had parrots and -racoons and small deer, and three little yellow, black-spotted -tiger-cats, as George called them, then once more Ken had to take Hal in -tow. Outside along the wharf were moored a hundred or more canoes of -manifold variety. All had been hewn from solid tree-trunks. Some were -long, slender, graceful, pretty to look at, and easy to handle in -shallow lagoons, but Ken thought them too heavy and cumbersome for fast -water. Happening just then to remember Micas Falls, Ken had a momentary -chill and a check to his enthusiasm for the jungle trip. What if he -encountered, in coming down the Santa Rosa, some such series of cascades -as those which made Micas Falls! - -It was about noon when George led the boys out to the banks of the broad -Panuco. Both Hal and Ken were suffering from the heat. They had removed -their coats, and were now very glad to rest in the shade. - -"This is a nice cool day," said George, and he looked cool. - -"We've got on our heavy clothes, and this tropic sun is new to us," -replied Ken. "Say, Hal--" - -A crash in the water near the shore interrupted Ken. - -"Was that a rhinoceros?" inquired Hal. - -"Savalo," said George. - -"What's that?" - -"Silver king. A tarpon. Look around and you'll see one break water. -There are some fishermen trolling down-stream. Watch. Maybe one will -hook a fish presently. Then you'll see some jumping." - -It was cool in the shade, as the brothers soon discovered, and they -spent a delightful hour watching the river and the wild fowl and the -tarpon. Ken and Hal were always lucky. Things happened for their -benefit and pleasure. Not only did they see many tarpon swirl like bars -of silver on the water, but a fisherman hooked one of the great fish not -fifty yards from where the boys sat. And they held their breath, and -with starting eyes watched the marvelous leaps and dashes of the tarpon -till, as he shot up in a last mighty effort, wagging his head, slapping -his huge gills, and flinging the hook like a bullet, he plunged back -free. - -"Nine out of ten get away," remarked George. - -"Did you ever catch one?" asked Hal. - -"Sure." - -"Hal, I've got to have some of this fishing," said Ken. "But if we -start at it now--would we ever get that jungle trip?" - -"Oh, Ken, you've made up your mind to go!" exclaimed Hal, in glee. - -"No, I haven't," protested Ken. - -"Yes, you have," declared Hal. "I know you." And the whoop that he had -suppressed in the hotel he now let out with good measure. - -Naturally George was interested, and at his inquiry Ken told him the -idea for the Santa Rosa trip. - -"Take me along," said George. There was a note of American spirit in -his voice, a laugh on his lips, and a flash in his eyes that made Ken -look at him attentively. He was a slim youth, not much Hal's senior, -and Ken thought if ever a boy had been fashioned to be a boon comrade of -Hal Ward this George Alling was the boy. - -"What do you think of the trip?" inquired Ken, curiously. - -"Fine. We'll have some fun. We'll get a boat and a mozo--" - -"What's a mozo?" - -"A native boatman." - -"That's a good idea. I hadn't thought of a boatman to help row. But -the boat is the particular thing. I wouldn't risk a trip in one of -those canoes." - -"Come on, I'll find a boat," said George. - -And before he knew it George and Hal were leading him back from the -river. George led him down narrow lanes, between painted stone houses -and iron-barred windows, till they reached the canal. They entered a -yard where buzzards, goats, and razor-back pigs were contesting over the -scavenger rights. George went into a boat-house and pointed out a long, -light, wide skiff with a flat bottom. Ken did not need George's praise, -or the shining light in Hal's eyes, or the boat-keeper's importunities -to make him eager to try this particular boat. Ken Ward knew a boat -when he saw one. He jumped in, shoved it out, rowed up the canal, -pulled and turned, backed water, and tried every stroke he knew. Then -he rested on the oars and whistled. Hal's shout of delight made him -stop whistling. Those two boys would have him started on the trip if he -did not look sharp. - -"It's a dandy boat," said Ken. - -"Only a peso a day, Ken," went on Hal. "One dollar Mex--fifty cents in -our money. Quick, Ken, hire it before somebody else gets it." - -"Sure I'll hire the boat," replied Ken; "but Hal, it's not for that -Santa Rosa trip. We'll have to forget that." - -"Forget your grandmother!" cried Hal. And then it was plain that he -tried valiantly to control himself, to hide his joy, to pretend to agree -with Ken's ultimatum. - -Ken had a feeling that his brother knew him perfectly, and he was -divided between anger and amusement. They returned to the hotel and -lounged in the lobby. The proprietor was talking with some Americans, -and as he now appeared to be at leisure he introduced the brothers and -made himself agreeable. Moreover, he knew George Alling well. They -began to chat, and Ken was considerably annoyed to hear George calmly -state that he and his new-found friends intended to send a boat up to -Valles and come down an unknown jungle river. - -The proprietor laughed, and, though the laugh was not unpleasant, -somehow it nettled Ken Ward. - -"Why not go?" he asked, quietly, and he looked at the hotel man. - -"My boy, you can't undertake any trip like that." - -"Why not?" persisted Ken. "Is there any law here to prevent our going -into the jungle?" - -"There's no law. No one could stop you. But, my lad, what's the sense -of taking such a fool trip? The river here is full of tarpon right now. -There are millions of ducks and geese on the lagoons. You can shoot -deer and wild turkey right on the edge of town. If you want tiger and -javelin, go out to one of the ranches where they have dogs to hunt with, -where you'll have a chance for your life. These tigers and boars will -kill a man. There's all the sport any one wants right close to Tampico." - -"I don't see how all that makes a reason why we shouldn't come down the -Santa Rosa," replied Ken. "We want to explore--map the river." - -The hotel man seemed nettled in return. - -"You're only kids. It 'd be crazy to start out on that wild trip." - -It was on Ken's lips to mention a few of the adventures which he -believed justly gave him a right to have pride and confidence in his -ability. But he forbore. - -"It's a fool trip," continued the proprietor. "You don't know this -river. You don't know where you'll come out. It's wild up in that -jungle. I've hunted up at Valles, and no native I ever met would go a -mile from the village. If you take a mozo he'll get soaked with canya. -He'll stick a knife in you or run off and leave you when you most need -help. Nobody ever explored that river. It 'll likely be full of -swamps, sandbars, bogs. You'd get fever. Then the crocodiles, the -boars, the bats, the snakes, the tigers! Why, if you could face these -you'd still have the ticks--the worst of all. The ticks would drive men -crazy, let alone boys. It's no undertaking for a boy." - -The mention of all these dangers would have tipped the balance for Ken -in favor of the Santa Rosa trip, even if the hint of his callowness had -not roused his spirit. - -"Thank you. I'm sure you mean kindly," said Ken. "But I'm going to -Valles and I'll come down that jungle river." - - - - - *III* - - *AN INDIAN BOATMAN* - - -The moment the decision was made Ken felt both sorry and glad. He got -the excited boys outside away from the critical and anxious proprietor. -And Ken decided it was incumbent upon him to adopt a serious and -responsible manner, which he was far from feeling. So he tried to be as -cool as Hiram Bent, with a fatherly interest in the two wild boys who -were to accompany him down the Santa Rosa. - -"Now, George, steer us around till we find a mozo," said Ken. "Then -we'll buy an outfit and get started on this trip before you can say Jack -Robinson." - -All the mozos the boys interviewed were eager to get work; however, when -made acquainted with the nature of the trip they refused point blank. - -"Tigre!" exclaimed one. - -"Javelin!" exclaimed another. - -The big spotted jaguar of the jungle and the wild boar, or peccary, were -held in much dread by the natives. - -"These natives will climb a tree at sight of a tiger or pig," said -George. "For my part I'm afraid of the garrapatoes and the pinilius." - -"What 're they?" asked Hal. - -"Ticks--jungle ticks. Just wait till you make their acquaintance." - -Finally the boys met a _mozo_ named Pepe, who had often rowed a boat for -George. Pepe looked sadly in need of a job; still he did not ask for it. -George said that Pepe had been one of the best boatmen on the river -until _canya_, the fiery white liquor to which the natives were -addicted, had ruined his reputation. Pepe wore an old sombrero, a -cotton, shirt and sash, and ragged trousers. He was barefooted. Ken -noted the set of his muscular neck, his brawny shoulders and arms, and -appreciated the years of rowing that had developed them. But Pepe's -haggard face, deadened eyes, and listless manner gave Ken pause. Still, -Ken reflected, there was never any telling what a man might do, if -approached right. Pepe's dejection excited Ken's sympathy. So Ken -clapped him on the shoulder, and, with George acting as interpreter, -offered Pepe work for several weeks at three pesos a day. That was more -than treble the _mozo's_ wage. Pepe nearly fell off the canal bridge, -where he was sitting, and a light as warm and bright as sunshine flashed -into his face. - -"Si, Senor--Si, Senor," he began to jabber, and waved his brown hands. - -Ken suspected that Pepe needed a job and a little kind treatment. He -was sure of it when George said Pepe's wife and children were in want. -Somehow Ken conceived a liking for Pepe, and believed he could trust -him. He thought he knew how to deal with poor Pepe. So he gave him -money, told him to get a change of clothes and a pair of shoes, and come -to the hotel next day. - -"He'll spend the money for canya, and not show up to-morrow," said -George. - -"I don't know anything about your natives, but that fellow will come," -declared Ken. - -It appeared that the whole American colony in Tampico had been -acquainted with Ken Ward's project, and made a business to waylay the -boys at each corner. They called the trip a wild-goose chase. They -declared it was a dime-novel idea, and could hardly take Ken seriously. -They mingled astonishment with amusement and concern. They advised Ken -not to go, and declared they would not let him go. Over and over again -the boys were assured of the peril from ticks, bats, boars, crocodiles, -snakes, tigers, and fevers. - -"That's what I'm taking the trip for," snapped Ken, driven to -desperation by all this nagging. - -"Well, young man, I admire your nerve," concluded the hotel man. "If -you're determined to go, we can't stop you. And there's some things we -would like you to find out for us. How far do tarpon run up the Panuco -River? Do they spawn up there? How big are the new-born fish? I'll -furnish you with tackle and preserved mullet, for bait. We've always -wondered about how far tarpon go up into fresh water. Keep your eye -open for signs of oil. Also look at the timber. And be sure to make a -map of the river." - -When it came to getting the boat shipped the boys met with more -obstacles. But for the friendly offices of a Texan, an employee of the -railroad, they would never have been able to convince the native -shipping agent that a boat was merchandise. The Texan arranged the -matter and got Ken a freight bill. He took an entirely different view -of Ken's enterprise, compared with that of other Americans, and in a -cool, drawling voice, which somehow reminded Ken of Jim Williams, he -said: - -"Shore you-all will have the time of your lives. I worked at Valles for -a year. That jungle is full of game. I killed three big tigers. -You-all want to look out for those big yellow devils. One in every -three will jump for a man. There's nothing but shoot, then. And the -wild pigs are bad. They put me up a tree more than once. I don't know -much about the Santa Rosa. Its source is above Micas Falls. Never heard -where it goes. I know it's full of crocodiles and rapids. Never saw a -boat or a canoe at Valles. And say--there are big black snakes in the -jungle. Look out for them, too. Shore you-all have sport a-comin'." - -Ken thanked the Texan, and as he went on up-street, for all his sober -thoughtfulness, he was as eager as Hal or George. However, his position -as their guardian would not permit any show of extravagant enthusiasm. - -Ken bought blankets, cooking utensils, and supplies for three weeks. -There was not such a thing as a tent in Tampico. The best the boys -could get for a shelter was a long strip of canvas nine feet wide. - -"That 'll keep off the wet," said Ken, "but it won't keep out the -mosquitoes and things." - -"Couldn't keep 'em out if we had six tents," replied George. - -The remainder of that day the boys were busy packing the outfit. - -Pepe presented himself at the hotel next morning an entirely different -person. He was clean-shaven, and no longer disheveled. He wore a new -sombrero, a white cotton shirt, a red sash, and blue trousers. He -earned a small bundle, a pair of shoes, and a long _machete_. The -dignity with which he approached before all the other _mozos_ was not -lost upon Ken Ward. A sharp scrutiny satisfied him that Pepe had not -been drinking. Ken gave him several errands to do. Then he ordered the -outfit taken to the station in Pepe's charge. - -The boys went down early in the afternoon. It was the time when the -_mozos_ were returning from the day's tarpon-fishing on the river, and -they, with the _cargodores_, streamed to and fro on the platform. Pepe -was there standing guard over Ken's outfit. He had lost his fame among -his old associates, and for long had been an outsider. Here he was in -charge of a pile of fine guns, fishing-tackle, baggage, and supplies--a -collection representing a fortune to him and his simple class. He had -been trusted with it. It was under his eye. All his old associates -passed by to see him there. That was a great time for Pepe. He looked -bright, alert, and supremely happy. It would have fared ill with -thieves or loafers who would have made themselves free with any of the -articles under his watchful eye. - -The train pulled out of Tampico at five o'clock, and Hal's "We're off!" -was expressive. - -The railroad lay along the river-bank, and the broad Panuco was rippling -with the incoming tide. If Ken and Hal had not already found George to -be invaluable as a companion in this strange country they would have -discovered it then. For George could translate Pepe's talk, and explain -much that otherwise would have been dark to the brothers. Wild ducks -dotted the green surface, and spurts showed where playful _ravalo_ were -breaking water. Great green-backed tarpon rolled their silver sides -against the little waves. White cranes and blue herons stood like -statues upon the reedy bars. Low down over the opposite bank of the -river a long line of wild geese winged its way toward a shimmering -lagoon. And against the gold and crimson of the sunset sky a flight of -wild fowl stood out in bold black relief. The train crossed the Tamesi -River and began to draw away from the Panuco. On the right, wide -marshes, gleaming purple in the darkening light, led the eye far beyond -to endless pale lagoons. Birds of many kinds skimmed the weedy flats. -George pointed out a flock of aigrets, the beautiful wild fowl with the -priceless plumes. Then there was a string of pink flamingoes, tall, -grotesque, wading along with waddling stride, feeding with heads under -water. - -"Great!" exclaimed Ken Ward. - -"It's all so different from Arizona," said Hal. - -At Tamos, twelve miles out of Tampico, the train entered the jungle. -Thereafter the boys could see nothing but the impenetrable green walls -that lined the track. At dusk the train reached a station called Las -Palmas, and then began to ascend the first step of the mountain. The -ascent was steep, and, when it was accomplished, Ken looked down and -decided that step of the mountain was between two and three thousand -feet high. The moon was in its first quarter, and Ken, studying this -tropical moon, found it large, radiant, and a wonderful green-gold. It -shed a soft luminous glow down upon the sleeping, tangled web of jungle. -It was new and strange to Ken, so vastly different from barren desert or -iron-ribbed canon, and it thrilled him with nameless charm. - -The train once more entered jungle walls, and as the boys could not see -anything out of the windows they lay back in their seats and waited for -the ride to end. They were due at Valles at ten o'clock, and the -impatient Hal complained that they would never get there. At length a -sharp whistle from the engine caused Pepe to turn to the boys with a -smile. - -"Valles," he said. - -With rattle and clank the train came to a halt. Ken sent George and -Pepe out, and he and Hal hurriedly handed the luggage through the open -window. When the last piece had been passed into Pepe's big hands the -boys made a rush for the door, and jumped off as the train started. - -"Say, but it's dark," said Hal. - -As the train with its lights passed out of sight Ken found himself in -what seemed a pitchy blackness. He could not see the boys. And he felt -a little cold sinking of his heart at the thought of such black nights -on an unknown jungle river. - -IV - -AT THE JUNGLE RIVER - -Presently, as Ken's eyes became accustomed to the change, the darkness -gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of chattering natives, with wide -sombreros on their heads and blankets over their shoulders, moved round -the little stone station. Visitors were rare in Valles, as was -manifested by the curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile of luggage. - -"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for the night," said Ken to -George. - -Pepe began to question the natives, and soon was lost in the crowd. -Awhile after, as Ken was making up his mind they might have to camp on -the station platform, a queer low 'bus drawn by six little mules creaked -up. Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and began to stow the -luggage away in the 'bus. Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon -bowling along a white moonlit road. The soft voices of natives greeted -their passing. - -Valles appeared to be about a mile from the station, and as they entered -the village Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here and there a -more pretentious habitation of stone. At length the driver halted -before a rambling house, partly stone and partly thatch. There were no -lights; in fact, Ken did not see a light in the village. George told -the boys to take what luggage each could carry and follow the guide. -Inside the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The boys bumped into -things and fell over each other trying to keep close to the barefooted -and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed to a kind of loft, where the -moonlight streamed in at the open sides. - -"What do you think of this?" panted Hal, who had struggled with a heavy -load of luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to fetch up the remainder -of the outfit. Ken thought it best to stand still until he knew just -where he was. But Hal and George began moving about in the loft. It -was very large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full of objects. Hal -jostled into something which creaked and fell with a crash. Then -followed a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and a scuffling -about. - -"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely. - -"You can search me," replied Hal Ward. "One thing--I busted my shin." - -"He knocked over a bed with some one sleeping in it," said George. - -Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon soothed the injured feelings of -the native who had been so rudely disturbed. He then led the boys to -their cots, which were no more than heavy strips of canvas stretched -over tall frameworks. They appeared to be enormously high for beds. -Ken's was as high as his head, and Ken was tall for his age. - -"Say, I'll never get up into this thing," burst out Hal. "These people -must be afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why are these cots so -high?" - -"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and all that from sleeping with the -natives," answered George. "Besides, the higher you sleep in Mexico the -farther you get from creeping, crawling things." - -Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on the floor, but George's remark -had persuaded him to risk the lofty cot. It was most awkward to climb -into. Ken tried several times without success, and once he just escaped -a fall. By dint of muscle and a good vault he finally landed in the -center of his canvas. From there he listened to his more - - - - - *IV* - - *AT THE JUNGLE RIVER* - - -Presently, as Ken's eyes became accustomed to the change, the darkness -gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of chattering natives, with wide -sombreros on their heads and blankets over their shoulders, moved round -the little stone station. Visitors were rare in Valles, as was -manifested by the curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile of luggage. - -"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for the night," said Ken to -George. - -Pepe began to question the natives, and soon was lost in the crowd. -Awhile after, as Ken was making up his mind they might have to camp on -the station platform, a queer low 'bus drawn by six little mules creaked -up. Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and began to stow the -luggage away in the 'bus. Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon -bowling along a white moonlit road. The soft voices of natives greeted -their passing. - -Valles appeared to be about a mile from the station, and as they entered -the village Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here and there a -more pretentious habitation of stone. At length the driver halted -before a rambling house, partly stone and partly thatch. There were no -lights; in fact, Ken did not see a light in the village. George told -the boys to take what luggage each could carry and follow the guide. -Inside the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The boys bumped into -things and fell over each other trying to keep close to the barefooted -and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed to a kind of loft, where the -moonlight streamed in at the open sides. - -"What do you think of this?" panted Hal, who had struggled with a heavy -load of luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to fetch up the remainder -of the outfit. Ken thought it best to stand still until he knew just -where he was. But Hal and George began moving about in the loft. It -was very large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full of objects. Hal -jostled into something which creaked and fell with a crash. Then -followed a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and a scuffling -about. - -"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely. - -"You can search me," replied Hal Ward. "One thing--I busted my shin." - -"He knocked over a bed with some one sleeping in it," said George. - -Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon soothed the injured feelings of -the native who had been so rudely disturbed. He then led the boys to -their cots, which were no more than heavy strips of canvas stretched -over tall frameworks. They appeared to be enormously high for beds. -Ken's was as high as his head, and Ken was tall for his age. - -"Say, I'll never get up into this thing," burst out Hal. "These people -must be afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why are these cots so -high?" - -"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and all that from sleeping with the -natives," answered George. "Besides, the higher you sleep in Mexico the -farther you get from creeping, crawling things." - -Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on the floor, but George's remark -had persuaded him to risk the lofty cot. It was most awkward to climb -into. Ken tried several times without success, and once he just escaped -a fall. By dint of muscle and a good vault he finally landed in the -center of his canvas. From there he listened to his more unfortunate -comrades. Pepe got into his without much difficulty. George, however, -in climbing up, on about the fifth attempt swung over too hard and -rolled off on the other side. The thump he made when he dropped jarred -the whole loft. From the various growls out of the darkness it -developed that the loft was full of sleepers, who were not pleased at -this invasion. Then Hal's cot collapsed, and went down with a crash. -And Hal sat on the flattened thing and laughed. - -"Mucho malo," Pepe said, and he laughed, too. Then he had to get out -and put up Hal's trestle bed. Hal once again went to climbing up the -framework, and this time, with Pepe's aid, managed to surmount it. - -"George, what does Pepe mean by _mucho malo_?" asked Hal. - -"Bad--very much bad," replied George. - -"Nix--tell him nix. This is fine," said Hal. - -"Boys, if you don't want to sleep yourselves, shut up so the rest of us -can," ordered Ken. - -He liked the sense of humor and the good fighting spirit of the boys, -and fancied they were the best attributes in comrades on a wild trip. -For a long time he heard a kind of shuddering sound, which he imagined -was Hal's cot quivering as the boy laughed. Then absolute quiet -prevailed, the boys slept, and Ken felt himself drifting. - -When he awakened the sun was shining through the holes in the thatched -roof. Pepe was up, and the other native sleepers were gone. Ken and the -boys descended from their perches without any tumbles, had a breakfast -that was palatable--although even George could not name what they -ate--and then were ready for the day. - -Valles consisted of a few stone houses and many thatched huts of bamboo -and palm. There was only one street, and it was full of pigs, dogs, and -buzzards. The inhabitants manifested a kindly interest and curiosity, -which changed to consternation when they learned of the boys' project. -Pepe questioned many natives, and all he could learn about the Santa -Rosa was that there was an impassable waterfall some few kilometers -below Valles. Ken gritted his teeth and said they would have to get -past it. Pepe did not encounter a man who had ever heard of the -headwaters of the Panuco River. There were only a few fields under -cultivation around Valles, and they were inclosed by impenetrable -jungle. It seemed useless to try to find out anything about the river. -But Pepe's advisers in the village told enough about _tigre_ and -_javelin_ to make Hal's hair stand on end, and George turn pale, and Ken -himself wish they had not come. It all gave Ken both a thrill and a -shock. - -There was not much conversation among the boys on the drive back to the -station. However, sight of the boat, which had come by freight, stirred -Ken with renewed spirit, and through him that was communicated to the -others. - -The hardest task, so far, developed in the matter of transporting boat -and supplies out to the river. Ken had hoped to get a handcar and haul -the outfit on the track down to where the bridge crossed the Santa Rosa. -But there was no hand-car. Then came the staggering information that -there was no wagon which would carry the boat, and then worse still in -the fact that there was no road. This discouraged Ken; nevertheless he -had not the least idea of giving up. He sent Pepe out to tell the -natives there must be some way to get the outfit to the river. - -Finally Pepe found a fellow who had a cart. This fellow claimed he knew -a trail that went to a point from which it would be easy to carry the -boat to the river. Ken had Pepe hire the man at once. - -"Bring on your old cart," said the irrepressible Hal. - -That cart turned out to be a remarkable vehicle. It consisted of a -narrow body between enormously high wheels. A trio of little mules was -hitched to it. The driver willingly agreed to haul the boat and outfit -for one _peso_, but when he drove up to the platform to be surrounded by -neighbors, he suddenly discovered that he could not possibly accommodate -the boys. Patiently Pepe tried to persuade him. No, the thing was -impossible. He made no excuses, but he looked mysterious. - -"George, tell Pepe to offer him five pesos," said Ken. - -Pepe came out bluntly with the inducement, and the driver began to -sweat. From the look of his eyes Ken fancied he had not earned so much -money in a year. Still he was cunning, and his whispering neighbors -lent him support. He had the only cart in the village, and evidently it -seemed that fortune had come to knock at least once at his door. He -shook his head. - -Ken held up both hands with fingers spread. "Ten pesos," he said. - -The driver, like a crazy man, began to jabber his consent. - -The boys lifted the boat upon the cart, and tied it fast in front so -that the stern would not sag. Then they packed the rest of the outfit -inside. - -Ken was surprised to see how easily the little mules trotted off with -such a big load. At the edge of the jungle he looked back toward the -station. The motley crowd of natives were watching, making excited -gestures, and all talking at once. The driver drove into a narrow -trail, which closed behind him. Pepe led on foot, brushing aside the -thick foliage. Ken drew a breath of relief as he passed into the cool -shade. The sun was very hot. Hal and George brought up the rear, -talking fast. - -The trail was lined and overgrown with slender trees, standing very -close, making dense shade. Many birds, some of beautiful coloring, -flitted in the branches. In about an hour the driver entered a little -clearing where there were several thatched huts. Ken heard the puffing -of an engine, and, looking through the trees, he saw the railroad and -knew they had arrived at the pumping-station and the bridge over the -Santa Rosa. - -Pepe lost no time in rounding up six natives to carry the boat. They -did not seem anxious to oblige Pepe, although they plainly wanted the -money he offered. The trouble was the boat, at which they looked -askance. As in the case with the driver, however, the weight and -clinking of added silver overcame their reluctance. They easily lifted -the boat upon their shoulders. And as they entered the trail, making a -strange procession in the close-bordering foliage, they encountered two -natives, who jumped and ran, yelling: "La diable! La diable!" - -"What ails those gazabos?" asked Hal. - -"They're scared," replied George. "They thought the boat was the -devil." - -If Ken needed any more than had already come to him about the wildness -of the Santa Rosa, he had it in the frightened cries and bewilderment of -these natives. They had never seen a boat. The Santa Rosa was a -beautiful wild river upon which boats were unknown. Ken had not hoped -for so much. And now that the die was cast he faced the trip with -tingling gladness. - -"George and Hal, you stay behind to watch the outfit. Pepe and I will -carry what we can and follow the boat. I'll send back after you," said -Ken. - -Then as he followed Pepe and the natives down the trail there was a deep -satisfaction within him. He heard the soft rush of water over stones -and the mourning of turtledoves. He rounded a little hill to come -abruptly upon the dense green mass of river foliage. Giant -cypress-trees, bearded with gray moss, fringed the banks. Through the -dark green of leaves Ken caught sight of light-green water. Birds rose -all about him. There were rustlings in the thick underbrush and the whir -of ducks. The natives penetrated the dark shade and came out to an -open, grassy point. - -The Santa Rosa, glistening, green, swift, murmured at Ken's feet. The -natives dropped the boat into the water, and with Pepe went back for the -rest of the outfit. Ken looked up the shady lane of the river and -thought of the moment when he had crossed the bridge in the train. -Then, as much as he had longed to be there, he had not dared to hope it. -And here he was! How strange it was, just then, to see a large black -duck with white-crested wings sweep by as swift as the wind! Ken had -seen that wild fowl, or one of his kind, and it had haunted him. - - - - - *V* - - *THE FIRST CAMP* - - -In less than an hour all the outfit had been carried down to the river, -and the boys sat in the shade, cooling off, happily conscious that they -had made an auspicious start. - -It took Ken only a moment to decide to make camp there and the next day -try to reach Micas Falls. The mountains appeared close at hand, and -were so lofty that, early in the afternoon as it was, the westering sun -hung over the blue summits. The notch where the Santa Rosa cut through -the range stood out clear, and at most it was not more than eighteen -miles distant. So Ken planned to spend a day pulling up the river, and -then to turn for the down-stream trip. - -"Come, boys, let's make camp," said Ken. - -He sent Pepe with his long _machete_ into the brush to cut fire-wood. -Hal he set to making a stone fireplace, which work the boy rather prided -himself upon doing well. Ken got George to help him to put up the strip -of canvas. They stretched a rope between two trees, threw the canvas -over it, and pegged down the ends. - -"Say, how 're we going to sleep?" inquired Hal, suddenly. - -"Sleep? Why, on our backs, of course," retorted Ken, who could read -Hal's mind. - -"If we don't have some hot old times keeping things out of this tent, -I'm a lobster," said George, dubiously. "I'm going to sleep in the -middle." - -"You're a brave boy, George," replied Ken. - -"Me for between Ken and Pepe," added Hal. - -"And you're twice as brave," said Ken. "I dare say Pepe and I will be -able to keep things from getting at you." - -Just as Pepe came into camp staggering under a load of wood, a flock of -russet-colored ducks swung round the bend. They alighted near the shore -at a point opposite the camp. The way George and Hal made headers into -the pile of luggage for their guns gave Ken an inkling of what he might -expect from these lads. He groaned, and then he laughed. George came up -out of the luggage first, and he had a .22-caliber rifle, which he -quickly loaded and fired into the flock. He crippled one; the others -flew up-stream. Then George began to waste shells trying to kill the -crippled duck. Hal got into action with his .22. They bounced bullets -off the water all around the duck, but they could not hit it. - -Pepe grew as excited as the boys, and he jumped into the boat and with a -long stick began to pole out into the stream. Ken had to caution George -and Hal to lower their guns and not shoot Pepe. Below camp and just -under the bridge the water ran into a shallow rift. The duck got onto -the current and went round the bend, with Pepe poling in pursuit and -George and Hal yelling along the shore. When they returned a little -later, they had the duck, which was of an unknown species to Ken. Pepe -had fallen overboard; George was wet to his knees; and, though Hal did -not show any marks of undue exertion, his eyes would have enlightened -any beholder. The fact was that they were glowing with the excitement -of the chase. It amused Ken. He felt that he had to try to stifle his -own enthusiasm. There had to be one old head in the party. But if he -did have qualms over the possibilities of the boys to worry him with -their probable escapades, he still felt happy at their boundless life -and spirit. - -It was about the middle of the afternoon, and the heat had become -intense. Ken realized it doubly when he saw Pepe favoring the shade. -George and Hal were hot, but they appeared to be too supremely satisfied -with their surroundings to care about that. - -During this hot spell, which lasted from three o'clock until five, there -was a quiet and a lack of life around camp that surprised Ken. It was -slumberland; even the insects seemed drowsy. Not a duck and scarcely a -bird passed by. Ken heard the mourning of turtle-doves, and was at once -struck with the singular deep, full tone. Several trains crossed the -bridge, and at intervals the engine at the pumping-tank puffed and -chugged. From time to time a native walked out upon the bridge to stare -long and curiously at the camp. - -When the sun set behind the mountain a hard breeze swept down the river. -Ken did not know what to make of it, and at first thought there was -going to be a storm. Pepe explained that the wind blew that way every -day after sunset. For a while it tossed the willows, and waved the -Spaniard's-beard upon the cypresses. Then as suddenly as it had come it -died away, taking the heat with it. - -Whereupon the boys began to get supper. - -"George, do you know anything about this water?" asked Ken. "Is it -safe?" - -George supposed it was all right, but he did not know. The matter of -water had bothered Ken more than any other thing in consideration of the -trip. This river-water was cool and clear; it apparently was safe. But -Ken decided not to take any chances, and to boil all the water used. -All at once George yelled, "Canvasbacks!" and made a dive for his gun. -Ken saw a flock of ducks swiftly winging flight up-stream. - -"Hold on, George; don't shoot," called Ken. "Let's go a little slow at -the start." - -George appeared to be disappointed, though he promptly obeyed. - -Then the boys had supper, finding the russet duck much to their taste. -Ken made a note of Pepe's capacity, and was glad there were prospects of -plenty of meat. While they were eating, a group of natives gathered on -the bridge. Ken would not have liked to interpret their opinion of his -party from their actions. - -Night came on almost before the boys were ready for it. They -replenished the camp-fire, and sat around it, looking into the red blaze -and then out into the flickering shadows. Ken thought the time -propitious for a little lecture he had to give the boys, and he -remembered how old Hiram Bent had talked to him and Hal that first night -down under the great black rim-wall of the Grand Canon. - -"Well, fellows," began Ken, "we're started, we're here, and the trip -looks great to me. Now, as I am responsible, I intend to be boss. I want -you boys to do what I tell you. I may make mistakes, but if I do I'll -take them on my shoulders. Let's try to make the trip a great success. -Let's be careful. We're not game-hogs. We'll not kill any more than we -can eat. I want you boys to be careful with your guns. Think all the -time where you're pointing them. And as to thinking, we'd do well to -use our heads all the time. We've no idea what we're going up against in -this jungle." - -Both boys listened to Ken with attention and respect, but they did not -bind themselves by any promises. - -Ken had got out the mosquito-netting, expecting any moment to find it -very serviceable; however, to his surprise it was not needed. When it -came time to go to bed, Hal and George did not forget to slip in between -Pepe and Ken. The open-sided tent might keep off rain or dew, but for -all the other protection it afforded, the boys might as well have slept -outside. Nevertheless they were soon fast asleep. Ken awoke a couple -of times during the night and rolled over to find a softer spot in the -hard bed. These times he heard only the incessant hum of insects. - -When he opened his eyes in the gray morning light, he did hear something -that made him sit up with a start. It was a deep booming sound, -different from anything that he had ever heard. Ken called Pepe, and -that roused the boys. - -"Listen," said Ken. - -In a little while the sound was repeated, a heavy "boo-oom! ... -boo-oom!" There was a resemblance to the first strong beats of a -drumming grouse, only infinitely wilder. - -Pepe called it something like "_faisan real_." - -"What's that?" asked Hal. - -The name was as new to Ken as the noise itself. Pepe explained through -George that it was made by a huge black bird not unlike a turkey. It -had a golden plume, and could run as fast as a deer. The boys rolled -out, all having conceived a desire to see such a strange bird. The -sound was not repeated. Almost immediately, however, the thicket across -the river awoke to another sound, as much a contrast to the boom as -could be imagined. It was a bird medley. At first Ken thought of -magpies, but Pepe dispelled this illusion with another name hard to -pronounce. - -"Chicalocki," he said. - -And that seemed just like what they were singing. It was a sharp, clear -song--"Chic-a-lock-i ... chic-a-lock-i," and to judge from the full -chorus there must have been many birds. - -"They're a land of pheasant," added George, "and make fine pot-stews." - -The _chicalocki_ ceased their salute to the morning, and then, as the -river mist melted away under the rising sun, other birds took it up. -Notes new to Ken burst upon the air. And familiar old songs thrilled -him, made him think of summer days on the Susquehanna--the sweet carol -of the meadow-lark, the whistle of the quail, the mellow, sad call of -the swamp-blackbird. The songs blended in an exquisite harmony. - -"Why, some of them are our own birds come south for the winter," -declared Hal. - -"It's music," said Ken. - -"Just wait," laughed George. - -It dawned upon Ken then that George was a fellow who had the mysterious -airs of a prophet hinting dire things. - -Ken did not know what to wait for, but he enjoyed the suggestion and -anticipated much. Ducks began to whir by; flocks of blackbirds alighted -in the trees across the river. Suddenly Hal jumped up, and Ken was -astounded at a great discordant screeching and a sweeping rush of -myriads of wings. Ken looked up to see the largest flock of birds he had -ever seen. - -"Parrots," he yelled. - -Indeed they were, and they let the boys know it. They flew across the -river, wheeled to come back, all the time screeching, and then they -swooped down into the tops of the cypress-trees. - -"Red-heads," said George. "Just wait till you see the yellow-heads!" - -At the moment the red-heads were quite sufficient for Ken. They broke -out into a chattering, screaming, cackling discordance. It was plainly -directed at the boys. These intelligent birds were curious and -resentful. As Pepe put it, they were scolding. Ken enjoyed it for a -full half-hour and reveled in the din. That morning serenade was worth -the trip. Presently the parrots flew away, and Ken was surprised to -find that most of the other birds had ceased singing. They had set -about the business of the day--something it was nigh time for Ken to -consider. - -Breakfast over, the boys broke camp, eager for the adventures that they -felt to be before them. - - - - - *VI* - - *WILDERNESS LIFE* - - -"Now for the big job, boys," called Ken. "Any ideas will be welcome, but -don't all talk at once." - -And this job was the packing of the outfit in the boat. It was a study -for Ken, and he found himself thanking his lucky stars that he had -packed boats for trips on rapid rivers. George and Hal came to the fore -with remarkable advice which Ken was at the pains of rejecting. And as -fast as one wonderful idea emanated from the fertile minds another one -came in. At last Ken lost patience. - -"Kids, it's going to take brains to pack this boat," he said, with some -scorn. - -And when Hal remarked that in that case he did not see how they ever -were going to pack the boat, Ken drove both boys away and engaged Pepe -to help. - -The boat had to be packed for a long trip, with many things taken into -consideration. The very best way to pack it must be decided upon and -thereafter held to strictly. Balance was all-important; comfort and -elbow-room were not to be overlooked; a flat surface easy to crawl and -jump over was absolutely necessary. Fortunately, the boat was large and -roomy, although not heavy. The first thing Ken did was to cut out the -narrow bow-seat. Here he packed a small bucket of preserved mullet, -some bottles of kerosene and _canya_, and a lantern. The small, flat -trunk, full of supplies, went in next. Two boxes with the rest of the -supplies filled up the space between the trunk and the rowing-seat. By -slipping an extra pair of oars, coils of rope, the ax, and a few other -articles between the gunwales and the trunk and boxes Ken made them fit -snugly. He cut off a piece of the canvas, and, folding it, he laid it -with the blankets lengthwise over the top. This made a level surface, -one that could be gotten over quickly, or a place to sleep, for that -matter, and effectually disposed of the bow half of the boat. Of course -the boat sank deep at the bow, but Ken calculated when they were all -aboard their weight would effect an even balance. - -The bags with clothing Ken put under the second seat. Then he arranged -the other piece of canvas so that it projected up back of the stern of -the boat. He was thinking of the waves to be buffeted in going stern -first down-stream through the rapids. The fishing-tackle and guns he -laid flat from seat to seat. Last of all he placed the ammunition on -one side next the gunwale, and the suit-case carrying camera, films, -medicines, on the other. - -"Come now, fellows," called Ken. "Hal, you and George take the second -seat. Pepe will take the oars. I'll sit in the stern." - -Pepe pushed off, jumped to his place, and grasped the oars. Ken was -delighted to find the boat trim, and more buoyant than he had dared to -hope. - -"We're off," cried Hal, and he whooped. And George exercised his already -well-developed faculty of imitating Hal. - -Pepe bent to the oars, and under his powerful strokes the boat glided -up-stream. Soon the bridge disappeared. Ken had expected a long, shady -ride, but it did not turn out so. Shallow water and gravelly rapids made -rowing impossible. - -"Pile out, boys, and pull," said Ken. - -The boys had dressed for wading and rough work, and went overboard with -a will. Pulling, at first, was not hard work. They were fresh and -eager, and hauled the boat up swift, shallow channels, making nearly as -good time as when rowing in smooth water. Then, as the sun began to get -hot, splashing in the cool river was pleasant. They passed little -islands green with willows and came to high clay-banks gradually wearing -away, and then met with rocky restrictions in the stream-bed. From -round a bend came a hollow roar of a deeper rapid. Ken found it a -swift-rushing incline, very narrow, and hard to pull along. The margin -of the river was hidden and obstructed by willows so that the boys could -see very little ahead. - -When they got above this fall the water was deep and still. Entering -the boat again, they turned a curve into a long, beautiful stretch of -river. - -"Ah! this 's something like," said Hal. - -The green, shady lane was alive with birds and water-fowl. Ducks of -various kinds rose before the boat. White, blue, gray, and speckled -herons, some six feet tall, lined the low bars, and flew only at near -approach. There were many varieties of bitterns, one kind with a purple -back and white breast. They were very tame and sat on the overhanging -branches, uttering dismal croaks. Everywhere was the flash and glitter -and gleam of birds in flight, up and down and across the river. - -Hal took his camera and tried to get pictures. - -The strangeness, beauty, and life of this jungle stream absorbed Ken. -He did not take his guns from their cases. The water was bright green -and very deep; here and there were the swirls of playing fish. The -banks were high and densely covered with a luxuriant foliage. Huge -cypress-trees, moss-covered, leaned half-way across the river. Giant -gray-barked ceibas spread long branches thickly tufted with aloes, -orchids, and other jungle parasites. Palm-trees lifted slender stems -and graceful broad-leaved heads. Clumps of bamboo spread an enormous -green arch out over the banks. These bamboo-trees were particularly -beautiful to Ken. A hundred yellow, black-circled stems grew out of the -ground close together, and as they rose high they gracefully leaned -their bodies and drooped their tips. The leaves were arrowy, exquisite -in their fineness. - -He looked up the long river-lane, bright in the sun, dark and still -under the moss-veiled cypresses, at the turning vines and blossoming -creepers, at the changeful web of moving birds, and indulged to the -fullest that haunting sense for wild places. - -"Chicalocki," said Pepe, suddenly. - -A flock of long-tailed birds, resembling the pheasant in body, was -sailing across the river. Again George made a dive for a gun. This one -was a sixteen-gage and worn out. He shot twice at the birds on the wing. -Then Pepe rowed under the overhanging branches, and George killed three -_chicalocki_ with his rifle. They were olive green in color, and the -long tail had a brownish cast. Heavy and plump, they promised fine -eating. - -"Pato real!" yelled Pepe, pointing excitedly up the river. - -Several black fowl, as large as geese, hove in sight, flying pretty low. -Ken caught a glimpse of wide, white-crested wings, and knew then that -these were the birds he had seen. - -"Load up and get ready," he said to George. "They're coming fast--shoot -ahead of them." - -How swift and powerful they were on the wing! They swooped up when they -saw the boat, and offered a splendid target. The little sixteen-gage -rang out. Ken heard the shot strike. The leader stopped in midair, -dipped, and plunged with a sounding splash. Ken picked him up and found -him to be most beautiful, and as large and heavy as a goose. His black -feathers shone with the latent green luster of an opal, and the pure -white of the shoulder of the wings made a remarkable contrast. - -"George, we've got enough meat for to-day, more than we can use. Don't -shoot any more," said Ken. - -Pepe resumed rowing, and Ken told him to keep under the overhanging -branches and to row without splashing. He was skilled in the use of the -oars, so the boat glided along silently. Ken felt he was rewarded for -this stealth. Birds of rare and brilliant plumage flitted among the -branches. There was one, a long, slender bird, gold and black with a -white ring round its neck. There were little yellow-breasted -kingfishers no larger than a wren, and great red-breasted kingfishers -with blue backs and tufted heads. The boat passed under a leaning -ceiba-tree that was covered with orchids. Ken saw the slim, sharp head -of a snake dart from among the leaves. His neck was as thick as Ken's -wrist. - -"What kind of a snake, Pepe?" whispered Ken, as he fingered the trigger -of George's gun. But Pepe did not see the snake, and then Ken thought -better of disturbing the silence with a gunshot. He was reminded, -however, that the Texan had told him of snakes in this jungle, some of -which measured more than fifteen feet and were as large as a man's leg. - -Most of the way the bank was too high and steep and overgrown for any -animal to get down to the water. Still there were dry gullies, or -arroyos, every few hundred yards, and these showed the tracks of -animals, but Pepe could not tell what species from the boat. Often Ken -heard the pattering of hard feet, and then he would see a little cloud -of dust in one of these drinking-places. So he cautioned Pepe to row -slower and closer in to the bank. - -"Look there! lemme out!" whispered Hal, and he seemed to be on the point -of jumping overboard. - -"Coons," said George. "Oh, a lot of them. There--some young ones." - -Ken saw that they had come abruptly upon a band of racoons, not less -than thirty in number, some big, some little, and a few like tiny balls -of fur, and all had long white-ringed tails. What a scampering the big -ones set up! The little ones were frightened, and the smallest so tame -they scarcely made any effort to escape. Pepe swung the boat in to the -bank, and reaching out he caught a baby racoon and handed it to Hal. - -"Whoop! We'll catch things and tame them," exclaimed Hal, much -delighted, and he proceeded to tie the little racoon under the seat. - -"Sure, we'll get a whole menagerie," said George. - -So they went on up-stream. Often Ken motioned Pepe to stop in dark, -cool places under the golden-green canopy of bamboos. He was as much -fascinated by the beautiful foliage and tree growths as by the wild -life. Hal appeared more taken up with the fluttering of birds in the -thick jungle, rustlings, and soft, stealthy steps. Then as they moved -on Ken whispered and pointed out a black animal vanishing in the -thicket. Three times he caught sight of a spotted form slipping away in -the shade. George saw it the last time, and whispered: "Tiger-cat! -Let's get him." - -"What's that, Ken, a kind of a wildcat?" asked Hal. - -"Yes." Ken took George's .32-caliber and tried to find a way up the -bank. There was no place to climb up unless he dragged himself up -branches of trees or drooping bamboos, and this he did not care to -attempt encumbered with a rifle. Only here and there could he see over -the matted roots and creepers. Then the sound of rapids put hunting out -of his mind. - -"Boys, we've got Micas Falls to reach," he said, and told Pepe to row -on. - -The long stretch of deep river ended in a wide, shallow, noisy rapid. -Fir-trees lined the banks. The palms, cypresses, bamboos, and the -flowery, mossy growths were not here in evidence. Thickly wooded hills -rose on each side. The jungle looked sear and yellow. - -The boys began to wade up the rapid, and before they had reached the -head of it Pepe yelled and jumped back from where he was wading at the -bow. He took an oar and began to punch at something in the water, at -the same time calling out. - -"Crocodile!" cried George, and he climbed in the boat. Hal was not slow -in following suit. Then Ken saw Pepe hitting a small crocodile, which -lashed out with its tail and disappeared. - -"Come out of there," called Ken to the boys. "We can't pull you -up-stream." - -"Say, I don't want to step on one of those ugly brutes," protested Hal. - -"Look sharp, then. Come out." - -Above the rapid extended a quarter-mile stretch where Pepe could row, -and beyond that another long rapid. When the boys had waded up that it -was only to come to another. It began to be hard work. But Ken kept -the boys buckled down, and they made fair progress. They pulled up -through eighteen rapids, and covered distance that Ken estimated to be -about ten miles. The blue mountain loomed closer and higher, yet Ken -began to have doubts of reaching Micas Falls that day. - -Moreover, as they ascended the stream, the rapids grew rougher. - -"It 'll be great coming down," panted Hal. - -Finally they reached a rapid which had long dinned in Ken's ears. All -the water in the river rushed down on the right-hand side through a -channel scarcely twenty feet wide. It was deep and swift. With the aid -of ropes, and by dint of much hard wading and pulling, the boys got the -boat up. A little farther on was another bothersome rapid. At last -they came to a succession of falls, steps in the river, that barred -farther advance up-stream. - -Here Ken climbed up on the bank, to find the country hilly and open, -with patches of jungle and palm groves leading up to the mountains. -Then he caught a glint of Micas Falls, and decided that it would be -impossible to get there. He made what observations he could, and -returned to camp. - -"Boys, here's where we stop," said Ken. "It 'll be all down-stream now, -and I'm glad." - -There was no doubt that the boys were equally glad. They made camp on a -grassy bench above a foam-flecked pool. Ken left the others to get -things in shape for supper, and, taking his camera, he hurried off to -try to get a picture of Micas Falls. He found open places and by-paths -through the brushy forest. He saw evidences of forest fire, and then -knew what had ruined that part of the jungle. There were no birds. It -was farther than he had estimated to the foothill he had marked, but, -loath to give up, he kept on and finally reached a steep, thorny ascent. -Going up he nearly suffocated with heat. He felt rewarded for his -exertions when he saw Micas Falls glistening in the distance. It was -like a string of green fans connected by silver ribbons. He remained -there watching it while the sun set in the golden notch between the -mountains. - -On the way back to camp he waded through a flat overgrown with coarse -grass and bushes. Here he jumped a herd of deer, eight in number. These -small, sleek, gray deer appeared tame, and if there had been sufficient -light, Ken would have photographed them. It cost him an effort to -decide not to fetch his rifle, but as he had meat enough in camp there -was nothing to do except let the deer go. - -When he got back to the river Pepe grinned at him, and, pointing to -little red specks on his shirt, he said: - -"Pinilius." - -"Aha! the ticks!" exclaimed Ken. - -They were exceedingly small, not to be seen without close scrutiny. -They could not be brushed off, so Ken began laboriously to pick them -off. Pepe and George laughed, and Hal appeared to derive some sort of -enjoyment from the incident. - -"Say, these ticks don't bother me any," declared Ken. - -Pepe grunted; and George called out, "Just wait till you get the big -fellows--the garrapatoes." - -It developed presently that the grass and bushes on the camp-site -contained millions of the ticks. Ken found several of the larger -ticks--almost the size of his little finger-nail--but he did not get -bitten. Pepe and George, however, had no such good luck, as was -manifested at different times. By the time they had cut down the bushes -and carried in a stock of fire-wood, both were covered with the little -pests. Hal found a spot where there appeared to be none, and here he -stayed. - -Pepe and George had the bad habit of smoking, and Ken saw them burning -the ticks off shirt-sleeves and trousers-legs, using the fiery end of -their cigarettes. This feat did not puzzle Ken anything like the one -where they held the red point of the cigarettes close to their naked -flesh. Ken, and Hal, too, had to see that performance at close range. - -"Why do you do that?" asked Ken. - -"Popping ticks," replied George. He and Pepe were as sober as judges. - -The fact of the matter was soon clear to Ken. The ticks stuck on as if -glued. When the hot end of the burning cigarette was held within a -quarter of an inch of them they simply blew up, exploded with a pop. -Ken could easily distinguish between the tiny pop of an exploding -_pinilius_ and the heavier pop of a _garrapato_. - -"But, boy, while you're taking time to do that, half a dozen other ticks -can bite you!" exclaimed Ken. - -"Sure they can," replied George. "But if they get on me I'll kill 'em. -I don't mind the little ones--it's the big boys I hate." - -On the other hand, Pepe seemed to mind most the _pinilius_. - -"Say, from now on you fellows will be Garrapato George and Pinilius -Pepe." - -"Pretty soon you'll laugh on the other side of your face," said George. -"In three days you'll be popping ticks yourself." - -Just then Hal let out a yell and began to hunt for a tick that had bit -him. If there was anything that could bother Hal Ward it was a crawling -bug of some kind. - -"I'll have to christen you too, brother," said Ken, gurgling with mirth. -"A very felicitous name--Hollering Hal!" - -Despite the humor of the thing, Ken really saw its serious side. When -he found the grass under his feet alive with ticks he cast about in his -mind for some way to get rid of them. And he hit upon a remedy. On the -ridge above the bench was a palm-tree, and under it were many dead palm -leaves. These were large in size, had long stems, and were as dry as -tinder. Ken lighted one, and it made a flaming hot torch. It did not -take him long to scorch all the ticks near that camp. - -The boys had supper and enjoyed it hugely. The scene went well with the -camp-fire and game-dinner. They gazed out over the foaming pool, the -brawling rapids, to the tufted palm-trees, and above them the dark-blue -mountain. At dusk Hal and George were so tired they went to bed and at -once dropped into slumber. Pepe sat smoking before the slumbering fire. - -And Ken chose that quiet hour to begin the map of the river, and to set -down in his note-book his observations on the mountains and in the -valley, and what he had seen that day of bird, animal, and plant life in -the jungle. - - - - - *VII* - - *RUNNING THE RAPIDS* - - -Some time in the night a yell awakened Ken. He sat up, clutching his -revolver. The white moonlight made all as clear as day. Hal lay deep in -slumber. George was raising himself, half aroused. But Pepe was gone. - -Ken heard a thrashing about outside. Leaping up he ran out, and was -frightened to see Pepe beating and clawing and tearing at himself like a -man possessed of demons. - -"Pepe, what's wrong?" shouted Ken. - -It seemed that Pepe only grew more violent in his wrestling about. Then -Ken was sure Pepe had been stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. - -But he was dumfounded to see George bound like an apparition out of the -tent and begin evolutions that made Pepe's look slow. - -"Hey, what's wrong with you jumping-jacks?" yelled Ken. - -George was as grimly silent as an Indian running the gantlet, but Ken -thought it doubtful if any Indian ever slapped and tore at his body in -George's frantic manner. To add to the mystery Hal suddenly popped out -of the tent. He was yelling in a way to do justice to the name Ken had -lately given him, and, as for wild and whirling antics, his were simply -marvelous. - -"Good land!" ejaculated Ken. Had the boys all gone mad? Despite his -alarm, Ken had to roar with laughter at those three dancing figures in -the moonlight. A rush of ideas went through Ken's confused mind. And -the last prompted him to look in the tent. - -He saw a wide bar of black crossing the moonlit ground, the grass, and -the blankets. This bar moved. It was alive. Bending low Ken descried -that it was made by ants. An army of jungle ants on a march! They had -come in a straight line along the base of the little hill and their -passageway led under the canvas. Pepe happened to be the first in line, -and they had surged over him. As he had awakened, and jumped up of -course, the ants had begun to bite. The same in turn happened to George -and then Hal. - -Ken was immensely relieved, and had his laugh out. The stream of ants -moved steadily and quite rapidly, and soon passed from sight. By this -time Pepe and the boys had threshed themselves free of ants and into -some degree of composure. - -"Say, you nightmare fellows! Come back to bed," said Ken. "Any one -would think something had really happened to you." - -Pepe snorted, which made Ken think the native understood something of -English. And the boys grumbled loudly. - -"Ants! Ants as big as wasps! They bit worse than helgramites," -declared Hal. "Oh, they missed you. You always are lucky. I'm not -afraid of all the old jaguars in this jungle. But I can't stand biting, -crawling bugs. I wish you hadn't made me come on this darn trip." - -"Ha! Ha!" laughed Ken. - -"Just wait, Hal," put in George, grimly. "Just wait. It's coming to -him!" - -The boys slept well the remainder of the night and, owing to the break -in their rest, did not awaken early. The sun shone hot when Ken rolled -out; a creamy mist was dissolving over the curve of the mountain-range; -parrots were screeching in the near-by trees. - -After breakfast Ken set about packing the boat as it had been done the -day before. - -"I think we'll do well to leave the trunk in the boat after this, unless -we find a place where we want to make a permanent camp for a while," -said Ken. - -Before departing he carefully looked over the ground to see that nothing -was left, and espied a heavy fish-line which George had baited, set, and -forgotten. - -"Hey, George, pull up your trot-line. It looks pretty much stretched to -me. Maybe you've got a fish." - -Ken happened to be busy at the boat when George started to take in the -line. An exclamation from Pepe, George's yell, and a loud splash made -Ken jump up in double-quick time. Hal also came running. - -George was staggering on the bank, leaning back hard on the heavy line. -A long, angry swirl in the pool told of a powerful fish. It was likely -to pull George in. - -"Let go the line!" yelled Ken. - -But George was not letting go of any fish-lines. He yelled for Pepe, -and went down on his knees before Pepe got to him. Both then pulled on -the line. The fish, or whatever it was at the other end, gave a mighty -jerk that almost dragged the two off the bank. - -"Play him, play him!" shouted Ken. "You've got plenty of line. Give him -some." - -Hal now added his weight and strength, and the three of them, unmindful -of Ken's advice, hauled back with might and main. The line parted and -they sprawled on the grass. - -"What a sockdologer!" exclaimed Hal. - -"I had that hook baited with a big piece of duck meat," said George. -"We must have been hooked to a crocodile. Things are happening to us." - -"Yes, so I've noticed," replied Ken, dryly. "But if you fellows hadn't -pulled so hard you might have landed that thing, whatever it was. All -aboard now. We must be on the move--we don't know what we have before -us." - -When they got into the boat Ken took the oars, much to Pepe's surprise. -It was necessary to explain to him that Ken would handle the boat in -swift water. They shoved off, and Ken sent one regretful glance up the -river, at the shady aisle between the green banks, at the white rapids, -and the great colored dome of the mountain. He almost hesitated, for he -desired to see more of that jungle-covered mountain. But something -already warned Ken to lose no time in the trip down the Santa Rosa. -There did not seem to be any reason for hurry, yet he felt it necessary. -But he asked Pepe many questions and kept George busy interpreting names -of trees and flowers and wild creatures. - -Going down-stream on any river, mostly, would have been pleasure, but -drifting on the swift current of the Santa Rosa and rowing under the -wonderful moss-bearded cypresses was almost like a dream. It was too -beautiful to seem real. The smooth stretch before the first rapid was -short, however, and then all Ken's attention had to be given to the -handling of the boat. He saw that George and Pepe both expected to get -out and wade down the rapids as they had waded up. He had a surprise in -store for them. The rapids that he could not shoot would have to be -pretty bad. - -"You're getting close," shouted George, warningly. - -With two sweeps of the oars Ken turned the boat stern first down-stream, -then dipped on the low green incline, and sailed down toward the waves. -They struck the first wave with a shock, and the water flew all over the -boys. Pepe was tremendously excited; he yelled and made wild motions -with his hands; George looked a little frightened. Hal enjoyed it. -Whatever the rapid appeared to them, it was magnificent to Ken; and it -was play to manage the boat in such water. A little pull on one oar and -then on the other kept the stern straight down-stream. The channel he -could make out a long way ahead. He amused himself by watching George -and Pepe. There were stones in the channel, and the water rose angrily -about them. A glance was enough to tell that he could float over these -without striking. But the boys thought they were going to hit every -stone, and were uneasy all the time. Twice he had to work to pass -ledges and sunken trees upon which the current bore down hard. When Ken -neared one of these he dipped the oars and pulled back to stop or lessen -the momentum; then a stroke turned the boat half broadside to the -current. That would force it to one side, and another stroke would turn -the boat straight. At the bottom of this rapid they encountered a long -triangle of choppy waves that they bumped and splashed over. They came -through with nothing wet but the raised flap of canvas in the stern. - -Pepe regarded Ken with admiring eyes, and called him _grande mozo_. - -"Shooting rapids is great sport," proclaimed George. - -They drifted through several little rifts, and then stopped at the head -of the narrow chute that had been such a stumbling-block on the way up. -Looked at from above, this long, narrow channel, with several S curves, -was a fascinating bit of water for a canoeist. It tempted Ken to shoot -it even with the boat. But he remembered the four-foot waves at the -bottom, and besides he resented the importunity of the spirit of daring -so early in the game. Risk, and perhaps peril, would come soon enough. -So he decided to walk along the shore and float the boat through with a -rope. - -The thing looked a good deal easier than it turned out to be. Half-way -through, at the narrowest point and most abrupt curve, Pepe -misunderstood directions and pulled hard on the bow-rope, when he should -have let it slack. - -The boat swung in, nearly smashing Ken against the bank, and the -sweeping current began to swell dangerously near the gunwale. - -"Let go! Let go!" yelled Ken. "George, make him let go!" - -But George, who was trying to get the rope out of Pepe's muscular hands, -suddenly made a dive for his rifle. - -"Deer! deer!" he cried, hurriedly throwing a shell into the chamber. He -shot downstream, and Ken, looking that way, saw several deer under the -firs on a rocky flat. George shot three more times, and the bullets -went "spinging" into the trees. The deer bounded out of sight. - -When Ken turned again, water was roaring into the boat. He was being -pressed harder into the bank, and he saw disaster ahead. - -"Loosen the rope--tell him, George," yelled Ken. - -Pepe only pulled the harder. - -"Quick, or we're ruined," cried Ken. - -George shouted in Spanish, and Pepe promptly dropped the rope in the -water. That was the worst thing he could have done. - -"Grab the rope!" ordered Ken, wildly. "Grab the bow! Don't let it swing -out! Hal!" - -Before either boy could reach it the bow swung out into the current. -Ken was not only helpless, but in a dangerous position. He struggled to -get out from where the swinging stern was wedging him into the bank, but -could not budge. Fearing that all the outfit would be lost in the -river, he held on to the boat and called for some one to catch the rope. - -George pushed Pepe head first into the swift current. Pepe came up, -caught the rope, and then went under again. The boat swung round and, -now half full of water, got away from Ken. It gathered headway. Ken -leaped out on the ledge and ran along with the boat. It careened round -the bad curve and shot down-stream. Pepe was still under water. - -"He's drowned! He's drowned!" cried George. - -Hal took a header right off the ledge, came up, and swam with a few -sharp strokes to the drifting boat. He gained the bow, grasped it, and -then pulled on the rope. - -Ken had a sickening feeling that Pepe might be drowned. Suddenly Pepe -appeared like a brown porpoise. He was touching bottom in places and -holding back on the rope. Then the current rolled him over and over. The -boat drifted back of a rocky point into shallow water. Hal gave a haul -that helped to swing it out of the dangerous current. Then Pepe came up, -and he, too, pulled hard. Just as Ken plunged in the boat sank in two -feet of water. Ken's grip, containing camera, films, and other -perishable goods, was on top, and he got it just in time. He threw it -out on the rocks. Then together the boys lifted the boat and hauled the -bow well up on the shore. - -"Pretty lucky!" exclaimed Ken, as he flopped down. - -"Doggone it!" yelled Hal, suddenly. And he dove for the boat, and -splashed round in the water under his seat, to bring forth a very limp -and drenched little racoon. - -"Good! he's all right," said Ken. - -Pepe said "Mucho malo," and pointed to his shins, which bore several -large bumps from contact with the rocks in the channel. - -"I should say mucha malo," growled George. - -He jerked open his grip, and, throwing out articles of wet clothing--for -which he had no concern--he gazed in dismay at his whole store of -cigarettes wet by the water. - -"So that's all you care for," said Ken, severely. "Young man, I'll have -something to say to you presently. All hands now to unpack the boat." - -Fortunately nothing had been carried away. That part of the supplies -which would have been affected by water was packed in tin cases, and so -suffered no damage. The ammunition was waterproof. Ken's Parker -hammerless and his 351 automatic rifle were full of water, and so were -George's guns and Hal's. While they took their weapons apart, wiped -them, and laid them in the sun, Pepe spread out the rest of the things -and then baled out the boat. The sun was so hot that everything dried -quickly and was not any the worse for the wetting. The boys lost -scarcely an hour by the accident. Before the start Ken took George and -Pepe to task, and when he finished they were both very sober and quiet. - -Ken observed, however, that by the time they had run the next rapid they -were enjoying themselves again. Then came a long succession of rapids -which Ken shot without anything approaching a mishap. When they drifted -into the level stretch Pepe relieved him at the oars. They glided -down-stream under the drooping bamboo, under the silken streamers of -silvery moss, under the dark, cool bowers of matted vine and blossoming -creepers. And as they passed this time the jungle silence awoke to the -crack of George's .22 and the discordant cry of river fowl. Ken's guns -were both at hand, and the rifle was loaded, but he did not use either. -He contented himself with snapping a picture here and there and watching -the bamboo thickets and the mouths of the little dry ravines. - -That ride was again so interesting, so full of sound and action and -color, that it seemed a very short one. The murmur of the water on the -rocks told Ken that it was time to change seats with Pepe. They drifted -down two short rapids, and then came to the gravelly channels between -the islands noted on the way up. The water was shallow down these -rippling channels; and, fearing they might strike a stone, Ken tumbled -out over the bow and, wading slowly, let the boat down to still water -again. He was about to get in when he espied what he thought was an -alligator lying along a log near the river. He pointed it out to Pepe. - -That worthy yelled gleefully in Mexican, and reached for his _machete_. - -"Iguana!" exclaimed George. "I've heard it's good to eat." - -The reptile had a body about four feet long and a very long tail. Its -color was a steely blue-black on top, and it had a blunt, rounded head. - -Pepe slipped out of the boat and began to wade ashore. When the iguana -raised itself on short, stumpy legs George shot at it, and missed, as -usual. But he effectually frightened the reptile, which started to -climb the bank with much nimbleness. Pepe began to run, brandishing his -long _machete_. George plunged into the water in hot pursuit, and then -Hal yielded to the call of the chase. Pepe reached the iguana before it -got up the bank, aimed a mighty blow with his _machete_, and would -surely have cut the reptile in two pieces if the blade had not caught on -an overhanging branch. Then Pepe fell up the bank and barely grasped -the tail of the iguana. Pepe hauled back, and Pepe was powerful. The -frantic creature dug its feet in the clay-bank and held on for dear -life. But Pepe was too strong. He jerked the iguana down and flung it -square upon George, who had begun to climb the bank. - -George uttered an awful yell, as if he expected to be torn asunder, and -rolled down, with the reptile on top of him. Ken saw that it was as -badly frightened as George. But Hal did not see this. And he happened -to have gained a little sand-bar below the bank, in which direction the -iguana started with wonderful celerity. Then Hal made a jump that Ken -believed was a record. - -Remarkably awkward as that iguana was, he could surely cover ground with -his stumpy legs. Again he dashed up the bank. Pepe got close enough -once more, and again he swung the _machete_. The blow cut off a piece -of the long tail, but the only effect this produced was to make the -iguana run all the faster. It disappeared over the bank, with Pepe -scrambling close behind. Then followed a tremendous crashing in the dry -thickets, after which the iguana could be heard rattling and tearing -away through the jungle. Pepe returned to the boat with the crestfallen -boys, and he was much concerned over the failure to catch the big -lizard, which he said made fine eating. - -"What next?" asked George, ruefully, and at that the boys all laughed. - -"The fun is we don't have any idea what's coming off," said Hal. - -"Boys, if you brave hunters had thought to throw a little salt on that -lizard's tail you might have caught him," added Ken. - -Presently Pepe espied another iguana in the forks of a tree, and he -rowed ashore. This lizard was only a small one, not over two feet in -length, but he created some excitement among the boys. George wanted -him to eat, and Hal wanted the skin for a specimen, and Ken wanted to -see what the lizard looked like close at hand. So they all clamored for -Pepe to use caution and to be quick. - -When Pepe started up the tree the iguana came down on the other side, -quick as a squirrel. Then they had a race round the trunk until Pepe -ended it with a well-directed blow from his _machete_. - -Hal began to skin the iguana. - -"Ken, I'm going to have trouble preserving specimens in this hot place," -he said. - -"Salt and alum will do the trick. Remember what old Hiram used to say," -replied Ken. - -Shortly after that the boat passed the scene of the first camp, and then -drifted under the railroad bridge. - -Hal and George, and Pepe too, looked as if they were occupied with the -same thought troubling Ken--that once beyond the bridge they would -plunge into the jungle wilderness from which there could be no turning -back. - - - - - *VIII* - - *THE FIRST TIGER-CAT* - - -The Santa Rosa opened out wide, and ran swiftly over smooth rock. Deep -cracks, a foot or so wide, crossed the river diagonally, and fish darted -in and out. - -The boys had about half a mile of this, when, after turning a hilly -bend, they entered a long rapid. It was a wonderful stretch of river to -look down. - -"By George!" said Ken, as he stood up to survey it. "This is great!" - -"It's all right _now_," added George, with his peculiar implication as -to the future. - -"What gets me is the feeling of what might be round the next bend," said -Hal. - -This indeed, Ken thought, made the fascination of such travel. The -water was swift and smooth and shallow. There was scarcely a wave or -ripple. At times the boat stuck fast on the flat rock, and the boys -would have to get out to shove off. As far ahead as Ken could see -extended this wide slant of water. On the left rose a thick line of -huge cypresses all festooned with gray moss that drooped to the water; -on the right rose a bare bluff of crumbling rock. It looked like blue -clay baked and cracked by the sun. A few palms fringed the top. - -"Say, we can beat this," said Ken, as for the twentieth time the boys -had to step out and shove off a flat, shallow place. "Two of you in the -bow and Pepe with me in the stern, feet overboard." - -The little channels ran every way, making it necessary often to turn the -boat. Ken's idea was to drift along and keep the boat from grounding by -an occasional kick. - -"Ken manages to think of something once in a while," observed Hal. - -Then the boat drifted down-stream, whirling round and round. Here Pepe -would drop his brown foot in and kick his end clear of a shallow ledge; -there George would make a great splash when his turn came to ward off -from a rock; and again Hal would give a greater kick than was necessary -to the righting of the boat. Probably Hal was much influenced by the -fact that when he kicked hard he destroyed the lazy equilibrium of his -companions. - -It dawned upon Ken that here was a new and unique way to travel down a -river. It was different from anything he had ever tried before. The -water was swift and seldom more than a foot deep, except in diagonal -cracks that ribbed the river-bed. This long, shut-in stretch appeared -to be endless. But for the quick, gliding movement of the boat, which -made a little breeze, the heat would have been intolerable. When one of -Hal's kicks made Ken lurch overboard to sit down ludicrously, the cool -water sent thrills over him. Instead of retaliating on Hal, he was glad -to be wet. And the others, soon discovering the reason for Ken's -remarkable good-nature, went overboard and lay flat in the cool ripples. -Then little clouds of steam began to rise from their soaked clothes. - -Ken began to have an idea that he had been wise in boiling the water -which they drank. They all suffered from a parching thirst. Pepe scooped -up water in his hand; George did likewise, and then Hal. - -"You've all got to stop that," ordered Ken, sharply. "No drinking this -water unless it's boiled." - -The boys obeyed, for the hour, but they soon forgot, or deliberately -allayed their thirst despite Ken's command. Ken himself found his -thirst unbearable. He squeezed the juice of a wild lime into a cup of -water and drank that. Then he insisted on giving the boys doses of -quinine and anti-malaria pills, which treatment he meant to continue -daily. - -Toward the lower part of that rapid, where the water grew deeper, fish -began to be so numerous that the boys kicked at many as they darted -under the boat. There were thousands of small fish and some large ones. -Occasionally, as a big fellow lunged for a crack in the rock, he would -make the water roar. There was a fish that resembled a mullet, and -another that Hal said was some kind of bass with a blue tail. Pepe -chopped at them with his _machete_; George whacked with an oar; Hal -stood up in the boat and shot at them with his .22 rifle. - -"Say, I've got to see what that blue-tailed bass looks like," said Ken. -"You fellows will never get one." - -Whereupon Ken jointed up a small rod and, putting on a spinner, began to -cast it about. He felt two light fish hit it. Then came a heavy shock -that momentarily checked the boat. The water foamed as the line cut -through, and Ken was just about to jump off the boat to wade and follow -the fish, when it broke the leader. - -"That was a fine exhibition," remarked the critical Hal. - -"What's the matter with you?" retorted Ken, who was sensitive as to his -fishing abilities. "It was a big fish. He broke things." - -"Haven't you got a reel on that rod and fifty yards of line?" queried -Hal. - -Ken did not have another spinner, and he tried an artificial minnow, but -could not get a strike on it. He took Hal's gun and shot at several of -the blue-tailed fish, but though he made them jump out of the water like -a real northern black-bass, it was all of no avail. - -Then Hal caught one with a swoop of the landing net. It was a beautiful -fish, and it did have a blue tail. Pepe could not name it, nor could -Ken classify it, so Hal was sure he had secured a rare specimen. - -When the boat drifted round a bend to enter another long, wide, shallow -rapid, the boys demurred a little at the sameness of things. The bare -blue bluffs persisted, and the line of gray-veiled cypresses and the -strange formation of stream-bed. Five more miles of drifting under the -glaring sun made George and Hal lie back in the boat, under an -improvised sun-shade. The ride was novel and strange to Ken Ward, and -did not pall upon him, though he suffered from the heat and glare. He -sat on the bow, occasionally kicking the boat off a rock. - -All at once a tense whisper from Pepe brought Ken round with a jerk. -Pepe was pointing down along the right-hand shore. George heard, and, -raising himself, called excitedly: "Buck! buck!" - -Ken saw a fine deer leap back from the water and start to climb the side -of a gully that indented the bluff. Snatching up the .351 rifle, he -shoved in the safety catch. The distance was far--perhaps two hundred -yards--but without elevating the sights he let drive. A cloud of dust -puffed up under the nose of the climbing deer. - -"Wow!" yelled George, and Pepe began to jabber. Hal sprang up, nearly -falling overboard, and he shouted: "Give it to him, Ken!" - -The deer bounded up a steep, winding trail, his white flag standing, his -reddish coat glistening. Ken fired again. The bullet sent up a white -puff of dust, this time nearer still. That shot gave Ken the range, and -he pulled the automatic again--and again. Each bullet hit closer. The -boys were now holding their breath, watching, waiting. Ken aimed a -little firmer and finer at the space ahead of the deer--for in that -instant he remembered what the old hunter on Penetier had told him--and -he pulled the trigger twice. - -The buck plunged down, slipped off the trail, and, raising a cloud of -dust, rolled over and over. Then it fell sheer into space, and whirled -down to strike the rock with a sodden crash. - -It was Ken's first shooting on this trip, and he could not help adding a -cry of exultation to the yells of his admiring comrades. - -"Guess you didn't plug him!" exclaimed Hal Ward, with flashing eyes. - -Wading, the boys pulled the boat ashore. Pepe pronounced the buck to be -very large, but to Ken, remembering the deer in Coconino Forest, it -appeared small. If there was an unbroken bone left in that deer, Ken -greatly missed his guess. He and Pepe cut out the haunch least crushed -by the fail. - -"There's no need to carry along more meat than we can use," said George. -"It spoils overnight. That's the worst of this jungle, I've heard -hunters say." - -Hal screwed up his face in the manner he affected when he tried to -imitate old Hiram Bent. "Wal, youngster, I reckon I'm right an' down -proud of thet shootin'. You air comin' along." - -Ken was as pleased as Hal, but he replied, soberly: "Well, kid, I hope I -can hold as straight as that when we run up against a jaguar." - -"Do you think we'll see one?" asked Hal. - -"Just you wait!" exclaimed George, replying for Ken. "Pepe says we'll -have to sleep in the boat, and anchor the boat in the middle of the -river." - -"What for?" - -"To keep those big yellow tigers from eating us up." - -"How nice!" replied Hal, with a rather forced laugh. - -So, talking and laughing, the boys resumed their down-stream journey. -Ken, who was always watching with sharp eyes, saw buzzards appear, as if -by magic. Before the boat was half a mile down the river buzzards were -circling over the remains of the deer. These birds of prey did not fly -from the jungle on either side of the stream. They sailed, dropped down -from the clear blue sky where they had been invisible. How wonderful -that was to Ken! Nature had endowed these vulture-like birds with -wonderful scent or instinct or sight, or all combined. But Ken believed -that it was power of sight which brought the buzzards so quickly to the -scene of the killing. He watched them circling, sweeping down till a -curve in the river hid them from view. - -And with this bend came a welcome change. The bluff played out in a -rocky slope below which the green jungle was relief to aching eyes. As -the boys made this point, the evening breeze began to blow. They -beached the boat and unloaded to make camp. - -"We haven't had any work to-day, but we're all tired just the same," -observed Ken. - -"The heat makes a fellow tired," said George. - -They were fortunate in finding a grassy plot where there appeared to be -but few ticks and other creeping things. That evening it was a little -surprise to Ken to realize how sensitive he had begun to feel about -these jungle vermin. - -Pepe went up the bank for fire-wood. Ken heard him slashing away with -his _machete_. Then this sound ceased, and Pepe yelled in fright. Ken -and George caught up guns as they bounded into the thicket; Hal started -to follow, likewise armed. Ken led the way through a thorny brake to -come suddenly upon Pepe. At the same instant Ken caught a glimpse of -gray, black-striped forms slipping away in the jungle. Pepe shouted out -something. - -"Tiger-cats!" exclaimed George. - -Ken held up his finger to enjoin silence. With that he stole cautiously -forward, the others noiselessly at his heels. The thicket was lined -with well-beaten trails, and by following these and stooping low it was -possible to go ahead without rustling the brush. Owing to the gathering -twilight Ken could not see very far. When he stopped to listen he heard -the faint crackling of dead brush and soft, quick steps. He had not -proceeded far when pattering footsteps halted him. Ken dropped to his -knee. The boys knelt behind him, and Pepe whispered. Peering along the -trail Ken saw what he took for a wildcat. Its boldness amazed him. -Surely it had heard him, but instead of bounding into the thicket it -crouched not more than twenty-five feet away. Ken took a quick shot at -the gray huddled form. It jerked, stretched out, and lay still. Then a -crashing in the brush, and gray streaks down the trail told Ken of more -game. - -"There they go. Peg away at them," called Ken. - -George and Hal burned a good deal of powder and sent much lead whistling -through the dry branches, but the gray forms vanished in the jungle. - -"We got one, anyway," said Ken. - -He advanced to find his quarry quite dead. It was bigger than any -wildcat Ken had ever seen. The color was a grayish yellow, almost -white, lined and spotted with black. Ken lifted it and found it heavy -enough to make a good load. - -"He's a beauty," said Hal. - -"Pepe says it's a tiger-cat," remarked George. "There are two or three -kinds besides the big tiger. We may run into a lot of them and get some -skins." - -It was almost dark when they reached camp. While Pepe and Hal skinned -the tiger-cat and stretched the pelt over a framework of sticks the -other boys got supper. They were all very hungry and tired, and pleased -with the events of the day. As they sat round the camp-fire there was a -constant whirring of water-fowl over their heads and an incessant hum of -insects from the jungle. - -"Ken, does it feel as wild to you here as on Buckskin Mountain?" asked -Hal. - -"Oh yes, much wilder, Hal," replied his brother. "And it's different, -somehow. Out in Arizona there was always the glorious expectancy of -to-morrow's fun or sport. Here I have a kind of worry--a feeling--" - -But he concluded it wiser to keep to himself that strange feeling of -dread which came over him at odd moments. - -"It suits me," said Hal. "I want to get a lot of things and keep them -alive. Of course, I want specimens. I'd like some skins for my den, -too. But I don't care so much about killing things." - -"Just wait!" retorted George, who evidently took Hal's remark as a -reflection upon his weakness. "Just wait! You'll be shooting pretty -soon for your life." - -"Now, George, what do you mean by that?" questioned Ken, determined to -pin George down to facts. "You said you didn't really know anything -about this jungle. Why are you always predicting disaster for us?" - -"Why? Because I've heard things about the jungle," retorted George. -"And Pepe says wait till we get down off the mountain. He doesn't _know_ -anything, either. But it's his instinct--Pepe's half Indian. So I say, -too, wait till we get down in the jungle!" - -"Confound you! Where are we now?" queried Ken. - -"The real jungle is the lowland. There we'll find the tigers and the -crocodiles and the wild cattle and wild pigs." - -"Bring on your old pigs and things," replied Hal. - -But Ken looked into the glowing embers of the camp-fire and was silent. -When he got out his note-book and began his drawing, he forgot the worry -and dread in the interest of his task. He was astonished at his memory, -to see how he could remember every turn in the river and yet not lose -his sense of direction. He could tell almost perfectly the distance -traveled, because he knew so well just how much a boat would cover in -swift or slow waters in a given time. He thought he could give a fairly -correct estimate of the drop of the river. And, as for descriptions of -the jungle life along the shores, that was a delight, all except trying -to understand and remember and spell the names given to him by Pepe. -Ken imagined Pepe spoke a mixture of Toltec, Aztec, Indian, Spanish, and -English. - - - - - *IX* - - *IN THE WHITE WATER* - - -Upon awakening next morning Ken found the sun an hour high. He was -stiff and sore and thirsty. Pepe and the boys slept so soundly it -seemed selfish to wake them. - -All around camp there was a melodious concourse of birds. But the -parrots did not make a visit that morning. While Ken was washing in the -river a troop of deer came down to the bar on the opposite side. Ken -ran for his rifle, and by mistake took up George's .32. He had a -splendid shot at less than one hundred yards. But the bullet dropped -fifteen feet in front of the leading buck. The deer ran into the deep, -bushy willows. - -"That gun's leaded," muttered Ken. "It didn't shoot where I aimed." - -Pepe jumped up; George rolled out of his blanket with one eye still -glued shut; and Hal stretched and yawned and groaned. - -"Do I have to get up?" he asked. - -"Shore, lad," said Ken, mimicking Jim Williams, "or I'll hev to be -reconsiderin' that idee of mine about you bein' pards with me." - -Such mention of Hal's ranger friend brought the boy out of his lazy bed -with amusing alacrity. - -"Rustle breakfast, now, you fellows," said Ken, and, taking his rifle, -he started off to climb the high river bluff. - -It was his idea to establish firmly in mind the trend of the -mountain-range, and the relation of the river to it. The difficulty in -mapping the river would come after it left the mountains to wind away -into the wide lowlands. The matter of climbing the bluff would have -been easy but for the fact that he wished to avoid contact with grass, -brush, trees, even dead branches, as all were covered with ticks. The -upper half of the bluff was bare, and when he reached that part he soon -surmounted it. Ken faced south with something of eagerness. -Fortunately the mist had dissolved under the warm rays of the sun, -affording an unobstructed view. That scene was wild and haunting, yet -different from what his fancy had pictured. The great expanse of jungle -was gray, the green line of cypress, palm, and bamboo following the -southward course of the river. The mountain-range some ten miles -distant sloped to the south and faded away in the haze. The river -disappeared in rich dark verdure, and but for it, which afforded a -water-road back to civilization, Ken would have been lost in a dense -gray-green overgrowth of tropical wilderness. Once or twice he thought -he caught the faint roar of a waterfall on the morning breeze, yet could -not be sure, and he returned toward camp with a sober appreciation of -the difficulty of his enterprise and a more thrilling sense of its -hazard and charm. - -"Didn't see anything to peg at, eh?" greeted Hal. "Well, get your teeth -in some of this venison before it's all gone." - -Soon they were under way again, Pepe strong and willing at the oars. -This time Ken had his rifle and shotgun close at hand, ready for use. -Half a mile below, the river, running still and deep, entered a shaded -waterway so narrow that in places the branches of wide-spreading and -leaning cypresses met and intertwined their moss-fringed foliage. This -lane was a paradise for birds, that ranged from huge speckled cranes, -six feet high, to little yellow birds almost too small to see. - -Black squirrels were numerous and very tame. In fact, all the creatures -along this shaded stream were so fearless that it was easy to see they -had never heard a shot. Ken awoke sleepy cranes with his fishing-rod and -once pushed a blue heron off a log. He heard animals of some species -running back from the bank, out could not see them. All at once a soft -breeze coming up-stream bore a deep roar of tumbling rapids. The -sensation of dread which had bothered Ken occasionally now returned and -fixed itself in his mind. He was in the jungle of Mexico, and knew not -what lay ahead of him. But if he had been in the wilds of unexplored -Brazil and had heard that roar, it would have been familiar to him. In -his canoe experience on the swift streams of Pennsylvania Ken Ward had -learned, long before he came to rapids, to judge what they were from the -sound. His attention wandered from the beautiful birds, the moss-shaded -bowers, and the overhanging jungle. He listened to the heavy, sullen -roar of the rapids. - -"That water sounds different," remarked George. - -"Grande," said Pepe, with a smile. - -"Pretty heavy, Ken, eh?" asked Hal, looking quickly at his brother. - -But Ken Ward made his face a mask, and betrayed nothing of the grim -nature of his thought. Pepe and the boys had little idea of danger, and -they had now a blind faith in Ken. - -"I dare say we'll get used to that roar," replied Ken, easily, and he -began to pack his guns away in their cases. - -Hal forgot his momentary anxiety; Pepe rowed on, leisurely; and George -lounged in his seat. There was no menace for them in that dull, -continuous roar. - -But Ken knew they would soon be in fast water and before long would drop -down into the real wilderness. It was not now too late to go back up -the river, but soon that would be impossible. Keeping a sharp lookout -ahead, Ken revolved in mind the necessity for caution and skilful -handling of the boat. But he realized, too, that overzealousness on the -side of caution was a worse thing for such a trip than sheer -recklessness. Good judgment in looking over rapids, a quick eye to pick -the best channel, then a daring spirit--that was the ideal to be striven -for in going down swift rivers. - -Presently Ken saw a break in the level surface of the water. He took -Pepe's place at the oars, and, as usual, turned the boat stern first -down-stream. The banks were low and shelved out in rocky points. This -relieved Ken, for he saw that he could land just above the falls. What -he feared was a narrow gorge impossible to portage round or go through. -As the boat approached the break the roar seemed to divide itself, -hollow and shallow near at hand, rushing and heavy farther on. - -Ken rowed close to the bank and landed on the first strip of rock. He -got out and, walking along this ledge, soon reached the fall. It was a -straight drop of some twelve or fifteen feet. The water was shallow all -the way across. - -"Boys, this is easy," said Ken. "We'll pack the outfit round the fall, -and slide the boat over." - -But Ken did not say anything about the white water extending below the -fall as far as he could see. From here came the sullen roar that had -worried him. - -Portaging the supplies around that place turned out to be far from easy. -The portage was not long nor rugged, but the cracked, water-worn, rock -made going very difficult. The boys often stumbled. Pepe fell and broke -open a box, and almost broke his leg. Ken had a hard knock. Then, when -it came to carrying the trunk, one at each corner, progress was -laborious and annoying. Full two hours were lost in transporting the -outfit around the fall. - -Below there was a wide, shelving apron, over which the water ran a foot -or so in depth. Ken stationed Pepe and the boys there, and went up to -get the boat. He waded out with it. Ken saw that his end of this -business was going to be simple enough, but he had doubts as to what -would happen to the boys. - -"Brace yourselves, now," he yelled. "When I drop her over she'll come -a-humming. Hang on if she drags you a mile!" - -Wading out deeper Ken let the boat swing down with the current till the -stern projected over the fall. He had trouble in keeping his footing, -for the rock was slippery. Then with a yell he ran the stern far out -over the drop, bore down hard on the bow, and shoved off. - -The boat shot out and down, to alight with a heavy souse. Then it -leaped into the swift current. George got his hands on it first, and -went down like a ninepin. The boat floated over him. The bow struck -Hal, and would have dragged him away had not Pepe laid powerful hands on -the stern. They waded to the lower ledge. - -"Didn't ship a bucketful," said Hal. "Fine work, Ken." - -"I got all the water," added the drenched and dripping George. - -"Bail out, boys, and repack, while I look below," said Ken. - -He went down-stream a little way to take a survey of the rapids. If -those rapids had been back in Pennsylvania, Ken felt that he could have -gone at them in delight. If the jungle country had been such that -damage to boat or supplies could have been remedied or replaced, these -rapids would not have appeared so bad. Ken walked up and down looking -over the long white inclines more than was wise, and he hesitated about -going into them. But it had to be done. So he went back to the boys. -Then he took the oars with gripping fingers. - -"George, can you swim?" he asked. - -"I'm a second cousin to a fish," replied George. - -"All right. We're off. Now, if we upset, hang to the boat, if you can, -and hold up your legs. George, tell Pepe." - -Ken backed the boat out from the shore. To his right in the middle of -the narrow river was a racy current that he kept out of as long as -possible. But presently he was drawn into it, and the boat shot -forward, headed into the first incline, and went racing smoothly down -toward the white waves of the rapids. - -This was a trying moment for Ken. Grip as hard as he might, the -oar-handles slipped in his sweaty hands. - -The boys were yelling, but Ken could not hear for the din of roaring -waters. The boat sailed down with swift, gliding motion. When it -thumped into the back-lash of the first big waves the water threshed -around and over the boys. Then they were in the thick of rush and roar. -Ken knew he was not handling the boat well. It grazed stones that -should have been easy to avoid, and bumped on hidden ones, and got half -broadside to the current. Pepe, by quick action with an oar, pushed the -stern aside from collision with more than one rock. Several times Ken -missed a stroke when a powerful one was needed. He passed between -stones so close together that he had to ship the oars. It was all rapid -water, this stretch, but the bad places, with sunken rocks, falls, and -big waves, were strung out at such distances apart that Ken had time to -get the boat going right before entering them. - -Ken saw scarcely anything of the banks of the river. They blurred in -his sight. Sometimes they were near, sometimes far. The boat turned -corners where rocky ledges pointed out, constricting the stream and -making a curved channel. What lay around the curve was always a -question and a cause for suspense. Often the boat raced down a chute -and straight toward a rocky wall. Ken would pull back with all his -might, and Pepe would break the shock by striking the wall with his oar. - -More than once Pepe had a narrow escape from being knocked overboard. -George tried to keep him from standing up. Finally at the end of a long -rapid, Pepe, who had the stern-seat, jumped up and yelled. Ken saw a -stone directly in the path of the boat, and he pulled back on the oars -with a quick, strong jerk. Pepe shot out of the stern as if he had been -flung from a catapult. He swam with the current while the boat drifted. -He reached smooth water and the shore before Ken could pick him up. - -It was fun for everybody but Ken. There were three inches of water in -the boat. The canvas, however, had been arranged to protect guns, -grips, and supplies. George had been wet before he entered the rapids, -so a little additional water did not matter to him. Hal was almost as -wet as Pepe. - -"I'm glad that's past," said Ken. - -With that long rapid behind him he felt different. It was what he had -needed. His nervousness disappeared and he had no dread of the next -fall. While the boys bailed out the boat Ken rested and thought. He -had made mistakes in that rapid just passed. Luck had favored him. He -went over the mistakes and saw where he had been wrong, and how he could -have avoided them if he had felt right. Ken realized now that this was -a daredevil trip. And the daredevil in him had been shut up in dread. -It took just that nervous dread, and the hard work, blunders and -accidents, the danger and luck, to liberate the spirit that would make -the trip a success. Pepe and George were loud in their praises of Ken. -But they did not appreciate the real hazard of the undertaking, and if -Hal did he was too much of a wild boy to care. - -"All aboard," called George. - -Then they were on their way again. Ken found himself listening for -rapids. It was no surprise to hear a dull roar round the next bend. -His hair rose stiffly under his hat. But this time he did not feel the -chill, the uncertainty, the lack of confidence that had before weakened -him. - -At the head of a long, shallow incline the boys tumbled overboard, Ken -and Hal at the bow, Pepe and George at the stern. They waded with the -bow up-stream. The water tore around their legs, rising higher and -higher. Soon Pepe and George had to climb in the boat, for the water -became so deep and swift they could not wade. - -"Jump in, Hal," called Ken. - -Then he held to the bow an instant longer, wading a little farther down. -This was ticklish business, and all depended upon Ken. He got the stern -of the boat straight in line with the channel he wanted to run, then he -leaped aboard and made for the oars. The boat sped down. At the bottom -of this incline was a mass of leaping green and white waves. The blunt -stern of the boat made a great splash and the water flew over the boys. -They came through the roar and hiss and spray to glide into a mill-race -current. - -"Never saw such swift water!" exclaimed Ken. - -This incline ended in a sullen plunge between two huge rocks. Ken saw -the danger long before it became evident to his companions. There was -no other way to shoot the rapid. He could not reach the shore. He must -pass between the rocks. Ken pushed on one oar, then on the other, till -he got the boat in line, and then he pushed with both oars. The boat -flew down that incline. It went so swiftly that if it had hit one of -the rocks it would have been smashed to kindling wood. Hal crouched -low. George's face was white. And Pepe leaned forward with his big -arms outstretched, ready to try to prevent a collision. - -Down! down with the speed of the wind! The boat flashed between the -black stones. Then it was raised aloft, light as a feather, to crash -into the back-lashers. The din deafened Ken; the spray blinded him. -The boat seemed to split a white pall of water, then, with many a -bounce, drifted out of that rapid into little choppy waves, and from -them into another long, smooth runway. - -Ken rested, and had nothing to say. Pepe shook his black head. Hal -looked at his brother. George had forgotten his rifle. No one spoke. - -Soon Ken had more work on hand. For round another corner lay more fast -water. The boat dipped on a low fall, and went down into the midst of -green waves with here and there ugly rocks splitting the current. The -stream-bed was continually new and strange to Ken, and he had never seen -such queer formation of rocks. This rapid, however, was easy to -navigate. A slanting channel of swift water connected it with another -rapid. Ken backed into that one, passed through, only to face another. -And so it went for a long succession of shallow rapids. - -A turn in the winding lane of cypresses revealed walls of gray, between -which the river disappeared. - -"Aha!" muttered Ken. - -"Ken, I'll bet this is the place you've been looking for," said Hal. - -The absence of any roar of water emboldened Ken. Nearing the head of -the ravine, he stood upon the seat and looked ahead. But Ken could not -see many rods ahead. The ravine turned, and it was the deceiving turns -in the river that he had feared. What a strange sensation Ken had when -he backed the boat into the mouth of that gorge! He was forced against -his will. Yet there seemed to be a kind of blood-tingling pleasure in -the prospect. - -The current caught the boat and drew it between the gray-green walls of -rock. - -"It's coming to us," said the doubtful George. - -The current ran all of six miles an hour. This was not half as fast as -the boys had traveled in rapids, but it appeared swift enough because of -the nearness of the overshadowing walls. In the shade the water took on -a different coloring. It was brown and oily. It slid along silently. -It was deep, and the swirling current suggested power. Here and there -long, creeping ferns covered the steep stone sides, and above ran a -stream of blue sky fringed by leaning palms. Once Hal put his hands to -his lips and yelled: "Hel-lo!" The yell seemed to rip the silence and -began to clap from wall to wall. It gathered quickness until it clapped -in one fiendish rattle. Then it wound away from the passage, growing -fainter and fainter, and at last died in a hollow echo. - -"Don't do that again," ordered Ken. - -He began to wish he could see the end of that gorge. But it grew -narrower, and the shade changed to twilight, and there were no long, -straight stretches. The river kept turning corners. Quick to note the -slightest change in conditions, Ken felt a breeze, merely a zephyr, fan -his hot face. The current had almost imperceptibly quickened. Yet it -was still silent. Then on the gentle wind came a low murmur. Ken's -pulse beat fast. Turning his ear down-stream, he strained his hearing. -The low murmur ceased. Perhaps he had imagined it. Still he kept -listening. There! Again it came, low, far away, strange. It might -have been the wind in the palms. But no, he could not possibly persuade -himself it was wind. And as that faint breeze stopped he lost the sound -once more. The river was silent, and the boat, and the boys--it was a -silent ride. Ken divined that his companions were enraptured. But this -ride had no beauty, no charm for him. - -There! Another faint puff of wind, and again the low murmur! He -fancied it was louder. He was beginning to feel an icy dread when all -was still once more. So the boat drifted swiftly on with never a gurgle -of water about her gunwales. The river gleamed in brown shadows. Ken -saw bubbles rise and break on the surface, and there was a slight rise -or swell of the water toward the center of the channel. This bothered -him. He could not understand it. But then there had been many other -queer formations of rock and freaks of current along this river. - -The boat glided on and turned another corner, the sharpest one yet. A -long, shadowy water-lane, walled in to the very sides, opened up to -Ken's keen gaze. The water here began to race onward, still wonderfully -silent. And now the breeze carried a low roar. It was changeable yet -persistent. It deepened. - -Once more Ken felt his hair rise under his hat. Cold sweat wet his -skin. Despite the pounding of his heart and the throb of his veins, his -blood seemed to clog, to freeze, to stand still. - -That roar was the roar of rapids. Impossible to go back! If there had -been four sets of oars, Ken and his comrades could not row the heavy -boat back up that swift, sliding river. - -They must go on. - - - - - *X* - - *LOST!* - - -"Ken, old man, do you hear that?" questioned Hal, waking from his -trance. - -George likewise rose out of his lazy contentment. "Must be rapids," he -muttered. "If we strike rapids in this gorge it's all day with us. What -did I tell you!" - -Pepe's dark, searching eyes rested on Ken. - -But Ken had no word for any of them. He was fighting an icy numbness, -and the weakness of muscle and the whirl of his mind. It was thought of -responsibility that saved him from collapse. - -"It's up to you, old man," said Hal, quietly. - -In a moment like this the boy could not wholly be deceived. - -Ken got a grip upon himself. He looked down the long, narrow lane of -glancing water. Some hundred yards on, it made another turn round a -corner, and from this dim curve came the roar. The current was hurrying -the boat toward it, but not fast enough to suit Ken. He wanted to see -the worst, to get into the thick of it, to overcome it. So he helped -the boat along. A few moments sufficed to cover that gliding stretch of -river, yet to Ken it seemed never to have an end. The roar steadily -increased. The current became still stronger. Ken saw eruptions of -water rising as from an explosion beneath the surface. Whirlpools raced -along with the boat. The dim, high walls re-echoed the roaring of the -water. - -The first thing Ken saw when he sailed round that corner was a widening -of the chasm and bright sunlight ahead. Perhaps an eighth of a mile -below the steep walls ended abruptly. Next in quick glance he saw a -narrow channel of leaping, tossing, curling white-crested waves under -sunlighted mist and spray. - -Pulling powerfully back and to the left Ken brought the boat alongside -the cliff. Then he shipped his oars. - -"Hold hard," he yelled, and he grasped the stone. The boys complied, -and thus stopped the boat. Ken stood up on the seat. It was a bad -place he looked down into, but he could not see any rocks. And rocks -were what he feared most. - -"Hold tight, boys," he said. Then he got Pepe to come to him and sit on -the seat. Ken stepped up on Pepe's shoulders and, by holding to the -rock, was able to get a good view of the rapid. It was not a rapid at -all, but a constriction of the channel, and also a steep slant. The -water rushed down so swiftly to get through that it swelled in the -center in a long frothy ridge of waves. The water was deep. Ken could -not see any bumps or splits or white-wreathed rocks, such as were -conspicuous in a rapid. The peril here for Ken was to let the boat hit -the wall or turn broadside or get out of that long swelling ridge. - -He stepped down and turned to the white-faced boys. He had to yell -close to them to make them hear him in the roar. - -"I--can--run--this--place. But--you've got--to help. Pull--the -canvas--up higher in the stern--and hold it." - -Then he directed Pepe to kneel in the bow of the boat with an oar and be -ready to push off from the walls. - -If Ken had looked again or hesitated a moment he would have lost his -nerve. He recognized that fact. And he shoved off instantly. Once the -boat had begun to glide down, gathering momentum, he felt his teeth -grind hard and his muscles grow tense. He had to bend his head from -side to side to see beyond the canvas George and Hal were holding round -their shoulders. He believed with that acting as a buffer in the stern -he could go pounding through those waves. Then he was in the middle of -the channel, and the boat fairly sailed along. Ken kept his oars -poised, ready to drop either one for a stroke. All he wanted was to -enter those foaming, tumultuous waves with his boat pointed right. He -knew he could not hope to see anything low down after he entered the -race. He calculated that the last instant would give him an opportunity -to get his direction in line with some object. - -Then, even as he planned it, the boat dipped on a beautiful glassy -incline, and glided down toward the engulfing, roaring waves. Above -them, just in the center, Ken caught sight of the tufted top of a -palm-tree. That was his landmark! - -The boat shot into a great, curling, back-lashing wave. There was a -heavy shock, a pause, and then Ken felt himself lifted high, while a -huge sheet of water rose fan-shape behind the buffer in the stern. -Walls and sky and tree faded under a watery curtain. Then the boat shot -on again; the light came, the sky shone, and Ken saw his palm-tree. He -pulled hard on the right oar to get the stern back in line. Another -heavy shock, a pause, a blinding shower of water, and then the downward -rush! Ken got a fleeting glimpse of his guiding mark, and sunk the left -oar deep for a strong stroke. The beating of the waves upon the -upraised oars almost threw him out of the boat. The wrestling waters -hissed and bellowed. Down the boat shot and up, to pound and pound, and -then again shoot down. Through the pall of mist and spray Ken always -got a glimpse, quick as lightning, of the palm-tree, and like a demon he -plunged in his oars to keep the boat in line. He was only dimly -conscious of the awfulness of the place. But he was not afraid. He -felt his action as being inspirited by something grim and determined. -He was fighting the river. - -All at once a grating jar behind told him the bow had hit a stone or a -wall. He did not dare look back. The most fleeting instant of time -might be the one for him to see his guiding mark. Then the boat lurched -under him, lifted high with bow up, and lightened. He knew Pepe had -been pitched overboard. - -In spite of the horror of the moment, Ken realized that the lightening -of the boat made it more buoyant, easier to handle. That weight in the -bow had given him an unbalanced craft. But now one stroke here and one -there kept the stern straight. The palm-tree loomed higher and closer -through the brightening mist. Ken no longer felt the presence of the -walls. The thunderous roar had begun to lose some of its volume. Then -with a crash through a lashing wave the boat raced out into the open -light. Ken saw a beautiful foam-covered pool, down toward which the -boat kept bumping over a succession of diminishing waves. - -He gave a start of joy to see Pepe's black head bobbing in the choppy -channel. Pepe had beat the boat to the outlet. He was swimming easily, -and evidently he had not been injured. - -Ken turned the bow toward him. But Pepe did not need any help, and a -few more strokes put him in shallow water. Ken discovered that the -boat, once out of the current, was exceedingly loggy and hard to row. -It was half full of water. Ken's remaining strength went to pull -ashore, and there he staggered out and dropped on the rocky bank. - -The blue sky was very beautiful and sweet to look at just then. But Ken -had to close his eyes. He did not have strength left to keep them open. -For a while all seemed dim and obscure to him. Then he felt a -dizziness, which in turn succeeded to a racing riot of his nerves and -veins. His heart gradually resumed a normal beat, and his bursting -lungs seemed to heal. A sickening languor lay upon him. He could not -hold little stones which he felt under his fingers. He could not raise -his hands. The life appeared to have gone from his legs. - -All this passed, at length, and, hearing Hal's voice, Ken sat up. The -outfit was drying in the sun; Pepe was bailing out the boat; George was -wiping his guns; and Hal was nursing a very disheveled little racoon. - -"You can bring on any old thing now, for all I care," said Hal. "I'd -shoot Lachine Rapids with Ken at the oars." - -"He's a fine boatman," replied George. "Weren't you scared when we were -in the middle of that darned place?" - -"Me? Naw!" - -"Well, I was scared, and don't you forget it," said Ken to them. - -"You were all in, Ken," replied Hal. "Never saw you so tuckered out. -The day you and Prince went after the cougar along that canon -precipice--you were all in that time. George, it took Ken six hours to -climb out of that hole." - -"Tell me about it," said George, all eyes. - -"No stories now," put in Ken. "The sun is still high. We've got to be -on our way. Let's look over the lay of the land." - -Below the pool was a bold, rocky bluff, round which the river split. -What branch to take was a matter of doubt and anxiety to Ken. Evidently -this bluff was an island. It had a yellow front and long bare ledges -leading into the river. - -Ken climbed the bluff, accompanied by the boys, and found it covered -with palm-trees. Up there everything was so dry and hot that it did not -seem to be jungle at all. Even the palms were yellow and parched. Pepe -stood the heat, but the others could not endure it. Ken took one long -look at the surrounding country, so wild and dry and still, and then led -the way down the loose, dusty shelves. - -Thereupon he surveyed the right branch of the river and followed it a -little distance. The stream here foamed and swirled among jagged rocks. -At the foot of this rapid stretched the first dead water Ken had -encountered for miles. A flock of wild geese rose from under his feet -and flew down-stream. - -"Geese!" exclaimed Ken. "I wonder if that means we are getting down -near lagoons or big waters. George, wild geese don't frequent little -streams, do they?" - -"There's no telling where you'll find them in this country," answered -George. "I've chased them right in our orange groves." - -They returned to look at the left branch of the river. It was open and -one continuous succession of low steps. That would have decided Ken -even if the greater volume of water had not gone down on this left side. -As far as he could see was a wide, open river running over little -ledges. It looked to be the easiest and swiftest navigation he had come -upon, and so indeed it proved. The water was swift, and always dropped -over some ledge in a rounded fall that was safe for him to shoot. It -was great fun going over these places. The boys hung their feet over -the gunwales most of the time, sliding them along the slippery ledge or -giving a kick to help the momentum. When they came to a fall, Ken would -drop off the bow, hold the boat back and swing it straight, then jump -in, and over it would go--souse! - -There were so many of these ledges, and they were so close together, -that going over them grew to be a habit. It induced carelessness. The -boat drifted to a brow of a fall full four feet high. Ken, who was at -the bow. leaped off just in time to save the boat. He held on while the -swift water surged about his knees. He yelled for the boys to jump. As -the stern where they sat was already over the fall it was somewhat -difficult to make the boys vacate quickly enough. - -"Tumble out! Quick!" bawled Ken. "Do you think I'm Samson?" - -Over they went, up to their necks in the boiling foam, and not a second -too soon, for Ken could hold the boat no longer. It went over smoothly, -just dipping the stern under water. If the boys had remained aboard, -the boat would have swamped. As it was, Pepe managed to catch the rope, -which Ken had wisely thrown out, and he drifted down to the next ledge. -Ken found this nearly as high as the last one. So he sent the boys -below to catch the boat. This worked all right. The shelves slanted -slightly, with the shallow part of the water just at the break of the -ledge. They passed half a dozen of these, making good time, and before -they knew it were again in a deep, smooth jungle lane with bamboo and -streamers of moss waving over them. - -The shade was cool, and Ken settled down in the stern-seat, grateful for -a rest. To his surprise, he did not see a bird. The jungle was asleep. -Once or twice Ken fancied he heard the tinkle and gurgle of water -running over rocks. The boat glided along silently, with Pepe rowing -leisurely, George asleep, Hal dreaming. - -Ken watched the beautiful green banks. They were high, a mass of -big-leafed vines, flowering and fragrant, above which towered the jungle -giants. Ken wanted to get out and study those forest trees. But he -made no effort to act upon his good intentions, and felt that he must -take the most of his forestry study at long range. He was reveling in -the cool recesses under the leaning cypresses, in the soft swish of -bearded moss, and the strange rustle of palms, in the dreamy hum of the -resting jungle, when his pleasure was brought to an abrupt end. - -"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe. - -George woke up with a start. Hal had been jarred out of his day-dream, -and looked resentful. Ken gazed about him with the feeling of a man -going into a trance, instead of coming out of one. - -The boat was fast on a mud-bank. That branch of the river ended right -there. The boys had come all those miles to run into a blind pocket. - -Ken's glance at the high yellow bank, here crumbling and bare, told him -there was no outlet. He had a sensation of blank dismay. - -"Gee!" exclaimed Hal, softly. - -George rubbed his eyes; and, searching for a cigarette, he muttered: -"We're lost! I said it was coming to us. We've got to go back!" - - - - - *XI* - - *AN ARMY OF SNAKES* - - -For a moment Ken Ward was utterly crushed under the weight of this -sudden blow. It was so sudden that he had no time to think; or his mind -was clamped on the idea of attempting to haul the boat up that long, -insurmountable series of falls. - -"It 'll be an awful job," burst out Hal. - -No doubt in the mind of each boy was the same idea--the long haul, -wading over slippery rocks; the weariness of pushing legs against the -swift current; the packing of supplies uphill; and then the toil of -lifting the heavy boat up over a fall. - -"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and he groaned. That was significant, coming -from a _mozo_, who thought nothing of rowing forty miles in a day. - -"Oh, but it's tough luck," cried Ken. "Why didn't I choose the right -branch of this pesky river?" - -"I think you used your head at that," said Hal. "Most of the water came -down on this side. Where did it go?" - -Hal had hit the vital question, and it cleared Ken's brain. - -"Hal, you're talking sense. Where did that water go? It couldn't all -have sunk into the earth. We'll find out. We won't try to go back. We -_can't_ go back." - -Pepe shoved off the oozy mud, and, reluctantly, as if he appreciated the -dilemma, he turned the boat and rowed along the shore. As soon as Ken -had recovered somewhat he decided there must be an outlet which he had -missed. This reminded him that at a point not far back he had heard the -tinkle and gurgle of unseen water flowing over rocks. - -He directed Pepe to row slowly along the bank that he thought was the -island side. As they glided under the drooping bamboos and silky -curtains of moss George began to call out: "Low bridge! Low bridge!" -For a boy who was forever voicing ill-omened suggestions as to what -might soon happen he was extraordinarily cheerful. - -There were places where all had to lie flat and others where Pepe had to -use his _machete_. This disturbed the _siesta_ of many aquatic birds, -most of which flew swiftly away. But there were many of the -gray-breasted, blue-backed bitterns that did not take to flight. These -croaked dismally, and looked down upon the boys with strange, protruding -eyes. - -"Those darn birds 'll give me the willies," declared Hal. "George, you -just look like them when you croak about what's coming to us." - -"Just wait!" retorted George. "It 'll come, all right. Then I'll have -the fun of seeing you scared silly." - -"What! You'll not do anything of the kind!" cried Hal, hotly. "I've -been in places where such--such a skinny little sap-head as you--" - -"Here, you kids stop wrangling," ordered Ken, who sensed hostilities in -the air. "We've got trouble enough." - -Suddenly Ken signaled Pepe to stop rowing. - -"Boys, I hear running water. Aha! Here's a current. See--it's making -right under this bank." - -Before them was a high wall of broad-leaved vines, so thick that nothing -could be seen through them. Apparently this luxuriant canopy concealed -the bank. Pepe poked an oar into it, but found nothing solid. - -"Pepe, cut a way through. We've got to see where this water runs." - -It was then that Ken came to a full appreciation of a _machete_. He had -often fancied it a much less serviceable tool than an ax. Pepe flashed -the long, bright blade up, down, and around, and presently the boat was -its own length in a green tunnel. Pepe kept on slashing while Ken poled -the boat in and the other boys dumped the cut foliage overboard. Soon -they got through this mass of hanging vine and creeper. Much to Ken's -surprise and delight, he found no high bank, but low, flat ground, -densely wooded, through which ran a narrow, deep outlet of the river. - -"By all that's lucky!" ejaculated Ken. - -George and Hal whooped their pleasure, and Pepe rubbed his muscular -hands. Then all fell silent. The deep, penetrating silence of that -jungle was not provocative of speech. The shade was so black that when a -ray of sunlight did manage to pierce the dense canopy overhead it -resembled a brilliant golden spear. A few lofty palms and a few clumps -of bamboo rather emphasized the lack of these particular species in this -forest. Nor was there any of the familiar streaming moss hanging from -the trees. This glen was green, cool, dark. It did not smell exactly -swampy, but rank, like a place where many water plants were growing. - -[Illustration: KEN SHOT TWICE AT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE] - -The outlet was so narrow that Ken was not able to use the oars. Still, -as the current was swift, the boat went along rapidly. He saw a light -ahead and heard the babble of water. The current quickened, and the -boat drifted suddenly upon the edge of an oval glade, where the hot sun -beat down. A series of abrupt mossy benches, over which the stream slid -almost noiselessly, blocked further progress. - -The first thing about this glade that Ken noted particularly, after the -difficulties presented by the steep steps, was the multitude of snakes -sunning themselves along the line of further progress. - -"Boys, it 'll be great wading down there, hey?" he queried. - -Pepe grumbled for the first time on the trip. Ken gathered from the -native's looks and speech that he did not like snakes. - -"Watch me peg 'em!" yelled Hal, and he began to throw stones with -remarkable accuracy. "Hike, you brown sons-of-guns!" - -George, not to be outdone, made a dive for his .22 and began to pop as -if he had no love for snakes. Ken had doubts about this species. The -snakes were short, thick, dull brown in color, and the way they slipped -into the stream proved they were water-snakes. Ken had never read of a -brown water-moccasin, so he doubted that these belonged to that -poisonous family. Anyway, snakes were the least of his troubles. - -"Boys, you're doing fine," he said. "There are about a thousand snakes -there, and you've hit about six." - -He walked down through the glade into the forest, and was overjoyed to -hear once more the heavy roar of rapids. He went on. The timber grew -thinner, and light penetrated the jungle. Presently he saw the gleam of -water through the trees. Then he hurried back. - -"All right, boys," he shouted. "Here's the river." - -The boys were so immensely relieved that packing the outfit round the -waterfalls was work they set about with alacrity. Ken, who had on his -boots, broke a trail through the ferns and deep moss. Pepe, being -barefoot, wasted time looking for snakes. George teased him. But Pepe -was deadly serious. And the way he stepped and looked made Ken -thoughtful. He had made his last trip with supplies, and was about to -start back to solve the problem of getting the boat down, when a hoarse -yell resounded through the sleeping jungle. Parrots screeched, and -other birds set up a cackling. - -Ken bounded up the slope. - -"Santa Maria!" cried Pepe. - -Ken followed the direction indicated by Pepe's staring eyes and -trembling finger. Hanging from a limb of a tree was a huge black-snake. -It was as thick as Ken's leg. The branch upon which it poised its neck -so gracefully was ten feet high, and the tail curled into the ferns on -the ground. - -"Boys, it's one of the big fellows," cried Ken. - -"Didn't I tell you!" yelled George, running down for his gun. - -Hal seemed rooted to the spot. Pepe began to jabber. Ken watched the -snake, and felt instinctively from its sinister looks that it was -dangerous. George came running back with his .32 and waved it in the -air as he shot. He was so frightened that he forgot to aim. Ken took -the rifle from him. - -"You can't hit him with this. Run after your shotgun. Quick!" - -But the sixteen-gage was clogged with a shell that would not eject. -Ken's guns were in their cases. - -"Holy smoke!" cried George. "He's coming down." - -The black-snake moved his body and began to slide toward the tree-trunk. - -Ken shot twice at the head of the snake. It was a slow-swaying mark hard -to hit. The reptile stopped and poised wonderfully on the limb. He was -not coiled about it, but lay over it with about four feet of neck -waving, swaying to and fro. He watched the boys, and his tongue, like a -thin, black streak, darted out viciously. - -Ken could not hit the head, so he sent a bullet through the thick part -of the body. Swift as a gleam the snake darted from the limb. - -"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe, and he ran off. - -"Look out, boys," shouted Ken. He picked up Pepe's _machete_ and took -to his heels. George and Hal scrambled before him. They ran a hundred -yards or more, and Ken halted in an open rocky spot. He was angry, and -a little ashamed that he had run. The snake did not pursue, and -probably was as badly frightened as the boys had been. Pepe stopped -some distance away, and Hal and George came cautiously back. - -"I don't see anything of him," said Ken. "I'm going back." - -He walked slowly, keeping a sharp outlook, and, returning to the glade, -found blood-stains under the tree. The snake had disappeared without -leaving a trail. - -"If I'd had my shotgun ready!" exclaimed Ken, in disgust. And he made a -note that in the future he would be prepared to shoot. - -"Wasn't he a whopper, Ken?" said Hal. "We ought to have got his hide. -What a fine specimen!" - -"Boys, you drive away those few little snakes while I figure on a way to -get the boat down." - -"Not on your life!" replied Hal. - -George ably sustained Hal's objection. - -"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and then added a loud "No" in English. - -"All right, my brave comrades," rejoined Ken, scornfully. "As I've not -done any work yet or taken any risks, I'll drive the snakes away." - -With Pepe's _machete_ he cut a long forked pole, trimmed it, and, armed -with this weapon, he assaulted the rolls and bands and balls of brown -snakes. He stalked boldly down upon them, pushed and poled, and even -kicked them off the mossy banks. Hal could not stand that, and -presently he got a pole and went to Ken's assistance. - -"Who's hollering now?" he yelled to George. - -Whereupon George cut a long branch and joined the battle. They whacked -and threshed and pounded, keeping time with yells. Everywhere along the -wet benches slipped and splashed the snakes. But after they were driven -into the water they did not swim away. They dove under the banks and -then stretched out their pointed heads from the dripping edge of moss. - -"Say, fellows, we're making it worse for us," declared Ken. "See, the -brown devils won't swim off. We'd better have left them on the bank. -Let's catch one and see if he'll bite." - -He tried to pick up one on his pole, but it slipped off. George fished -after another. Hal put the end of his stick down inside the coil of -still another and pitched it. The brown, wriggling, wet snake shot -straight at the unsuspecting George, and struck him and momentarily -wound about him. - -"Augrrh!" bawled George, flinging off the reptile and leaping back. -"What 'd you do that for? I'll punch you!" - -"George, he didn't mean it," said Ken. "It was an accident. Come on, -let's tease that fellow and see if he'll bite." - -The snake coiled and raised his flat head and darted a wicked tongue out -and watched with bright, beady eyes, but he did not strike. Ken went as -close as he thought safe and studied the snake. - -"Boys, his head isn't a triangle, and there are no little pits under his -eyes. Those are two signs of a poisonous snake. I don't believe this -fellow's one." - -"He'll be a dead snake, b' gosh," replied George, and he fell to -pounding it with his pole. - -"Don't smash him. I want the skin," yelled Hal. - -Ken pondered on the situation before him. - -"Come, the sooner we get at this the better," he said. - -There was a succession of benches through which the stream zigzagged and -tumbled. These benches were rock ledges over which moss had grown fully -a foot thick, and they were so oozy and slippery that it was no easy -task to walk upon them. Then they were steep, so steep that it was -remarkable how the water ran over them so smoothly, with very little -noise or break. It was altogether a new kind of waterfall to Ken. But -if the snakes had not been hidden there, navigation would have presented -an easier problem. - -"Come on boys, alongside now, and hold back," he ordered, gripping the -bow. - -Exactly what happened the next few seconds was not clear in his mind. -There was a rush, and all were being dragged by the boat. The glade -seemed to whizz past. There were some sodden thumps, a great splashing, -a check--and lo! they were over several benches. It was the quickest -and easiest descent he had ever made down a steep waterfall. - -"Fine!" ejaculated George, wiping the ooze from his face. - -"Yes, it was fine," Ken replied. "But unless this boat has wings -something 'll happen soon." - -Below was a long, swift curve of water, very narrow and steep, with a -moss-covered rock dividing the lower end. Ken imagined if there was a -repetition of the first descent the boat would be smashed on that rock. -He ordered Pepe, who was of course the strongest, to go below and jump -to the rock. There he might prevent a collision. - -Pepe obeyed, but as he went he yelled and doubled up in contortions as -he leaped over snakes in the moss. - -Then gently, gingerly the boys started the boat off the bench, where it -had lodged. George was at the stern, Ken and Hal at the bow. Suddenly -Hal shrieked and jumped straight up, to land in the boat. - -"Snakes!" he howled. - -"Give us a rest!" cried Ken, in disgust. - -The boat moved as if instinct with life. It dipped, then--_wheeze!_ it -dove over the bench. Hal was thrown off his feet, fell back on the -gunwale, and thence into the snaky moss. George went sprawling face -downward into the slimy ooze, and Ken was jerked clear off the bench -into the stream. He got his footing and stood firm in water to his -waist, and he had the bow-rope coiled round his hands. - -"Help! Help!" he yelled, as he felt the dragging weight too much for -him. - -If Ken retarded the progress of the boat at all, it was not much. -George saw his distress and the danger menacing the boat, and he leaped -valiantly forward. As he dashed down a slippery slant his feet flew up -higher than where his head had been; he actually turned over in the air, -and fell with a great sop. - -Hal had been trying to reach Ken, but here he stopped and roared with -laughter. - -Despite Ken's anger and fear of snakes, and his greater fear for the -boat, he likewise had to let out a peal of laughter. That tumble of -George's was great. Then Ken's footing gave way and he went down. His -mouth filled with nasty water, nearly strangling him. He was almost -blinded, too. His arms seemed to be wrenched out of their sockets, and -he felt himself bumping over moss-covered rocks as soft as cushions. -Slimy ropes or roots of vegetation, that felt like snakes, brushed his -face and made him cold and sick. It was impossible to hold the boat any -longer. He lodged against a stone, and the swift water forced him upon -it. Blinking and coughing, he stuck fast. - -Ken saw the boat headed like a dart for the rock where Pepe stood. - -"Let 'er go!" yelled Ken. "Don't try to stop her. Pepe, you'll be -smashed!" - -Pepe acted like a man determined to make up for past cowardice. He made -a great show of brave intentions. He was not afraid of a boat. He -braced himself and reached out with his brawny arms. Ken feared for the -obstinate native's life, for the boat moved with remarkable velocity. - -At the last second Pepe's courage vanished. He turned tail to get out of -the way. But he slipped. The boat shot toward him and the blunt stern -struck him with a dull thud. Pepe sailed into the air, over the rock, -and went down cleaving the water. - -The boat slipped over the stone as easily as if it had been a wave and, -gliding into still water below, lodged on the bank. - -Ken crawled out of the stream, and when he ascertained that no one was -injured he stretched himself on the ground and gave up to mirth. Pepe -resembled a drowned rat; Hal was an object to wonder at; and George, in -his coating of slime and with strings of moss in his hair, was the -funniest thing Ken had ever seen. It was somewhat of a surprise to him -to discover, presently, that the boys were convulsed with fiendish glee -over the way he himself looked. - -By and by they recovered, and, with many a merry jest and chuckle of -satisfaction, they repacked the boat and proceeded on their way. No -further obstacle hindered them. They drifted out of the shady jungle -into the sunlit river. - -In half a mile of drifting the heat of the sun dried the boys' clothes. -The water was so hot that it fairly steamed. Once more the boat entered -a placid aisle over which the magnificent gray-wreathed cypresses bowed, -and the west wind waved long ribbons of moss, and wild fowl winged -reluctant flight. - -Ken took advantage of this tranquil stretch of river to work on his map. -He realized that he must use every spare moment and put down his -drawings and notes as often as time and travel permitted. It had dawned -on Ken that rapids and snakes, and all the dangers along the river, made -his task of observation and study one apt to be put into eclipse at -times. Once or twice he landed on shore to climb a bluff, and was -pleased each time to see that he had lined a comparatively true course -on his map. He had doubts of its absolute accuracy, yet he could not -help having pride in his work. So far so good, he thought, and hoped -for good-fortune farther down the river. - - - - - *XII* - - *CATCHING STRANGE FISH* - - -Beyond a bend in the river the boys came upon an island with a narrow, -shaded channel on one side, a wide shoal on the other, and a group of -huge cypresses at the up-stream end. - -"Looks good to me," said Hal. - -The instant Ken saw the island he knew it was the place he had long been -seeking to make a permanent camp for a few days. They landed, to find an -ideal camping site. The ground under the cypresses was flat, dry, and -covered with short grass. Not a ray of sunlight penetrated the foliage. -A pile of driftwood had lodged against one of the trees, and this made -easy the question of fire-wood. - -"Great!" exclaimed Ken. "Come on, let's look over the ground." - -The island was about two hundred yards long, and the lower end was -hidden by a growth of willows. Bursting through this, the boys saw a -weedy flat leading into a wide, shallow back-eddy. Great numbers of -ducks were sporting and feeding. The stones of the rocky shore were -lined with sleeping ducks. Herons of all colors and sizes waded about, -or slept on one leg. Snipe ran everywhere. There was a great squawking -and flapping of wings. But at least half the number of waterfowl were -too tame or too lazy to fly. - -Ken returned to camp with his comrades, all highly elated over the -prospects. The best feature about this beautiful island was the absence -of ticks and snakes. - -"Boys, this is the place," said Ken. "We'll hang up here for a while. -Maybe we won't strike another such nice place to stay." - -So they unloaded the boat, taking everything out, and proceeded to pitch -a camp that was a delight. They were all loud in expressions of -satisfaction. Then Pepe set about leisurely peeling potatoes; George -took his gun and slipped off toward the lower end of the island; Hal -made a pen for his racoon, and then more pens, as if he meant to capture -a menagerie; and Ken made a comfortable lounging-bed under a cypress. -He wanted to forget that nagging worry as to farther descent of the -river, and to enjoy this place. - -"Bang!" went George's sixteen-gage. A loud whirring of wings followed, -and the air was full of ducks. - -"Never touched one!" yelled Hal, in taunting voice. - -A flock of teal skimmed the water and disappeared up-stream. The shot -awakened parrots in the trees, where for a while there was clamor. Ken -saw George wade out into the shoal and pick up three ducks. - -"Pot-shot!" exclaimed Hal, disgustedly. "Why couldn't he be a sport and -shoot them on the fly?" - -George crossed to the opposite shore and, climbing a bare place, stood -looking before him. - -"Hey, George, don't go far," called Ken. - -"Fine place over here," replied George, and, waving his hand, he passed -into the bushes out of sight. - -Ken lay back upon his blanket with a blissful sense of rest and -contentment. Many a time he had lain so, looking up through the broad -leaves of a sycamore or the lacy foliage of a birch or the delicate -crisscross of millions of pine needles. This overhead canopy, however, -was different. Only here and there could he catch little slivers of -blue sky. The graceful streamers of exquisite moss hung like tassels of -silver. In the dead stillness of noonday they seemed to float curved in -the shape in which the last soft breeze had left them. High upon a -branch he saw a red-headed parrot hanging back downward, after the -fashion of a monkey. Then there were two parrots asleep in the fork of -a branch. It was the middle of the day, and all things seemed tired and -sleepy. The deep channel murmured drowsily, and the wide expanse of -river on the other side lapped lazily at the shore. The only other -sound was the mourning of turtle-doves, one near and another far away. -Again the full richness, the mellow sweetness of this song struck Ken -forcibly. He remembered that all the way down the river he had heard -that mournful note. It was beautiful but melancholy. Somehow it made -him think that it had broken the dreamy stillness of the jungle noonday -long, long ago. It was sweet but sad and old. He did not like to hear -it. - -Ken yielded to the soothing influence of the hour and fell asleep. When -he awoke there was George, standing partially undressed and very soberly -popping ticks. He had enlisted the services of Pepe, and, to judge from -the remarks of both, they needed still more assistance. - -"Say, Garrapato George, many ticks over there?" - -"Ticks!" shouted George, wildly, waving his cigarette. "Millions of -'em! And there's--ouch! Kill that one, Pepe. Wow! he's as big as a -penny. There's game over there. It's a flat with some kind of berry -bush. There's lots of trails. I saw cat-tracks, and I scared up wild -turkeys--" - -"Turkeys!" Ken exclaimed, eagerly. - -"You bet. I saw a dozen. How they can run! I didn't flush them. Then -I saw a flock of those black and white ducks, like the big fellow I -shot. They were feeding. I believe they're Muscovy ducks." - -"I'm sure I don't know, but we can call them that." - -"Well, I'd got a shot, too, but I saw some gray things sneaking in the -bushes. I thought they were pigs, so I got out of there quick." - -"You mean javelin?" - -"Yep, I mean wild pigs. Oh! We've struck the place for game. I'll bet -it's coming to us." - -When George anticipated pleasurable events he was the most happy of -companions. It was good to look forward. He was continually expecting -things to happen; he was always looking ahead with great eagerness. But -unfortunately he had a twist of mind toward the unfavorable side of -events, and so always had the boys fearful. - -"Well, pigs or no pigs, ticks or no ticks, we'll hunt and fish, and see -all there is to see," declared Ken, and he went back to his lounging. - -When he came out of that lazy spell, George and Hal were fishing. -George had Ken's rod, and it happened to be the one Ken thought most of. - -"Do you know how to fish?" he asked. - -"I've caught tarpon bigger'n you," retorted George. - -That fact was indeed too much for Ken, and he had nothing to do but risk -his beloved rod in George's hands. And the way George swung it about, -slashed branches with it, dropped the tip in the water, was exceedingly -alarming to Ken. The boy would break the tip in a minute. Yet Ken -could not take his rod away from a boy who had caught tarpon. - -There were fish breaking water. Where a little while before the river -had been smooth, now it was ruffled by _ravalo_, gar, and other fish -Pepe could not name. But George and Hal did not get a bite. They tried -all their artificial flies and spoons and minnows, then the preserved -mullet, and finally several kinds of meat. - -"Bah! they want pie," said Hal. - -For Ken Ward to see little and big fish capering around under his very -nose and not be able to hook one was exasperating. He shot a small -fish, not unlike a pickerel, and had the boys bait with that. Still no -strike was forthcoming. - -This put Ken on his mettle. He rigged up a minnow tackle, and, going to -the lower end of the island, he tried to catch some minnows. There were -plenty of them in the shallow water, but they would not bite. Finally -Ken waded in the shoal and turned over stones. He found some snails -almost as large as mussels, and with these he hurried back to the boys. - -"Here, if you don't get a bite on one of these I'm no fisherman," said -Ken. "Try one." - -George got his hands on the new bait in advance of Hal and so threw his -hook into the water first. No sooner had the bait sunk than he got a -strong pull. - -"There! Careful now," said Ken. - -George jerked up, hooking a fish that made the rod look like a -buggy-whip. - -"Give me the rod," yelled Ken, trying to take it. - -"It's my fish," yelled back George. - -He held on and hauled with all his might. A long, finely built fish, -green as emerald, split the water and churned it into foam. Then, -sweeping out in strong dash, it broke Ken's rod square in the middle. -Ken eyed the wreck with sorrow, and George with no little disapproval. - -"You said you knew how to fish," protested Ken. - -"Those split-bamboo rods are no good," replied George. "They won't hold -a fish." - -"George, you're a grand fisherman!" observed Hal, with a chuckle. "Why, -you only dreamed you've caught tarpon." - -Just then Hal had a tremendous strike. He was nearly hauled off the -bank. But he recovered his balance and clung to his nodding rod. Hal's -rod was heavy cane, and his line was thick enough to suit. So nothing -broke. The little brass reel buzzed and rattled. - -"I've got a whale!" yelled Hal. - -"It's a big gar--alligator-gar," said George. "You haven't got him. -He's got you." - -The fish broke water, showing long, open jaws with teeth like saw-teeth. -It threshed about and broke away. Hal reeled in to find the hook -straightened out. Then George kindly commented upon the very skilful -manner in which Hal had handled the gar. For a wonder Hal did not reply. - -By four o'clock, when Ken sat down to supper, he was so thirsty that his -mouth puckered as dry as if he had been eating green persimmons. This -matter of thirst had become serious. Twice each day Ken had boiled a -pot of water, into which he mixed cocoa, sugar, and condensed milk, and -begged the boys to drink that and nothing else. Nevertheless Pepe and -George, and occasionally Hal, would drink unboiled water. For this meal -the boys had venison and duck, and canned vegetables and fruit, so they -fared sumptuously. - -Pepe pointed to a string of Muscovy ducks sailing up the river. George -had a good shot at the tail end of the flock, and did not even loosen a -feather. Then a line of cranes and herons passed over the island. When -a small bunch of teal flew by, to be followed by several canvasbacks, -Ken ran for his shotgun. It was a fine hammerless, a hard-shooting gun, -and one Ken used for grouse-hunting. In his hurry he grasped a handful -of the first shells he came to and, when he ran to the river-bank, found -they were loads of small shot. He decided to try them anyhow. - -While Pepe leisurely finished the supper Ken and George and Hal sat on -the bank watching for ducks. Just before the sun went down a hard wind -blew, making difficult shooting. Every few moments ducks would whir by. -George's gun missed fire often, and when it did work all right, he -missed the ducks. To Ken's surprise he found the load of small shot -very deadly. He could sometimes reach a duck at eighty yards. The -little brown ducks and teal he stopped as if they had hit a stone wall. -He dropped a canvasback with the sheer dead plunge that he liked. Ken -thought a crippled duck enough to make a hunter quit shooting. With six -ducks killed, he decided to lay aside his gun for that time, when Pepe -pointed down the river. - -"Pato real," he said. - -Ken looked eagerly and saw three of the big black ducks flying as high -as the treetops and coming fast. Snapping a couple of shells in the -gun, Ken stood ready. At the end of the island two of the ducks wheeled -to the left, but the big leader came on like a thunderbolt. To Ken he -made a canvasback seem slow. Ken caught him over the sights of the gun, -followed him up till he was abreast and beyond; then, sweeping a little -ahead of him, Ken pulled both triggers. The Muscovy swooped up and -almost stopped in his flight while a cloud of black feathers puffed away -on the wind. He sagged a little, recovered, and flew on as strong as -ever. The small shot were not heavy enough to stop him. - -"We'll need big loads for the Muscovies and the turkeys," said George. - -"We've all sizes up to BB's," replied Ken. "George, let's take a walk -over there where you saw the turkeys. It's early yet." - -Then Pepe told George if they wanted to see game at that hour the thing -to do was to sit still in camp and watch the game come down to the river -to drink. And he pointed down-stream to a herd of small deer quietly -walking out on the bar. - -"After all the noise we made!" exclaimed Ken. "Well, this beats me. -George, we'll stay right here and not shoot again to-night. I've an -idea we'll see something worth while." - -It was Pepe's idea, but Ken instantly saw its possibilities. There were -no tributaries to the river or springs in that dry jungle, and, as -manifestly the whole country abounded in game, it must troop down to the -river in the cool of the evening to allay the hot day's thirst. The -boys were perfectly situated for watching the dark bank on the channel -side of the island as well as the open bars on the other. The huge -cypresses cast shadows that even in daylight effectually concealed them. -They put out the camp-fire and, taking comfortable seats in the folds of -the great gnarled roots, began to watch and listen. - -The vanguard of thirsty deer had prepared Ken for something remarkable, -and he was in no wise disappointed. The trooping of deer down to the -water's edge and the flight of wild fowl up-stream increased in -proportion to the gathering shadows of twilight. The deer must have got -a scent, for they raised their long ears and stood still as statues, -gazing across toward the upper end of the island. But they showed no -fear. It was only when they had drunk their fill and wheeled about to -go up the narrow trails over the bank that they showed uneasiness and -haste. This made Ken wonder if they were fearful of being ambushed by -jaguars. Soon the dark line of deer along the shore shaded into the -darkness of night. Then Ken heard soft splashes and an occasional -patter of hard hoofs. The whir of wings had ceased. - -A low exclamation from Pepe brought attention to interesting -developments closer at hand. - -"Javelin!" he whispered. - -On the channel side of the island was impenetrable pitchy blackness. -Ken tried to pierce it with straining eyes, but he could not even make -out the shore-line that he knew was only ten yards distant. Still he -could hear, and that was thrilling enough. Everywhere on this side, -along the edge of the water and up the steep bank, were faint tickings -of twigs and soft rustlings of leaves. Then there was a continuous -sound, so low as to be almost inaudible, that resembled nothing Ken -could think of so much as a long line of softly dripping water. It -swelled in volume to a tiny roll, and ended in a sharp clicking on rocks -and a gentle splashing in the water. A drove of _javelin_ had come down -to drink. Occasionally the glint of green eyes made the darkness all the -more weird. Suddenly a long, piercing wail, a keen cry almost human, -quivered into the silence. - -"Panther!" Ken whispered, instantly, to the boys. It was a different -cry from that of the lion of the canon, but there was a strange wild -note that betrayed the species. A stillness fell, dead as that of a -subterranean cavern. Strain his ears as he might, Ken could not detect -the slightest sound. It was as if no _javelin_ or any other animals had -come down to drink. That listening, palpitating moment seemed endless. -What mystery of wild life it meant, that silence following the cry of -the panther! Then the jungle sounds recommenced--the swishing of water, -the brushing in the thicket, stealthy padded footsteps, the faint -snapping of twigs. Some kind of a cat uttered an unearthly squall. Close -upon this the clattering of deer up the bank on the other side rang out -sharply. The deer were running, and the striking of the little hoofs -ceased in short order. Ken listened intently. From far over the bank -came a sound not unlike a cough--deep, hoarse, inexpressibly wild and -menacing. - -"Tigre!" cried Pepe, gripping Ken hard with both hands. He could feel -him trembling. It showed how the native of the jungle-belt feared the -jaguar. - -Again the cough rasped out, nearer and louder this time. It was not a -courage-provoking sound, and seemed on second thought more of a growl -than a cough. Ken felt safe on the island; nevertheless, he took up his -rifle. - -"That's a tiger," whispered George. "I heard one once from the porch of -the Alamitas hacienda." - -A third time the jaguar told of his arrival upon the night scene. Ken -was excited, and had a thrill of fear. He made up his mind to listen -with clearer ears, but the cough or growl was not repeated. - -Then a silence set in, so unbroken that it seemed haunted by the echoes -of those wild jungle cries. Perhaps Ken had the haunting echoes in -mind. He knew what had sent the deer away and stilled the splashings -and creepings. It was the hoarse voice of the lord of the jungle. - -Pepe and the boys, too, fell under the spell of the hour. They did not -break the charm by talking. Giant fireflies accentuated the ebony -blackness and a low hum of insects riveted the attention on the -stillness. Ken could not understand why he was more thoughtful on this -trip than he had ever been before. Somehow he felt immeasurably older. -Probably that was because it had seemed necessary for him to act like a -man, even if he was only a boy. - -The black mantle of night lifted from under the cypresses, leaving a -gloom that slowly paled. Through the dark foliage, low down over the -bank, appeared the white tropical moon. Shimmering gleams chased the -shadows across the ripples, and slowly the river brightened to a silver -sheen. - -A great peace fell upon the jungle world. How white, how wild, how -wonderful! It only made the island more beautiful and lonely. The -thought of leaving it gave Ken Ward a pang. Almost he wished he were a -savage. - -And he lay there thinking of the wild places that he could never see, -where the sun shone, the wind blew, the twilight shadowed, the rain -fell; where the colors and beauties changed with the passing hours; -where a myriad of wild creatures preyed upon each other and night never -darkened but upon strife and death. - - - - - *XIII* - - *A TURKEY-HUNT* - - -Upon awakening in the early morning Ken found his state one of huge -enjoyment. He was still lazily tired, but the dead drag and ache had -gone from his bones. A cool breeze wafted the mist from the river, -breaking it up into clouds, between which streamed rosy shafts of -sunlight. Wood-smoke from the fire Pepe was starting blew fragrantly -over him. A hundred thousand birds seemed to be trying to burst their -throats. The air was full of music. He lay still, listening to this -melodious herald of the day till it ceased. - -Then a flock of parrots approached and circled over the island, -screeching like a band of flying imps. Presently they alighted in the -cypresses, bending the branches to a breaking-point and giving the trees -a spotted appearance of green and red. Pepe waved his hand toward -another flock sweeping over. - -"Parrakeets," he said. - -These birds were a solid green, much smaller than the red-heads, with -longer tails. They appeared wilder than the red-heads, and flew higher, -circling the same way and screeching, but they did not alight. Other -flocks sailed presently from all directions. The last one was a cloud -of parrots, a shining green and yellow mass several acres in extent. -They flew still higher than the parrakeets. - -"Yellow-heads!" shouted George. "They're the big fellows, the talkers. -If there ain't a million of 'em!" - -The boys ate breakfast in a din that made conversation useless. The -red-heads swooped down upon the island, and the two unfriendly species -flew back and forth, manifestly trying to drive the boys off. The mist -had blown away, the sun was shining bright, when the myriad of parrots, -in large and small flocks, departed to other jungle haunts. - -Pepe rowed across the wide shoal to the sand-bars. There in the soft -ooze, among the hundreds of deer-tracks, Ken found a jaguar-track larger -than his spread hand. It was different from a lion-track, yet he could -not distinguish just what the difference was. Pepe, who had accompanied -the boys to carry the rifles and game, pointed to the track and said, -vehemently: - -"Tigre!" He pronounced it "tee-gray." And he added, "Grande!" - -"Big he certainly is," Ken replied. "Boys, we'll kill this jaguar. -We'll bait this drinking-trail with a deer carcass and watch to-night." - -Once upon the bank, Ken was surprised to see a wide stretch of -comparatively flat land. It was covered with a low vegetation, with -here and there palm-trees on the little ridges and bamboo clumps down in -the swales. Beyond the flat rose the dark line of dense jungle. It was -not clear to Ken why that low piece of ground was not overgrown with the -matted thickets and vines and big trees characteristic of other parts of -the jungle. They struck into one of the trails, and had not gone a -hundred paces when they espied a herd of deer. The grass and low bushes -almost covered them. George handed his shotgun to Pepe and took his -rifle. - -"Shoot low," said Ken. - -George pulled the trigger, and with the report a deer went down, but it -was not the one Ken was looking at, nor the one at which he believed -George had aimed. The rest of the herd bounded away, to disappear in a -swale. Wading through bushes and grass, they found George's quarry, a -small deer weighing perhaps sixty pounds. Pepe carried it over to the -trail. Ken noted that he was exceedingly happy to carry the rifles. -They went on at random, somehow feeling that, no matter in what -direction, they would run into something to shoot at. - -The first bamboo swale was alive with _chicalocki_. Up to this time Ken -had not seen this beautiful pheasant fly in the open, and he was -astonished at its speed. It would burst out of the thick bamboo, whir -its wings swiftly, then sail. That sail was a most graceful thing to -see. George pulled his 16-gage twice, and missed both times. He had -the beginner's fault--shooting too soon. Presently Pepe beat a big cock -_chicalocki_ out of the bush. He made such a fine target, he sailed so -evenly, that Ken simply looked at him over the gun-sights and followed -him till he was out of sight. The next one he dropped like a plummet. -Shooting _chicalocki_ was too easy, he decided; they presented so fair a -mark that it was unfair to pull on them. - -George was an impetuous hunter. Ken could not keep near him, nor coax -or command him to stay near. He would wander off by himself. That was -one mark in his favor: at least he had no fear. Pepe hung close to Ken -and Hal, with his dark eyes roving everywhere. Ken climbed out on one -side of the swale, George on the other. Catching his whistle, Ken -turned to look after him. He waved, and, pointing ahead, began to stoop -and slip along from bush to bush. Presently a flock of Muscovy ducks -rose before him, sailed a few rods, and alighted. Then from right under -his feet labored up great gray birds. Wild geese! Ken recognized them -as George's gun went _bang_! One tumbled over, the others wheeled -toward the river. Ken started down into the swale to cross to where -George was, when Pepe touched his arm. - -"Turkeys!" he whispered. - -That changed Ken's mind. Pepe pointed into the low bushes ahead and -slowly led Ken forward. He heard a peculiar low thumping. Trails led -everywhere, and here and there were open patches covered with a scant -growth of grass. Across one of these flashed a bronze streak, then -another and another. - -"Shoot! Shoot!" said Pepe, tensely. - -Those bronze streaks were running turkeys! The thumpings were made by -their rapidly moving feet! - -"Don't they flush--fly?" Ken queried of Pepe. - -"No--no--shoot!" exclaimed he, as another streak of brown crossed an -open spot. Ken hurriedly unbreached his gun and changed the light -shells for others loaded with heavy shot. He reached the edge of a bare -spot across which a turkey ran with incredible swiftness. He did not -get the gun in line with it at all. Then two more broke out of the -bushes. Run! They were as swift as flying quail. Ken took two -snap-shots, and missed both times. If any one had told him that he -would miss a running turkey at fifty feet, he would have been insulted. -But he did not loosen a feather. Loading again, he yelled for George. - -"Hey, George--turkeys!" - -He whooped, and started across on the run. - -"Gee!" said Hal. "Ken, I couldn't do any worse shooting than you. Let -me take a few pegs." - -Ken handed over the heavy gun and fell back a little, giving Hal the -lead. They walked on, peering closely into the bushes. Suddenly a -beautiful big gobbler ran out of a thicket, and then stopped to stretch -out his long neck and look. - -"Shoot--hurry!" whispered Ken. "What a chance!" - -"That's a tame turkey," said Hal. - -"Tame! Why, you tenderfoot! He's as wild as wild. Can't you see -that?" - -Ken's excitement and Pepe's intense eagerness all at once seemed -communicated to Hal. He hauled up the gun, fingered the triggers -awkwardly, then shot both barrels. He tore a tremendous hole in the -brush some few feet to one side of the turkey. Then the great bird ran -swiftly out of sight. - -"Didn't want to kill him sitting, anyhow," said Hal, handing the gun -back to Ken. - -"We want to eat some wild turkey, don't we? Well, we'd better take any -chance. These birds are game, Hal, and don't you forget that!" - -"What's all the shooting?" panted George, as he joined the march. - -Just then there was a roar in the bushes, and a brown blur rose and -whizzed ahead like a huge bullet. That turkey had flushed. Ken watched -him fly till he went down out of sight into a distant swale. - -"Pretty nifty flier, eh?" said George. "He was too quick for me." - -"Great!" replied Ken. - -There was another roar, and a huge bronze cannon-ball sped straight -ahead. Ken shot both barrels, then George shot one, all clean misses. -Ken watched this turkey fly, and saw him clearer. He had to admit that -the wild turkey of the Tamaulipas jungle had a swifter and more -beautiful flight than his favorite bird, the ruffled grouse. - -"Walk faster," said George. "They'll flush better. I don't see how I'm -to hit one. This goose I'm carrying weighs about a ton." - -The hunters hurried along, crashing through the bushes. They saw turkey -after turkey. _Bang!_ went George's gun. - -Then a beautiful sight made Ken cry out and forget to shoot. Six -turkeys darted across an open patch--how swiftly they ran!--then rose in -a bunch. The roar they made, the wonderfully rapid action of their -powerful wings, and then the size of them, their wildness and noble -gameness made them the royal game for Ken. - -At the next threshing in the bushes his gun was leveled; he covered the -whistling bronze thing that shot up. The turkey went down with a crash. -Pepe yelled, and as he ran forward the air all about him was full of -fine bronze feathers. Ken hurried forward to see his bird. Its -strength and symmetry, and especially the beautiful shades of bronze, -captivated his eye. - -"Come on, boys--this is the greatest game I ever hunted," he called. - -Again Pepe yelled, and this time he pointed. From where Ken stood he -could not see anything except low, green bushes. In great excitement -George threw up his gun and shot. Ken heard a squealing. - -"Javelin! Javelin!" yelled Pepe, in piercing alarm. - -George jerked a rifle from him and began to shoot. Hal pumped his .22 -into the bushes. The trampling of hard little hoofs and a cloud of dust -warned Ken where the javelin were. Suddenly Pepe broke and fled for the -river. - -"Hyar, Pepe, fetch back my rifle," shouted Ken, angrily. - -Pepe ran all the faster. - -George turned and dashed away yelling: "Wild pigs! Wild pigs!" - -"Look out, Ken! Run! Run!" added Hal; and he likewise took to his -heels. - -It looked as if there was nothing else for Ken to do but to make tracks -from that vicinity. Never before had he run from a danger which he had -not seen; but the flight of the boys was irresistibly contagious, and -this, coupled with the many stories he had heard of the _javelin_, made -Ken execute a sprint that would have been a record but for the hampering -weight of gun and turkey. He vowed he would hold on to both, pigs or no -pigs; nevertheless he listened as he ran and nervously looked back -often. It may have been excited imagination that the dust-cloud -appeared to be traveling in his wake. Fortunately, the distance to the -river did not exceed a short quarter of a mile. Hot, winded, and -thoroughly disgusted with himself, Ken halted on the bank. Pepe was -already in the boat, and George was scrambling aboard. - -"A fine--chase--you've given--me," Ken panted. "There's nothing--after -us." - -"Don't you fool yourself," returned George, quickly. "I saw those pigs, -and, like the ass I am, I blazed away at one with my shotgun." - -"Did he run at you? That's what I want to know?" demanded Ken. - -George said he was not certain about that, but declared there always was -danger if a wounded _javelin_ squealed. Pepe had little to say; he -refused to go back after the deer left in the trail. So they rowed -across the shoal, and on the way passed within a rod of a big crocodile. - -"Look at that fellow," cried George. "Wish I had my rifle loaded. He's -fifteen feet long." - -"Oh no, George, he's not more than ten feet," said Ken. - -"You don't see his tail. He's a whopper. Pepe told me there was one in -this pool. We'll get him, all right." - -They reached camp tired out, and all a little ruffled in temper, which -certainly was not eased by the discovery that they were covered with -ticks. Following the cue of his companions, Ken hurriedly stripped off -his clothes and hung them where they could singe over the camp-fire. -There were broad red bands of _pinilius_ round both ankles, and reddish -patches on the skin of his arms. Here and there were black spots about -the size of his little finger-nail, and these were _garrapatoes_. He -picked these off one by one, rather surprised to find them come off so -easily. Suddenly he jumped straight up with a pain as fierce as if it -had been a puncture from a red-hot wire. - -Pepe grinned; and George cried: - -"Aha! that was a garrapato bite, that was! You just wait!" - -George had a hundred or more of the big black ticks upon him, and he was -remorselessly popping them with his cigarette. Some of them were biting -him, too, judging from the way he flinched. Pepe had attracted to -himself a million or more of the _pinilius_, but very few of the larger -pests. He generously came to Ken's assistance. Ken was trying to pull -off the _garrapato_ that had bitten a hole in him. Pepe said it had -embedded its head, and if pulled would come apart, leaving the head -buried in the flesh, which would cause inflammation. Pepe held the -glowing end of his cigarette close over the tick, and it began to squirm -and pull out its head. When it was free of the flesh Pepe suddenly -touched it with the cigarette, and it exploded with a pop. A difficult -question was: Which hurt Ken the most, the burn from the cigarette or -the bite of the tick? Pepe scraped off as many _pinilius_ as would -come, and then rubbed Ken with _canya_, the native alcohol. If this was -not some kind of vitriol, Ken missed his guess. It smarted so keenly he -thought his skin was peeling off. Presently, however, the smarting -subsided, and so did the ticks. - -Hal, who by far was the most sensitive one in regard to the crawling and -biting of the jungle pests, had been remarkably fortunate in escaping -them. So he made good use of his opportunity to poke fun at the others, -particularly Ken. - -George snapped out: "Just wait, Hollering Hal!" - -"Don't you call me that!" said Hal, belligerently. - -Ken eyed his brother in silence, but with a dark, meaning glance. It -had occurred to Ken that here in this jungle was the only place in the -world where he could hope to pay off old scores on Hal. And plots began -to form in his mind. - -They lounged about camp, resting in the shade during the hot midday -hours. For supper they had a superfluity of meat, the waste of which -Ken deplored, and he assuaged his conscience by deciding to have a taste -of each kind. The wild turkey he found the most toothsome, delicious -meat it had ever been his pleasure to eat. What struck him at once was -the flavor, and he could not understand it until Pepe explained that the -jungle turkey lived upon a red pepper. So the Tamaulipas wild turkey -turned out to be doubly the finest game he had ever shot. - -All afternoon the big crocodile sunned himself on the surface of the -shoal. - -Ken wanted a crocodile-skin, and this was a chance to get one; but he -thought it as well to wait, and kept the boys from wasting ammunition. - -Before sundown Pepe went across the river and fetched the deer carcass -down to the sandbar, where the jaguar-trail led to the water. - -At twilight Ken stationed the boys at the lower end of the island, -ambushed behind stones. He placed George and Pepe some rods below his -own position. They had George's .32 rifle, and the 16-gage loaded with -a solid ball. Ken put Hal, with the double-barreled shotgun, also -loaded with ball, some little distance above. And Ken, armed with his -automatic, hid just opposite the deer-trails. - -"Be careful where you shoot," Ken warned repeatedly. "Be cool--think -quick--and aim." - -Ken settled down for a long wait, some fifty yards from the deer -carcass. A wonderful procession of wild fowl winged swift flight over -his head. They flew very low. It was strange to note the difference in -the sound of their flying. The cranes and herons softly swished the -air, the teal and canvasbacks whirred by, and the great Muscovies -whizzed like bullets. - -When the first deer came down to drink it was almost dark, and when they -left the moon was up, though obscured by clouds. Faint sounds rose from -the other side of the island. Ken listened until his ears ached, but he -could hear nothing. Heavier clouds drifted over the moon. The deer -carcass became indistinct, and then faded entirely, and the bar itself -grew vague. He was about to give up watching for that night when he -heard a faint rustling below. Following it came a grating or crunching -of gravel. - -Bright flares split the darkness--_crack! crack!_ rang out George's -rifle, then the heavy _boom! boom!_ of the shotgun. - -"There he is!" yelled George. "He's down--we got him--there's two! -Look out!" - -_Boom! Boom!_ roared the heavy shotgun from Hal's covert. - -"George missed him! I got him!" yelled Hal. "No, there he goes--Ken! -Ken!" - -Ken caught the flash of a long gray body in the hazy gloom of the bar -and took a quick shot at it. The steel-jacketed bullet scattered the -gravel and then hummed over the bank. The gray body moved fast up the -bank. Ken could just see it. He turned loose the little automatic and -made the welkin ring. - - - - - *XIV* - - *A FIGHT WITH A JAGUAR* - - -When the echoes of the shots died away the stillness seemed all the -deeper. No rustle in the brush or scuffle on the sand gave evidence of -a wounded or dying jaguar. George and Hal and Pepe declared there were -two tigers, and that they had hit one. Ken walked out upon the stones -till he could see the opposite bar, but was not rewarded by a sight of -dead game. Thereupon they returned to camp, somewhat discouraged at -their ill luck, but planning another night-watch. - -In the morning George complained that he did not feel well. Ken told -him he had been eating too much fresh meat, and that he had better be -careful. Then Ken set off alone, crossed the river, and found that the -deer carcass was gone. In the sand near where it had lain were plenty -of cat-tracks, but none of the big jaguar. Upon closer scrutiny he -found the cat-tracks to be those of a panther. He had half dragged, half -carried the carcass up one of the steep trails, but from that point -there was no further trace. - -Ken struck out across the fiat, intending to go as far as the jungle. -Turtle-doves fluttered before him in numberless flocks. Far to one side -he saw Muscovy ducks rising, sailing a few rods, then alighting. This -occurred several times before he understood what it meant. There was -probably a large flock feeding on the flat, and the ones in the rear -were continually flying to get ahead of those to the fore. - -Several turkeys ran through the bushes before Ken, but as he was -carrying a rifle he paid little heed to them. He kept a keen lookout -for _javelin_. Two or three times he was tempted to turn off the trail -into little bamboo hollows; this, however, owing to a repugnance to -ticks, he did not do. Finally, as he neared the high moss-decked wall -of the jungle, he came upon a runway leading through the bottom of a -deep swale, and here he found tiger-tracks. - -Farther down the swale, under a great cluster of bamboo, he saw the -scattered bones of several deer. Ken was sure that in this spot the -lord of the jungle had feasted more than once. It was an open hollow, -with the ground bare under the bamboos. The runway led on into dense, -leafy jungle. Ken planned to bait that lair with a deer carcass and -watch it during the late afternoon. - -First, it was necessary to get the deer. This might prove bothersome, -for Ken's hands and wrists were already sprinkled with _pinilius_, and -he certainly did not want to stay very long in the brush. Ken imagined -he felt an itching all the time, and writhed inside his clothes. - -"Say, blame you! bite!" he exclaimed, resignedly, and stepped into the -low bushes. He went up and out of the swale. Scarcely had he reached a -level when he saw a troop of deer within easy range. Before they winded -danger Ken shot, and the one he had singled out took a few bounds, then -fell over sideways. The others ran off into the brush. Ken remembered -that the old hunter on Penetier had told him how seldom a deer dropped -at once. When he saw the work of the soft-nose .351 bullet, he no -longer wondered at this deer falling almost in his tracks. - -"If I ever hit a jaguar like that it will be all day with him," was -Ken's comment. - -There were two things about hunting the jaguar that Ken had been bidden -to keep in mind--fierce aggressiveness and remarkable tenacity of life. - -Ken dragged the deer down into the bamboo swale and skinned out a -haunch. Next to wild-turkey meat, he liked venison best. He was glad to -have that as an excuse, for killing these tame tropical deer seemed like -murder to Ken. He left the carcass in a favorable place and then -hurried back to camp. - -To Ken's relief, he managed to escape bringing any _garrapatoes_ with -him, but it took a half-hour to rid himself of the collection of -_pinilius_. - -"George, ask Pepe what's the difference between a garrapato and a -pinilius," said Ken. - -"The big tick is the little one's mother," replied Pepe. - -"Gee! you fellows fuss a lot about ticks," said Hal, looking up from his -task. He was building more pens to accommodate the turtles, snakes, -snails, mice, and young birds that he had captured during the morning. - -Pepe said there were few ticks there in the uplands compared to the -number down along the Panuco River. In the lowlands where the cattle -roamed there were millions in every square rod. The under side of every -leaf and blade of grass was red with ticks. The size of these pests -depended on whether or not they got a chance to stick to a steer or any -beast. They appeared to live indefinitely, but if they could not suck -blood they could not grow. The _pinilius_ grew into a _garrapato_, and a -_garrapato_ bred a hundred thousand _pinilius_ in her body. Two -singular things concerning these ticks were that they always crawled -upward, and they vanished from the earth during the wet season. - -Ken soaked his Duxbax hunting-suit in kerosene in the hope that this -method would enable him to spend a reasonable time hunting. Then, while -the other boys fished and played around, he waited for the long, hot -hours to pass. It was cool in the shade, but the sunlight resembled the -heat of fire. At last five o'clock came, and Ken put on the damp suit. -Soaked with the oil, it was heavier and hotter than sealskin, and before -he got across the river he was nearly roasted. The evening wind sprang -up, and the gusts were like blasts from a furnace. Ken's body was -bathed in perspiration; it ran down his wrists, over his hands, and wet -the gun. This cure for ticks--if it were one--was worse than their -bites. When he reached the shade of the bamboo swale it was none too -soon for him. He threw off the coat, noticing there were more ticks -upon it than at anytime before. The bottom of his trousers, too, had -gathered an exceeding quantity. He brushed them off, muttering the -while that he believed they liked kerosene, and looked as if they were -drinking it. Ken found it easy, however, to brush them off the wet -Duxbax, and soon composed himself to rest and watch. - -The position chosen afforded Ken a clear view of the bare space under -the bamboos and of the hollow where the runway disappeared in the -jungle. The deer carcass, which lay as he had left it, was about a -hundred feet from him. This seemed rather close, but he had to accept -it, for if he had moved farther away he could not have commanded both -points. - -Ken sat with his back against a clump of bamboos, the little rifle -across his knees and an extra clip of cartridges on the ground at his -left. After taking that position he determined not to move a yard when -the tiger came, and to kill him. - -Ken went over in mind the lessons he had learned hunting bear in -Penetier Forest with old Hiram Bent and lassoing lions on the wild -north-rim of the Grand Canon. Ken knew that the thing for a hunter to -do, when his quarry was dangerous, was to make up his mind beforehand. -Ken had twelve powerful shells that he could shoot in the half of twelve -seconds. He would have been willing to face two jaguars. - -The sun set and the wind died down. What a relief was the cooling shade! -The little breeze that was left fortunately blew at right angles to the -swale, so that there did not seem much danger of the tiger winding Ken -down the jungle runway. - -For long moments he was tense and alert. He listened till he thought he -had almost lost the sense of hearing. The jungle leaves were -whispering; the insects were humming. He had expected to hear myriad -birds and see processions of deer, and perhaps a drove of _javelin_. -But if any living creatures ventured near him it was without his -knowledge. The hour between sunset and twilight passed--a long wait; -still he did not lose the feeling that something would happen. Ken's -faculties of alertness tired, however, and needed distraction. So he -took stock of the big clump of bamboos under which lay the deer carcass. - -It was a remarkable growth, that gracefully drooping cluster of slender -bamboo poles. He remembered how, as a youngster, not many years back, -he had wondered where the fishing-poles came from. Here Ken counted one -hundred and sixty-nine in a clump no larger than a barrel. They were -yellow in color with black bands, and they rose straight for a few -yards, then began to lean out, to bend slightly, at last to droop with -their abundance of spiked leaves. Ken was getting down to a real, -interested study of this species of jungle growth when a noise startled -him. - -He straightened out of his lounging position and looked around. The -sound puzzled him. He could not place its direction or name what it was. -The jungle seemed strangely quiet. He listened. After a moment of -waiting he again heard the sound. Instantly Ken was as tense and -vibrating as a violin string. The thing he had heard was from the lungs -of some jungle beast. He was almost ready to pronounce it a cough. -Warily he glanced around, craning his neck. Then a deep, hoarse growl -made him whirl. - -There stood a jaguar with head up and paw on the deer carcass. Ken -imagined he felt perfectly cool, but he knew he was astounded. And even -as he cautiously edged the rifle over his knee he took in the beautiful -points of the jaguar. He was yellow, almost white, with black spots. -He was short and stocky, with powerful stumpy bow-legs. But his head -most amazed Ken. It was enormous. And the expression of his face was so -singularly savage and wild that Ken seemed to realize instantly the -difference between a mountain-lion and this fierce tropical brute. - -The jaguar opened his jaws threateningly. He had an enormous stretch of -jaw. His long, yellow fangs gleamed. He growled again. - -Not hurriedly, nor yet slowly, Ken fired. - -He heard the bullet strike him as plainly as if he had hit him with a -board. He saw dust fly from his hide. Ken expected to see the jaguar -roll over. Instead of that he leaped straight up with a terrible roar. -Something within Ken shook. He felt cold and sick. - -When the jaguar came down, sprawled on all fours, Ken pulled the -automatic again, and he saw the fur fly. Then the jaguar leaped forward -with a strange, hoarse cry. Ken shot again, and knocked the beast flat. -He tumbled and wrestled about, scattering the dust and brush. Three -times more Ken fired, too hastily, and inflicted only slight wounds. - -In reloading Ken tried to be deliberate in snapping in the second clip -and pushing down the rod that threw the shell into the barrel. But his -hands shook. His fingers were all thumbs, and he fumbled at the breech -of the rifle. - -In that interval, if the jaguar could have kept his sense of direction, -he would have reached Ken. But the beast zigzagged; he had lost his -equilibrium; he was hard hit. - -Then he leaped magnificently. He landed within twenty-five feet of Ken, -and when he plunged down he rolled clear over. Ken shot him through and -through. Yet he got up, wheezing blood, uttering a hoarse bellow, and -made again at Ken. - -Ken had been cold, sick. Now panic almost overpowered him. The rifle -wabbled. The bamboo glade blurred in his sight. A terrible dizziness -and numbness almost paralyzed him. He was weakening, sinking, when -thought of life at stake lent him a momentary grim and desperate spirit. - -Once while the jaguar was in the air Ken pulled, twice while he was -down. Then the jaguar stood up pawing the air with great spread claws, -coughing, bleeding, roaring. He was horrible. - -Ken shot him straight between the wide-spread paws. - -With twisted body, staggering, and blowing bloody froth all over Ken, -the big tiger blindly lunged forward and crashed to earth. - -Then began a furious wrestling. Ken imagined it was the death-throes of -the jaguar. Ken could not see him down among the leaves and vines; -nevertheless, he shot into the commotion. The struggles ceased. Then a -movement of the weeds showed Ken that the jaguar was creeping toward the -jungle. - -Ken fell rather than sat down. He found he was wringing wet with cold -sweat. He was panting hard. - -"Say, but--that--was--awful!" he gasped. "What--was--wrong--with me?" - -He began to reload the clips. They were difficult to load for even a -calm person, and now, in the reaction, Ken was the farthest removed from -calm. The jaguar crept steadily away, as Ken could tell by the swaying -weeds and shaking vines. - -"What--a hard-lived beast!" muttered Ken. "I--must have shot--him all to -pieces. Yet he's getting away from me." - -At last Ken's trembling fingers pushed some shells in the two clips, and -once more he reloaded the rifle. Then he stood up, drew a deep, full -breath, and made a strong effort at composure. - -"I've shot at bear--and deer--and lions out West," said Ken. "But this -was different. I'll never get over it." - -How close that jaguar came to reaching Ken was proved by the blood -coughed into his face. He recalled that he had felt the wind of one -great sweeping paw. - -Ken regained his courage and determination. He meant to have that -beautiful spotted skin for his den. So he hurried along the runway and -entered the jungle. Beyond the edge, where the bushes made a dense -thicket, it was dry forest, with little green low down. The hollow gave -place to a dry wash. He could not see the jaguar, but he could hear him -dragging himself through the brush, cracking sticks, shaking saplings. - -Presently Ken ran across a bloody trail and followed it. Every little -while he would stop to listen. When the wounded jaguar was still, he -waited until he started to move again. It was hard going. The brush -was thick, and had to be broken and crawled under or through. As Ken -had left his coat behind, his shirt was soon torn to rags. He peered -ahead with sharp eyes, expecting every minute to come in sight of the -poor, crippled beast. He wanted to put him out of agony. So he kept on -doggedly for what must have been a long time. - -The first premonition he had of carelessness was to note that the -shadows were gathering in the jungle. It would soon be night. He must -turn back while there was light enough to follow his back track out to -the open. The second came in shape of a hot pain in his arm, as keen as -if he had jagged it with a thorn. Holding it out, he discovered to his -dismay that it was spotted with _garrapatoes_. - - - - - *XV* - - *THE VICIOUS GARRAPATOES* - - -At once Ken turned back, and if he thought again of the jaguar it was -that he could come after him the next day or send Pepe. Another vicious -bite, this time on his leg, confirmed his suspicions that many of the -ticks had been on him long enough to get their heads in. Then he was -bitten in several places. - -Those bites were as hot as the touch of a live coal, yet they made Ken -break out in dripping cold sweat. It was imperative that he get back to -camp without losing a moment which could be saved. From a rapid walk he -fell into a trot. He got off his back trail and had to hunt for it. -Every time a tick bit he jumped as if stung. The worst of it was that -he knew he was collecting more _garrapatoes_ with almost every step. -When he grasped a dead branch to push it out of the way he could feel -the ticks cling to his hand. Then he would whip his arm in the air, -flinging some of them off to patter on the dry ground. Impossible as it -was to run through that matted jungle, Ken almost accomplished it. When -he got out into the open he did run, not even stopping for his coat, and -he crossed the flat at top speed. - -It was almost dark when Ken reached the river-bank and dashed down to -frighten a herd of drinking deer. He waded the narrowest part of the -shoal. Running up the island he burst into the bright circle of -camp-fire. Pepe dropped a stew-pan and began to jabber. George dove for -a gun. - -"What's after you?" shouted Hal, in alarm. - -Ken was so choked up and breathless that at first he could not speak. -His fierce aspect and actions, as he tore off his sleeveless and ragged -shirt and threw it into the fire, added to the boys' fright. - -"Good Lord! are you bug-house, Ken?" shrieked Hal. - -"_Bug-house! Yes!_" roared Ken, swiftly undressing. "Look at me!" - -In the bright glare he showed his arms black with _garrapatoes_ and a -sprinkling of black dots over the rest of his body. - -"Is that all?" demanded Hal, in real or simulated scorn. "Gee! but -you're a brave hunter. I thought not less than six tigers were after -you." - -"I'd rather have six tigers after me," yelled Ken. "You little -freckle-faced redhead!" - -It was seldom indeed that Ken called his brother that name. Hal was -proof against any epithets except that one relating to his freckles and -his hair. But just now Ken felt that he was being eaten alive. He was -in an agony, and he lost his temper. And therefore he laid himself open -to Hal's scathing humor. - -"Never mind the kid," said Ken to Pepe and George. "Hurry now, and get -busy with these devils on me." - -It was well for Ken that he had a native like Pepe with him. For Pepe -knew just what to do. First he dashed a bucket of cold water over Ken. -How welcome that was! - -"Pepe says for you to point out the ticks that 're biting the hardest," -said George. - -In spite of his pain Ken stared in mute surprise. - -"Pepe wants you to point out the ticks that are digging in the deepest," -explained George. "Get a move on, now." - -"What!" roared Ken, glaring at Pepe and George. He thought even the -native might be having fun with him. And for Ken this was not a funny -time. - -But Pepe was in dead earnest. - -"Say, it's impossible to tell _where_ I'm being bitten most! It's all -over!" protested Ken. - -Still he discovered that by absolute concentration on the pain he was -enduring he was able to locate the severest points. And that showed him -the soundness of Pepe's advice. - -"Here--this one--here--there.... Oh! here," began Ken, indicating -certain ticks. - -"Not so fast, now," interrupted the imperturbable George, as he and Pepe -set to work upon Ken. - -Then the red-hot cigarette-tips scorched Ken's skin. Ken kept pointing -and accompanying his directions with wild gestures and exclamations. - -"Here.... Oo-oo! Here.... Wow! Here.... Ouch!--that one stung! -Here.... _Augh_! Say, can't you hurry? Here! ... Oh! that one was in a -mile! Here.... _Hold on_! You're burning a hole in me! ... George, -you're having fun out of this. Pepe gets two to your one." - -"He's been popping ticks all his life," was George's reasonable protest. - -"Hurry!" cried Ken, in desperation. "George, if you monkey round--fool -over this job--I'll--I'll punch you good." - -All this trying time Hal Ward sat on a log and watched the proceedings -with great interest and humor. Sometimes he smiled, at others he -laughed, and yet again he burst out into uproarious mirth. - -"George, he wouldn't punch anybody," said Hal. "I tell you he's all in. -He hasn't any nerve left. It's a chance of your life. You'll never get -another. He's been bossing you around. Pay him up. Make him holler. -Why, what's a few little ticks? Wouldn't phase me! But Ken Ward's such -a delicate, fine-skinned, sensitive, girly kind of a boy! He's too nice -to be bitten by bugs. Oh dear, yes, yes! ... Ken, why don't you show -courage?" - -Ken shook his fist at Hal. - -"All right," said Ken, grimly. "Have all the fun you can. Because I'll -get even with you." - -Hal relapsed into silence, and Ken began to believe he had intimidated -his brother. But he soon realized how foolish it was to suppose such a -thing. Hal had only been working his fertile brain. - -"George, here's a little verse for the occasion," said Hal. - - "There was a brave hunter named Ken, - And he loved to get skins for his den, - Not afraid was he of tigers or pigs, - Or snakes or cats or any such things, - But one day in the jungle he left his clothes, - And came hollering back with _garrapatoes_." - - -"Gre-at-t-t!" sputtered Ken. "Oh, brother mine, we're a long way from -home, I'll make you crawl." - -Pepe smoked, and wore out three cigarettes, and George two, before they -had popped all the biting ticks. Then Ken was still covered with them. -Pepe bathed him in _canya_, which was like a bath of fire, and soon -removed them all. Ken felt flayed alive, peeled of his skin, and -sprinkled with fiery sparks. When he lay down he was as weak as a sick -cat. Pepe said the _canya_ would very soon take the sting away, but it -was some time before Ken was resting easily. - -It would not have been fair to ask Ken just then whether the prize for -which he worked was worth his present gain. _Garrapatoes_ may not seem -important to one who simply reads about them, but such pests are a -formidable feature of tropical life. - -However, Ken presently felt that he was himself again. - -Then he put his mind to the serious problem of his note-book and the -plotting of the island. As far as his trip was concerned, Cypress -Island was an important point. When he had completed his map down to the -island, he went on to his notes. He believed that what he had found out -from his knowledge of forestry was really worth something. He had seen -a gradual increase in the size and number of trees as he had proceeded -down the river, a difference in the density and color of the jungle, a -flattening-out of the mountain range, and a gradual change from rocky to -clayey soil. And on the whole his note-book began to assume such a -character that he was beginning to feel willing to submit it to his -uncle. - - - - - *XVI* - - *FIELD WORK OF A NATURALIST* - - -That night Ken talked natural history to the boys and read extracts from -a small copy of Sclater he had brought with him. - -They were all particularly interested in the cat tribe. - -The fore feet of all cats have five toes, the hind feet only four. -Their claws are curved and sharp, and, except in case of one species of -leopard, can be retracted in their sheaths. The claws of the great cat -species are kept sharp by pulling them down through bark of trees. All -cats walk on their toes. And the stealthy walk is due to hairy pads or -cushions. The claws of a cat do not show in its track as do those of a -dog. The tongues of all cats are furnished with large papillae. They -are like files, and the use is to lick bones and clean their fur. Their -long whiskers are delicate organs of perception to aid them in finding -their way on their night quests. The eyes of all cats are large and -full, and can be altered by contraction or expansion of iris, according -to the amount of light they receive. The usual color is gray or tawny -with dark spots or stripes. The uniform tawny color of the lion and the -panther is perhaps an acquired color, probably from the habit of these -animals of living in desert countries. It is likely that in primitive -times cats were all spotted or striped. - -Naturally the boys were most interested in the jaguar, which is the -largest of the cat tribe in the New World. The jaguar ranges from -northern Mexico to northern Patagonia. Its spots are larger than those -of the leopard. Their ground color is a rich tan or yellow, sometimes -almost gold. Large specimens have been known nearly seven feet from -nose to end of tail. - -The jaguar is an expert climber and swimmer. Humboldt says that where -the South American forests are subject to floods the jaguar sometimes -takes to tree life, living on monkeys. All naturalists agree on the -ferocious nature of jaguars, and on the loudness and frequency of their -cries. There is no record of their attacking human beings without -provocation. Their favorite haunts are the banks of jungle rivers, and -they often prey upon fish and turtles. - -The attack of a jaguar is terrible. It leaps on the back of its prey -and breaks its neck. In some places there are well-known scratching -trees where jaguars sharpen their claws. The bark is worn smooth in -front from contact with the breasts of the animals as they stand up, and -there is a deep groove on each side. When new scars appear on these -trees it is known that jaguars are in the vicinity. The cry of the -jaguar is loud, deep, hoarse, something like _pu, pu, pu_. There is -much enmity between the panther, or mountain-lion, and the jaguar, and -it is very strange that generally the jaguar fears the lion, although he -is larger and more powerful. - -Pepe had interesting things to say about jaguars, or _tigres_, as he -called them. But Ken, of course, could not tell how much Pepe said was -truth and how much just native talk. At any rate, Pepe told of one -Mexican who had a blind and deaf jaguar that he had tamed. Ken knew -that naturalists claimed the jaguar could not be tamed, but in this -instance Ken was inclined to believe Pepe. This blind jaguar was -enormous in size, terrible of aspect, and had been trained to trail -anything his master set him to. And Tigre, as he was called, never -slept or stopped till he had killed the thing he was trailing. As he was -blind and deaf, his power of scent had been abnormally developed. - -Pepe told of a fight between a huge crocodile and a jaguar in which both -were killed. He said jaguars stalked natives and had absolutely no -fear. He knew natives who said that jaguars had made off with children -and eaten them. Lastly, Pepe told of an incident that had happened in -Tampico the year before. There was a ship at dock below Tampico, just on -the outskirts where the jungle began, and one day at noon two big -jaguars leaped on the deck. They frightened the crew out of their wits. -George verified this story, and added that the jaguars had been chased -by dogs, had boarded the ship, where they climbed into the rigging, and -stayed there till they were shot. - -"Well," said Ken, thoughtfully, "from my experience I believe a jaguar -would do anything." - -The following day promised to be a busy one for Hal, without any time -for tricks. George went hunting before breakfast--in fact, before the -others were up--and just as the boys were sitting down to eat he -appeared on the nearer bank and yelled for Pepe. It developed that for -once George had bagged game. - -He had a black squirrel, a small striped wildcat, a peccary, a -three-foot crocodile, and a duck of rare plumage. - -After breakfast Hal straightway got busy, and his skill and knowledge -earned praise from George and Pepe. They volunteered to help, which -offer Hal gratefully accepted. He had brought along a folding canvas -tank, forceps, knives, scissors, several packages of preservatives, and -tin boxes in which to pack small skins. - -His first task was to mix a salt solution in the canvas tank. This was -for immersing skins. Then he made a paste of salt and alum, and after -that a mixture of two-thirds glycerin and one-third water and carbolic -acid, which was for preserving small skins and to keep them soft. - -And as he worked he gave George directions on how to proceed with the -wildcat and squirrel skins. - -"Skin carefully and tack up the pelts fur side down. Scrape off all the -fat and oil, but don't scrape through. To-morrow when the skins are dry -soak them in cold water till soft. Then take them out and squeeze dry. -I'll make a solution of three quarts water, one-half pint salt, and one -ounce oil of vitriol. Put the skins in that for half an hour. Squeeze -dry again, and hang in shade. That 'll tan the skin, and the moths will -never hurt them." - -When Hal came to take up the duck he was sorry that some of the -beautiful plumage had been stained. - -"I want only a few water-fowl," he said. "And particularly one of the -big Muscovies. And you must keep the feathers from getting soiled." - -It was interesting to watch Hal handle that specimen. First he took -full measurements. Then, separating the feathers along the breast, he -made an incision with a sharp knife, beginning high up on breast-bone -and ending at tail. He exercised care so as not to cut through the -abdomen. Raising the skin carefully along the cut as far as the muscles -of the leg, he pushed out the knee joint and cut it off. Then he -loosened the skin from the legs and the back, and bent the tail down to -cut through the tail joint. Next he removed the skin from the body and -cut off the wings at the shoulder joint. Then he proceeded down the -neck, being careful not to pull or stretch the skin. Extreme care was -necessary in cutting round the eyes. Then, when he had loosened the -skin from the skull, he severed the head and cleaned out the skull. He -coated all with the paste, filled the skull with cotton, and then -immersed them in the glycerin bath. - -The skinning of the crocodile was an easy matter compared with that of -the duck. Hal made an incision at the throat, cut along the middle of -the abdomen all the way to the tip of the tail, and then cut the skin -away all around the carcass. Then he set George and Pepe to scraping -the skin, after which he immersed it in the tank. - -About that time Ken, who was lazily fishing in the shade of the -cypresses, caught one of the blue-tailed fish. Hal was delighted. He -had made a failure of the other specimen of this unknown fish. This one -was larger and exquisitely marked, being dark gold on the back, white -along the belly, and its tail had a faint bluish tinge. Hal promptly -killed the fish, and then made a dive for his suitcase. He produced -several sheets of stiff cardboard and a small box of water-colors and -brushes. He laid the fish down on a piece of paper and outlined its -exact size. Then, placing it carefully in an upright position on a box, -he began to paint it in the actual colors of the moment. Ken laughed -and teased him. George also was inclined to be amused. But Pepe was -amazed and delighted. Hal worked on unmindful of his audience, and, -though he did not paint a very artistic picture, he produced the vivid -colors of the fish before they faded. - -His next move was to cover the fish with strips of thin cloth, which -adhered to the scales and kept them from being damaged. Then he cut -along the middle line of the belly, divided the pelvic arch where the -ventral fins joined, cut through the spines, and severed the fins from -the bones. Then he skinned down to the tail, up to the back, and cut -through caudal processes. The vertebral column he severed at the base -of the skull. He cleaned and scraped the entire inside of the skin, and -then put it to soak. - -"Hal, you're much more likely to make good with Uncle Jim than I am," -said Ken. "You've really got skill, and you know what to do. Now, my -job is different. So far I've done fairly well with my map of the -river. But as soon as we get on level ground I'll be stumped." - -"We'll cover a hundred miles before we get to low land," replied Hal, -cheerily. "That's enough, even if we do get lost for the rest of the -way. You'll win that trip abroad, Ken, never fear, and little Willie is -going to be with you." - - - - - *XVII* - - *A MIXED-UP TIGER-HUNT* - - -Next morning Hal arose bright as a lark, but silent, mysterious, and -with far-seeing eyes. It made Ken groan in spirit to look at the boy. -Yes, indeed, they were far from home, and the person did not live on the -earth who could play a trick on Hal Ward and escape vengeance. - -After breakfast Hal went off with a long-handled landing-net, obviously -to capture birds or fish or mice or something. - -George said he did not feel very well, and he looked grouchy. He -growled around camp in a way that might have nettled Ken, but Ken, -having had ten hours of undisturbed sleep, could not have found fault -with anybody. - -"Garrapato George, come out of it. Cheer up," said Ken. "Why don't you -take Pinilius Pepe as gun-bearer and go out to shoot something? You -haven't used up much ammunition yet." - -Ken's sarcasm was not lost upon George. - -"Well, if I do go, I'll not come running back to camp without some -game." - -"My son," replied Ken, genially, "if you should happen to meet a jaguar -you'd--you'd just let out one squawk and then never touch even the high -places of the jungle. You'd take that crazy .32 rifle for a -golf-stick." - -"Would I?" returned George. "All right." - -Ken watched George awhile that morning. The lad performed a lot of weird -things around camp. Then he bounced bullets off the water in vain -effort to locate the basking crocodile. Then he tried his hand at -fishing once more. He could get more bites than any fisherman Ken ever -saw, but he could not catch anything. - -By and by the heat made Ken drowsy, and, stretching himself in the -shade, he thought of a scheme to rid the camp of the noisy George. - -"Say, George, take my hammerless and get Pepe to row you up along the -shady bank of the river," suggested Ken. "Go sneaking along and you'll -have some sport." - -George was delighted with that idea. He had often cast longing eyes at -the hammerless gun. Pepe, too, looked exceedingly pleased. They got in -the boat and were in the act of starting when George jumped ashore. He -reached for his .32 and threw the lever down to see if there was a shell -in the chamber. Then he proceeded to fill his pockets with ammunition. - -"Might need a rifle," he said. "You can't tell what you're going to see -in this unholy jungle." - -Whereupon he went aboard again and Pepe rowed leisurely up-stream. - -"Be careful, boys," Ken called, and composed himself for a nap. He -promptly fell asleep. How long he slept he had no idea, and when he -awoke he lay with languor, not knowing at the moment what had awakened -him. Presently he heard a shout, then a rifle-shot. Sitting up, he saw -the boat some two hundred yards above, drifting along about the edge of -the shade. Pepe was in it alone. He appeared to be excited, for Ken -observed him lay down an oar and pick up a gun, and then reverse the -performance. Also he was jabbering to George, who evidently was out on -the bank, but invisible to Ken. - -"Hey, Pepe!" Ken yelled. "What 're you doing?" - -Strange to note, Pepe did not reply or even turn. - -"Now where in the deuce is George?" Ken said, impatiently. - -The hollow crack of George's .32 was a reply to the question. Ken heard -the singing of a bullet. Suddenly, _spou!_ it twanged on a branch not -twenty feet over his head, and then went whining away. He heard it tick -a few leaves or twigs. There was not any languor in the alacrity with -which Ken put the big cypress-tree between him and up-stream. Then he -ventured to peep forth. - -"Look out where you're slinging lead!" he yelled. He doubted not that -George had treed a black squirrel or was pegging away at parrots. Yet -Pepe's motions appeared to carry a good deal of feeling, too much, he -thought presently, for small game. So Ken began to wake up thoroughly. -He lost sight of Pepe behind a low branch of a tree that leaned some -fifty yards above the island. Then he caught sight of him again. He was -poling with an oar, evidently trying to go up or down--Ken could not -tell which. - -_Spang_! _Spang_! George's .32 spoke twice more, and the bullets both -struck in the middle of the stream and ricochetted into the far bank -with little thuds. - -Something prompted Ken to reach for his automatic, snap the clip in -tight, and push in the safety. At the same time he muttered George's -words: "You can never tell what's coming off in this unholy jungle." - -Then, peeping out from behind the cypress, Ken watched the boat drift -down-stream. Pepe had stopped poling and was looking closely into the -thick grass and vines of the bank. Ken heard his voice, but could not -tell what he said. He watched keenly for some sight of George. The -moments passed, the boat drifted, and Ken began to think there was -nothing unusual afoot. In this interval Pepe drifted within -seventy-five yards of camp. Again Ken called to ask him what George was -stalking, and this time Pepe yelled; but Ken did not know what he said. -Hard upon this came George's sharp voice: - -"Look out, there, on the island. Get behind something. I've got him -between the river and the flat. He's in this strip of shore brush. -There!" - -_Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! Bullets hummed and whistled all about the -island. Ken was afraid to peep out with even one eye. He began to -fancy that George was playing Indian. - -"Fine, Georgie! You're doing great!" he shouted. "You couldn't come -any closer to me if you were aiming at me. What is it?" - -Then a crashing of brush and a flash of yellow low down along the bank -changed the aspect of the situation. - -"Panther! or jaguar!" Ken ejaculated, in amaze. In a second he was -tight-muscled, cold, and clear-witted. At that instant he saw George's -white shirt about the top of the brush. - -"Go back! Get out in the open!" Ken ordered. "Do you hear me?" - -"Where is he?" shouted George, paying not the slightest attention to -Ken. Ken jumped from behind the tree, and, running to the head of the -island, he knelt low near the water with rifle ready. - -"Tigre! Tigre! Tigre!" screamed Pepe, waving his arms, then pointing. - -George crashed into the brush. Ken saw the leaves move, then a long -yellow shape. With the quickness of thought and the aim of the -wing-shot, Ken fired. From the brush rose a strange wild scream. -George aimed at a shaking mass of grass and vines, but, before he could -fire, a long, lean, ugly beast leaped straight out from the bank to drop -into the water with a heavy splash. - -Like a man half scared to death Pepe waved Ken's double-barreled gun. -Then a yellow head emerged from the water. It was in line with the -boat. Ken dared not shoot. - -"Kill him, George," yelled Ken. "Tell Pepe to kill him." - -George seemed unaccountably silent. But Ken had no time to look for -him, for his eyes were riveted on Pepe. The native did not know how to -hold a gun properly, let alone aim it. He had, however, sense enough to -try. He got the stock under his chin, and, pointing the gun, he -evidently tried to fire. But the hammerless did not go off. Then Pepe -fumbled at the safety-catch, which he evidently remembered seeing Ken -use. - -The jaguar, swimming with difficulty, perhaps badly wounded, made right -for the boat. Pepe was standing on the seat. Awkwardly he aimed. - -_Boom_! He had pulled both triggers. The recoil knocked him backward. -The hammerless fell in the boat, and Pepe's broad back hit the water; -his bare, muscular legs clung to the gunwale, and slipped loose. - -He had missed the jaguar, for it kept on toward the boat. Still Ken -dared not shoot. - -"George, what on earth is the matter with you?" shouted Ken. - -Then Ken saw him standing in the brush on the bank, fussing over the -crazy .32. Of course at the critical moment something had gone wrong -with the old rifle. - -Pepe's head bobbed up just on the other side of the boat. The jaguar -was scarcely twenty feet distant and now in line with both boat and man. -At that instant a heavy swirl in the water toward the middle of the -river drew Ken's attention. He saw the big crocodile, and the great -creature did not seem at all lazy at that moment. - -George began to scream in Spanish. Ken felt his hair stiffen and his -face blanch. Pepe, who had been solely occupied with the jaguar, caught -George's meaning and turned to see the peril in his rear. - -He bawled his familiar appeal to the saints. Then he grasped the gunwale -of the boat just as it swung against the branches of the low-leaning -tree. He vaulted rather than climbed aboard. - -Ken forgot that Pepe could understand little English, and he yelled: -"Grab an oar, Pepe. Keep the jaguar in the water. Don't let him in the -boat." - -But Pepe, even if he had understood, had a better idea. Nimble, he ran -over the boat and grasped the branches of the tree just as the jaguar -flopped paws and head over the stern gunwale. - -Ken had only a fleeting instant to get a bead on that yellow body, and -before he could be sure of an aim the branch weighted with Pepe sank -down to hide both boat and jaguar. The chill of fear for Pepe changed -to hot rage at this new difficulty. - -Then George began to shoot. - -_Spang_! - -Ken heard the bullet hit the boat. - -"George--wait!" shouted Ken. "Don't shoot holes in the boat. You'll -sink it." - -_Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! - -That was as much as George cared about such a possibility. He stood on -the bank and worked the lever of his .32 with wild haste. Ken plainly -heard the spat of the bullets, and the sound was that of lead in contact -with wood. So he knew George was not hitting the jaguar. - -"You'll ruin the boat!" roared Ken. - -Pepe had worked up from the lower end of the branch, and as soon as he -straddled it and hunched himself nearer shore the foliage rose out of -the water, exposing the boat. George kept on shooting till his magazine -was empty. Ken's position was too low for him to see the jaguar. - -Then the boat swung loose from the branch and, drifting down, gradually -approached the shore. - -"Pull yourself together, George," called Ken. "Keep cool. Make sure of -your aim. We've got him now." - -"He's mine! He's mine! He's mine! Don't you dare shoot!" howled -George. "I got him!" - -"All right. But steady up, can't you? Hit him once, anyway." - -Apparently without aim George fired. Then, jerking the lever, he fired -again. The boat drifted into overhanging vines. Once more Ken saw a -yellow and black object, then a trembling trail of leaves. - -"He's coming out below you. Look out," yelled Ken. - -George disappeared. Ken saw no sign of the jaguar and heard no shot or -shout from George. Pepe dropped from his branch to the bank and caught -the boat. Ken called, and while Pepe rowed over to the island, he got -into some clothes fit to hunt in. Then they hurried back across the -channel to the bank. - -Ken found the trail of the jaguar, followed it up to the edge of the -brush, and lost it in the weedy flat. George came out of a patch of -bamboos. He looked white and shaky and wild with disappointment. - -"Oh, I had a dandy shot as he came out, but the blamed gun jammed again. -Come on, we'll get him. He's all shot up. I bet I hit him ten times. -He won't get away." - -Ken finally got George back to camp. The boat was half full of water, -making it necessary to pull it out on the bank and turn it over. There -were ten bullet-holes in it. - -"George, you hit the boat, anyway," Ken said; "now we've a job on our -hands." - -Hal came puffing into camp. He was red of face, and the sweat stood out -on his forehead. He had a small animal of some kind in a sack, and his -legs were wet to his knees. - -"What was--all the--pegging about?" he asked, breathlessly. "I expected -to find camp surrounded by Indians." - -"Kid, it's been pretty hot round here for a little. George and Pepe -rounded up a tiger. Tell us about it, George," said Ken. - -So while Ken began to whittle pegs to pound into the bullet-holes, -George wiped his flushed, sweaty face and talked. - -"We were up there a piece, round the bend. I saw a black squirrel and -went ashore to get him. But I couldn't find him, and in kicking round -in the brush I came into a kind of trail or runway. Then I ran plumb -into that darned jaguar. I was so scared I couldn't remember my gun. -But the cat turned and ran. It was lucky he didn't make at me. When I -saw him run I got back my courage. I called for Pepe to row down-stream -and keep a lookout. Then I got into the flat. I must have come down a -good ways before I saw him. I shot, and he dodged back into the brush -again. I fired into the moving bushes where he was. And pretty soon I -ventured to get in on the bank, where I had a better chance. I guess it -was about that time that I heard you yell. Then it all happened. You -hit him! Didn't you hear him scream? What a jump he made! If it hadn't -been so terrible when your hammerless kicked Pepe overboard, I would -have died laughing. Then I was paralyzed when the jaguar swam for the -boat. He was hurt, for the water was bloody. Things came off quick, I -tell you. Like a monkey Pepe scrambled into the tree. When I got my gun -loaded the jaguar was crouched down in the bottom of the boat watching -Pepe. Then I began to shoot. I can't realize he got away from us. -What was the reason you didn't knock him?" - -"Well, you see, George, there were two good reasons," Ken replied. "The -first was that at that time I was busy dodging bullets from your rifle. -And the second was that you threatened my life if I killed your jaguar." - -"Did I get as nutty as that? But it was pretty warm there for a -little.... Say, was he a big one? My eyes were so hazy I didn't see -him clear." - -"He wasn't big, not half as big as the one I lost yesterday. Yours was -a long, wiry beast, like a panther, and mean-looking." - -Pepe sat on the bank, and while he nursed his bruises he smoked. Once -he made a speech that was untranslatable, but Hal gave it an -interpretation which was probably near correct. - -"That's right, Pepe. Pretty punk tiger-hunters--mucho punk!" - - - - - *XVIII* - - *WATCHING A RUNWAY* - - -"I'll tell you what, fellows," said Hal. "I know where we _can_ get a -tiger." - -"We'll get one in the neck if we don't watch out," replied George. - -Ken thought that Hal looked very frank and earnest, and honest and -eager, but there was never any telling about him. - -"Where?" he asked, skeptically. - -"Down along the river. You know I've been setting traps all along. -There's a flat sand-bar for a good piece down. I came to a little gully -full of big tracks, big as my two hands. And fresh!" - -"Honest Injun, kid?" queried Ken. - -"Hope to die if I'm lyin'," replied Hal. "I want to see somebody kill a -tiger. Now let's go down there in the boat and wait for one to come to -drink. There's a big log with driftwood lodged on it. We can hide -behind that." - -"Great idea, Hal," said Ken. "We'd be pretty safe in the boat. I want -to say that tigers have sort of got on my nerves. I ought to go over in -the jungle to look for the one I crippled. He's dead by now. But the -longer I put it off the harder it is to go. I'll back out yet.... -Come, we'll have an early dinner. Then to watch for Hal's tiger." - -The sun had just set, and the hot breeze began to swirl up the river -when Ken slid the boat into the water. He was pleased to find that it -did not leak. - -"We'll take only two guns," said Ken, "my .351 and the hammerless, with -some ball-cartridges. We want to be quiet to-night, and if you fellows -take your guns you'll be pegging at ducks and things. That won't do." - -Pepe sat at the oars with instructions to row easily. George and Hal -occupied the stern-seats, and Ken took his place in the bow, with both -guns at hand. - -The hot wind roared in the cypresses, and the river whipped up little -waves with white crests. Long streamers of gray moss waved out over the -water and branches tossed and swayed. The blow did not last for many -minutes. Trees and river once more grew quiet. And suddenly the heat -was gone. - -As Pepe rowed on down the river, Cypress Island began to disappear round -a bend, and presently was out of sight. Ducks were already in flight. -They flew low over the boat, so low that Ken could almost have reached -them with the barrel of his gun. The river here widened. It was full -of huge snags. A high, wooded bluff shadowed the western shore. On the -left, towering cypresses, all laced together in dense vine and moss -webs, leaned out. - -Under Hal's direction Pepe rowed to a pile of driftwood, and here the -boat was moored. The gully mentioned by Hal was some sixty yards -distant. It opened like the mouth of a cave. Beyond the cypresses -thick, intertwining bamboos covered it. - -"I wish we'd gone in to see the tracks," said Ken. "But I'll take your -word, Hal." - -"Oh, they're there, all right." - -"I don't doubt it. Looks great to me! That's a runway, Hal.... Now, -boys, get a comfortable seat, and settle down to wait. Don't talk. Just -listen and watch. Remember, soon we'll be out of the jungle, back home. -So make hay while the sun shines. Watch and listen! Whoever sees or -hears anything first is the best man." - -For once the boys were as obedient as lambs. But then, Ken thought, the -surroundings were so beautiful and wild and silent that any boys would -have been watchful. - -There was absolutely no sound but the intermittent whir of wings. The -water-fowl flew by in companies--ducks, cranes, herons, snipe, and the -great Muscovies. Ken never would have tired of that procession. It -passed all too soon, and then only an occasional water-fowl swept -swiftly by, as if belated. - -Slowly the wide river-lane shaded. But it was still daylight, and the -bank and the runway were clearly distinguishable. There was a -moment--Ken could not tell just how he knew--when the jungle awakened. -It was not only the faint hum of insects; it was a sense as if life -stirred with the coming of twilight. - -Pepe was the first to earn honors at the listening game. He held up a -warning forefinger. Then he pointed under the bluff. Ken saw a doe -stepping out of a fringe of willows. - -"Don't move--don't make a noise," whispered Ken. - -The doe shot up long ears and watched the boat. Then a little fawn -trotted out and splashed in the water. Both deer drank, then seemed in -no hurry to leave the river. - -Next moment Hal heard something downstream and George saw something -up-stream. Pepe again whispered. As for Ken, he saw little dark shapes -moving out of the shadow of the runway. He heard a faint trampling of -hard little hoofs. But if these animals were _javelin_--of which he was -sure--they did not come out into the open runway. Ken tried to catch -Pepe's attention without making a noise; however, Pepe was absorbed in -his side of the river. Ken then forgot he had companions. All along -the shores were faint splashings and rustlings and crackings. - -A loud, trampling roar rose in the runway and seemed to move backward -toward the jungle, diminishing in violence. - -"Pigs running--something scared 'em," said George. - -"S-s-s-sh!" whispered Ken. - -All the sounds ceased. The jungle seemed to sleep in deep silence. - -Ken's eyes were glued to the light patch of sand-bank where it merged in -the dark of the runway. Then Ken heard a sound--what, he could not have -told. But it made his heart beat fast. - -There came a few pattering thuds, soft as velvet; and a shadow, paler -than the dark background, moved out of the runway. - -With that a huge jaguar loped into the open. He did not look around. He -took a long, easy bound down to the water and began to lap. - -Either Pepe or George jerked so violently as to make the boat lurch. -They seemed to be stifling. - -"Oh, Ken, don't miss!" whispered Hal. - -Ken had the automatic over the log and in line. His teeth were shut -tight, and he was cold and steady. He meant not to hurry. - -The jaguar was a heavy, squat, muscular figure, not graceful and -beautiful like the one Ken had crippled. Suddenly he raised his head -and looked about. He had caught a scent. - -It was then that Ken lowered the rifle till the sight covered the -beast--lower yet to his huge paws, then still lower to the edge of the -water. Ken meant to shoot low enough this time. Holding the rifle -there, and holding it with all his strength, he pressed the trigger -once--twice. The two shots rang out almost simultaneously. Ken -expected to see this jaguar leap, but the beast crumpled up and sank in -his tracks. - -Then the boys yelled, and Ken echoed them. Pepe was wildly excited, and -began to fumble with the oars. - -"Wait! Wait, I tell you!" ordered Ken. - -"Oh, Ken, you pegged him!" cried Hal. "He doesn't move. Let's go -ashore. What did I tell you? It took me to find the tiger." - -Ken watched with sharp eyes and held his rifle ready, but the huddled -form on the sand never so much as twitched. - -"I guess I plugged him," said Ken, with unconscious pride. - -Pepe rowed the boat ashore, and when near the sand-bar he reached out -with an oar to touch the jaguar. There was no doubt about his being -dead. The boys leaped ashore and straightened out the beast. He was -huge, dirty, spotted, bloody, and fiercely savage even in death. Ken's -bullets had torn through the chest, making fearful wounds. Pepe -jabbered, and the boys all talked at once. When it came to lifting the -jaguar into the boat they had no slight task. The short, thick-set body -was very heavy. But at last they loaded it in the bow, and Pepe rowed -back to the island. It was still a harder task to get the jaguar up the -high bank. Pepe kindled a fire so they would have plenty of light, and -then they set to work at the skinning. - -What with enthusiasm over the stalk, and talk of the success of the -trip, and compliments to Ken's shooting, and care of the skinning, the -boys were three hours at the job. Ken, remembering Hiram Bent's -teachings, skinned out the great claws himself. They salted the pelt -and nailed it up on the big cypress. - -"You'd never have got one but for me," said Hal. "That's how I pay you -for the tricks you've played me!" - -"By George, Hal, it's a noble revenge!" cried Ken, who, in the warmth -and glow of happiness of the time, quite believed his brother. - -Pepe went to bed first. George turned in next. Ken took a last look at -the great pelt stretched on the cypress, and then he sought his -blankets. Hal, however, remained up. Ken heard him pounding stakes in -the ground. - -"Hal, what 're you doing?" - -"I'm settin' my trot-lines," replied Hal, cheerfully. - -"Well, come to bed." - -"Keep your shirt on, Ken, old boy. I'll be along presently." - -Ken fell asleep. He did not have peaceful slumbers. He had been too -excited to rest well. He would wake up out of a nightmare, then go to -sleep again. He seemed to wake suddenly out of one of these black -spells, and he was conscious of pain. Something tugged at his leg. - -"What the dickens!" he said, and raised on his elbow. Hal was asleep -between George and Pepe, who were snoring. - -Just then Ken felt a violent jerk. The blankets flew up at his feet, -and his left leg went out across his brother's body. There was a -string--a rope--something fast round his ankle, and it was pulling hard. -It hurt. - -"Jiminy!" shouted Ken, reaching for his foot. But before he could reach -it another tug, more violent, pulled his leg straight out. Ken began to -slide. - -"What on earth?" yelled Ken. "Say! Something's got me!" - -The yells and Ken's rude exertions aroused the boys. And they were -frightened. Ken got an arm around Hal and the other around George and -held on for dear life. He was more frightened than they. Pepe leaped -up, jabbering, and, tripping, he fell all in a heap. - -"Oh! my leg!" howled Ken. "It's being pulled off. Say, I can't be -dreaming!" - -Most assuredly Ken was wide awake. The moonlight showed his bare leg -sticking out and round his ankle a heavy trot-line. It was stretched -tight. It ran down over the bank. And out there in the river a -tremendous fish or a crocodile was surging about, making the water roar. - -Pepe was trying to loosen the line or break it. George, who was always -stupid when first aroused, probably imagined he was being mauled by a -jaguar, for he loudly bellowed. Ken had a strangle-hold on Hal. - -"Oh! _Oh_! _Oh-h-h_!" bawled Ken. Not only was he scared out of a -year's growth; he was in terrible pain. Then his cries grew -unintelligible. He was being dragged out of the tent. Still he clung -desperately to the howling George and the fighting Hal. - -All at once something snapped. The tension relaxed. Ken fell back upon -Hal. - -"Git off me, will you?" shouted Hal. "Are you c-c-cr-azy?" - -But Hal's voice had not the usual note when he was angry or impatient. -He was laughing so he could not speak naturally. - -"Uh-huh!" said Ken, and sat up. "I guess here was where I got it. Is -my leg broken? What came off?" - -Pepe was staggering about on the bank, going through strange motions. -He had the line in his hands, and at the other end was a monster of some -land threshing about in the water. It was moonlight and Ken could see -plainly. Around the ankle that felt broken was a twisted loop of -trot-line. Hal had baited a hook and slipped the end of the trot-line -over Ken's foot. During the night the crocodile or an enormous fish had -taken the bait. Then Ken had nearly been hauled off the island. - -Pepe was doing battle with the hooked thing, whatever it was, and Ken -was about to go to his assistance when again the line broke. - -"Great! Hal, you have a nice disposition," exclaimed Ken. "You have a -wonderful affection for your brother. You care a lot about his legs or -his life. Idiot! Can't you play a safe trick? If I hadn't grabbed you -and George, I'd been pulled into the river. Eaten up, maybe! And my -ankle is sprained. It won't be any good for a week. You are a bright -boy!" - -And in spite of his laughter Hal began to look ashamed. - - - - - *XIX* - - *ADVENTURES WITH CROCODILES* - - -The rest of that night Ken had more dreams; and they were not pleasant. -He awoke from one in a cold fright. - -It must have been late, for the moon was low. His ankle pained and -throbbed, and to that he attributed his nightmare. He was falling -asleep again when the clink of tin pans made him sit up with a start. -Some animal was prowling about camp. He peered into the moonlit -shadows, but could make out no unfamiliar object. Still he was not -satisfied; so he awoke Pepe. - -Certainly it was not Ken's intention to let Pepe get out ahead; -nevertheless he was lame and slow, and before he started Pepe rolled out -of the tent. - -"Santa Maria!" shrieked Pepe. - -Ken fumbled under his pillow for a gun. Hal raised up so quickly that he -bumped Ken's head, making him see a million stars. George rolled over, -nearly knocking down the tent. - -From outside came a sliddery, rustling noise, then another yell that was -deadened by a sounding splash. Ken leaped out with his gun, George at -his elbow. Pepe stood just back of the tent, his arms upraised, and he -appeared stunned. The water near the bank was boiling and bubbling; -waves were dashing on the shore and ripples spreading in a circle. - -George shouted in Spanish. - -"Crocodile!" cried Ken. - -"Si, si, Senor," replied Pepe. Then he said that when he stepped out of -the tent the crocodile was right in camp, not ten feet from where the -boys lay. Pepe also said that these brutes were man-eaters, and that he -had better watch for the rest of the night. Ken thought him, like all -the natives, inclined to exaggerate; however, he made no objection to -Pepe's holding watch over the crocodile. - -"What'd I tell you?" growled George. "Why didn't you let me shoot him? -Let's go back to bed." - -In the morning when Ken got up he viewed his body with great curiosity. -The ticks and the cigarette burns had left him a beautifully tattoed -specimen of aborigine. His body, especially his arms, bore hundreds of -little reddish scars--bites and burns together. There was not, however, -any itching or irritation, for which he made sure he had to thank Pepe's -skill and the _canya_. - -George did not get up when Ken called him. Thinking his sleep might -have been broken, Ken let him alone a while longer, but when breakfast -was smoking he gave him a prod. George rolled over, looking haggard and -glum. - -"I'm sick," he said. - -Ken's cheerfulness left him, for he knew what sickness or injury did to -a camping trip. George complained of aching bones, headache and cramps, -and showed a tongue with a yellow coating. Ken said he had eaten too -much fresh meat, but Pepe, after looking George over, called it a name -that sounded like _calentura_. - -"What's that?" Ken inquired. - -"Tropic fever," replied George. "I've had it before." - -For a while he was a very sick boy. Ken had a little medicine-case, and -from it he administered what he thought was best, and George grew easier -presently. Then Ken sat down to deliberate on the situation. - -Whatever way he viewed it, he always came back to the same thing--they -must get out of the jungle; and as they could not go back, they must go -on down the river. That was a bad enough proposition without being -hampered by a sick boy. It was then Ken had a subtle change of feeling; -a shade of gloom seemed to pervade his spirit. - -By nine o'clock they were packed, and, turning into the shady channel, -soon were out in the sunlight saying good-by to Cypress Island. At the -moment Ken did not feel sorry to go, yet he knew that feeling would come -by and by, and that Cypress Island would take its place in his memory as -one more haunting, calling wild place. - -They turned a curve to run under a rocky bluff from which came a muffled -roar of rapids. A long, projecting point of rock extended across the -river, allowing the water to rush through only at a narrow mill-race -channel close to the shore. It was an obstacle to get around. There was -no possibility of lifting the boat over the bridge of rock, and the -alternative was shooting the channel. Ken got out upon the rocks, only -to find that drifting the boat round the sharp point was out of the -question, owing to a dangerously swift current. Ken tried the depth of -the water--about four feet. Then he dragged the boat back a little -distance and stepped into the river. - -"Look! Look!" cried Pepe, pointing to the bank. - -About ten yards away was a bare shelf of mud glistening with water and -showing the deep tracks of a crocodile. It was a slide, and manifestly -had just been vacated. The crocodile-tracks resembled the imprints of a -giant's hand. - -"Come out!" yelled George, and Pepe jabbered to his saints. - -"We've got to go down this river," Ken replied, and he kept on wading -till he got the boat in the current. He was frightened, of course, but -he kept on despite that. The boat lurched into the channel, stern -first, and he leaped up on the bow. It shot down with the speed of a -toboggan, and the boat whirled before he could scramble to the oars. -What was worse, an overhanging tree with dead snags left scarce room to -pass beneath. Ken ducked to prevent being swept overboard, and one of -the snags that brushed and scraped him ran under his belt and lifted him -into the air. He grasped at the first thing he could lay hands on, -which happened to be a box, but he could not hold to it because the boat -threatened to go on, leaving him kicking in midair and holding up a box -of potatoes. Ken clutched a gunwale, only to see the water swell -dangerously over the edge. In angry helplessness he loosened his hold. -Then the snag broke, just in the nick of time, for in a second more the -boat would have been swept away. Ken fell across the bow, held on, and -soon drifted from under the threshing branches, and seized the oars. - -Pepe and George and Hal walked round the ledge and, even when they -reached Ken, had not stopped laughing. - -"Boys, it wasn't funny," declared Ken, soberly. - -"I said it was coming to us," replied George. - -There were rapids below, and Ken went at them with stern eyes and set -lips. It was the look of men who face obstacles in getting out of the -wilderness. More than one high wave circled spitefully round Pepe's -broad shoulders. - -They came to a fall where the river dropped a few feet straight down. -Ken sent the boys below. Hal and George made a detour. But Pepe jumped -off the ledge into shallow water. - -"_Ah-h!_" yelled Pepe. - -Ken was becoming accustomed to Pepe's wild yell, but there was a note in -this which sent a shiver over him. Before looking, Ken snatched his -rifle from the boat. - -Pepe appeared to be sailing out into the pool. But his feet were not -moving. - -Ken had only an instant, but in that he saw under Pepe a long, yellow, -swimming shape, leaving a wake in the water. Pepe had jumped upon the -back of a crocodile. He seemed paralyzed, or else he was wisely -trusting himself there rather than in the water. Ken was too shocked to -offer advice. Indeed, he would not have known how to meet this -situation. - -Suddenly Pepe leaped for a dry stone, and the energy of his leap carried -him into the river beyond. Like a flash he was out again, spouting -water. - -Ken turned loose the automatic on the crocodile and shot a magazine of -shells. The crocodile made a tremendous surge, churning up a slimy -foam, then vanished in a pool. - -"Guess this 'll be crocodile day," said Ken, changing the clip in his -rifle. "I'll bet I made a hole in that one. Boys, look out below." - -Ken shoved the boat over the ledge in line with Pepe, and it floated to -him, while Ken picked his way round the rocky shore. The boys piled -aboard again. The day began to get hot. Ken cautioned the boys to -avoid wading, if possible, and to be extremely careful where they -stepped. Pepe pointed now and then to huge bubbles breaking on the -surface of the water and said they were made by crocodiles. - -From then on Ken's hands were full. He struck swift water, where rapid -after rapid, fall on fall, took the boat downhill at a rate to afford -him satisfaction. The current had a five or six mile speed, and, as Ken -had no portages to make and the corrugated rapids of big waves gave him -speed, he made by far the best time of the voyage. - -The hot hours passed--cool for the boys because they were always wet. -The sun sank behind a hill. The wind ceased to whip the streamers of -moss. At last, in a gathering twilight, Ken halted at a wide, flat rock -to make camp. - -"Forty miles to-day if we made an inch!" exclaimed Ken. - -The boys said more. - -They built a fire, cooked supper, and then, weary and silent, Hal and -George and Pepe rolled into their blankets. But Ken doggedly worked an -hour at his map and notes. That hard forty miles meant a long way -toward the success of his trip. - -Next morning the mists had not lifted from the river when they shoved -off, determined to beat the record of yesterday. Difficulties beset -them from the start--the highest waterfall of the trip, a leak in the -boat, deep, short rapids, narrows with choppy waves, and a whirlpool -where they turned round and round, unable to row out. Nor did they get -free till Pepe lassoed a snag and pulled them out. - -About noon they came to another narrow chute brawling down into a deep, -foamy pool. Again Ken sent the boys around, and he backed the boat into -the chute; and just as the current caught it he leaped aboard. He was -either tired or careless, for he drifted too close to a half-submerged -rock, and, try as he might, at the last moment he could not avoid a -collision. - -As the stern went hard on the rock Ken expected to break something, but -was surprised at the soft thud with which he struck. It flashed into his -mind that the rock was moss-covered. - -Quick as the thought there came a rumble under the boat, the stern -heaved up, there was a great sheet-like splash, and then a blow that -splintered the gunwale. Then the boat shunted off, affording the -astounded Ken a good view of a very angry crocodile. He had been -sleeping on the rock. - -The boys were yelling and crowding down to the shore where Ken was -drifting in. Pepe waded in to catch the boat. - -"What was it hit you, Ken?" asked Hal. - -"Mucho malo," cried Pepe. - -"The boat's half full of water--the gunwale's all split!" ejaculated -George. - -"Only an accident of river travel," replied Ken, with mock nonchalance. -"Say, Garrapato, _when_, about _when_ is it coming to me?" - -"Well, if he didn't get slammed by a crocodile!" continued George. - -They unloaded, turned out the water, broke up a box to use for repairs, -and mended the damaged gunwale--work that lost more than a good hour. -Once again under way, Ken made some interesting observations. The river -ceased to stand on end in places; crocodiles slipped off every muddy -promontory, and wide trails ridged the steep clay-banks. - -"Cattle-trails, Pepe says," said George. "Wild cattle roam all through -the jungle along the Panuco." - -It was a well-known fact that the rancheros of Tamaulipas State had no -idea how many cattle they owned. Ken was so eager to see if Pepe had -been correct that he went ashore, to find the trails were, indeed, those -of cattle. - -"Then, Pepe, we must be somewhere near the Panuco River," he said. - -"Quien sabe?" rejoined he, quietly. - -When they rounded the curve they came upon a herd of cattle that -clattered up the bank, raising a cloud of dust. - -"Wilder than deer!" Ken exclaimed. - -From that point conditions along the river changed. The banks were no -longer green; the beautiful cypresses gave place to other trees, as -huge, as moss-wound, but more rugged and of gaunt outline; the flowers -and vines and shady nooks disappeared. Everywhere wide-horned steers -and cows plunged up the banks. Everywhere buzzards rose from gruesome -feasts. The shore was lined with dead cattle, and the stench of -putrefying flesh was almost unbearable. They passed cattle mired in the -mud, being slowly tortured to death by flies and hunger; they passed -cattle that had slipped off steep banks and could not get back and were -bellowing dismally; and also strangely acting cattle that Pepe said had -gone crazy from ticks in their ears. Ken would have put these miserable -beasts out of their misery had not George restrained him with a few -words about Mexican law. - -A sense of sickness came to Ken, and though he drove the feeling from -him, it continually returned. George and Hal lay flat on the canvas, -shaded with a couple of palm leaves; Pepe rowed on and on, growing more -and more serious and quiet. His quick, responsive smile was wanting -now. - -By way of diversion, and also in the hope of securing a specimen, Ken -began to shoot at the crocodiles. George came out of his lethargy and -took up his rifle. He would have had to be ill indeed, to forswear any -possible shooting; and, now that Ken had removed the bar, he forgot he -had fever. Every hundred yards or so they would come upon a crocodile -measuring somewhere from about six feet upward, and occasionally they -would see a great yellow one, as large as a log. Seldom did they get -within good range of these huge fellows, and shooting from a moving boat -was not easy. The smaller ones, however, allowed the boat to approach -quite close. George bounced many a .32 bullet off the bank, but he -never hit a crocodile. Ken allowed him to have the shots for the fun of -it, and, besides, he was watching for a big one. - -"George, that rifle of yours is leaded. It doesn't shoot where you -aim." - -When they got unusually close to a small crocodile George verified Ken's -statement by missing his game some yards. He promptly threw the -worn-out rifle overboard, an act that caused Pepe much concern. - -Whereupon Ken proceeded to try his luck. Instructing Pepe to row about -in the middle of the stream, he kept eye on one shore while George -watched the other. He shot half a dozen small crocodiles, but they -slipped off the bank before Pepe could get ashore. This did not appear -to be the fault of the rifle, for some of the reptiles were shot almost -in two pieces. But Ken had yet to learn more about the tenacity of life -of these water-brutes. Several held still long enough for Ken to shoot -them through, then with a plunge they went into the water, sinking at -once in a bloody foam. He knew he had shot them through, for he saw -large holes in the mud-banks lined with bits of bloody skin and bone. - -"There's one," said George, pointing. "Let's get closer, so we can grab -him. He's got a good piece to go before he reaches the water." - -Pepe rowed slowly along, guiding the boat a little nearer the shore. At -forty feet the crocodile raised up, standing on short legs, so that all -but his tail was free of the ground. He opened his huge jaws either in -astonishment or to intimidate them, and then Ken shot him straight down -the throat. He flopped convulsively and started to slide and roll. -When he reached the water he turned over on his back, with his feet -sticking up, resembling a huge frog. Pepe rowed hard to the shore, just -as the crocodile with one last convulsion rolled off into deeper water. -Ken reached over, grasped his foot, and was drawing it up when a sight -of cold, glassy eyes and open-fanged jaws made him let go. Then the -crocodile sank in water where Pepe could not touch bottom with an oar. - -"Let's get one if it takes a week," declared George. The lad might be -sick, but there was nothing wrong with his spirit. "Look there!" he -exclaimed. "Oh, I guess it's a log. Too big!" - -They had been unable to tell the difference between a crocodile and a -log of driftwood until it was too late. In this instance a long, -dirty-gray object lay upon a low bank. Despite its immense size, which -certainly made the chances in favor of its being a log, Ken determined -this time to be fooled on the right side. He had seen a dozen logs--as -he thought--suddenly become animated and slip into the river. - -"Hold steady, Pepe. I'll take a crack at that just for luck." - -The distance was about a hundred yards, a fine range for the little -rifle. Resting on his knee, he sighted low, under the gray object, and -pulled the trigger twice. There were two spats so close together as to -be barely distinguishable. The log of driftwood leaped into life. - -"Whoop!" shouted Hal. - -"It's a crocodile!" yelled George. "You hit--you hit! Will you listen -to that?" - -"Row hard, Pepe--pull!" - -He bent to the oars, and the boat flew shoreward. - -The huge crocodile, opening yard-long jaws, snapped them shut with loud -cracks. Then he beat the bank with his tail. It was as limber as a -willow, but he seemed unable to move his central parts, his thick bulk, -where Ken had sent the two mushroom bullets. _Whack_! _Whack_! -_Whack_! The sodden blows jarred pieces from the clay-bank above him. -Each blow was powerful enough to have staved in the planking of a ship. -All at once he lunged upward and, falling over backward, slid down his -runway into a few inches of water, where he stuck. - -"Go in above him, Pepe," Ken shouted. "Here-- Heavens! What a -monster!" - -Deliberately, at scarce twenty feet, Ken shot the remaining four shells -into the crocodile. The bullets tore through his horny hide, and blood -and muddy water spouted up. George and Pepe and Hal yelled, and Ken kept -time with them. The terrible lashing tail swung back and forth almost -too swiftly for the eye to catch. A deluge of mud and water descended -upon the boys, bespattering, blinding them and weighing down the boat. -They jumped out upon the bank to escape it. They ran to and fro in -aimless excitement. Ken still clutched the rifle, but he had no shells -for it. George was absurd enough to fling a stone into the blood-tinged -cloud of muddy froth and spray that hid the threshing leviathan. -Presently the commotion subsided enough for them to see the great -crocodile lying half on his back, with belly all torn and bloody and -huge claw-like hands pawing the air. He was edging, slipping off into -deeper water. - -"He'll get away--he'll get away!" cried Hal. "What 'll we do?" - -Ken racked his brains. - -"Pepe, get your lasso--rope him--rope him! Hurry! he's slipping!" -yelled George. - -Pepe snatched up his lariat, and, without waiting to coil it, cast the -loop. He caught one of the flippers and hauled tight on it just as the -crocodile slipped out of sight off the muddy ledge. The others ran to -the boat, and, grasping hold of the lasso with Pepe, squared away and -began to pull. Plain it was that the crocodile was not coming up so -easily. They could not budge him. - -"Hang on, boys!" Ken shouted. "It's a tug-of-war." - -The lasso was suddenly jerked out with a kind of twang. Crash! went -Pepe and Hal into the bottom of the boat. Ken went sprawling into the -mud, and George, who had the last hold, went to his knees, but valiantly -clung to the slipping rope. Bounding up, Ken grasped it from him and -wound it round the sharp nose of the bowsprit. - -"Get in--hustle!" he called, falling aboard. "You're always saying it's -coming to us. Here's where!" - -George had hardly got into the boat when the crocodile pulled it off -shore, and away it went, sailing down-stream. - -"Whoop! All aboard for Panuco!" yelled Hal. - -"Now, Pepe, you don't need to row any more--we've a water-horse," Ken -added. - -But Pepe did not enter into the spirit of the occasion. He kept calling -on the saints and crying, "Mucho malo." George and Ken and Hal, -however, were hilarious. They had not yet had experience enough to know -crocodiles. - -Faster and faster they went. The water began to surge away from the bow -and leave a gurgling wake behind the stern. Soon the boat reached the -middle of the river where the water was deepest, and the lasso went -almost straight down. - -Ken felt the stern of the boat gradually lifted, and then, in alarm, he -saw the front end sinking in the water. The crocodile was hauling the -bow under. - -"Pepe--your machete--cut the lasso!" he ordered, sharply. George had to -repeat the order. - -Wildly Pepe searched under the seat and along the gunwales. He could -not find the _machete_. - -"Cut the rope!" Ken thundered. "Use a knife, the ax--anything--only cut -it--and cut it quick!" - -Pepe could find nothing. Knife in hand, Ken leaped over his head, -sprawled headlong over the trunk, and slashed the taut lasso just as the -water began to roar into the boat. The bow bobbed up as a cork that had -been under. But the boat had shipped six inches of water. - -[Illustration: KNIFE IN HAND, KEN LEAPED OVER HIS HEAD AND SLASHED THE -TAUT LASSO] - -"Row ashore, Pepe. Steady, there. Trim the boat, George." - -They beached at a hard clay-bank and rested a little before unloading to -turn out the water. - -"Grande!" observed Pepe. - -"Yes; he was big," assented George. - -"I wonder what's going to happen to us next," added Hal. - -Ken Ward looked at these companions of his and he laughed outright. -"Well, if you all don't take the cake for nerve!" - - - - - *XX* - - *TREED BY WILD PIGS* - - -Pepe's long years of _mozo_ work, rowing for tarpon fishermen, now stood -the boys in good stead. All the hot hours of the day he bent steadily -to the oars. Occasionally they came to rifts, but these were not -difficult to pass, being mere swift, shallow channels over sandy bottom. -The rocks and the rapids were things of the past. - -George lay in a kind of stupor, and Hal lolled in his seat. Ken, -however, kept alert, and as the afternoon wore on began to be annoyed at -the scarcity of camp-sites. - -The muddy margins of the river, the steep banks, and the tick-infested -forests offered few places where it was possible to rest, to say nothing -of sleep. Every turn in the widening river gave Ken hope, which -resulted in disappointment. He found consolation, however, in the fact -that every turn and every hour put him so much farther on the way. - -About five o'clock Ken had unexpected good luck in shape of a small -sand-bar cut off from the mainland, and therefore free of cattle-tracks. -It was clean and dry, with a pile of driftwood at one end. - -"Tumble out, boys," called Ken, as Pepe beached the boat. "We'll pitch -camp here." - -Neither Hal nor George showed any alacrity. Ken watched his brother; he -feared to see some of the symptoms of George's sickness. Both lads, -however, seemed cheerful, though too tired to be of much use in the -pitching of camp. - -Ken could not recover his former good spirits. There was a sense of -foreboding in his mind that all was not well, that he must hurry, hurry. -And although George appeared to be holding his own, Hal healthy enough, -and Pepe's brooding quiet at least no worse, Ken could not rid himself -of gloom. If he had answered the question that knocked at his mind he -would have admitted a certainty of disaster. So he kept active, and -when there were no more tasks for that day he worked on his note-book, -and then watched the flight of wild fowl. - -The farther down the river the boys traveled the more numerous were the -herons and cranes and ducks. But they saw no more of the beautiful -_pato real_, as Pepe called them, or the little russet-colored ducks, or -the dismal-voiced bitterns. On the other hand, wild geese were common, -and there were flocks and flocks of teal and canvasbacks. - -Pepe, as usual, cooked duck. And he had to eat it. George had lost his -appetite altogether. Hal had lost his taste for meat, at least. And -Ken made a frugal meal of rice. - -"Boys," he said, "the less you eat from now on the better for you." - -It took resolution to drink the cocoa, for Ken could not shut out -remembrance of the green water and the shore-line of dead and decaying -cattle. Still, he was parched with thirst; he had to drink. That night -he slept ten hours without turning over. Next morning he had to shake -Pepe to rouse him. - -Ken took turns at the oars with Pepe. It was not only that he fancied -Pepe was weakening and in need of an occasional rest, but the fact that -he wanted to be occupied, and especially to keep in good condition. They -made thirty miles by four o'clock, and most of it against a breeze. Not -in the whole distance did they pass half a dozen places fit for a camp. -Toward evening the river narrowed again, resembling somewhat the Santa -Rosa of earlier acquaintance. The magnificent dark forests crowded high -on the banks, always screened and curtained by gray moss, as if to keep -their secrets. - -The sun was just tipping with gold the mossy crests of a grove of giant -ceibas, when the boys rounded a bend to come upon the first ledge of -rocks for two days. A low, grassy promontory invited the eyes searching -for camping-ground. This spot appeared ideal; it certainly was -beautiful. The ledge jutted into the river almost to the opposite -shore, forcing the water to rush through a rocky trough into a great -foam-spotted pool below. - -They could not pitch the tent, since the stony ground would not admit -stakes, so they laid the canvas flat. Pepe went up the bank with his -_machete_ in search of firewood. To Ken's utmost delight he found a -little spring of sweet water trickling from the ledge, and by digging a -hole was enabled to get a drink, the first one in more than a week. - -A little later, as he was spreading the blankets, George called his -attention to shouts up in the woods. - -"Pepe's treed something," Ken said. "Take your gun and hunt him up." - -Ken went on making a bed and busying himself about camp, with little -heed to George's departure. Presently, however, he was startled by -unmistakable sounds of alarm. George and Pepe were yelling in unison, -and, from the sound, appeared to be quite a distance away. - -"What the deuce!" Ken ejaculated, snatching up his rifle. He snapped a -clip in the magazine and dropped several loaded clips and a box of extra -shells into his coat pocket. After his adventure with the jaguar he -decided never again to find himself short of ammunition. Running up the -sloping bank, he entered the forest, shouting for his companions. -Answering cries came from in front and a little to the left. He could -not make out what was said. - -Save for drooping moss the forest was comparatively open, and at a -hundred paces from the river-bank were glades covered with thickets and -long grass and short palm-trees. The ground sloped upward quite -perceptibly. - -"Hey, boys, where are you?" called Ken. - -Pepe's shrill yells mingled with George's shouts. At first their -meaning was unintelligible, but after calling twice Ken understood. - -"Javelin! Go back! Javelin! We're treed! Wild pigs! Santa Maria! -Run for your life!" - -This was certainly enlightening and rather embarrassing. Ken remembered -the other time the boys had made him run, and he grew hot with anger. - -"I'll be blessed if I'll run!" he said, in the pride of conceit and -wounded vanity. Whereupon he began to climb the slope, stopping every -few steps to listen and look. Ken wondered what had made Pepe go so far -for fire-wood; still, there was nothing but green wood all about. -Walking round a clump of seared and yellow palms that rustled in the -breeze, Ken suddenly espied George's white shirt. He was in a scrubby -sapling not fifteen feet from the ground. Then Ken espied Pepe, perched -in the forks of a ceiba, high above the thickets and low shrubbery. Ken -was scarcely more than a dozen rods from them down the gradual slope. -Both saw him at once. - -"Run, you Indian! Run!" bawled George, waving his hands. - -George implored Ken to fly to save his precious life. - -"What for? you fools! I don't see anything to run from," Ken shouted -back. His temper had soured a little during the last few days. - -"You'd better run, or you'll have to climb," replied George. "Wild -pigs--a thousand of 'em!" - -"Where?" - -"Right under us. There! Oh, if they see you! Listen to this." He -broke off a branch, trimmed it of leaves, and flung it down. Ken heard -a low, trampling roar of many hard little feet, brushings in the -thicket, and cracking of twigs. As close as he was, however, he could -not see a moving object. The dead grass and brush were several feet -high, up to his waist in spots, and, though he changed position several -times, no _javelin_ did he see. - -"You want to look out. Say, man, these are wild pigs--boars, I tell -you! They'll kill you!" bellowed George. - -"Are you going to stay up there all night?" Ken asked, sarcastically. - -"We'll stay till they go away." - -"All right, I'll scare them away," Ken replied, and, suiting action to -word, he worked the automatic as fast as it would shoot, aiming into the -thicket under George. - -Of all the foolish things a nettled hunter ever did that was the worst. -A roar answered the echoes of the rifle, and the roar rose from every -side of the trees the victims were in. Nervously Ken clamped a fresh -clip of shells into the rifle. Clouds of dust arose, and strange little -squeals and grunts seemed to come from every quarter. Then the grass -and bushes were suddenly torn apart by swift gray forms with glittering -eyes. They were everywhere. - -"_Run_! _Run_!" shrieked George, high above the tumult. - -For a thrilling instant Ken stood his ground and fired at the bobbing -gray backs. But every break made in the ranks by the powerful shells -filled in a flash. Before that vicious charge he wavered, then ran as -if pursued by demons. - -The way was downhill. Ken tripped, fell, rolled over and over, then, -still clutching the rifle, rose with a bound and fled. The javelin had -gained. They were at his heels. He ran like a deer. Then, seeing a low -branch, he leaped for it, grasped it with one hand, and, crooking an -elbow round it, swung with the old giant swing. - -Before Ken knew how it had happened he was astride a dangerously swaying -branch directly over a troop of brownish-gray, sharp-snouted, -fiendish-eyed little peccaries. - -Some were young and sleek, others were old and rough; some had little -yellow teeth or tusks, and all pointed their sharp noses upward, as if -expecting him to fall into their very mouths. Feeling safe, once more -Ken loaded the rifle and began to kill the biggest, most vicious -_javelin_. When he had killed twelve in twelve shots, he saw that -shooting a few would be of no avail. There were hundreds, it seemed, -and he had scarcely fifty shells left. Moreover, the rifle-barrel grew -so hot that it burnt his hands. Hearing George's yell, he replied, -somewhat to his disgust: - -"I'm all right, George--only treed. How 're you?" - -"Pigs all gone--they chased you--Pepe thinks we can risk running." - -"Don't take any chances," Ken yelled, in answer. - -"Hi! Hi! What's wrong with you gazabos?" came Hal's yell from down the -slope. - -"Go back to the boat," shouted Ken. - -"What for?" - -"We're all treed by javelin--wild pigs." - -"I've got to see that," was Hal's reply. - -Ken called a sharp, angry order for Hal to keep away. But Hal did not -obey. Ken heard him coming, and presently saw him enter one of the -little glades. He had Ken's shotgun, and was peering cautiously about. - -"Ken, where are you?" - -"Here! Didn't I tell you to keep away? The pigs heard you--some of them -are edging out there. Look out! Run, kid, run!" - -A troop of _javelin_ flashed into the glade. Hal saw them and raised the -shotgun. - -_Boom_! He shot both barrels. - -The shot tore through the brush all around Ken, but fortunately beneath -him. Neither the noise nor the lead stopped the pugnacious little -peccaries. - -Hal dropped Ken's hammerless and fled. - -"Run faster!" yelled George, who evidently enjoyed Hal's plight. -"They'll get you! Run hard!" - -The lad was running close to the record when he disappeared. - -In trying to find a more comfortable posture, so he could apply himself -to an interesting study of his captors, Ken made the startling discovery -that the branch which upheld him was splitting from the tree-trunk. His -heart began to pound in his breast; then it went up into his throat. -Every move he made--for he had started to edge toward the tree--widened -the little white split. - -"Boys, my branch is breaking!" he called, piercingly. - -"Can't you get another?" returned George. - -"No; I daren't move! Hurry, boys! If you don't scare these brutes off -I'm a goner!" - -Ken's eyes were riveted upon the gap where the branch was slowly -separating from the tree-trunk. He glanced about to see if he could not -leap to another branch. There was nothing near that would hold him. In -desperation he resolved to drop the rifle, cautiously get to his feet -upon the branch, and with one spring try to reach the tree. When about -to act upon this last chance he heard Pepe's shrill yell and a crashing -in the brush. Then followed the unmistakable roar and crackling of fire. -Pepe had fired the brush--no, he was making his way toward Ken, armed -with a huge torch. - -"Pepe, you'll fire the jungle!" cried Ken, forgetting what was at stake -and that Pepe could not understand much English. But Ken had been in -one forest-fire and remembered it with horror. - -The _javelin_ stirred uneasily, and ran around under Ken, tumbling over -one another. - -When Pepe burst through the brush, holding before him long-stemmed palm -leaves flaring in hissing flames, the whole pack of pigs bowled away -into the forest at breakneck speed. - -Ken leaped down, and the branch came with him. George came running up, -his face white, his eyes big. Behind him rose a roar that Ken thought -might be another drove of pigs till he saw smoke and flame. - -"Boys, the jungle's on fire. Run for the river!" - -In their hurry they miscalculated the location of camp and dashed out of -the jungle over a steep bank, and they all had a tumble. It was -necessary to wade to reach the rocky ledge. - -Ken shook hands with Pepe. - -"George, tell him that was a nervy thing to do. He saved my life, I do -believe." - -"You fellows did a lot of hollering," said Hal, from his perch in the -boat. - -"Say, young man, you've got to go back after my gun. Why didn't you do -what I told you? Foolish, to run into danger that way!" declared Ken, -severely. - -"You don't suppose I was going to overlook a chance to see Ken Ward -treed, do you?" - -"Well, you saw him, and that was no joke. But I wish Pepe could have -scared those pigs off without firing the jungle." - -"Pepe says it 'll give the ticks a good roasting," said George. - -"We'll have roast pig, anyway," added Ken. - -He kept watching the jungle back of the camp as if he expected it to -blow up like a powder-mine. But this Tamaulipas jungle was not Penetier -Forest. A cloud of smoke rolled up; there was a frequent roaring of dry -palms; but the green growths did not burn. It was not much of a -forest-fire, and Ken concluded that it would soon burn out. - -So he took advantage of the waning daylight to spread out his map and -plot in the day's travel. This time Hal watched him with a quiet -attention that was both flattering and stimulating; and at the -conclusion of the task he said: - -"Well, Ken, we're having sport, but we're doing something -more--something worth while." - - - - - *XXI* - - *THE LEAPING TARPON* - - -Just before dark, when the boys were at supper, a swarm of black -mosquitoes swooped down upon camp. - -Pepe could not have shown more fear at angry snakes, and he began to -pile green wood and leaves on the fire to make a heavy smoke. - -These mosquitoes were very large, black-bodied, with white-barred wings. -Their bite was as painful as the sting of a bee. After threshing about -until tired out the boys went to bed. But it was only to get up again, -for the mosquitoes could bite through two thicknesses of blanket. - -For a wonder every one was quiet. Even George did not grumble. The -only thing to do was to sit or stand in the smoke of the campfire. The -boys wore their gloves and wrapped blankets round heads and shoulders. -They crouched over the fire until tired of that position, then stood up -till they could stand no longer. It was a wretched, sleepless night -with the bloodthirsty mosquitoes humming about like a swarm of bees. -They did not go away until dawn. - -"That's what I get for losing the mosquito-netting," said Ken, wearily. - -Breakfast was not a cheerful meal, despite the fact that the boys all -tried to brace up. - -George's condition showed Ken the necessity for renewed efforts to get -out of the jungle. Pepe appeared heavy and slow, and, what was more -alarming, he had lost his appetite. Hal was cross, but seemed to keep -well. It was hard enough for Ken to persuade George and Pepe to take -the bitter doses of quinine, and Hal positively refused. - -"It makes me sick, I tell you," said Hal, impatiently. - -"But Hal, you ought to be guided by my judgment now," replied Ken, -gently. - -"I don't care. I've had enough of bitter pills." - -"I ask you--as a favor?" persisted Ken, quietly. - -"No!" - -"Well, then, I'll have to make you take them." - -"Wha-at?" roared Hal. - -"If necessary, I'll throw you down and pry open your mouth and get Pepe -to stuff these pills down your throat. There!" went on Ken, and now he -did not recognize his own voice. - -Hal looked quickly at his brother, and was amazed and all at once -shaken. - -"Why, Ken--" he faltered. - -"I ought to have made you take them before," interrupted Ken. "But I've -been too easy. Now, Hal, listen--and you, too, George. I've made a bad -mess of this trip. I got you into this jungle, and I ought to have taken -better care of you, whether you would or not. George has fever. Pepe -is getting it. I'm afraid you won't escape. You all _would_ drink -unboiled water." - -"Ken, that's all right, but you can get fever from the bites of the -ticks," said George. - -"I dare say. But just the same you could have been careful about the -water. Not only that--look how careless we have been. Think of the -things that have happened! We've gotten almost wild on this trip. We -don't realize. But wait till we get home. Then we'll hardly be able to -believe we ever had these adventures. But our foolishness, our -carelessness, must stop right here. If we can't profit by our lucky -escapes yesterday--from that lassoed crocodile and the wild pigs--we are -simply no good. I love fun and sport. But there's a limit. Hal, -remember what old Hiram told you about being foolhardily brave. I think -we have been wonderfully lucky. Now let's deserve our good luck. Let's -not prove what that Tampico hotel-man said. Let's show we are not just -wild-goose-chasing boys. I put it to you straight. I think the real -test is yet to come, and I want you to help me. No more tricks. No -more drinking unboiled water. No more shooting except in self-defense. -We must not eat any more meat. No more careless wandering up the banks. -No chances. See? And fight the fever. Don't give up. Then when we -get out of this awful jungle we can look back at our adventures--and, -better, we can be sure we've learned a lot. We shall have accomplished -something, and that's learning. Now, how about it? Will you help me?" - -"You can just bet your life," replied George, and he held out his hand. - -"Ken, I'm with you," was Hal's quiet promise; and Ken knew from the way -the lad spoke that he was in dead earnest. When it came to the last -ditch Hal Ward was as true as steel. He took the raw, bitter quinine -Ken offered and swallowed it without a grimace. - -"Good!" exclaimed Ken. "Now, boys, let's pack. Hal, you let your -menagerie go. There's no use keeping your pets any longer. George, you -make yourself a bed on the trunk, and fix a palm-leaf sun-shelter. Then -lie down." - -When the boat had been packed and all was in readiness for the start, -George was sound asleep. They shoved off into the current. Pepe and Ken -took turns at the oars, making five miles an hour. - -As on the day before, they glided under the shadows of the great -moss-twined cypresses, along the muddy banks where crocodiles basked in -the sun and gaunt cattle came down to drink. Once the boat turned a -bushy point to startle a large flock of wild turkeys, perhaps -thirty-five in number. They had been resting in the cool sand along the -river. Some ran up the bank, some half-dozen flew right over the boat, -and most of them squatted down as if to evade detection. Thereafter -turkeys and ducks and geese became so common as to be monotonous. - -About one o'clock Ken sighted a thatched bamboo and palm-leaf hut on the -bank. - -"Oh, boys, look! look!" cried Ken, joyfully. - -Hal was as pleased as Ken, and George roused out of his slumber. Pepe -grinned and nodded his head. - -Some naked little children ran like quail. A disheveled black head -peeped out of a door, then swiftly vanished. - -"Indians," said George. - -"I don't care," replied Ken, "they're human beings--people. We're -getting somewhere." - -From there on the little bamboo huts were frequently sighted. And soon -Ken saw a large one situated upon a high bluff. Ken was wondering if -these natives would be hospitable. - -Upon rounding the next bend the boys came unexpectedly upon a connecting -river. It was twice as wide as the Santa Rosa, and quite swift. - -"Tamaulipas," said Pepe. - -"Hooray! boys, this is the source of the Panuco, sure as you're born," -cried Ken. "I told you we were getting somewhere." - -He was overcome with the discovery. This meant success. - -"Savalo! Savalo!" exclaimed Pepe, pointing. - -"Tarpon! Tarpon! What do you think of that? 'Way up here! We must be -a long distance from tide-water," said George. - -Ken looked around over the broad pool below the junction of the two -rivers. And here and there he saw swirls, and big splashes, and then -the silver sides of rolling tarpon. - -"Boys, seeing we've packed that can of preserved mullet all the way, and -those thundering heavy tackles, let's try for tarpon," suggested Ken. - -It was wonderful to see how the boys responded. Pepe was no longer slow -and heavy. George forgot he was sick. Hal, who loved to fish better -than to hunt, was as enthusiastic as on the first day. - -"Ken, let me boss this job," said George, as he began to rig the -tackles. "Pepe will row; you and Hal sit back here and troll. I'll make -myself useful. Open the can. See, I hook the mullet just back of the -head, letting the bar come out free. There! Now run out about forty -feet of line. Steady the butt of the rod under your leg. Put your left -hand above the reel. Hold the handle of the reel in your right, and -hold it hard. The drag is in the handle. Now when a tarpon takes the -bait, jerk with all your might. Their mouths are like iron, and it's -hard to get a hook to stick." - -Pepe rowed at a smooth, even stroke and made for the great curve of the -pool where tarpon were breaking water. - -"If they're on the feed, we'll have more sport than we've had yet," said -George. - -Ken was fascinated, and saw that Hal was going to have the best time of -the trip. Also Ken was very curious to have a tarpon strike. He had no -idea what it would be like. Presently, when the boat glided among the -rolling fish and there was prospect of one striking at any moment, Ken -could not subdue a mounting excitement. - -"Steady now--be ready," warned George. - -Suddenly Hal's line straightened. The lad yelled and jerked at the same -instant. There came a roar of splitting waters, and a beautiful silver -fish, longer than Hal himself, shot up into the air. The tarpon shook -himself and dropped back into the water with a crash. - -Hal was speechless. He wound in his line to find the bait gone. - -"Threw the hook," said George, as he reached into the can for another -bait. "He wasn't so big. You'll get used to losing 'em. There! try -again." - -Ken had felt several gentle tugs at his line, as if tarpon were rolling -across it. And indeed he saw several fish swim right over where his -line disappeared in the water. There were splashes all around the boat, -some gentle swishes and others hard, cutting rushes. Then his line -straightened with a heavy jerk. He forgot to try to hook the fish; -indeed, he had no time. The tarpon came half out of the water, wagged -his head, and plumped back. Ken had not hooked the fish, nor had the -fish got the bait. So Ken again let out his line. - -The next thing which happened was that the boys both had strikes at the -same instant. Hal stood up, and as his tarpon leaped it pulled him -forward, and he fell into the stern-seat. His reel-handle rattled on -the gunwale. The line hissed. Ken leaned back and jerked. His fish did -not break water, but he was wonderfully active under the surface. Pepe -was jabbering. George was yelling. Hal's fish was tearing the water to -shreds. He crossed Ken's fish; the lines fouled, and then slacked. Ken -began to wind in. Hal rose to do likewise. - -"Gee!" he whispered, with round eyes. - -Both lines had been broken. George made light of this incident, and -tied on two more leaders and hooks and baited afresh. - -"The fish are on the feed, boys. It's a cinch you'll each catch one. -Better troll one at a time, unless you can stand for crossed lines." - -But Ken and Hal were too eager to catch a tarpon to troll one at a time, -so once more they let their lines out. A tarpon took Hal's bait right -under the stern of the boat. Hal struck with all his might. This fish -came up with a tremendous splash, drenching the boys. His great, -gleaming silver sides glistened in the sun. He curved his body and -straightened out with a snap like the breaking of a board, and he threw -the hook whistling into the air. - -Before Hal had baited up, Ken got another strike. This fish made five -leaps, one after the other, and upon the last threw the hook like a -bullet. As he plunged down, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the misty -spray. - -"Hal, do you see that rainbow?" cried Ken, quickly. "There's a sight -for a fisherman!" - -This time in turn, before Ken started to troll, Hal hooked another -tarpon. This one was not so large, but he was active. His first rush -was a long surge on the surface. He sent the spray in two streaks like a -motor-boat. Then he sounded. - -"Hang on, Hal!" yelled George and Ken in unison. - -Hal was bent almost double and his head was bobbing under the strain. -He could not hold the drag. The line was whizzing out. - -"You got that one hooked," shouted George. "Let go the reel--drop the -handle. Let him run." - -He complied, and then his fish began a marvelous exhibition of lofty -tumbling. He seemed never to stay down at all. Now he shot up, mouth -wide, gills spread, eyes wild, and he shook himself like a wet dog. -Then he dropped back, and before the boys had time to think where he -might be he came up several rods to the right and cracked his gills like -pistol-shots. He skittered on his tail and stood on his head and -dropped flat with a heavy smack. Then he stayed under and began to tug. - -"Hang on, now," cried George. "Wind in. Hold him tight. Don't give -him an inch unless he jumps." - -This was heartbreaking work for Hal. He toiled to keep the line in. He -grew red in the face. He dripped with sweat. He panted for breath. -But he hung on. - -Ken saw how skilfully Pepe managed the boat. The _mozo_ seemed to know -just which way the fish headed, and always kept the boat straight. -Sometimes he rowed back and lent his help to Hal. But this appeared to -anger the tarpon, for the line told he was coming to the surface. Then, -as Pepe ceased to let him feel the weight of the boat, the tarpon sank -again. So the battle went on round and round the great pool. After an -hour of it Hal looked ready to drop. - -"Land him alone if you can," said Ken. "He's tiring, Hal." - -"I'll--land him--or--or bust!" panted Hal. - -"Look out, now!" warned George again. "He's coming up. See the line. -Be ready to trim the boat if he drops aboard. _Wow!_" - -The tarpon slipped smoothly out of the water and shot right over the bow -of the boat. Quick-witted George flung out his hand and threw Hal's rod -round in time to save the line from catching. The fish went down, came -up wagging his head, and then fell with sullen splash. - -"He's done," yelled George. "Now, Hal, hold him for all you're worth. -Not an inch of line!" - -Pepe headed the boat for a sandy beach; and Hal, looking as if about to -have a stroke of apoplexy, clung desperately to the bending rod. The -tarpon rolled and lashed his tail, but his power was mostly gone. -Gradually he ceased to roll, until by the time Pepe reached shore he was -sliding wearily through the water, his silvery side glittering in the -light. - -The boat grated on the sand. Pepe leaped out. Then he grasped Hal's -line, slipped his hands down to the long wire leader, and with a quick, -powerful pull slid the tarpon out upon the beach. - -"Oh-h!" gasped Hal, with glistening eyes. "Oh-h! Ken, just look!" - -"I'm looking, son, and don't you forget it." - -The tarpon lay inert, a beautiful silver-scaled creature that looked as -if he had just come from a bath of melted opals. The great dark eyes -were fixed and staring, the tail moved feebly, the long dorsal fin -quivered. - -He measured five feet six inches in length, which was one inch more than -Hal's height. - -"Ken, the boys back home will never believe I caught him," said Hal, in -distress. - -"Take his picture to prove it," replied Ken. - -Hal photographed his catch. Pepe took out the hook, showing, as he did -so, the great iron-like plates in the mouth of the fish. - -"No wonder it's hard to hook them," said Ken. - -Hal certainly wanted his beautiful fish to go back, free and little -hurt, to the river. But also he wanted him for a specimen. Hal -deliberated. Evidently he was considering the labor of skinning such a -huge fish and the difficulty of preserving and packing the hide. - -"Say, Hal, wouldn't you like to see me hook one?" queried Ken, -patiently. - -That brought Hal to his senses. - -"Sure, Ken, old man, I want you to catch one--a big one--bigger than -mine," replied Hal, and restored the fish to the water. - -They all watched the liberated tarpon swim wearily off and slip down -under the water. - -"He'll have something to tell the rest, won't he?" said George. - -In a few minutes the boat was again in the center of the great pool -among the rolling tarpon. Ken had a strike immediately. He missed. -Then he tried again. And in a short space of time he saw five tarpon in -the air, one after the other, and not one did he hook securely. He got -six leaps out of one, however, and that was almost as good as landing -him. - -"There 're some whales here," said George. - -"Grande savalo," added Pepe, and he rowed over to where a huge fish was -rolling. - -"Oh, I don't want to hook the biggest one first," protested Ken. - -Pepe rowed to and fro. The boys were busy trying to see the rolling -tarpon. There would be a souse on one side, then a splash on the other, -then a thump behind. What with trying to locate all these fish and -still keep an eye on Ken's line the boys almost dislocated their necks. - -Then, quick as a flash, Ken had a strike that pulled him out of his seat -to his knees. He could not jerk. His line was like a wire. It began to -rise. With all his strength he held on. The water broke in a hollow, -slow roar, and a huge humpbacked tarpon seemed to be climbing into the -air. But he did not get all the way out, and he plunged back with a -thunderous crash. He made as much noise as if a horse had fallen off a -bridge. - -The handle of the reel slipped out of Ken's grasp, and it was well. The -tarpon made a long, wonderful run and showed on the surface a hundred -yards from the boat. He was irresistibly powerful. Ken was astounded -and thrilled at his strength and speed. There, far away from the boat, -the tarpon leaped magnificently, clearing the water, and then went down. -He did not come up again. - -"Ken, he's a whale," said George. "I believe he's well hooked. He -won't jump any more. And you've got a job on your hands." - -"I want him to jump." - -"The big ones seldom break water after the first rush or so." - -"Ken, it's coming to you with that fellow," said Hal. "My left arm is -paralyzed. Honestly, I can pinch it and not feel the pain." - -Pepe worked the boat closer and Ken reeled in yard after yard of line. -The tarpon was headed down-stream, and he kept up a steady, strong -strain. - -"Let him tow the boat," said George. "Hold the drag, Ken. Let him tow -the boat." - -"What!" exclaimed Ken, in amaze. - -"Oh, he'll do it, all right." - -And so it proved. Ken's tarpon, once headed with the current, did not -turn, and he towed the boat. - -"This is a new way for me to tire out a fish," said Ken. "What do you -think of it, Hal?" - -Hal's eyes glistened. - -"This is fishing. Ken, did you see him when he came up?" - -"Not very clearly. I had buck-fever. You know how a grouse looks when -he flushes right under your feet--a kind of brown blur. Well, this was -the same, only silver." - -At the end of what Ken judged to be a mile the tarpon was still going. -At the end of the second mile he was tired. And three miles down the -river from where the fish was hooked Pepe beached the boat on a sandbar -and hauled ashore a tarpon six feet ten inches long. - -Here Ken echoed Hal's panting gasp of wonder and exultation. As he sat -down on the boat to rest he had no feeling in his left arm, and little -in his right. His knuckles were skinned and bloody. No game of -baseball he had ever pitched had taken his strength like the conquest of -this magnificent fish. - -"Hal, we'll have some more of this fishing when we get to Tampico," said -Ken. "Why, this beats hunting. You have the sport, and you needn't -kill anything. This tarpon isn't hurt." - -So Ken photographed his prize and measured him, and, taking a last -lingering glance at the great green back, the silver-bronze sides, the -foot-wide flukes of the tail, at the whole quivering fire-tinted length, -he slid the tarpon back into the river. - - - - - *XXII* - - *STRICKEN DOWN* - - -Much as Ken would have liked to go back to that pool, he did not think -of it twice. And as soon as the excitement had subsided and the journey -was resumed, George and Hal, and Pepe, too, settled down into a silent -weariness that made Ken anxious. - -During the afternoon Ken saw Pepe slowly droop lower and lower at the -oars till the time came when he could scarcely lift them to make a -stroke. And when Ken relieved him of them, Pepe fell like a log in the -boat. - -George slept. Hal seemed to be fighting stupor. Pepe lay motionless on -his seat. They were all going down with the fever, that Ken knew, and -it took all his courage to face the situation. It warmed his heart to -see how Hal was trying to bear up under a languor that must have been -well-nigh impossible to resist. At last Hal said: - -"Ken, let me row." He would not admit that he was sick. - -Ken thought it would do Hal no harm to work. But Ken did not want to -lose time. So he hit upon a plan that pleased him. There was an extra -pair of oars in the boat. Ken fashioned rude pegs from a stick and drove -these down into the cleat inside the gunwales. With stout rope he tied -the oars to the pegs, which answered fairly well as oarlocks. Then they -had a double set of oars going, and made much better time. - -George woke and declared that he must take a turn at the oars. So Ken -let him row, too, and rested himself. He had a grim foreboding that he -would need all his strength. - -The succeeding few hours before sunset George and Hal more than made up -for all their delinquencies of the past. At first it was not very hard -for them to row; but soon they began to weary, then weaken. Neither -one, however, would give up. Ken let them row, knowing that it was good -for them. Slower and slower grew George's strokes, there were times when -he jerked up spasmodically and made an effort, only to weaken again. At -last, with a groan he dropped the oars. Ken had to lift him back into -the bow. - -Hal was not so sick as George, and therefore not so weak. He lasted -longer. Ken had seen the lad stick to many a hard job, but never as he -did to this one. Hal was making good his promise. There were times -when his breath came in whistles. He would stop and pant awhile, then -row on. Ken pretended he did not notice. But he had never been so -proud of his brother nor loved him so well. - -"Ken, old man," said Hal, presently. "I was--wrong--about the water. I -ought to have obeyed you. I--I'm pretty sick." - -What a confession for Hal Ward! - -Ken turned in time to see Hal vomit over the gunwale. - -"It's pretty tough, Hal," said Ken, as he reached out to hold his -brother's head; "but you're game. I'm so glad to see that." - -Whereupon Hal went back to his oars and stayed till he dropped. Ken -lifted him and laid him beside George. - -Ken rowed on with his eyes ever in search of a camping-site. But there -was no place to camp. The muddy banks were too narrow at the bottom, -too marshy and filthy. And they were too steep to climb to the top. - -The sun set. Twilight fell. Darkness came on, and still Ken rowed down -the river. At last he decided to make a night of it at the oars. He -preferred to risk the dangers of the river at night rather than spend -miserable hours in the mud. Rousing the boys, he forced them to swallow -a little cold rice and some more quinine. Then he covered them with -blankets, and had scarce completed the task when they were deep in -slumber. - -Then the strange, dense tropical night settled down upon Ken. The oars -were almost noiseless, and the water gurgled softly from the bow. -Overhead the expanse was dark blue, with a few palpitating stars. The -river was shrouded in gray gloom, and the banks were lost in black -obscurity. Great fireflies emphasized the darkness. He trusted a good -deal to luck in the matter of going right; yet he kept his ear keen for -the sound of quickening current, and turned every few strokes to peer -sharply into the gloom. He seemed to have little sense of peril, for, -though he hit submerged logs and stranded on bars, he kept on unmindful, -and by and by lost what anxiety he had felt. The strange wildness of -the river at night, the gray, veiled space into which he rowed unheeding -began to work upon his mind. - -That was a night to remember--a night of sounds and smells, of the -feeling of the cool mist, the sight of long, dark forest-line and a -golden moon half hidden by clouds. Prominent among these was the trill -of river frogs. The trill of a northern frog was music, but that of -these great, silver-throated jungle frogs was more than music. Close at -hand one would thrill Ken with mellow, rich notes; and then from far -would come the answer, a sweet, high tenor, wilder than any other -wilderness sound, long sustained, dying away till he held his breath to -listen. - -So the hours passed; and the moon went down into the weird shadows, and -the Southern Cross rose pale and wonderful. - -Gradually the stars vanished in a kind of brightening gray, and dawn was -at hand. Ken felt weary for sleep, and his arms and back ached. Morning -came, with its steely light on the river, the rolling and melting of -vapors, the flight of ducks and call of birds. The rosy sun brought no -cheer. - -Ken beached the boat on a sand-bar. While he was building a fire George -raised his head and groaned. But neither Pepe nor Hal moved. Ken -cooked rice and boiled cocoa, which he choked down. He opened a can of -fruit and found that most welcome. Then he lifted George's head, shook -him, roused him, and held him, and made him eat and drink. Nor did he -neglect to put a liberal dose of quinine in the food. Pepe was easily -managed, but poor Hal was almost unable to swallow. Something terribly -grim mingled with a strong, passionate thrill as Ken looked at Hal's -haggard face. Then Ken Ward knew how much he could stand, what work he -could do to get his brother out of the jungle. - -He covered the boys again and pushed out the boat. At the moment he -felt a strength that he had never felt before. There was a good, swift -current in the river, and Ken was at great pains to keep in it. The -channel ran from one side of the river to the other. Many times Ken -stranded on sandy shoals and had to stand up and pole the boat into -deeper water. This was work that required all his attention. It -required more than patience. But as he rowed and poled and drifted he -studied the shallow ripples and learned to avoid the places where the -boat would not float. - -There were stretches of river where the water was comparatively deep, -and along these he rested and watched the shores as he drifted by. He -saw no Indian huts that morning. The jungle loomed high and dark, a -matted gray wall. The heat made the river glare and smoke. Then where -the current quickened he rowed steadily and easily, husbanding his -strength. - -More than all else, even the ravings of Hal in fever, the thing that -wore on Ken and made him gloomy was the mourning of turtle-doves. As -there had been thousands of these beautiful birds along the Santa Rosa -River, so there were millions along the Panuco. Trees were blue with -doves. There was an incessant soft, sad moaning. He fought his -nervous, sensitive imaginings. And for a time he would conquer the -sense of some sad omen sung by the doves. Then the monotony, the -endless sweet "coo-ooo-ooo," seemed to drown him in melancholy sound. -There were three distinct tones--a moan, swelling to full ring, and -dying away: "Coo-_ooo_-ooo--coo-_ooo_-ooo." - -All the afternoon the mourning, haunting song filled Ken Ward's ears. -And when the sun set and night came, with relief to his tortured ear but -not to mind, Ken kept on without a stop. - -The day had slipped behind Ken with the miles, and now it was again -dark. It seemed that he had little sense of time. But his faculties of -sight and hearing were singularly acute. Otherwise his mind was like -the weird gloom into which he was drifting. - -Before the stars came out the blackness was as thick as pitch. He could -not see a yard ahead. He backed the boat stern first down-stream and -listened for the soft murmur of ripples on shoals. He avoided these by -hearing alone. Occasionally a huge, dark pile of driftwood barred his -passage, and he would have to go round it. Snags loomed up specter-like -in his path, seemingly to reach for him with long, gaunt arms. -Sometimes he drifted upon sand-bars, from which he would patiently pole -the boat. - -When the heavy dew began to fall he put on his waterproof coat. The -night grew chill. Then the stars shone out. This lightened the river. -Yet everywhere were shadows. Besides, clouds of mist hung low, in places -obscuring the stars. - -Ken turned the boat bow first downstream and rowed with slow, even -stroke. He no longer felt tired. He seemed to have the strength of a -giant. He fancied that with one great heave he could lift the boat out -of the water or break the oars. From time to time he ceased to row, -and, turning his head, he looked and listened. The river had numerous -bends, and it was difficult for Ken to keep in the middle channel. He -managed pretty well to keep right by watching the dark shore-line where -it met the deep-blue sky. In the bends the deepest water ran close to -the shore of the outside curve. And under these high banks and the -leaning cypresses shadows were thicker and blacker than in the earlier -night. There was mystery in them that Ken felt. - -The sounds he heard when he stopped during these cautious resting -intervals were the splashes of fish breaking water, the low hum of -insects, and the trill of frogs. The mourning of the doves during -daylight had haunted him, and now he felt the same sensation at this -long-sustained, exquisitely sweet trill. It pierced him, racked him, -and at last, from sheer exhaustion of his sensibilities, he seemed not -to hear it any more, but to have it in his brain. - -The moon rose behind the left-hand jungle wall, silvered half of the -river and the opposite line of cypresses, then hid under clouds. - -Suddenly, near or far away, down the river Ken saw a wavering light. It -was too large for a firefly, and too steady. He took it for a -Jack-o'-lantern. And for a while it enhanced the unreality, the -ghostliness of the river. But it was the means of bringing Ken out of -his dreamy gloom. It made him think. The light was moving. It was too -wavering for a Jack-o'-lantern. It was coming up-stream. It grew -larger. - -Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished. Ken lost sight of it -under a deep shadow of overhanging shore. As he reached a point -opposite to where it disappeared he thought he heard a voice. But he -could not be sure. He did not trust his ears. The incident, however, -gave him a chill. What a lonesome ride! He was alone on that unknown -river with three sick boys in the boat. Their lives depended upon his -care, his strength, his skill, his sight and hearing. And the -realization, striking him afresh, steeled his arms again and his spirit. - -The night wore on. The moon disappeared entirely. The mists hung low -like dim sheets along the water. Ken was wringing-wet with dew. Long -periods of rowing he broke with short intervals of drifting, when he -rested at the oars. - -Then drowsiness attacked him. For hours it seemed he fought it off. -But at length it grew overpowering. Only hard rowing would keep him -awake. And, as he wanted to reserve his strength, he did not dare exert -himself violently. He could not keep his eyes open. Time after time he -found himself rowing when he was half asleep. The boat drifted against -a log and stopped. Ken drooped over his oars and slept, and yet he -seemed not altogether to lose consciousness. He roused again to row on. - -It occurred to him presently that he might let the boat drift and take -naps between whiles. When he drifted against a log or a sand-bar the -jar would awaken him. The current was sluggish. There seemed to be no -danger whatever. He must try to keep his strength. A little sleep -would refresh him. So he reasoned, and fell asleep over the oars. - -Sooner or later--he never knew how long after he had fallen asleep--a -little jar awakened him. Then the gurgle and murmur of water near him -and the rush and roar of a swift current farther off made him look up -with a violent start. All about him was wide, gray gloom. Yet he could -see the dark, glancing gleam of the water. Movement of the oars told -him the boat was fast on a sand-bar. That relieved him, for he was not -drifting at the moment into the swift current he heard. Ken peered -keenly into the gloom. Gradually he made out a long, dark line running -diagonally ahead of him and toward the right-hand shore. It could not -be an island or a sand-bar or a shore-line. It could not be piles of -driftwood. There was a strange regularity in the dark upheavals of this -looming object. Ken studied it. He studied the black, glancing water. -Whatever the line was, it appeared to shunt the current over to the -right, whence came the low rush and roar. - -Altogether it was a wild, strange place. Ken felt a fear of something he -could not name. It was the river--the night--the loneliness--the unknown -about him and before him. - -Suddenly he saw a dull, red light far down the river. He stiffened in -his seat. Then he saw another red light. They were like two red eyes. -Ken shook himself to see if he had nightmare. No; the boat was there; -the current was there; the boys were there, dark and silent under their -blankets. This was no dream. Ken's fancy conjured up some red-eyed -river demon come to destroy him and his charges. He scorned the fancy, -laughed at it. But, all the same, in that dark, weird place, with the -murmuring of notes in his ears and with those strange red eyes glowing -in the distance, he could not help what his emotions made the truth. He -was freezing to the marrow, writhing in a clammy sweat when a low -"chug-chug-chug" enlightened him. The red eyes were those of a -steamboat. - -A steamboat on the wild Panuco! Ken scarcely believed his own judgment. -Then he remembered that George said there were a couple of boats plying -up and down the lower Panuco, mostly transporting timber and cattle. -Besides, he had proof of his judgment in the long, dark line that had so -puzzled him--it was a breakwater. It turned the current to the left, -where there evidently was a channel. - -The great, red eyes gleamed closer, the "chug-chug-chug" sounded louder. -Then another sound amazed Ken--a man's voice crying out steadily and -monotonously. - -Ken wanted to rouse the boys and Pepe, but he refrained. It was best -for them to sleep. How surprised they would be when he told them about -the boat that passed in the night! Ken now clearly heard the splashing -of paddles, the chug of machinery, and the man's voice. He was -singsonging: "Dos y media, dos y media, dos y media." - -Ken understood a little Mexican, and this strange cry became clear to -him. The man was taking soundings with a lead and crying out to the -pilot. _Dos y media_ meant two and a half feet of water. Then the -steam-boat loomed black in the gray gloom. It was pushing a low, flat -barge. Ken could not see the man taking soundings, but he heard him and -knew he was on the front end of the barge. The boat passed at fair -speed, and it cheered Ken. For he certainly ought to be able to take a -rowboat where a steamboat had passed. And, besides, he must be getting -somewhere near the little village of Panuco. - -He poled off the bar and along the breakwater to the channel. It was -narrow and swift. He wondered how the pilot of the steamboat had -navigated in the gloom. He slipped down-stream, presently to find -himself once more in a wide river. Refreshed by his sleep and -encouraged by the meeting with the steamboat, Ken settled down to steady -rowing. - -The stars paled, the mist thickened, fog obscured the water and shore; -then all turned gray, lightened, and dawn broke. The sun burst out. -Ken saw thatched huts high on the banks and occasionally natives. This -encouraged him all the more. - -He was not hungry, but he was sick for a drink. He had to fight himself -to keep from drinking the dirty river-water. How different it was here -from the clear green of the upper Santa Rosa! Ken would have given his -best gun for one juicy orange. George was restless and rolling about, -calling for water; Hal lay in slumber or stupor; and Pepe sat up. He -was a sick-looking fellow, but he was better; and that cheered Ken as -nothing yet had. - -Ken beached the boat on a sandy shore, and once again forced down a -little rice and cocoa. Pepe would not eat, yet he drank a little. -George was burning up with fever, and drank a full cup. Hal did not -stir, and Ken thought it best to let him lie. - -As Ken resumed the journey the next thing to attract his attention was a -long canoe moored below one of the thatched huts. This afforded him -great satisfaction. At least he had passed the jungle wilderness, where -there was nothing that even suggested civilization. In the next few -miles he noticed several canoes and as many natives. Then he passed a -canoe that was paddled by two half-naked bronze Indians. Pepe hailed -them, but either they were too unfriendly to reply or they did not -understand him. - -Some distance below Pepe espied a banana grove, and he motioned Ken to -row ashore. Ken did so with pleasure at the thought of getting some -fresh fruit. There was a canoe moored to the roots of a tree and a path -leading up the steep bank. Pepe got out and laboriously toiled up the -bare path. He was gone a good while. - -Presently Ken heard shouts, then the bang of a lightly loaded gun, then -yells from Pepe. - -"What on earth!" cried Ken, looking up in affright. - -Pepe appeared with his arms full of red bananas. He jumped and -staggered down the path and almost fell into the boat. But he hung on -to the bananas. - -"Santa Maria!" gasped Pepe, pointing to little bloody spots on the calf -of his leg. - -"Pepe, you've been shot!" ejaculated Ken. "You stole the fruit--somebody -shot you!" - -Pepe howled his affirmative. Ken was angry at himself, angrier at Pepe, -and angriest at the native who had done the shooting. With a strong -shove Ken put the boat out and then rowed hard down-stream. As he -rounded a bend a hundred yards below he saw three natives come tumbling -down the path. They had a gun. They leaped into the canoe. They meant -pursuit. - -"Say, but this is a pretty kettle of fish!" muttered Ken, and he bent to -the oars. - -Of course Pepe had been in the wrong. He should have paid for the -bananas or asked for them. All the same, Ken was not in any humor to be -fooled with by excitable natives. He had a sick brother in the boat and -meant to get that lad out of the jungle as quickly as will and strength -could do it. He certainly did not intend to be stopped by a few -miserable Indians angry over the loss of a few bananas. If it had not -been for the gun, Ken would have stopped long enough to pay for the -fruit. But he could not risk it now. So he pulled a strong stroke -down-stream. - -The worst of the matter developed when Pepe peeled one of the bananas. -It was too green to eat. - -Presently the native canoe hove in sight round the bend. All three men -were paddling. They made the long craft fly through the water. Ken saw -instantly that they would overhaul him in a long race, and this added to -his resentment. Pepe looked back and jabbered and shook his brawny -fists at the natives. Ken was glad to see that the long stretch of -river below did not show a canoe or hut along the banks. He preferred -to be overhauled, if he had to be, in a rather lonely spot. - -It was wonderful how those natives propelled that log canoe. And when -one of the three dropped his paddle to pick up the gun, the speed of the -canoe seemed not to diminish. They knew the channels, and so gained on -Ken. He had to pick the best he could choose at short notice, and -sometimes he chose poorly. - -Two miles or more below the bend the natives with the gun deliberately -fired, presumably at Pepe. The shot scattered and skipped along the -water and did not come near the boat. Nevertheless, as the canoe was -gaining and the crazy native was reloading, Ken saw he would soon be -within range. Something had to be done. - -Ken wondered if he could not frighten those natives. They had probably -never heard the quick reports of a repeating rifle, let alone the -stinging cracks of an automatic. Ken decided it would be worth trying. -But he must have a chance to get the gun out of its case and load it. - -That chance came presently. The natives, in paddling diagonally across -a narrow channel, ran aground in the sand. They were fast for only a -few moments, but in that time Ken had got out the little rifle and -loaded it. - -Pepe's dark face turned a dirty white, and his eyes dilated. He -imagined Ken was going to kill some of his countrymen. But Pepe never -murmured. He rubbed the place in his leg where he had been shot, and -looked back. - -Ken rowed on, now leisurely. There was a hot anger within him, but he -had it in control. He knew what he was about. Again the native fired, -and again his range was short. The distance was perhaps two hundred -yards. - -Ken waited until the canoe, in crossing one of the many narrow places, -was broadside toward him. Then he raised the automatic. There were at -least ten feet in the middle of the canoe where it was safe for him to -hit without harm to the natives. And there he aimed. The motion of his -boat made it rather hard to keep the sights right. He was cool, -careful; he aimed low, between gunwale and the water, and steadily he -pulled the trigger--once, twice, three times, four, five. - -The steel-jacketed bullets "spoued" on the water and "cracked" into the -canoe. They evidently split both gunwales low down at the water-line. -The yelling, terror-stricken natives plunged about, and what with their -actions and the great split in the middle the canoe filled and sank. -The natives were not over their depth; that was plainly evident. -Moreover, it was equally evident that they dared not wade in the -quicksand. So they swam to the shallower water, and there, like huge -turtles, floundered toward the shore. - - - - - *XXIII* - - *OUT OF THE JUNGLE* - - -Before the natives had reached the shore they were hidden from Ken's -sight by leaning cypress-trees. Ken, however, had no fear for their -safety. He was sorry to cause the Indians' loss of a gun and a canoe; -nevertheless, he was not far from echoing Pepe's repeated: "Bueno! -Bueno! Bueno!" - -Upon examination Ken found two little bloody holes in the muscles of -Pepe's leg. A single shot had passed through. Ken bathed the wounds -with an antiseptic lotion and bound them with clean bandages. - -Pepe appeared to be pretty weak, so Ken did not ask him to take the -oars. Then, pulling with long, steady stroke, Ken set out to put a long -stretch between him and the angry natives. The current was swift, and -Ken made five miles or more an hour. He kept that pace for three hours -without a rest. And then he gave out. It seemed that all at once he -weakened. His back bore an immense burden. His arms were lead, and his -hands were useless. There was an occasional mist or veil before his -sight. He was wet, hot, breathless, numb. But he knew he was safe from -pursuit. So he rested and let the boat drift. - -George sat up, green in the face, a most miserable-looking boy. But -that he could sit up at all was hopeful. - -"Oh, my head!" he moaned. "Is there anything I can drink? My mouth is -dry--pasted shut." - -Ken had two lemons he had been saving. He cut one in halves and divided -it between Pepe and George. The relief the sour lemon afforded both -showed Ken how wise he had been to save the lemons. Then he roused Hal, -and, lifting the lad's head, made him drink a little of the juice. Hal -was a sick boy, too weak to sit up without help. - -"Don't--you worry--Ken," he said. "I'm going--to be--all right." - -Hal was still fighting. - -Ken readjusted the palm-leaf shelter over the boys so as to shade them -effectually from the hot sun, and then he went back to the oars. - -As he tried once more to row, Ken was reminded of the terrible lassitude -that had overtaken him the day he had made the six-hour climb out of the -Grand Canon. The sensation now was worse, but Ken had others depending -upon his exertions, and that spurred him to the effort which otherwise -would have been impossible. - -It was really not rowing that Ken accomplished. It was a weary puttering -with oars he could not lift, handles he could not hold. At best he -managed to guide the boat into the swiftest channels. Whenever he felt -that he was just about to collapse, then he would look at Hal's pale -face. That would revive him. So the hot hours dragged by. - -They came, after several miles, upon more huts and natives. And farther -down they met canoes on the river. Pepe interrogated the natives. -According to George, who listened, Panuco was far, far away, many -kilometers. This was most disheartening. Another native said the -village was just round the next bend. This was most nappy information. -But it turned out to be a lie. There was no village around any -particular bend--nothing save bare banks for miles. The stretches of -the river were long, and bends far apart. - -Ken fell asleep. When he awoke he found Pepe at the oars. Watching -him, Ken fancied he was recovering, and was overjoyed. - -About four o'clock in the afternoon Pepe rowed ashore and beached the -boat at the foot of a trail leading up to a large bamboo and thatch hut. -This time Ken thought it well to accompany Pepe. And as he climbed the -path he found his legs stiffer and shakier than ever before. - -Ken saw a cleared space in which were several commodious huts, gardens, -and flowers. There was a grassy yard in which little naked children were -playing with tame deer and tiger-cats. Parrots were screeching, and -other tame birds fluttered about. It appeared a real paradise to Ken. - -Two very kindly disposed and wondering native women made them welcome. -Then Ken and Pepe went down to the boat and carried Hal up, and went -back for George. - -It developed that the native women knew just what to do for the -fever-stricken boys. They made some kind of a native drink for them, and -after that gave them hot milk and chicken and rice soup. George -improved rapidly, and Hal brightened a little and showed signs of -gathering strength. - -Ken could not eat until he had something to quench his thirst. Upon -inquiring, Pepe found that the natives used the river-water. Ken could -not drink that. Then Pepe pointed out an orange-tree, and Ken made a -dive for it. The ground was littered with oranges. Collecting an -armful, Ken sat under the tree and with wild haste began to squeeze the -juice into his mouth. Never had anything before tasted so cool, so -sweet, so life-giving! He felt a cool, wet sensation steal all through -his body. He never knew till that moment how really wonderful and -precious an orange could be. He thought that as he would hate mourning -turtle-doves all the rest of his life, so he would love the sight and -smell and taste of oranges. And he demolished twenty-two before he -satisfied his almost insatiable thirst. After that the chicken and rice -made him feel like a new boy. - -Then Ken made beds under a kind of porch, and he lay down in one, -stretched out languidly and gratefully, as if he never intended to move -again, and his eyes seemed to be glued shut. - -When he awoke the sun was shining in his face. When he had gone to bed -it had been shining at his back. He consulted his watch. He had slept -seventeen hours. - -When he got up and found Pepe as well as before he had been taken with -the fever and George on his feet and Hal awake and actually smiling, Ken -experienced a sensation of unutterable thankfulness. A terrible burden -slipped from his shoulders. For a moment he felt a dimming of his eyes -and a lump in his throat. - -"How about you, Ken, old man?" inquired Hal, with a hint of his usual -spirit. - -"Wal, youngster, I reckon fer a man who's been through some right pert -happenin's, I'm in tol'able shape," drawled Ken. - -"I'll bet two dollars you've been up against it," declared Hal, -solemnly. - -Then, as they sat to an appetizing breakfast, Ken gave them a brief -account of the incidents of the two days and two nights when they were -too ill to know anything. - -It was a question whether George's voluble eulogy of Ken's feat or Hal's -silent, bright-eyed pride in his brother was the greater compliment. - -Finally Hal said: "Won't that tickle Jim Williams when we tell him how -you split up the Indians' canoe and spilled them into the river?" - -Then Ken conceived the idea of climbing into the giant ceiba that stood -high on the edge of the bluff. It was hard work, but he accomplished -it, and from a fork in the top-most branches he looked out. That was a -warm, rich, wonderful scene. Ken felt that he would never forget it. -His interest now, however, was not so much in its beauty and wildness. -His keen eye followed the river as it wound away into the jungle, and -when he could no longer see the bright ribbon of water he followed its -course by the line of magnificent trees. It was possible to trace the -meandering course of the river clear to the rise of the mountains, dim -and blue in the distance. And from here Ken made more observations and -notes. - -As he went over in his mind the map and notes and report he had prepared -he felt that he had made good. He had explored and mapped more than a -hundred miles of wild jungle river. He felt confident that he had -earned the trip to England and the German forests. He might win a -hunting trip on the vast uplands of British East Africa. But he felt -also that the reward of his uncle's and his father's pride would be more -to him. That was a great moment for Ken Ward. And there was yet much -more that he could do to make this exploring trip a success. - -[Illustration: Ken Ward's Map] - -When he joined the others he found that Pepe had learned that the -village of Panuco was distant a day or a night by canoe. How many miles -or kilometers Pepe could not learn. Ken decided it would be best to go -on at once. It was not easy to leave that pleasant place, with its music -of parrots and other birds, and the tiger-cats that played like kittens, -and the deer that ate from the hand. The women would accept no pay, so -Ken made them presents. - -Once more embarked, Ken found his mood reverting to that of the last -forty-eight hours. He could not keep cheerful. The river was dirty and -the smell sickening. The sun was like the open door of a furnace. And -Ken soon discovered he was tired, utterly tired. - -That day was a repetition of the one before, hotter, wearier, and the -stretches of river were longer, and the natives met in canoes were -stolidly ignorant of distance. The mourning of turtle-doves almost -drove Ken wild. There were miles and miles of willows, and every tree -was full of melancholy doves. At dusk the boys halted on a sand-bar, -too tired to cook a dinner, and sprawled in the warm sand to sleep like -logs. - -In the morning they brightened up a little, for surely just around the -bend they would come to Panuco. Pepe rowed faithfully on, and bend -after bend lured Ken with deceit. He was filled with weariness and -disgust, so tired he could hardly lift his hand, so sleepy he could -scarcely keep his eyes open. He hated the wide, glassy stretches of -river and the muddy banks and dusty cattle. - -At noon they came unexpectedly upon a cluster of thatched huts, to find -that they made up the village of Panuco. Ken was sick, for he had -expected a little town where they could get some drinking-water and hire -a launch to speed them down to Tampico. This appeared little more than -the other places he had passed, and he climbed up the bank wearily, -thinking of the long fifty miles still to go. - -But Panuco was bigger and better than it looked from the river. The -boys found a clean, comfortable inn, where they dined well, and learned -to their joy that a coach left in an hour for Tamos to meet the -five-o'clock train to Tampico. - -They hired a _mozo_ to row the boat to Tampico and, carrying the lighter -things, boarded the coach, and, behind six mules, were soon bowling over -a good level road. - -It was here that the spirit of Ken's mood again changed, and somehow -seemed subtly conveyed to the others. The gloom faded away as Ken had -seen the mist-clouds dissolve in the morning sunlight. It was the end -of another wild trip. Hal was ill, but a rest and proper care would -soon bring him around. Ken had some trophies and pictures, but he also -had memories. And he believed he had acquired an accurate knowledge of -the jungle and its wild nature, and he had mapped the river from Micas -Falls to Panuco. - -"Well, it certainly _did come_ to us, didn't it?" asked George, naively, -for the hundredth time. "Didn't I tell you? By gosh, I can't remember -what did come off. But we had a dandy time." - -"Great!" replied Ken. "I had more than I wanted. I'll never spring -another stunt like this one!" - -Hal gazed smilingly at his brother. - -"Bah! Ken Ward, bring on your next old trip!" - -Which proved decidedly that Hal was getting better and that he alone -understood his brother. - -Pepe listened and rubbed his big hands, and there was a light in his -dark eyes. - -Ken laughed. It was good to feel happy just then; it was enough to feel -safe and glad in the present, with responsibility removed, without a -thought of the future. - -Yet, when some miles across country he saw the little town of Tamos -shining red-roofed against the sky, he came into his own again. The old -calling, haunting love of wild places and wild nature returned, and with -dreamy eyes he looked out. He saw the same beauty and life and -wildness. Beyond the glimmering lagoons stretched the dim, dark jungle. -A flock of flamingoes showed pink across the water. Ducks dotted the -weedy marshes. And low down on the rosy horizon a long curved line of -wild geese sailed into the sunset. - -When the boys arrived at Tampico and George had secured comfortable -lodgings for them, the first thing Ken did was to put Hal to bed. It -required main strength to do this. Ken was not taking any chances with -tropical fever, and he sent for a doctor. - -It was not clear whether the faces Hal made were at the little dried-up -doctor or at the medicine he administered. However, it was very clear -that Hal made fun of him and grew bolder the more he believed the man -could not understand English. - -Ken liked the silent, kindly physician, and remonstrated with Hal, and -often, just to keep Hal's mind occupied, he would talk of the university -and baseball, topics that were absorbing to the boy. - -And one day, as the doctor was leaving, he turned to Ken with a twinkle -in his eyes and said in perfect English: "I won't need to come any -more." - -Hal's jaw began to drop. - -"Your brother is all right," went on the doctor. "But he's a fresh kid, -and he'll never make the Wayne Varsity--or a good explorer, either--till -he gets over that freshness. I'm a Wayne man myself. Class of '82. -Good day, boys." - -Ken Ward was astounded. "By George! What do you think of that? He's a -Wayne med. I'll have to look him up. And, Hal, he was just right about -you." - -Hal looked extremely crestfallen and remorseful. - -"I'm always getting jars." - -It took a whole day for him to recover his usual spirits. - -Ken had promptly sent the specimens and his notes to his uncle, and as -the days passed the boys began to look anxiously for some news. In ten -days Hal was as well as ever, and then the boys had such sport with the -tarpon and big sharks and alligator-gars that they almost forgot about -the rewards they had striven so hard for and hoped to win. But finally, -when the mail arrived from home, they were at once happy and fearful. -George was with them that evening, and shared their excitement and -suspense. Hal's letters were from his mother and his sister, and they -were read first. Judge Ward's letter to Ken was fatherly and -solicitous, but brief. He gave the boys six more weeks, cautioned them -to be sensible and to profit by their opportunity, and he inclosed a -bank-draft. Not a word about rewards! - -Ken's fingers trembled a little as he tore open the uncle's letter. He -read it aloud: - - -DEAR KEN,--Congratulations! You've done well. You win the trip to -Africa. Hal's work also was good--several specimens accepted by the -Smithsonian. I'll back you for the Yucatan trip. Will send letters to -the American consul at Progreso, and arrange for you to meet the -Austrian archaeologist Maler, who I hope will take you in hand. - -I want you to make a study of some of the ruins of Yucatan, which I -believe are as wonderful as any in Egypt. I advise you to make this -trip short and to the point, for there are indications of coming -revolution throughout Mexico. - -With best wishes, - UNCLE G. - - -The old varsity cheer rang out from Ken, and Hal began a war-dance. -Then both boys pounced upon George, and for a few moments made life -miserable for him. - -"And I can't go with you!" he exclaimed, sorrowfully. - -Both Ken and Hal shared his disappointment. But presently. George -brightened up. The smile came back which he always wore when prophesying -the uncertain adventures of the future. - -"Well, anyway, I'll be safe home. And you fellows! You'll be getting -yours when you're lost in the wilderness of Yucatan!" - - - - THE END - - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - - _*There's More to Follow!*_ - - -More stories of the sort you like; more, probably, by the author of this -one; more than 500 titles all told by writers of world-wide reputation, -in the Authors' Alphabetical List which you will find on the _reverse -side_ of the wrapper of this book. Look it over before you lay it -aside. There are books here you are sure to want--some, possibly, that -you have _always_ wanted. - -It is a _selected_ list; every book in it has achieved a certain measure -of success. - -The Grosset & Dunlap list is not only the greatest Index of Good Fiction -available, it represents in addition a generally accepted Standard of -Value. It will pay you to - -_Look on the Other Side of the Wrapper!_ - -In case the wrapper is lost write to the publishers for a complete -catalog. - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - *ZANE GREY'S NOVELS* - -May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset and Dunlap's list. - -THE CALL OF THE CANYON -WANDERER OF THE WASTELAND -TO THE LAST MAN -THE MYSTERIOUS RIDER -THE MAN OF THE FOREST -THE DESERT OF WHEAT -THE U. P. 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Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list - -BIG-TOWN ROUND-UP, THE -BRAND BLOTTERS -BUCKY O'CONNOR -CROOKED TRAILS AND STRAIGHT -DAUGHTER OF THE DONS, A -DESERT'S PRICE, THE -FIGHTING EDGE, THE -GUNSIGHT PASS -HIGHGRADER, THE -IRONHEART -MAN FOUR-SQUARE, A -MAN-SIZE -MAVERICKS -OH, YOU TEX! -PIRATE OF PANAMA, THE -RIDGWAY OF MONTANA -SHERIFF'S SON, THE -STEVE YEAGER -TANGLED TRAILS -TEXAS RANGER, A -VISION SPLENDID, THE -WYOMING -YUKON TRAIL, THE - - - - * * * * * - - - - *JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD'S* - - *STORIES OF ADVENTURE* - - May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list - -THE COUNTRY BEYOND -THE FLAMING FOREST -THE VALLEY OF SILENT MEN -THE RIVER'S END -THE GOLDEN SNARE -NOMADS OF THE NORTH -KAZAN -BAREE, SON OF KAZAN -THE COURAGE OF CAPTAIN PLUM -THE DANGER TRAIL -THE HUNTED WOMAN -THE FLOWER OF THE NORTH -THE GRIZZLY KING -ISOBEL -THE WOLF HUNTERS -THE GOLD HUNTERS -THE COURAGE OF MARGE O'DOONE -BACK TO GOD'S COUNTRY - -_Ask for Complete free list of G. & D. Popular Copyrighted Fiction_ - - - - * * * * * - - - - *EDGAR RICE BURROUGH'S NOVELS* - - May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset and Dunlap's list - -BANDIT OF HELL'S BEND, THE -CAVE GIRL, THE -LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, THE -TARZAN AND THE ANT MEN -TARZAN AND THE GOLDEN LION -TARZAN THE TERRIBLE -TARZAN THE UNTAMED -JUNGLE TALES OF TARZAN -AT THE EARTH'S CORE -THE MUCKER -A PRINCESS OF MARS -THE GODS OF MARS -THE WARLORD OF MARS -THUVIA, MAID OF MARS -THE CHESSMEN OF MARS - - - - *GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK* - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45974 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily keep eBooks -in compliance with any particular paper edition. - -Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's eBook -number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, -compressed (zipped), HTML and others. - -Corrected _editions_ of our eBooks replace the old file and take over -the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. -_Versions_ based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving -new filenames and etext numbers. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: - - http://www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg(tm), -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/45974.zip b/45974.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index e023c4b..0000000 --- a/45974.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/45974-8.txt b/old/45974-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 8db24c2..0000000 --- a/old/45974-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7863 +0,0 @@ - KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE - - - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: Ken Ward in the Jungle -Author: Zane Grey -Release Date: June 14, 2014 [EBook #45974] -Language: English -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - - -[Illustration: THE JAGUAR OPENED HIS JAWS THREATENINGLY (see page 182)] - - - - - KEN WARD - IN THE JUNGLE - - - BY - - ZANE GREY - - AUTHOR OF - THE YOUNG FORESTER, - THE YOUNG PITCHER, - THE YOUNG LION HUNTER, - THE U. P. TRAIL, ETC. - - - - ILLUSTRATED - - - - NEW YORK - GROSSET & DUNLAP - PUBLISHERS - - Published by Arrangement with Harper & Brothers - Made in the United States of America - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1912, BY HARPER & BROTHERS - - PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - - - *CONTENTS* - -CHAP. - - I. The Prize - II. The Home of the Tarpon - III. An Indian Boatman - IV. At the Jungle River - V. The First Camp - VI. Wilderness Life - VII. Running the Rapids - VIII. The First Tiger-cat - IX. In the White Water - X. Lost! - XI. An Army of Snakes - XII. Catching Strange Fish - XIII. A Turkey-Hunt - XIV. A Fight with a Jaguar - XV. The Vicious Garrapatoes - XVI. Field Work of a Naturalist - XVII. A Mixed-up Tiger-hunt - XVIII. Watching a Runway - XIX. Adventures with Crocodiles - XX. Treed by Wild Pigs - XXI. The Leaping Tarpon - XXII. Stricken Down - XXIII. Out of the Jungle - - - - - *KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE* - - - - *I* - - *THE PRIZE* - - -"What a change from the Arizona desert!" - -The words broke from the lips of Ken Ward as he leaned from the window -of the train which was bearing his brother and himself over the plateau -to Tampico in Tamaulipas, the southeastern state of Mexico. He had -caught sight of a river leaping out between heavily wooded slopes and -plunging down in the most beautiful waterfall he had ever seen. - -"Look, Hal," he cried. - -The first fall was a long white streak, ending in a dark pool; below -came cascade after cascade, fall after fall, some wide, others narrow, -and all white and green against the yellow rock. Then the train curved -round a spur of the mountain, descended to a level, to be lost in a -luxuriance of jungle growth. - -It was indeed a change for Ken Ward, young forester, pitcher of the -varsity nine at school, and hunter of lions in the Arizona caons. Here -he was entering the jungle of the tropics. The rifles and the camp -outfit on the seat beside his brother Hal and himself spoke of coming -adventures. Before them lay an unknown wilderness--the semi-tropical -jungle. And the future was to show that the mystery of the jungle was -stranger even than their imaginings. - -It was not love of adventure alone or interest in the strange new forest -growths that had drawn Ken to the jungle. His uncle, the one who had -gotten Ken letters from the Forestry Department at Washington, had been -proud of Ken's Arizona achievements. This uncle was a member of the -American Geographical Society and a fellow of the New York Museum of -Natural History. He wanted Ken to try his hand at field work in the -jungle of Mexico, and if that was successful, then to explore the ruined -cities of wild Yucatan. If Ken made good as an explorer his reward was -to be a trip to Equatorial Africa after big game. And of course that -trip meant opportunity to see England and France, and, what meant more -to Ken, a chance to see the great forests of Germany, where forestry had -been carried on for three hundred years. - -In spite of the fact that the inducement was irresistible, and that -Ken's father was as proud and eager as Ken's uncle to have him make a -name for himself, and that Hal would be allowed to go with him, Ken had -hesitated. There was the responsibility for Hal and the absolute -certainty that Hal could not keep out of mischief. Still Ken simply -could not have gone to Mexico leaving his brother at home -broken-hearted. - -At last the thing had been decided. It was Hal's ambition to be a -naturalist and to collect specimens, and the uncle had held out possible -recognition from the Smithsonian Institution at Washington. Perhaps he -might find a new variety of some animal to which the scientists would -attach his name. Then the lad was passionately eager to see Ken win -that trip to Africa. There had been much study of maps and books of -travel, science, and natural history. There had been the most careful -instruction and equipment for semi-tropical camp life. The uncle had -given Ken valuable lessons in map-drawing, in estimating distance and -topography, and he had indicated any one of several rivers in the jungle -belt of Mexico. Traversing one hundred miles of unknown jungle river, -with intelligent observation and accurate reports, would win the prize -for Ken Ward. Now the race was on. Would Ken win? - -Presently the train crossed a bridge. Ken Ward had a brief glance at -clear green water, at great cypress-trees, gray and graceful with long, -silvery, waving moss, and at the tangled, colorful banks. A water-fowl -black as coal, with white-crested wings, skimmed the water in swift wild -flight, to disappear up the shady river-lane. Then the train clattered -on, and, a mile or more beyond the bridge, stopped at a station called -Valles. In the distance could be seen the thatched palm-leaf huts and -red-tiled roofs of a hamlet. - -The boys got out to stretch their legs. The warm, sweet, balmy air was -a new and novel thing to them. They strolled up and down the gravel -walk, watching the natives. Hal said he rather liked the looks of their -brown bare feet and the thin cotton trousers and shirts, but he fancied -the enormous sombreros were too heavy and unwieldy. Ken spoke to -several pleasant-faced Mexicans, each of whom replied: "No sabe, Seor." - -The ticket agent at the station was an American, and from the way he -smiled and spoke Ken knew he was more than glad to see one of his own -kind. So, after Ken had replied to many questions about the States, he -began to ask some of his own. - -"What's the name of the waterfall we passed?" - -"Micas Falls," replied the agent. - -"And the river?" - -"It's called the Santa Rosa." - -"Where does it go?" - -The agent did not know, except that it disappeared in the jungle. -Southward the country was wild. The villages were few and all along the -railroad; and at Valles the river swung away to the southwest. - -"But it must flow into the Panuco River," said Ken. He had studied maps -of Mexico and had learned all that it was possible to learn before he -undertook the journey. - -"Why, yes, it must find the Panuco somewhere down over the mountain," -answered the agent. - -"Then there are rapids in this little river?" asked Ken, in growing -interest. - -"Well, I guess. It's all rapids." - -"How far to Tampico by rail?" went on Ken. - -"Something over a hundred miles." - -"Any game in the jungle hereabouts--or along the Santa Rosa?" continued -Ken. - -The man laughed, and laughed in such a way that Ken did not need his -assertion that it was not safe to go into the jungle. - -Whereupon Ken Ward became so thoughtful that he did not hear the talk -that followed between the agent and Hal. The engine bell roused him -into action, and with Hal he hurried back to their seats. And then the -train sped on. But the beauty of Micas Falls and the wildness of the -Santa Rosa remained with Ken. Where did that river go? How many -waterfalls and rapids did it have? What teeming life must be along its -rich banks! It haunted Ken. He wanted to learn the mystery of the -jungle. There was the same longing which had gotten him into the wild -adventures in Penetier Forest and the Grand Caon country of Arizona. -And all at once flashed over him the thought that here was the jungle -river for him to explore. - -"Why, that's the very thing," he said, thinking aloud. - -"What's wrong with you," asked Hal, "talking to yourself that way?" - -Ken did not explain. The train clattered between green walls of jungle, -and occasionally stopped at a station. But the thought of the jungle -haunted him until the train arrived at Tampico. - -Ken had the name of an American hotel, and that was all he knew about -Tampico. The station was crowded with natives. Man after man accosted -the boys, jabbering excitedly in Mexican. Some of these showed brass -badges bearing a number and the word _Cargodore_. - -"Hal, I believe these fellows are porters or baggage-men," said Ken. -And he showed his trunk check to one of them. The fellow jerked it out -of Ken's hand and ran off. The boys ran after him. They were relieved -to see him enter a shed full of baggage. And they were amazed to see -him kneel down and take their trunk on his back. It was a big trunk and -heavy. The man was small and light. - -"It 'll smash him!" cried Hal. - -But the little _cargodore_ walked off with the trunk on his back. Then -Ken and Hal saw other _cargodores_ packing trunks. The boys kept close -to their man and used their eyes with exceeding interest. The sun was -setting, and the square, colored buildings looked as if they were in a -picture of Spain. - -"Look at the boats--canoes!" cried Hal, as they crossed a canal. - -Ken saw long narrow canoes that had been hollowed out from straight -tree-trunks. They were of every size, and some of the paddles were -enormous. Crowds of natives were jabbering and jostling each other at a -rude wharf. - -"Look back," called Hal, who seemed to have a hundred eyes. - -Ken saw a wide, beautiful river, shining red in the sunset. Palm-trees -on the distant shore showed black against the horizon. - -"Hal, that's the Panuco. What a river!" - -"Makes the Susquehanna look like a creek," was Hal's comment. - -The _cargodore_ led the boys through a plaza, down a narrow street to -the hotel. Here they were made to feel at home. The proprietor was a -kindly American. The hotel was crowded, and many of the guests were -Englishmen there for the tarpon-fishing, with sportsmen from the States, -and settlers coming in to take up new lands. It was pleasant for Ken -and Hal to hear their own language once more. After dinner they sallied -forth to see the town. But the narrow dark streets and the blanketed -natives stealing silently along were not particularly inviting. The -boys got no farther than the plaza, where they sat down on a bench. It -was wholly different from any American town. Ken suspected that Hal was -getting homesick, for the boy was quiet and inactive. - -"I don't like this place," said Hal. "What 'd you ever want to drag me -way down here for?" - -"Humph! drag you? Say, you pestered the life out of me, and bothered -Dad till he was mad, and worried mother sick to let you come on this -trip." - -Hal hung his head. - -"Now, you're not going to show a streak of yellow?" asked Ken. He knew -how to stir his brother. - -Hal rose to the attack and scornfully repudiated the insinuation. Ken -replied that they were in a new country and must not reach conclusions -too hastily. - -"I liked it back up there at the little village where we saw the green -river and the big trees with the gray streamers on them," said Hal. - -"Well, I liked that myself," rejoined Ken. "I'd like to go back there -and put a boat in the river and come all the way here." - -Ken had almost unconsciously expressed the thought that had been forming -in his mind. Hal turned slowly and looked at his brother. - -"Ken, that 'd be great--that's what we came for!" - -"I should say so," replied Ken. - -"Well?" asked Hal, simply. - -That question annoyed Ken. Had he not come south to go into the jungle? -Had he come with any intention of shirking the danger of a wild trip? -There was a subtle flattery in Hal's question. - -"That Santa Rosa River runs through the jungle," went on Hal. "It flows -into the Panuco somewhere. You know we figured out on the map that the -Panuco's the only big river in this jungle. That's all we want to know. -And, Ken, you know you're a born boatman. Why, look at the rapids we've -shot on the Susquehanna. Remember that trip we came down the Juniata? -The water was high, too. Ken, you can take a boat down that Santa -Rosa!" - -"By George! I believe I can," exclaimed Ken, and he thrilled at the -thought. - -"Ken, let's go. You'll win the prize, and I'll get specimens. Think -what we'd have to tell Jim Williams and Dick Leslie when we go West next -summer!" - -"Oh, Hal, I know--but this idea of a trip seems too wild." - -"Maybe it wouldn't be so wild." - -In all fairness Ken could not deny this, so he kept silent. - -"Ken, listen," went on Hal, and now he was quite cool. "If we'd -promised the Governor not to take a wild trip I wouldn't say another -word. But we're absolutely free." - -"That's why we ought to be more careful. Dad trusts me." - -"He trusts you because he knows you can take care of yourself, and me, -too. You're a wonder, Ken. Why, if you once made up your mind, you'd -make that Santa Rosa River look like a canal." - -Ken began to fear that he would not be proof against the haunting call -of that jungle river and the flattering persuasion of his brother and -the ever-present ambition to show his uncle what he could do. - -"Hal, if I didn't have you with me I'd already have made up my mind to -tackle this river." - -That appeared to insult Hal. - -"All I've got to say is I'd be a help to you--not a drag," he said, with -some warmth. - -"You're always a help, Hal. I can't say anything against your -willingness. But you know your weakness. By George! you made trouble -enough for me in Arizona. On a trip such as this you'd drive me crazy." - -"Ken, I won't make any rash promises. I don't want to queer myself with -you. But I'm all right." - -"Look here, Hal; let's wait. We've only got to Tampico. Maybe such a -trip is impracticable--impossible. Let's find out more about the -country." - -Hal appeared to take this in good spirit. The boys returned to the hotel -and went to bed. Hal promptly fell asleep. But Ken Ward lay awake a -long time thinking of the green Santa Rosa, with its magnificent -moss-festooned cypresses. And when he did go to sleep it was to dream -of the beautiful waterfowl with the white-crested wings, and he was -following it on its wild flight down the dark, mysterious river-trail -into the jungle. - - - - - *II* - - *THE HOME OF THE TARPON* - - -Hal's homesickness might never have been in evidence at all, to judge -from the way the boy, awakening at dawn, began to talk about the Santa -Rosa trip. - -"Well," said Ken, as he rolled out of bed, "I guess we're in for it." - -"Ken, will we go?" asked Hal, eagerly. - -"I'm on the fence." - -"But you're leaning on the jungle side?" - -"Yes, kid--I'm slipping." - -Hal opened his lips to let out a regular Hiram Bent yell, when Ken -clapped a hand over his mouth. - -"Hold on--we're in the hotel yet." - -It took the brothers long to dress, because they could not keep away -from the window. The sun was rising in rosy glory over misty lagoons. -Clouds of creamy mist rolled above the broad Panuco. Wild ducks were -flying low. The tiled roofs of the stone houses gleamed brightly, and -the palm-trees glistened with dew. The soft breeze that blew in was -warm, sweet, and fragrant. - -After breakfast the boys went out to the front and found the hotel lobby -full of fishermen and their native boatmen. It was an interesting -sight, as well as a surprise, for Ken and Hal did not know that Tampico -was as famous for fishing as it was for hunting. The huge rods and -reels amazed them. - -"What kind of fish do these fellows fish for?" asked Hal. - -Ken was well enough acquainted with sport to know something about -tarpon, but he had never seen one of the great silver fish. And he was -speechless when Hal led him into a room upon the walls of which were -mounted specimens of tarpon from six to seven feet in length and half as -wide as a door. - -"Say, Ken! We've come to the right place. Those fishermen are all -going out to fish for such whales as these here." - -"Hal, we never saw a big fish before," said Ken. "And before we leave -Tampico we'll know what it means to hook tarpon." - -"I'm with you," replied Hal, gazing doubtfully and wonderingly at a fish -almost twice as big as himself. - -Then Ken, being a practical student of fishing, as of other kinds of -sport, began to stroll round the lobby with an intent to learn. He -closely scrutinized the tackle. And he found that the bait used was a -white mullet six to ten inches long, a little fish which resembled the -chub. Ken did not like the long, cruel gaff which seemed a necessary -adjunct to each outfit of tackle, and he vowed that in his fishing for -tarpon he would dispense with it. - -Ken was not backward about asking questions, and he learned that -Tampico, during the winter months, was a rendezvous for sportsmen from -all over the world. For the most part, they came to catch the leaping -tarpon; the shooting along the Panuco, however, was as well worth while -as the fishing. But Ken could not learn anything about the Santa Rosa -River. The _tierra caliente_, or hot belt, along the curve of the Gulf -was intersected by small streams, many of them unknown and unnamed. The -Panuco swung round to the west and had its source somewhere up in the -mountains. Ken decided that the Santa Rosa was one of its headwaters. -Valles lay up on the first swell of higher ground, and was distant from -Tampico some six hours by train. So, reckoning with the meandering -course of jungle streams, Ken calculated he would have something like -one hundred and seventy-five miles to travel by water from Valles to -Tampico. There were Indian huts strung along the Panuco River, and fifty -miles inland a village named Panuco. What lay between Panuco and -Valles, up over the wild steppes of that jungle, Ken Ward could only -conjecture. - -Presently he came upon Hal in conversation with an American boy, who at -once volunteered to show them around. So they set out, and were soon -becoming well acquainted. Their guide said he was from Kansas; had been -working in the railroad offices for two years; and was now taking a -vacation. His name was George Alling. Under his guidance the boys spent -several interesting hours going about the city. During this walk Hal -showed his first tendency to revert to his natural bent of mind. Not -for long could Hal Ward exist without making trouble for something. In -this case it was buzzards, of which the streets of Tampico were full. -In fact, George explained, the buzzards were the only street-cleaning -department in the town. They were as tame as tame turkeys, and Hal -could not resist the desire to chase them. And he could be made to stop -only after a white-helmeted officer had threatened him. George -explained further that although Tampico had no game-laws it protected -these buzzard-scavengers of the streets. - -The market-house at the canal wharf was one place where Ken thought Hal -would forget himself in the bustle and din and color. All was so strange -and new. Indeed, for a time Hal appeared to be absorbed in his -surroundings, but when he came to a stall where a man had parrots and -racoons and small deer, and three little yellow, black-spotted -tiger-cats, as George called them, then once more Ken had to take Hal in -tow. Outside along the wharf were moored a hundred or more canoes of -manifold variety. All had been hewn from solid tree-trunks. Some were -long, slender, graceful, pretty to look at, and easy to handle in -shallow lagoons, but Ken thought them too heavy and cumbersome for fast -water. Happening just then to remember Micas Falls, Ken had a momentary -chill and a check to his enthusiasm for the jungle trip. What if he -encountered, in coming down the Santa Rosa, some such series of cascades -as those which made Micas Falls! - -It was about noon when George led the boys out to the banks of the broad -Panuco. Both Hal and Ken were suffering from the heat. They had removed -their coats, and were now very glad to rest in the shade. - -"This is a nice cool day," said George, and he looked cool. - -"We've got on our heavy clothes, and this tropic sun is new to us," -replied Ken. "Say, Hal--" - -A crash in the water near the shore interrupted Ken. - -"Was that a rhinoceros?" inquired Hal. - -"Savalo," said George. - -"What's that?" - -"Silver king. A tarpon. Look around and you'll see one break water. -There are some fishermen trolling down-stream. Watch. Maybe one will -hook a fish presently. Then you'll see some jumping." - -It was cool in the shade, as the brothers soon discovered, and they -spent a delightful hour watching the river and the wild fowl and the -tarpon. Ken and Hal were always lucky. Things happened for their -benefit and pleasure. Not only did they see many tarpon swirl like bars -of silver on the water, but a fisherman hooked one of the great fish not -fifty yards from where the boys sat. And they held their breath, and -with starting eyes watched the marvelous leaps and dashes of the tarpon -till, as he shot up in a last mighty effort, wagging his head, slapping -his huge gills, and flinging the hook like a bullet, he plunged back -free. - -"Nine out of ten get away," remarked George. - -"Did you ever catch one?" asked Hal. - -"Sure." - -"Hal, I've got to have some of this fishing," said Ken. "But if we -start at it now--would we ever get that jungle trip?" - -"Oh, Ken, you've made up your mind to go!" exclaimed Hal, in glee. - -"No, I haven't," protested Ken. - -"Yes, you have," declared Hal. "I know you." And the whoop that he had -suppressed in the hotel he now let out with good measure. - -Naturally George was interested, and at his inquiry Ken told him the -idea for the Santa Rosa trip. - -"Take me along," said George. There was a note of American spirit in -his voice, a laugh on his lips, and a flash in his eyes that made Ken -look at him attentively. He was a slim youth, not much Hal's senior, -and Ken thought if ever a boy had been fashioned to be a boon comrade of -Hal Ward this George Alling was the boy. - -"What do you think of the trip?" inquired Ken, curiously. - -"Fine. We'll have some fun. We'll get a boat and a mozo--" - -"What's a mozo?" - -"A native boatman." - -"That's a good idea. I hadn't thought of a boatman to help row. But -the boat is the particular thing. I wouldn't risk a trip in one of -those canoes." - -"Come on, I'll find a boat," said George. - -And before he knew it George and Hal were leading him back from the -river. George led him down narrow lanes, between painted stone houses -and iron-barred windows, till they reached the canal. They entered a -yard where buzzards, goats, and razor-back pigs were contesting over the -scavenger rights. George went into a boat-house and pointed out a long, -light, wide skiff with a flat bottom. Ken did not need George's praise, -or the shining light in Hal's eyes, or the boat-keeper's importunities -to make him eager to try this particular boat. Ken Ward knew a boat -when he saw one. He jumped in, shoved it out, rowed up the canal, -pulled and turned, backed water, and tried every stroke he knew. Then -he rested on the oars and whistled. Hal's shout of delight made him -stop whistling. Those two boys would have him started on the trip if he -did not look sharp. - -"It's a dandy boat," said Ken. - -"Only a peso a day, Ken," went on Hal. "One dollar Mex--fifty cents in -our money. Quick, Ken, hire it before somebody else gets it." - -"Sure I'll hire the boat," replied Ken; "but Hal, it's not for that -Santa Rosa trip. We'll have to forget that." - -"Forget your grandmother!" cried Hal. And then it was plain that he -tried valiantly to control himself, to hide his joy, to pretend to agree -with Ken's ultimatum. - -Ken had a feeling that his brother knew him perfectly, and he was -divided between anger and amusement. They returned to the hotel and -lounged in the lobby. The proprietor was talking with some Americans, -and as he now appeared to be at leisure he introduced the brothers and -made himself agreeable. Moreover, he knew George Alling well. They -began to chat, and Ken was considerably annoyed to hear George calmly -state that he and his new-found friends intended to send a boat up to -Valles and come down an unknown jungle river. - -The proprietor laughed, and, though the laugh was not unpleasant, -somehow it nettled Ken Ward. - -"Why not go?" he asked, quietly, and he looked at the hotel man. - -"My boy, you can't undertake any trip like that." - -"Why not?" persisted Ken. "Is there any law here to prevent our going -into the jungle?" - -"There's no law. No one could stop you. But, my lad, what's the sense -of taking such a fool trip? The river here is full of tarpon right now. -There are millions of ducks and geese on the lagoons. You can shoot -deer and wild turkey right on the edge of town. If you want tiger and -javelin, go out to one of the ranches where they have dogs to hunt with, -where you'll have a chance for your life. These tigers and boars will -kill a man. There's all the sport any one wants right close to Tampico." - -"I don't see how all that makes a reason why we shouldn't come down the -Santa Rosa," replied Ken. "We want to explore--map the river." - -The hotel man seemed nettled in return. - -"You're only kids. It 'd be crazy to start out on that wild trip." - -It was on Ken's lips to mention a few of the adventures which he -believed justly gave him a right to have pride and confidence in his -ability. But he forbore. - -"It's a fool trip," continued the proprietor. "You don't know this -river. You don't know where you'll come out. It's wild up in that -jungle. I've hunted up at Valles, and no native I ever met would go a -mile from the village. If you take a mozo he'll get soaked with canya. -He'll stick a knife in you or run off and leave you when you most need -help. Nobody ever explored that river. It 'll likely be full of -swamps, sandbars, bogs. You'd get fever. Then the crocodiles, the -boars, the bats, the snakes, the tigers! Why, if you could face these -you'd still have the ticks--the worst of all. The ticks would drive men -crazy, let alone boys. It's no undertaking for a boy." - -The mention of all these dangers would have tipped the balance for Ken -in favor of the Santa Rosa trip, even if the hint of his callowness had -not roused his spirit. - -"Thank you. I'm sure you mean kindly," said Ken. "But I'm going to -Valles and I'll come down that jungle river." - - - - - *III* - - *AN INDIAN BOATMAN* - - -The moment the decision was made Ken felt both sorry and glad. He got -the excited boys outside away from the critical and anxious proprietor. -And Ken decided it was incumbent upon him to adopt a serious and -responsible manner, which he was far from feeling. So he tried to be as -cool as Hiram Bent, with a fatherly interest in the two wild boys who -were to accompany him down the Santa Rosa. - -"Now, George, steer us around till we find a mozo," said Ken. "Then -we'll buy an outfit and get started on this trip before you can say Jack -Robinson." - -All the mozos the boys interviewed were eager to get work; however, when -made acquainted with the nature of the trip they refused point blank. - -"Tigre!" exclaimed one. - -"Javelin!" exclaimed another. - -The big spotted jaguar of the jungle and the wild boar, or peccary, were -held in much dread by the natives. - -"These natives will climb a tree at sight of a tiger or pig," said -George. "For my part I'm afraid of the garrapatoes and the pinilius." - -"What 're they?" asked Hal. - -"Ticks--jungle ticks. Just wait till you make their acquaintance." - -Finally the boys met a _mozo_ named Pepe, who had often rowed a boat for -George. Pepe looked sadly in need of a job; still he did not ask for it. -George said that Pepe had been one of the best boatmen on the river -until _canya_, the fiery white liquor to which the natives were -addicted, had ruined his reputation. Pepe wore an old sombrero, a -cotton, shirt and sash, and ragged trousers. He was barefooted. Ken -noted the set of his muscular neck, his brawny shoulders and arms, and -appreciated the years of rowing that had developed them. But Pepe's -haggard face, deadened eyes, and listless manner gave Ken pause. Still, -Ken reflected, there was never any telling what a man might do, if -approached right. Pepe's dejection excited Ken's sympathy. So Ken -clapped him on the shoulder, and, with George acting as interpreter, -offered Pepe work for several weeks at three pesos a day. That was more -than treble the _mozo's_ wage. Pepe nearly fell off the canal bridge, -where he was sitting, and a light as warm and bright as sunshine flashed -into his face. - -"Si, Seor--Si, Seor," he began to jabber, and waved his brown hands. - -Ken suspected that Pepe needed a job and a little kind treatment. He -was sure of it when George said Pepe's wife and children were in want. -Somehow Ken conceived a liking for Pepe, and believed he could trust -him. He thought he knew how to deal with poor Pepe. So he gave him -money, told him to get a change of clothes and a pair of shoes, and come -to the hotel next day. - -"He'll spend the money for canya, and not show up to-morrow," said -George. - -"I don't know anything about your natives, but that fellow will come," -declared Ken. - -It appeared that the whole American colony in Tampico had been -acquainted with Ken Ward's project, and made a business to waylay the -boys at each corner. They called the trip a wild-goose chase. They -declared it was a dime-novel idea, and could hardly take Ken seriously. -They mingled astonishment with amusement and concern. They advised Ken -not to go, and declared they would not let him go. Over and over again -the boys were assured of the peril from ticks, bats, boars, crocodiles, -snakes, tigers, and fevers. - -"That's what I'm taking the trip for," snapped Ken, driven to -desperation by all this nagging. - -"Well, young man, I admire your nerve," concluded the hotel man. "If -you're determined to go, we can't stop you. And there's some things we -would like you to find out for us. How far do tarpon run up the Panuco -River? Do they spawn up there? How big are the new-born fish? I'll -furnish you with tackle and preserved mullet, for bait. We've always -wondered about how far tarpon go up into fresh water. Keep your eye -open for signs of oil. Also look at the timber. And be sure to make a -map of the river." - -When it came to getting the boat shipped the boys met with more -obstacles. But for the friendly offices of a Texan, an employee of the -railroad, they would never have been able to convince the native -shipping agent that a boat was merchandise. The Texan arranged the -matter and got Ken a freight bill. He took an entirely different view -of Ken's enterprise, compared with that of other Americans, and in a -cool, drawling voice, which somehow reminded Ken of Jim Williams, he -said: - -"Shore you-all will have the time of your lives. I worked at Valles for -a year. That jungle is full of game. I killed three big tigers. -You-all want to look out for those big yellow devils. One in every -three will jump for a man. There's nothing but shoot, then. And the -wild pigs are bad. They put me up a tree more than once. I don't know -much about the Santa Rosa. Its source is above Micas Falls. Never heard -where it goes. I know it's full of crocodiles and rapids. Never saw a -boat or a canoe at Valles. And say--there are big black snakes in the -jungle. Look out for them, too. Shore you-all have sport a-comin'." - -Ken thanked the Texan, and as he went on up-street, for all his sober -thoughtfulness, he was as eager as Hal or George. However, his position -as their guardian would not permit any show of extravagant enthusiasm. - -Ken bought blankets, cooking utensils, and supplies for three weeks. -There was not such a thing as a tent in Tampico. The best the boys -could get for a shelter was a long strip of canvas nine feet wide. - -"That 'll keep off the wet," said Ken, "but it won't keep out the -mosquitoes and things." - -"Couldn't keep 'em out if we had six tents," replied George. - -The remainder of that day the boys were busy packing the outfit. - -Pepe presented himself at the hotel next morning an entirely different -person. He was clean-shaven, and no longer disheveled. He wore a new -sombrero, a white cotton shirt, a red sash, and blue trousers. He -earned a small bundle, a pair of shoes, and a long _machete_. The -dignity with which he approached before all the other _mozos_ was not -lost upon Ken Ward. A sharp scrutiny satisfied him that Pepe had not -been drinking. Ken gave him several errands to do. Then he ordered the -outfit taken to the station in Pepe's charge. - -The boys went down early in the afternoon. It was the time when the -_mozos_ were returning from the day's tarpon-fishing on the river, and -they, with the _cargodores_, streamed to and fro on the platform. Pepe -was there standing guard over Ken's outfit. He had lost his fame among -his old associates, and for long had been an outsider. Here he was in -charge of a pile of fine guns, fishing-tackle, baggage, and supplies--a -collection representing a fortune to him and his simple class. He had -been trusted with it. It was under his eye. All his old associates -passed by to see him there. That was a great time for Pepe. He looked -bright, alert, and supremely happy. It would have fared ill with -thieves or loafers who would have made themselves free with any of the -articles under his watchful eye. - -The train pulled out of Tampico at five o'clock, and Hal's "We're off!" -was expressive. - -The railroad lay along the river-bank, and the broad Panuco was rippling -with the incoming tide. If Ken and Hal had not already found George to -be invaluable as a companion in this strange country they would have -discovered it then. For George could translate Pepe's talk, and explain -much that otherwise would have been dark to the brothers. Wild ducks -dotted the green surface, and spurts showed where playful _ravalo_ were -breaking water. Great green-backed tarpon rolled their silver sides -against the little waves. White cranes and blue herons stood like -statues upon the reedy bars. Low down over the opposite bank of the -river a long line of wild geese winged its way toward a shimmering -lagoon. And against the gold and crimson of the sunset sky a flight of -wild fowl stood out in bold black relief. The train crossed the Tamesi -River and began to draw away from the Panuco. On the right, wide -marshes, gleaming purple in the darkening light, led the eye far beyond -to endless pale lagoons. Birds of many kinds skimmed the weedy flats. -George pointed out a flock of aigrets, the beautiful wild fowl with the -priceless plumes. Then there was a string of pink flamingoes, tall, -grotesque, wading along with waddling stride, feeding with heads under -water. - -"Great!" exclaimed Ken Ward. - -"It's all so different from Arizona," said Hal. - -At Tamos, twelve miles out of Tampico, the train entered the jungle. -Thereafter the boys could see nothing but the impenetrable green walls -that lined the track. At dusk the train reached a station called Las -Palmas, and then began to ascend the first step of the mountain. The -ascent was steep, and, when it was accomplished, Ken looked down and -decided that step of the mountain was between two and three thousand -feet high. The moon was in its first quarter, and Ken, studying this -tropical moon, found it large, radiant, and a wonderful green-gold. It -shed a soft luminous glow down upon the sleeping, tangled web of jungle. -It was new and strange to Ken, so vastly different from barren desert or -iron-ribbed caon, and it thrilled him with nameless charm. - -The train once more entered jungle walls, and as the boys could not see -anything out of the windows they lay back in their seats and waited for -the ride to end. They were due at Valles at ten o'clock, and the -impatient Hal complained that they would never get there. At length a -sharp whistle from the engine caused Pepe to turn to the boys with a -smile. - -"Valles," he said. - -With rattle and clank the train came to a halt. Ken sent George and -Pepe out, and he and Hal hurriedly handed the luggage through the open -window. When the last piece had been passed into Pepe's big hands the -boys made a rush for the door, and jumped off as the train started. - -"Say, but it's dark," said Hal. - -As the train with its lights passed out of sight Ken found himself in -what seemed a pitchy blackness. He could not see the boys. And he felt -a little cold sinking of his heart at the thought of such black nights -on an unknown jungle river. - -IV - -AT THE JUNGLE RIVER - -Presently, as Ken's eyes became accustomed to the change, the darkness -gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of chattering natives, with wide -sombreros on their heads and blankets over their shoulders, moved round -the little stone station. Visitors were rare in Valles, as was -manifested by the curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile of luggage. - -"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for the night," said Ken to -George. - -Pepe began to question the natives, and soon was lost in the crowd. -Awhile after, as Ken was making up his mind they might have to camp on -the station platform, a queer low 'bus drawn by six little mules creaked -up. Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and began to stow the -luggage away in the 'bus. Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon -bowling along a white moonlit road. The soft voices of natives greeted -their passing. - -Valles appeared to be about a mile from the station, and as they entered -the village Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here and there a -more pretentious habitation of stone. At length the driver halted -before a rambling house, partly stone and partly thatch. There were no -lights; in fact, Ken did not see a light in the village. George told -the boys to take what luggage each could carry and follow the guide. -Inside the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The boys bumped into -things and fell over each other trying to keep close to the barefooted -and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed to a kind of loft, where the -moonlight streamed in at the open sides. - -"What do you think of this?" panted Hal, who had struggled with a heavy -load of luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to fetch up the remainder -of the outfit. Ken thought it best to stand still until he knew just -where he was. But Hal and George began moving about in the loft. It -was very large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full of objects. Hal -jostled into something which creaked and fell with a crash. Then -followed a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and a scuffling -about. - -"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely. - -"You can search me," replied Hal Ward. "One thing--I busted my shin." - -"He knocked over a bed with some one sleeping in it," said George. - -Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon soothed the injured feelings of -the native who had been so rudely disturbed. He then led the boys to -their cots, which were no more than heavy strips of canvas stretched -over tall frameworks. They appeared to be enormously high for beds. -Ken's was as high as his head, and Ken was tall for his age. - -"Say, I'll never get up into this thing," burst out Hal. "These people -must be afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why are these cots so -high?" - -"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and all that from sleeping with the -natives," answered George. "Besides, the higher you sleep in Mexico the -farther you get from creeping, crawling things." - -Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on the floor, but George's remark -had persuaded him to risk the lofty cot. It was most awkward to climb -into. Ken tried several times without success, and once he just escaped -a fall. By dint of muscle and a good vault he finally landed in the -center of his canvas. From there he listened to his more - - - - - *IV* - - *AT THE JUNGLE RIVER* - - -Presently, as Ken's eyes became accustomed to the change, the darkness -gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of chattering natives, with wide -sombreros on their heads and blankets over their shoulders, moved round -the little stone station. Visitors were rare in Valles, as was -manifested by the curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile of luggage. - -"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for the night," said Ken to -George. - -Pepe began to question the natives, and soon was lost in the crowd. -Awhile after, as Ken was making up his mind they might have to camp on -the station platform, a queer low 'bus drawn by six little mules creaked -up. Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and began to stow the -luggage away in the 'bus. Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon -bowling along a white moonlit road. The soft voices of natives greeted -their passing. - -Valles appeared to be about a mile from the station, and as they entered -the village Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here and there a -more pretentious habitation of stone. At length the driver halted -before a rambling house, partly stone and partly thatch. There were no -lights; in fact, Ken did not see a light in the village. George told -the boys to take what luggage each could carry and follow the guide. -Inside the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The boys bumped into -things and fell over each other trying to keep close to the barefooted -and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed to a kind of loft, where the -moonlight streamed in at the open sides. - -"What do you think of this?" panted Hal, who had struggled with a heavy -load of luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to fetch up the remainder -of the outfit. Ken thought it best to stand still until he knew just -where he was. But Hal and George began moving about in the loft. It -was very large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full of objects. Hal -jostled into something which creaked and fell with a crash. Then -followed a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and a scuffling -about. - -"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely. - -"You can search me," replied Hal Ward. "One thing--I busted my shin." - -"He knocked over a bed with some one sleeping in it," said George. - -Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon soothed the injured feelings of -the native who had been so rudely disturbed. He then led the boys to -their cots, which were no more than heavy strips of canvas stretched -over tall frameworks. They appeared to be enormously high for beds. -Ken's was as high as his head, and Ken was tall for his age. - -"Say, I'll never get up into this thing," burst out Hal. "These people -must be afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why are these cots so -high?" - -"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and all that from sleeping with the -natives," answered George. "Besides, the higher you sleep in Mexico the -farther you get from creeping, crawling things." - -Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on the floor, but George's remark -had persuaded him to risk the lofty cot. It was most awkward to climb -into. Ken tried several times without success, and once he just escaped -a fall. By dint of muscle and a good vault he finally landed in the -center of his canvas. From there he listened to his more unfortunate -comrades. Pepe got into his without much difficulty. George, however, -in climbing up, on about the fifth attempt swung over too hard and -rolled off on the other side. The thump he made when he dropped jarred -the whole loft. From the various growls out of the darkness it -developed that the loft was full of sleepers, who were not pleased at -this invasion. Then Hal's cot collapsed, and went down with a crash. -And Hal sat on the flattened thing and laughed. - -"Mucho malo," Pepe said, and he laughed, too. Then he had to get out -and put up Hal's trestle bed. Hal once again went to climbing up the -framework, and this time, with Pepe's aid, managed to surmount it. - -"George, what does Pepe mean by _mucho malo_?" asked Hal. - -"Bad--very much bad," replied George. - -"Nix--tell him nix. This is fine," said Hal. - -"Boys, if you don't want to sleep yourselves, shut up so the rest of us -can," ordered Ken. - -He liked the sense of humor and the good fighting spirit of the boys, -and fancied they were the best attributes in comrades on a wild trip. -For a long time he heard a kind of shuddering sound, which he imagined -was Hal's cot quivering as the boy laughed. Then absolute quiet -prevailed, the boys slept, and Ken felt himself drifting. - -When he awakened the sun was shining through the holes in the thatched -roof. Pepe was up, and the other native sleepers were gone. Ken and the -boys descended from their perches without any tumbles, had a breakfast -that was palatable--although even George could not name what they -ate--and then were ready for the day. - -Valles consisted of a few stone houses and many thatched huts of bamboo -and palm. There was only one street, and it was full of pigs, dogs, and -buzzards. The inhabitants manifested a kindly interest and curiosity, -which changed to consternation when they learned of the boys' project. -Pepe questioned many natives, and all he could learn about the Santa -Rosa was that there was an impassable waterfall some few kilometers -below Valles. Ken gritted his teeth and said they would have to get -past it. Pepe did not encounter a man who had ever heard of the -headwaters of the Panuco River. There were only a few fields under -cultivation around Valles, and they were inclosed by impenetrable -jungle. It seemed useless to try to find out anything about the river. -But Pepe's advisers in the village told enough about _tigre_ and -_javelin_ to make Hal's hair stand on end, and George turn pale, and Ken -himself wish they had not come. It all gave Ken both a thrill and a -shock. - -There was not much conversation among the boys on the drive back to the -station. However, sight of the boat, which had come by freight, stirred -Ken with renewed spirit, and through him that was communicated to the -others. - -The hardest task, so far, developed in the matter of transporting boat -and supplies out to the river. Ken had hoped to get a handcar and haul -the outfit on the track down to where the bridge crossed the Santa Rosa. -But there was no hand-car. Then came the staggering information that -there was no wagon which would carry the boat, and then worse still in -the fact that there was no road. This discouraged Ken; nevertheless he -had not the least idea of giving up. He sent Pepe out to tell the -natives there must be some way to get the outfit to the river. - -Finally Pepe found a fellow who had a cart. This fellow claimed he knew -a trail that went to a point from which it would be easy to carry the -boat to the river. Ken had Pepe hire the man at once. - -"Bring on your old cart," said the irrepressible Hal. - -That cart turned out to be a remarkable vehicle. It consisted of a -narrow body between enormously high wheels. A trio of little mules was -hitched to it. The driver willingly agreed to haul the boat and outfit -for one _peso_, but when he drove up to the platform to be surrounded by -neighbors, he suddenly discovered that he could not possibly accommodate -the boys. Patiently Pepe tried to persuade him. No, the thing was -impossible. He made no excuses, but he looked mysterious. - -"George, tell Pepe to offer him five pesos," said Ken. - -Pepe came out bluntly with the inducement, and the driver began to -sweat. From the look of his eyes Ken fancied he had not earned so much -money in a year. Still he was cunning, and his whispering neighbors -lent him support. He had the only cart in the village, and evidently it -seemed that fortune had come to knock at least once at his door. He -shook his head. - -Ken held up both hands with fingers spread. "Ten pesos," he said. - -The driver, like a crazy man, began to jabber his consent. - -The boys lifted the boat upon the cart, and tied it fast in front so -that the stern would not sag. Then they packed the rest of the outfit -inside. - -Ken was surprised to see how easily the little mules trotted off with -such a big load. At the edge of the jungle he looked back toward the -station. The motley crowd of natives were watching, making excited -gestures, and all talking at once. The driver drove into a narrow -trail, which closed behind him. Pepe led on foot, brushing aside the -thick foliage. Ken drew a breath of relief as he passed into the cool -shade. The sun was very hot. Hal and George brought up the rear, -talking fast. - -The trail was lined and overgrown with slender trees, standing very -close, making dense shade. Many birds, some of beautiful coloring, -flitted in the branches. In about an hour the driver entered a little -clearing where there were several thatched huts. Ken heard the puffing -of an engine, and, looking through the trees, he saw the railroad and -knew they had arrived at the pumping-station and the bridge over the -Santa Rosa. - -Pepe lost no time in rounding up six natives to carry the boat. They -did not seem anxious to oblige Pepe, although they plainly wanted the -money he offered. The trouble was the boat, at which they looked -askance. As in the case with the driver, however, the weight and -clinking of added silver overcame their reluctance. They easily lifted -the boat upon their shoulders. And as they entered the trail, making a -strange procession in the close-bordering foliage, they encountered two -natives, who jumped and ran, yelling: "La diable! La diable!" - -"What ails those gazabos?" asked Hal. - -"They're scared," replied George. "They thought the boat was the -devil." - -If Ken needed any more than had already come to him about the wildness -of the Santa Rosa, he had it in the frightened cries and bewilderment of -these natives. They had never seen a boat. The Santa Rosa was a -beautiful wild river upon which boats were unknown. Ken had not hoped -for so much. And now that the die was cast he faced the trip with -tingling gladness. - -"George and Hal, you stay behind to watch the outfit. Pepe and I will -carry what we can and follow the boat. I'll send back after you," said -Ken. - -Then as he followed Pepe and the natives down the trail there was a deep -satisfaction within him. He heard the soft rush of water over stones -and the mourning of turtledoves. He rounded a little hill to come -abruptly upon the dense green mass of river foliage. Giant -cypress-trees, bearded with gray moss, fringed the banks. Through the -dark green of leaves Ken caught sight of light-green water. Birds rose -all about him. There were rustlings in the thick underbrush and the whir -of ducks. The natives penetrated the dark shade and came out to an -open, grassy point. - -The Santa Rosa, glistening, green, swift, murmured at Ken's feet. The -natives dropped the boat into the water, and with Pepe went back for the -rest of the outfit. Ken looked up the shady lane of the river and -thought of the moment when he had crossed the bridge in the train. -Then, as much as he had longed to be there, he had not dared to hope it. -And here he was! How strange it was, just then, to see a large black -duck with white-crested wings sweep by as swift as the wind! Ken had -seen that wild fowl, or one of his kind, and it had haunted him. - - - - - *V* - - *THE FIRST CAMP* - - -In less than an hour all the outfit had been carried down to the river, -and the boys sat in the shade, cooling off, happily conscious that they -had made an auspicious start. - -It took Ken only a moment to decide to make camp there and the next day -try to reach Micas Falls. The mountains appeared close at hand, and -were so lofty that, early in the afternoon as it was, the westering sun -hung over the blue summits. The notch where the Santa Rosa cut through -the range stood out clear, and at most it was not more than eighteen -miles distant. So Ken planned to spend a day pulling up the river, and -then to turn for the down-stream trip. - -"Come, boys, let's make camp," said Ken. - -He sent Pepe with his long _machete_ into the brush to cut fire-wood. -Hal he set to making a stone fireplace, which work the boy rather prided -himself upon doing well. Ken got George to help him to put up the strip -of canvas. They stretched a rope between two trees, threw the canvas -over it, and pegged down the ends. - -"Say, how 're we going to sleep?" inquired Hal, suddenly. - -"Sleep? Why, on our backs, of course," retorted Ken, who could read -Hal's mind. - -"If we don't have some hot old times keeping things out of this tent, -I'm a lobster," said George, dubiously. "I'm going to sleep in the -middle." - -"You're a brave boy, George," replied Ken. - -"Me for between Ken and Pepe," added Hal. - -"And you're twice as brave," said Ken. "I dare say Pepe and I will be -able to keep things from getting at you." - -Just as Pepe came into camp staggering under a load of wood, a flock of -russet-colored ducks swung round the bend. They alighted near the shore -at a point opposite the camp. The way George and Hal made headers into -the pile of luggage for their guns gave Ken an inkling of what he might -expect from these lads. He groaned, and then he laughed. George came up -out of the luggage first, and he had a .22-caliber rifle, which he -quickly loaded and fired into the flock. He crippled one; the others -flew up-stream. Then George began to waste shells trying to kill the -crippled duck. Hal got into action with his .22. They bounced bullets -off the water all around the duck, but they could not hit it. - -Pepe grew as excited as the boys, and he jumped into the boat and with a -long stick began to pole out into the stream. Ken had to caution George -and Hal to lower their guns and not shoot Pepe. Below camp and just -under the bridge the water ran into a shallow rift. The duck got onto -the current and went round the bend, with Pepe poling in pursuit and -George and Hal yelling along the shore. When they returned a little -later, they had the duck, which was of an unknown species to Ken. Pepe -had fallen overboard; George was wet to his knees; and, though Hal did -not show any marks of undue exertion, his eyes would have enlightened -any beholder. The fact was that they were glowing with the excitement -of the chase. It amused Ken. He felt that he had to try to stifle his -own enthusiasm. There had to be one old head in the party. But if he -did have qualms over the possibilities of the boys to worry him with -their probable escapades, he still felt happy at their boundless life -and spirit. - -It was about the middle of the afternoon, and the heat had become -intense. Ken realized it doubly when he saw Pepe favoring the shade. -George and Hal were hot, but they appeared to be too supremely satisfied -with their surroundings to care about that. - -During this hot spell, which lasted from three o'clock until five, there -was a quiet and a lack of life around camp that surprised Ken. It was -slumberland; even the insects seemed drowsy. Not a duck and scarcely a -bird passed by. Ken heard the mourning of turtle-doves, and was at once -struck with the singular deep, full tone. Several trains crossed the -bridge, and at intervals the engine at the pumping-tank puffed and -chugged. From time to time a native walked out upon the bridge to stare -long and curiously at the camp. - -When the sun set behind the mountain a hard breeze swept down the river. -Ken did not know what to make of it, and at first thought there was -going to be a storm. Pepe explained that the wind blew that way every -day after sunset. For a while it tossed the willows, and waved the -Spaniard's-beard upon the cypresses. Then as suddenly as it had come it -died away, taking the heat with it. - -Whereupon the boys began to get supper. - -"George, do you know anything about this water?" asked Ken. "Is it -safe?" - -George supposed it was all right, but he did not know. The matter of -water had bothered Ken more than any other thing in consideration of the -trip. This river-water was cool and clear; it apparently was safe. But -Ken decided not to take any chances, and to boil all the water used. -All at once George yelled, "Canvasbacks!" and made a dive for his gun. -Ken saw a flock of ducks swiftly winging flight up-stream. - -"Hold on, George; don't shoot," called Ken. "Let's go a little slow at -the start." - -George appeared to be disappointed, though he promptly obeyed. - -Then the boys had supper, finding the russet duck much to their taste. -Ken made a note of Pepe's capacity, and was glad there were prospects of -plenty of meat. While they were eating, a group of natives gathered on -the bridge. Ken would not have liked to interpret their opinion of his -party from their actions. - -Night came on almost before the boys were ready for it. They -replenished the camp-fire, and sat around it, looking into the red blaze -and then out into the flickering shadows. Ken thought the time -propitious for a little lecture he had to give the boys, and he -remembered how old Hiram Bent had talked to him and Hal that first night -down under the great black rim-wall of the Grand Caon. - -"Well, fellows," began Ken, "we're started, we're here, and the trip -looks great to me. Now, as I am responsible, I intend to be boss. I want -you boys to do what I tell you. I may make mistakes, but if I do I'll -take them on my shoulders. Let's try to make the trip a great success. -Let's be careful. We're not game-hogs. We'll not kill any more than we -can eat. I want you boys to be careful with your guns. Think all the -time where you're pointing them. And as to thinking, we'd do well to -use our heads all the time. We've no idea what we're going up against in -this jungle." - -Both boys listened to Ken with attention and respect, but they did not -bind themselves by any promises. - -Ken had got out the mosquito-netting, expecting any moment to find it -very serviceable; however, to his surprise it was not needed. When it -came time to go to bed, Hal and George did not forget to slip in between -Pepe and Ken. The open-sided tent might keep off rain or dew, but for -all the other protection it afforded, the boys might as well have slept -outside. Nevertheless they were soon fast asleep. Ken awoke a couple -of times during the night and rolled over to find a softer spot in the -hard bed. These times he heard only the incessant hum of insects. - -When he opened his eyes in the gray morning light, he did hear something -that made him sit up with a start. It was a deep booming sound, -different from anything that he had ever heard. Ken called Pepe, and -that roused the boys. - -"Listen," said Ken. - -In a little while the sound was repeated, a heavy "boo-oom! ... -boo-oom!" There was a resemblance to the first strong beats of a -drumming grouse, only infinitely wilder. - -Pepe called it something like "_faisan real_." - -"What's that?" asked Hal. - -The name was as new to Ken as the noise itself. Pepe explained through -George that it was made by a huge black bird not unlike a turkey. It -had a golden plume, and could run as fast as a deer. The boys rolled -out, all having conceived a desire to see such a strange bird. The -sound was not repeated. Almost immediately, however, the thicket across -the river awoke to another sound, as much a contrast to the boom as -could be imagined. It was a bird medley. At first Ken thought of -magpies, but Pepe dispelled this illusion with another name hard to -pronounce. - -"Chicalocki," he said. - -And that seemed just like what they were singing. It was a sharp, clear -song--"Chic-a-lock-i ... chic-a-lock-i," and to judge from the full -chorus there must have been many birds. - -"They're a land of pheasant," added George, "and make fine pot-stews." - -The _chicalocki_ ceased their salute to the morning, and then, as the -river mist melted away under the rising sun, other birds took it up. -Notes new to Ken burst upon the air. And familiar old songs thrilled -him, made him think of summer days on the Susquehanna--the sweet carol -of the meadow-lark, the whistle of the quail, the mellow, sad call of -the swamp-blackbird. The songs blended in an exquisite harmony. - -"Why, some of them are our own birds come south for the winter," -declared Hal. - -"It's music," said Ken. - -"Just wait," laughed George. - -It dawned upon Ken then that George was a fellow who had the mysterious -airs of a prophet hinting dire things. - -Ken did not know what to wait for, but he enjoyed the suggestion and -anticipated much. Ducks began to whir by; flocks of blackbirds alighted -in the trees across the river. Suddenly Hal jumped up, and Ken was -astounded at a great discordant screeching and a sweeping rush of -myriads of wings. Ken looked up to see the largest flock of birds he had -ever seen. - -"Parrots," he yelled. - -Indeed they were, and they let the boys know it. They flew across the -river, wheeled to come back, all the time screeching, and then they -swooped down into the tops of the cypress-trees. - -"Red-heads," said George. "Just wait till you see the yellow-heads!" - -At the moment the red-heads were quite sufficient for Ken. They broke -out into a chattering, screaming, cackling discordance. It was plainly -directed at the boys. These intelligent birds were curious and -resentful. As Pepe put it, they were scolding. Ken enjoyed it for a -full half-hour and reveled in the din. That morning serenade was worth -the trip. Presently the parrots flew away, and Ken was surprised to -find that most of the other birds had ceased singing. They had set -about the business of the day--something it was nigh time for Ken to -consider. - -Breakfast over, the boys broke camp, eager for the adventures that they -felt to be before them. - - - - - *VI* - - *WILDERNESS LIFE* - - -"Now for the big job, boys," called Ken. "Any ideas will be welcome, but -don't all talk at once." - -And this job was the packing of the outfit in the boat. It was a study -for Ken, and he found himself thanking his lucky stars that he had -packed boats for trips on rapid rivers. George and Hal came to the fore -with remarkable advice which Ken was at the pains of rejecting. And as -fast as one wonderful idea emanated from the fertile minds another one -came in. At last Ken lost patience. - -"Kids, it's going to take brains to pack this boat," he said, with some -scorn. - -And when Hal remarked that in that case he did not see how they ever -were going to pack the boat, Ken drove both boys away and engaged Pepe -to help. - -The boat had to be packed for a long trip, with many things taken into -consideration. The very best way to pack it must be decided upon and -thereafter held to strictly. Balance was all-important; comfort and -elbow-room were not to be overlooked; a flat surface easy to crawl and -jump over was absolutely necessary. Fortunately, the boat was large and -roomy, although not heavy. The first thing Ken did was to cut out the -narrow bow-seat. Here he packed a small bucket of preserved mullet, -some bottles of kerosene and _canya_, and a lantern. The small, flat -trunk, full of supplies, went in next. Two boxes with the rest of the -supplies filled up the space between the trunk and the rowing-seat. By -slipping an extra pair of oars, coils of rope, the ax, and a few other -articles between the gunwales and the trunk and boxes Ken made them fit -snugly. He cut off a piece of the canvas, and, folding it, he laid it -with the blankets lengthwise over the top. This made a level surface, -one that could be gotten over quickly, or a place to sleep, for that -matter, and effectually disposed of the bow half of the boat. Of course -the boat sank deep at the bow, but Ken calculated when they were all -aboard their weight would effect an even balance. - -The bags with clothing Ken put under the second seat. Then he arranged -the other piece of canvas so that it projected up back of the stern of -the boat. He was thinking of the waves to be buffeted in going stern -first down-stream through the rapids. The fishing-tackle and guns he -laid flat from seat to seat. Last of all he placed the ammunition on -one side next the gunwale, and the suit-case carrying camera, films, -medicines, on the other. - -"Come now, fellows," called Ken. "Hal, you and George take the second -seat. Pepe will take the oars. I'll sit in the stern." - -Pepe pushed off, jumped to his place, and grasped the oars. Ken was -delighted to find the boat trim, and more buoyant than he had dared to -hope. - -"We're off," cried Hal, and he whooped. And George exercised his already -well-developed faculty of imitating Hal. - -Pepe bent to the oars, and under his powerful strokes the boat glided -up-stream. Soon the bridge disappeared. Ken had expected a long, shady -ride, but it did not turn out so. Shallow water and gravelly rapids made -rowing impossible. - -"Pile out, boys, and pull," said Ken. - -The boys had dressed for wading and rough work, and went overboard with -a will. Pulling, at first, was not hard work. They were fresh and -eager, and hauled the boat up swift, shallow channels, making nearly as -good time as when rowing in smooth water. Then, as the sun began to get -hot, splashing in the cool river was pleasant. They passed little -islands green with willows and came to high clay-banks gradually wearing -away, and then met with rocky restrictions in the stream-bed. From -round a bend came a hollow roar of a deeper rapid. Ken found it a -swift-rushing incline, very narrow, and hard to pull along. The margin -of the river was hidden and obstructed by willows so that the boys could -see very little ahead. - -When they got above this fall the water was deep and still. Entering -the boat again, they turned a curve into a long, beautiful stretch of -river. - -"Ah! this 's something like," said Hal. - -The green, shady lane was alive with birds and water-fowl. Ducks of -various kinds rose before the boat. White, blue, gray, and speckled -herons, some six feet tall, lined the low bars, and flew only at near -approach. There were many varieties of bitterns, one kind with a purple -back and white breast. They were very tame and sat on the overhanging -branches, uttering dismal croaks. Everywhere was the flash and glitter -and gleam of birds in flight, up and down and across the river. - -Hal took his camera and tried to get pictures. - -The strangeness, beauty, and life of this jungle stream absorbed Ken. -He did not take his guns from their cases. The water was bright green -and very deep; here and there were the swirls of playing fish. The -banks were high and densely covered with a luxuriant foliage. Huge -cypress-trees, moss-covered, leaned half-way across the river. Giant -gray-barked ceibas spread long branches thickly tufted with aloes, -orchids, and other jungle parasites. Palm-trees lifted slender stems -and graceful broad-leaved heads. Clumps of bamboo spread an enormous -green arch out over the banks. These bamboo-trees were particularly -beautiful to Ken. A hundred yellow, black-circled stems grew out of the -ground close together, and as they rose high they gracefully leaned -their bodies and drooped their tips. The leaves were arrowy, exquisite -in their fineness. - -He looked up the long river-lane, bright in the sun, dark and still -under the moss-veiled cypresses, at the turning vines and blossoming -creepers, at the changeful web of moving birds, and indulged to the -fullest that haunting sense for wild places. - -"Chicalocki," said Pepe, suddenly. - -A flock of long-tailed birds, resembling the pheasant in body, was -sailing across the river. Again George made a dive for a gun. This one -was a sixteen-gage and worn out. He shot twice at the birds on the wing. -Then Pepe rowed under the overhanging branches, and George killed three -_chicalocki_ with his rifle. They were olive green in color, and the -long tail had a brownish cast. Heavy and plump, they promised fine -eating. - -"Pato real!" yelled Pepe, pointing excitedly up the river. - -Several black fowl, as large as geese, hove in sight, flying pretty low. -Ken caught a glimpse of wide, white-crested wings, and knew then that -these were the birds he had seen. - -"Load up and get ready," he said to George. "They're coming fast--shoot -ahead of them." - -How swift and powerful they were on the wing! They swooped up when they -saw the boat, and offered a splendid target. The little sixteen-gage -rang out. Ken heard the shot strike. The leader stopped in midair, -dipped, and plunged with a sounding splash. Ken picked him up and found -him to be most beautiful, and as large and heavy as a goose. His black -feathers shone with the latent green luster of an opal, and the pure -white of the shoulder of the wings made a remarkable contrast. - -"George, we've got enough meat for to-day, more than we can use. Don't -shoot any more," said Ken. - -Pepe resumed rowing, and Ken told him to keep under the overhanging -branches and to row without splashing. He was skilled in the use of the -oars, so the boat glided along silently. Ken felt he was rewarded for -this stealth. Birds of rare and brilliant plumage flitted among the -branches. There was one, a long, slender bird, gold and black with a -white ring round its neck. There were little yellow-breasted -kingfishers no larger than a wren, and great red-breasted kingfishers -with blue backs and tufted heads. The boat passed under a leaning -ceiba-tree that was covered with orchids. Ken saw the slim, sharp head -of a snake dart from among the leaves. His neck was as thick as Ken's -wrist. - -"What kind of a snake, Pepe?" whispered Ken, as he fingered the trigger -of George's gun. But Pepe did not see the snake, and then Ken thought -better of disturbing the silence with a gunshot. He was reminded, -however, that the Texan had told him of snakes in this jungle, some of -which measured more than fifteen feet and were as large as a man's leg. - -Most of the way the bank was too high and steep and overgrown for any -animal to get down to the water. Still there were dry gullies, or -arroyos, every few hundred yards, and these showed the tracks of -animals, but Pepe could not tell what species from the boat. Often Ken -heard the pattering of hard feet, and then he would see a little cloud -of dust in one of these drinking-places. So he cautioned Pepe to row -slower and closer in to the bank. - -"Look there! lemme out!" whispered Hal, and he seemed to be on the point -of jumping overboard. - -"Coons," said George. "Oh, a lot of them. There--some young ones." - -Ken saw that they had come abruptly upon a band of racoons, not less -than thirty in number, some big, some little, and a few like tiny balls -of fur, and all had long white-ringed tails. What a scampering the big -ones set up! The little ones were frightened, and the smallest so tame -they scarcely made any effort to escape. Pepe swung the boat in to the -bank, and reaching out he caught a baby racoon and handed it to Hal. - -"Whoop! We'll catch things and tame them," exclaimed Hal, much -delighted, and he proceeded to tie the little racoon under the seat. - -"Sure, we'll get a whole menagerie," said George. - -So they went on up-stream. Often Ken motioned Pepe to stop in dark, -cool places under the golden-green canopy of bamboos. He was as much -fascinated by the beautiful foliage and tree growths as by the wild -life. Hal appeared more taken up with the fluttering of birds in the -thick jungle, rustlings, and soft, stealthy steps. Then as they moved -on Ken whispered and pointed out a black animal vanishing in the -thicket. Three times he caught sight of a spotted form slipping away in -the shade. George saw it the last time, and whispered: "Tiger-cat! -Let's get him." - -"What's that, Ken, a kind of a wildcat?" asked Hal. - -"Yes." Ken took George's .32-caliber and tried to find a way up the -bank. There was no place to climb up unless he dragged himself up -branches of trees or drooping bamboos, and this he did not care to -attempt encumbered with a rifle. Only here and there could he see over -the matted roots and creepers. Then the sound of rapids put hunting out -of his mind. - -"Boys, we've got Micas Falls to reach," he said, and told Pepe to row -on. - -The long stretch of deep river ended in a wide, shallow, noisy rapid. -Fir-trees lined the banks. The palms, cypresses, bamboos, and the -flowery, mossy growths were not here in evidence. Thickly wooded hills -rose on each side. The jungle looked sear and yellow. - -The boys began to wade up the rapid, and before they had reached the -head of it Pepe yelled and jumped back from where he was wading at the -bow. He took an oar and began to punch at something in the water, at -the same time calling out. - -"Crocodile!" cried George, and he climbed in the boat. Hal was not slow -in following suit. Then Ken saw Pepe hitting a small crocodile, which -lashed out with its tail and disappeared. - -"Come out of there," called Ken to the boys. "We can't pull you -up-stream." - -"Say, I don't want to step on one of those ugly brutes," protested Hal. - -"Look sharp, then. Come out." - -Above the rapid extended a quarter-mile stretch where Pepe could row, -and beyond that another long rapid. When the boys had waded up that it -was only to come to another. It began to be hard work. But Ken kept -the boys buckled down, and they made fair progress. They pulled up -through eighteen rapids, and covered distance that Ken estimated to be -about ten miles. The blue mountain loomed closer and higher, yet Ken -began to have doubts of reaching Micas Falls that day. - -Moreover, as they ascended the stream, the rapids grew rougher. - -"It 'll be great coming down," panted Hal. - -Finally they reached a rapid which had long dinned in Ken's ears. All -the water in the river rushed down on the right-hand side through a -channel scarcely twenty feet wide. It was deep and swift. With the aid -of ropes, and by dint of much hard wading and pulling, the boys got the -boat up. A little farther on was another bothersome rapid. At last -they came to a succession of falls, steps in the river, that barred -farther advance up-stream. - -Here Ken climbed up on the bank, to find the country hilly and open, -with patches of jungle and palm groves leading up to the mountains. -Then he caught a glint of Micas Falls, and decided that it would be -impossible to get there. He made what observations he could, and -returned to camp. - -"Boys, here's where we stop," said Ken. "It 'll be all down-stream now, -and I'm glad." - -There was no doubt that the boys were equally glad. They made camp on a -grassy bench above a foam-flecked pool. Ken left the others to get -things in shape for supper, and, taking his camera, he hurried off to -try to get a picture of Micas Falls. He found open places and by-paths -through the brushy forest. He saw evidences of forest fire, and then -knew what had ruined that part of the jungle. There were no birds. It -was farther than he had estimated to the foothill he had marked, but, -loath to give up, he kept on and finally reached a steep, thorny ascent. -Going up he nearly suffocated with heat. He felt rewarded for his -exertions when he saw Micas Falls glistening in the distance. It was -like a string of green fans connected by silver ribbons. He remained -there watching it while the sun set in the golden notch between the -mountains. - -On the way back to camp he waded through a flat overgrown with coarse -grass and bushes. Here he jumped a herd of deer, eight in number. These -small, sleek, gray deer appeared tame, and if there had been sufficient -light, Ken would have photographed them. It cost him an effort to -decide not to fetch his rifle, but as he had meat enough in camp there -was nothing to do except let the deer go. - -When he got back to the river Pepe grinned at him, and, pointing to -little red specks on his shirt, he said: - -"Pinilius." - -"Aha! the ticks!" exclaimed Ken. - -They were exceedingly small, not to be seen without close scrutiny. -They could not be brushed off, so Ken began laboriously to pick them -off. Pepe and George laughed, and Hal appeared to derive some sort of -enjoyment from the incident. - -"Say, these ticks don't bother me any," declared Ken. - -Pepe grunted; and George called out, "Just wait till you get the big -fellows--the garrapatoes." - -It developed presently that the grass and bushes on the camp-site -contained millions of the ticks. Ken found several of the larger -ticks--almost the size of his little finger-nail--but he did not get -bitten. Pepe and George, however, had no such good luck, as was -manifested at different times. By the time they had cut down the bushes -and carried in a stock of fire-wood, both were covered with the little -pests. Hal found a spot where there appeared to be none, and here he -stayed. - -Pepe and George had the bad habit of smoking, and Ken saw them burning -the ticks off shirt-sleeves and trousers-legs, using the fiery end of -their cigarettes. This feat did not puzzle Ken anything like the one -where they held the red point of the cigarettes close to their naked -flesh. Ken, and Hal, too, had to see that performance at close range. - -"Why do you do that?" asked Ken. - -"Popping ticks," replied George. He and Pepe were as sober as judges. - -The fact of the matter was soon clear to Ken. The ticks stuck on as if -glued. When the hot end of the burning cigarette was held within a -quarter of an inch of them they simply blew up, exploded with a pop. -Ken could easily distinguish between the tiny pop of an exploding -_pinilius_ and the heavier pop of a _garrapato_. - -"But, boy, while you're taking time to do that, half a dozen other ticks -can bite you!" exclaimed Ken. - -"Sure they can," replied George. "But if they get on me I'll kill 'em. -I don't mind the little ones--it's the big boys I hate." - -On the other hand, Pepe seemed to mind most the _pinilius_. - -"Say, from now on you fellows will be Garrapato George and Pinilius -Pepe." - -"Pretty soon you'll laugh on the other side of your face," said George. -"In three days you'll be popping ticks yourself." - -Just then Hal let out a yell and began to hunt for a tick that had bit -him. If there was anything that could bother Hal Ward it was a crawling -bug of some kind. - -"I'll have to christen you too, brother," said Ken, gurgling with mirth. -"A very felicitous name--Hollering Hal!" - -Despite the humor of the thing, Ken really saw its serious side. When -he found the grass under his feet alive with ticks he cast about in his -mind for some way to get rid of them. And he hit upon a remedy. On the -ridge above the bench was a palm-tree, and under it were many dead palm -leaves. These were large in size, had long stems, and were as dry as -tinder. Ken lighted one, and it made a flaming hot torch. It did not -take him long to scorch all the ticks near that camp. - -The boys had supper and enjoyed it hugely. The scene went well with the -camp-fire and game-dinner. They gazed out over the foaming pool, the -brawling rapids, to the tufted palm-trees, and above them the dark-blue -mountain. At dusk Hal and George were so tired they went to bed and at -once dropped into slumber. Pepe sat smoking before the slumbering fire. - -And Ken chose that quiet hour to begin the map of the river, and to set -down in his note-book his observations on the mountains and in the -valley, and what he had seen that day of bird, animal, and plant life in -the jungle. - - - - - *VII* - - *RUNNING THE RAPIDS* - - -Some time in the night a yell awakened Ken. He sat up, clutching his -revolver. The white moonlight made all as clear as day. Hal lay deep in -slumber. George was raising himself, half aroused. But Pepe was gone. - -Ken heard a thrashing about outside. Leaping up he ran out, and was -frightened to see Pepe beating and clawing and tearing at himself like a -man possessed of demons. - -"Pepe, what's wrong?" shouted Ken. - -It seemed that Pepe only grew more violent in his wrestling about. Then -Ken was sure Pepe had been stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. - -But he was dumfounded to see George bound like an apparition out of the -tent and begin evolutions that made Pepe's look slow. - -"Hey, what's wrong with you jumping-jacks?" yelled Ken. - -George was as grimly silent as an Indian running the gantlet, but Ken -thought it doubtful if any Indian ever slapped and tore at his body in -George's frantic manner. To add to the mystery Hal suddenly popped out -of the tent. He was yelling in a way to do justice to the name Ken had -lately given him, and, as for wild and whirling antics, his were simply -marvelous. - -"Good land!" ejaculated Ken. Had the boys all gone mad? Despite his -alarm, Ken had to roar with laughter at those three dancing figures in -the moonlight. A rush of ideas went through Ken's confused mind. And -the last prompted him to look in the tent. - -He saw a wide bar of black crossing the moonlit ground, the grass, and -the blankets. This bar moved. It was alive. Bending low Ken descried -that it was made by ants. An army of jungle ants on a march! They had -come in a straight line along the base of the little hill and their -passageway led under the canvas. Pepe happened to be the first in line, -and they had surged over him. As he had awakened, and jumped up of -course, the ants had begun to bite. The same in turn happened to George -and then Hal. - -Ken was immensely relieved, and had his laugh out. The stream of ants -moved steadily and quite rapidly, and soon passed from sight. By this -time Pepe and the boys had threshed themselves free of ants and into -some degree of composure. - -"Say, you nightmare fellows! Come back to bed," said Ken. "Any one -would think something had really happened to you." - -Pepe snorted, which made Ken think the native understood something of -English. And the boys grumbled loudly. - -"Ants! Ants as big as wasps! They bit worse than helgramites," -declared Hal. "Oh, they missed you. You always are lucky. I'm not -afraid of all the old jaguars in this jungle. But I can't stand biting, -crawling bugs. I wish you hadn't made me come on this darn trip." - -"Ha! Ha!" laughed Ken. - -"Just wait, Hal," put in George, grimly. "Just wait. It's coming to -him!" - -The boys slept well the remainder of the night and, owing to the break -in their rest, did not awaken early. The sun shone hot when Ken rolled -out; a creamy mist was dissolving over the curve of the mountain-range; -parrots were screeching in the near-by trees. - -After breakfast Ken set about packing the boat as it had been done the -day before. - -"I think we'll do well to leave the trunk in the boat after this, unless -we find a place where we want to make a permanent camp for a while," -said Ken. - -Before departing he carefully looked over the ground to see that nothing -was left, and espied a heavy fish-line which George had baited, set, and -forgotten. - -"Hey, George, pull up your trot-line. It looks pretty much stretched to -me. Maybe you've got a fish." - -Ken happened to be busy at the boat when George started to take in the -line. An exclamation from Pepe, George's yell, and a loud splash made -Ken jump up in double-quick time. Hal also came running. - -George was staggering on the bank, leaning back hard on the heavy line. -A long, angry swirl in the pool told of a powerful fish. It was likely -to pull George in. - -"Let go the line!" yelled Ken. - -But George was not letting go of any fish-lines. He yelled for Pepe, -and went down on his knees before Pepe got to him. Both then pulled on -the line. The fish, or whatever it was at the other end, gave a mighty -jerk that almost dragged the two off the bank. - -"Play him, play him!" shouted Ken. "You've got plenty of line. Give him -some." - -Hal now added his weight and strength, and the three of them, unmindful -of Ken's advice, hauled back with might and main. The line parted and -they sprawled on the grass. - -"What a sockdologer!" exclaimed Hal. - -"I had that hook baited with a big piece of duck meat," said George. -"We must have been hooked to a crocodile. Things are happening to us." - -"Yes, so I've noticed," replied Ken, dryly. "But if you fellows hadn't -pulled so hard you might have landed that thing, whatever it was. All -aboard now. We must be on the move--we don't know what we have before -us." - -When they got into the boat Ken took the oars, much to Pepe's surprise. -It was necessary to explain to him that Ken would handle the boat in -swift water. They shoved off, and Ken sent one regretful glance up the -river, at the shady aisle between the green banks, at the white rapids, -and the great colored dome of the mountain. He almost hesitated, for he -desired to see more of that jungle-covered mountain. But something -already warned Ken to lose no time in the trip down the Santa Rosa. -There did not seem to be any reason for hurry, yet he felt it necessary. -But he asked Pepe many questions and kept George busy interpreting names -of trees and flowers and wild creatures. - -Going down-stream on any river, mostly, would have been pleasure, but -drifting on the swift current of the Santa Rosa and rowing under the -wonderful moss-bearded cypresses was almost like a dream. It was too -beautiful to seem real. The smooth stretch before the first rapid was -short, however, and then all Ken's attention had to be given to the -handling of the boat. He saw that George and Pepe both expected to get -out and wade down the rapids as they had waded up. He had a surprise in -store for them. The rapids that he could not shoot would have to be -pretty bad. - -"You're getting close," shouted George, warningly. - -With two sweeps of the oars Ken turned the boat stern first down-stream, -then dipped on the low green incline, and sailed down toward the waves. -They struck the first wave with a shock, and the water flew all over the -boys. Pepe was tremendously excited; he yelled and made wild motions -with his hands; George looked a little frightened. Hal enjoyed it. -Whatever the rapid appeared to them, it was magnificent to Ken; and it -was play to manage the boat in such water. A little pull on one oar and -then on the other kept the stern straight down-stream. The channel he -could make out a long way ahead. He amused himself by watching George -and Pepe. There were stones in the channel, and the water rose angrily -about them. A glance was enough to tell that he could float over these -without striking. But the boys thought they were going to hit every -stone, and were uneasy all the time. Twice he had to work to pass -ledges and sunken trees upon which the current bore down hard. When Ken -neared one of these he dipped the oars and pulled back to stop or lessen -the momentum; then a stroke turned the boat half broadside to the -current. That would force it to one side, and another stroke would turn -the boat straight. At the bottom of this rapid they encountered a long -triangle of choppy waves that they bumped and splashed over. They came -through with nothing wet but the raised flap of canvas in the stern. - -Pepe regarded Ken with admiring eyes, and called him _grande mozo_. - -"Shooting rapids is great sport," proclaimed George. - -They drifted through several little rifts, and then stopped at the head -of the narrow chute that had been such a stumbling-block on the way up. -Looked at from above, this long, narrow channel, with several S curves, -was a fascinating bit of water for a canoeist. It tempted Ken to shoot -it even with the boat. But he remembered the four-foot waves at the -bottom, and besides he resented the importunity of the spirit of daring -so early in the game. Risk, and perhaps peril, would come soon enough. -So he decided to walk along the shore and float the boat through with a -rope. - -The thing looked a good deal easier than it turned out to be. Half-way -through, at the narrowest point and most abrupt curve, Pepe -misunderstood directions and pulled hard on the bow-rope, when he should -have let it slack. - -The boat swung in, nearly smashing Ken against the bank, and the -sweeping current began to swell dangerously near the gunwale. - -"Let go! Let go!" yelled Ken. "George, make him let go!" - -But George, who was trying to get the rope out of Pepe's muscular hands, -suddenly made a dive for his rifle. - -"Deer! deer!" he cried, hurriedly throwing a shell into the chamber. He -shot downstream, and Ken, looking that way, saw several deer under the -firs on a rocky flat. George shot three more times, and the bullets -went "spinging" into the trees. The deer bounded out of sight. - -When Ken turned again, water was roaring into the boat. He was being -pressed harder into the bank, and he saw disaster ahead. - -"Loosen the rope--tell him, George," yelled Ken. - -Pepe only pulled the harder. - -"Quick, or we're ruined," cried Ken. - -George shouted in Spanish, and Pepe promptly dropped the rope in the -water. That was the worst thing he could have done. - -"Grab the rope!" ordered Ken, wildly. "Grab the bow! Don't let it swing -out! Hal!" - -Before either boy could reach it the bow swung out into the current. -Ken was not only helpless, but in a dangerous position. He struggled to -get out from where the swinging stern was wedging him into the bank, but -could not budge. Fearing that all the outfit would be lost in the -river, he held on to the boat and called for some one to catch the rope. - -George pushed Pepe head first into the swift current. Pepe came up, -caught the rope, and then went under again. The boat swung round and, -now half full of water, got away from Ken. It gathered headway. Ken -leaped out on the ledge and ran along with the boat. It careened round -the bad curve and shot down-stream. Pepe was still under water. - -"He's drowned! He's drowned!" cried George. - -Hal took a header right off the ledge, came up, and swam with a few -sharp strokes to the drifting boat. He gained the bow, grasped it, and -then pulled on the rope. - -Ken had a sickening feeling that Pepe might be drowned. Suddenly Pepe -appeared like a brown porpoise. He was touching bottom in places and -holding back on the rope. Then the current rolled him over and over. The -boat drifted back of a rocky point into shallow water. Hal gave a haul -that helped to swing it out of the dangerous current. Then Pepe came up, -and he, too, pulled hard. Just as Ken plunged in the boat sank in two -feet of water. Ken's grip, containing camera, films, and other -perishable goods, was on top, and he got it just in time. He threw it -out on the rocks. Then together the boys lifted the boat and hauled the -bow well up on the shore. - -"Pretty lucky!" exclaimed Ken, as he flopped down. - -"Doggone it!" yelled Hal, suddenly. And he dove for the boat, and -splashed round in the water under his seat, to bring forth a very limp -and drenched little racoon. - -"Good! he's all right," said Ken. - -Pepe said "Mucho malo," and pointed to his shins, which bore several -large bumps from contact with the rocks in the channel. - -"I should say mucha malo," growled George. - -He jerked open his grip, and, throwing out articles of wet clothing--for -which he had no concern--he gazed in dismay at his whole store of -cigarettes wet by the water. - -"So that's all you care for," said Ken, severely. "Young man, I'll have -something to say to you presently. All hands now to unpack the boat." - -Fortunately nothing had been carried away. That part of the supplies -which would have been affected by water was packed in tin cases, and so -suffered no damage. The ammunition was waterproof. Ken's Parker -hammerless and his 351 automatic rifle were full of water, and so were -George's guns and Hal's. While they took their weapons apart, wiped -them, and laid them in the sun, Pepe spread out the rest of the things -and then baled out the boat. The sun was so hot that everything dried -quickly and was not any the worse for the wetting. The boys lost -scarcely an hour by the accident. Before the start Ken took George and -Pepe to task, and when he finished they were both very sober and quiet. - -Ken observed, however, that by the time they had run the next rapid they -were enjoying themselves again. Then came a long succession of rapids -which Ken shot without anything approaching a mishap. When they drifted -into the level stretch Pepe relieved him at the oars. They glided -down-stream under the drooping bamboo, under the silken streamers of -silvery moss, under the dark, cool bowers of matted vine and blossoming -creepers. And as they passed this time the jungle silence awoke to the -crack of George's .22 and the discordant cry of river fowl. Ken's guns -were both at hand, and the rifle was loaded, but he did not use either. -He contented himself with snapping a picture here and there and watching -the bamboo thickets and the mouths of the little dry ravines. - -That ride was again so interesting, so full of sound and action and -color, that it seemed a very short one. The murmur of the water on the -rocks told Ken that it was time to change seats with Pepe. They drifted -down two short rapids, and then came to the gravelly channels between -the islands noted on the way up. The water was shallow down these -rippling channels; and, fearing they might strike a stone, Ken tumbled -out over the bow and, wading slowly, let the boat down to still water -again. He was about to get in when he espied what he thought was an -alligator lying along a log near the river. He pointed it out to Pepe. - -That worthy yelled gleefully in Mexican, and reached for his _machete_. - -"Iguana!" exclaimed George. "I've heard it's good to eat." - -The reptile had a body about four feet long and a very long tail. Its -color was a steely blue-black on top, and it had a blunt, rounded head. - -Pepe slipped out of the boat and began to wade ashore. When the iguana -raised itself on short, stumpy legs George shot at it, and missed, as -usual. But he effectually frightened the reptile, which started to -climb the bank with much nimbleness. Pepe began to run, brandishing his -long _machete_. George plunged into the water in hot pursuit, and then -Hal yielded to the call of the chase. Pepe reached the iguana before it -got up the bank, aimed a mighty blow with his _machete_, and would -surely have cut the reptile in two pieces if the blade had not caught on -an overhanging branch. Then Pepe fell up the bank and barely grasped -the tail of the iguana. Pepe hauled back, and Pepe was powerful. The -frantic creature dug its feet in the clay-bank and held on for dear -life. But Pepe was too strong. He jerked the iguana down and flung it -square upon George, who had begun to climb the bank. - -George uttered an awful yell, as if he expected to be torn asunder, and -rolled down, with the reptile on top of him. Ken saw that it was as -badly frightened as George. But Hal did not see this. And he happened -to have gained a little sand-bar below the bank, in which direction the -iguana started with wonderful celerity. Then Hal made a jump that Ken -believed was a record. - -Remarkably awkward as that iguana was, he could surely cover ground with -his stumpy legs. Again he dashed up the bank. Pepe got close enough -once more, and again he swung the _machete_. The blow cut off a piece -of the long tail, but the only effect this produced was to make the -iguana run all the faster. It disappeared over the bank, with Pepe -scrambling close behind. Then followed a tremendous crashing in the dry -thickets, after which the iguana could be heard rattling and tearing -away through the jungle. Pepe returned to the boat with the crestfallen -boys, and he was much concerned over the failure to catch the big -lizard, which he said made fine eating. - -"What next?" asked George, ruefully, and at that the boys all laughed. - -"The fun is we don't have any idea what's coming off," said Hal. - -"Boys, if you brave hunters had thought to throw a little salt on that -lizard's tail you might have caught him," added Ken. - -Presently Pepe espied another iguana in the forks of a tree, and he -rowed ashore. This lizard was only a small one, not over two feet in -length, but he created some excitement among the boys. George wanted -him to eat, and Hal wanted the skin for a specimen, and Ken wanted to -see what the lizard looked like close at hand. So they all clamored for -Pepe to use caution and to be quick. - -When Pepe started up the tree the iguana came down on the other side, -quick as a squirrel. Then they had a race round the trunk until Pepe -ended it with a well-directed blow from his _machete_. - -Hal began to skin the iguana. - -"Ken, I'm going to have trouble preserving specimens in this hot place," -he said. - -"Salt and alum will do the trick. Remember what old Hiram used to say," -replied Ken. - -Shortly after that the boat passed the scene of the first camp, and then -drifted under the railroad bridge. - -Hal and George, and Pepe too, looked as if they were occupied with the -same thought troubling Ken--that once beyond the bridge they would -plunge into the jungle wilderness from which there could be no turning -back. - - - - - *VIII* - - *THE FIRST TIGER-CAT* - - -The Santa Rosa opened out wide, and ran swiftly over smooth rock. Deep -cracks, a foot or so wide, crossed the river diagonally, and fish darted -in and out. - -The boys had about half a mile of this, when, after turning a hilly -bend, they entered a long rapid. It was a wonderful stretch of river to -look down. - -"By George!" said Ken, as he stood up to survey it. "This is great!" - -"It's all right _now_," added George, with his peculiar implication as -to the future. - -"What gets me is the feeling of what might be round the next bend," said -Hal. - -This indeed, Ken thought, made the fascination of such travel. The -water was swift and smooth and shallow. There was scarcely a wave or -ripple. At times the boat stuck fast on the flat rock, and the boys -would have to get out to shove off. As far ahead as Ken could see -extended this wide slant of water. On the left rose a thick line of -huge cypresses all festooned with gray moss that drooped to the water; -on the right rose a bare bluff of crumbling rock. It looked like blue -clay baked and cracked by the sun. A few palms fringed the top. - -"Say, we can beat this," said Ken, as for the twentieth time the boys -had to step out and shove off a flat, shallow place. "Two of you in the -bow and Pepe with me in the stern, feet overboard." - -The little channels ran every way, making it necessary often to turn the -boat. Ken's idea was to drift along and keep the boat from grounding by -an occasional kick. - -"Ken manages to think of something once in a while," observed Hal. - -Then the boat drifted down-stream, whirling round and round. Here Pepe -would drop his brown foot in and kick his end clear of a shallow ledge; -there George would make a great splash when his turn came to ward off -from a rock; and again Hal would give a greater kick than was necessary -to the righting of the boat. Probably Hal was much influenced by the -fact that when he kicked hard he destroyed the lazy equilibrium of his -companions. - -It dawned upon Ken that here was a new and unique way to travel down a -river. It was different from anything he had ever tried before. The -water was swift and seldom more than a foot deep, except in diagonal -cracks that ribbed the river-bed. This long, shut-in stretch appeared -to be endless. But for the quick, gliding movement of the boat, which -made a little breeze, the heat would have been intolerable. When one of -Hal's kicks made Ken lurch overboard to sit down ludicrously, the cool -water sent thrills over him. Instead of retaliating on Hal, he was glad -to be wet. And the others, soon discovering the reason for Ken's -remarkable good-nature, went overboard and lay flat in the cool ripples. -Then little clouds of steam began to rise from their soaked clothes. - -Ken began to have an idea that he had been wise in boiling the water -which they drank. They all suffered from a parching thirst. Pepe scooped -up water in his hand; George did likewise, and then Hal. - -"You've all got to stop that," ordered Ken, sharply. "No drinking this -water unless it's boiled." - -The boys obeyed, for the hour, but they soon forgot, or deliberately -allayed their thirst despite Ken's command. Ken himself found his -thirst unbearable. He squeezed the juice of a wild lime into a cup of -water and drank that. Then he insisted on giving the boys doses of -quinine and anti-malaria pills, which treatment he meant to continue -daily. - -Toward the lower part of that rapid, where the water grew deeper, fish -began to be so numerous that the boys kicked at many as they darted -under the boat. There were thousands of small fish and some large ones. -Occasionally, as a big fellow lunged for a crack in the rock, he would -make the water roar. There was a fish that resembled a mullet, and -another that Hal said was some kind of bass with a blue tail. Pepe -chopped at them with his _machete_; George whacked with an oar; Hal -stood up in the boat and shot at them with his .22 rifle. - -"Say, I've got to see what that blue-tailed bass looks like," said Ken. -"You fellows will never get one." - -Whereupon Ken jointed up a small rod and, putting on a spinner, began to -cast it about. He felt two light fish hit it. Then came a heavy shock -that momentarily checked the boat. The water foamed as the line cut -through, and Ken was just about to jump off the boat to wade and follow -the fish, when it broke the leader. - -"That was a fine exhibition," remarked the critical Hal. - -"What's the matter with you?" retorted Ken, who was sensitive as to his -fishing abilities. "It was a big fish. He broke things." - -"Haven't you got a reel on that rod and fifty yards of line?" queried -Hal. - -Ken did not have another spinner, and he tried an artificial minnow, but -could not get a strike on it. He took Hal's gun and shot at several of -the blue-tailed fish, but though he made them jump out of the water like -a real northern black-bass, it was all of no avail. - -Then Hal caught one with a swoop of the landing net. It was a beautiful -fish, and it did have a blue tail. Pepe could not name it, nor could -Ken classify it, so Hal was sure he had secured a rare specimen. - -When the boat drifted round a bend to enter another long, wide, shallow -rapid, the boys demurred a little at the sameness of things. The bare -blue bluffs persisted, and the line of gray-veiled cypresses and the -strange formation of stream-bed. Five more miles of drifting under the -glaring sun made George and Hal lie back in the boat, under an -improvised sun-shade. The ride was novel and strange to Ken Ward, and -did not pall upon him, though he suffered from the heat and glare. He -sat on the bow, occasionally kicking the boat off a rock. - -All at once a tense whisper from Pepe brought Ken round with a jerk. -Pepe was pointing down along the right-hand shore. George heard, and, -raising himself, called excitedly: "Buck! buck!" - -Ken saw a fine deer leap back from the water and start to climb the side -of a gully that indented the bluff. Snatching up the .351 rifle, he -shoved in the safety catch. The distance was far--perhaps two hundred -yards--but without elevating the sights he let drive. A cloud of dust -puffed up under the nose of the climbing deer. - -"Wow!" yelled George, and Pepe began to jabber. Hal sprang up, nearly -falling overboard, and he shouted: "Give it to him, Ken!" - -The deer bounded up a steep, winding trail, his white flag standing, his -reddish coat glistening. Ken fired again. The bullet sent up a white -puff of dust, this time nearer still. That shot gave Ken the range, and -he pulled the automatic again--and again. Each bullet hit closer. The -boys were now holding their breath, watching, waiting. Ken aimed a -little firmer and finer at the space ahead of the deer--for in that -instant he remembered what the old hunter on Penetier had told him--and -he pulled the trigger twice. - -The buck plunged down, slipped off the trail, and, raising a cloud of -dust, rolled over and over. Then it fell sheer into space, and whirled -down to strike the rock with a sodden crash. - -It was Ken's first shooting on this trip, and he could not help adding a -cry of exultation to the yells of his admiring comrades. - -"Guess you didn't plug him!" exclaimed Hal Ward, with flashing eyes. - -Wading, the boys pulled the boat ashore. Pepe pronounced the buck to be -very large, but to Ken, remembering the deer in Coconino Forest, it -appeared small. If there was an unbroken bone left in that deer, Ken -greatly missed his guess. He and Pepe cut out the haunch least crushed -by the fail. - -"There's no need to carry along more meat than we can use," said George. -"It spoils overnight. That's the worst of this jungle, I've heard -hunters say." - -Hal screwed up his face in the manner he affected when he tried to -imitate old Hiram Bent. "Wal, youngster, I reckon I'm right an' down -proud of thet shootin'. You air comin' along." - -Ken was as pleased as Hal, but he replied, soberly: "Well, kid, I hope I -can hold as straight as that when we run up against a jaguar." - -"Do you think we'll see one?" asked Hal. - -"Just you wait!" exclaimed George, replying for Ken. "Pepe says we'll -have to sleep in the boat, and anchor the boat in the middle of the -river." - -"What for?" - -"To keep those big yellow tigers from eating us up." - -"How nice!" replied Hal, with a rather forced laugh. - -So, talking and laughing, the boys resumed their down-stream journey. -Ken, who was always watching with sharp eyes, saw buzzards appear, as if -by magic. Before the boat was half a mile down the river buzzards were -circling over the remains of the deer. These birds of prey did not fly -from the jungle on either side of the stream. They sailed, dropped down -from the clear blue sky where they had been invisible. How wonderful -that was to Ken! Nature had endowed these vulture-like birds with -wonderful scent or instinct or sight, or all combined. But Ken believed -that it was power of sight which brought the buzzards so quickly to the -scene of the killing. He watched them circling, sweeping down till a -curve in the river hid them from view. - -And with this bend came a welcome change. The bluff played out in a -rocky slope below which the green jungle was relief to aching eyes. As -the boys made this point, the evening breeze began to blow. They -beached the boat and unloaded to make camp. - -"We haven't had any work to-day, but we're all tired just the same," -observed Ken. - -"The heat makes a fellow tired," said George. - -They were fortunate in finding a grassy plot where there appeared to be -but few ticks and other creeping things. That evening it was a little -surprise to Ken to realize how sensitive he had begun to feel about -these jungle vermin. - -Pepe went up the bank for fire-wood. Ken heard him slashing away with -his _machete_. Then this sound ceased, and Pepe yelled in fright. Ken -and George caught up guns as they bounded into the thicket; Hal started -to follow, likewise armed. Ken led the way through a thorny brake to -come suddenly upon Pepe. At the same instant Ken caught a glimpse of -gray, black-striped forms slipping away in the jungle. Pepe shouted out -something. - -"Tiger-cats!" exclaimed George. - -Ken held up his finger to enjoin silence. With that he stole cautiously -forward, the others noiselessly at his heels. The thicket was lined -with well-beaten trails, and by following these and stooping low it was -possible to go ahead without rustling the brush. Owing to the gathering -twilight Ken could not see very far. When he stopped to listen he heard -the faint crackling of dead brush and soft, quick steps. He had not -proceeded far when pattering footsteps halted him. Ken dropped to his -knee. The boys knelt behind him, and Pepe whispered. Peering along the -trail Ken saw what he took for a wildcat. Its boldness amazed him. -Surely it had heard him, but instead of bounding into the thicket it -crouched not more than twenty-five feet away. Ken took a quick shot at -the gray huddled form. It jerked, stretched out, and lay still. Then a -crashing in the brush, and gray streaks down the trail told Ken of more -game. - -"There they go. Peg away at them," called Ken. - -George and Hal burned a good deal of powder and sent much lead whistling -through the dry branches, but the gray forms vanished in the jungle. - -"We got one, anyway," said Ken. - -He advanced to find his quarry quite dead. It was bigger than any -wildcat Ken had ever seen. The color was a grayish yellow, almost -white, lined and spotted with black. Ken lifted it and found it heavy -enough to make a good load. - -"He's a beauty," said Hal. - -"Pepe says it's a tiger-cat," remarked George. "There are two or three -kinds besides the big tiger. We may run into a lot of them and get some -skins." - -It was almost dark when they reached camp. While Pepe and Hal skinned -the tiger-cat and stretched the pelt over a framework of sticks the -other boys got supper. They were all very hungry and tired, and pleased -with the events of the day. As they sat round the camp-fire there was a -constant whirring of water-fowl over their heads and an incessant hum of -insects from the jungle. - -"Ken, does it feel as wild to you here as on Buckskin Mountain?" asked -Hal. - -"Oh yes, much wilder, Hal," replied his brother. "And it's different, -somehow. Out in Arizona there was always the glorious expectancy of -to-morrow's fun or sport. Here I have a kind of worry--a feeling--" - -But he concluded it wiser to keep to himself that strange feeling of -dread which came over him at odd moments. - -"It suits me," said Hal. "I want to get a lot of things and keep them -alive. Of course, I want specimens. I'd like some skins for my den, -too. But I don't care so much about killing things." - -"Just wait!" retorted George, who evidently took Hal's remark as a -reflection upon his weakness. "Just wait! You'll be shooting pretty -soon for your life." - -"Now, George, what do you mean by that?" questioned Ken, determined to -pin George down to facts. "You said you didn't really know anything -about this jungle. Why are you always predicting disaster for us?" - -"Why? Because I've heard things about the jungle," retorted George. -"And Pepe says wait till we get down off the mountain. He doesn't _know_ -anything, either. But it's his instinct--Pepe's half Indian. So I say, -too, wait till we get down in the jungle!" - -"Confound you! Where are we now?" queried Ken. - -"The real jungle is the lowland. There we'll find the tigers and the -crocodiles and the wild cattle and wild pigs." - -"Bring on your old pigs and things," replied Hal. - -But Ken looked into the glowing embers of the camp-fire and was silent. -When he got out his note-book and began his drawing, he forgot the worry -and dread in the interest of his task. He was astonished at his memory, -to see how he could remember every turn in the river and yet not lose -his sense of direction. He could tell almost perfectly the distance -traveled, because he knew so well just how much a boat would cover in -swift or slow waters in a given time. He thought he could give a fairly -correct estimate of the drop of the river. And, as for descriptions of -the jungle life along the shores, that was a delight, all except trying -to understand and remember and spell the names given to him by Pepe. -Ken imagined Pepe spoke a mixture of Toltec, Aztec, Indian, Spanish, and -English. - - - - - *IX* - - *IN THE WHITE WATER* - - -Upon awakening next morning Ken found the sun an hour high. He was -stiff and sore and thirsty. Pepe and the boys slept so soundly it -seemed selfish to wake them. - -All around camp there was a melodious concourse of birds. But the -parrots did not make a visit that morning. While Ken was washing in the -river a troop of deer came down to the bar on the opposite side. Ken -ran for his rifle, and by mistake took up George's .32. He had a -splendid shot at less than one hundred yards. But the bullet dropped -fifteen feet in front of the leading buck. The deer ran into the deep, -bushy willows. - -"That gun's leaded," muttered Ken. "It didn't shoot where I aimed." - -Pepe jumped up; George rolled out of his blanket with one eye still -glued shut; and Hal stretched and yawned and groaned. - -"Do I have to get up?" he asked. - -"Shore, lad," said Ken, mimicking Jim Williams, "or I'll hev to be -reconsiderin' that idee of mine about you bein' pards with me." - -Such mention of Hal's ranger friend brought the boy out of his lazy bed -with amusing alacrity. - -"Rustle breakfast, now, you fellows," said Ken, and, taking his rifle, -he started off to climb the high river bluff. - -It was his idea to establish firmly in mind the trend of the -mountain-range, and the relation of the river to it. The difficulty in -mapping the river would come after it left the mountains to wind away -into the wide lowlands. The matter of climbing the bluff would have -been easy but for the fact that he wished to avoid contact with grass, -brush, trees, even dead branches, as all were covered with ticks. The -upper half of the bluff was bare, and when he reached that part he soon -surmounted it. Ken faced south with something of eagerness. -Fortunately the mist had dissolved under the warm rays of the sun, -affording an unobstructed view. That scene was wild and haunting, yet -different from what his fancy had pictured. The great expanse of jungle -was gray, the green line of cypress, palm, and bamboo following the -southward course of the river. The mountain-range some ten miles -distant sloped to the south and faded away in the haze. The river -disappeared in rich dark verdure, and but for it, which afforded a -water-road back to civilization, Ken would have been lost in a dense -gray-green overgrowth of tropical wilderness. Once or twice he thought -he caught the faint roar of a waterfall on the morning breeze, yet could -not be sure, and he returned toward camp with a sober appreciation of -the difficulty of his enterprise and a more thrilling sense of its -hazard and charm. - -"Didn't see anything to peg at, eh?" greeted Hal. "Well, get your teeth -in some of this venison before it's all gone." - -Soon they were under way again, Pepe strong and willing at the oars. -This time Ken had his rifle and shotgun close at hand, ready for use. -Half a mile below, the river, running still and deep, entered a shaded -waterway so narrow that in places the branches of wide-spreading and -leaning cypresses met and intertwined their moss-fringed foliage. This -lane was a paradise for birds, that ranged from huge speckled cranes, -six feet high, to little yellow birds almost too small to see. - -Black squirrels were numerous and very tame. In fact, all the creatures -along this shaded stream were so fearless that it was easy to see they -had never heard a shot. Ken awoke sleepy cranes with his fishing-rod and -once pushed a blue heron off a log. He heard animals of some species -running back from the bank, out could not see them. All at once a soft -breeze coming up-stream bore a deep roar of tumbling rapids. The -sensation of dread which had bothered Ken occasionally now returned and -fixed itself in his mind. He was in the jungle of Mexico, and knew not -what lay ahead of him. But if he had been in the wilds of unexplored -Brazil and had heard that roar, it would have been familiar to him. In -his canoe experience on the swift streams of Pennsylvania Ken Ward had -learned, long before he came to rapids, to judge what they were from the -sound. His attention wandered from the beautiful birds, the moss-shaded -bowers, and the overhanging jungle. He listened to the heavy, sullen -roar of the rapids. - -"That water sounds different," remarked George. - -"Grande," said Pepe, with a smile. - -"Pretty heavy, Ken, eh?" asked Hal, looking quickly at his brother. - -But Ken Ward made his face a mask, and betrayed nothing of the grim -nature of his thought. Pepe and the boys had little idea of danger, and -they had now a blind faith in Ken. - -"I dare say we'll get used to that roar," replied Ken, easily, and he -began to pack his guns away in their cases. - -Hal forgot his momentary anxiety; Pepe rowed on, leisurely; and George -lounged in his seat. There was no menace for them in that dull, -continuous roar. - -But Ken knew they would soon be in fast water and before long would drop -down into the real wilderness. It was not now too late to go back up -the river, but soon that would be impossible. Keeping a sharp lookout -ahead, Ken revolved in mind the necessity for caution and skilful -handling of the boat. But he realized, too, that overzealousness on the -side of caution was a worse thing for such a trip than sheer -recklessness. Good judgment in looking over rapids, a quick eye to pick -the best channel, then a daring spirit--that was the ideal to be striven -for in going down swift rivers. - -Presently Ken saw a break in the level surface of the water. He took -Pepe's place at the oars, and, as usual, turned the boat stern first -down-stream. The banks were low and shelved out in rocky points. This -relieved Ken, for he saw that he could land just above the falls. What -he feared was a narrow gorge impossible to portage round or go through. -As the boat approached the break the roar seemed to divide itself, -hollow and shallow near at hand, rushing and heavy farther on. - -Ken rowed close to the bank and landed on the first strip of rock. He -got out and, walking along this ledge, soon reached the fall. It was a -straight drop of some twelve or fifteen feet. The water was shallow all -the way across. - -"Boys, this is easy," said Ken. "We'll pack the outfit round the fall, -and slide the boat over." - -But Ken did not say anything about the white water extending below the -fall as far as he could see. From here came the sullen roar that had -worried him. - -Portaging the supplies around that place turned out to be far from easy. -The portage was not long nor rugged, but the cracked, water-worn, rock -made going very difficult. The boys often stumbled. Pepe fell and broke -open a box, and almost broke his leg. Ken had a hard knock. Then, when -it came to carrying the trunk, one at each corner, progress was -laborious and annoying. Full two hours were lost in transporting the -outfit around the fall. - -Below there was a wide, shelving apron, over which the water ran a foot -or so in depth. Ken stationed Pepe and the boys there, and went up to -get the boat. He waded out with it. Ken saw that his end of this -business was going to be simple enough, but he had doubts as to what -would happen to the boys. - -"Brace yourselves, now," he yelled. "When I drop her over she'll come -a-humming. Hang on if she drags you a mile!" - -Wading out deeper Ken let the boat swing down with the current till the -stern projected over the fall. He had trouble in keeping his footing, -for the rock was slippery. Then with a yell he ran the stern far out -over the drop, bore down hard on the bow, and shoved off. - -The boat shot out and down, to alight with a heavy souse. Then it -leaped into the swift current. George got his hands on it first, and -went down like a ninepin. The boat floated over him. The bow struck -Hal, and would have dragged him away had not Pepe laid powerful hands on -the stern. They waded to the lower ledge. - -"Didn't ship a bucketful," said Hal. "Fine work, Ken." - -"I got all the water," added the drenched and dripping George. - -"Bail out, boys, and repack, while I look below," said Ken. - -He went down-stream a little way to take a survey of the rapids. If -those rapids had been back in Pennsylvania, Ken felt that he could have -gone at them in delight. If the jungle country had been such that -damage to boat or supplies could have been remedied or replaced, these -rapids would not have appeared so bad. Ken walked up and down looking -over the long white inclines more than was wise, and he hesitated about -going into them. But it had to be done. So he went back to the boys. -Then he took the oars with gripping fingers. - -"George, can you swim?" he asked. - -"I'm a second cousin to a fish," replied George. - -"All right. We're off. Now, if we upset, hang to the boat, if you can, -and hold up your legs. George, tell Pepe." - -Ken backed the boat out from the shore. To his right in the middle of -the narrow river was a racy current that he kept out of as long as -possible. But presently he was drawn into it, and the boat shot -forward, headed into the first incline, and went racing smoothly down -toward the white waves of the rapids. - -This was a trying moment for Ken. Grip as hard as he might, the -oar-handles slipped in his sweaty hands. - -The boys were yelling, but Ken could not hear for the din of roaring -waters. The boat sailed down with swift, gliding motion. When it -thumped into the back-lash of the first big waves the water threshed -around and over the boys. Then they were in the thick of rush and roar. -Ken knew he was not handling the boat well. It grazed stones that -should have been easy to avoid, and bumped on hidden ones, and got half -broadside to the current. Pepe, by quick action with an oar, pushed the -stern aside from collision with more than one rock. Several times Ken -missed a stroke when a powerful one was needed. He passed between -stones so close together that he had to ship the oars. It was all rapid -water, this stretch, but the bad places, with sunken rocks, falls, and -big waves, were strung out at such distances apart that Ken had time to -get the boat going right before entering them. - -Ken saw scarcely anything of the banks of the river. They blurred in -his sight. Sometimes they were near, sometimes far. The boat turned -corners where rocky ledges pointed out, constricting the stream and -making a curved channel. What lay around the curve was always a -question and a cause for suspense. Often the boat raced down a chute -and straight toward a rocky wall. Ken would pull back with all his -might, and Pepe would break the shock by striking the wall with his oar. - -More than once Pepe had a narrow escape from being knocked overboard. -George tried to keep him from standing up. Finally at the end of a long -rapid, Pepe, who had the stern-seat, jumped up and yelled. Ken saw a -stone directly in the path of the boat, and he pulled back on the oars -with a quick, strong jerk. Pepe shot out of the stern as if he had been -flung from a catapult. He swam with the current while the boat drifted. -He reached smooth water and the shore before Ken could pick him up. - -It was fun for everybody but Ken. There were three inches of water in -the boat. The canvas, however, had been arranged to protect guns, -grips, and supplies. George had been wet before he entered the rapids, -so a little additional water did not matter to him. Hal was almost as -wet as Pepe. - -"I'm glad that's past," said Ken. - -With that long rapid behind him he felt different. It was what he had -needed. His nervousness disappeared and he had no dread of the next -fall. While the boys bailed out the boat Ken rested and thought. He -had made mistakes in that rapid just passed. Luck had favored him. He -went over the mistakes and saw where he had been wrong, and how he could -have avoided them if he had felt right. Ken realized now that this was -a daredevil trip. And the daredevil in him had been shut up in dread. -It took just that nervous dread, and the hard work, blunders and -accidents, the danger and luck, to liberate the spirit that would make -the trip a success. Pepe and George were loud in their praises of Ken. -But they did not appreciate the real hazard of the undertaking, and if -Hal did he was too much of a wild boy to care. - -"All aboard," called George. - -Then they were on their way again. Ken found himself listening for -rapids. It was no surprise to hear a dull roar round the next bend. -His hair rose stiffly under his hat. But this time he did not feel the -chill, the uncertainty, the lack of confidence that had before weakened -him. - -At the head of a long, shallow incline the boys tumbled overboard, Ken -and Hal at the bow, Pepe and George at the stern. They waded with the -bow up-stream. The water tore around their legs, rising higher and -higher. Soon Pepe and George had to climb in the boat, for the water -became so deep and swift they could not wade. - -"Jump in, Hal," called Ken. - -Then he held to the bow an instant longer, wading a little farther down. -This was ticklish business, and all depended upon Ken. He got the stern -of the boat straight in line with the channel he wanted to run, then he -leaped aboard and made for the oars. The boat sped down. At the bottom -of this incline was a mass of leaping green and white waves. The blunt -stern of the boat made a great splash and the water flew over the boys. -They came through the roar and hiss and spray to glide into a mill-race -current. - -"Never saw such swift water!" exclaimed Ken. - -This incline ended in a sullen plunge between two huge rocks. Ken saw -the danger long before it became evident to his companions. There was -no other way to shoot the rapid. He could not reach the shore. He must -pass between the rocks. Ken pushed on one oar, then on the other, till -he got the boat in line, and then he pushed with both oars. The boat -flew down that incline. It went so swiftly that if it had hit one of -the rocks it would have been smashed to kindling wood. Hal crouched -low. George's face was white. And Pepe leaned forward with his big -arms outstretched, ready to try to prevent a collision. - -Down! down with the speed of the wind! The boat flashed between the -black stones. Then it was raised aloft, light as a feather, to crash -into the back-lashers. The din deafened Ken; the spray blinded him. -The boat seemed to split a white pall of water, then, with many a -bounce, drifted out of that rapid into little choppy waves, and from -them into another long, smooth runway. - -Ken rested, and had nothing to say. Pepe shook his black head. Hal -looked at his brother. George had forgotten his rifle. No one spoke. - -Soon Ken had more work on hand. For round another corner lay more fast -water. The boat dipped on a low fall, and went down into the midst of -green waves with here and there ugly rocks splitting the current. The -stream-bed was continually new and strange to Ken, and he had never seen -such queer formation of rocks. This rapid, however, was easy to -navigate. A slanting channel of swift water connected it with another -rapid. Ken backed into that one, passed through, only to face another. -And so it went for a long succession of shallow rapids. - -A turn in the winding lane of cypresses revealed walls of gray, between -which the river disappeared. - -"Aha!" muttered Ken. - -"Ken, I'll bet this is the place you've been looking for," said Hal. - -The absence of any roar of water emboldened Ken. Nearing the head of -the ravine, he stood upon the seat and looked ahead. But Ken could not -see many rods ahead. The ravine turned, and it was the deceiving turns -in the river that he had feared. What a strange sensation Ken had when -he backed the boat into the mouth of that gorge! He was forced against -his will. Yet there seemed to be a kind of blood-tingling pleasure in -the prospect. - -The current caught the boat and drew it between the gray-green walls of -rock. - -"It's coming to us," said the doubtful George. - -The current ran all of six miles an hour. This was not half as fast as -the boys had traveled in rapids, but it appeared swift enough because of -the nearness of the overshadowing walls. In the shade the water took on -a different coloring. It was brown and oily. It slid along silently. -It was deep, and the swirling current suggested power. Here and there -long, creeping ferns covered the steep stone sides, and above ran a -stream of blue sky fringed by leaning palms. Once Hal put his hands to -his lips and yelled: "Hel-lo!" The yell seemed to rip the silence and -began to clap from wall to wall. It gathered quickness until it clapped -in one fiendish rattle. Then it wound away from the passage, growing -fainter and fainter, and at last died in a hollow echo. - -"Don't do that again," ordered Ken. - -He began to wish he could see the end of that gorge. But it grew -narrower, and the shade changed to twilight, and there were no long, -straight stretches. The river kept turning corners. Quick to note the -slightest change in conditions, Ken felt a breeze, merely a zephyr, fan -his hot face. The current had almost imperceptibly quickened. Yet it -was still silent. Then on the gentle wind came a low murmur. Ken's -pulse beat fast. Turning his ear down-stream, he strained his hearing. -The low murmur ceased. Perhaps he had imagined it. Still he kept -listening. There! Again it came, low, far away, strange. It might -have been the wind in the palms. But no, he could not possibly persuade -himself it was wind. And as that faint breeze stopped he lost the sound -once more. The river was silent, and the boat, and the boys--it was a -silent ride. Ken divined that his companions were enraptured. But this -ride had no beauty, no charm for him. - -There! Another faint puff of wind, and again the low murmur! He -fancied it was louder. He was beginning to feel an icy dread when all -was still once more. So the boat drifted swiftly on with never a gurgle -of water about her gunwales. The river gleamed in brown shadows. Ken -saw bubbles rise and break on the surface, and there was a slight rise -or swell of the water toward the center of the channel. This bothered -him. He could not understand it. But then there had been many other -queer formations of rock and freaks of current along this river. - -The boat glided on and turned another corner, the sharpest one yet. A -long, shadowy water-lane, walled in to the very sides, opened up to -Ken's keen gaze. The water here began to race onward, still wonderfully -silent. And now the breeze carried a low roar. It was changeable yet -persistent. It deepened. - -Once more Ken felt his hair rise under his hat. Cold sweat wet his -skin. Despite the pounding of his heart and the throb of his veins, his -blood seemed to clog, to freeze, to stand still. - -That roar was the roar of rapids. Impossible to go back! If there had -been four sets of oars, Ken and his comrades could not row the heavy -boat back up that swift, sliding river. - -They must go on. - - - - - *X* - - *LOST!* - - -"Ken, old man, do you hear that?" questioned Hal, waking from his -trance. - -George likewise rose out of his lazy contentment. "Must be rapids," he -muttered. "If we strike rapids in this gorge it's all day with us. What -did I tell you!" - -Pepe's dark, searching eyes rested on Ken. - -But Ken had no word for any of them. He was fighting an icy numbness, -and the weakness of muscle and the whirl of his mind. It was thought of -responsibility that saved him from collapse. - -"It's up to you, old man," said Hal, quietly. - -In a moment like this the boy could not wholly be deceived. - -Ken got a grip upon himself. He looked down the long, narrow lane of -glancing water. Some hundred yards on, it made another turn round a -corner, and from this dim curve came the roar. The current was hurrying -the boat toward it, but not fast enough to suit Ken. He wanted to see -the worst, to get into the thick of it, to overcome it. So he helped -the boat along. A few moments sufficed to cover that gliding stretch of -river, yet to Ken it seemed never to have an end. The roar steadily -increased. The current became still stronger. Ken saw eruptions of -water rising as from an explosion beneath the surface. Whirlpools raced -along with the boat. The dim, high walls re-echoed the roaring of the -water. - -The first thing Ken saw when he sailed round that corner was a widening -of the chasm and bright sunlight ahead. Perhaps an eighth of a mile -below the steep walls ended abruptly. Next in quick glance he saw a -narrow channel of leaping, tossing, curling white-crested waves under -sunlighted mist and spray. - -Pulling powerfully back and to the left Ken brought the boat alongside -the cliff. Then he shipped his oars. - -"Hold hard," he yelled, and he grasped the stone. The boys complied, -and thus stopped the boat. Ken stood up on the seat. It was a bad -place he looked down into, but he could not see any rocks. And rocks -were what he feared most. - -"Hold tight, boys," he said. Then he got Pepe to come to him and sit on -the seat. Ken stepped up on Pepe's shoulders and, by holding to the -rock, was able to get a good view of the rapid. It was not a rapid at -all, but a constriction of the channel, and also a steep slant. The -water rushed down so swiftly to get through that it swelled in the -center in a long frothy ridge of waves. The water was deep. Ken could -not see any bumps or splits or white-wreathed rocks, such as were -conspicuous in a rapid. The peril here for Ken was to let the boat hit -the wall or turn broadside or get out of that long swelling ridge. - -He stepped down and turned to the white-faced boys. He had to yell -close to them to make them hear him in the roar. - -"I--can--run--this--place. But--you've got--to help. Pull--the -canvas--up higher in the stern--and hold it." - -Then he directed Pepe to kneel in the bow of the boat with an oar and be -ready to push off from the walls. - -If Ken had looked again or hesitated a moment he would have lost his -nerve. He recognized that fact. And he shoved off instantly. Once the -boat had begun to glide down, gathering momentum, he felt his teeth -grind hard and his muscles grow tense. He had to bend his head from -side to side to see beyond the canvas George and Hal were holding round -their shoulders. He believed with that acting as a buffer in the stern -he could go pounding through those waves. Then he was in the middle of -the channel, and the boat fairly sailed along. Ken kept his oars -poised, ready to drop either one for a stroke. All he wanted was to -enter those foaming, tumultuous waves with his boat pointed right. He -knew he could not hope to see anything low down after he entered the -race. He calculated that the last instant would give him an opportunity -to get his direction in line with some object. - -Then, even as he planned it, the boat dipped on a beautiful glassy -incline, and glided down toward the engulfing, roaring waves. Above -them, just in the center, Ken caught sight of the tufted top of a -palm-tree. That was his landmark! - -The boat shot into a great, curling, back-lashing wave. There was a -heavy shock, a pause, and then Ken felt himself lifted high, while a -huge sheet of water rose fan-shape behind the buffer in the stern. -Walls and sky and tree faded under a watery curtain. Then the boat shot -on again; the light came, the sky shone, and Ken saw his palm-tree. He -pulled hard on the right oar to get the stern back in line. Another -heavy shock, a pause, a blinding shower of water, and then the downward -rush! Ken got a fleeting glimpse of his guiding mark, and sunk the left -oar deep for a strong stroke. The beating of the waves upon the -upraised oars almost threw him out of the boat. The wrestling waters -hissed and bellowed. Down the boat shot and up, to pound and pound, and -then again shoot down. Through the pall of mist and spray Ken always -got a glimpse, quick as lightning, of the palm-tree, and like a demon he -plunged in his oars to keep the boat in line. He was only dimly -conscious of the awfulness of the place. But he was not afraid. He -felt his action as being inspirited by something grim and determined. -He was fighting the river. - -All at once a grating jar behind told him the bow had hit a stone or a -wall. He did not dare look back. The most fleeting instant of time -might be the one for him to see his guiding mark. Then the boat lurched -under him, lifted high with bow up, and lightened. He knew Pepe had -been pitched overboard. - -In spite of the horror of the moment, Ken realized that the lightening -of the boat made it more buoyant, easier to handle. That weight in the -bow had given him an unbalanced craft. But now one stroke here and one -there kept the stern straight. The palm-tree loomed higher and closer -through the brightening mist. Ken no longer felt the presence of the -walls. The thunderous roar had begun to lose some of its volume. Then -with a crash through a lashing wave the boat raced out into the open -light. Ken saw a beautiful foam-covered pool, down toward which the -boat kept bumping over a succession of diminishing waves. - -He gave a start of joy to see Pepe's black head bobbing in the choppy -channel. Pepe had beat the boat to the outlet. He was swimming easily, -and evidently he had not been injured. - -Ken turned the bow toward him. But Pepe did not need any help, and a -few more strokes put him in shallow water. Ken discovered that the -boat, once out of the current, was exceedingly loggy and hard to row. -It was half full of water. Ken's remaining strength went to pull -ashore, and there he staggered out and dropped on the rocky bank. - -The blue sky was very beautiful and sweet to look at just then. But Ken -had to close his eyes. He did not have strength left to keep them open. -For a while all seemed dim and obscure to him. Then he felt a -dizziness, which in turn succeeded to a racing riot of his nerves and -veins. His heart gradually resumed a normal beat, and his bursting -lungs seemed to heal. A sickening languor lay upon him. He could not -hold little stones which he felt under his fingers. He could not raise -his hands. The life appeared to have gone from his legs. - -All this passed, at length, and, hearing Hal's voice, Ken sat up. The -outfit was drying in the sun; Pepe was bailing out the boat; George was -wiping his guns; and Hal was nursing a very disheveled little racoon. - -"You can bring on any old thing now, for all I care," said Hal. "I'd -shoot Lachine Rapids with Ken at the oars." - -"He's a fine boatman," replied George. "Weren't you scared when we were -in the middle of that darned place?" - -"Me? Naw!" - -"Well, I was scared, and don't you forget it," said Ken to them. - -"You were all in, Ken," replied Hal. "Never saw you so tuckered out. -The day you and Prince went after the cougar along that caon -precipice--you were all in that time. George, it took Ken six hours to -climb out of that hole." - -"Tell me about it," said George, all eyes. - -"No stories now," put in Ken. "The sun is still high. We've got to be -on our way. Let's look over the lay of the land." - -Below the pool was a bold, rocky bluff, round which the river split. -What branch to take was a matter of doubt and anxiety to Ken. Evidently -this bluff was an island. It had a yellow front and long bare ledges -leading into the river. - -Ken climbed the bluff, accompanied by the boys, and found it covered -with palm-trees. Up there everything was so dry and hot that it did not -seem to be jungle at all. Even the palms were yellow and parched. Pepe -stood the heat, but the others could not endure it. Ken took one long -look at the surrounding country, so wild and dry and still, and then led -the way down the loose, dusty shelves. - -Thereupon he surveyed the right branch of the river and followed it a -little distance. The stream here foamed and swirled among jagged rocks. -At the foot of this rapid stretched the first dead water Ken had -encountered for miles. A flock of wild geese rose from under his feet -and flew down-stream. - -"Geese!" exclaimed Ken. "I wonder if that means we are getting down -near lagoons or big waters. George, wild geese don't frequent little -streams, do they?" - -"There's no telling where you'll find them in this country," answered -George. "I've chased them right in our orange groves." - -They returned to look at the left branch of the river. It was open and -one continuous succession of low steps. That would have decided Ken -even if the greater volume of water had not gone down on this left side. -As far as he could see was a wide, open river running over little -ledges. It looked to be the easiest and swiftest navigation he had come -upon, and so indeed it proved. The water was swift, and always dropped -over some ledge in a rounded fall that was safe for him to shoot. It -was great fun going over these places. The boys hung their feet over -the gunwales most of the time, sliding them along the slippery ledge or -giving a kick to help the momentum. When they came to a fall, Ken would -drop off the bow, hold the boat back and swing it straight, then jump -in, and over it would go--souse! - -There were so many of these ledges, and they were so close together, -that going over them grew to be a habit. It induced carelessness. The -boat drifted to a brow of a fall full four feet high. Ken, who was at -the bow. leaped off just in time to save the boat. He held on while the -swift water surged about his knees. He yelled for the boys to jump. As -the stern where they sat was already over the fall it was somewhat -difficult to make the boys vacate quickly enough. - -"Tumble out! Quick!" bawled Ken. "Do you think I'm Samson?" - -Over they went, up to their necks in the boiling foam, and not a second -too soon, for Ken could hold the boat no longer. It went over smoothly, -just dipping the stern under water. If the boys had remained aboard, -the boat would have swamped. As it was, Pepe managed to catch the rope, -which Ken had wisely thrown out, and he drifted down to the next ledge. -Ken found this nearly as high as the last one. So he sent the boys -below to catch the boat. This worked all right. The shelves slanted -slightly, with the shallow part of the water just at the break of the -ledge. They passed half a dozen of these, making good time, and before -they knew it were again in a deep, smooth jungle lane with bamboo and -streamers of moss waving over them. - -The shade was cool, and Ken settled down in the stern-seat, grateful for -a rest. To his surprise, he did not see a bird. The jungle was asleep. -Once or twice Ken fancied he heard the tinkle and gurgle of water -running over rocks. The boat glided along silently, with Pepe rowing -leisurely, George asleep, Hal dreaming. - -Ken watched the beautiful green banks. They were high, a mass of -big-leafed vines, flowering and fragrant, above which towered the jungle -giants. Ken wanted to get out and study those forest trees. But he -made no effort to act upon his good intentions, and felt that he must -take the most of his forestry study at long range. He was reveling in -the cool recesses under the leaning cypresses, in the soft swish of -bearded moss, and the strange rustle of palms, in the dreamy hum of the -resting jungle, when his pleasure was brought to an abrupt end. - -"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe. - -George woke up with a start. Hal had been jarred out of his day-dream, -and looked resentful. Ken gazed about him with the feeling of a man -going into a trance, instead of coming out of one. - -The boat was fast on a mud-bank. That branch of the river ended right -there. The boys had come all those miles to run into a blind pocket. - -Ken's glance at the high yellow bank, here crumbling and bare, told him -there was no outlet. He had a sensation of blank dismay. - -"Gee!" exclaimed Hal, softly. - -George rubbed his eyes; and, searching for a cigarette, he muttered: -"We're lost! I said it was coming to us. We've got to go back!" - - - - - *XI* - - *AN ARMY OF SNAKES* - - -For a moment Ken Ward was utterly crushed under the weight of this -sudden blow. It was so sudden that he had no time to think; or his mind -was clamped on the idea of attempting to haul the boat up that long, -insurmountable series of falls. - -"It 'll be an awful job," burst out Hal. - -No doubt in the mind of each boy was the same idea--the long haul, -wading over slippery rocks; the weariness of pushing legs against the -swift current; the packing of supplies uphill; and then the toil of -lifting the heavy boat up over a fall. - -"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and he groaned. That was significant, coming -from a _mozo_, who thought nothing of rowing forty miles in a day. - -"Oh, but it's tough luck," cried Ken. "Why didn't I choose the right -branch of this pesky river?" - -"I think you used your head at that," said Hal. "Most of the water came -down on this side. Where did it go?" - -Hal had hit the vital question, and it cleared Ken's brain. - -"Hal, you're talking sense. Where did that water go? It couldn't all -have sunk into the earth. We'll find out. We won't try to go back. We -_can't_ go back." - -Pepe shoved off the oozy mud, and, reluctantly, as if he appreciated the -dilemma, he turned the boat and rowed along the shore. As soon as Ken -had recovered somewhat he decided there must be an outlet which he had -missed. This reminded him that at a point not far back he had heard the -tinkle and gurgle of unseen water flowing over rocks. - -He directed Pepe to row slowly along the bank that he thought was the -island side. As they glided under the drooping bamboos and silky -curtains of moss George began to call out: "Low bridge! Low bridge!" -For a boy who was forever voicing ill-omened suggestions as to what -might soon happen he was extraordinarily cheerful. - -There were places where all had to lie flat and others where Pepe had to -use his _machete_. This disturbed the _siesta_ of many aquatic birds, -most of which flew swiftly away. But there were many of the -gray-breasted, blue-backed bitterns that did not take to flight. These -croaked dismally, and looked down upon the boys with strange, protruding -eyes. - -"Those darn birds 'll give me the willies," declared Hal. "George, you -just look like them when you croak about what's coming to us." - -"Just wait!" retorted George. "It 'll come, all right. Then I'll have -the fun of seeing you scared silly." - -"What! You'll not do anything of the kind!" cried Hal, hotly. "I've -been in places where such--such a skinny little sap-head as you--" - -"Here, you kids stop wrangling," ordered Ken, who sensed hostilities in -the air. "We've got trouble enough." - -Suddenly Ken signaled Pepe to stop rowing. - -"Boys, I hear running water. Aha! Here's a current. See--it's making -right under this bank." - -Before them was a high wall of broad-leaved vines, so thick that nothing -could be seen through them. Apparently this luxuriant canopy concealed -the bank. Pepe poked an oar into it, but found nothing solid. - -"Pepe, cut a way through. We've got to see where this water runs." - -It was then that Ken came to a full appreciation of a _machete_. He had -often fancied it a much less serviceable tool than an ax. Pepe flashed -the long, bright blade up, down, and around, and presently the boat was -its own length in a green tunnel. Pepe kept on slashing while Ken poled -the boat in and the other boys dumped the cut foliage overboard. Soon -they got through this mass of hanging vine and creeper. Much to Ken's -surprise and delight, he found no high bank, but low, flat ground, -densely wooded, through which ran a narrow, deep outlet of the river. - -"By all that's lucky!" ejaculated Ken. - -George and Hal whooped their pleasure, and Pepe rubbed his muscular -hands. Then all fell silent. The deep, penetrating silence of that -jungle was not provocative of speech. The shade was so black that when a -ray of sunlight did manage to pierce the dense canopy overhead it -resembled a brilliant golden spear. A few lofty palms and a few clumps -of bamboo rather emphasized the lack of these particular species in this -forest. Nor was there any of the familiar streaming moss hanging from -the trees. This glen was green, cool, dark. It did not smell exactly -swampy, but rank, like a place where many water plants were growing. - -[Illustration: KEN SHOT TWICE AT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE] - -The outlet was so narrow that Ken was not able to use the oars. Still, -as the current was swift, the boat went along rapidly. He saw a light -ahead and heard the babble of water. The current quickened, and the -boat drifted suddenly upon the edge of an oval glade, where the hot sun -beat down. A series of abrupt mossy benches, over which the stream slid -almost noiselessly, blocked further progress. - -The first thing about this glade that Ken noted particularly, after the -difficulties presented by the steep steps, was the multitude of snakes -sunning themselves along the line of further progress. - -"Boys, it 'll be great wading down there, hey?" he queried. - -Pepe grumbled for the first time on the trip. Ken gathered from the -native's looks and speech that he did not like snakes. - -"Watch me peg 'em!" yelled Hal, and he began to throw stones with -remarkable accuracy. "Hike, you brown sons-of-guns!" - -George, not to be outdone, made a dive for his .22 and began to pop as -if he had no love for snakes. Ken had doubts about this species. The -snakes were short, thick, dull brown in color, and the way they slipped -into the stream proved they were water-snakes. Ken had never read of a -brown water-moccasin, so he doubted that these belonged to that -poisonous family. Anyway, snakes were the least of his troubles. - -"Boys, you're doing fine," he said. "There are about a thousand snakes -there, and you've hit about six." - -He walked down through the glade into the forest, and was overjoyed to -hear once more the heavy roar of rapids. He went on. The timber grew -thinner, and light penetrated the jungle. Presently he saw the gleam of -water through the trees. Then he hurried back. - -"All right, boys," he shouted. "Here's the river." - -The boys were so immensely relieved that packing the outfit round the -waterfalls was work they set about with alacrity. Ken, who had on his -boots, broke a trail through the ferns and deep moss. Pepe, being -barefoot, wasted time looking for snakes. George teased him. But Pepe -was deadly serious. And the way he stepped and looked made Ken -thoughtful. He had made his last trip with supplies, and was about to -start back to solve the problem of getting the boat down, when a hoarse -yell resounded through the sleeping jungle. Parrots screeched, and -other birds set up a cackling. - -Ken bounded up the slope. - -"Santa Maria!" cried Pepe. - -Ken followed the direction indicated by Pepe's staring eyes and -trembling finger. Hanging from a limb of a tree was a huge black-snake. -It was as thick as Ken's leg. The branch upon which it poised its neck -so gracefully was ten feet high, and the tail curled into the ferns on -the ground. - -"Boys, it's one of the big fellows," cried Ken. - -"Didn't I tell you!" yelled George, running down for his gun. - -Hal seemed rooted to the spot. Pepe began to jabber. Ken watched the -snake, and felt instinctively from its sinister looks that it was -dangerous. George came running back with his .32 and waved it in the -air as he shot. He was so frightened that he forgot to aim. Ken took -the rifle from him. - -"You can't hit him with this. Run after your shotgun. Quick!" - -But the sixteen-gage was clogged with a shell that would not eject. -Ken's guns were in their cases. - -"Holy smoke!" cried George. "He's coming down." - -The black-snake moved his body and began to slide toward the tree-trunk. - -Ken shot twice at the head of the snake. It was a slow-swaying mark hard -to hit. The reptile stopped and poised wonderfully on the limb. He was -not coiled about it, but lay over it with about four feet of neck -waving, swaying to and fro. He watched the boys, and his tongue, like a -thin, black streak, darted out viciously. - -Ken could not hit the head, so he sent a bullet through the thick part -of the body. Swift as a gleam the snake darted from the limb. - -"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe, and he ran off. - -"Look out, boys," shouted Ken. He picked up Pepe's _machete_ and took -to his heels. George and Hal scrambled before him. They ran a hundred -yards or more, and Ken halted in an open rocky spot. He was angry, and -a little ashamed that he had run. The snake did not pursue, and -probably was as badly frightened as the boys had been. Pepe stopped -some distance away, and Hal and George came cautiously back. - -"I don't see anything of him," said Ken. "I'm going back." - -He walked slowly, keeping a sharp outlook, and, returning to the glade, -found blood-stains under the tree. The snake had disappeared without -leaving a trail. - -"If I'd had my shotgun ready!" exclaimed Ken, in disgust. And he made a -note that in the future he would be prepared to shoot. - -"Wasn't he a whopper, Ken?" said Hal. "We ought to have got his hide. -What a fine specimen!" - -"Boys, you drive away those few little snakes while I figure on a way to -get the boat down." - -"Not on your life!" replied Hal. - -George ably sustained Hal's objection. - -"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and then added a loud "No" in English. - -"All right, my brave comrades," rejoined Ken, scornfully. "As I've not -done any work yet or taken any risks, I'll drive the snakes away." - -With Pepe's _machete_ he cut a long forked pole, trimmed it, and, armed -with this weapon, he assaulted the rolls and bands and balls of brown -snakes. He stalked boldly down upon them, pushed and poled, and even -kicked them off the mossy banks. Hal could not stand that, and -presently he got a pole and went to Ken's assistance. - -"Who's hollering now?" he yelled to George. - -Whereupon George cut a long branch and joined the battle. They whacked -and threshed and pounded, keeping time with yells. Everywhere along the -wet benches slipped and splashed the snakes. But after they were driven -into the water they did not swim away. They dove under the banks and -then stretched out their pointed heads from the dripping edge of moss. - -"Say, fellows, we're making it worse for us," declared Ken. "See, the -brown devils won't swim off. We'd better have left them on the bank. -Let's catch one and see if he'll bite." - -He tried to pick up one on his pole, but it slipped off. George fished -after another. Hal put the end of his stick down inside the coil of -still another and pitched it. The brown, wriggling, wet snake shot -straight at the unsuspecting George, and struck him and momentarily -wound about him. - -"Augrrh!" bawled George, flinging off the reptile and leaping back. -"What 'd you do that for? I'll punch you!" - -"George, he didn't mean it," said Ken. "It was an accident. Come on, -let's tease that fellow and see if he'll bite." - -The snake coiled and raised his flat head and darted a wicked tongue out -and watched with bright, beady eyes, but he did not strike. Ken went as -close as he thought safe and studied the snake. - -"Boys, his head isn't a triangle, and there are no little pits under his -eyes. Those are two signs of a poisonous snake. I don't believe this -fellow's one." - -"He'll be a dead snake, b' gosh," replied George, and he fell to -pounding it with his pole. - -"Don't smash him. I want the skin," yelled Hal. - -Ken pondered on the situation before him. - -"Come, the sooner we get at this the better," he said. - -There was a succession of benches through which the stream zigzagged and -tumbled. These benches were rock ledges over which moss had grown fully -a foot thick, and they were so oozy and slippery that it was no easy -task to walk upon them. Then they were steep, so steep that it was -remarkable how the water ran over them so smoothly, with very little -noise or break. It was altogether a new kind of waterfall to Ken. But -if the snakes had not been hidden there, navigation would have presented -an easier problem. - -"Come on boys, alongside now, and hold back," he ordered, gripping the -bow. - -Exactly what happened the next few seconds was not clear in his mind. -There was a rush, and all were being dragged by the boat. The glade -seemed to whizz past. There were some sodden thumps, a great splashing, -a check--and lo! they were over several benches. It was the quickest -and easiest descent he had ever made down a steep waterfall. - -"Fine!" ejaculated George, wiping the ooze from his face. - -"Yes, it was fine," Ken replied. "But unless this boat has wings -something 'll happen soon." - -Below was a long, swift curve of water, very narrow and steep, with a -moss-covered rock dividing the lower end. Ken imagined if there was a -repetition of the first descent the boat would be smashed on that rock. -He ordered Pepe, who was of course the strongest, to go below and jump -to the rock. There he might prevent a collision. - -Pepe obeyed, but as he went he yelled and doubled up in contortions as -he leaped over snakes in the moss. - -Then gently, gingerly the boys started the boat off the bench, where it -had lodged. George was at the stern, Ken and Hal at the bow. Suddenly -Hal shrieked and jumped straight up, to land in the boat. - -"Snakes!" he howled. - -"Give us a rest!" cried Ken, in disgust. - -The boat moved as if instinct with life. It dipped, then--_wheeze!_ it -dove over the bench. Hal was thrown off his feet, fell back on the -gunwale, and thence into the snaky moss. George went sprawling face -downward into the slimy ooze, and Ken was jerked clear off the bench -into the stream. He got his footing and stood firm in water to his -waist, and he had the bow-rope coiled round his hands. - -"Help! Help!" he yelled, as he felt the dragging weight too much for -him. - -If Ken retarded the progress of the boat at all, it was not much. -George saw his distress and the danger menacing the boat, and he leaped -valiantly forward. As he dashed down a slippery slant his feet flew up -higher than where his head had been; he actually turned over in the air, -and fell with a great sop. - -Hal had been trying to reach Ken, but here he stopped and roared with -laughter. - -Despite Ken's anger and fear of snakes, and his greater fear for the -boat, he likewise had to let out a peal of laughter. That tumble of -George's was great. Then Ken's footing gave way and he went down. His -mouth filled with nasty water, nearly strangling him. He was almost -blinded, too. His arms seemed to be wrenched out of their sockets, and -he felt himself bumping over moss-covered rocks as soft as cushions. -Slimy ropes or roots of vegetation, that felt like snakes, brushed his -face and made him cold and sick. It was impossible to hold the boat any -longer. He lodged against a stone, and the swift water forced him upon -it. Blinking and coughing, he stuck fast. - -Ken saw the boat headed like a dart for the rock where Pepe stood. - -"Let 'er go!" yelled Ken. "Don't try to stop her. Pepe, you'll be -smashed!" - -Pepe acted like a man determined to make up for past cowardice. He made -a great show of brave intentions. He was not afraid of a boat. He -braced himself and reached out with his brawny arms. Ken feared for the -obstinate native's life, for the boat moved with remarkable velocity. - -At the last second Pepe's courage vanished. He turned tail to get out of -the way. But he slipped. The boat shot toward him and the blunt stern -struck him with a dull thud. Pepe sailed into the air, over the rock, -and went down cleaving the water. - -The boat slipped over the stone as easily as if it had been a wave and, -gliding into still water below, lodged on the bank. - -Ken crawled out of the stream, and when he ascertained that no one was -injured he stretched himself on the ground and gave up to mirth. Pepe -resembled a drowned rat; Hal was an object to wonder at; and George, in -his coating of slime and with strings of moss in his hair, was the -funniest thing Ken had ever seen. It was somewhat of a surprise to him -to discover, presently, that the boys were convulsed with fiendish glee -over the way he himself looked. - -By and by they recovered, and, with many a merry jest and chuckle of -satisfaction, they repacked the boat and proceeded on their way. No -further obstacle hindered them. They drifted out of the shady jungle -into the sunlit river. - -In half a mile of drifting the heat of the sun dried the boys' clothes. -The water was so hot that it fairly steamed. Once more the boat entered -a placid aisle over which the magnificent gray-wreathed cypresses bowed, -and the west wind waved long ribbons of moss, and wild fowl winged -reluctant flight. - -Ken took advantage of this tranquil stretch of river to work on his map. -He realized that he must use every spare moment and put down his -drawings and notes as often as time and travel permitted. It had dawned -on Ken that rapids and snakes, and all the dangers along the river, made -his task of observation and study one apt to be put into eclipse at -times. Once or twice he landed on shore to climb a bluff, and was -pleased each time to see that he had lined a comparatively true course -on his map. He had doubts of its absolute accuracy, yet he could not -help having pride in his work. So far so good, he thought, and hoped -for good-fortune farther down the river. - - - - - *XII* - - *CATCHING STRANGE FISH* - - -Beyond a bend in the river the boys came upon an island with a narrow, -shaded channel on one side, a wide shoal on the other, and a group of -huge cypresses at the up-stream end. - -"Looks good to me," said Hal. - -The instant Ken saw the island he knew it was the place he had long been -seeking to make a permanent camp for a few days. They landed, to find an -ideal camping site. The ground under the cypresses was flat, dry, and -covered with short grass. Not a ray of sunlight penetrated the foliage. -A pile of driftwood had lodged against one of the trees, and this made -easy the question of fire-wood. - -"Great!" exclaimed Ken. "Come on, let's look over the ground." - -The island was about two hundred yards long, and the lower end was -hidden by a growth of willows. Bursting through this, the boys saw a -weedy flat leading into a wide, shallow back-eddy. Great numbers of -ducks were sporting and feeding. The stones of the rocky shore were -lined with sleeping ducks. Herons of all colors and sizes waded about, -or slept on one leg. Snipe ran everywhere. There was a great squawking -and flapping of wings. But at least half the number of waterfowl were -too tame or too lazy to fly. - -Ken returned to camp with his comrades, all highly elated over the -prospects. The best feature about this beautiful island was the absence -of ticks and snakes. - -"Boys, this is the place," said Ken. "We'll hang up here for a while. -Maybe we won't strike another such nice place to stay." - -So they unloaded the boat, taking everything out, and proceeded to pitch -a camp that was a delight. They were all loud in expressions of -satisfaction. Then Pepe set about leisurely peeling potatoes; George -took his gun and slipped off toward the lower end of the island; Hal -made a pen for his racoon, and then more pens, as if he meant to capture -a menagerie; and Ken made a comfortable lounging-bed under a cypress. -He wanted to forget that nagging worry as to farther descent of the -river, and to enjoy this place. - -"Bang!" went George's sixteen-gage. A loud whirring of wings followed, -and the air was full of ducks. - -"Never touched one!" yelled Hal, in taunting voice. - -A flock of teal skimmed the water and disappeared up-stream. The shot -awakened parrots in the trees, where for a while there was clamor. Ken -saw George wade out into the shoal and pick up three ducks. - -"Pot-shot!" exclaimed Hal, disgustedly. "Why couldn't he be a sport and -shoot them on the fly?" - -George crossed to the opposite shore and, climbing a bare place, stood -looking before him. - -"Hey, George, don't go far," called Ken. - -"Fine place over here," replied George, and, waving his hand, he passed -into the bushes out of sight. - -Ken lay back upon his blanket with a blissful sense of rest and -contentment. Many a time he had lain so, looking up through the broad -leaves of a sycamore or the lacy foliage of a birch or the delicate -crisscross of millions of pine needles. This overhead canopy, however, -was different. Only here and there could he catch little slivers of -blue sky. The graceful streamers of exquisite moss hung like tassels of -silver. In the dead stillness of noonday they seemed to float curved in -the shape in which the last soft breeze had left them. High upon a -branch he saw a red-headed parrot hanging back downward, after the -fashion of a monkey. Then there were two parrots asleep in the fork of -a branch. It was the middle of the day, and all things seemed tired and -sleepy. The deep channel murmured drowsily, and the wide expanse of -river on the other side lapped lazily at the shore. The only other -sound was the mourning of turtle-doves, one near and another far away. -Again the full richness, the mellow sweetness of this song struck Ken -forcibly. He remembered that all the way down the river he had heard -that mournful note. It was beautiful but melancholy. Somehow it made -him think that it had broken the dreamy stillness of the jungle noonday -long, long ago. It was sweet but sad and old. He did not like to hear -it. - -Ken yielded to the soothing influence of the hour and fell asleep. When -he awoke there was George, standing partially undressed and very soberly -popping ticks. He had enlisted the services of Pepe, and, to judge from -the remarks of both, they needed still more assistance. - -"Say, Garrapato George, many ticks over there?" - -"Ticks!" shouted George, wildly, waving his cigarette. "Millions of -'em! And there's--ouch! Kill that one, Pepe. Wow! he's as big as a -penny. There's game over there. It's a flat with some kind of berry -bush. There's lots of trails. I saw cat-tracks, and I scared up wild -turkeys--" - -"Turkeys!" Ken exclaimed, eagerly. - -"You bet. I saw a dozen. How they can run! I didn't flush them. Then -I saw a flock of those black and white ducks, like the big fellow I -shot. They were feeding. I believe they're Muscovy ducks." - -"I'm sure I don't know, but we can call them that." - -"Well, I'd got a shot, too, but I saw some gray things sneaking in the -bushes. I thought they were pigs, so I got out of there quick." - -"You mean javelin?" - -"Yep, I mean wild pigs. Oh! We've struck the place for game. I'll bet -it's coming to us." - -When George anticipated pleasurable events he was the most happy of -companions. It was good to look forward. He was continually expecting -things to happen; he was always looking ahead with great eagerness. But -unfortunately he had a twist of mind toward the unfavorable side of -events, and so always had the boys fearful. - -"Well, pigs or no pigs, ticks or no ticks, we'll hunt and fish, and see -all there is to see," declared Ken, and he went back to his lounging. - -When he came out of that lazy spell, George and Hal were fishing. -George had Ken's rod, and it happened to be the one Ken thought most of. - -"Do you know how to fish?" he asked. - -"I've caught tarpon bigger'n you," retorted George. - -That fact was indeed too much for Ken, and he had nothing to do but risk -his beloved rod in George's hands. And the way George swung it about, -slashed branches with it, dropped the tip in the water, was exceedingly -alarming to Ken. The boy would break the tip in a minute. Yet Ken -could not take his rod away from a boy who had caught tarpon. - -There were fish breaking water. Where a little while before the river -had been smooth, now it was ruffled by _ravalo_, gar, and other fish -Pepe could not name. But George and Hal did not get a bite. They tried -all their artificial flies and spoons and minnows, then the preserved -mullet, and finally several kinds of meat. - -"Bah! they want pie," said Hal. - -For Ken Ward to see little and big fish capering around under his very -nose and not be able to hook one was exasperating. He shot a small -fish, not unlike a pickerel, and had the boys bait with that. Still no -strike was forthcoming. - -This put Ken on his mettle. He rigged up a minnow tackle, and, going to -the lower end of the island, he tried to catch some minnows. There were -plenty of them in the shallow water, but they would not bite. Finally -Ken waded in the shoal and turned over stones. He found some snails -almost as large as mussels, and with these he hurried back to the boys. - -"Here, if you don't get a bite on one of these I'm no fisherman," said -Ken. "Try one." - -George got his hands on the new bait in advance of Hal and so threw his -hook into the water first. No sooner had the bait sunk than he got a -strong pull. - -"There! Careful now," said Ken. - -George jerked up, hooking a fish that made the rod look like a -buggy-whip. - -"Give me the rod," yelled Ken, trying to take it. - -"It's my fish," yelled back George. - -He held on and hauled with all his might. A long, finely built fish, -green as emerald, split the water and churned it into foam. Then, -sweeping out in strong dash, it broke Ken's rod square in the middle. -Ken eyed the wreck with sorrow, and George with no little disapproval. - -"You said you knew how to fish," protested Ken. - -"Those split-bamboo rods are no good," replied George. "They won't hold -a fish." - -"George, you're a grand fisherman!" observed Hal, with a chuckle. "Why, -you only dreamed you've caught tarpon." - -Just then Hal had a tremendous strike. He was nearly hauled off the -bank. But he recovered his balance and clung to his nodding rod. Hal's -rod was heavy cane, and his line was thick enough to suit. So nothing -broke. The little brass reel buzzed and rattled. - -"I've got a whale!" yelled Hal. - -"It's a big gar--alligator-gar," said George. "You haven't got him. -He's got you." - -The fish broke water, showing long, open jaws with teeth like saw-teeth. -It threshed about and broke away. Hal reeled in to find the hook -straightened out. Then George kindly commented upon the very skilful -manner in which Hal had handled the gar. For a wonder Hal did not reply. - -By four o'clock, when Ken sat down to supper, he was so thirsty that his -mouth puckered as dry as if he had been eating green persimmons. This -matter of thirst had become serious. Twice each day Ken had boiled a -pot of water, into which he mixed cocoa, sugar, and condensed milk, and -begged the boys to drink that and nothing else. Nevertheless Pepe and -George, and occasionally Hal, would drink unboiled water. For this meal -the boys had venison and duck, and canned vegetables and fruit, so they -fared sumptuously. - -Pepe pointed to a string of Muscovy ducks sailing up the river. George -had a good shot at the tail end of the flock, and did not even loosen a -feather. Then a line of cranes and herons passed over the island. When -a small bunch of teal flew by, to be followed by several canvasbacks, -Ken ran for his shotgun. It was a fine hammerless, a hard-shooting gun, -and one Ken used for grouse-hunting. In his hurry he grasped a handful -of the first shells he came to and, when he ran to the river-bank, found -they were loads of small shot. He decided to try them anyhow. - -While Pepe leisurely finished the supper Ken and George and Hal sat on -the bank watching for ducks. Just before the sun went down a hard wind -blew, making difficult shooting. Every few moments ducks would whir by. -George's gun missed fire often, and when it did work all right, he -missed the ducks. To Ken's surprise he found the load of small shot -very deadly. He could sometimes reach a duck at eighty yards. The -little brown ducks and teal he stopped as if they had hit a stone wall. -He dropped a canvasback with the sheer dead plunge that he liked. Ken -thought a crippled duck enough to make a hunter quit shooting. With six -ducks killed, he decided to lay aside his gun for that time, when Pepe -pointed down the river. - -"Pato real," he said. - -Ken looked eagerly and saw three of the big black ducks flying as high -as the treetops and coming fast. Snapping a couple of shells in the -gun, Ken stood ready. At the end of the island two of the ducks wheeled -to the left, but the big leader came on like a thunderbolt. To Ken he -made a canvasback seem slow. Ken caught him over the sights of the gun, -followed him up till he was abreast and beyond; then, sweeping a little -ahead of him, Ken pulled both triggers. The Muscovy swooped up and -almost stopped in his flight while a cloud of black feathers puffed away -on the wind. He sagged a little, recovered, and flew on as strong as -ever. The small shot were not heavy enough to stop him. - -"We'll need big loads for the Muscovies and the turkeys," said George. - -"We've all sizes up to BB's," replied Ken. "George, let's take a walk -over there where you saw the turkeys. It's early yet." - -Then Pepe told George if they wanted to see game at that hour the thing -to do was to sit still in camp and watch the game come down to the river -to drink. And he pointed down-stream to a herd of small deer quietly -walking out on the bar. - -"After all the noise we made!" exclaimed Ken. "Well, this beats me. -George, we'll stay right here and not shoot again to-night. I've an -idea we'll see something worth while." - -It was Pepe's idea, but Ken instantly saw its possibilities. There were -no tributaries to the river or springs in that dry jungle, and, as -manifestly the whole country abounded in game, it must troop down to the -river in the cool of the evening to allay the hot day's thirst. The -boys were perfectly situated for watching the dark bank on the channel -side of the island as well as the open bars on the other. The huge -cypresses cast shadows that even in daylight effectually concealed them. -They put out the camp-fire and, taking comfortable seats in the folds of -the great gnarled roots, began to watch and listen. - -The vanguard of thirsty deer had prepared Ken for something remarkable, -and he was in no wise disappointed. The trooping of deer down to the -water's edge and the flight of wild fowl up-stream increased in -proportion to the gathering shadows of twilight. The deer must have got -a scent, for they raised their long ears and stood still as statues, -gazing across toward the upper end of the island. But they showed no -fear. It was only when they had drunk their fill and wheeled about to -go up the narrow trails over the bank that they showed uneasiness and -haste. This made Ken wonder if they were fearful of being ambushed by -jaguars. Soon the dark line of deer along the shore shaded into the -darkness of night. Then Ken heard soft splashes and an occasional -patter of hard hoofs. The whir of wings had ceased. - -A low exclamation from Pepe brought attention to interesting -developments closer at hand. - -"Javelin!" he whispered. - -On the channel side of the island was impenetrable pitchy blackness. -Ken tried to pierce it with straining eyes, but he could not even make -out the shore-line that he knew was only ten yards distant. Still he -could hear, and that was thrilling enough. Everywhere on this side, -along the edge of the water and up the steep bank, were faint tickings -of twigs and soft rustlings of leaves. Then there was a continuous -sound, so low as to be almost inaudible, that resembled nothing Ken -could think of so much as a long line of softly dripping water. It -swelled in volume to a tiny roll, and ended in a sharp clicking on rocks -and a gentle splashing in the water. A drove of _javelin_ had come down -to drink. Occasionally the glint of green eyes made the darkness all the -more weird. Suddenly a long, piercing wail, a keen cry almost human, -quivered into the silence. - -"Panther!" Ken whispered, instantly, to the boys. It was a different -cry from that of the lion of the caon, but there was a strange wild -note that betrayed the species. A stillness fell, dead as that of a -subterranean cavern. Strain his ears as he might, Ken could not detect -the slightest sound. It was as if no _javelin_ or any other animals had -come down to drink. That listening, palpitating moment seemed endless. -What mystery of wild life it meant, that silence following the cry of -the panther! Then the jungle sounds recommenced--the swishing of water, -the brushing in the thicket, stealthy padded footsteps, the faint -snapping of twigs. Some kind of a cat uttered an unearthly squall. Close -upon this the clattering of deer up the bank on the other side rang out -sharply. The deer were running, and the striking of the little hoofs -ceased in short order. Ken listened intently. From far over the bank -came a sound not unlike a cough--deep, hoarse, inexpressibly wild and -menacing. - -"Tigre!" cried Pepe, gripping Ken hard with both hands. He could feel -him trembling. It showed how the native of the jungle-belt feared the -jaguar. - -Again the cough rasped out, nearer and louder this time. It was not a -courage-provoking sound, and seemed on second thought more of a growl -than a cough. Ken felt safe on the island; nevertheless, he took up his -rifle. - -"That's a tiger," whispered George. "I heard one once from the porch of -the Alamitas hacienda." - -A third time the jaguar told of his arrival upon the night scene. Ken -was excited, and had a thrill of fear. He made up his mind to listen -with clearer ears, but the cough or growl was not repeated. - -Then a silence set in, so unbroken that it seemed haunted by the echoes -of those wild jungle cries. Perhaps Ken had the haunting echoes in -mind. He knew what had sent the deer away and stilled the splashings -and creepings. It was the hoarse voice of the lord of the jungle. - -Pepe and the boys, too, fell under the spell of the hour. They did not -break the charm by talking. Giant fireflies accentuated the ebony -blackness and a low hum of insects riveted the attention on the -stillness. Ken could not understand why he was more thoughtful on this -trip than he had ever been before. Somehow he felt immeasurably older. -Probably that was because it had seemed necessary for him to act like a -man, even if he was only a boy. - -The black mantle of night lifted from under the cypresses, leaving a -gloom that slowly paled. Through the dark foliage, low down over the -bank, appeared the white tropical moon. Shimmering gleams chased the -shadows across the ripples, and slowly the river brightened to a silver -sheen. - -A great peace fell upon the jungle world. How white, how wild, how -wonderful! It only made the island more beautiful and lonely. The -thought of leaving it gave Ken Ward a pang. Almost he wished he were a -savage. - -And he lay there thinking of the wild places that he could never see, -where the sun shone, the wind blew, the twilight shadowed, the rain -fell; where the colors and beauties changed with the passing hours; -where a myriad of wild creatures preyed upon each other and night never -darkened but upon strife and death. - - - - - *XIII* - - *A TURKEY-HUNT* - - -Upon awakening in the early morning Ken found his state one of huge -enjoyment. He was still lazily tired, but the dead drag and ache had -gone from his bones. A cool breeze wafted the mist from the river, -breaking it up into clouds, between which streamed rosy shafts of -sunlight. Wood-smoke from the fire Pepe was starting blew fragrantly -over him. A hundred thousand birds seemed to be trying to burst their -throats. The air was full of music. He lay still, listening to this -melodious herald of the day till it ceased. - -Then a flock of parrots approached and circled over the island, -screeching like a band of flying imps. Presently they alighted in the -cypresses, bending the branches to a breaking-point and giving the trees -a spotted appearance of green and red. Pepe waved his hand toward -another flock sweeping over. - -"Parrakeets," he said. - -These birds were a solid green, much smaller than the red-heads, with -longer tails. They appeared wilder than the red-heads, and flew higher, -circling the same way and screeching, but they did not alight. Other -flocks sailed presently from all directions. The last one was a cloud -of parrots, a shining green and yellow mass several acres in extent. -They flew still higher than the parrakeets. - -"Yellow-heads!" shouted George. "They're the big fellows, the talkers. -If there ain't a million of 'em!" - -The boys ate breakfast in a din that made conversation useless. The -red-heads swooped down upon the island, and the two unfriendly species -flew back and forth, manifestly trying to drive the boys off. The mist -had blown away, the sun was shining bright, when the myriad of parrots, -in large and small flocks, departed to other jungle haunts. - -Pepe rowed across the wide shoal to the sand-bars. There in the soft -ooze, among the hundreds of deer-tracks, Ken found a jaguar-track larger -than his spread hand. It was different from a lion-track, yet he could -not distinguish just what the difference was. Pepe, who had accompanied -the boys to carry the rifles and game, pointed to the track and said, -vehemently: - -"Tigre!" He pronounced it "tee-gray." And he added, "Grande!" - -"Big he certainly is," Ken replied. "Boys, we'll kill this jaguar. -We'll bait this drinking-trail with a deer carcass and watch to-night." - -Once upon the bank, Ken was surprised to see a wide stretch of -comparatively flat land. It was covered with a low vegetation, with -here and there palm-trees on the little ridges and bamboo clumps down in -the swales. Beyond the flat rose the dark line of dense jungle. It was -not clear to Ken why that low piece of ground was not overgrown with the -matted thickets and vines and big trees characteristic of other parts of -the jungle. They struck into one of the trails, and had not gone a -hundred paces when they espied a herd of deer. The grass and low bushes -almost covered them. George handed his shotgun to Pepe and took his -rifle. - -"Shoot low," said Ken. - -George pulled the trigger, and with the report a deer went down, but it -was not the one Ken was looking at, nor the one at which he believed -George had aimed. The rest of the herd bounded away, to disappear in a -swale. Wading through bushes and grass, they found George's quarry, a -small deer weighing perhaps sixty pounds. Pepe carried it over to the -trail. Ken noted that he was exceedingly happy to carry the rifles. -They went on at random, somehow feeling that, no matter in what -direction, they would run into something to shoot at. - -The first bamboo swale was alive with _chicalocki_. Up to this time Ken -had not seen this beautiful pheasant fly in the open, and he was -astonished at its speed. It would burst out of the thick bamboo, whir -its wings swiftly, then sail. That sail was a most graceful thing to -see. George pulled his 16-gage twice, and missed both times. He had -the beginner's fault--shooting too soon. Presently Pepe beat a big cock -_chicalocki_ out of the bush. He made such a fine target, he sailed so -evenly, that Ken simply looked at him over the gun-sights and followed -him till he was out of sight. The next one he dropped like a plummet. -Shooting _chicalocki_ was too easy, he decided; they presented so fair a -mark that it was unfair to pull on them. - -George was an impetuous hunter. Ken could not keep near him, nor coax -or command him to stay near. He would wander off by himself. That was -one mark in his favor: at least he had no fear. Pepe hung close to Ken -and Hal, with his dark eyes roving everywhere. Ken climbed out on one -side of the swale, George on the other. Catching his whistle, Ken -turned to look after him. He waved, and, pointing ahead, began to stoop -and slip along from bush to bush. Presently a flock of Muscovy ducks -rose before him, sailed a few rods, and alighted. Then from right under -his feet labored up great gray birds. Wild geese! Ken recognized them -as George's gun went _bang_! One tumbled over, the others wheeled -toward the river. Ken started down into the swale to cross to where -George was, when Pepe touched his arm. - -"Turkeys!" he whispered. - -That changed Ken's mind. Pepe pointed into the low bushes ahead and -slowly led Ken forward. He heard a peculiar low thumping. Trails led -everywhere, and here and there were open patches covered with a scant -growth of grass. Across one of these flashed a bronze streak, then -another and another. - -"Shoot! Shoot!" said Pepe, tensely. - -Those bronze streaks were running turkeys! The thumpings were made by -their rapidly moving feet! - -"Don't they flush--fly?" Ken queried of Pepe. - -"No--no--shoot!" exclaimed he, as another streak of brown crossed an -open spot. Ken hurriedly unbreached his gun and changed the light -shells for others loaded with heavy shot. He reached the edge of a bare -spot across which a turkey ran with incredible swiftness. He did not -get the gun in line with it at all. Then two more broke out of the -bushes. Run! They were as swift as flying quail. Ken took two -snap-shots, and missed both times. If any one had told him that he -would miss a running turkey at fifty feet, he would have been insulted. -But he did not loosen a feather. Loading again, he yelled for George. - -"Hey, George--turkeys!" - -He whooped, and started across on the run. - -"Gee!" said Hal. "Ken, I couldn't do any worse shooting than you. Let -me take a few pegs." - -Ken handed over the heavy gun and fell back a little, giving Hal the -lead. They walked on, peering closely into the bushes. Suddenly a -beautiful big gobbler ran out of a thicket, and then stopped to stretch -out his long neck and look. - -"Shoot--hurry!" whispered Ken. "What a chance!" - -"That's a tame turkey," said Hal. - -"Tame! Why, you tenderfoot! He's as wild as wild. Can't you see -that?" - -Ken's excitement and Pepe's intense eagerness all at once seemed -communicated to Hal. He hauled up the gun, fingered the triggers -awkwardly, then shot both barrels. He tore a tremendous hole in the -brush some few feet to one side of the turkey. Then the great bird ran -swiftly out of sight. - -"Didn't want to kill him sitting, anyhow," said Hal, handing the gun -back to Ken. - -"We want to eat some wild turkey, don't we? Well, we'd better take any -chance. These birds are game, Hal, and don't you forget that!" - -"What's all the shooting?" panted George, as he joined the march. - -Just then there was a roar in the bushes, and a brown blur rose and -whizzed ahead like a huge bullet. That turkey had flushed. Ken watched -him fly till he went down out of sight into a distant swale. - -"Pretty nifty flier, eh?" said George. "He was too quick for me." - -"Great!" replied Ken. - -There was another roar, and a huge bronze cannon-ball sped straight -ahead. Ken shot both barrels, then George shot one, all clean misses. -Ken watched this turkey fly, and saw him clearer. He had to admit that -the wild turkey of the Tamaulipas jungle had a swifter and more -beautiful flight than his favorite bird, the ruffled grouse. - -"Walk faster," said George. "They'll flush better. I don't see how I'm -to hit one. This goose I'm carrying weighs about a ton." - -The hunters hurried along, crashing through the bushes. They saw turkey -after turkey. _Bang!_ went George's gun. - -Then a beautiful sight made Ken cry out and forget to shoot. Six -turkeys darted across an open patch--how swiftly they ran!--then rose in -a bunch. The roar they made, the wonderfully rapid action of their -powerful wings, and then the size of them, their wildness and noble -gameness made them the royal game for Ken. - -At the next threshing in the bushes his gun was leveled; he covered the -whistling bronze thing that shot up. The turkey went down with a crash. -Pepe yelled, and as he ran forward the air all about him was full of -fine bronze feathers. Ken hurried forward to see his bird. Its -strength and symmetry, and especially the beautiful shades of bronze, -captivated his eye. - -"Come on, boys--this is the greatest game I ever hunted," he called. - -Again Pepe yelled, and this time he pointed. From where Ken stood he -could not see anything except low, green bushes. In great excitement -George threw up his gun and shot. Ken heard a squealing. - -"Javelin! Javelin!" yelled Pepe, in piercing alarm. - -George jerked a rifle from him and began to shoot. Hal pumped his .22 -into the bushes. The trampling of hard little hoofs and a cloud of dust -warned Ken where the javelin were. Suddenly Pepe broke and fled for the -river. - -"Hyar, Pepe, fetch back my rifle," shouted Ken, angrily. - -Pepe ran all the faster. - -George turned and dashed away yelling: "Wild pigs! Wild pigs!" - -"Look out, Ken! Run! Run!" added Hal; and he likewise took to his -heels. - -It looked as if there was nothing else for Ken to do but to make tracks -from that vicinity. Never before had he run from a danger which he had -not seen; but the flight of the boys was irresistibly contagious, and -this, coupled with the many stories he had heard of the _javelin_, made -Ken execute a sprint that would have been a record but for the hampering -weight of gun and turkey. He vowed he would hold on to both, pigs or no -pigs; nevertheless he listened as he ran and nervously looked back -often. It may have been excited imagination that the dust-cloud -appeared to be traveling in his wake. Fortunately, the distance to the -river did not exceed a short quarter of a mile. Hot, winded, and -thoroughly disgusted with himself, Ken halted on the bank. Pepe was -already in the boat, and George was scrambling aboard. - -"A fine--chase--you've given--me," Ken panted. "There's nothing--after -us." - -"Don't you fool yourself," returned George, quickly. "I saw those pigs, -and, like the ass I am, I blazed away at one with my shotgun." - -"Did he run at you? That's what I want to know?" demanded Ken. - -George said he was not certain about that, but declared there always was -danger if a wounded _javelin_ squealed. Pepe had little to say; he -refused to go back after the deer left in the trail. So they rowed -across the shoal, and on the way passed within a rod of a big crocodile. - -"Look at that fellow," cried George. "Wish I had my rifle loaded. He's -fifteen feet long." - -"Oh no, George, he's not more than ten feet," said Ken. - -"You don't see his tail. He's a whopper. Pepe told me there was one in -this pool. We'll get him, all right." - -They reached camp tired out, and all a little ruffled in temper, which -certainly was not eased by the discovery that they were covered with -ticks. Following the cue of his companions, Ken hurriedly stripped off -his clothes and hung them where they could singe over the camp-fire. -There were broad red bands of _pinilius_ round both ankles, and reddish -patches on the skin of his arms. Here and there were black spots about -the size of his little finger-nail, and these were _garrapatoes_. He -picked these off one by one, rather surprised to find them come off so -easily. Suddenly he jumped straight up with a pain as fierce as if it -had been a puncture from a red-hot wire. - -Pepe grinned; and George cried: - -"Aha! that was a garrapato bite, that was! You just wait!" - -George had a hundred or more of the big black ticks upon him, and he was -remorselessly popping them with his cigarette. Some of them were biting -him, too, judging from the way he flinched. Pepe had attracted to -himself a million or more of the _pinilius_, but very few of the larger -pests. He generously came to Ken's assistance. Ken was trying to pull -off the _garrapato_ that had bitten a hole in him. Pepe said it had -embedded its head, and if pulled would come apart, leaving the head -buried in the flesh, which would cause inflammation. Pepe held the -glowing end of his cigarette close over the tick, and it began to squirm -and pull out its head. When it was free of the flesh Pepe suddenly -touched it with the cigarette, and it exploded with a pop. A difficult -question was: Which hurt Ken the most, the burn from the cigarette or -the bite of the tick? Pepe scraped off as many _pinilius_ as would -come, and then rubbed Ken with _canya_, the native alcohol. If this was -not some kind of vitriol, Ken missed his guess. It smarted so keenly he -thought his skin was peeling off. Presently, however, the smarting -subsided, and so did the ticks. - -Hal, who by far was the most sensitive one in regard to the crawling and -biting of the jungle pests, had been remarkably fortunate in escaping -them. So he made good use of his opportunity to poke fun at the others, -particularly Ken. - -George snapped out: "Just wait, Hollering Hal!" - -"Don't you call me that!" said Hal, belligerently. - -Ken eyed his brother in silence, but with a dark, meaning glance. It -had occurred to Ken that here in this jungle was the only place in the -world where he could hope to pay off old scores on Hal. And plots began -to form in his mind. - -They lounged about camp, resting in the shade during the hot midday -hours. For supper they had a superfluity of meat, the waste of which -Ken deplored, and he assuaged his conscience by deciding to have a taste -of each kind. The wild turkey he found the most toothsome, delicious -meat it had ever been his pleasure to eat. What struck him at once was -the flavor, and he could not understand it until Pepe explained that the -jungle turkey lived upon a red pepper. So the Tamaulipas wild turkey -turned out to be doubly the finest game he had ever shot. - -All afternoon the big crocodile sunned himself on the surface of the -shoal. - -Ken wanted a crocodile-skin, and this was a chance to get one; but he -thought it as well to wait, and kept the boys from wasting ammunition. - -Before sundown Pepe went across the river and fetched the deer carcass -down to the sandbar, where the jaguar-trail led to the water. - -At twilight Ken stationed the boys at the lower end of the island, -ambushed behind stones. He placed George and Pepe some rods below his -own position. They had George's .32 rifle, and the 16-gage loaded with -a solid ball. Ken put Hal, with the double-barreled shotgun, also -loaded with ball, some little distance above. And Ken, armed with his -automatic, hid just opposite the deer-trails. - -"Be careful where you shoot," Ken warned repeatedly. "Be cool--think -quick--and aim." - -Ken settled down for a long wait, some fifty yards from the deer -carcass. A wonderful procession of wild fowl winged swift flight over -his head. They flew very low. It was strange to note the difference in -the sound of their flying. The cranes and herons softly swished the -air, the teal and canvasbacks whirred by, and the great Muscovies -whizzed like bullets. - -When the first deer came down to drink it was almost dark, and when they -left the moon was up, though obscured by clouds. Faint sounds rose from -the other side of the island. Ken listened until his ears ached, but he -could hear nothing. Heavier clouds drifted over the moon. The deer -carcass became indistinct, and then faded entirely, and the bar itself -grew vague. He was about to give up watching for that night when he -heard a faint rustling below. Following it came a grating or crunching -of gravel. - -Bright flares split the darkness--_crack! crack!_ rang out George's -rifle, then the heavy _boom! boom!_ of the shotgun. - -"There he is!" yelled George. "He's down--we got him--there's two! -Look out!" - -_Boom! Boom!_ roared the heavy shotgun from Hal's covert. - -"George missed him! I got him!" yelled Hal. "No, there he goes--Ken! -Ken!" - -Ken caught the flash of a long gray body in the hazy gloom of the bar -and took a quick shot at it. The steel-jacketed bullet scattered the -gravel and then hummed over the bank. The gray body moved fast up the -bank. Ken could just see it. He turned loose the little automatic and -made the welkin ring. - - - - - *XIV* - - *A FIGHT WITH A JAGUAR* - - -When the echoes of the shots died away the stillness seemed all the -deeper. No rustle in the brush or scuffle on the sand gave evidence of -a wounded or dying jaguar. George and Hal and Pepe declared there were -two tigers, and that they had hit one. Ken walked out upon the stones -till he could see the opposite bar, but was not rewarded by a sight of -dead game. Thereupon they returned to camp, somewhat discouraged at -their ill luck, but planning another night-watch. - -In the morning George complained that he did not feel well. Ken told -him he had been eating too much fresh meat, and that he had better be -careful. Then Ken set off alone, crossed the river, and found that the -deer carcass was gone. In the sand near where it had lain were plenty -of cat-tracks, but none of the big jaguar. Upon closer scrutiny he -found the cat-tracks to be those of a panther. He had half dragged, half -carried the carcass up one of the steep trails, but from that point -there was no further trace. - -Ken struck out across the fiat, intending to go as far as the jungle. -Turtle-doves fluttered before him in numberless flocks. Far to one side -he saw Muscovy ducks rising, sailing a few rods, then alighting. This -occurred several times before he understood what it meant. There was -probably a large flock feeding on the flat, and the ones in the rear -were continually flying to get ahead of those to the fore. - -Several turkeys ran through the bushes before Ken, but as he was -carrying a rifle he paid little heed to them. He kept a keen lookout -for _javelin_. Two or three times he was tempted to turn off the trail -into little bamboo hollows; this, however, owing to a repugnance to -ticks, he did not do. Finally, as he neared the high moss-decked wall -of the jungle, he came upon a runway leading through the bottom of a -deep swale, and here he found tiger-tracks. - -Farther down the swale, under a great cluster of bamboo, he saw the -scattered bones of several deer. Ken was sure that in this spot the -lord of the jungle had feasted more than once. It was an open hollow, -with the ground bare under the bamboos. The runway led on into dense, -leafy jungle. Ken planned to bait that lair with a deer carcass and -watch it during the late afternoon. - -First, it was necessary to get the deer. This might prove bothersome, -for Ken's hands and wrists were already sprinkled with _pinilius_, and -he certainly did not want to stay very long in the brush. Ken imagined -he felt an itching all the time, and writhed inside his clothes. - -"Say, blame you! bite!" he exclaimed, resignedly, and stepped into the -low bushes. He went up and out of the swale. Scarcely had he reached a -level when he saw a troop of deer within easy range. Before they winded -danger Ken shot, and the one he had singled out took a few bounds, then -fell over sideways. The others ran off into the brush. Ken remembered -that the old hunter on Penetier had told him how seldom a deer dropped -at once. When he saw the work of the soft-nose .351 bullet, he no -longer wondered at this deer falling almost in his tracks. - -"If I ever hit a jaguar like that it will be all day with him," was -Ken's comment. - -There were two things about hunting the jaguar that Ken had been bidden -to keep in mind--fierce aggressiveness and remarkable tenacity of life. - -Ken dragged the deer down into the bamboo swale and skinned out a -haunch. Next to wild-turkey meat, he liked venison best. He was glad to -have that as an excuse, for killing these tame tropical deer seemed like -murder to Ken. He left the carcass in a favorable place and then -hurried back to camp. - -To Ken's relief, he managed to escape bringing any _garrapatoes_ with -him, but it took a half-hour to rid himself of the collection of -_pinilius_. - -"George, ask Pepe what's the difference between a garrapato and a -pinilius," said Ken. - -"The big tick is the little one's mother," replied Pepe. - -"Gee! you fellows fuss a lot about ticks," said Hal, looking up from his -task. He was building more pens to accommodate the turtles, snakes, -snails, mice, and young birds that he had captured during the morning. - -Pepe said there were few ticks there in the uplands compared to the -number down along the Panuco River. In the lowlands where the cattle -roamed there were millions in every square rod. The under side of every -leaf and blade of grass was red with ticks. The size of these pests -depended on whether or not they got a chance to stick to a steer or any -beast. They appeared to live indefinitely, but if they could not suck -blood they could not grow. The _pinilius_ grew into a _garrapato_, and a -_garrapato_ bred a hundred thousand _pinilius_ in her body. Two -singular things concerning these ticks were that they always crawled -upward, and they vanished from the earth during the wet season. - -Ken soaked his Duxbax hunting-suit in kerosene in the hope that this -method would enable him to spend a reasonable time hunting. Then, while -the other boys fished and played around, he waited for the long, hot -hours to pass. It was cool in the shade, but the sunlight resembled the -heat of fire. At last five o'clock came, and Ken put on the damp suit. -Soaked with the oil, it was heavier and hotter than sealskin, and before -he got across the river he was nearly roasted. The evening wind sprang -up, and the gusts were like blasts from a furnace. Ken's body was -bathed in perspiration; it ran down his wrists, over his hands, and wet -the gun. This cure for ticks--if it were one--was worse than their -bites. When he reached the shade of the bamboo swale it was none too -soon for him. He threw off the coat, noticing there were more ticks -upon it than at anytime before. The bottom of his trousers, too, had -gathered an exceeding quantity. He brushed them off, muttering the -while that he believed they liked kerosene, and looked as if they were -drinking it. Ken found it easy, however, to brush them off the wet -Duxbax, and soon composed himself to rest and watch. - -The position chosen afforded Ken a clear view of the bare space under -the bamboos and of the hollow where the runway disappeared in the -jungle. The deer carcass, which lay as he had left it, was about a -hundred feet from him. This seemed rather close, but he had to accept -it, for if he had moved farther away he could not have commanded both -points. - -Ken sat with his back against a clump of bamboos, the little rifle -across his knees and an extra clip of cartridges on the ground at his -left. After taking that position he determined not to move a yard when -the tiger came, and to kill him. - -Ken went over in mind the lessons he had learned hunting bear in -Penetier Forest with old Hiram Bent and lassoing lions on the wild -north-rim of the Grand Caon. Ken knew that the thing for a hunter to -do, when his quarry was dangerous, was to make up his mind beforehand. -Ken had twelve powerful shells that he could shoot in the half of twelve -seconds. He would have been willing to face two jaguars. - -The sun set and the wind died down. What a relief was the cooling shade! -The little breeze that was left fortunately blew at right angles to the -swale, so that there did not seem much danger of the tiger winding Ken -down the jungle runway. - -For long moments he was tense and alert. He listened till he thought he -had almost lost the sense of hearing. The jungle leaves were -whispering; the insects were humming. He had expected to hear myriad -birds and see processions of deer, and perhaps a drove of _javelin_. -But if any living creatures ventured near him it was without his -knowledge. The hour between sunset and twilight passed--a long wait; -still he did not lose the feeling that something would happen. Ken's -faculties of alertness tired, however, and needed distraction. So he -took stock of the big clump of bamboos under which lay the deer carcass. - -It was a remarkable growth, that gracefully drooping cluster of slender -bamboo poles. He remembered how, as a youngster, not many years back, -he had wondered where the fishing-poles came from. Here Ken counted one -hundred and sixty-nine in a clump no larger than a barrel. They were -yellow in color with black bands, and they rose straight for a few -yards, then began to lean out, to bend slightly, at last to droop with -their abundance of spiked leaves. Ken was getting down to a real, -interested study of this species of jungle growth when a noise startled -him. - -He straightened out of his lounging position and looked around. The -sound puzzled him. He could not place its direction or name what it was. -The jungle seemed strangely quiet. He listened. After a moment of -waiting he again heard the sound. Instantly Ken was as tense and -vibrating as a violin string. The thing he had heard was from the lungs -of some jungle beast. He was almost ready to pronounce it a cough. -Warily he glanced around, craning his neck. Then a deep, hoarse growl -made him whirl. - -There stood a jaguar with head up and paw on the deer carcass. Ken -imagined he felt perfectly cool, but he knew he was astounded. And even -as he cautiously edged the rifle over his knee he took in the beautiful -points of the jaguar. He was yellow, almost white, with black spots. -He was short and stocky, with powerful stumpy bow-legs. But his head -most amazed Ken. It was enormous. And the expression of his face was so -singularly savage and wild that Ken seemed to realize instantly the -difference between a mountain-lion and this fierce tropical brute. - -The jaguar opened his jaws threateningly. He had an enormous stretch of -jaw. His long, yellow fangs gleamed. He growled again. - -Not hurriedly, nor yet slowly, Ken fired. - -He heard the bullet strike him as plainly as if he had hit him with a -board. He saw dust fly from his hide. Ken expected to see the jaguar -roll over. Instead of that he leaped straight up with a terrible roar. -Something within Ken shook. He felt cold and sick. - -When the jaguar came down, sprawled on all fours, Ken pulled the -automatic again, and he saw the fur fly. Then the jaguar leaped forward -with a strange, hoarse cry. Ken shot again, and knocked the beast flat. -He tumbled and wrestled about, scattering the dust and brush. Three -times more Ken fired, too hastily, and inflicted only slight wounds. - -In reloading Ken tried to be deliberate in snapping in the second clip -and pushing down the rod that threw the shell into the barrel. But his -hands shook. His fingers were all thumbs, and he fumbled at the breech -of the rifle. - -In that interval, if the jaguar could have kept his sense of direction, -he would have reached Ken. But the beast zigzagged; he had lost his -equilibrium; he was hard hit. - -Then he leaped magnificently. He landed within twenty-five feet of Ken, -and when he plunged down he rolled clear over. Ken shot him through and -through. Yet he got up, wheezing blood, uttering a hoarse bellow, and -made again at Ken. - -Ken had been cold, sick. Now panic almost overpowered him. The rifle -wabbled. The bamboo glade blurred in his sight. A terrible dizziness -and numbness almost paralyzed him. He was weakening, sinking, when -thought of life at stake lent him a momentary grim and desperate spirit. - -Once while the jaguar was in the air Ken pulled, twice while he was -down. Then the jaguar stood up pawing the air with great spread claws, -coughing, bleeding, roaring. He was horrible. - -Ken shot him straight between the wide-spread paws. - -With twisted body, staggering, and blowing bloody froth all over Ken, -the big tiger blindly lunged forward and crashed to earth. - -Then began a furious wrestling. Ken imagined it was the death-throes of -the jaguar. Ken could not see him down among the leaves and vines; -nevertheless, he shot into the commotion. The struggles ceased. Then a -movement of the weeds showed Ken that the jaguar was creeping toward the -jungle. - -Ken fell rather than sat down. He found he was wringing wet with cold -sweat. He was panting hard. - -"Say, but--that--was--awful!" he gasped. "What--was--wrong--with me?" - -He began to reload the clips. They were difficult to load for even a -calm person, and now, in the reaction, Ken was the farthest removed from -calm. The jaguar crept steadily away, as Ken could tell by the swaying -weeds and shaking vines. - -"What--a hard-lived beast!" muttered Ken. "I--must have shot--him all to -pieces. Yet he's getting away from me." - -At last Ken's trembling fingers pushed some shells in the two clips, and -once more he reloaded the rifle. Then he stood up, drew a deep, full -breath, and made a strong effort at composure. - -"I've shot at bear--and deer--and lions out West," said Ken. "But this -was different. I'll never get over it." - -How close that jaguar came to reaching Ken was proved by the blood -coughed into his face. He recalled that he had felt the wind of one -great sweeping paw. - -Ken regained his courage and determination. He meant to have that -beautiful spotted skin for his den. So he hurried along the runway and -entered the jungle. Beyond the edge, where the bushes made a dense -thicket, it was dry forest, with little green low down. The hollow gave -place to a dry wash. He could not see the jaguar, but he could hear him -dragging himself through the brush, cracking sticks, shaking saplings. - -Presently Ken ran across a bloody trail and followed it. Every little -while he would stop to listen. When the wounded jaguar was still, he -waited until he started to move again. It was hard going. The brush -was thick, and had to be broken and crawled under or through. As Ken -had left his coat behind, his shirt was soon torn to rags. He peered -ahead with sharp eyes, expecting every minute to come in sight of the -poor, crippled beast. He wanted to put him out of agony. So he kept on -doggedly for what must have been a long time. - -The first premonition he had of carelessness was to note that the -shadows were gathering in the jungle. It would soon be night. He must -turn back while there was light enough to follow his back track out to -the open. The second came in shape of a hot pain in his arm, as keen as -if he had jagged it with a thorn. Holding it out, he discovered to his -dismay that it was spotted with _garrapatoes_. - - - - - *XV* - - *THE VICIOUS GARRAPATOES* - - -At once Ken turned back, and if he thought again of the jaguar it was -that he could come after him the next day or send Pepe. Another vicious -bite, this time on his leg, confirmed his suspicions that many of the -ticks had been on him long enough to get their heads in. Then he was -bitten in several places. - -Those bites were as hot as the touch of a live coal, yet they made Ken -break out in dripping cold sweat. It was imperative that he get back to -camp without losing a moment which could be saved. From a rapid walk he -fell into a trot. He got off his back trail and had to hunt for it. -Every time a tick bit he jumped as if stung. The worst of it was that -he knew he was collecting more _garrapatoes_ with almost every step. -When he grasped a dead branch to push it out of the way he could feel -the ticks cling to his hand. Then he would whip his arm in the air, -flinging some of them off to patter on the dry ground. Impossible as it -was to run through that matted jungle, Ken almost accomplished it. When -he got out into the open he did run, not even stopping for his coat, and -he crossed the flat at top speed. - -It was almost dark when Ken reached the river-bank and dashed down to -frighten a herd of drinking deer. He waded the narrowest part of the -shoal. Running up the island he burst into the bright circle of -camp-fire. Pepe dropped a stew-pan and began to jabber. George dove for -a gun. - -"What's after you?" shouted Hal, in alarm. - -Ken was so choked up and breathless that at first he could not speak. -His fierce aspect and actions, as he tore off his sleeveless and ragged -shirt and threw it into the fire, added to the boys' fright. - -"Good Lord! are you bug-house, Ken?" shrieked Hal. - -"_Bug-house! Yes!_" roared Ken, swiftly undressing. "Look at me!" - -In the bright glare he showed his arms black with _garrapatoes_ and a -sprinkling of black dots over the rest of his body. - -"Is that all?" demanded Hal, in real or simulated scorn. "Gee! but -you're a brave hunter. I thought not less than six tigers were after -you." - -"I'd rather have six tigers after me," yelled Ken. "You little -freckle-faced redhead!" - -It was seldom indeed that Ken called his brother that name. Hal was -proof against any epithets except that one relating to his freckles and -his hair. But just now Ken felt that he was being eaten alive. He was -in an agony, and he lost his temper. And therefore he laid himself open -to Hal's scathing humor. - -"Never mind the kid," said Ken to Pepe and George. "Hurry now, and get -busy with these devils on me." - -It was well for Ken that he had a native like Pepe with him. For Pepe -knew just what to do. First he dashed a bucket of cold water over Ken. -How welcome that was! - -"Pepe says for you to point out the ticks that 're biting the hardest," -said George. - -In spite of his pain Ken stared in mute surprise. - -"Pepe wants you to point out the ticks that are digging in the deepest," -explained George. "Get a move on, now." - -"What!" roared Ken, glaring at Pepe and George. He thought even the -native might be having fun with him. And for Ken this was not a funny -time. - -But Pepe was in dead earnest. - -"Say, it's impossible to tell _where_ I'm being bitten most! It's all -over!" protested Ken. - -Still he discovered that by absolute concentration on the pain he was -enduring he was able to locate the severest points. And that showed him -the soundness of Pepe's advice. - -"Here--this one--here--there.... Oh! here," began Ken, indicating -certain ticks. - -"Not so fast, now," interrupted the imperturbable George, as he and Pepe -set to work upon Ken. - -Then the red-hot cigarette-tips scorched Ken's skin. Ken kept pointing -and accompanying his directions with wild gestures and exclamations. - -"Here.... Oo-oo! Here.... Wow! Here.... Ouch!--that one stung! -Here.... _Augh_! Say, can't you hurry? Here! ... Oh! that one was in a -mile! Here.... _Hold on_! You're burning a hole in me! ... George, -you're having fun out of this. Pepe gets two to your one." - -"He's been popping ticks all his life," was George's reasonable protest. - -"Hurry!" cried Ken, in desperation. "George, if you monkey round--fool -over this job--I'll--I'll punch you good." - -All this trying time Hal Ward sat on a log and watched the proceedings -with great interest and humor. Sometimes he smiled, at others he -laughed, and yet again he burst out into uproarious mirth. - -"George, he wouldn't punch anybody," said Hal. "I tell you he's all in. -He hasn't any nerve left. It's a chance of your life. You'll never get -another. He's been bossing you around. Pay him up. Make him holler. -Why, what's a few little ticks? Wouldn't phase me! But Ken Ward's such -a delicate, fine-skinned, sensitive, girly kind of a boy! He's too nice -to be bitten by bugs. Oh dear, yes, yes! ... Ken, why don't you show -courage?" - -Ken shook his fist at Hal. - -"All right," said Ken, grimly. "Have all the fun you can. Because I'll -get even with you." - -Hal relapsed into silence, and Ken began to believe he had intimidated -his brother. But he soon realized how foolish it was to suppose such a -thing. Hal had only been working his fertile brain. - -"George, here's a little verse for the occasion," said Hal. - - "There was a brave hunter named Ken, - And he loved to get skins for his den, - Not afraid was he of tigers or pigs, - Or snakes or cats or any such things, - But one day in the jungle he left his clothes, - And came hollering back with _garrapatoes_." - - -"Gre-at-t-t!" sputtered Ken. "Oh, brother mine, we're a long way from -home, I'll make you crawl." - -Pepe smoked, and wore out three cigarettes, and George two, before they -had popped all the biting ticks. Then Ken was still covered with them. -Pepe bathed him in _canya_, which was like a bath of fire, and soon -removed them all. Ken felt flayed alive, peeled of his skin, and -sprinkled with fiery sparks. When he lay down he was as weak as a sick -cat. Pepe said the _canya_ would very soon take the sting away, but it -was some time before Ken was resting easily. - -It would not have been fair to ask Ken just then whether the prize for -which he worked was worth his present gain. _Garrapatoes_ may not seem -important to one who simply reads about them, but such pests are a -formidable feature of tropical life. - -However, Ken presently felt that he was himself again. - -Then he put his mind to the serious problem of his note-book and the -plotting of the island. As far as his trip was concerned, Cypress -Island was an important point. When he had completed his map down to the -island, he went on to his notes. He believed that what he had found out -from his knowledge of forestry was really worth something. He had seen -a gradual increase in the size and number of trees as he had proceeded -down the river, a difference in the density and color of the jungle, a -flattening-out of the mountain range, and a gradual change from rocky to -clayey soil. And on the whole his note-book began to assume such a -character that he was beginning to feel willing to submit it to his -uncle. - - - - - *XVI* - - *FIELD WORK OF A NATURALIST* - - -That night Ken talked natural history to the boys and read extracts from -a small copy of Sclater he had brought with him. - -They were all particularly interested in the cat tribe. - -The fore feet of all cats have five toes, the hind feet only four. -Their claws are curved and sharp, and, except in case of one species of -leopard, can be retracted in their sheaths. The claws of the great cat -species are kept sharp by pulling them down through bark of trees. All -cats walk on their toes. And the stealthy walk is due to hairy pads or -cushions. The claws of a cat do not show in its track as do those of a -dog. The tongues of all cats are furnished with large papill. They are -like files, and the use is to lick bones and clean their fur. Their -long whiskers are delicate organs of perception to aid them in finding -their way on their night quests. The eyes of all cats are large and -full, and can be altered by contraction or expansion of iris, according -to the amount of light they receive. The usual color is gray or tawny -with dark spots or stripes. The uniform tawny color of the lion and the -panther is perhaps an acquired color, probably from the habit of these -animals of living in desert countries. It is likely that in primitive -times cats were all spotted or striped. - -Naturally the boys were most interested in the jaguar, which is the -largest of the cat tribe in the New World. The jaguar ranges from -northern Mexico to northern Patagonia. Its spots are larger than those -of the leopard. Their ground color is a rich tan or yellow, sometimes -almost gold. Large specimens have been known nearly seven feet from -nose to end of tail. - -The jaguar is an expert climber and swimmer. Humboldt says that where -the South American forests are subject to floods the jaguar sometimes -takes to tree life, living on monkeys. All naturalists agree on the -ferocious nature of jaguars, and on the loudness and frequency of their -cries. There is no record of their attacking human beings without -provocation. Their favorite haunts are the banks of jungle rivers, and -they often prey upon fish and turtles. - -The attack of a jaguar is terrible. It leaps on the back of its prey -and breaks its neck. In some places there are well-known scratching -trees where jaguars sharpen their claws. The bark is worn smooth in -front from contact with the breasts of the animals as they stand up, and -there is a deep groove on each side. When new scars appear on these -trees it is known that jaguars are in the vicinity. The cry of the -jaguar is loud, deep, hoarse, something like _pu, pu, pu_. There is -much enmity between the panther, or mountain-lion, and the jaguar, and -it is very strange that generally the jaguar fears the lion, although he -is larger and more powerful. - -Pepe had interesting things to say about jaguars, or _tigres_, as he -called them. But Ken, of course, could not tell how much Pepe said was -truth and how much just native talk. At any rate, Pepe told of one -Mexican who had a blind and deaf jaguar that he had tamed. Ken knew -that naturalists claimed the jaguar could not be tamed, but in this -instance Ken was inclined to believe Pepe. This blind jaguar was -enormous in size, terrible of aspect, and had been trained to trail -anything his master set him to. And Tigre, as he was called, never -slept or stopped till he had killed the thing he was trailing. As he was -blind and deaf, his power of scent had been abnormally developed. - -Pepe told of a fight between a huge crocodile and a jaguar in which both -were killed. He said jaguars stalked natives and had absolutely no -fear. He knew natives who said that jaguars had made off with children -and eaten them. Lastly, Pepe told of an incident that had happened in -Tampico the year before. There was a ship at dock below Tampico, just on -the outskirts where the jungle began, and one day at noon two big -jaguars leaped on the deck. They frightened the crew out of their wits. -George verified this story, and added that the jaguars had been chased -by dogs, had boarded the ship, where they climbed into the rigging, and -stayed there till they were shot. - -"Well," said Ken, thoughtfully, "from my experience I believe a jaguar -would do anything." - -The following day promised to be a busy one for Hal, without any time -for tricks. George went hunting before breakfast--in fact, before the -others were up--and just as the boys were sitting down to eat he -appeared on the nearer bank and yelled for Pepe. It developed that for -once George had bagged game. - -He had a black squirrel, a small striped wildcat, a peccary, a -three-foot crocodile, and a duck of rare plumage. - -After breakfast Hal straightway got busy, and his skill and knowledge -earned praise from George and Pepe. They volunteered to help, which -offer Hal gratefully accepted. He had brought along a folding canvas -tank, forceps, knives, scissors, several packages of preservatives, and -tin boxes in which to pack small skins. - -His first task was to mix a salt solution in the canvas tank. This was -for immersing skins. Then he made a paste of salt and alum, and after -that a mixture of two-thirds glycerin and one-third water and carbolic -acid, which was for preserving small skins and to keep them soft. - -And as he worked he gave George directions on how to proceed with the -wildcat and squirrel skins. - -"Skin carefully and tack up the pelts fur side down. Scrape off all the -fat and oil, but don't scrape through. To-morrow when the skins are dry -soak them in cold water till soft. Then take them out and squeeze dry. -I'll make a solution of three quarts water, one-half pint salt, and one -ounce oil of vitriol. Put the skins in that for half an hour. Squeeze -dry again, and hang in shade. That 'll tan the skin, and the moths will -never hurt them." - -When Hal came to take up the duck he was sorry that some of the -beautiful plumage had been stained. - -"I want only a few water-fowl," he said. "And particularly one of the -big Muscovies. And you must keep the feathers from getting soiled." - -It was interesting to watch Hal handle that specimen. First he took -full measurements. Then, separating the feathers along the breast, he -made an incision with a sharp knife, beginning high up on breast-bone -and ending at tail. He exercised care so as not to cut through the -abdomen. Raising the skin carefully along the cut as far as the muscles -of the leg, he pushed out the knee joint and cut it off. Then he -loosened the skin from the legs and the back, and bent the tail down to -cut through the tail joint. Next he removed the skin from the body and -cut off the wings at the shoulder joint. Then he proceeded down the -neck, being careful not to pull or stretch the skin. Extreme care was -necessary in cutting round the eyes. Then, when he had loosened the -skin from the skull, he severed the head and cleaned out the skull. He -coated all with the paste, filled the skull with cotton, and then -immersed them in the glycerin bath. - -The skinning of the crocodile was an easy matter compared with that of -the duck. Hal made an incision at the throat, cut along the middle of -the abdomen all the way to the tip of the tail, and then cut the skin -away all around the carcass. Then he set George and Pepe to scraping -the skin, after which he immersed it in the tank. - -About that time Ken, who was lazily fishing in the shade of the -cypresses, caught one of the blue-tailed fish. Hal was delighted. He -had made a failure of the other specimen of this unknown fish. This one -was larger and exquisitely marked, being dark gold on the back, white -along the belly, and its tail had a faint bluish tinge. Hal promptly -killed the fish, and then made a dive for his suitcase. He produced -several sheets of stiff cardboard and a small box of water-colors and -brushes. He laid the fish down on a piece of paper and outlined its -exact size. Then, placing it carefully in an upright position on a box, -he began to paint it in the actual colors of the moment. Ken laughed -and teased him. George also was inclined to be amused. But Pepe was -amazed and delighted. Hal worked on unmindful of his audience, and, -though he did not paint a very artistic picture, he produced the vivid -colors of the fish before they faded. - -His next move was to cover the fish with strips of thin cloth, which -adhered to the scales and kept them from being damaged. Then he cut -along the middle line of the belly, divided the pelvic arch where the -ventral fins joined, cut through the spines, and severed the fins from -the bones. Then he skinned down to the tail, up to the back, and cut -through caudal processes. The vertebral column he severed at the base -of the skull. He cleaned and scraped the entire inside of the skin, and -then put it to soak. - -"Hal, you're much more likely to make good with Uncle Jim than I am," -said Ken. "You've really got skill, and you know what to do. Now, my -job is different. So far I've done fairly well with my map of the -river. But as soon as we get on level ground I'll be stumped." - -"We'll cover a hundred miles before we get to low land," replied Hal, -cheerily. "That's enough, even if we do get lost for the rest of the -way. You'll win that trip abroad, Ken, never fear, and little Willie is -going to be with you." - - - - - *XVII* - - *A MIXED-UP TIGER-HUNT* - - -Next morning Hal arose bright as a lark, but silent, mysterious, and -with far-seeing eyes. It made Ken groan in spirit to look at the boy. -Yes, indeed, they were far from home, and the person did not live on the -earth who could play a trick on Hal Ward and escape vengeance. - -After breakfast Hal went off with a long-handled landing-net, obviously -to capture birds or fish or mice or something. - -George said he did not feel very well, and he looked grouchy. He -growled around camp in a way that might have nettled Ken, but Ken, -having had ten hours of undisturbed sleep, could not have found fault -with anybody. - -"Garrapato George, come out of it. Cheer up," said Ken. "Why don't you -take Pinilius Pepe as gun-bearer and go out to shoot something? You -haven't used up much ammunition yet." - -Ken's sarcasm was not lost upon George. - -"Well, if I do go, I'll not come running back to camp without some -game." - -"My son," replied Ken, genially, "if you should happen to meet a jaguar -you'd--you'd just let out one squawk and then never touch even the high -places of the jungle. You'd take that crazy .32 rifle for a -golf-stick." - -"Would I?" returned George. "All right." - -Ken watched George awhile that morning. The lad performed a lot of weird -things around camp. Then he bounced bullets off the water in vain -effort to locate the basking crocodile. Then he tried his hand at -fishing once more. He could get more bites than any fisherman Ken ever -saw, but he could not catch anything. - -By and by the heat made Ken drowsy, and, stretching himself in the -shade, he thought of a scheme to rid the camp of the noisy George. - -"Say, George, take my hammerless and get Pepe to row you up along the -shady bank of the river," suggested Ken. "Go sneaking along and you'll -have some sport." - -George was delighted with that idea. He had often cast longing eyes at -the hammerless gun. Pepe, too, looked exceedingly pleased. They got in -the boat and were in the act of starting when George jumped ashore. He -reached for his .32 and threw the lever down to see if there was a shell -in the chamber. Then he proceeded to fill his pockets with ammunition. - -"Might need a rifle," he said. "You can't tell what you're going to see -in this unholy jungle." - -Whereupon he went aboard again and Pepe rowed leisurely up-stream. - -"Be careful, boys," Ken called, and composed himself for a nap. He -promptly fell asleep. How long he slept he had no idea, and when he -awoke he lay with languor, not knowing at the moment what had awakened -him. Presently he heard a shout, then a rifle-shot. Sitting up, he saw -the boat some two hundred yards above, drifting along about the edge of -the shade. Pepe was in it alone. He appeared to be excited, for Ken -observed him lay down an oar and pick up a gun, and then reverse the -performance. Also he was jabbering to George, who evidently was out on -the bank, but invisible to Ken. - -"Hey, Pepe!" Ken yelled. "What 're you doing?" - -Strange to note, Pepe did not reply or even turn. - -"Now where in the deuce is George?" Ken said, impatiently. - -The hollow crack of George's .32 was a reply to the question. Ken heard -the singing of a bullet. Suddenly, _spou!_ it twanged on a branch not -twenty feet over his head, and then went whining away. He heard it tick -a few leaves or twigs. There was not any languor in the alacrity with -which Ken put the big cypress-tree between him and up-stream. Then he -ventured to peep forth. - -"Look out where you're slinging lead!" he yelled. He doubted not that -George had treed a black squirrel or was pegging away at parrots. Yet -Pepe's motions appeared to carry a good deal of feeling, too much, he -thought presently, for small game. So Ken began to wake up thoroughly. -He lost sight of Pepe behind a low branch of a tree that leaned some -fifty yards above the island. Then he caught sight of him again. He was -poling with an oar, evidently trying to go up or down--Ken could not -tell which. - -_Spang_! _Spang_! George's .32 spoke twice more, and the bullets both -struck in the middle of the stream and ricochetted into the far bank -with little thuds. - -Something prompted Ken to reach for his automatic, snap the clip in -tight, and push in the safety. At the same time he muttered George's -words: "You can never tell what's coming off in this unholy jungle." - -Then, peeping out from behind the cypress, Ken watched the boat drift -down-stream. Pepe had stopped poling and was looking closely into the -thick grass and vines of the bank. Ken heard his voice, but could not -tell what he said. He watched keenly for some sight of George. The -moments passed, the boat drifted, and Ken began to think there was -nothing unusual afoot. In this interval Pepe drifted within -seventy-five yards of camp. Again Ken called to ask him what George was -stalking, and this time Pepe yelled; but Ken did not know what he said. -Hard upon this came George's sharp voice: - -"Look out, there, on the island. Get behind something. I've got him -between the river and the flat. He's in this strip of shore brush. -There!" - -_Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! Bullets hummed and whistled all about the -island. Ken was afraid to peep out with even one eye. He began to -fancy that George was playing Indian. - -"Fine, Georgie! You're doing great!" he shouted. "You couldn't come -any closer to me if you were aiming at me. What is it?" - -Then a crashing of brush and a flash of yellow low down along the bank -changed the aspect of the situation. - -"Panther! or jaguar!" Ken ejaculated, in amaze. In a second he was -tight-muscled, cold, and clear-witted. At that instant he saw George's -white shirt about the top of the brush. - -"Go back! Get out in the open!" Ken ordered. "Do you hear me?" - -"Where is he?" shouted George, paying not the slightest attention to -Ken. Ken jumped from behind the tree, and, running to the head of the -island, he knelt low near the water with rifle ready. - -"Tigre! Tigre! Tigre!" screamed Pepe, waving his arms, then pointing. - -George crashed into the brush. Ken saw the leaves move, then a long -yellow shape. With the quickness of thought and the aim of the -wing-shot, Ken fired. From the brush rose a strange wild scream. -George aimed at a shaking mass of grass and vines, but, before he could -fire, a long, lean, ugly beast leaped straight out from the bank to drop -into the water with a heavy splash. - -Like a man half scared to death Pepe waved Ken's double-barreled gun. -Then a yellow head emerged from the water. It was in line with the -boat. Ken dared not shoot. - -"Kill him, George," yelled Ken. "Tell Pepe to kill him." - -George seemed unaccountably silent. But Ken had no time to look for -him, for his eyes were riveted on Pepe. The native did not know how to -hold a gun properly, let alone aim it. He had, however, sense enough to -try. He got the stock under his chin, and, pointing the gun, he -evidently tried to fire. But the hammerless did not go off. Then Pepe -fumbled at the safety-catch, which he evidently remembered seeing Ken -use. - -The jaguar, swimming with difficulty, perhaps badly wounded, made right -for the boat. Pepe was standing on the seat. Awkwardly he aimed. - -_Boom_! He had pulled both triggers. The recoil knocked him backward. -The hammerless fell in the boat, and Pepe's broad back hit the water; -his bare, muscular legs clung to the gunwale, and slipped loose. - -He had missed the jaguar, for it kept on toward the boat. Still Ken -dared not shoot. - -"George, what on earth is the matter with you?" shouted Ken. - -Then Ken saw him standing in the brush on the bank, fussing over the -crazy .32. Of course at the critical moment something had gone wrong -with the old rifle. - -Pepe's head bobbed up just on the other side of the boat. The jaguar -was scarcely twenty feet distant and now in line with both boat and man. -At that instant a heavy swirl in the water toward the middle of the -river drew Ken's attention. He saw the big crocodile, and the great -creature did not seem at all lazy at that moment. - -George began to scream in Spanish. Ken felt his hair stiffen and his -face blanch. Pepe, who had been solely occupied with the jaguar, caught -George's meaning and turned to see the peril in his rear. - -He bawled his familiar appeal to the saints. Then he grasped the gunwale -of the boat just as it swung against the branches of the low-leaning -tree. He vaulted rather than climbed aboard. - -Ken forgot that Pepe could understand little English, and he yelled: -"Grab an oar, Pepe. Keep the jaguar in the water. Don't let him in the -boat." - -But Pepe, even if he had understood, had a better idea. Nimble, he ran -over the boat and grasped the branches of the tree just as the jaguar -flopped paws and head over the stern gunwale. - -Ken had only a fleeting instant to get a bead on that yellow body, and -before he could be sure of an aim the branch weighted with Pepe sank -down to hide both boat and jaguar. The chill of fear for Pepe changed -to hot rage at this new difficulty. - -Then George began to shoot. - -_Spang_! - -Ken heard the bullet hit the boat. - -"George--wait!" shouted Ken. "Don't shoot holes in the boat. You'll -sink it." - -_Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! - -That was as much as George cared about such a possibility. He stood on -the bank and worked the lever of his .32 with wild haste. Ken plainly -heard the spat of the bullets, and the sound was that of lead in contact -with wood. So he knew George was not hitting the jaguar. - -"You'll ruin the boat!" roared Ken. - -Pepe had worked up from the lower end of the branch, and as soon as he -straddled it and hunched himself nearer shore the foliage rose out of -the water, exposing the boat. George kept on shooting till his magazine -was empty. Ken's position was too low for him to see the jaguar. - -Then the boat swung loose from the branch and, drifting down, gradually -approached the shore. - -"Pull yourself together, George," called Ken. "Keep cool. Make sure of -your aim. We've got him now." - -"He's mine! He's mine! He's mine! Don't you dare shoot!" howled -George. "I got him!" - -"All right. But steady up, can't you? Hit him once, anyway." - -Apparently without aim George fired. Then, jerking the lever, he fired -again. The boat drifted into overhanging vines. Once more Ken saw a -yellow and black object, then a trembling trail of leaves. - -"He's coming out below you. Look out," yelled Ken. - -George disappeared. Ken saw no sign of the jaguar and heard no shot or -shout from George. Pepe dropped from his branch to the bank and caught -the boat. Ken called, and while Pepe rowed over to the island, he got -into some clothes fit to hunt in. Then they hurried back across the -channel to the bank. - -Ken found the trail of the jaguar, followed it up to the edge of the -brush, and lost it in the weedy flat. George came out of a patch of -bamboos. He looked white and shaky and wild with disappointment. - -"Oh, I had a dandy shot as he came out, but the blamed gun jammed again. -Come on, we'll get him. He's all shot up. I bet I hit him ten times. -He won't get away." - -Ken finally got George back to camp. The boat was half full of water, -making it necessary to pull it out on the bank and turn it over. There -were ten bullet-holes in it. - -"George, you hit the boat, anyway," Ken said; "now we've a job on our -hands." - -Hal came puffing into camp. He was red of face, and the sweat stood out -on his forehead. He had a small animal of some kind in a sack, and his -legs were wet to his knees. - -"What was--all the--pegging about?" he asked, breathlessly. "I expected -to find camp surrounded by Indians." - -"Kid, it's been pretty hot round here for a little. George and Pepe -rounded up a tiger. Tell us about it, George," said Ken. - -So while Ken began to whittle pegs to pound into the bullet-holes, -George wiped his flushed, sweaty face and talked. - -"We were up there a piece, round the bend. I saw a black squirrel and -went ashore to get him. But I couldn't find him, and in kicking round -in the brush I came into a kind of trail or runway. Then I ran plumb -into that darned jaguar. I was so scared I couldn't remember my gun. -But the cat turned and ran. It was lucky he didn't make at me. When I -saw him run I got back my courage. I called for Pepe to row down-stream -and keep a lookout. Then I got into the flat. I must have come down a -good ways before I saw him. I shot, and he dodged back into the brush -again. I fired into the moving bushes where he was. And pretty soon I -ventured to get in on the bank, where I had a better chance. I guess it -was about that time that I heard you yell. Then it all happened. You -hit him! Didn't you hear him scream? What a jump he made! If it hadn't -been so terrible when your hammerless kicked Pepe overboard, I would -have died laughing. Then I was paralyzed when the jaguar swam for the -boat. He was hurt, for the water was bloody. Things came off quick, I -tell you. Like a monkey Pepe scrambled into the tree. When I got my gun -loaded the jaguar was crouched down in the bottom of the boat watching -Pepe. Then I began to shoot. I can't realize he got away from us. -What was the reason you didn't knock him?" - -"Well, you see, George, there were two good reasons," Ken replied. "The -first was that at that time I was busy dodging bullets from your rifle. -And the second was that you threatened my life if I killed your jaguar." - -"Did I get as nutty as that? But it was pretty warm there for a -little.... Say, was he a big one? My eyes were so hazy I didn't see -him clear." - -"He wasn't big, not half as big as the one I lost yesterday. Yours was -a long, wiry beast, like a panther, and mean-looking." - -Pepe sat on the bank, and while he nursed his bruises he smoked. Once -he made a speech that was untranslatable, but Hal gave it an -interpretation which was probably near correct. - -"That's right, Pepe. Pretty punk tiger-hunters--mucho punk!" - - - - - *XVIII* - - *WATCHING A RUNWAY* - - -"I'll tell you what, fellows," said Hal. "I know where we _can_ get a -tiger." - -"We'll get one in the neck if we don't watch out," replied George. - -Ken thought that Hal looked very frank and earnest, and honest and -eager, but there was never any telling about him. - -"Where?" he asked, skeptically. - -"Down along the river. You know I've been setting traps all along. -There's a flat sand-bar for a good piece down. I came to a little gully -full of big tracks, big as my two hands. And fresh!" - -"Honest Injun, kid?" queried Ken. - -"Hope to die if I'm lyin'," replied Hal. "I want to see somebody kill a -tiger. Now let's go down there in the boat and wait for one to come to -drink. There's a big log with driftwood lodged on it. We can hide -behind that." - -"Great idea, Hal," said Ken. "We'd be pretty safe in the boat. I want -to say that tigers have sort of got on my nerves. I ought to go over in -the jungle to look for the one I crippled. He's dead by now. But the -longer I put it off the harder it is to go. I'll back out yet.... -Come, we'll have an early dinner. Then to watch for Hal's tiger." - -The sun had just set, and the hot breeze began to swirl up the river -when Ken slid the boat into the water. He was pleased to find that it -did not leak. - -"We'll take only two guns," said Ken, "my .351 and the hammerless, with -some ball-cartridges. We want to be quiet to-night, and if you fellows -take your guns you'll be pegging at ducks and things. That won't do." - -Pepe sat at the oars with instructions to row easily. George and Hal -occupied the stern-seats, and Ken took his place in the bow, with both -guns at hand. - -The hot wind roared in the cypresses, and the river whipped up little -waves with white crests. Long streamers of gray moss waved out over the -water and branches tossed and swayed. The blow did not last for many -minutes. Trees and river once more grew quiet. And suddenly the heat -was gone. - -As Pepe rowed on down the river, Cypress Island began to disappear round -a bend, and presently was out of sight. Ducks were already in flight. -They flew low over the boat, so low that Ken could almost have reached -them with the barrel of his gun. The river here widened. It was full -of huge snags. A high, wooded bluff shadowed the western shore. On the -left, towering cypresses, all laced together in dense vine and moss -webs, leaned out. - -Under Hal's direction Pepe rowed to a pile of driftwood, and here the -boat was moored. The gully mentioned by Hal was some sixty yards -distant. It opened like the mouth of a cave. Beyond the cypresses -thick, intertwining bamboos covered it. - -"I wish we'd gone in to see the tracks," said Ken. "But I'll take your -word, Hal." - -"Oh, they're there, all right." - -"I don't doubt it. Looks great to me! That's a runway, Hal.... Now, -boys, get a comfortable seat, and settle down to wait. Don't talk. Just -listen and watch. Remember, soon we'll be out of the jungle, back home. -So make hay while the sun shines. Watch and listen! Whoever sees or -hears anything first is the best man." - -For once the boys were as obedient as lambs. But then, Ken thought, the -surroundings were so beautiful and wild and silent that any boys would -have been watchful. - -There was absolutely no sound but the intermittent whir of wings. The -water-fowl flew by in companies--ducks, cranes, herons, snipe, and the -great Muscovies. Ken never would have tired of that procession. It -passed all too soon, and then only an occasional water-fowl swept -swiftly by, as if belated. - -Slowly the wide river-lane shaded. But it was still daylight, and the -bank and the runway were clearly distinguishable. There was a -moment--Ken could not tell just how he knew--when the jungle awakened. -It was not only the faint hum of insects; it was a sense as if life -stirred with the coming of twilight. - -Pepe was the first to earn honors at the listening game. He held up a -warning forefinger. Then he pointed under the bluff. Ken saw a doe -stepping out of a fringe of willows. - -"Don't move--don't make a noise," whispered Ken. - -The doe shot up long ears and watched the boat. Then a little fawn -trotted out and splashed in the water. Both deer drank, then seemed in -no hurry to leave the river. - -Next moment Hal heard something downstream and George saw something -up-stream. Pepe again whispered. As for Ken, he saw little dark shapes -moving out of the shadow of the runway. He heard a faint trampling of -hard little hoofs. But if these animals were _javelin_--of which he was -sure--they did not come out into the open runway. Ken tried to catch -Pepe's attention without making a noise; however, Pepe was absorbed in -his side of the river. Ken then forgot he had companions. All along -the shores were faint splashings and rustlings and crackings. - -A loud, trampling roar rose in the runway and seemed to move backward -toward the jungle, diminishing in violence. - -"Pigs running--something scared 'em," said George. - -"S-s-s-sh!" whispered Ken. - -All the sounds ceased. The jungle seemed to sleep in deep silence. - -Ken's eyes were glued to the light patch of sand-bank where it merged in -the dark of the runway. Then Ken heard a sound--what, he could not have -told. But it made his heart beat fast. - -There came a few pattering thuds, soft as velvet; and a shadow, paler -than the dark background, moved out of the runway. - -With that a huge jaguar loped into the open. He did not look around. He -took a long, easy bound down to the water and began to lap. - -Either Pepe or George jerked so violently as to make the boat lurch. -They seemed to be stifling. - -"Oh, Ken, don't miss!" whispered Hal. - -Ken had the automatic over the log and in line. His teeth were shut -tight, and he was cold and steady. He meant not to hurry. - -The jaguar was a heavy, squat, muscular figure, not graceful and -beautiful like the one Ken had crippled. Suddenly he raised his head -and looked about. He had caught a scent. - -It was then that Ken lowered the rifle till the sight covered the -beast--lower yet to his huge paws, then still lower to the edge of the -water. Ken meant to shoot low enough this time. Holding the rifle -there, and holding it with all his strength, he pressed the trigger -once--twice. The two shots rang out almost simultaneously. Ken -expected to see this jaguar leap, but the beast crumpled up and sank in -his tracks. - -Then the boys yelled, and Ken echoed them. Pepe was wildly excited, and -began to fumble with the oars. - -"Wait! Wait, I tell you!" ordered Ken. - -"Oh, Ken, you pegged him!" cried Hal. "He doesn't move. Let's go -ashore. What did I tell you? It took me to find the tiger." - -Ken watched with sharp eyes and held his rifle ready, but the huddled -form on the sand never so much as twitched. - -"I guess I plugged him," said Ken, with unconscious pride. - -Pepe rowed the boat ashore, and when near the sand-bar he reached out -with an oar to touch the jaguar. There was no doubt about his being -dead. The boys leaped ashore and straightened out the beast. He was -huge, dirty, spotted, bloody, and fiercely savage even in death. Ken's -bullets had torn through the chest, making fearful wounds. Pepe -jabbered, and the boys all talked at once. When it came to lifting the -jaguar into the boat they had no slight task. The short, thick-set body -was very heavy. But at last they loaded it in the bow, and Pepe rowed -back to the island. It was still a harder task to get the jaguar up the -high bank. Pepe kindled a fire so they would have plenty of light, and -then they set to work at the skinning. - -What with enthusiasm over the stalk, and talk of the success of the -trip, and compliments to Ken's shooting, and care of the skinning, the -boys were three hours at the job. Ken, remembering Hiram Bent's -teachings, skinned out the great claws himself. They salted the pelt -and nailed it up on the big cypress. - -"You'd never have got one but for me," said Hal. "That's how I pay you -for the tricks you've played me!" - -"By George, Hal, it's a noble revenge!" cried Ken, who, in the warmth -and glow of happiness of the time, quite believed his brother. - -Pepe went to bed first. George turned in next. Ken took a last look at -the great pelt stretched on the cypress, and then he sought his -blankets. Hal, however, remained up. Ken heard him pounding stakes in -the ground. - -"Hal, what 're you doing?" - -"I'm settin' my trot-lines," replied Hal, cheerfully. - -"Well, come to bed." - -"Keep your shirt on, Ken, old boy. I'll be along presently." - -Ken fell asleep. He did not have peaceful slumbers. He had been too -excited to rest well. He would wake up out of a nightmare, then go to -sleep again. He seemed to wake suddenly out of one of these black -spells, and he was conscious of pain. Something tugged at his leg. - -"What the dickens!" he said, and raised on his elbow. Hal was asleep -between George and Pepe, who were snoring. - -Just then Ken felt a violent jerk. The blankets flew up at his feet, -and his left leg went out across his brother's body. There was a -string--a rope--something fast round his ankle, and it was pulling hard. -It hurt. - -"Jiminy!" shouted Ken, reaching for his foot. But before he could reach -it another tug, more violent, pulled his leg straight out. Ken began to -slide. - -"What on earth?" yelled Ken. "Say! Something's got me!" - -The yells and Ken's rude exertions aroused the boys. And they were -frightened. Ken got an arm around Hal and the other around George and -held on for dear life. He was more frightened than they. Pepe leaped -up, jabbering, and, tripping, he fell all in a heap. - -"Oh! my leg!" howled Ken. "It's being pulled off. Say, I can't be -dreaming!" - -Most assuredly Ken was wide awake. The moonlight showed his bare leg -sticking out and round his ankle a heavy trot-line. It was stretched -tight. It ran down over the bank. And out there in the river a -tremendous fish or a crocodile was surging about, making the water roar. - -Pepe was trying to loosen the line or break it. George, who was always -stupid when first aroused, probably imagined he was being mauled by a -jaguar, for he loudly bellowed. Ken had a strangle-hold on Hal. - -"Oh! _Oh_! _Oh-h-h_!" bawled Ken. Not only was he scared out of a -year's growth; he was in terrible pain. Then his cries grew -unintelligible. He was being dragged out of the tent. Still he clung -desperately to the howling George and the fighting Hal. - -All at once something snapped. The tension relaxed. Ken fell back upon -Hal. - -"Git off me, will you?" shouted Hal. "Are you c-c-cr-azy?" - -But Hal's voice had not the usual note when he was angry or impatient. -He was laughing so he could not speak naturally. - -"Uh-huh!" said Ken, and sat up. "I guess here was where I got it. Is -my leg broken? What came off?" - -Pepe was staggering about on the bank, going through strange motions. -He had the line in his hands, and at the other end was a monster of some -land threshing about in the water. It was moonlight and Ken could see -plainly. Around the ankle that felt broken was a twisted loop of -trot-line. Hal had baited a hook and slipped the end of the trot-line -over Ken's foot. During the night the crocodile or an enormous fish had -taken the bait. Then Ken had nearly been hauled off the island. - -Pepe was doing battle with the hooked thing, whatever it was, and Ken -was about to go to his assistance when again the line broke. - -"Great! Hal, you have a nice disposition," exclaimed Ken. "You have a -wonderful affection for your brother. You care a lot about his legs or -his life. Idiot! Can't you play a safe trick? If I hadn't grabbed you -and George, I'd been pulled into the river. Eaten up, maybe! And my -ankle is sprained. It won't be any good for a week. You are a bright -boy!" - -And in spite of his laughter Hal began to look ashamed. - - - - - *XIX* - - *ADVENTURES WITH CROCODILES* - - -The rest of that night Ken had more dreams; and they were not pleasant. -He awoke from one in a cold fright. - -It must have been late, for the moon was low. His ankle pained and -throbbed, and to that he attributed his nightmare. He was falling -asleep again when the clink of tin pans made him sit up with a start. -Some animal was prowling about camp. He peered into the moonlit -shadows, but could make out no unfamiliar object. Still he was not -satisfied; so he awoke Pepe. - -Certainly it was not Ken's intention to let Pepe get out ahead; -nevertheless he was lame and slow, and before he started Pepe rolled out -of the tent. - -"Santa Maria!" shrieked Pepe. - -Ken fumbled under his pillow for a gun. Hal raised up so quickly that he -bumped Ken's head, making him see a million stars. George rolled over, -nearly knocking down the tent. - -From outside came a sliddery, rustling noise, then another yell that was -deadened by a sounding splash. Ken leaped out with his gun, George at -his elbow. Pepe stood just back of the tent, his arms upraised, and he -appeared stunned. The water near the bank was boiling and bubbling; -waves were dashing on the shore and ripples spreading in a circle. - -George shouted in Spanish. - -"Crocodile!" cried Ken. - -"Si, si, Seor," replied Pepe. Then he said that when he stepped out of -the tent the crocodile was right in camp, not ten feet from where the -boys lay. Pepe also said that these brutes were man-eaters, and that he -had better watch for the rest of the night. Ken thought him, like all -the natives, inclined to exaggerate; however, he made no objection to -Pepe's holding watch over the crocodile. - -"What'd I tell you?" growled George. "Why didn't you let me shoot him? -Let's go back to bed." - -In the morning when Ken got up he viewed his body with great curiosity. -The ticks and the cigarette burns had left him a beautifully tattoed -specimen of aborigine. His body, especially his arms, bore hundreds of -little reddish scars--bites and burns together. There was not, however, -any itching or irritation, for which he made sure he had to thank Pepe's -skill and the _canya_. - -George did not get up when Ken called him. Thinking his sleep might -have been broken, Ken let him alone a while longer, but when breakfast -was smoking he gave him a prod. George rolled over, looking haggard and -glum. - -"I'm sick," he said. - -Ken's cheerfulness left him, for he knew what sickness or injury did to -a camping trip. George complained of aching bones, headache and cramps, -and showed a tongue with a yellow coating. Ken said he had eaten too -much fresh meat, but Pepe, after looking George over, called it a name -that sounded like _calentura_. - -"What's that?" Ken inquired. - -"Tropic fever," replied George. "I've had it before." - -For a while he was a very sick boy. Ken had a little medicine-case, and -from it he administered what he thought was best, and George grew easier -presently. Then Ken sat down to deliberate on the situation. - -Whatever way he viewed it, he always came back to the same thing--they -must get out of the jungle; and as they could not go back, they must go -on down the river. That was a bad enough proposition without being -hampered by a sick boy. It was then Ken had a subtle change of feeling; -a shade of gloom seemed to pervade his spirit. - -By nine o'clock they were packed, and, turning into the shady channel, -soon were out in the sunlight saying good-by to Cypress Island. At the -moment Ken did not feel sorry to go, yet he knew that feeling would come -by and by, and that Cypress Island would take its place in his memory as -one more haunting, calling wild place. - -They turned a curve to run under a rocky bluff from which came a muffled -roar of rapids. A long, projecting point of rock extended across the -river, allowing the water to rush through only at a narrow mill-race -channel close to the shore. It was an obstacle to get around. There was -no possibility of lifting the boat over the bridge of rock, and the -alternative was shooting the channel. Ken got out upon the rocks, only -to find that drifting the boat round the sharp point was out of the -question, owing to a dangerously swift current. Ken tried the depth of -the water--about four feet. Then he dragged the boat back a little -distance and stepped into the river. - -"Look! Look!" cried Pepe, pointing to the bank. - -About ten yards away was a bare shelf of mud glistening with water and -showing the deep tracks of a crocodile. It was a slide, and manifestly -had just been vacated. The crocodile-tracks resembled the imprints of a -giant's hand. - -"Come out!" yelled George, and Pepe jabbered to his saints. - -"We've got to go down this river," Ken replied, and he kept on wading -till he got the boat in the current. He was frightened, of course, but -he kept on despite that. The boat lurched into the channel, stern -first, and he leaped up on the bow. It shot down with the speed of a -toboggan, and the boat whirled before he could scramble to the oars. -What was worse, an overhanging tree with dead snags left scarce room to -pass beneath. Ken ducked to prevent being swept overboard, and one of -the snags that brushed and scraped him ran under his belt and lifted him -into the air. He grasped at the first thing he could lay hands on, -which happened to be a box, but he could not hold to it because the boat -threatened to go on, leaving him kicking in midair and holding up a box -of potatoes. Ken clutched a gunwale, only to see the water swell -dangerously over the edge. In angry helplessness he loosened his hold. -Then the snag broke, just in the nick of time, for in a second more the -boat would have been swept away. Ken fell across the bow, held on, and -soon drifted from under the threshing branches, and seized the oars. - -Pepe and George and Hal walked round the ledge and, even when they -reached Ken, had not stopped laughing. - -"Boys, it wasn't funny," declared Ken, soberly. - -"I said it was coming to us," replied George. - -There were rapids below, and Ken went at them with stern eyes and set -lips. It was the look of men who face obstacles in getting out of the -wilderness. More than one high wave circled spitefully round Pepe's -broad shoulders. - -They came to a fall where the river dropped a few feet straight down. -Ken sent the boys below. Hal and George made a detour. But Pepe jumped -off the ledge into shallow water. - -"_Ah-h!_" yelled Pepe. - -Ken was becoming accustomed to Pepe's wild yell, but there was a note in -this which sent a shiver over him. Before looking, Ken snatched his -rifle from the boat. - -Pepe appeared to be sailing out into the pool. But his feet were not -moving. - -Ken had only an instant, but in that he saw under Pepe a long, yellow, -swimming shape, leaving a wake in the water. Pepe had jumped upon the -back of a crocodile. He seemed paralyzed, or else he was wisely -trusting himself there rather than in the water. Ken was too shocked to -offer advice. Indeed, he would not have known how to meet this -situation. - -Suddenly Pepe leaped for a dry stone, and the energy of his leap carried -him into the river beyond. Like a flash he was out again, spouting -water. - -Ken turned loose the automatic on the crocodile and shot a magazine of -shells. The crocodile made a tremendous surge, churning up a slimy -foam, then vanished in a pool. - -"Guess this 'll be crocodile day," said Ken, changing the clip in his -rifle. "I'll bet I made a hole in that one. Boys, look out below." - -Ken shoved the boat over the ledge in line with Pepe, and it floated to -him, while Ken picked his way round the rocky shore. The boys piled -aboard again. The day began to get hot. Ken cautioned the boys to -avoid wading, if possible, and to be extremely careful where they -stepped. Pepe pointed now and then to huge bubbles breaking on the -surface of the water and said they were made by crocodiles. - -From then on Ken's hands were full. He struck swift water, where rapid -after rapid, fall on fall, took the boat downhill at a rate to afford -him satisfaction. The current had a five or six mile speed, and, as Ken -had no portages to make and the corrugated rapids of big waves gave him -speed, he made by far the best time of the voyage. - -The hot hours passed--cool for the boys because they were always wet. -The sun sank behind a hill. The wind ceased to whip the streamers of -moss. At last, in a gathering twilight, Ken halted at a wide, flat rock -to make camp. - -"Forty miles to-day if we made an inch!" exclaimed Ken. - -The boys said more. - -They built a fire, cooked supper, and then, weary and silent, Hal and -George and Pepe rolled into their blankets. But Ken doggedly worked an -hour at his map and notes. That hard forty miles meant a long way -toward the success of his trip. - -Next morning the mists had not lifted from the river when they shoved -off, determined to beat the record of yesterday. Difficulties beset -them from the start--the highest waterfall of the trip, a leak in the -boat, deep, short rapids, narrows with choppy waves, and a whirlpool -where they turned round and round, unable to row out. Nor did they get -free till Pepe lassoed a snag and pulled them out. - -About noon they came to another narrow chute brawling down into a deep, -foamy pool. Again Ken sent the boys around, and he backed the boat into -the chute; and just as the current caught it he leaped aboard. He was -either tired or careless, for he drifted too close to a half-submerged -rock, and, try as he might, at the last moment he could not avoid a -collision. - -As the stern went hard on the rock Ken expected to break something, but -was surprised at the soft thud with which he struck. It flashed into his -mind that the rock was moss-covered. - -Quick as the thought there came a rumble under the boat, the stern -heaved up, there was a great sheet-like splash, and then a blow that -splintered the gunwale. Then the boat shunted off, affording the -astounded Ken a good view of a very angry crocodile. He had been -sleeping on the rock. - -The boys were yelling and crowding down to the shore where Ken was -drifting in. Pepe waded in to catch the boat. - -"What was it hit you, Ken?" asked Hal. - -"Mucho malo," cried Pepe. - -"The boat's half full of water--the gunwale's all split!" ejaculated -George. - -"Only an accident of river travel," replied Ken, with mock nonchalance. -"Say, Garrapato, _when_, about _when_ is it coming to me?" - -"Well, if he didn't get slammed by a crocodile!" continued George. - -They unloaded, turned out the water, broke up a box to use for repairs, -and mended the damaged gunwale--work that lost more than a good hour. -Once again under way, Ken made some interesting observations. The river -ceased to stand on end in places; crocodiles slipped off every muddy -promontory, and wide trails ridged the steep clay-banks. - -"Cattle-trails, Pepe says," said George. "Wild cattle roam all through -the jungle along the Panuco." - -It was a well-known fact that the rancheros of Tamaulipas State had no -idea how many cattle they owned. Ken was so eager to see if Pepe had -been correct that he went ashore, to find the trails were, indeed, those -of cattle. - -"Then, Pepe, we must be somewhere near the Panuco River," he said. - -"Quien sabe?" rejoined he, quietly. - -When they rounded the curve they came upon a herd of cattle that -clattered up the bank, raising a cloud of dust. - -"Wilder than deer!" Ken exclaimed. - -From that point conditions along the river changed. The banks were no -longer green; the beautiful cypresses gave place to other trees, as -huge, as moss-wound, but more rugged and of gaunt outline; the flowers -and vines and shady nooks disappeared. Everywhere wide-horned steers -and cows plunged up the banks. Everywhere buzzards rose from gruesome -feasts. The shore was lined with dead cattle, and the stench of -putrefying flesh was almost unbearable. They passed cattle mired in the -mud, being slowly tortured to death by flies and hunger; they passed -cattle that had slipped off steep banks and could not get back and were -bellowing dismally; and also strangely acting cattle that Pepe said had -gone crazy from ticks in their ears. Ken would have put these miserable -beasts out of their misery had not George restrained him with a few -words about Mexican law. - -A sense of sickness came to Ken, and though he drove the feeling from -him, it continually returned. George and Hal lay flat on the canvas, -shaded with a couple of palm leaves; Pepe rowed on and on, growing more -and more serious and quiet. His quick, responsive smile was wanting -now. - -By way of diversion, and also in the hope of securing a specimen, Ken -began to shoot at the crocodiles. George came out of his lethargy and -took up his rifle. He would have had to be ill indeed, to forswear any -possible shooting; and, now that Ken had removed the bar, he forgot he -had fever. Every hundred yards or so they would come upon a crocodile -measuring somewhere from about six feet upward, and occasionally they -would see a great yellow one, as large as a log. Seldom did they get -within good range of these huge fellows, and shooting from a moving boat -was not easy. The smaller ones, however, allowed the boat to approach -quite close. George bounced many a .32 bullet off the bank, but he -never hit a crocodile. Ken allowed him to have the shots for the fun of -it, and, besides, he was watching for a big one. - -"George, that rifle of yours is leaded. It doesn't shoot where you -aim." - -When they got unusually close to a small crocodile George verified Ken's -statement by missing his game some yards. He promptly threw the -worn-out rifle overboard, an act that caused Pepe much concern. - -Whereupon Ken proceeded to try his luck. Instructing Pepe to row about -in the middle of the stream, he kept eye on one shore while George -watched the other. He shot half a dozen small crocodiles, but they -slipped off the bank before Pepe could get ashore. This did not appear -to be the fault of the rifle, for some of the reptiles were shot almost -in two pieces. But Ken had yet to learn more about the tenacity of life -of these water-brutes. Several held still long enough for Ken to shoot -them through, then with a plunge they went into the water, sinking at -once in a bloody foam. He knew he had shot them through, for he saw -large holes in the mud-banks lined with bits of bloody skin and bone. - -"There's one," said George, pointing. "Let's get closer, so we can grab -him. He's got a good piece to go before he reaches the water." - -Pepe rowed slowly along, guiding the boat a little nearer the shore. At -forty feet the crocodile raised up, standing on short legs, so that all -but his tail was free of the ground. He opened his huge jaws either in -astonishment or to intimidate them, and then Ken shot him straight down -the throat. He flopped convulsively and started to slide and roll. -When he reached the water he turned over on his back, with his feet -sticking up, resembling a huge frog. Pepe rowed hard to the shore, just -as the crocodile with one last convulsion rolled off into deeper water. -Ken reached over, grasped his foot, and was drawing it up when a sight -of cold, glassy eyes and open-fanged jaws made him let go. Then the -crocodile sank in water where Pepe could not touch bottom with an oar. - -"Let's get one if it takes a week," declared George. The lad might be -sick, but there was nothing wrong with his spirit. "Look there!" he -exclaimed. "Oh, I guess it's a log. Too big!" - -They had been unable to tell the difference between a crocodile and a -log of driftwood until it was too late. In this instance a long, -dirty-gray object lay upon a low bank. Despite its immense size, which -certainly made the chances in favor of its being a log, Ken determined -this time to be fooled on the right side. He had seen a dozen logs--as -he thought--suddenly become animated and slip into the river. - -"Hold steady, Pepe. I'll take a crack at that just for luck." - -The distance was about a hundred yards, a fine range for the little -rifle. Resting on his knee, he sighted low, under the gray object, and -pulled the trigger twice. There were two spats so close together as to -be barely distinguishable. The log of driftwood leaped into life. - -"Whoop!" shouted Hal. - -"It's a crocodile!" yelled George. "You hit--you hit! Will you listen -to that?" - -"Row hard, Pepe--pull!" - -He bent to the oars, and the boat flew shoreward. - -The huge crocodile, opening yard-long jaws, snapped them shut with loud -cracks. Then he beat the bank with his tail. It was as limber as a -willow, but he seemed unable to move his central parts, his thick bulk, -where Ken had sent the two mushroom bullets. _Whack_! _Whack_! -_Whack_! The sodden blows jarred pieces from the clay-bank above him. -Each blow was powerful enough to have staved in the planking of a ship. -All at once he lunged upward and, falling over backward, slid down his -runway into a few inches of water, where he stuck. - -"Go in above him, Pepe," Ken shouted. "Here-- Heavens! What a -monster!" - -Deliberately, at scarce twenty feet, Ken shot the remaining four shells -into the crocodile. The bullets tore through his horny hide, and blood -and muddy water spouted up. George and Pepe and Hal yelled, and Ken kept -time with them. The terrible lashing tail swung back and forth almost -too swiftly for the eye to catch. A deluge of mud and water descended -upon the boys, bespattering, blinding them and weighing down the boat. -They jumped out upon the bank to escape it. They ran to and fro in -aimless excitement. Ken still clutched the rifle, but he had no shells -for it. George was absurd enough to fling a stone into the blood-tinged -cloud of muddy froth and spray that hid the threshing leviathan. -Presently the commotion subsided enough for them to see the great -crocodile lying half on his back, with belly all torn and bloody and -huge claw-like hands pawing the air. He was edging, slipping off into -deeper water. - -"He'll get away--he'll get away!" cried Hal. "What 'll we do?" - -Ken racked his brains. - -"Pepe, get your lasso--rope him--rope him! Hurry! he's slipping!" -yelled George. - -Pepe snatched up his lariat, and, without waiting to coil it, cast the -loop. He caught one of the flippers and hauled tight on it just as the -crocodile slipped out of sight off the muddy ledge. The others ran to -the boat, and, grasping hold of the lasso with Pepe, squared away and -began to pull. Plain it was that the crocodile was not coming up so -easily. They could not budge him. - -"Hang on, boys!" Ken shouted. "It's a tug-of-war." - -The lasso was suddenly jerked out with a kind of twang. Crash! went -Pepe and Hal into the bottom of the boat. Ken went sprawling into the -mud, and George, who had the last hold, went to his knees, but valiantly -clung to the slipping rope. Bounding up, Ken grasped it from him and -wound it round the sharp nose of the bowsprit. - -"Get in--hustle!" he called, falling aboard. "You're always saying it's -coming to us. Here's where!" - -George had hardly got into the boat when the crocodile pulled it off -shore, and away it went, sailing down-stream. - -"Whoop! All aboard for Panuco!" yelled Hal. - -"Now, Pepe, you don't need to row any more--we've a water-horse," Ken -added. - -But Pepe did not enter into the spirit of the occasion. He kept calling -on the saints and crying, "Mucho malo." George and Ken and Hal, -however, were hilarious. They had not yet had experience enough to know -crocodiles. - -Faster and faster they went. The water began to surge away from the bow -and leave a gurgling wake behind the stern. Soon the boat reached the -middle of the river where the water was deepest, and the lasso went -almost straight down. - -Ken felt the stern of the boat gradually lifted, and then, in alarm, he -saw the front end sinking in the water. The crocodile was hauling the -bow under. - -"Pepe--your machete--cut the lasso!" he ordered, sharply. George had to -repeat the order. - -Wildly Pepe searched under the seat and along the gunwales. He could -not find the _machete_. - -"Cut the rope!" Ken thundered. "Use a knife, the ax--anything--only cut -it--and cut it quick!" - -Pepe could find nothing. Knife in hand, Ken leaped over his head, -sprawled headlong over the trunk, and slashed the taut lasso just as the -water began to roar into the boat. The bow bobbed up as a cork that had -been under. But the boat had shipped six inches of water. - -[Illustration: KNIFE IN HAND, KEN LEAPED OVER HIS HEAD AND SLASHED THE -TAUT LASSO] - -"Row ashore, Pepe. Steady, there. Trim the boat, George." - -They beached at a hard clay-bank and rested a little before unloading to -turn out the water. - -"Grande!" observed Pepe. - -"Yes; he was big," assented George. - -"I wonder what's going to happen to us next," added Hal. - -Ken Ward looked at these companions of his and he laughed outright. -"Well, if you all don't take the cake for nerve!" - - - - - *XX* - - *TREED BY WILD PIGS* - - -Pepe's long years of _mozo_ work, rowing for tarpon fishermen, now stood -the boys in good stead. All the hot hours of the day he bent steadily -to the oars. Occasionally they came to rifts, but these were not -difficult to pass, being mere swift, shallow channels over sandy bottom. -The rocks and the rapids were things of the past. - -George lay in a kind of stupor, and Hal lolled in his seat. Ken, -however, kept alert, and as the afternoon wore on began to be annoyed at -the scarcity of camp-sites. - -The muddy margins of the river, the steep banks, and the tick-infested -forests offered few places where it was possible to rest, to say nothing -of sleep. Every turn in the widening river gave Ken hope, which -resulted in disappointment. He found consolation, however, in the fact -that every turn and every hour put him so much farther on the way. - -About five o'clock Ken had unexpected good luck in shape of a small -sand-bar cut off from the mainland, and therefore free of cattle-tracks. -It was clean and dry, with a pile of driftwood at one end. - -"Tumble out, boys," called Ken, as Pepe beached the boat. "We'll pitch -camp here." - -Neither Hal nor George showed any alacrity. Ken watched his brother; he -feared to see some of the symptoms of George's sickness. Both lads, -however, seemed cheerful, though too tired to be of much use in the -pitching of camp. - -Ken could not recover his former good spirits. There was a sense of -foreboding in his mind that all was not well, that he must hurry, hurry. -And although George appeared to be holding his own, Hal healthy enough, -and Pepe's brooding quiet at least no worse, Ken could not rid himself -of gloom. If he had answered the question that knocked at his mind he -would have admitted a certainty of disaster. So he kept active, and -when there were no more tasks for that day he worked on his note-book, -and then watched the flight of wild fowl. - -The farther down the river the boys traveled the more numerous were the -herons and cranes and ducks. But they saw no more of the beautiful -_pato real_, as Pepe called them, or the little russet-colored ducks, or -the dismal-voiced bitterns. On the other hand, wild geese were common, -and there were flocks and flocks of teal and canvasbacks. - -Pepe, as usual, cooked duck. And he had to eat it. George had lost his -appetite altogether. Hal had lost his taste for meat, at least. And -Ken made a frugal meal of rice. - -"Boys," he said, "the less you eat from now on the better for you." - -It took resolution to drink the cocoa, for Ken could not shut out -remembrance of the green water and the shore-line of dead and decaying -cattle. Still, he was parched with thirst; he had to drink. That night -he slept ten hours without turning over. Next morning he had to shake -Pepe to rouse him. - -Ken took turns at the oars with Pepe. It was not only that he fancied -Pepe was weakening and in need of an occasional rest, but the fact that -he wanted to be occupied, and especially to keep in good condition. They -made thirty miles by four o'clock, and most of it against a breeze. Not -in the whole distance did they pass half a dozen places fit for a camp. -Toward evening the river narrowed again, resembling somewhat the Santa -Rosa of earlier acquaintance. The magnificent dark forests crowded high -on the banks, always screened and curtained by gray moss, as if to keep -their secrets. - -The sun was just tipping with gold the mossy crests of a grove of giant -ceibas, when the boys rounded a bend to come upon the first ledge of -rocks for two days. A low, grassy promontory invited the eyes searching -for camping-ground. This spot appeared ideal; it certainly was -beautiful. The ledge jutted into the river almost to the opposite -shore, forcing the water to rush through a rocky trough into a great -foam-spotted pool below. - -They could not pitch the tent, since the stony ground would not admit -stakes, so they laid the canvas flat. Pepe went up the bank with his -_machete_ in search of firewood. To Ken's utmost delight he found a -little spring of sweet water trickling from the ledge, and by digging a -hole was enabled to get a drink, the first one in more than a week. - -A little later, as he was spreading the blankets, George called his -attention to shouts up in the woods. - -"Pepe's treed something," Ken said. "Take your gun and hunt him up." - -Ken went on making a bed and busying himself about camp, with little -heed to George's departure. Presently, however, he was startled by -unmistakable sounds of alarm. George and Pepe were yelling in unison, -and, from the sound, appeared to be quite a distance away. - -"What the deuce!" Ken ejaculated, snatching up his rifle. He snapped a -clip in the magazine and dropped several loaded clips and a box of extra -shells into his coat pocket. After his adventure with the jaguar he -decided never again to find himself short of ammunition. Running up the -sloping bank, he entered the forest, shouting for his companions. -Answering cries came from in front and a little to the left. He could -not make out what was said. - -Save for drooping moss the forest was comparatively open, and at a -hundred paces from the river-bank were glades covered with thickets and -long grass and short palm-trees. The ground sloped upward quite -perceptibly. - -"Hey, boys, where are you?" called Ken. - -Pepe's shrill yells mingled with George's shouts. At first their -meaning was unintelligible, but after calling twice Ken understood. - -"Javelin! Go back! Javelin! We're treed! Wild pigs! Santa Maria! -Run for your life!" - -This was certainly enlightening and rather embarrassing. Ken remembered -the other time the boys had made him run, and he grew hot with anger. - -"I'll be blessed if I'll run!" he said, in the pride of conceit and -wounded vanity. Whereupon he began to climb the slope, stopping every -few steps to listen and look. Ken wondered what had made Pepe go so far -for fire-wood; still, there was nothing but green wood all about. -Walking round a clump of seared and yellow palms that rustled in the -breeze, Ken suddenly espied George's white shirt. He was in a scrubby -sapling not fifteen feet from the ground. Then Ken espied Pepe, perched -in the forks of a ceiba, high above the thickets and low shrubbery. Ken -was scarcely more than a dozen rods from them down the gradual slope. -Both saw him at once. - -"Run, you Indian! Run!" bawled George, waving his hands. - -George implored Ken to fly to save his precious life. - -"What for? you fools! I don't see anything to run from," Ken shouted -back. His temper had soured a little during the last few days. - -"You'd better run, or you'll have to climb," replied George. "Wild -pigs--a thousand of 'em!" - -"Where?" - -"Right under us. There! Oh, if they see you! Listen to this." He -broke off a branch, trimmed it of leaves, and flung it down. Ken heard -a low, trampling roar of many hard little feet, brushings in the -thicket, and cracking of twigs. As close as he was, however, he could -not see a moving object. The dead grass and brush were several feet -high, up to his waist in spots, and, though he changed position several -times, no _javelin_ did he see. - -"You want to look out. Say, man, these are wild pigs--boars, I tell -you! They'll kill you!" bellowed George. - -"Are you going to stay up there all night?" Ken asked, sarcastically. - -"We'll stay till they go away." - -"All right, I'll scare them away," Ken replied, and, suiting action to -word, he worked the automatic as fast as it would shoot, aiming into the -thicket under George. - -Of all the foolish things a nettled hunter ever did that was the worst. -A roar answered the echoes of the rifle, and the roar rose from every -side of the trees the victims were in. Nervously Ken clamped a fresh -clip of shells into the rifle. Clouds of dust arose, and strange little -squeals and grunts seemed to come from every quarter. Then the grass -and bushes were suddenly torn apart by swift gray forms with glittering -eyes. They were everywhere. - -"_Run_! _Run_!" shrieked George, high above the tumult. - -For a thrilling instant Ken stood his ground and fired at the bobbing -gray backs. But every break made in the ranks by the powerful shells -filled in a flash. Before that vicious charge he wavered, then ran as -if pursued by demons. - -The way was downhill. Ken tripped, fell, rolled over and over, then, -still clutching the rifle, rose with a bound and fled. The javelin had -gained. They were at his heels. He ran like a deer. Then, seeing a low -branch, he leaped for it, grasped it with one hand, and, crooking an -elbow round it, swung with the old giant swing. - -Before Ken knew how it had happened he was astride a dangerously swaying -branch directly over a troop of brownish-gray, sharp-snouted, -fiendish-eyed little peccaries. - -Some were young and sleek, others were old and rough; some had little -yellow teeth or tusks, and all pointed their sharp noses upward, as if -expecting him to fall into their very mouths. Feeling safe, once more -Ken loaded the rifle and began to kill the biggest, most vicious -_javelin_. When he had killed twelve in twelve shots, he saw that -shooting a few would be of no avail. There were hundreds, it seemed, -and he had scarcely fifty shells left. Moreover, the rifle-barrel grew -so hot that it burnt his hands. Hearing George's yell, he replied, -somewhat to his disgust: - -"I'm all right, George--only treed. How 're you?" - -"Pigs all gone--they chased you--Pepe thinks we can risk running." - -"Don't take any chances," Ken yelled, in answer. - -"Hi! Hi! What's wrong with you gazabos?" came Hal's yell from down the -slope. - -"Go back to the boat," shouted Ken. - -"What for?" - -"We're all treed by javelin--wild pigs." - -"I've got to see that," was Hal's reply. - -Ken called a sharp, angry order for Hal to keep away. But Hal did not -obey. Ken heard him coming, and presently saw him enter one of the -little glades. He had Ken's shotgun, and was peering cautiously about. - -"Ken, where are you?" - -"Here! Didn't I tell you to keep away? The pigs heard you--some of them -are edging out there. Look out! Run, kid, run!" - -A troop of _javelin_ flashed into the glade. Hal saw them and raised the -shotgun. - -_Boom_! He shot both barrels. - -The shot tore through the brush all around Ken, but fortunately beneath -him. Neither the noise nor the lead stopped the pugnacious little -peccaries. - -Hal dropped Ken's hammerless and fled. - -"Run faster!" yelled George, who evidently enjoyed Hal's plight. -"They'll get you! Run hard!" - -The lad was running close to the record when he disappeared. - -In trying to find a more comfortable posture, so he could apply himself -to an interesting study of his captors, Ken made the startling discovery -that the branch which upheld him was splitting from the tree-trunk. His -heart began to pound in his breast; then it went up into his throat. -Every move he made--for he had started to edge toward the tree--widened -the little white split. - -"Boys, my branch is breaking!" he called, piercingly. - -"Can't you get another?" returned George. - -"No; I daren't move! Hurry, boys! If you don't scare these brutes off -I'm a goner!" - -Ken's eyes were riveted upon the gap where the branch was slowly -separating from the tree-trunk. He glanced about to see if he could not -leap to another branch. There was nothing near that would hold him. In -desperation he resolved to drop the rifle, cautiously get to his feet -upon the branch, and with one spring try to reach the tree. When about -to act upon this last chance he heard Pepe's shrill yell and a crashing -in the brush. Then followed the unmistakable roar and crackling of fire. -Pepe had fired the brush--no, he was making his way toward Ken, armed -with a huge torch. - -"Pepe, you'll fire the jungle!" cried Ken, forgetting what was at stake -and that Pepe could not understand much English. But Ken had been in -one forest-fire and remembered it with horror. - -The _javelin_ stirred uneasily, and ran around under Ken, tumbling over -one another. - -When Pepe burst through the brush, holding before him long-stemmed palm -leaves flaring in hissing flames, the whole pack of pigs bowled away -into the forest at breakneck speed. - -Ken leaped down, and the branch came with him. George came running up, -his face white, his eyes big. Behind him rose a roar that Ken thought -might be another drove of pigs till he saw smoke and flame. - -"Boys, the jungle's on fire. Run for the river!" - -In their hurry they miscalculated the location of camp and dashed out of -the jungle over a steep bank, and they all had a tumble. It was -necessary to wade to reach the rocky ledge. - -Ken shook hands with Pepe. - -"George, tell him that was a nervy thing to do. He saved my life, I do -believe." - -"You fellows did a lot of hollering," said Hal, from his perch in the -boat. - -"Say, young man, you've got to go back after my gun. Why didn't you do -what I told you? Foolish, to run into danger that way!" declared Ken, -severely. - -"You don't suppose I was going to overlook a chance to see Ken Ward -treed, do you?" - -"Well, you saw him, and that was no joke. But I wish Pepe could have -scared those pigs off without firing the jungle." - -"Pepe says it 'll give the ticks a good roasting," said George. - -"We'll have roast pig, anyway," added Ken. - -He kept watching the jungle back of the camp as if he expected it to -blow up like a powder-mine. But this Tamaulipas jungle was not Penetier -Forest. A cloud of smoke rolled up; there was a frequent roaring of dry -palms; but the green growths did not burn. It was not much of a -forest-fire, and Ken concluded that it would soon burn out. - -So he took advantage of the waning daylight to spread out his map and -plot in the day's travel. This time Hal watched him with a quiet -attention that was both flattering and stimulating; and at the -conclusion of the task he said: - -"Well, Ken, we're having sport, but we're doing something -more--something worth while." - - - - - *XXI* - - *THE LEAPING TARPON* - - -Just before dark, when the boys were at supper, a swarm of black -mosquitoes swooped down upon camp. - -Pepe could not have shown more fear at angry snakes, and he began to -pile green wood and leaves on the fire to make a heavy smoke. - -These mosquitoes were very large, black-bodied, with white-barred wings. -Their bite was as painful as the sting of a bee. After threshing about -until tired out the boys went to bed. But it was only to get up again, -for the mosquitoes could bite through two thicknesses of blanket. - -For a wonder every one was quiet. Even George did not grumble. The -only thing to do was to sit or stand in the smoke of the campfire. The -boys wore their gloves and wrapped blankets round heads and shoulders. -They crouched over the fire until tired of that position, then stood up -till they could stand no longer. It was a wretched, sleepless night -with the bloodthirsty mosquitoes humming about like a swarm of bees. -They did not go away until dawn. - -"That's what I get for losing the mosquito-netting," said Ken, wearily. - -Breakfast was not a cheerful meal, despite the fact that the boys all -tried to brace up. - -George's condition showed Ken the necessity for renewed efforts to get -out of the jungle. Pepe appeared heavy and slow, and, what was more -alarming, he had lost his appetite. Hal was cross, but seemed to keep -well. It was hard enough for Ken to persuade George and Pepe to take -the bitter doses of quinine, and Hal positively refused. - -"It makes me sick, I tell you," said Hal, impatiently. - -"But Hal, you ought to be guided by my judgment now," replied Ken, -gently. - -"I don't care. I've had enough of bitter pills." - -"I ask you--as a favor?" persisted Ken, quietly. - -"No!" - -"Well, then, I'll have to make you take them." - -"Wha-at?" roared Hal. - -"If necessary, I'll throw you down and pry open your mouth and get Pepe -to stuff these pills down your throat. There!" went on Ken, and now he -did not recognize his own voice. - -Hal looked quickly at his brother, and was amazed and all at once -shaken. - -"Why, Ken--" he faltered. - -"I ought to have made you take them before," interrupted Ken. "But I've -been too easy. Now, Hal, listen--and you, too, George. I've made a bad -mess of this trip. I got you into this jungle, and I ought to have taken -better care of you, whether you would or not. George has fever. Pepe -is getting it. I'm afraid you won't escape. You all _would_ drink -unboiled water." - -"Ken, that's all right, but you can get fever from the bites of the -ticks," said George. - -"I dare say. But just the same you could have been careful about the -water. Not only that--look how careless we have been. Think of the -things that have happened! We've gotten almost wild on this trip. We -don't realize. But wait till we get home. Then we'll hardly be able to -believe we ever had these adventures. But our foolishness, our -carelessness, must stop right here. If we can't profit by our lucky -escapes yesterday--from that lassoed crocodile and the wild pigs--we are -simply no good. I love fun and sport. But there's a limit. Hal, -remember what old Hiram told you about being foolhardily brave. I think -we have been wonderfully lucky. Now let's deserve our good luck. Let's -not prove what that Tampico hotel-man said. Let's show we are not just -wild-goose-chasing boys. I put it to you straight. I think the real -test is yet to come, and I want you to help me. No more tricks. No -more drinking unboiled water. No more shooting except in self-defense. -We must not eat any more meat. No more careless wandering up the banks. -No chances. See? And fight the fever. Don't give up. Then when we -get out of this awful jungle we can look back at our adventures--and, -better, we can be sure we've learned a lot. We shall have accomplished -something, and that's learning. Now, how about it? Will you help me?" - -"You can just bet your life," replied George, and he held out his hand. - -"Ken, I'm with you," was Hal's quiet promise; and Ken knew from the way -the lad spoke that he was in dead earnest. When it came to the last -ditch Hal Ward was as true as steel. He took the raw, bitter quinine -Ken offered and swallowed it without a grimace. - -"Good!" exclaimed Ken. "Now, boys, let's pack. Hal, you let your -menagerie go. There's no use keeping your pets any longer. George, you -make yourself a bed on the trunk, and fix a palm-leaf sun-shelter. Then -lie down." - -When the boat had been packed and all was in readiness for the start, -George was sound asleep. They shoved off into the current. Pepe and Ken -took turns at the oars, making five miles an hour. - -As on the day before, they glided under the shadows of the great -moss-twined cypresses, along the muddy banks where crocodiles basked in -the sun and gaunt cattle came down to drink. Once the boat turned a -bushy point to startle a large flock of wild turkeys, perhaps -thirty-five in number. They had been resting in the cool sand along the -river. Some ran up the bank, some half-dozen flew right over the boat, -and most of them squatted down as if to evade detection. Thereafter -turkeys and ducks and geese became so common as to be monotonous. - -About one o'clock Ken sighted a thatched bamboo and palm-leaf hut on the -bank. - -"Oh, boys, look! look!" cried Ken, joyfully. - -Hal was as pleased as Ken, and George roused out of his slumber. Pepe -grinned and nodded his head. - -Some naked little children ran like quail. A disheveled black head -peeped out of a door, then swiftly vanished. - -"Indians," said George. - -"I don't care," replied Ken, "they're human beings--people. We're -getting somewhere." - -From there on the little bamboo huts were frequently sighted. And soon -Ken saw a large one situated upon a high bluff. Ken was wondering if -these natives would be hospitable. - -Upon rounding the next bend the boys came unexpectedly upon a connecting -river. It was twice as wide as the Santa Rosa, and quite swift. - -"Tamaulipas," said Pepe. - -"Hooray! boys, this is the source of the Panuco, sure as you're born," -cried Ken. "I told you we were getting somewhere." - -He was overcome with the discovery. This meant success. - -"Savalo! Savalo!" exclaimed Pepe, pointing. - -"Tarpon! Tarpon! What do you think of that? 'Way up here! We must be -a long distance from tide-water," said George. - -Ken looked around over the broad pool below the junction of the two -rivers. And here and there he saw swirls, and big splashes, and then -the silver sides of rolling tarpon. - -"Boys, seeing we've packed that can of preserved mullet all the way, and -those thundering heavy tackles, let's try for tarpon," suggested Ken. - -It was wonderful to see how the boys responded. Pepe was no longer slow -and heavy. George forgot he was sick. Hal, who loved to fish better -than to hunt, was as enthusiastic as on the first day. - -"Ken, let me boss this job," said George, as he began to rig the -tackles. "Pepe will row; you and Hal sit back here and troll. I'll make -myself useful. Open the can. See, I hook the mullet just back of the -head, letting the bar come out free. There! Now run out about forty -feet of line. Steady the butt of the rod under your leg. Put your left -hand above the reel. Hold the handle of the reel in your right, and -hold it hard. The drag is in the handle. Now when a tarpon takes the -bait, jerk with all your might. Their mouths are like iron, and it's -hard to get a hook to stick." - -Pepe rowed at a smooth, even stroke and made for the great curve of the -pool where tarpon were breaking water. - -"If they're on the feed, we'll have more sport than we've had yet," said -George. - -Ken was fascinated, and saw that Hal was going to have the best time of -the trip. Also Ken was very curious to have a tarpon strike. He had no -idea what it would be like. Presently, when the boat glided among the -rolling fish and there was prospect of one striking at any moment, Ken -could not subdue a mounting excitement. - -"Steady now--be ready," warned George. - -Suddenly Hal's line straightened. The lad yelled and jerked at the same -instant. There came a roar of splitting waters, and a beautiful silver -fish, longer than Hal himself, shot up into the air. The tarpon shook -himself and dropped back into the water with a crash. - -Hal was speechless. He wound in his line to find the bait gone. - -"Threw the hook," said George, as he reached into the can for another -bait. "He wasn't so big. You'll get used to losing 'em. There! try -again." - -Ken had felt several gentle tugs at his line, as if tarpon were rolling -across it. And indeed he saw several fish swim right over where his -line disappeared in the water. There were splashes all around the boat, -some gentle swishes and others hard, cutting rushes. Then his line -straightened with a heavy jerk. He forgot to try to hook the fish; -indeed, he had no time. The tarpon came half out of the water, wagged -his head, and plumped back. Ken had not hooked the fish, nor had the -fish got the bait. So Ken again let out his line. - -The next thing which happened was that the boys both had strikes at the -same instant. Hal stood up, and as his tarpon leaped it pulled him -forward, and he fell into the stern-seat. His reel-handle rattled on -the gunwale. The line hissed. Ken leaned back and jerked. His fish did -not break water, but he was wonderfully active under the surface. Pepe -was jabbering. George was yelling. Hal's fish was tearing the water to -shreds. He crossed Ken's fish; the lines fouled, and then slacked. Ken -began to wind in. Hal rose to do likewise. - -"Gee!" he whispered, with round eyes. - -Both lines had been broken. George made light of this incident, and -tied on two more leaders and hooks and baited afresh. - -"The fish are on the feed, boys. It's a cinch you'll each catch one. -Better troll one at a time, unless you can stand for crossed lines." - -But Ken and Hal were too eager to catch a tarpon to troll one at a time, -so once more they let their lines out. A tarpon took Hal's bait right -under the stern of the boat. Hal struck with all his might. This fish -came up with a tremendous splash, drenching the boys. His great, -gleaming silver sides glistened in the sun. He curved his body and -straightened out with a snap like the breaking of a board, and he threw -the hook whistling into the air. - -Before Hal had baited up, Ken got another strike. This fish made five -leaps, one after the other, and upon the last threw the hook like a -bullet. As he plunged down, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the misty -spray. - -"Hal, do you see that rainbow?" cried Ken, quickly. "There's a sight -for a fisherman!" - -This time in turn, before Ken started to troll, Hal hooked another -tarpon. This one was not so large, but he was active. His first rush -was a long surge on the surface. He sent the spray in two streaks like a -motor-boat. Then he sounded. - -"Hang on, Hal!" yelled George and Ken in unison. - -Hal was bent almost double and his head was bobbing under the strain. -He could not hold the drag. The line was whizzing out. - -"You got that one hooked," shouted George. "Let go the reel--drop the -handle. Let him run." - -He complied, and then his fish began a marvelous exhibition of lofty -tumbling. He seemed never to stay down at all. Now he shot up, mouth -wide, gills spread, eyes wild, and he shook himself like a wet dog. -Then he dropped back, and before the boys had time to think where he -might be he came up several rods to the right and cracked his gills like -pistol-shots. He skittered on his tail and stood on his head and -dropped flat with a heavy smack. Then he stayed under and began to tug. - -"Hang on, now," cried George. "Wind in. Hold him tight. Don't give -him an inch unless he jumps." - -This was heartbreaking work for Hal. He toiled to keep the line in. He -grew red in the face. He dripped with sweat. He panted for breath. -But he hung on. - -Ken saw how skilfully Pepe managed the boat. The _mozo_ seemed to know -just which way the fish headed, and always kept the boat straight. -Sometimes he rowed back and lent his help to Hal. But this appeared to -anger the tarpon, for the line told he was coming to the surface. Then, -as Pepe ceased to let him feel the weight of the boat, the tarpon sank -again. So the battle went on round and round the great pool. After an -hour of it Hal looked ready to drop. - -"Land him alone if you can," said Ken. "He's tiring, Hal." - -"I'll--land him--or--or bust!" panted Hal. - -"Look out, now!" warned George again. "He's coming up. See the line. -Be ready to trim the boat if he drops aboard. _Wow!_" - -The tarpon slipped smoothly out of the water and shot right over the bow -of the boat. Quick-witted George flung out his hand and threw Hal's rod -round in time to save the line from catching. The fish went down, came -up wagging his head, and then fell with sullen splash. - -"He's done," yelled George. "Now, Hal, hold him for all you're worth. -Not an inch of line!" - -Pepe headed the boat for a sandy beach; and Hal, looking as if about to -have a stroke of apoplexy, clung desperately to the bending rod. The -tarpon rolled and lashed his tail, but his power was mostly gone. -Gradually he ceased to roll, until by the time Pepe reached shore he was -sliding wearily through the water, his silvery side glittering in the -light. - -The boat grated on the sand. Pepe leaped out. Then he grasped Hal's -line, slipped his hands down to the long wire leader, and with a quick, -powerful pull slid the tarpon out upon the beach. - -"Oh-h!" gasped Hal, with glistening eyes. "Oh-h! Ken, just look!" - -"I'm looking, son, and don't you forget it." - -The tarpon lay inert, a beautiful silver-scaled creature that looked as -if he had just come from a bath of melted opals. The great dark eyes -were fixed and staring, the tail moved feebly, the long dorsal fin -quivered. - -He measured five feet six inches in length, which was one inch more than -Hal's height. - -"Ken, the boys back home will never believe I caught him," said Hal, in -distress. - -"Take his picture to prove it," replied Ken. - -Hal photographed his catch. Pepe took out the hook, showing, as he did -so, the great iron-like plates in the mouth of the fish. - -"No wonder it's hard to hook them," said Ken. - -Hal certainly wanted his beautiful fish to go back, free and little -hurt, to the river. But also he wanted him for a specimen. Hal -deliberated. Evidently he was considering the labor of skinning such a -huge fish and the difficulty of preserving and packing the hide. - -"Say, Hal, wouldn't you like to see me hook one?" queried Ken, -patiently. - -That brought Hal to his senses. - -"Sure, Ken, old man, I want you to catch one--a big one--bigger than -mine," replied Hal, and restored the fish to the water. - -They all watched the liberated tarpon swim wearily off and slip down -under the water. - -"He'll have something to tell the rest, won't he?" said George. - -In a few minutes the boat was again in the center of the great pool -among the rolling tarpon. Ken had a strike immediately. He missed. -Then he tried again. And in a short space of time he saw five tarpon in -the air, one after the other, and not one did he hook securely. He got -six leaps out of one, however, and that was almost as good as landing -him. - -"There 're some whales here," said George. - -"Grande savalo," added Pepe, and he rowed over to where a huge fish was -rolling. - -"Oh, I don't want to hook the biggest one first," protested Ken. - -Pepe rowed to and fro. The boys were busy trying to see the rolling -tarpon. There would be a souse on one side, then a splash on the other, -then a thump behind. What with trying to locate all these fish and -still keep an eye on Ken's line the boys almost dislocated their necks. - -Then, quick as a flash, Ken had a strike that pulled him out of his seat -to his knees. He could not jerk. His line was like a wire. It began to -rise. With all his strength he held on. The water broke in a hollow, -slow roar, and a huge humpbacked tarpon seemed to be climbing into the -air. But he did not get all the way out, and he plunged back with a -thunderous crash. He made as much noise as if a horse had fallen off a -bridge. - -The handle of the reel slipped out of Ken's grasp, and it was well. The -tarpon made a long, wonderful run and showed on the surface a hundred -yards from the boat. He was irresistibly powerful. Ken was astounded -and thrilled at his strength and speed. There, far away from the boat, -the tarpon leaped magnificently, clearing the water, and then went down. -He did not come up again. - -"Ken, he's a whale," said George. "I believe he's well hooked. He -won't jump any more. And you've got a job on your hands." - -"I want him to jump." - -"The big ones seldom break water after the first rush or so." - -"Ken, it's coming to you with that fellow," said Hal. "My left arm is -paralyzed. Honestly, I can pinch it and not feel the pain." - -Pepe worked the boat closer and Ken reeled in yard after yard of line. -The tarpon was headed down-stream, and he kept up a steady, strong -strain. - -"Let him tow the boat," said George. "Hold the drag, Ken. Let him tow -the boat." - -"What!" exclaimed Ken, in amaze. - -"Oh, he'll do it, all right." - -And so it proved. Ken's tarpon, once headed with the current, did not -turn, and he towed the boat. - -"This is a new way for me to tire out a fish," said Ken. "What do you -think of it, Hal?" - -Hal's eyes glistened. - -"This is fishing. Ken, did you see him when he came up?" - -"Not very clearly. I had buck-fever. You know how a grouse looks when -he flushes right under your feet--a kind of brown blur. Well, this was -the same, only silver." - -At the end of what Ken judged to be a mile the tarpon was still going. -At the end of the second mile he was tired. And three miles down the -river from where the fish was hooked Pepe beached the boat on a sandbar -and hauled ashore a tarpon six feet ten inches long. - -Here Ken echoed Hal's panting gasp of wonder and exultation. As he sat -down on the boat to rest he had no feeling in his left arm, and little -in his right. His knuckles were skinned and bloody. No game of -baseball he had ever pitched had taken his strength like the conquest of -this magnificent fish. - -"Hal, we'll have some more of this fishing when we get to Tampico," said -Ken. "Why, this beats hunting. You have the sport, and you needn't -kill anything. This tarpon isn't hurt." - -So Ken photographed his prize and measured him, and, taking a last -lingering glance at the great green back, the silver-bronze sides, the -foot-wide flukes of the tail, at the whole quivering fire-tinted length, -he slid the tarpon back into the river. - - - - - *XXII* - - *STRICKEN DOWN* - - -Much as Ken would have liked to go back to that pool, he did not think -of it twice. And as soon as the excitement had subsided and the journey -was resumed, George and Hal, and Pepe, too, settled down into a silent -weariness that made Ken anxious. - -During the afternoon Ken saw Pepe slowly droop lower and lower at the -oars till the time came when he could scarcely lift them to make a -stroke. And when Ken relieved him of them, Pepe fell like a log in the -boat. - -George slept. Hal seemed to be fighting stupor. Pepe lay motionless on -his seat. They were all going down with the fever, that Ken knew, and -it took all his courage to face the situation. It warmed his heart to -see how Hal was trying to bear up under a languor that must have been -well-nigh impossible to resist. At last Hal said: - -"Ken, let me row." He would not admit that he was sick. - -Ken thought it would do Hal no harm to work. But Ken did not want to -lose time. So he hit upon a plan that pleased him. There was an extra -pair of oars in the boat. Ken fashioned rude pegs from a stick and drove -these down into the cleat inside the gunwales. With stout rope he tied -the oars to the pegs, which answered fairly well as oarlocks. Then they -had a double set of oars going, and made much better time. - -George woke and declared that he must take a turn at the oars. So Ken -let him row, too, and rested himself. He had a grim foreboding that he -would need all his strength. - -The succeeding few hours before sunset George and Hal more than made up -for all their delinquencies of the past. At first it was not very hard -for them to row; but soon they began to weary, then weaken. Neither -one, however, would give up. Ken let them row, knowing that it was good -for them. Slower and slower grew George's strokes, there were times when -he jerked up spasmodically and made an effort, only to weaken again. At -last, with a groan he dropped the oars. Ken had to lift him back into -the bow. - -Hal was not so sick as George, and therefore not so weak. He lasted -longer. Ken had seen the lad stick to many a hard job, but never as he -did to this one. Hal was making good his promise. There were times -when his breath came in whistles. He would stop and pant awhile, then -row on. Ken pretended he did not notice. But he had never been so -proud of his brother nor loved him so well. - -"Ken, old man," said Hal, presently. "I was--wrong--about the water. I -ought to have obeyed you. I--I'm pretty sick." - -What a confession for Hal Ward! - -Ken turned in time to see Hal vomit over the gunwale. - -"It's pretty tough, Hal," said Ken, as he reached out to hold his -brother's head; "but you're game. I'm so glad to see that." - -Whereupon Hal went back to his oars and stayed till he dropped. Ken -lifted him and laid him beside George. - -Ken rowed on with his eyes ever in search of a camping-site. But there -was no place to camp. The muddy banks were too narrow at the bottom, -too marshy and filthy. And they were too steep to climb to the top. - -The sun set. Twilight fell. Darkness came on, and still Ken rowed down -the river. At last he decided to make a night of it at the oars. He -preferred to risk the dangers of the river at night rather than spend -miserable hours in the mud. Rousing the boys, he forced them to swallow -a little cold rice and some more quinine. Then he covered them with -blankets, and had scarce completed the task when they were deep in -slumber. - -Then the strange, dense tropical night settled down upon Ken. The oars -were almost noiseless, and the water gurgled softly from the bow. -Overhead the expanse was dark blue, with a few palpitating stars. The -river was shrouded in gray gloom, and the banks were lost in black -obscurity. Great fireflies emphasized the darkness. He trusted a good -deal to luck in the matter of going right; yet he kept his ear keen for -the sound of quickening current, and turned every few strokes to peer -sharply into the gloom. He seemed to have little sense of peril, for, -though he hit submerged logs and stranded on bars, he kept on unmindful, -and by and by lost what anxiety he had felt. The strange wildness of -the river at night, the gray, veiled space into which he rowed unheeding -began to work upon his mind. - -That was a night to remember--a night of sounds and smells, of the -feeling of the cool mist, the sight of long, dark forest-line and a -golden moon half hidden by clouds. Prominent among these was the trill -of river frogs. The trill of a northern frog was music, but that of -these great, silver-throated jungle frogs was more than music. Close at -hand one would thrill Ken with mellow, rich notes; and then from far -would come the answer, a sweet, high tenor, wilder than any other -wilderness sound, long sustained, dying away till he held his breath to -listen. - -So the hours passed; and the moon went down into the weird shadows, and -the Southern Cross rose pale and wonderful. - -Gradually the stars vanished in a kind of brightening gray, and dawn was -at hand. Ken felt weary for sleep, and his arms and back ached. Morning -came, with its steely light on the river, the rolling and melting of -vapors, the flight of ducks and call of birds. The rosy sun brought no -cheer. - -Ken beached the boat on a sand-bar. While he was building a fire George -raised his head and groaned. But neither Pepe nor Hal moved. Ken -cooked rice and boiled cocoa, which he choked down. He opened a can of -fruit and found that most welcome. Then he lifted George's head, shook -him, roused him, and held him, and made him eat and drink. Nor did he -neglect to put a liberal dose of quinine in the food. Pepe was easily -managed, but poor Hal was almost unable to swallow. Something terribly -grim mingled with a strong, passionate thrill as Ken looked at Hal's -haggard face. Then Ken Ward knew how much he could stand, what work he -could do to get his brother out of the jungle. - -He covered the boys again and pushed out the boat. At the moment he -felt a strength that he had never felt before. There was a good, swift -current in the river, and Ken was at great pains to keep in it. The -channel ran from one side of the river to the other. Many times Ken -stranded on sandy shoals and had to stand up and pole the boat into -deeper water. This was work that required all his attention. It -required more than patience. But as he rowed and poled and drifted he -studied the shallow ripples and learned to avoid the places where the -boat would not float. - -There were stretches of river where the water was comparatively deep, -and along these he rested and watched the shores as he drifted by. He -saw no Indian huts that morning. The jungle loomed high and dark, a -matted gray wall. The heat made the river glare and smoke. Then where -the current quickened he rowed steadily and easily, husbanding his -strength. - -More than all else, even the ravings of Hal in fever, the thing that -wore on Ken and made him gloomy was the mourning of turtle-doves. As -there had been thousands of these beautiful birds along the Santa Rosa -River, so there were millions along the Panuco. Trees were blue with -doves. There was an incessant soft, sad moaning. He fought his -nervous, sensitive imaginings. And for a time he would conquer the -sense of some sad omen sung by the doves. Then the monotony, the -endless sweet "coo-ooo-ooo," seemed to drown him in melancholy sound. -There were three distinct tones--a moan, swelling to full ring, and -dying away: "Coo-_ooo_-ooo--coo-_ooo_-ooo." - -All the afternoon the mourning, haunting song filled Ken Ward's ears. -And when the sun set and night came, with relief to his tortured ear but -not to mind, Ken kept on without a stop. - -The day had slipped behind Ken with the miles, and now it was again -dark. It seemed that he had little sense of time. But his faculties of -sight and hearing were singularly acute. Otherwise his mind was like -the weird gloom into which he was drifting. - -Before the stars came out the blackness was as thick as pitch. He could -not see a yard ahead. He backed the boat stern first down-stream and -listened for the soft murmur of ripples on shoals. He avoided these by -hearing alone. Occasionally a huge, dark pile of driftwood barred his -passage, and he would have to go round it. Snags loomed up specter-like -in his path, seemingly to reach for him with long, gaunt arms. -Sometimes he drifted upon sand-bars, from which he would patiently pole -the boat. - -When the heavy dew began to fall he put on his waterproof coat. The -night grew chill. Then the stars shone out. This lightened the river. -Yet everywhere were shadows. Besides, clouds of mist hung low, in places -obscuring the stars. - -Ken turned the boat bow first downstream and rowed with slow, even -stroke. He no longer felt tired. He seemed to have the strength of a -giant. He fancied that with one great heave he could lift the boat out -of the water or break the oars. From time to time he ceased to row, -and, turning his head, he looked and listened. The river had numerous -bends, and it was difficult for Ken to keep in the middle channel. He -managed pretty well to keep right by watching the dark shore-line where -it met the deep-blue sky. In the bends the deepest water ran close to -the shore of the outside curve. And under these high banks and the -leaning cypresses shadows were thicker and blacker than in the earlier -night. There was mystery in them that Ken felt. - -The sounds he heard when he stopped during these cautious resting -intervals were the splashes of fish breaking water, the low hum of -insects, and the trill of frogs. The mourning of the doves during -daylight had haunted him, and now he felt the same sensation at this -long-sustained, exquisitely sweet trill. It pierced him, racked him, -and at last, from sheer exhaustion of his sensibilities, he seemed not -to hear it any more, but to have it in his brain. - -The moon rose behind the left-hand jungle wall, silvered half of the -river and the opposite line of cypresses, then hid under clouds. - -Suddenly, near or far away, down the river Ken saw a wavering light. It -was too large for a firefly, and too steady. He took it for a -Jack-o'-lantern. And for a while it enhanced the unreality, the -ghostliness of the river. But it was the means of bringing Ken out of -his dreamy gloom. It made him think. The light was moving. It was too -wavering for a Jack-o'-lantern. It was coming up-stream. It grew -larger. - -Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished. Ken lost sight of it -under a deep shadow of overhanging shore. As he reached a point -opposite to where it disappeared he thought he heard a voice. But he -could not be sure. He did not trust his ears. The incident, however, -gave him a chill. What a lonesome ride! He was alone on that unknown -river with three sick boys in the boat. Their lives depended upon his -care, his strength, his skill, his sight and hearing. And the -realization, striking him afresh, steeled his arms again and his spirit. - -The night wore on. The moon disappeared entirely. The mists hung low -like dim sheets along the water. Ken was wringing-wet with dew. Long -periods of rowing he broke with short intervals of drifting, when he -rested at the oars. - -Then drowsiness attacked him. For hours it seemed he fought it off. -But at length it grew overpowering. Only hard rowing would keep him -awake. And, as he wanted to reserve his strength, he did not dare exert -himself violently. He could not keep his eyes open. Time after time he -found himself rowing when he was half asleep. The boat drifted against -a log and stopped. Ken drooped over his oars and slept, and yet he -seemed not altogether to lose consciousness. He roused again to row on. - -It occurred to him presently that he might let the boat drift and take -naps between whiles. When he drifted against a log or a sand-bar the -jar would awaken him. The current was sluggish. There seemed to be no -danger whatever. He must try to keep his strength. A little sleep -would refresh him. So he reasoned, and fell asleep over the oars. - -Sooner or later--he never knew how long after he had fallen asleep--a -little jar awakened him. Then the gurgle and murmur of water near him -and the rush and roar of a swift current farther off made him look up -with a violent start. All about him was wide, gray gloom. Yet he could -see the dark, glancing gleam of the water. Movement of the oars told -him the boat was fast on a sand-bar. That relieved him, for he was not -drifting at the moment into the swift current he heard. Ken peered -keenly into the gloom. Gradually he made out a long, dark line running -diagonally ahead of him and toward the right-hand shore. It could not -be an island or a sand-bar or a shore-line. It could not be piles of -driftwood. There was a strange regularity in the dark upheavals of this -looming object. Ken studied it. He studied the black, glancing water. -Whatever the line was, it appeared to shunt the current over to the -right, whence came the low rush and roar. - -Altogether it was a wild, strange place. Ken felt a fear of something he -could not name. It was the river--the night--the loneliness--the unknown -about him and before him. - -Suddenly he saw a dull, red light far down the river. He stiffened in -his seat. Then he saw another red light. They were like two red eyes. -Ken shook himself to see if he had nightmare. No; the boat was there; -the current was there; the boys were there, dark and silent under their -blankets. This was no dream. Ken's fancy conjured up some red-eyed -river demon come to destroy him and his charges. He scorned the fancy, -laughed at it. But, all the same, in that dark, weird place, with the -murmuring of notes in his ears and with those strange red eyes glowing -in the distance, he could not help what his emotions made the truth. He -was freezing to the marrow, writhing in a clammy sweat when a low -"chug-chug-chug" enlightened him. The red eyes were those of a -steamboat. - -A steamboat on the wild Panuco! Ken scarcely believed his own judgment. -Then he remembered that George said there were a couple of boats plying -up and down the lower Panuco, mostly transporting timber and cattle. -Besides, he had proof of his judgment in the long, dark line that had so -puzzled him--it was a breakwater. It turned the current to the left, -where there evidently was a channel. - -The great, red eyes gleamed closer, the "chug-chug-chug" sounded louder. -Then another sound amazed Ken--a man's voice crying out steadily and -monotonously. - -Ken wanted to rouse the boys and Pepe, but he refrained. It was best -for them to sleep. How surprised they would be when he told them about -the boat that passed in the night! Ken now clearly heard the splashing -of paddles, the chug of machinery, and the man's voice. He was -singsonging: "Dos y media, dos y media, dos y media." - -Ken understood a little Mexican, and this strange cry became clear to -him. The man was taking soundings with a lead and crying out to the -pilot. _Dos y media_ meant two and a half feet of water. Then the -steam-boat loomed black in the gray gloom. It was pushing a low, flat -barge. Ken could not see the man taking soundings, but he heard him and -knew he was on the front end of the barge. The boat passed at fair -speed, and it cheered Ken. For he certainly ought to be able to take a -rowboat where a steamboat had passed. And, besides, he must be getting -somewhere near the little village of Panuco. - -He poled off the bar and along the breakwater to the channel. It was -narrow and swift. He wondered how the pilot of the steamboat had -navigated in the gloom. He slipped down-stream, presently to find -himself once more in a wide river. Refreshed by his sleep and -encouraged by the meeting with the steamboat, Ken settled down to steady -rowing. - -The stars paled, the mist thickened, fog obscured the water and shore; -then all turned gray, lightened, and dawn broke. The sun burst out. -Ken saw thatched huts high on the banks and occasionally natives. This -encouraged him all the more. - -He was not hungry, but he was sick for a drink. He had to fight himself -to keep from drinking the dirty river-water. How different it was here -from the clear green of the upper Santa Rosa! Ken would have given his -best gun for one juicy orange. George was restless and rolling about, -calling for water; Hal lay in slumber or stupor; and Pepe sat up. He -was a sick-looking fellow, but he was better; and that cheered Ken as -nothing yet had. - -Ken beached the boat on a sandy shore, and once again forced down a -little rice and cocoa. Pepe would not eat, yet he drank a little. -George was burning up with fever, and drank a full cup. Hal did not -stir, and Ken thought it best to let him lie. - -As Ken resumed the journey the next thing to attract his attention was a -long canoe moored below one of the thatched huts. This afforded him -great satisfaction. At least he had passed the jungle wilderness, where -there was nothing that even suggested civilization. In the next few -miles he noticed several canoes and as many natives. Then he passed a -canoe that was paddled by two half-naked bronze Indians. Pepe hailed -them, but either they were too unfriendly to reply or they did not -understand him. - -Some distance below Pepe espied a banana grove, and he motioned Ken to -row ashore. Ken did so with pleasure at the thought of getting some -fresh fruit. There was a canoe moored to the roots of a tree and a path -leading up the steep bank. Pepe got out and laboriously toiled up the -bare path. He was gone a good while. - -Presently Ken heard shouts, then the bang of a lightly loaded gun, then -yells from Pepe. - -"What on earth!" cried Ken, looking up in affright. - -Pepe appeared with his arms full of red bananas. He jumped and -staggered down the path and almost fell into the boat. But he hung on -to the bananas. - -"Santa Maria!" gasped Pepe, pointing to little bloody spots on the calf -of his leg. - -"Pepe, you've been shot!" ejaculated Ken. "You stole the fruit--somebody -shot you!" - -Pepe howled his affirmative. Ken was angry at himself, angrier at Pepe, -and angriest at the native who had done the shooting. With a strong -shove Ken put the boat out and then rowed hard down-stream. As he -rounded a bend a hundred yards below he saw three natives come tumbling -down the path. They had a gun. They leaped into the canoe. They meant -pursuit. - -"Say, but this is a pretty kettle of fish!" muttered Ken, and he bent to -the oars. - -Of course Pepe had been in the wrong. He should have paid for the -bananas or asked for them. All the same, Ken was not in any humor to be -fooled with by excitable natives. He had a sick brother in the boat and -meant to get that lad out of the jungle as quickly as will and strength -could do it. He certainly did not intend to be stopped by a few -miserable Indians angry over the loss of a few bananas. If it had not -been for the gun, Ken would have stopped long enough to pay for the -fruit. But he could not risk it now. So he pulled a strong stroke -down-stream. - -The worst of the matter developed when Pepe peeled one of the bananas. -It was too green to eat. - -Presently the native canoe hove in sight round the bend. All three men -were paddling. They made the long craft fly through the water. Ken saw -instantly that they would overhaul him in a long race, and this added to -his resentment. Pepe looked back and jabbered and shook his brawny -fists at the natives. Ken was glad to see that the long stretch of -river below did not show a canoe or hut along the banks. He preferred -to be overhauled, if he had to be, in a rather lonely spot. - -It was wonderful how those natives propelled that log canoe. And when -one of the three dropped his paddle to pick up the gun, the speed of the -canoe seemed not to diminish. They knew the channels, and so gained on -Ken. He had to pick the best he could choose at short notice, and -sometimes he chose poorly. - -Two miles or more below the bend the natives with the gun deliberately -fired, presumably at Pepe. The shot scattered and skipped along the -water and did not come near the boat. Nevertheless, as the canoe was -gaining and the crazy native was reloading, Ken saw he would soon be -within range. Something had to be done. - -Ken wondered if he could not frighten those natives. They had probably -never heard the quick reports of a repeating rifle, let alone the -stinging cracks of an automatic. Ken decided it would be worth trying. -But he must have a chance to get the gun out of its case and load it. - -That chance came presently. The natives, in paddling diagonally across -a narrow channel, ran aground in the sand. They were fast for only a -few moments, but in that time Ken had got out the little rifle and -loaded it. - -Pepe's dark face turned a dirty white, and his eyes dilated. He -imagined Ken was going to kill some of his countrymen. But Pepe never -murmured. He rubbed the place in his leg where he had been shot, and -looked back. - -Ken rowed on, now leisurely. There was a hot anger within him, but he -had it in control. He knew what he was about. Again the native fired, -and again his range was short. The distance was perhaps two hundred -yards. - -Ken waited until the canoe, in crossing one of the many narrow places, -was broadside toward him. Then he raised the automatic. There were at -least ten feet in the middle of the canoe where it was safe for him to -hit without harm to the natives. And there he aimed. The motion of his -boat made it rather hard to keep the sights right. He was cool, -careful; he aimed low, between gunwale and the water, and steadily he -pulled the trigger--once, twice, three times, four, five. - -The steel-jacketed bullets "spoued" on the water and "cracked" into the -canoe. They evidently split both gunwales low down at the water-line. -The yelling, terror-stricken natives plunged about, and what with their -actions and the great split in the middle the canoe filled and sank. -The natives were not over their depth; that was plainly evident. -Moreover, it was equally evident that they dared not wade in the -quicksand. So they swam to the shallower water, and there, like huge -turtles, floundered toward the shore. - - - - - *XXIII* - - *OUT OF THE JUNGLE* - - -Before the natives had reached the shore they were hidden from Ken's -sight by leaning cypress-trees. Ken, however, had no fear for their -safety. He was sorry to cause the Indians' loss of a gun and a canoe; -nevertheless, he was not far from echoing Pepe's repeated: "Bueno! -Bueno! Bueno!" - -Upon examination Ken found two little bloody holes in the muscles of -Pepe's leg. A single shot had passed through. Ken bathed the wounds -with an antiseptic lotion and bound them with clean bandages. - -Pepe appeared to be pretty weak, so Ken did not ask him to take the -oars. Then, pulling with long, steady stroke, Ken set out to put a long -stretch between him and the angry natives. The current was swift, and -Ken made five miles or more an hour. He kept that pace for three hours -without a rest. And then he gave out. It seemed that all at once he -weakened. His back bore an immense burden. His arms were lead, and his -hands were useless. There was an occasional mist or veil before his -sight. He was wet, hot, breathless, numb. But he knew he was safe from -pursuit. So he rested and let the boat drift. - -George sat up, green in the face, a most miserable-looking boy. But -that he could sit up at all was hopeful. - -"Oh, my head!" he moaned. "Is there anything I can drink? My mouth is -dry--pasted shut." - -Ken had two lemons he had been saving. He cut one in halves and divided -it between Pepe and George. The relief the sour lemon afforded both -showed Ken how wise he had been to save the lemons. Then he roused Hal, -and, lifting the lad's head, made him drink a little of the juice. Hal -was a sick boy, too weak to sit up without help. - -"Don't--you worry--Ken," he said. "I'm going--to be--all right." - -Hal was still fighting. - -Ken readjusted the palm-leaf shelter over the boys so as to shade them -effectually from the hot sun, and then he went back to the oars. - -As he tried once more to row, Ken was reminded of the terrible lassitude -that had overtaken him the day he had made the six-hour climb out of the -Grand Caon. The sensation now was worse, but Ken had others depending -upon his exertions, and that spurred him to the effort which otherwise -would have been impossible. - -It was really not rowing that Ken accomplished. It was a weary puttering -with oars he could not lift, handles he could not hold. At best he -managed to guide the boat into the swiftest channels. Whenever he felt -that he was just about to collapse, then he would look at Hal's pale -face. That would revive him. So the hot hours dragged by. - -They came, after several miles, upon more huts and natives. And farther -down they met canoes on the river. Pepe interrogated the natives. -According to George, who listened, Panuco was far, far away, many -kilometers. This was most disheartening. Another native said the -village was just round the next bend. This was most nappy information. -But it turned out to be a lie. There was no village around any -particular bend--nothing save bare banks for miles. The stretches of -the river were long, and bends far apart. - -Ken fell asleep. When he awoke he found Pepe at the oars. Watching -him, Ken fancied he was recovering, and was overjoyed. - -About four o'clock in the afternoon Pepe rowed ashore and beached the -boat at the foot of a trail leading up to a large bamboo and thatch hut. -This time Ken thought it well to accompany Pepe. And as he climbed the -path he found his legs stiffer and shakier than ever before. - -Ken saw a cleared space in which were several commodious huts, gardens, -and flowers. There was a grassy yard in which little naked children were -playing with tame deer and tiger-cats. Parrots were screeching, and -other tame birds fluttered about. It appeared a real paradise to Ken. - -Two very kindly disposed and wondering native women made them welcome. -Then Ken and Pepe went down to the boat and carried Hal up, and went -back for George. - -It developed that the native women knew just what to do for the -fever-stricken boys. They made some kind of a native drink for them, and -after that gave them hot milk and chicken and rice soup. George -improved rapidly, and Hal brightened a little and showed signs of -gathering strength. - -Ken could not eat until he had something to quench his thirst. Upon -inquiring, Pepe found that the natives used the river-water. Ken could -not drink that. Then Pepe pointed out an orange-tree, and Ken made a -dive for it. The ground was littered with oranges. Collecting an -armful, Ken sat under the tree and with wild haste began to squeeze the -juice into his mouth. Never had anything before tasted so cool, so -sweet, so life-giving! He felt a cool, wet sensation steal all through -his body. He never knew till that moment how really wonderful and -precious an orange could be. He thought that as he would hate mourning -turtle-doves all the rest of his life, so he would love the sight and -smell and taste of oranges. And he demolished twenty-two before he -satisfied his almost insatiable thirst. After that the chicken and rice -made him feel like a new boy. - -Then Ken made beds under a kind of porch, and he lay down in one, -stretched out languidly and gratefully, as if he never intended to move -again, and his eyes seemed to be glued shut. - -When he awoke the sun was shining in his face. When he had gone to bed -it had been shining at his back. He consulted his watch. He had slept -seventeen hours. - -When he got up and found Pepe as well as before he had been taken with -the fever and George on his feet and Hal awake and actually smiling, Ken -experienced a sensation of unutterable thankfulness. A terrible burden -slipped from his shoulders. For a moment he felt a dimming of his eyes -and a lump in his throat. - -"How about you, Ken, old man?" inquired Hal, with a hint of his usual -spirit. - -"Wal, youngster, I reckon fer a man who's been through some right pert -happenin's, I'm in tol'able shape," drawled Ken. - -"I'll bet two dollars you've been up against it," declared Hal, -solemnly. - -Then, as they sat to an appetizing breakfast, Ken gave them a brief -account of the incidents of the two days and two nights when they were -too ill to know anything. - -It was a question whether George's voluble eulogy of Ken's feat or Hal's -silent, bright-eyed pride in his brother was the greater compliment. - -Finally Hal said: "Won't that tickle Jim Williams when we tell him how -you split up the Indians' canoe and spilled them into the river?" - -Then Ken conceived the idea of climbing into the giant ceiba that stood -high on the edge of the bluff. It was hard work, but he accomplished -it, and from a fork in the top-most branches he looked out. That was a -warm, rich, wonderful scene. Ken felt that he would never forget it. -His interest now, however, was not so much in its beauty and wildness. -His keen eye followed the river as it wound away into the jungle, and -when he could no longer see the bright ribbon of water he followed its -course by the line of magnificent trees. It was possible to trace the -meandering course of the river clear to the rise of the mountains, dim -and blue in the distance. And from here Ken made more observations and -notes. - -As he went over in his mind the map and notes and report he had prepared -he felt that he had made good. He had explored and mapped more than a -hundred miles of wild jungle river. He felt confident that he had -earned the trip to England and the German forests. He might win a -hunting trip on the vast uplands of British East Africa. But he felt -also that the reward of his uncle's and his father's pride would be more -to him. That was a great moment for Ken Ward. And there was yet much -more that he could do to make this exploring trip a success. - -[Illustration: Ken Ward's Map] - -When he joined the others he found that Pepe had learned that the -village of Panuco was distant a day or a night by canoe. How many miles -or kilometers Pepe could not learn. Ken decided it would be best to go -on at once. It was not easy to leave that pleasant place, with its music -of parrots and other birds, and the tiger-cats that played like kittens, -and the deer that ate from the hand. The women would accept no pay, so -Ken made them presents. - -Once more embarked, Ken found his mood reverting to that of the last -forty-eight hours. He could not keep cheerful. The river was dirty and -the smell sickening. The sun was like the open door of a furnace. And -Ken soon discovered he was tired, utterly tired. - -That day was a repetition of the one before, hotter, wearier, and the -stretches of river were longer, and the natives met in canoes were -stolidly ignorant of distance. The mourning of turtle-doves almost -drove Ken wild. There were miles and miles of willows, and every tree -was full of melancholy doves. At dusk the boys halted on a sand-bar, -too tired to cook a dinner, and sprawled in the warm sand to sleep like -logs. - -In the morning they brightened up a little, for surely just around the -bend they would come to Panuco. Pepe rowed faithfully on, and bend -after bend lured Ken with deceit. He was filled with weariness and -disgust, so tired he could hardly lift his hand, so sleepy he could -scarcely keep his eyes open. He hated the wide, glassy stretches of -river and the muddy banks and dusty cattle. - -At noon they came unexpectedly upon a cluster of thatched huts, to find -that they made up the village of Panuco. Ken was sick, for he had -expected a little town where they could get some drinking-water and hire -a launch to speed them down to Tampico. This appeared little more than -the other places he had passed, and he climbed up the bank wearily, -thinking of the long fifty miles still to go. - -But Panuco was bigger and better than it looked from the river. The -boys found a clean, comfortable inn, where they dined well, and learned -to their joy that a coach left in an hour for Tamos to meet the -five-o'clock train to Tampico. - -They hired a _mozo_ to row the boat to Tampico and, carrying the lighter -things, boarded the coach, and, behind six mules, were soon bowling over -a good level road. - -It was here that the spirit of Ken's mood again changed, and somehow -seemed subtly conveyed to the others. The gloom faded away as Ken had -seen the mist-clouds dissolve in the morning sunlight. It was the end -of another wild trip. Hal was ill, but a rest and proper care would -soon bring him around. Ken had some trophies and pictures, but he also -had memories. And he believed he had acquired an accurate knowledge of -the jungle and its wild nature, and he had mapped the river from Micas -Falls to Panuco. - -"Well, it certainly _did come_ to us, didn't it?" asked George, navely, -for the hundredth time. "Didn't I tell you? By gosh, I can't remember -what did come off. But we had a dandy time." - -"Great!" replied Ken. "I had more than I wanted. I'll never spring -another stunt like this one!" - -Hal gazed smilingly at his brother. - -"Bah! Ken Ward, bring on your next old trip!" - -Which proved decidedly that Hal was getting better and that he alone -understood his brother. - -Pepe listened and rubbed his big hands, and there was a light in his -dark eyes. - -Ken laughed. It was good to feel happy just then; it was enough to feel -safe and glad in the present, with responsibility removed, without a -thought of the future. - -Yet, when some miles across country he saw the little town of Tamos -shining red-roofed against the sky, he came into his own again. The old -calling, haunting love of wild places and wild nature returned, and with -dreamy eyes he looked out. He saw the same beauty and life and -wildness. Beyond the glimmering lagoons stretched the dim, dark jungle. -A flock of flamingoes showed pink across the water. Ducks dotted the -weedy marshes. And low down on the rosy horizon a long curved line of -wild geese sailed into the sunset. - -When the boys arrived at Tampico and George had secured comfortable -lodgings for them, the first thing Ken did was to put Hal to bed. It -required main strength to do this. Ken was not taking any chances with -tropical fever, and he sent for a doctor. - -It was not clear whether the faces Hal made were at the little dried-up -doctor or at the medicine he administered. However, it was very clear -that Hal made fun of him and grew bolder the more he believed the man -could not understand English. - -Ken liked the silent, kindly physician, and remonstrated with Hal, and -often, just to keep Hal's mind occupied, he would talk of the university -and baseball, topics that were absorbing to the boy. - -And one day, as the doctor was leaving, he turned to Ken with a twinkle -in his eyes and said in perfect English: "I won't need to come any -more." - -Hal's jaw began to drop. - -"Your brother is all right," went on the doctor. "But he's a fresh kid, -and he'll never make the Wayne Varsity--or a good explorer, either--till -he gets over that freshness. I'm a Wayne man myself. Class of '82. -Good day, boys." - -Ken Ward was astounded. "By George! What do you think of that? He's a -Wayne med. I'll have to look him up. And, Hal, he was just right about -you." - -Hal looked extremely crestfallen and remorseful. - -"I'm always getting jars." - -It took a whole day for him to recover his usual spirits. - -Ken had promptly sent the specimens and his notes to his uncle, and as -the days passed the boys began to look anxiously for some news. In ten -days Hal was as well as ever, and then the boys had such sport with the -tarpon and big sharks and alligator-gars that they almost forgot about -the rewards they had striven so hard for and hoped to win. But finally, -when the mail arrived from home, they were at once happy and fearful. -George was with them that evening, and shared their excitement and -suspense. Hal's letters were from his mother and his sister, and they -were read first. Judge Ward's letter to Ken was fatherly and -solicitous, but brief. He gave the boys six more weeks, cautioned them -to be sensible and to profit by their opportunity, and he inclosed a -bank-draft. Not a word about rewards! - -Ken's fingers trembled a little as he tore open the uncle's letter. He -read it aloud: - - -DEAR KEN,--Congratulations! You've done well. You win the trip to -Africa. Hal's work also was good--several specimens accepted by the -Smithsonian. I'll back you for the Yucatan trip. Will send letters to -the American consul at Progreso, and arrange for you to meet the -Austrian archologist Maler, who I hope will take you in hand. - -I want you to make a study of some of the ruins of Yucatan, which I -believe are as wonderful as any in Egypt. I advise you to make this -trip short and to the point, for there are indications of coming -revolution throughout Mexico. - -With best wishes, - UNCLE G. - - -The old varsity cheer rang out from Ken, and Hal began a war-dance. -Then both boys pounced upon George, and for a few moments made life -miserable for him. - -"And I can't go with you!" he exclaimed, sorrowfully. - -Both Ken and Hal shared his disappointment. But presently. George -brightened up. The smile came back which he always wore when prophesying -the uncertain adventures of the future. - -"Well, anyway, I'll be safe home. And you fellows! You'll be getting -yours when you're lost in the wilderness of Yucatan!" - - - - THE END - - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - - _*There's More to Follow!*_ - - -More stories of the sort you like; more, probably, by the author of this -one; more than 500 titles all told by writers of world-wide reputation, -in the Authors' Alphabetical List which you will find on the _reverse -side_ of the wrapper of this book. Look it over before you lay it -aside. There are books here you are sure to want--some, possibly, that -you have _always_ wanted. - -It is a _selected_ list; every book in it has achieved a certain measure -of success. - -The Grosset & Dunlap list is not only the greatest Index of Good Fiction -available, it represents in addition a generally accepted Standard of -Value. It will pay you to - -_Look on the Other Side of the Wrapper!_ - -In case the wrapper is lost write to the publishers for a complete -catalog. - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - *ZANE GREY'S NOVELS* - -May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset and Dunlap's list. - -THE CALL OF THE CANYON -WANDERER OF THE WASTELAND -TO THE LAST MAN -THE MYSTERIOUS RIDER -THE MAN OF THE FOREST -THE DESERT OF WHEAT -THE U. P. TRAIL -WILDFIRE -THE BORDER LEGION -THE RAINBOW TRAIL -THE HERITAGE OF THE DESERT -RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE -THE LIGHT OF WESTERN STARS -THE LAST OF THE PLAINSMEN -THE LONE STAR RANGER -DESERT GOLD -BETTY ZANE -THE DAY OF THE BEAST - -* * * * * - -LAST OF THE GREAT SCOUTS - -The life story of "Buffalo Bill" by his sister Helen Cody Wetmore, with -Foreword and conclusion by Zane Grey. - - - - *ZANE GREY'S BOOKS FOR BOYS* - -KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE -THE YOUNG LION HUNTER -THE YOUNG FORESTER -THE YOUNG PITCHER -THE SHORT STOP -THE RED-HEADED OUTFIELD AND OTHER BASEBALL STORIES - - - - * * * * * - - - - *NOVELS OF FRONTIER LIFE* - - *WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE* - - May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list - -BIG-TOWN ROUND-UP, THE -BRAND BLOTTERS -BUCKY O'CONNOR -CROOKED TRAILS AND STRAIGHT -DAUGHTER OF THE DONS, A -DESERT'S PRICE, THE -FIGHTING EDGE, THE -GUNSIGHT PASS -HIGHGRADER, THE -IRONHEART -MAN FOUR-SQUARE, A -MAN-SIZE -MAVERICKS -OH, YOU TEX! -PIRATE OF PANAMA, THE -RIDGWAY OF MONTANA -SHERIFF'S SON, THE -STEVE YEAGER -TANGLED TRAILS -TEXAS RANGER, A -VISION SPLENDID, THE -WYOMING -YUKON TRAIL, THE - - - - * * * * * - - - - *JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD'S* - - *STORIES OF ADVENTURE* - - May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list - -THE COUNTRY BEYOND -THE FLAMING FOREST -THE VALLEY OF SILENT MEN -THE RIVER'S END -THE GOLDEN SNARE -NOMADS OF THE NORTH -KAZAN -BAREE, SON OF KAZAN -THE COURAGE OF CAPTAIN PLUM -THE DANGER TRAIL -THE HUNTED WOMAN -THE FLOWER OF THE NORTH -THE GRIZZLY KING -ISOBEL -THE WOLF HUNTERS -THE GOLD HUNTERS -THE COURAGE OF MARGE O'DOONE -BACK TO GOD'S COUNTRY - -_Ask for Complete free list of G. & D. Popular Copyrighted Fiction_ - - - - * * * * * - - - - *EDGAR RICE BURROUGH'S NOVELS* - - May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset and Dunlap's list - -BANDIT OF HELL'S BEND, THE -CAVE GIRL, THE -LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, THE -TARZAN AND THE ANT MEN -TARZAN AND THE GOLDEN LION -TARZAN THE TERRIBLE -TARZAN THE UNTAMED -JUNGLE TALES OF TARZAN -AT THE EARTH'S CORE -THE MUCKER -A PRINCESS OF MARS -THE GODS OF MARS -THE WARLORD OF MARS -THUVIA, MAID OF MARS -THE CHESSMEN OF MARS - - - - *GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK* - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45974 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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-
-.. meta::
- :PG.Id: 45974
- :PG.Title: Ken Ward in the Jungle
- :PG.Released: 2014-06-14
- :PG.Rights: Public Domain
- :PG.Producer: Al Haines
- :DC.Creator: Zane Grey
- :DC.Title: Ken Ward in the Jungle
- :DC.Language: en
- :DC.Created: 1912
- :coverpage: images/img-cover.jpg
-
-======================
-KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE
-======================
-
-.. clearpage::
-
-.. pgheader::
-
-.. container:: coverpage
-
- .. vspace:: 3
-
- .. _`Cover art`:
-
- .. figure:: images/img-cover.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: Cover art
-
- Cover art
-
- .. vspace:: 4
-
-.. container:: frontispiece
-
- .. _`THE JAGUAR OPENED HIS JAWS THREATENINGLY (see page 182)`:
-
- .. figure:: images/img-front.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: THE JAGUAR OPENED HIS JAWS THREATENINGLY (see page 182)
-
- THE JAGUAR OPENED HIS JAWS THREATENINGLY (see page `182`_)
-
- .. vspace:: 4
-
-.. container:: titlepage center white-space-pre-line
-
- .. class:: x-large
-
- KEN WARD
- IN THE JUNGLE
-
- .. vspace:: 2
-
- .. class:: medium
-
- BY
-
- .. class:: large
-
- ZANE GREY
-
- .. class:: small
-
- AUTHOR OF
- THE YOUNG FORESTER,
- THE YOUNG PITCHER,
- THE YOUNG LION HUNTER,
- THE U. P. TRAIL, ETC.
-
- .. vspace:: 3
-
- .. class:: medium
-
- ILLUSTRATED
-
- .. vspace:: 3
-
- .. class:: medium
-
- NEW YORK
- GROSSET & DUNLAP
- PUBLISHERS
-
- .. class:: small
-
- Published by Arrangement with Harper & Brothers
- Made in the United States of America
-
- .. vspace:: 4
-
-.. container:: verso center white-space-pre-line
-
- .. class:: small
-
- COPYRIGHT, 1912, BY HARPER & BROTHERS
-
- .. class:: small
-
- PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
-
- .. vspace:: 4
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- CONTENTS
-
-.. class:: noindent small
-
-CHAP.
-
-.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line
-
-I. `The Prize`_
-II. `The Home of the Tarpon`_
-III. `An Indian Boatman`_
-IV. `At the Jungle River`_
-V. `The First Camp`_
-VI. `Wilderness Life`_
-VII. `Running the Rapids`_
-VIII. `The First Tiger-cat`_
-IX. `In the White Water`_
-X. `Lost!`_
-XI. `An Army of Snakes`_
-XII. `Catching Strange Fish`_
-XIII. `A Turkey-Hunt`_
-XIV. `A Fight with a Jaguar`_
-XV. `The Vicious Garrapatoes`_
-XVI. `Field Work of a Naturalist`_
-XVII. `A Mixed-up Tiger-hunt`_
-XVIII. `Watching a Runway`_
-XIX. `Adventures with Crocodiles`_
-XX. `Treed by Wild Pigs`_
-XXI. `The Leaping Tarpon`_
-XXII. `Stricken Down`_
-XXIII. `Out of the Jungle`_
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`THE PRIZE`:
-
-.. class:: center x-large bold
-
- KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- I
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- THE PRIZE
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-"What a change from the Arizona
-desert!"
-
-The words broke from the lips of Ken
-Ward as he leaned from the window of
-the train which was bearing his brother
-and himself over the plateau to Tampico
-in Tamaulipas, the southeastern state of
-Mexico. He had caught sight of a river
-leaping out between heavily wooded slopes
-and plunging down in the most beautiful
-waterfall he had ever seen.
-
-"Look, Hal," he cried.
-
-The first fall was a long white streak,
-ending in a dark pool; below came cascade
-after cascade, fall after fall, some wide,
-others narrow, and all white and green against
-the yellow rock. Then the train curved
-round a spur of the mountain, descended to
-a level, to be lost in a luxuriance of jungle
-growth.
-
-It was indeed a change for Ken Ward,
-young forester, pitcher of the varsity nine at
-school, and hunter of lions in the Arizona
-cañons. Here he was entering the jungle
-of the tropics. The rifles and the camp
-outfit on the seat beside his brother Hal and
-himself spoke of coming adventures. Before
-them lay an unknown wilderness--the
-semi-tropical jungle. And the future was to show
-that the mystery of the jungle was stranger
-even than their imaginings.
-
-It was not love of adventure alone or
-interest in the strange new forest growths that
-had drawn Ken to the jungle. His uncle,
-the one who had gotten Ken letters from the
-Forestry Department at Washington, had
-been proud of Ken's Arizona achievements.
-This uncle was a member of the American
-Geographical Society and a fellow of the New
-York Museum of Natural History. He wanted
-Ken to try his hand at field work in the jungle
-of Mexico, and if that was successful, then to
-explore the ruined cities of wild Yucatan.
-If Ken made good as an explorer his reward
-was to be a trip to Equatorial Africa after big
-game. And of course that trip meant
-opportunity to see England and France, and, what
-meant more to Ken, a chance to see the great
-forests of Germany, where forestry had been
-carried on for three hundred years.
-
-In spite of the fact that the inducement
-was irresistible, and that Ken's father was as
-proud and eager as Ken's uncle to have him
-make a name for himself, and that Hal
-would be allowed to go with him, Ken had
-hesitated. There was the responsibility for
-Hal and the absolute certainty that Hal
-could not keep out of mischief. Still Ken
-simply could not have gone to Mexico
-leaving his brother at home broken-hearted.
-
-At last the thing had been decided. It was
-Hal's ambition to be a naturalist and to
-collect specimens, and the uncle had held out
-possible recognition from the Smithsonian
-Institution at Washington. Perhaps he might
-find a new variety of some animal to which
-the scientists would attach his name. Then
-the lad was passionately eager to see Ken
-win that trip to Africa. There had been
-much study of maps and books of travel,
-science, and natural history. There had
-been the most careful instruction and
-equipment for semi-tropical camp life. The uncle
-had given Ken valuable lessons in
-map-drawing, in estimating distance and
-topography, and he had indicated any one of
-several rivers in the jungle belt of Mexico.
-Traversing one hundred miles of unknown
-jungle river, with intelligent observation and
-accurate reports, would win the prize for Ken
-Ward. Now the race was on. Would Ken win?
-
-Presently the train crossed a bridge. Ken
-Ward had a brief glance at clear green water,
-at great cypress-trees, gray and graceful
-with long, silvery, waving moss, and at the
-tangled, colorful banks. A water-fowl black
-as coal, with white-crested wings, skimmed the
-water in swift wild flight, to disappear up the
-shady river-lane. Then the train clattered
-on, and, a mile or more beyond the bridge,
-stopped at a station called Valles. In the
-distance could be seen the thatched
-palm-leaf huts and red-tiled roofs of a hamlet.
-
-The boys got out to stretch their legs. The
-warm, sweet, balmy air was a new and novel
-thing to them. They strolled up and down
-the gravel walk, watching the natives. Hal
-said he rather liked the looks of their brown
-bare feet and the thin cotton trousers and
-shirts, but he fancied the enormous sombreros
-were too heavy and unwieldy. Ken spoke
-to several pleasant-faced Mexicans, each of
-whom replied: "No sabe, Señor."
-
-The ticket agent at the station was an
-American, and from the way he smiled and
-spoke Ken knew he was more than glad to
-see one of his own kind. So, after Ken had
-replied to many questions about the States,
-he began to ask some of his own.
-
-"What's the name of the waterfall we passed?"
-
-"Micas Falls," replied the agent.
-
-"And the river?"
-
-"It's called the Santa Rosa."
-
-"Where does it go?"
-
-The agent did not know, except that it
-disappeared in the jungle. Southward the
-country was wild. The villages were few and
-all along the railroad; and at Valles the river
-swung away to the southwest.
-
-"But it must flow into the Panuco River,"
-said Ken. He had studied maps of Mexico
-and had learned all that it was possible to
-learn before he undertook the journey.
-
-"Why, yes, it must find the Panuco
-somewhere down over the mountain," answered
-the agent.
-
-"Then there are rapids in this little river?"
-asked Ken, in growing interest.
-
-"Well, I guess. It's all rapids."
-
-"How far to Tampico by rail?" went on Ken.
-
-"Something over a hundred miles."
-
-"Any game in the jungle hereabouts--or
-along the Santa Rosa?" continued Ken.
-
-The man laughed, and laughed in such a
-way that Ken did not need his assertion
-that it was not safe to go into the jungle.
-
-Whereupon Ken Ward became so thoughtful
-that he did not hear the talk that followed
-between the agent and Hal. The engine
-bell roused him into action, and with Hal
-he hurried back to their seats. And then
-the train sped on. But the beauty of Micas
-Falls and the wildness of the Santa Rosa
-remained with Ken. Where did that river
-go? How many waterfalls and rapids did
-it have? What teeming life must be along
-its rich banks! It haunted Ken. He wanted
-to learn the mystery of the jungle. There
-was the same longing which had gotten him
-into the wild adventures in Penetier Forest and
-the Grand Cañon country of Arizona. And
-all at once flashed over him the thought that
-here was the jungle river for him to explore.
-
-"Why, that's the very thing," he said,
-thinking aloud.
-
-"What's wrong with you," asked Hal,
-"talking to yourself that way?"
-
-Ken did not explain. The train clattered
-between green walls of jungle, and occasionally
-stopped at a station. But the thought of the
-jungle haunted him until the train arrived at
-Tampico.
-
-Ken had the name of an American hotel,
-and that was all he knew about Tampico.
-The station was crowded with natives. Man
-after man accosted the boys, jabbering
-excitedly in Mexican. Some of these showed
-brass badges bearing a number and the
-word *Cargodore*.
-
-"Hal, I believe these fellows are porters
-or baggage-men," said Ken. And he showed
-his trunk check to one of them. The fellow
-jerked it out of Ken's hand and ran off.
-The boys ran after him. They were relieved
-to see him enter a shed full of baggage. And
-they were amazed to see him kneel down and
-take their trunk on his back. It was a big
-trunk and heavy. The man was small and light.
-
-"It 'll smash him!" cried Hal.
-
-But the little *cargodore* walked off with the
-trunk on his back. Then Ken and Hal saw
-other *cargodores* packing trunks. The boys
-kept close to their man and used their eyes
-with exceeding interest. The sun was
-setting, and the square, colored buildings looked
-as if they were in a picture of Spain.
-
-"Look at the boats--canoes!" cried Hal,
-as they crossed a canal.
-
-Ken saw long narrow canoes that had been
-hollowed out from straight tree-trunks. They
-were of every size, and some of the paddles
-were enormous. Crowds of natives were
-jabbering and jostling each other at a rude
-wharf.
-
-"Look back," called Hal, who seemed to
-have a hundred eyes.
-
-Ken saw a wide, beautiful river, shining
-red in the sunset. Palm-trees on the distant
-shore showed black against the horizon.
-
-"Hal, that's the Panuco. What a river!"
-
-"Makes the Susquehanna look like a creek,"
-was Hal's comment.
-
-The *cargodore* led the boys through a plaza,
-down a narrow street to the hotel. Here
-they were made to feel at home. The
-proprietor was a kindly American. The hotel
-was crowded, and many of the guests were
-Englishmen there for the tarpon-fishing, with
-sportsmen from the States, and settlers
-coming in to take up new lands. It was pleasant
-for Ken and Hal to hear their own language
-once more. After dinner they sallied forth
-to see the town. But the narrow dark streets
-and the blanketed natives stealing silently
-along were not particularly inviting. The
-boys got no farther than the plaza, where
-they sat down on a bench. It was wholly
-different from any American town. Ken
-suspected that Hal was getting homesick,
-for the boy was quiet and inactive.
-
-"I don't like this place," said Hal. "What
-'d you ever want to drag me way down here for?"
-
-"Humph! drag you? Say, you pestered
-the life out of me, and bothered Dad till he
-was mad, and worried mother sick to let
-you come on this trip."
-
-Hal hung his head.
-
-"Now, you're not going to show a streak of
-yellow?" asked Ken. He knew how to stir
-his brother.
-
-Hal rose to the attack and scornfully
-repudiated the insinuation. Ken replied that
-they were in a new country and must not
-reach conclusions too hastily.
-
-"I liked it back up there at the little village
-where we saw the green river and the big
-trees with the gray streamers on them,"
-said Hal.
-
-"Well, I liked that myself," rejoined Ken.
-"I'd like to go back there and put a
-boat in the river and come all the way here."
-
-Ken had almost unconsciously expressed
-the thought that had been forming in his
-mind. Hal turned slowly and looked at his
-brother.
-
-"Ken, that 'd be great--that's what we
-came for!"
-
-"I should say so," replied Ken.
-
-"Well?" asked Hal, simply.
-
-That question annoyed Ken. Had he not
-come south to go into the jungle? Had he
-come with any intention of shirking the
-danger of a wild trip? There was a subtle
-flattery in Hal's question.
-
-"That Santa Rosa River runs through the
-jungle," went on Hal. "It flows into the
-Panuco somewhere. You know we figured
-out on the map that the Panuco's the only
-big river in this jungle. That's all we want
-to know. And, Ken, you know you're a
-born boatman. Why, look at the rapids we've
-shot on the Susquehanna. Remember that
-trip we came down the Juniata? The water
-was high, too. Ken, you can take a boat
-down that Santa Rosa!"
-
-"By George! I believe I can," exclaimed
-Ken, and he thrilled at the thought.
-
-"Ken, let's go. You'll win the prize, and
-I'll get specimens. Think what we'd have
-to tell Jim Williams and Dick Leslie when we
-go West next summer!"
-
-"Oh, Hal, I know--but this idea of a trip
-seems too wild."
-
-"Maybe it wouldn't be so wild."
-
-In all fairness Ken could not deny this, so
-he kept silent.
-
-"Ken, listen," went on Hal, and now he
-was quite cool. "If we'd promised the
-Governor not to take a wild trip I wouldn't
-say another word. But we're absolutely free."
-
-"That's why we ought to be more careful.
-Dad trusts me."
-
-"He trusts you because he knows you can
-take care of yourself, and me, too. You're
-a wonder, Ken. Why, if you once made up
-your mind, you'd make that Santa Rosa River
-look like a canal."
-
-Ken began to fear that he would not be
-proof against the haunting call of that jungle
-river and the flattering persuasion of his
-brother and the ever-present ambition to show
-his uncle what he could do.
-
-"Hal, if I didn't have you with me I'd
-already have made up my mind to tackle
-this river."
-
-That appeared to insult Hal.
-
-"All I've got to say is I'd be a help to
-you--not a drag," he said, with some warmth.
-
-"You're always a help, Hal. I can't say
-anything against your willingness. But you
-know your weakness. By George! you made
-trouble enough for me in Arizona. On a trip
-such as this you'd drive me crazy."
-
-"Ken, I won't make any rash promises.
-I don't want to queer myself with you.
-But I'm all right."
-
-"Look here, Hal; let's wait. We've only
-got to Tampico. Maybe such a trip is
-impracticable--impossible. Let's find out more
-about the country."
-
-Hal appeared to take this in good spirit.
-The boys returned to the hotel and went to
-bed. Hal promptly fell asleep. But Ken
-Ward lay awake a long time thinking of the
-green Santa Rosa, with its magnificent
-moss-festooned cypresses. And when he did go to
-sleep it was to dream of the beautiful
-waterfowl with the white-crested wings, and he
-was following it on its wild flight down the
-dark, mysterious river-trail into the jungle.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`THE HOME OF THE TARPON`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- II
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- THE HOME OF THE TARPON
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Hal's homesickness might never have
-been in evidence at all, to judge from
-the way the boy, awakening at dawn, began
-to talk about the Santa Rosa trip.
-
-"Well," said Ken, as he rolled out of bed,
-"I guess we're in for it."
-
-"Ken, will we go?" asked Hal, eagerly.
-
-"I'm on the fence."
-
-"But you're leaning on the jungle side?"
-
-"Yes, kid--I'm slipping."
-
-Hal opened his lips to let out a regular
-Hiram Bent yell, when Ken clapped a hand
-over his mouth.
-
-"Hold on--we're in the hotel yet."
-
-It took the brothers long to dress, because
-they could not keep away from the window.
-The sun was rising in rosy glory over misty
-lagoons. Clouds of creamy mist rolled above
-the broad Panuco. Wild ducks were flying
-low. The tiled roofs of the stone houses
-gleamed brightly, and the palm-trees glistened
-with dew. The soft breeze that blew in was
-warm, sweet, and fragrant.
-
-After breakfast the boys went out to the
-front and found the hotel lobby full of
-fishermen and their native boatmen. It was an
-interesting sight, as well as a surprise, for
-Ken and Hal did not know that Tampico
-was as famous for fishing as it was for
-hunting. The huge rods and reels amazed them.
-
-"What kind of fish do these fellows fish
-for?" asked Hal.
-
-Ken was well enough acquainted with
-sport to know something about tarpon, but
-he had never seen one of the great silver fish.
-And he was speechless when Hal led him
-into a room upon the walls of which were
-mounted specimens of tarpon from six to
-seven feet in length and half as wide as a
-door.
-
-"Say, Ken! We've come to the right
-place. Those fishermen are all going out to
-fish for such whales as these here."
-
-"Hal, we never saw a big fish before," said
-Ken. "And before we leave Tampico we'll
-know what it means to hook tarpon."
-
-"I'm with you," replied Hal, gazing doubtfully
-and wonderingly at a fish almost twice
-as big as himself.
-
-Then Ken, being a practical student of
-fishing, as of other kinds of sport, began to
-stroll round the lobby with an intent to learn.
-He closely scrutinized the tackle. And he
-found that the bait used was a white mullet
-six to ten inches long, a little fish which
-resembled the chub. Ken did not like the long,
-cruel gaff which seemed a necessary adjunct
-to each outfit of tackle, and he vowed that
-in his fishing for tarpon he would dispense
-with it.
-
-Ken was not backward about asking
-questions, and he learned that Tampico, during
-the winter months, was a rendezvous for
-sportsmen from all over the world. For the
-most part, they came to catch the leaping
-tarpon; the shooting along the Panuco,
-however, was as well worth while as the fishing.
-But Ken could not learn anything about the
-Santa Rosa River. The *tierra caliente*, or hot
-belt, along the curve of the Gulf was
-intersected by small streams, many of them
-unknown and unnamed. The Panuco swung
-round to the west and had its source
-somewhere up in the mountains. Ken decided
-that the Santa Rosa was one of its
-headwaters. Valles lay up on the first swell of
-higher ground, and was distant from Tampico
-some six hours by train. So, reckoning with
-the meandering course of jungle streams,
-Ken calculated he would have something
-like one hundred and seventy-five miles to
-travel by water from Valles to Tampico.
-There were Indian huts strung along the
-Panuco River, and fifty miles inland a village
-named Panuco. What lay between Panuco
-and Valles, up over the wild steppes of that
-jungle, Ken Ward could only conjecture.
-
-Presently he came upon Hal in conversation
-with an American boy, who at once
-volunteered to show them around. So they
-set out, and were soon becoming well
-acquainted. Their guide said he was from
-Kansas; had been working in the railroad
-offices for two years; and was now taking a
-vacation. His name was George Alling.
-Under his guidance the boys spent several
-interesting hours going about the city.
-During this walk Hal showed his first tendency
-to revert to his natural bent of mind. Not for
-long could Hal Ward exist without making
-trouble for something. In this case it was
-buzzards, of which the streets of Tampico
-were full. In fact, George explained, the
-buzzards were the only street-cleaning
-department in the town. They were as tame
-as tame turkeys, and Hal could not resist
-the desire to chase them. And he could be
-made to stop only after a white-helmeted
-officer had threatened him. George
-explained further that although Tampico had
-no game-laws it protected these
-buzzard-scavengers of the streets.
-
-The market-house at the canal wharf was
-one place where Ken thought Hal would
-forget himself in the bustle and din and color.
-All was so strange and new. Indeed, for a
-time Hal appeared to be absorbed in his
-surroundings, but when he came to a stall where
-a man had parrots and racoons and small
-deer, and three little yellow, black-spotted
-tiger-cats, as George called them, then once
-more Ken had to take Hal in tow. Outside
-along the wharf were moored a hundred or
-more canoes of manifold variety. All had
-been hewn from solid tree-trunks. Some
-were long, slender, graceful, pretty to look
-at, and easy to handle in shallow lagoons,
-but Ken thought them too heavy and
-cumbersome for fast water. Happening just
-then to remember Micas Falls, Ken had a
-momentary chill and a check to his
-enthusiasm for the jungle trip. What if he
-encountered, in coming down the Santa Rosa,
-some such series of cascades as those which
-made Micas Falls!
-
-It was about noon when George led the
-boys out to the banks of the broad Panuco.
-Both Hal and Ken were suffering from the
-heat. They had removed their coats, and
-were now very glad to rest in the shade.
-
-"This is a nice cool day," said George, and
-he looked cool.
-
-"We've got on our heavy clothes, and this
-tropic sun is new to us," replied Ken. "Say,
-Hal--"
-
-A crash in the water near the shore
-interrupted Ken.
-
-"Was that a rhinoceros?" inquired Hal.
-
-"Savalo," said George.
-
-"What's that?"
-
-"Silver king. A tarpon. Look around
-and you'll see one break water. There are
-some fishermen trolling down-stream. Watch.
-Maybe one will hook a fish presently. Then
-you'll see some jumping."
-
-It was cool in the shade, as the brothers
-soon discovered, and they spent a delightful
-hour watching the river and the wild fowl
-and the tarpon. Ken and Hal were always
-lucky. Things happened for their benefit
-and pleasure. Not only did they see many
-tarpon swirl like bars of silver on the water,
-but a fisherman hooked one of the great fish
-not fifty yards from where the boys sat.
-And they held their breath, and with starting
-eyes watched the marvelous leaps and dashes
-of the tarpon till, as he shot up in a last
-mighty effort, wagging his head, slapping his
-huge gills, and flinging the hook like a bullet,
-he plunged back free.
-
-"Nine out of ten get away," remarked George.
-
-"Did you ever catch one?" asked Hal.
-
-"Sure."
-
-"Hal, I've got to have some of this fishing,"
-said Ken. "But if we start at it now--would
-we ever get that jungle trip?"
-
-"Oh, Ken, you've made up your mind to
-go!" exclaimed Hal, in glee.
-
-"No, I haven't," protested Ken.
-
-"Yes, you have," declared Hal. "I know
-you." And the whoop that he had suppressed
-in the hotel he now let out with good measure.
-
-Naturally George was interested, and at
-his inquiry Ken told him the idea for the
-Santa Rosa trip.
-
-"Take me along," said George. There was
-a note of American spirit in his voice, a laugh
-on his lips, and a flash in his eyes that made
-Ken look at him attentively. He was a slim
-youth, not much Hal's senior, and Ken
-thought if ever a boy had been fashioned to
-be a boon comrade of Hal Ward this George
-Alling was the boy.
-
-"What do you think of the trip?" inquired
-Ken, curiously.
-
-"Fine. We'll have some fun. We'll get
-a boat and a mozo--"
-
-"What's a mozo?"
-
-"A native boatman."
-
-"That's a good idea. I hadn't thought of a
-boatman to help row. But the boat is the
-particular thing. I wouldn't risk a trip in
-one of those canoes."
-
-"Come on, I'll find a boat," said George.
-
-And before he knew it George and Hal
-were leading him back from the river. George
-led him down narrow lanes, between painted
-stone houses and iron-barred windows, till
-they reached the canal. They entered a yard
-where buzzards, goats, and razor-back pigs
-were contesting over the scavenger rights.
-George went into a boat-house and pointed
-out a long, light, wide skiff with a flat bottom.
-Ken did not need George's praise, or the
-shining light in Hal's eyes, or the
-boat-keeper's importunities to make him eager to
-try this particular boat. Ken Ward knew a
-boat when he saw one. He jumped in,
-shoved it out, rowed up the canal, pulled and
-turned, backed water, and tried every stroke
-he knew. Then he rested on the oars and
-whistled. Hal's shout of delight made him
-stop whistling. Those two boys would have
-him started on the trip if he did not look sharp.
-
-"It's a dandy boat," said Ken.
-
-"Only a peso a day, Ken," went on Hal.
-"One dollar Mex--fifty cents in our money.
-Quick, Ken, hire it before somebody else gets it."
-
-"Sure I'll hire the boat," replied Ken; "but
-Hal, it's not for that Santa Rosa trip. We'll
-have to forget that."
-
-"Forget your grandmother!" cried Hal.
-And then it was plain that he tried valiantly
-to control himself, to hide his joy, to pretend
-to agree with Ken's ultimatum.
-
-Ken had a feeling that his brother knew
-him perfectly, and he was divided between
-anger and amusement. They returned to
-the hotel and lounged in the lobby. The
-proprietor was talking with some Americans,
-and as he now appeared to be at leisure he
-introduced the brothers and made himself
-agreeable. Moreover, he knew George Alling
-well. They began to chat, and Ken was
-considerably annoyed to hear George calmly
-state that he and his new-found friends
-intended to send a boat up to Valles and come
-down an unknown jungle river.
-
-The proprietor laughed, and, though the
-laugh was not unpleasant, somehow it nettled
-Ken Ward.
-
-"Why not go?" he asked, quietly, and he
-looked at the hotel man.
-
-"My boy, you can't undertake any trip
-like that."
-
-"Why not?" persisted Ken. "Is there any
-law here to prevent our going into the jungle?"
-
-"There's no law. No one could stop you.
-But, my lad, what's the sense of taking such
-a fool trip? The river here is full of tarpon
-right now. There are millions of ducks and
-geese on the lagoons. You can shoot deer
-and wild turkey right on the edge of town.
-If you want tiger and javelin, go out to one of
-the ranches where they have dogs to hunt
-with, where you'll have a chance for your
-life. These tigers and boars will kill a man.
-There's all the sport any one wants right
-close to Tampico."
-
-"I don't see how all that makes a reason
-why we shouldn't come down the Santa
-Rosa," replied Ken. "We want to explore--map
-the river."
-
-The hotel man seemed nettled in return.
-
-"You're only kids. It 'd be crazy to start
-out on that wild trip."
-
-It was on Ken's lips to mention a few of
-the adventures which he believed justly gave
-him a right to have pride and confidence in
-his ability. But he forbore.
-
-"It's a fool trip," continued the proprietor.
-"You don't know this river. You don't
-know where you'll come out. It's wild up
-in that jungle. I've hunted up at Valles,
-and no native I ever met would go a mile
-from the village. If you take a mozo he'll
-get soaked with canya. He'll stick a knife
-in you or run off and leave you when you
-most need help. Nobody ever explored that
-river. It 'll likely be full of swamps,
-sandbars, bogs. You'd get fever. Then the
-crocodiles, the boars, the bats, the snakes, the
-tigers! Why, if you could face these you'd
-still have the ticks--the worst of all. The
-ticks would drive men crazy, let alone boys.
-It's no undertaking for a boy."
-
-The mention of all these dangers would
-have tipped the balance for Ken in favor of
-the Santa Rosa trip, even if the hint of his
-callowness had not roused his spirit.
-
-"Thank you. I'm sure you mean kindly,"
-said Ken. "But I'm going to Valles and I'll
-come down that jungle river."
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`AN INDIAN BOATMAN`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- III
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
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- AN INDIAN BOATMAN
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-The moment the decision was made Ken
-felt both sorry and glad. He got the
-excited boys outside away from the critical
-and anxious proprietor. And Ken decided
-it was incumbent upon him to adopt a serious
-and responsible manner, which he was far
-from feeling. So he tried to be as cool as
-Hiram Bent, with a fatherly interest in the
-two wild boys who were to accompany him
-down the Santa Rosa.
-
-"Now, George, steer us around till we find
-a mozo," said Ken. "Then we'll buy an
-outfit and get started on this trip before you
-can say Jack Robinson."
-
-All the mozos the boys interviewed were
-eager to get work; however, when made
-acquainted with the nature of the trip they
-refused point blank.
-
-"Tigre!" exclaimed one.
-
-"Javelin!" exclaimed another.
-
-The big spotted jaguar of the jungle and
-the wild boar, or peccary, were held in much
-dread by the natives.
-
-"These natives will climb a tree at sight
-of a tiger or pig," said George. "For my
-part I'm afraid of the garrapatoes and the
-pinilius."
-
-"What 're they?" asked Hal.
-
-"Ticks--jungle ticks. Just wait till you
-make their acquaintance."
-
-Finally the boys met a *mozo* named Pepe,
-who had often rowed a boat for George.
-Pepe looked sadly in need of a job; still he
-did not ask for it. George said that Pepe
-had been one of the best boatmen on the
-river until *canya*, the fiery white liquor to
-which the natives were addicted, had ruined
-his reputation. Pepe wore an old sombrero,
-a cotton, shirt and sash, and ragged trousers.
-He was barefooted. Ken noted the set of
-his muscular neck, his brawny shoulders and
-arms, and appreciated the years of rowing
-that had developed them. But Pepe's haggard
-face, deadened eyes, and listless manner
-gave Ken pause. Still, Ken reflected, there
-was never any telling what a man might do,
-if approached right. Pepe's dejection excited
-Ken's sympathy. So Ken clapped him on
-the shoulder, and, with George acting as
-interpreter, offered Pepe work for several weeks
-at three pesos a day. That was more than
-treble the *mozo's* wage. Pepe nearly fell off
-the canal bridge, where he was sitting, and a
-light as warm and bright as sunshine flashed
-into his face.
-
-"Si, Señor--Si, Señor," he began to jabber,
-and waved his brown hands.
-
-Ken suspected that Pepe needed a job
-and a little kind treatment. He was sure of
-it when George said Pepe's wife and children
-were in want. Somehow Ken conceived a
-liking for Pepe, and believed he could trust
-him. He thought he knew how to deal with
-poor Pepe. So he gave him money, told
-him to get a change of clothes and a pair of
-shoes, and come to the hotel next day.
-
-"He'll spend the money for canya, and not
-show up to-morrow," said George.
-
-"I don't know anything about your natives,
-but that fellow will come," declared Ken.
-
-It appeared that the whole American colony
-in Tampico had been acquainted with Ken
-Ward's project, and made a business to
-waylay the boys at each corner. They called
-the trip a wild-goose chase. They declared
-it was a dime-novel idea, and could hardly
-take Ken seriously. They mingled
-astonishment with amusement and concern. They
-advised Ken not to go, and declared they
-would not let him go. Over and over again
-the boys were assured of the peril from
-ticks, bats, boars, crocodiles, snakes, tigers,
-and fevers.
-
-"That's what I'm taking the trip for,"
-snapped Ken, driven to desperation by all
-this nagging.
-
-"Well, young man, I admire your nerve,"
-concluded the hotel man. "If you're
-determined to go, we can't stop you. And
-there's some things we would like you to find
-out for us. How far do tarpon run up the
-Panuco River? Do they spawn up there?
-How big are the new-born fish? I'll furnish
-you with tackle and preserved mullet, for
-bait. We've always wondered about how
-far tarpon go up into fresh water. Keep your
-eye open for signs of oil. Also look at the
-timber. And be sure to make a map of the river."
-
-When it came to getting the boat shipped
-the boys met with more obstacles. But
-for the friendly offices of a Texan, an employee
-of the railroad, they would never have been
-able to convince the native shipping agent
-that a boat was merchandise. The Texan
-arranged the matter and got Ken a freight
-bill. He took an entirely different view of
-Ken's enterprise, compared with that of other
-Americans, and in a cool, drawling voice,
-which somehow reminded Ken of Jim
-Williams, he said:
-
-"Shore you-all will have the time of
-your lives. I worked at Valles for a year.
-That jungle is full of game. I killed three
-big tigers. You-all want to look out for
-those big yellow devils. One in every three
-will jump for a man. There's nothing but
-shoot, then. And the wild pigs are bad.
-They put me up a tree more than once.
-I don't know much about the Santa Rosa.
-Its source is above Micas Falls. Never
-heard where it goes. I know it's full of
-crocodiles and rapids. Never saw a boat or a
-canoe at Valles. And say--there are big black
-snakes in the jungle. Look out for them, too.
-Shore you-all have sport a-comin'."
-
-Ken thanked the Texan, and as he went
-on up-street, for all his sober thoughtfulness,
-he was as eager as Hal or George. However,
-his position as their guardian would not
-permit any show of extravagant enthusiasm.
-
-Ken bought blankets, cooking utensils,
-and supplies for three weeks. There was not
-such a thing as a tent in Tampico. The
-best the boys could get for a shelter was a
-long strip of canvas nine feet wide.
-
-"That 'll keep off the wet," said Ken, "but
-it won't keep out the mosquitoes and things."
-
-"Couldn't keep 'em out if we had six
-tents," replied George.
-
-The remainder of that day the boys were
-busy packing the outfit.
-
-Pepe presented himself at the hotel next
-morning an entirely different person. He was
-clean-shaven, and no longer disheveled. He
-wore a new sombrero, a white cotton shirt,
-a red sash, and blue trousers. He earned
-a small bundle, a pair of shoes, and a long
-*machete*. The dignity with which he
-approached before all the other *mozos* was not
-lost upon Ken Ward. A sharp scrutiny
-satisfied him that Pepe had not been
-drinking. Ken gave him several errands to do.
-Then he ordered the outfit taken to the
-station in Pepe's charge.
-
-The boys went down early in the afternoon.
-It was the time when the *mozos* were returning
-from the day's tarpon-fishing on the
-river, and they, with the *cargodores*, streamed
-to and fro on the platform. Pepe was there
-standing guard over Ken's outfit. He had
-lost his fame among his old associates, and
-for long had been an outsider. Here he was
-in charge of a pile of fine guns, fishing-tackle,
-baggage, and supplies--a collection
-representing a fortune to him and his simple class.
-He had been trusted with it. It was under
-his eye. All his old associates passed by to
-see him there. That was a great time for
-Pepe. He looked bright, alert, and
-supremely happy. It would have fared ill with
-thieves or loafers who would have made
-themselves free with any of the articles under
-his watchful eye.
-
-The train pulled out of Tampico at five
-o'clock, and Hal's "We're off!" was expressive.
-
-The railroad lay along the river-bank,
-and the broad Panuco was rippling with the
-incoming tide. If Ken and Hal had not
-already found George to be invaluable as a
-companion in this strange country they would
-have discovered it then. For George could
-translate Pepe's talk, and explain much that
-otherwise would have been dark to the
-brothers. Wild ducks dotted the green surface,
-and spurts showed where playful *ravalo* were
-breaking water. Great green-backed tarpon
-rolled their silver sides against the little
-waves. White cranes and blue herons stood
-like statues upon the reedy bars. Low down
-over the opposite bank of the river a long
-line of wild geese winged its way toward a
-shimmering lagoon. And against the gold
-and crimson of the sunset sky a flight of
-wild fowl stood out in bold black relief. The
-train crossed the Tamesi River and began to
-draw away from the Panuco. On the right,
-wide marshes, gleaming purple in the darkening
-light, led the eye far beyond to endless
-pale lagoons. Birds of many kinds skimmed
-the weedy flats. George pointed out a flock
-of aigrets, the beautiful wild fowl with the
-priceless plumes. Then there was a string
-of pink flamingoes, tall, grotesque, wading
-along with waddling stride, feeding with
-heads under water.
-
-"Great!" exclaimed Ken Ward.
-
-"It's all so different from Arizona," said Hal.
-
-At Tamos, twelve miles out of Tampico,
-the train entered the jungle. Thereafter
-the boys could see nothing but the impenetrable
-green walls that lined the track. At
-dusk the train reached a station called Las
-Palmas, and then began to ascend the first
-step of the mountain. The ascent was steep,
-and, when it was accomplished, Ken looked
-down and decided that step of the mountain
-was between two and three thousand feet
-high. The moon was in its first quarter,
-and Ken, studying this tropical moon, found
-it large, radiant, and a wonderful green-gold.
-It shed a soft luminous glow down upon the
-sleeping, tangled web of jungle. It was new
-and strange to Ken, so vastly different from
-barren desert or iron-ribbed cañon, and it
-thrilled him with nameless charm.
-
-The train once more entered jungle walls,
-and as the boys could not see anything out
-of the windows they lay back in their seats
-and waited for the ride to end. They were
-due at Valles at ten o'clock, and the impatient
-Hal complained that they would never get
-there. At length a sharp whistle from the
-engine caused Pepe to turn to the boys with a
-smile.
-
-"Valles," he said.
-
-With rattle and clank the train came to a
-halt. Ken sent George and Pepe out, and he
-and Hal hurriedly handed the luggage through
-the open window. When the last piece had
-been passed into Pepe's big hands the boys
-made a rush for the door, and jumped off
-as the train started.
-
-"Say, but it's dark," said Hal.
-
-As the train with its lights passed out of
-sight Ken found himself in what seemed a
-pitchy blackness. He could not see the boys.
-And he felt a little cold sinking of his heart
-at the thought of such black nights on an
-unknown jungle river.
-
-
-
-
-IV
-
-AT THE JUNGLE RIVER
-
-Presently, as Ken's eyes became
-accustomed to the change, the darkness
-gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of
-chattering natives, with wide sombreros on
-their heads and blankets over their shoulders,
-moved round the little stone station. Visitors
-were rare in Valles, as was manifested by the
-curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile
-of luggage.
-
-"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for
-the night," said Ken to George.
-
-Pepe began to question the natives, and soon
-was lost in the crowd. Awhile after, as Ken
-was making up his mind they might have to
-camp on the station platform, a queer low
-'bus drawn by six little mules creaked up.
-Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and
-began to stow the luggage away in the 'bus.
-Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon
-bowling along a white moonlit road. The
-soft voices of natives greeted their passing.
-
-Valles appeared to be about a mile from
-the station, and as they entered the village
-Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here
-and there a more pretentious habitation of
-stone. At length the driver halted before
-a rambling house, partly stone and partly
-thatch. There were no lights; in fact, Ken
-did not see a light in the village. George
-told the boys to take what luggage each
-could carry and follow the guide. Inside
-the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The
-boys bumped into things and fell over each
-other trying to keep close to the barefooted
-and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed
-to a kind of loft, where the moonlight streamed
-in at the open sides.
-
-"What do you think of this?" panted Hal,
-who had struggled with a heavy load of
-luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to
-fetch up the remainder of the outfit. Ken
-thought it best to stand still until he knew
-just where he was. But Hal and George
-began moving about in the loft. It was very
-large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full
-of objects. Hal jostled into something which
-creaked and fell with a crash. Then followed
-a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and
-a scuffling about.
-
-"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely.
-
-"You can search me," replied Hal Ward.
-"One thing--I busted my shin."
-
-"He knocked over a bed with some one
-sleeping in it," said George.
-
-Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon
-soothed the injured feelings of the native
-who had been so rudely disturbed. He then
-led the boys to their cots, which were no more
-than heavy strips of canvas stretched over
-tall frameworks. They appeared to be
-enormously high for beds. Ken's was as high
-as his head, and Ken was tall for his age.
-
-"Say, I'll never get up into this thing,"
-burst out Hal. "These people must be
-afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why
-are these cots so high?"
-
-"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and
-all that from sleeping with the natives,"
-answered George. "Besides, the higher you
-sleep in Mexico the farther you get from
-creeping, crawling things."
-
-Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on
-the floor, but George's remark had persuaded
-him to risk the lofty cot. It was most
-awkward to climb into. Ken tried several
-times without success, and once he just
-escaped a fall. By dint of muscle and a good
-vault he finally landed in the center of his
-canvas. From there he listened to his more
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`AT THE JUNGLE RIVER`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- IV
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- AT THE JUNGLE RIVER
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Presently, as Ken's eyes became
-accustomed to the change, the darkness
-gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of
-chattering natives, with wide sombreros on
-their heads and blankets over their shoulders,
-moved round the little stone station. Visitors
-were rare in Valles, as was manifested by the
-curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile
-of luggage.
-
-"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for
-the night," said Ken to George.
-
-Pepe began to question the natives, and soon
-was lost in the crowd. Awhile after, as Ken
-was making up his mind they might have to
-camp on the station platform, a queer low
-'bus drawn by six little mules creaked up.
-Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and
-began to stow the luggage away in the 'bus.
-Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon
-bowling along a white moonlit road. The
-soft voices of natives greeted their passing.
-
-Valles appeared to be about a mile from
-the station, and as they entered the village
-Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here
-and there a more pretentious habitation of
-stone. At length the driver halted before
-a rambling house, partly stone and partly
-thatch. There were no lights; in fact, Ken
-did not see a light in the village. George
-told the boys to take what luggage each
-could carry and follow the guide. Inside
-the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The
-boys bumped into things and fell over each
-other trying to keep close to the barefooted
-and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed
-to a kind of loft, where the moonlight streamed
-in at the open sides.
-
-"What do you think of this?" panted Hal,
-who had struggled with a heavy load of
-luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to
-fetch up the remainder of the outfit. Ken
-thought it best to stand still until he knew
-just where he was. But Hal and George
-began moving about in the loft. It was very
-large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full
-of objects. Hal jostled into something which
-creaked and fell with a crash. Then followed
-a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and
-a scuffling about.
-
-"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely.
-
-"You can search me," replied Hal Ward.
-"One thing--I busted my shin."
-
-"He knocked over a bed with some one
-sleeping in it," said George.
-
-Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon
-soothed the injured feelings of the native
-who had been so rudely disturbed. He then
-led the boys to their cots, which were no more
-than heavy strips of canvas stretched over
-tall frameworks. They appeared to be
-enormously high for beds. Ken's was as high
-as his head, and Ken was tall for his age.
-
-"Say, I'll never get up into this thing,"
-burst out Hal. "These people must be
-afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why
-are these cots so high?"
-
-"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and
-all that from sleeping with the natives,"
-answered George. "Besides, the higher you
-sleep in Mexico the farther you get from
-creeping, crawling things."
-
-Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on
-the floor, but George's remark had persuaded
-him to risk the lofty cot. It was most
-awkward to climb into. Ken tried several
-times without success, and once he just
-escaped a fall. By dint of muscle and a good
-vault he finally landed in the center of his
-canvas. From there he listened to his more
-unfortunate comrades. Pepe got into his
-without much difficulty. George, however,
-in climbing up, on about the fifth attempt
-swung over too hard and rolled off on the
-other side. The thump he made when he
-dropped jarred the whole loft. From the
-various growls out of the darkness it developed
-that the loft was full of sleepers, who were not
-pleased at this invasion. Then Hal's cot
-collapsed, and went down with a crash.
-And Hal sat on the flattened thing and laughed.
-
-"Mucho malo," Pepe said, and he laughed,
-too. Then he had to get out and put up
-Hal's trestle bed. Hal once again went to
-climbing up the framework, and this time,
-with Pepe's aid, managed to surmount it.
-
-"George, what does Pepe mean by *mucho
-malo*?" asked Hal.
-
-"Bad--very much bad," replied George.
-
-"Nix--tell him nix. This is fine," said Hal.
-
-"Boys, if you don't want to sleep yourselves,
-shut up so the rest of us can," ordered Ken.
-
-He liked the sense of humor and the good
-fighting spirit of the boys, and fancied they
-were the best attributes in comrades on a
-wild trip. For a long time he heard a kind
-of shuddering sound, which he imagined was
-Hal's cot quivering as the boy laughed. Then
-absolute quiet prevailed, the boys slept,
-and Ken felt himself drifting.
-
-When he awakened the sun was shining
-through the holes in the thatched roof.
-Pepe was up, and the other native sleepers
-were gone. Ken and the boys descended from
-their perches without any tumbles, had a
-breakfast that was palatable--although even
-George could not name what they ate--and
-then were ready for the day.
-
-Valles consisted of a few stone houses and
-many thatched huts of bamboo and palm.
-There was only one street, and it was full of
-pigs, dogs, and buzzards. The inhabitants
-manifested a kindly interest and curiosity,
-which changed to consternation when they
-learned of the boys' project. Pepe
-questioned many natives, and all he could learn
-about the Santa Rosa was that there was an
-impassable waterfall some few kilometers
-below Valles. Ken gritted his teeth and said
-they would have to get past it. Pepe did not
-encounter a man who had ever heard of the
-headwaters of the Panuco River. There were
-only a few fields under cultivation around
-Valles, and they were inclosed by
-impenetrable jungle. It seemed useless to try to
-find out anything about the river. But
-Pepe's advisers in the village told enough
-about *tigre* and *javelin* to make Hal's hair
-stand on end, and George turn pale, and
-Ken himself wish they had not come. It all
-gave Ken both a thrill and a shock.
-
-There was not much conversation among the
-boys on the drive back to the station.
-However, sight of the boat, which had come by
-freight, stirred Ken with renewed spirit, and
-through him that was communicated to the
-others.
-
-The hardest task, so far, developed in the
-matter of transporting boat and supplies out
-to the river. Ken had hoped to get a
-handcar and haul the outfit on the track down to
-where the bridge crossed the Santa Rosa.
-But there was no hand-car. Then came the
-staggering information that there was no
-wagon which would carry the boat, and then
-worse still in the fact that there was no road.
-This discouraged Ken; nevertheless he had
-not the least idea of giving up. He sent
-Pepe out to tell the natives there must be
-some way to get the outfit to the river.
-
-Finally Pepe found a fellow who had a cart.
-This fellow claimed he knew a trail that went
-to a point from which it would be easy to
-carry the boat to the river. Ken had Pepe
-hire the man at once.
-
-"Bring on your old cart," said the
-irrepressible Hal.
-
-That cart turned out to be a remarkable
-vehicle. It consisted of a narrow body
-between enormously high wheels. A trio of
-little mules was hitched to it. The driver
-willingly agreed to haul the boat and outfit
-for one *peso*, but when he drove up to the
-platform to be surrounded by neighbors, he
-suddenly discovered that he could not possibly
-accommodate the boys. Patiently Pepe tried
-to persuade him. No, the thing was
-impossible. He made no excuses, but he looked
-mysterious.
-
-"George, tell Pepe to offer him five pesos,"
-said Ken.
-
-Pepe came out bluntly with the inducement,
-and the driver began to sweat. From
-the look of his eyes Ken fancied he had not
-earned so much money in a year. Still he
-was cunning, and his whispering neighbors
-lent him support. He had the only cart in
-the village, and evidently it seemed that
-fortune had come to knock at least once at his
-door. He shook his head.
-
-Ken held up both hands with fingers spread.
-"Ten pesos," he said.
-
-The driver, like a crazy man, began to
-jabber his consent.
-
-The boys lifted the boat upon the cart, and
-tied it fast in front so that the stern would not
-sag. Then they packed the rest of the
-outfit inside.
-
-Ken was surprised to see how easily the
-little mules trotted off with such a big load.
-At the edge of the jungle he looked back
-toward the station. The motley crowd of
-natives were watching, making excited
-gestures, and all talking at once. The driver
-drove into a narrow trail, which closed
-behind him. Pepe led on foot, brushing aside
-the thick foliage. Ken drew a breath of
-relief as he passed into the cool shade. The
-sun was very hot. Hal and George brought
-up the rear, talking fast.
-
-The trail was lined and overgrown with
-slender trees, standing very close, making
-dense shade. Many birds, some of beautiful
-coloring, flitted in the branches. In about
-an hour the driver entered a little clearing
-where there were several thatched huts.
-Ken heard the puffing of an engine, and,
-looking through the trees, he saw the
-railroad and knew they had arrived at the
-pumping-station and the bridge over the
-Santa Rosa.
-
-Pepe lost no time in rounding up six
-natives to carry the boat. They did not seem
-anxious to oblige Pepe, although they plainly
-wanted the money he offered. The trouble
-was the boat, at which they looked askance.
-As in the case with the driver, however, the
-weight and clinking of added silver overcame
-their reluctance. They easily lifted the boat
-upon their shoulders. And as they entered
-the trail, making a strange procession in the
-close-bordering foliage, they encountered two
-natives, who jumped and ran, yelling: "La
-diable! La diable!"
-
-"What ails those gazabos?" asked Hal.
-
-"They're scared," replied George. "They
-thought the boat was the devil."
-
-If Ken needed any more than had already
-come to him about the wildness of the Santa
-Rosa, he had it in the frightened cries and
-bewilderment of these natives. They had
-never seen a boat. The Santa Rosa was a
-beautiful wild river upon which boats were
-unknown. Ken had not hoped for so much.
-And now that the die was cast he faced the
-trip with tingling gladness.
-
-"George and Hal, you stay behind to watch
-the outfit. Pepe and I will carry what we
-can and follow the boat. I'll send back after
-you," said Ken.
-
-Then as he followed Pepe and the natives
-down the trail there was a deep satisfaction
-within him. He heard the soft rush of water
-over stones and the mourning of turtledoves.
-He rounded a little hill to come
-abruptly upon the dense green mass of river
-foliage. Giant cypress-trees, bearded with
-gray moss, fringed the banks. Through the
-dark green of leaves Ken caught sight of
-light-green water. Birds rose all about him.
-There were rustlings in the thick
-underbrush and the whir of ducks. The natives
-penetrated the dark shade and came out to
-an open, grassy point.
-
-The Santa Rosa, glistening, green, swift,
-murmured at Ken's feet. The natives dropped
-the boat into the water, and with Pepe
-went back for the rest of the outfit. Ken
-looked up the shady lane of the river and
-thought of the moment when he had crossed
-the bridge in the train. Then, as much as he
-had longed to be there, he had not dared to
-hope it. And here he was! How strange
-it was, just then, to see a large black duck
-with white-crested wings sweep by as swift
-as the wind! Ken had seen that wild fowl,
-or one of his kind, and it had haunted him.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`THE FIRST CAMP`:
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-
- V
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- THE FIRST CAMP
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-In less than an hour all the outfit had been
-carried down to the river, and the boys
-sat in the shade, cooling off, happily conscious
-that they had made an auspicious start.
-
-It took Ken only a moment to decide to
-make camp there and the next day try to
-reach Micas Falls. The mountains appeared
-close at hand, and were so lofty that, early
-in the afternoon as it was, the westering sun
-hung over the blue summits. The notch
-where the Santa Rosa cut through the range
-stood out clear, and at most it was not
-more than eighteen miles distant. So Ken
-planned to spend a day pulling up the river,
-and then to turn for the down-stream trip.
-
-"Come, boys, let's make camp," said Ken.
-
-He sent Pepe with his long *machete* into the
-brush to cut fire-wood. Hal he set to making
-a stone fireplace, which work the boy rather
-prided himself upon doing well. Ken got
-George to help him to put up the strip of
-canvas. They stretched a rope between two
-trees, threw the canvas over it, and pegged
-down the ends.
-
-"Say, how 're we going to sleep?" inquired
-Hal, suddenly.
-
-"Sleep? Why, on our backs, of course,"
-retorted Ken, who could read Hal's mind.
-
-"If we don't have some hot old times
-keeping things out of this tent, I'm a lobster,"
-said George, dubiously. "I'm going to sleep
-in the middle."
-
-"You're a brave boy, George," replied Ken.
-
-"Me for between Ken and Pepe," added Hal.
-
-"And you're twice as brave," said Ken.
-"I dare say Pepe and I will be able to keep
-things from getting at you."
-
-Just as Pepe came into camp staggering
-under a load of wood, a flock of russet-colored
-ducks swung round the bend. They alighted
-near the shore at a point opposite the camp.
-The way George and Hal made headers into
-the pile of luggage for their guns gave Ken
-an inkling of what he might expect from these
-lads. He groaned, and then he laughed.
-George came up out of the luggage first, and
-he had a .22-caliber rifle, which he quickly
-loaded and fired into the flock. He crippled
-one; the others flew up-stream. Then George
-began to waste shells trying to kill the
-crippled duck. Hal got into action with his .22.
-They bounced bullets off the water all around
-the duck, but they could not hit it.
-
-Pepe grew as excited as the boys, and he
-jumped into the boat and with a long stick
-began to pole out into the stream. Ken
-had to caution George and Hal to lower their
-guns and not shoot Pepe. Below camp and
-just under the bridge the water ran into a
-shallow rift. The duck got onto the current
-and went round the bend, with Pepe poling
-in pursuit and George and Hal yelling along
-the shore. When they returned a little
-later, they had the duck, which was of an
-unknown species to Ken. Pepe had fallen
-overboard; George was wet to his knees; and,
-though Hal did not show any marks of undue
-exertion, his eyes would have enlightened any
-beholder. The fact was that they were
-glowing with the excitement of the chase.
-It amused Ken. He felt that he had to try
-to stifle his own enthusiasm. There had to
-be one old head in the party. But if he did
-have qualms over the possibilities of the boys
-to worry him with their probable escapades,
-he still felt happy at their boundless life and
-spirit.
-
-It was about the middle of the afternoon,
-and the heat had become intense. Ken
-realized it doubly when he saw Pepe favoring
-the shade. George and Hal were hot, but they
-appeared to be too supremely satisfied with
-their surroundings to care about that.
-
-During this hot spell, which lasted from
-three o'clock until five, there was a quiet
-and a lack of life around camp that
-surprised Ken. It was slumberland; even the
-insects seemed drowsy. Not a duck and
-scarcely a bird passed by. Ken heard the
-mourning of turtle-doves, and was at once
-struck with the singular deep, full tone.
-Several trains crossed the bridge, and at
-intervals the engine at the pumping-tank
-puffed and chugged. From time to time a
-native walked out upon the bridge to stare
-long and curiously at the camp.
-
-When the sun set behind the mountain
-a hard breeze swept down the river. Ken
-did not know what to make of it, and at first
-thought there was going to be a storm. Pepe
-explained that the wind blew that way every
-day after sunset. For a while it tossed the
-willows, and waved the Spaniard's-beard upon
-the cypresses. Then as suddenly as it had
-come it died away, taking the heat with it.
-
-Whereupon the boys began to get supper.
-
-"George, do you know anything about
-this water?" asked Ken. "Is it safe?"
-
-George supposed it was all right, but he
-did not know. The matter of water had
-bothered Ken more than any other thing in
-consideration of the trip. This river-water
-was cool and clear; it apparently was safe.
-But Ken decided not to take any chances,
-and to boil all the water used. All at once
-George yelled, "Canvasbacks!" and made a
-dive for his gun. Ken saw a flock of ducks
-swiftly winging flight up-stream.
-
-"Hold on, George; don't shoot," called
-Ken. "Let's go a little slow at the start."
-
-George appeared to be disappointed, though
-he promptly obeyed.
-
-Then the boys had supper, finding the
-russet duck much to their taste. Ken made
-a note of Pepe's capacity, and was glad there
-were prospects of plenty of meat. While
-they were eating, a group of natives gathered
-on the bridge. Ken would not have liked to
-interpret their opinion of his party from their
-actions.
-
-Night came on almost before the boys
-were ready for it. They replenished the
-camp-fire, and sat around it, looking into the
-red blaze and then out into the flickering
-shadows. Ken thought the time propitious
-for a little lecture he had to give the boys,
-and he remembered how old Hiram Bent
-had talked to him and Hal that first night
-down under the great black rim-wall of the
-Grand Cañon.
-
-"Well, fellows," began Ken, "we're started,
-we're here, and the trip looks great to me.
-Now, as I am responsible, I intend to be boss.
-I want you boys to do what I tell you. I may
-make mistakes, but if I do I'll take them on
-my shoulders. Let's try to make the trip
-a great success. Let's be careful. We're
-not game-hogs. We'll not kill any more than
-we can eat. I want you boys to be careful
-with your guns. Think all the time where
-you're pointing them. And as to thinking,
-we'd do well to use our heads all the time.
-We've no idea what we're going up against
-in this jungle."
-
-Both boys listened to Ken with attention
-and respect, but they did not bind themselves
-by any promises.
-
-Ken had got out the mosquito-netting,
-expecting any moment to find it very
-serviceable; however, to his surprise it was not
-needed. When it came time to go to bed,
-Hal and George did not forget to slip in
-between Pepe and Ken. The open-sided tent
-might keep off rain or dew, but for all the
-other protection it afforded, the boys might as
-well have slept outside. Nevertheless they
-were soon fast asleep. Ken awoke a couple
-of times during the night and rolled over to
-find a softer spot in the hard bed. These
-times he heard only the incessant hum of insects.
-
-When he opened his eyes in the gray
-morning light, he did hear something that
-made him sit up with a start. It was a deep
-booming sound, different from anything that
-he had ever heard. Ken called Pepe, and
-that roused the boys.
-
-"Listen," said Ken.
-
-In a little while the sound was repeated, a
-heavy "boo-oom! ... boo-oom!" There was
-a resemblance to the first strong beats of a
-drumming grouse, only infinitely wilder.
-
-Pepe called it something like "*faisan real*."
-
-"What's that?" asked Hal.
-
-The name was as new to Ken as the noise
-itself. Pepe explained through George that
-it was made by a huge black bird not unlike a
-turkey. It had a golden plume, and could
-run as fast as a deer. The boys rolled out,
-all having conceived a desire to see such a
-strange bird. The sound was not repeated.
-Almost immediately, however, the thicket
-across the river awoke to another sound, as
-much a contrast to the boom as could be
-imagined. It was a bird medley. At first Ken
-thought of magpies, but Pepe dispelled this
-illusion with another name hard to pronounce.
-
-"Chicalocki," he said.
-
-And that seemed just like what they were
-singing. It was a sharp, clear
-song--"Chic-a-lock-i ... chic-a-lock-i," and to judge from
-the full chorus there must have been many birds.
-
-"They're a land of pheasant," added
-George, "and make fine pot-stews."
-
-The *chicalocki* ceased their salute to the
-morning, and then, as the river mist melted
-away under the rising sun, other birds took
-it up. Notes new to Ken burst upon the air.
-And familiar old songs thrilled him, made him
-think of summer days on the Susquehanna--the
-sweet carol of the meadow-lark, the whistle
-of the quail, the mellow, sad call of the
-swamp-blackbird. The songs blended in an exquisite
-harmony.
-
-"Why, some of them are our own birds
-come south for the winter," declared Hal.
-
-"It's music," said Ken.
-
-"Just wait," laughed George.
-
-It dawned upon Ken then that George was
-a fellow who had the mysterious airs of a
-prophet hinting dire things.
-
-Ken did not know what to wait for, but
-he enjoyed the suggestion and anticipated
-much. Ducks began to whir by; flocks of
-blackbirds alighted in the trees across the
-river. Suddenly Hal jumped up, and Ken
-was astounded at a great discordant screeching
-and a sweeping rush of myriads of wings.
-Ken looked up to see the largest flock of birds
-he had ever seen.
-
-"Parrots," he yelled.
-
-Indeed they were, and they let the boys
-know it. They flew across the river, wheeled
-to come back, all the time screeching, and then
-they swooped down into the tops of the
-cypress-trees.
-
-"Red-heads," said George. "Just wait till
-you see the yellow-heads!"
-
-At the moment the red-heads were quite
-sufficient for Ken. They broke out into a
-chattering, screaming, cackling discordance.
-It was plainly directed at the boys. These
-intelligent birds were curious and resentful.
-As Pepe put it, they were scolding. Ken
-enjoyed it for a full half-hour and reveled
-in the din. That morning serenade was
-worth the trip. Presently the parrots flew
-away, and Ken was surprised to find that most
-of the other birds had ceased singing. They
-had set about the business of the
-day--something it was nigh time for Ken to consider.
-
-Breakfast over, the boys broke camp,
-eager for the adventures that they felt to be
-before them.
-
-
-
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-
-"Now for the big job, boys," called Ken.
-"Any ideas will be welcome, but don't
-all talk at once."
-
-And this job was the packing of the
-outfit in the boat. It was a study for Ken, and
-he found himself thanking his lucky stars
-that he had packed boats for trips on rapid
-rivers. George and Hal came to the fore
-with remarkable advice which Ken was at
-the pains of rejecting. And as fast as one
-wonderful idea emanated from the fertile
-minds another one came in. At last Ken lost
-patience.
-
-"Kids, it's going to take brains to pack
-this boat," he said, with some scorn.
-
-And when Hal remarked that in that case
-he did not see how they ever were going to
-pack the boat, Ken drove both boys away
-and engaged Pepe to help.
-
-The boat had to be packed for a long trip,
-with many things taken into consideration.
-The very best way to pack it must be decided
-upon and thereafter held to strictly. Balance
-was all-important; comfort and elbow-room
-were not to be overlooked; a flat surface
-easy to crawl and jump over was absolutely
-necessary. Fortunately, the boat was large
-and roomy, although not heavy. The first
-thing Ken did was to cut out the narrow
-bow-seat. Here he packed a small bucket
-of preserved mullet, some bottles of kerosene
-and *canya*, and a lantern. The small, flat
-trunk, full of supplies, went in next. Two
-boxes with the rest of the supplies filled up
-the space between the trunk and the
-rowing-seat. By slipping an extra pair of oars,
-coils of rope, the ax, and a few other articles
-between the gunwales and the trunk and boxes
-Ken made them fit snugly. He cut off a
-piece of the canvas, and, folding it, he laid it
-with the blankets lengthwise over the top.
-This made a level surface, one that could be
-gotten over quickly, or a place to sleep, for
-that matter, and effectually disposed of the
-bow half of the boat. Of course the boat sank
-deep at the bow, but Ken calculated when they
-were all aboard their weight would effect an
-even balance.
-
-The bags with clothing Ken put under the
-second seat. Then he arranged the other
-piece of canvas so that it projected up back
-of the stern of the boat. He was thinking
-of the waves to be buffeted in going stern
-first down-stream through the rapids. The
-fishing-tackle and guns he laid flat from seat
-to seat. Last of all he placed the ammunition
-on one side next the gunwale, and the
-suit-case carrying camera, films, medicines,
-on the other.
-
-"Come now, fellows," called Ken. "Hal,
-you and George take the second seat. Pepe
-will take the oars. I'll sit in the stern."
-
-Pepe pushed off, jumped to his place, and
-grasped the oars. Ken was delighted to
-find the boat trim, and more buoyant than he
-had dared to hope.
-
-"We're off," cried Hal, and he whooped.
-And George exercised his already
-well-developed faculty of imitating Hal.
-
-Pepe bent to the oars, and under his powerful
-strokes the boat glided up-stream. Soon
-the bridge disappeared. Ken had expected
-a long, shady ride, but it did not turn out so.
-Shallow water and gravelly rapids made
-rowing impossible.
-
-"Pile out, boys, and pull," said Ken.
-
-The boys had dressed for wading and rough
-work, and went overboard with a will. Pulling,
-at first, was not hard work. They were
-fresh and eager, and hauled the boat up
-swift, shallow channels, making nearly as
-good time as when rowing in smooth water.
-Then, as the sun began to get hot, splashing
-in the cool river was pleasant. They passed
-little islands green with willows and came to
-high clay-banks gradually wearing away,
-and then met with rocky restrictions in the
-stream-bed. From round a bend came a
-hollow roar of a deeper rapid. Ken found it
-a swift-rushing incline, very narrow, and hard
-to pull along. The margin of the river was
-hidden and obstructed by willows so that the
-boys could see very little ahead.
-
-When they got above this fall the water
-was deep and still. Entering the boat again,
-they turned a curve into a long, beautiful
-stretch of river.
-
-"Ah! this 's something like," said Hal.
-
-The green, shady lane was alive with birds
-and water-fowl. Ducks of various kinds rose
-before the boat. White, blue, gray, and
-speckled herons, some six feet tall, lined the
-low bars, and flew only at near approach.
-There were many varieties of bitterns, one
-kind with a purple back and white breast.
-They were very tame and sat on the
-overhanging branches, uttering dismal croaks.
-Everywhere was the flash and glitter and
-gleam of birds in flight, up and down and
-across the river.
-
-Hal took his camera and tried to get pictures.
-
-The strangeness, beauty, and life of this
-jungle stream absorbed Ken. He did not
-take his guns from their cases. The water
-was bright green and very deep; here and
-there were the swirls of playing fish. The
-banks were high and densely covered with a
-luxuriant foliage. Huge cypress-trees,
-moss-covered, leaned half-way across the river.
-Giant gray-barked ceibas spread long branches
-thickly tufted with aloes, orchids, and other
-jungle parasites. Palm-trees lifted slender
-stems and graceful broad-leaved heads.
-Clumps of bamboo spread an enormous green
-arch out over the banks. These bamboo-trees
-were particularly beautiful to Ken.
-A hundred yellow, black-circled stems grew
-out of the ground close together, and as they
-rose high they gracefully leaned their bodies
-and drooped their tips. The leaves were
-arrowy, exquisite in their fineness.
-
-He looked up the long river-lane, bright
-in the sun, dark and still under the
-moss-veiled cypresses, at the turning vines and
-blossoming creepers, at the changeful web
-of moving birds, and indulged to the fullest
-that haunting sense for wild places.
-
-"Chicalocki," said Pepe, suddenly.
-
-A flock of long-tailed birds, resembling
-the pheasant in body, was sailing across the
-river. Again George made a dive for a gun.
-This one was a sixteen-gage and worn out.
-He shot twice at the birds on the wing.
-Then Pepe rowed under the overhanging
-branches, and George killed three *chicalocki*
-with his rifle. They were olive green in
-color, and the long tail had a brownish cast.
-Heavy and plump, they promised fine eating.
-
-"Pato real!" yelled Pepe, pointing excitedly
-up the river.
-
-Several black fowl, as large as geese, hove
-in sight, flying pretty low. Ken caught a
-glimpse of wide, white-crested wings, and
-knew then that these were the birds he had seen.
-
-"Load up and get ready," he said to
-George. "They're coming fast--shoot ahead
-of them."
-
-How swift and powerful they were on the
-wing! They swooped up when they saw the
-boat, and offered a splendid target. The
-little sixteen-gage rang out. Ken heard the
-shot strike. The leader stopped in midair,
-dipped, and plunged with a sounding splash.
-Ken picked him up and found him to be most
-beautiful, and as large and heavy as a goose.
-His black feathers shone with the latent green
-luster of an opal, and the pure white of the
-shoulder of the wings made a remarkable
-contrast.
-
-"George, we've got enough meat for to-day,
-more than we can use. Don't shoot any
-more," said Ken.
-
-Pepe resumed rowing, and Ken told him
-to keep under the overhanging branches and
-to row without splashing. He was skilled
-in the use of the oars, so the boat glided along
-silently. Ken felt he was rewarded for this
-stealth. Birds of rare and brilliant plumage
-flitted among the branches. There was one,
-a long, slender bird, gold and black with a
-white ring round its neck. There were little
-yellow-breasted kingfishers no larger than
-a wren, and great red-breasted kingfishers
-with blue backs and tufted heads. The boat
-passed under a leaning ceiba-tree that was
-covered with orchids. Ken saw the slim,
-sharp head of a snake dart from among the
-leaves. His neck was as thick as Ken's wrist.
-
-"What kind of a snake, Pepe?" whispered
-Ken, as he fingered the trigger of George's
-gun. But Pepe did not see the snake, and
-then Ken thought better of disturbing the
-silence with a gunshot. He was reminded,
-however, that the Texan had told him of
-snakes in this jungle, some of which measured
-more than fifteen feet and were as large as a
-man's leg.
-
-Most of the way the bank was too high
-and steep and overgrown for any animal to
-get down to the water. Still there were dry
-gullies, or arroyos, every few hundred yards,
-and these showed the tracks of animals, but
-Pepe could not tell what species from the
-boat. Often Ken heard the pattering of
-hard feet, and then he would see a little
-cloud of dust in one of these drinking-places.
-So he cautioned Pepe to row slower and closer
-in to the bank.
-
-"Look there! lemme out!" whispered Hal,
-and he seemed to be on the point of jumping
-overboard.
-
-"Coons," said George. "Oh, a lot of
-them. There--some young ones."
-
-Ken saw that they had come abruptly
-upon a band of racoons, not less than thirty
-in number, some big, some little, and a few
-like tiny balls of fur, and all had long
-white-ringed tails. What a scampering the big
-ones set up! The little ones were frightened,
-and the smallest so tame they scarcely made
-any effort to escape. Pepe swung the boat
-in to the bank, and reaching out he caught a
-baby racoon and handed it to Hal.
-
-"Whoop! We'll catch things and tame
-them," exclaimed Hal, much delighted, and
-he proceeded to tie the little racoon under
-the seat.
-
-"Sure, we'll get a whole menagerie," said George.
-
-So they went on up-stream. Often Ken
-motioned Pepe to stop in dark, cool places
-under the golden-green canopy of bamboos.
-He was as much fascinated by the beautiful
-foliage and tree growths as by the wild life.
-Hal appeared more taken up with the fluttering
-of birds in the thick jungle, rustlings,
-and soft, stealthy steps. Then as they moved
-on Ken whispered and pointed out a black
-animal vanishing in the thicket. Three times
-he caught sight of a spotted form slipping
-away in the shade. George saw it the last
-time, and whispered: "Tiger-cat! Let's get him."
-
-"What's that, Ken, a kind of a wildcat?"
-asked Hal.
-
-"Yes." Ken took George's .32-caliber and
-tried to find a way up the bank. There was
-no place to climb up unless he dragged
-himself up branches of trees or drooping
-bamboos, and this he did not care to attempt
-encumbered with a rifle. Only here and there
-could he see over the matted roots and creepers.
-Then the sound of rapids put hunting out of
-his mind.
-
-"Boys, we've got Micas Falls to reach,"
-he said, and told Pepe to row on.
-
-The long stretch of deep river ended in a
-wide, shallow, noisy rapid. Fir-trees lined
-the banks. The palms, cypresses, bamboos,
-and the flowery, mossy growths were not here
-in evidence. Thickly wooded hills rose on
-each side. The jungle looked sear and yellow.
-
-The boys began to wade up the rapid,
-and before they had reached the head of it
-Pepe yelled and jumped back from where he
-was wading at the bow. He took an oar and
-began to punch at something in the water,
-at the same time calling out.
-
-"Crocodile!" cried George, and he climbed
-in the boat. Hal was not slow in following
-suit. Then Ken saw Pepe hitting a small
-crocodile, which lashed out with its tail and
-disappeared.
-
-"Come out of there," called Ken to the boys.
-"We can't pull you up-stream."
-
-"Say, I don't want to step on one of those
-ugly brutes," protested Hal.
-
-"Look sharp, then. Come out."
-
-Above the rapid extended a quarter-mile
-stretch where Pepe could row, and beyond
-that another long rapid. When the boys
-had waded up that it was only to come to
-another. It began to be hard work. But
-Ken kept the boys buckled down, and they
-made fair progress. They pulled up through
-eighteen rapids, and covered distance that
-Ken estimated to be about ten miles. The
-blue mountain loomed closer and higher, yet
-Ken began to have doubts of reaching Micas
-Falls that day.
-
-Moreover, as they ascended the stream,
-the rapids grew rougher.
-
-"It 'll be great coming down," panted Hal.
-
-Finally they reached a rapid which had long
-dinned in Ken's ears. All the water in the
-river rushed down on the right-hand side
-through a channel scarcely twenty feet wide.
-It was deep and swift. With the aid of ropes,
-and by dint of much hard wading and pulling,
-the boys got the boat up. A little farther
-on was another bothersome rapid. At last
-they came to a succession of falls, steps in the
-river, that barred farther advance up-stream.
-
-Here Ken climbed up on the bank, to find
-the country hilly and open, with patches of
-jungle and palm groves leading up to the
-mountains. Then he caught a glint of Micas
-Falls, and decided that it would be impossible
-to get there. He made what observations
-he could, and returned to camp.
-
-"Boys, here's where we stop," said Ken.
-"It 'll be all down-stream now, and I'm glad."
-
-There was no doubt that the boys were
-equally glad. They made camp on a
-grassy bench above a foam-flecked pool.
-Ken left the others to get things in shape for
-supper, and, taking his camera, he hurried off
-to try to get a picture of Micas Falls. He
-found open places and by-paths through the
-brushy forest. He saw evidences of forest
-fire, and then knew what had ruined that part
-of the jungle. There were no birds. It was
-farther than he had estimated to the foothill
-he had marked, but, loath to give up, he kept
-on and finally reached a steep, thorny ascent.
-Going up he nearly suffocated with heat.
-He felt rewarded for his exertions when he
-saw Micas Falls glistening in the distance.
-It was like a string of green fans connected
-by silver ribbons. He remained there watching
-it while the sun set in the golden notch
-between the mountains.
-
-On the way back to camp he waded through
-a flat overgrown with coarse grass and bushes.
-Here he jumped a herd of deer, eight in
-number. These small, sleek, gray deer appeared
-tame, and if there had been sufficient light,
-Ken would have photographed them. It
-cost him an effort to decide not to fetch his
-rifle, but as he had meat enough in camp
-there was nothing to do except let the deer go.
-
-When he got back to the river Pepe grinned
-at him, and, pointing to little red specks on
-his shirt, he said:
-
-"Pinilius."
-
-"Aha! the ticks!" exclaimed Ken.
-
-They were exceedingly small, not to be
-seen without close scrutiny. They could not
-be brushed off, so Ken began laboriously to
-pick them off. Pepe and George laughed,
-and Hal appeared to derive some sort of
-enjoyment from the incident.
-
-"Say, these ticks don't bother me any,"
-declared Ken.
-
-Pepe grunted; and George called out, "Just
-wait till you get the big fellows--the
-garrapatoes."
-
-It developed presently that the grass and
-bushes on the camp-site contained millions
-of the ticks. Ken found several of the larger
-ticks--almost the size of his little finger-nail--but
-he did not get bitten. Pepe and George,
-however, had no such good luck, as was
-manifested at different times. By the time they
-had cut down the bushes and carried in
-a stock of fire-wood, both were covered with
-the little pests. Hal found a spot where
-there appeared to be none, and here he stayed.
-
-Pepe and George had the bad habit of smoking,
-and Ken saw them burning the ticks off
-shirt-sleeves and trousers-legs, using the fiery
-end of their cigarettes. This feat did not
-puzzle Ken anything like the one where they
-held the red point of the cigarettes close to
-their naked flesh. Ken, and Hal, too, had
-to see that performance at close range.
-
-"Why do you do that?" asked Ken.
-
-"Popping ticks," replied George. He and
-Pepe were as sober as judges.
-
-The fact of the matter was soon clear to
-Ken. The ticks stuck on as if glued. When
-the hot end of the burning cigarette was held
-within a quarter of an inch of them they
-simply blew up, exploded with a pop. Ken
-could easily distinguish between the tiny pop
-of an exploding *pinilius* and the heavier pop
-of a *garrapato*.
-
-"But, boy, while you're taking time to do
-that, half a dozen other ticks can bite you!"
-exclaimed Ken.
-
-"Sure they can," replied George. "But
-if they get on me I'll kill 'em. I don't mind
-the little ones--it's the big boys I hate."
-
-On the other hand, Pepe seemed to mind
-most the *pinilius*.
-
-"Say, from now on you fellows will be
-Garrapato George and Pinilius Pepe."
-
-"Pretty soon you'll laugh on the other
-side of your face," said George. "In three
-days you'll be popping ticks yourself."
-
-Just then Hal let out a yell and began to
-hunt for a tick that had bit him. If there
-was anything that could bother Hal Ward
-it was a crawling bug of some kind.
-
-"I'll have to christen you too, brother,"
-said Ken, gurgling with mirth. "A very
-felicitous name--Hollering Hal!"
-
-Despite the humor of the thing, Ken really
-saw its serious side. When he found the
-grass under his feet alive with ticks he cast
-about in his mind for some way to get rid
-of them. And he hit upon a remedy. On the
-ridge above the bench was a palm-tree, and
-under it were many dead palm leaves. These
-were large in size, had long stems, and were
-as dry as tinder. Ken lighted one, and it
-made a flaming hot torch. It did not take
-him long to scorch all the ticks near that camp.
-
-The boys had supper and enjoyed it hugely.
-The scene went well with the camp-fire and
-game-dinner. They gazed out over the
-foaming pool, the brawling rapids, to the
-tufted palm-trees, and above them the
-dark-blue mountain. At dusk Hal and George
-were so tired they went to bed and at once
-dropped into slumber. Pepe sat smoking
-before the slumbering fire.
-
-And Ken chose that quiet hour to begin
-the map of the river, and to set down in his
-note-book his observations on the mountains
-and in the valley, and what he had seen that
-day of bird, animal, and plant life in the
-jungle.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
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-.. _`RUNNING THE RAPIDS`:
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-.. class:: center large bold
-
- VII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- RUNNING THE RAPIDS
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Some time in the night a yell awakened
-Ken. He sat up, clutching his revolver.
-The white moonlight made all as clear as
-day. Hal lay deep in slumber. George was
-raising himself, half aroused. But Pepe was gone.
-
-Ken heard a thrashing about outside.
-Leaping up he ran out, and was frightened to
-see Pepe beating and clawing and tearing
-at himself like a man possessed of demons.
-
-"Pepe, what's wrong?" shouted Ken.
-
-It seemed that Pepe only grew more violent
-in his wrestling about. Then Ken was sure
-Pepe had been stung by a scorpion or bitten by
-a snake.
-
-But he was dumfounded to see George
-bound like an apparition out of the tent and
-begin evolutions that made Pepe's look slow.
-
-"Hey, what's wrong with you jumping-jacks?"
-yelled Ken.
-
-George was as grimly silent as an Indian
-running the gantlet, but Ken thought it
-doubtful if any Indian ever slapped and tore
-at his body in George's frantic manner. To
-add to the mystery Hal suddenly popped out
-of the tent. He was yelling in a way to do
-justice to the name Ken had lately given him,
-and, as for wild and whirling antics, his were
-simply marvelous.
-
-"Good land!" ejaculated Ken. Had the
-boys all gone mad? Despite his alarm, Ken
-had to roar with laughter at those three
-dancing figures in the moonlight. A rush of
-ideas went through Ken's confused mind.
-And the last prompted him to look in the tent.
-
-He saw a wide bar of black crossing the
-moonlit ground, the grass, and the blankets.
-This bar moved. It was alive. Bending
-low Ken descried that it was made by ants.
-An army of jungle ants on a march! They
-had come in a straight line along the base of
-the little hill and their passageway led under
-the canvas. Pepe happened to be the first
-in line, and they had surged over him. As
-he had awakened, and jumped up of course,
-the ants had begun to bite. The same in
-turn happened to George and then Hal.
-
-Ken was immensely relieved, and had his
-laugh out. The stream of ants moved steadily
-and quite rapidly, and soon passed from
-sight. By this time Pepe and the boys had
-threshed themselves free of ants and into
-some degree of composure.
-
-"Say, you nightmare fellows! Come back
-to bed," said Ken. "Any one would think
-something had really happened to you."
-
-Pepe snorted, which made Ken think the
-native understood something of English. And
-the boys grumbled loudly.
-
-"Ants! Ants as big as wasps! They bit
-worse than helgramites," declared Hal. "Oh,
-they missed you. You always are lucky.
-I'm not afraid of all the old jaguars in this
-jungle. But I can't stand biting, crawling
-bugs. I wish you hadn't made me come on
-this darn trip."
-
-"Ha! Ha!" laughed Ken.
-
-"Just wait, Hal," put in George, grimly.
-"Just wait. It's coming to him!"
-
-The boys slept well the remainder of the
-night and, owing to the break in their rest,
-did not awaken early. The sun shone hot
-when Ken rolled out; a creamy mist was
-dissolving over the curve of the mountain-range;
-parrots were screeching in the near-by trees.
-
-After breakfast Ken set about packing the
-boat as it had been done the day before.
-
-"I think we'll do well to leave the trunk
-in the boat after this, unless we find a place
-where we want to make a permanent camp
-for a while," said Ken.
-
-Before departing he carefully looked over
-the ground to see that nothing was left, and
-espied a heavy fish-line which George had
-baited, set, and forgotten.
-
-"Hey, George, pull up your trot-line.
-It looks pretty much stretched to me. Maybe
-you've got a fish."
-
-Ken happened to be busy at the boat when
-George started to take in the line. An
-exclamation from Pepe, George's yell, and a loud
-splash made Ken jump up in double-quick
-time. Hal also came running.
-
-George was staggering on the bank, leaning
-back hard on the heavy line. A long, angry
-swirl in the pool told of a powerful fish.
-It was likely to pull George in.
-
-"Let go the line!" yelled Ken.
-
-But George was not letting go of any
-fish-lines. He yelled for Pepe, and went down
-on his knees before Pepe got to him. Both
-then pulled on the line. The fish, or
-whatever it was at the other end, gave a mighty
-jerk that almost dragged the two off the bank.
-
-"Play him, play him!" shouted Ken.
-"You've got plenty of line. Give him some."
-
-Hal now added his weight and strength,
-and the three of them, unmindful of Ken's
-advice, hauled back with might and main.
-The line parted and they sprawled on the
-grass.
-
-"What a sockdologer!" exclaimed Hal.
-
-"I had that hook baited with a big piece
-of duck meat," said George. "We must have
-been hooked to a crocodile. Things are
-happening to us."
-
-"Yes, so I've noticed," replied Ken, dryly.
-"But if you fellows hadn't pulled so hard you
-might have landed that thing, whatever it
-was. All aboard now. We must be on the
-move--we don't know what we have before us."
-
-When they got into the boat Ken took the
-oars, much to Pepe's surprise. It was
-necessary to explain to him that Ken would handle
-the boat in swift water. They shoved off,
-and Ken sent one regretful glance up the river,
-at the shady aisle between the green banks, at
-the white rapids, and the great colored dome
-of the mountain. He almost hesitated, for
-he desired to see more of that jungle-covered
-mountain. But something already warned
-Ken to lose no time in the trip down the Santa
-Rosa. There did not seem to be any reason
-for hurry, yet he felt it necessary. But he
-asked Pepe many questions and kept George
-busy interpreting names of trees and flowers
-and wild creatures.
-
-Going down-stream on any river, mostly,
-would have been pleasure, but drifting on the
-swift current of the Santa Rosa and rowing
-under the wonderful moss-bearded cypresses
-was almost like a dream. It was too beautiful
-to seem real. The smooth stretch before
-the first rapid was short, however, and then
-all Ken's attention had to be given to the
-handling of the boat. He saw that George
-and Pepe both expected to get out and wade
-down the rapids as they had waded up.
-He had a surprise in store for them. The
-rapids that he could not shoot would have to
-be pretty bad.
-
-"You're getting close," shouted George,
-warningly.
-
-With two sweeps of the oars Ken turned
-the boat stern first down-stream, then dipped
-on the low green incline, and sailed down
-toward the waves. They struck the first wave
-with a shock, and the water flew all over the
-boys. Pepe was tremendously excited; he
-yelled and made wild motions with his hands;
-George looked a little frightened. Hal
-enjoyed it. Whatever the rapid appeared to
-them, it was magnificent to Ken; and it was
-play to manage the boat in such water. A
-little pull on one oar and then on the other
-kept the stern straight down-stream. The
-channel he could make out a long way ahead.
-He amused himself by watching George and
-Pepe. There were stones in the channel,
-and the water rose angrily about them. A
-glance was enough to tell that he could float
-over these without striking. But the boys
-thought they were going to hit every stone,
-and were uneasy all the time. Twice he had
-to work to pass ledges and sunken trees upon
-which the current bore down hard. When
-Ken neared one of these he dipped the oars
-and pulled back to stop or lessen the
-momentum; then a stroke turned the boat half
-broadside to the current. That would force
-it to one side, and another stroke would turn
-the boat straight. At the bottom of this
-rapid they encountered a long triangle of
-choppy waves that they bumped and splashed
-over. They came through with nothing wet
-but the raised flap of canvas in the stern.
-
-Pepe regarded Ken with admiring eyes,
-and called him *grande mozo*.
-
-"Shooting rapids is great sport," proclaimed
-George.
-
-They drifted through several little rifts,
-and then stopped at the head of the narrow
-chute that had been such a stumbling-block
-on the way up. Looked at from above, this
-long, narrow channel, with several S curves,
-was a fascinating bit of water for a canoeist.
-It tempted Ken to shoot it even with the boat.
-But he remembered the four-foot waves at
-the bottom, and besides he resented the
-importunity of the spirit of daring so early in
-the game. Risk, and perhaps peril, would
-come soon enough. So he decided to walk
-along the shore and float the boat through
-with a rope.
-
-The thing looked a good deal easier than it
-turned out to be. Half-way through, at the
-narrowest point and most abrupt curve,
-Pepe misunderstood directions and pulled
-hard on the bow-rope, when he should have
-let it slack.
-
-The boat swung in, nearly smashing Ken
-against the bank, and the sweeping current
-began to swell dangerously near the gunwale.
-
-"Let go! Let go!" yelled Ken. "George,
-make him let go!"
-
-But George, who was trying to get the rope
-out of Pepe's muscular hands, suddenly made
-a dive for his rifle.
-
-"Deer! deer!" he cried, hurriedly throwing
-a shell into the chamber. He shot downstream,
-and Ken, looking that way, saw several
-deer under the firs on a rocky flat. George
-shot three more times, and the bullets went
-"spinging" into the trees. The deer bounded
-out of sight.
-
-When Ken turned again, water was roaring
-into the boat. He was being pressed harder
-into the bank, and he saw disaster ahead.
-
-"Loosen the rope--tell him, George," yelled Ken.
-
-Pepe only pulled the harder.
-
-"Quick, or we're ruined," cried Ken.
-
-George shouted in Spanish, and Pepe
-promptly dropped the rope in the water.
-That was the worst thing he could have done.
-
-"Grab the rope!" ordered Ken, wildly.
-"Grab the bow! Don't let it swing out! Hal!"
-
-Before either boy could reach it the bow
-swung out into the current. Ken was not
-only helpless, but in a dangerous position.
-He struggled to get out from where the
-swinging stern was wedging him into the bank,
-but could not budge. Fearing that all the
-outfit would be lost in the river, he held
-on to the boat and called for some one to
-catch the rope.
-
-George pushed Pepe head first into the swift
-current. Pepe came up, caught the rope,
-and then went under again. The boat swung
-round and, now half full of water, got away
-from Ken. It gathered headway. Ken leaped
-out on the ledge and ran along with the boat.
-It careened round the bad curve and shot
-down-stream. Pepe was still under water.
-
-"He's drowned! He's drowned!" cried George.
-
-Hal took a header right off the ledge, came
-up, and swam with a few sharp strokes to the
-drifting boat. He gained the bow, grasped it,
-and then pulled on the rope.
-
-Ken had a sickening feeling that Pepe might
-be drowned. Suddenly Pepe appeared like
-a brown porpoise. He was touching bottom
-in places and holding back on the rope.
-Then the current rolled him over and over.
-The boat drifted back of a rocky point into
-shallow water. Hal gave a haul that helped
-to swing it out of the dangerous current.
-Then Pepe came up, and he, too, pulled hard.
-Just as Ken plunged in the boat sank in two
-feet of water. Ken's grip, containing camera,
-films, and other perishable goods, was on top,
-and he got it just in time. He threw it out
-on the rocks. Then together the boys lifted
-the boat and hauled the bow well up on the
-shore.
-
-"Pretty lucky!" exclaimed Ken, as he
-flopped down.
-
-"Doggone it!" yelled Hal, suddenly. And
-he dove for the boat, and splashed round
-in the water under his seat, to bring forth a
-very limp and drenched little racoon.
-
-"Good! he's all right," said Ken.
-
-Pepe said "Mucho malo," and pointed
-to his shins, which bore several large bumps
-from contact with the rocks in the channel.
-
-"I should say mucha malo," growled George.
-
-He jerked open his grip, and, throwing out
-articles of wet clothing--for which he had no
-concern--he gazed in dismay at his whole
-store of cigarettes wet by the water.
-
-"So that's all you care for," said Ken,
-severely. "Young man, I'll have something
-to say to you presently. All hands now to
-unpack the boat."
-
-Fortunately nothing had been carried away.
-That part of the supplies which would have
-been affected by water was packed in tin cases,
-and so suffered no damage. The ammunition
-was waterproof. Ken's Parker hammerless
-and his 351 automatic rifle were full of water,
-and so were George's guns and Hal's. While
-they took their weapons apart, wiped them,
-and laid them in the sun, Pepe spread out the
-rest of the things and then baled out the boat.
-The sun was so hot that everything dried
-quickly and was not any the worse for the
-wetting. The boys lost scarcely an hour by
-the accident. Before the start Ken took
-George and Pepe to task, and when he finished
-they were both very sober and quiet.
-
-Ken observed, however, that by the time
-they had run the next rapid they were
-enjoying themselves again. Then came a long
-succession of rapids which Ken shot without
-anything approaching a mishap. When they
-drifted into the level stretch Pepe relieved
-him at the oars. They glided down-stream
-under the drooping bamboo, under the silken
-streamers of silvery moss, under the dark, cool
-bowers of matted vine and blossoming creepers.
-And as they passed this time the jungle
-silence awoke to the crack of George's .22
-and the discordant cry of river fowl. Ken's
-guns were both at hand, and the rifle was
-loaded, but he did not use either. He
-contented himself with snapping a picture here
-and there and watching the bamboo thickets
-and the mouths of the little dry ravines.
-
-That ride was again so interesting, so full
-of sound and action and color, that it seemed
-a very short one. The murmur of the water
-on the rocks told Ken that it was time to
-change seats with Pepe. They drifted down
-two short rapids, and then came to the gravelly
-channels between the islands noted on the
-way up. The water was shallow down these
-rippling channels; and, fearing they might
-strike a stone, Ken tumbled out over the bow
-and, wading slowly, let the boat down to
-still water again. He was about to get in
-when he espied what he thought was an
-alligator lying along a log near the river.
-He pointed it out to Pepe.
-
-That worthy yelled gleefully in Mexican,
-and reached for his *machete*.
-
-"Iguana!" exclaimed George. "I've heard
-it's good to eat."
-
-The reptile had a body about four feet long
-and a very long tail. Its color was a steely
-blue-black on top, and it had a blunt, rounded
-head.
-
-Pepe slipped out of the boat and began
-to wade ashore. When the iguana raised
-itself on short, stumpy legs George shot at
-it, and missed, as usual. But he effectually
-frightened the reptile, which started to climb
-the bank with much nimbleness. Pepe began
-to run, brandishing his long *machete*. George
-plunged into the water in hot pursuit, and then
-Hal yielded to the call of the chase. Pepe
-reached the iguana before it got up the bank,
-aimed a mighty blow with his *machete*, and
-would surely have cut the reptile in two
-pieces if the blade had not caught on an
-overhanging branch. Then Pepe fell up the bank
-and barely grasped the tail of the iguana. Pepe
-hauled back, and Pepe was powerful. The
-frantic creature dug its feet in the clay-bank
-and held on for dear life. But Pepe was too
-strong. He jerked the iguana down and
-flung it square upon George, who had begun
-to climb the bank.
-
-George uttered an awful yell, as if he
-expected to be torn asunder, and rolled down,
-with the reptile on top of him. Ken saw
-that it was as badly frightened as George.
-But Hal did not see this. And he happened
-to have gained a little sand-bar below the
-bank, in which direction the iguana started
-with wonderful celerity. Then Hal made a
-jump that Ken believed was a record.
-
-Remarkably awkward as that iguana was,
-he could surely cover ground with his stumpy
-legs. Again he dashed up the bank. Pepe got
-close enough once more, and again he swung
-the *machete*. The blow cut off a piece of the
-long tail, but the only effect this produced
-was to make the iguana run all the faster.
-It disappeared over the bank, with Pepe
-scrambling close behind. Then followed a
-tremendous crashing in the dry thickets,
-after which the iguana could be heard
-rattling and tearing away through the jungle.
-Pepe returned to the boat with the
-crestfallen boys, and he was much concerned over
-the failure to catch the big lizard, which he
-said made fine eating.
-
-"What next?" asked George, ruefully, and
-at that the boys all laughed.
-
-"The fun is we don't have any idea what's
-coming off," said Hal.
-
-"Boys, if you brave hunters had thought
-to throw a little salt on that lizard's tail you
-might have caught him," added Ken.
-
-Presently Pepe espied another iguana in
-the forks of a tree, and he rowed ashore.
-This lizard was only a small one, not over two
-feet in length, but he created some
-excitement among the boys. George wanted him
-to eat, and Hal wanted the skin for a
-specimen, and Ken wanted to see what the
-lizard looked like close at hand. So they all
-clamored for Pepe to use caution and to be
-quick.
-
-When Pepe started up the tree the iguana
-came down on the other side, quick as a
-squirrel. Then they had a race round the
-trunk until Pepe ended it with a well-directed
-blow from his *machete*.
-
-Hal began to skin the iguana.
-
-"Ken, I'm going to have trouble preserving
-specimens in this hot place," he said.
-
-"Salt and alum will do the trick. Remember
-what old Hiram used to say," replied Ken.
-
-Shortly after that the boat passed the scene
-of the first camp, and then drifted under the
-railroad bridge.
-
-Hal and George, and Pepe too, looked as if
-they were occupied with the same thought
-troubling Ken--that once beyond the bridge
-they would plunge into the jungle wilderness
-from which there could be no turning back.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
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-.. _`THE FIRST TIGER-CAT`:
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- VIII
-
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-
- THE FIRST TIGER-CAT
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-The Santa Rosa opened out wide, and ran
-swiftly over smooth rock. Deep cracks, a
-foot or so wide, crossed the river diagonally,
-and fish darted in and out.
-
-The boys had about half a mile of this,
-when, after turning a hilly bend, they entered
-a long rapid. It was a wonderful stretch
-of river to look down.
-
-"By George!" said Ken, as he stood up to
-survey it. "This is great!"
-
-"It's all right *now*," added George, with
-his peculiar implication as to the future.
-
-"What gets me is the feeling of what
-might be round the next bend," said Hal.
-
-This indeed, Ken thought, made the
-fascination of such travel. The water was
-swift and smooth and shallow. There was
-scarcely a wave or ripple. At times the boat
-stuck fast on the flat rock, and the boys would
-have to get out to shove off. As far ahead as
-Ken could see extended this wide slant of
-water. On the left rose a thick line of huge
-cypresses all festooned with gray moss that
-drooped to the water; on the right rose a bare
-bluff of crumbling rock. It looked like blue
-clay baked and cracked by the sun. A few
-palms fringed the top.
-
-"Say, we can beat this," said Ken, as for
-the twentieth time the boys had to step out
-and shove off a flat, shallow place. "Two of
-you in the bow and Pepe with me in the stern,
-feet overboard."
-
-The little channels ran every way, making
-it necessary often to turn the boat. Ken's
-idea was to drift along and keep the boat
-from grounding by an occasional kick.
-
-"Ken manages to think of something once
-in a while," observed Hal.
-
-Then the boat drifted down-stream, whirling
-round and round. Here Pepe would drop
-his brown foot in and kick his end clear of a
-shallow ledge; there George would make a
-great splash when his turn came to ward off
-from a rock; and again Hal would give a
-greater kick than was necessary to the
-righting of the boat. Probably Hal was much
-influenced by the fact that when he kicked
-hard he destroyed the lazy equilibrium of
-his companions.
-
-It dawned upon Ken that here was a new
-and unique way to travel down a river. It
-was different from anything he had ever tried
-before. The water was swift and seldom
-more than a foot deep, except in diagonal
-cracks that ribbed the river-bed. This long,
-shut-in stretch appeared to be endless. But
-for the quick, gliding movement of the boat,
-which made a little breeze, the heat would
-have been intolerable. When one of Hal's
-kicks made Ken lurch overboard to sit down
-ludicrously, the cool water sent thrills over
-him. Instead of retaliating on Hal, he was
-glad to be wet. And the others, soon
-discovering the reason for Ken's remarkable
-good-nature, went overboard and lay flat in
-the cool ripples. Then little clouds of steam
-began to rise from their soaked clothes.
-
-Ken began to have an idea that he had been
-wise in boiling the water which they drank.
-They all suffered from a parching thirst.
-Pepe scooped up water in his hand; George
-did likewise, and then Hal.
-
-"You've all got to stop that," ordered Ken,
-sharply. "No drinking this water unless it's
-boiled."
-
-The boys obeyed, for the hour, but they
-soon forgot, or deliberately allayed their
-thirst despite Ken's command. Ken himself
-found his thirst unbearable. He squeezed
-the juice of a wild lime into a cup of water
-and drank that. Then he insisted on giving
-the boys doses of quinine and anti-malaria
-pills, which treatment he meant to continue
-daily.
-
-Toward the lower part of that rapid, where
-the water grew deeper, fish began to be so
-numerous that the boys kicked at many as
-they darted under the boat. There were
-thousands of small fish and some large ones.
-Occasionally, as a big fellow lunged for a
-crack in the rock, he would make the water
-roar. There was a fish that resembled a mullet,
-and another that Hal said was some kind of
-bass with a blue tail. Pepe chopped at them
-with his *machete*; George whacked with an
-oar; Hal stood up in the boat and shot at
-them with his .22 rifle.
-
-"Say, I've got to see what that blue-tailed
-bass looks like," said Ken. "You fellows
-will never get one."
-
-Whereupon Ken jointed up a small rod
-and, putting on a spinner, began to cast it
-about. He felt two light fish hit it. Then
-came a heavy shock that momentarily checked
-the boat. The water foamed as the line cut
-through, and Ken was just about to jump off
-the boat to wade and follow the fish, when
-it broke the leader.
-
-"That was a fine exhibition," remarked the
-critical Hal.
-
-"What's the matter with you?" retorted
-Ken, who was sensitive as to his fishing
-abilities. "It was a big fish. He broke
-things."
-
-"Haven't you got a reel on that rod and
-fifty yards of line?" queried Hal.
-
-Ken did not have another spinner, and he
-tried an artificial minnow, but could not get
-a strike on it. He took Hal's gun and shot
-at several of the blue-tailed fish, but though
-he made them jump out of the water like
-a real northern black-bass, it was all of no
-avail.
-
-Then Hal caught one with a swoop of the
-landing net. It was a beautiful fish, and it
-did have a blue tail. Pepe could not name
-it, nor could Ken classify it, so Hal was sure
-he had secured a rare specimen.
-
-When the boat drifted round a bend to
-enter another long, wide, shallow rapid, the
-boys demurred a little at the sameness of
-things. The bare blue bluffs persisted, and
-the line of gray-veiled cypresses and the
-strange formation of stream-bed. Five more
-miles of drifting under the glaring sun made
-George and Hal lie back in the boat, under
-an improvised sun-shade. The ride was novel
-and strange to Ken Ward, and did not pall
-upon him, though he suffered from the heat
-and glare. He sat on the bow, occasionally
-kicking the boat off a rock.
-
-All at once a tense whisper from Pepe
-brought Ken round with a jerk. Pepe was
-pointing down along the right-hand shore.
-George heard, and, raising himself, called
-excitedly: "Buck! buck!"
-
-Ken saw a fine deer leap back from the water
-and start to climb the side of a gully that
-indented the bluff. Snatching up the .351
-rifle, he shoved in the safety catch. The
-distance was far--perhaps two hundred yards--but
-without elevating the sights he let
-drive. A cloud of dust puffed up under the
-nose of the climbing deer.
-
-"Wow!" yelled George, and Pepe began to
-jabber. Hal sprang up, nearly falling
-overboard, and he shouted: "Give it to him, Ken!"
-
-The deer bounded up a steep, winding trail,
-his white flag standing, his reddish coat
-glistening. Ken fired again. The bullet sent
-up a white puff of dust, this time nearer still.
-That shot gave Ken the range, and he pulled
-the automatic again--and again. Each bullet
-hit closer. The boys were now holding their
-breath, watching, waiting. Ken aimed a little
-firmer and finer at the space ahead of the
-deer--for in that instant he remembered
-what the old hunter on Penetier had told
-him--and he pulled the trigger twice.
-
-The buck plunged down, slipped off the
-trail, and, raising a cloud of dust, rolled over
-and over. Then it fell sheer into space,
-and whirled down to strike the rock with a
-sodden crash.
-
-It was Ken's first shooting on this trip,
-and he could not help adding a cry of exultation
-to the yells of his admiring comrades.
-
-"Guess you didn't plug him!" exclaimed
-Hal Ward, with flashing eyes.
-
-Wading, the boys pulled the boat ashore.
-Pepe pronounced the buck to be very large,
-but to Ken, remembering the deer in Coconino
-Forest, it appeared small. If there was an
-unbroken bone left in that deer, Ken greatly
-missed his guess. He and Pepe cut out the
-haunch least crushed by the fail.
-
-"There's no need to carry along more
-meat than we can use," said George. "It
-spoils overnight. That's the worst of this
-jungle, I've heard hunters say."
-
-Hal screwed up his face in the manner he
-affected when he tried to imitate old Hiram
-Bent. "Wal, youngster, I reckon I'm right
-an' down proud of thet shootin'. You air
-comin' along."
-
-Ken was as pleased as Hal, but he replied,
-soberly: "Well, kid, I hope I can hold as
-straight as that when we run up against a jaguar."
-
-"Do you think we'll see one?" asked Hal.
-
-"Just you wait!" exclaimed George, replying
-for Ken. "Pepe says we'll have to sleep
-in the boat, and anchor the boat in the
-middle of the river."
-
-"What for?"
-
-"To keep those big yellow tigers from
-eating us up."
-
-"How nice!" replied Hal, with a rather
-forced laugh.
-
-So, talking and laughing, the boys resumed
-their down-stream journey. Ken, who was
-always watching with sharp eyes, saw buzzards
-appear, as if by magic. Before the boat was
-half a mile down the river buzzards were
-circling over the remains of the deer. These
-birds of prey did not fly from the jungle on
-either side of the stream. They sailed,
-dropped down from the clear blue sky where
-they had been invisible. How wonderful
-that was to Ken! Nature had endowed these
-vulture-like birds with wonderful scent or
-instinct or sight, or all combined. But Ken
-believed that it was power of sight which
-brought the buzzards so quickly to the scene
-of the killing. He watched them circling,
-sweeping down till a curve in the river hid
-them from view.
-
-And with this bend came a welcome change.
-The bluff played out in a rocky slope below
-which the green jungle was relief to aching
-eyes. As the boys made this point, the
-evening breeze began to blow. They beached
-the boat and unloaded to make camp.
-
-"We haven't had any work to-day, but
-we're all tired just the same," observed Ken.
-
-"The heat makes a fellow tired," said George.
-
-They were fortunate in finding a grassy
-plot where there appeared to be but few
-ticks and other creeping things. That evening
-it was a little surprise to Ken to realize
-how sensitive he had begun to feel about
-these jungle vermin.
-
-Pepe went up the bank for fire-wood. Ken
-heard him slashing away with his *machete*.
-Then this sound ceased, and Pepe yelled in
-fright. Ken and George caught up guns as
-they bounded into the thicket; Hal started
-to follow, likewise armed. Ken led the way
-through a thorny brake to come suddenly
-upon Pepe. At the same instant Ken
-caught a glimpse of gray, black-striped forms
-slipping away in the jungle. Pepe shouted
-out something.
-
-"Tiger-cats!" exclaimed George.
-
-Ken held up his finger to enjoin silence.
-With that he stole cautiously forward, the
-others noiselessly at his heels. The thicket
-was lined with well-beaten trails, and by
-following these and stooping low it was
-possible to go ahead without rustling the
-brush. Owing to the gathering twilight Ken
-could not see very far. When he stopped to
-listen he heard the faint crackling of dead
-brush and soft, quick steps. He had not
-proceeded far when pattering footsteps halted
-him. Ken dropped to his knee. The boys
-knelt behind him, and Pepe whispered.
-Peering along the trail Ken saw what he took for
-a wildcat. Its boldness amazed him. Surely
-it had heard him, but instead of bounding
-into the thicket it crouched not more than
-twenty-five feet away. Ken took a quick
-shot at the gray huddled form. It jerked,
-stretched out, and lay still. Then a crashing
-in the brush, and gray streaks down the trail
-told Ken of more game.
-
-"There they go. Peg away at them," called Ken.
-
-George and Hal burned a good deal of
-powder and sent much lead whistling through
-the dry branches, but the gray forms vanished
-in the jungle.
-
-"We got one, anyway," said Ken.
-
-He advanced to find his quarry quite dead.
-It was bigger than any wildcat Ken had
-ever seen. The color was a grayish yellow,
-almost white, lined and spotted with black.
-Ken lifted it and found it heavy enough to
-make a good load.
-
-"He's a beauty," said Hal.
-
-"Pepe says it's a tiger-cat," remarked
-George. "There are two or three kinds
-besides the big tiger. We may run into a
-lot of them and get some skins."
-
-It was almost dark when they reached
-camp. While Pepe and Hal skinned the
-tiger-cat and stretched the pelt over a framework
-of sticks the other boys got supper. They
-were all very hungry and tired, and pleased
-with the events of the day. As they sat
-round the camp-fire there was a constant
-whirring of water-fowl over their heads and
-an incessant hum of insects from the jungle.
-
-"Ken, does it feel as wild to you here as on
-Buckskin Mountain?" asked Hal.
-
-"Oh yes, much wilder, Hal," replied his
-brother. "And it's different, somehow. Out
-in Arizona there was always the glorious
-expectancy of to-morrow's fun or sport. Here
-I have a kind of worry--a feeling--"
-
-But he concluded it wiser to keep to himself
-that strange feeling of dread which came
-over him at odd moments.
-
-"It suits me," said Hal. "I want to get
-a lot of things and keep them alive. Of course,
-I want specimens. I'd like some skins for
-my den, too. But I don't care so much
-about killing things."
-
-"Just wait!" retorted George, who evidently
-took Hal's remark as a reflection upon his
-weakness. "Just wait! You'll be shooting
-pretty soon for your life."
-
-"Now, George, what do you mean by
-that?" questioned Ken, determined to pin
-George down to facts. "You said you didn't
-really know anything about this jungle.
-Why are you always predicting disaster for us?"
-
-"Why? Because I've heard things about
-the jungle," retorted George. "And Pepe
-says wait till we get down off the mountain.
-He doesn't *know* anything, either. But it's
-his instinct--Pepe's half Indian. So I say,
-too, wait till we get down in the jungle!"
-
-"Confound you! Where are we now?" queried Ken.
-
-"The real jungle is the lowland. There
-we'll find the tigers and the crocodiles and the
-wild cattle and wild pigs."
-
-"Bring on your old pigs and things," replied Hal.
-
-But Ken looked into the glowing embers
-of the camp-fire and was silent. When he
-got out his note-book and began his drawing,
-he forgot the worry and dread in the interest
-of his task. He was astonished at his memory,
-to see how he could remember every turn in
-the river and yet not lose his sense of
-direction. He could tell almost perfectly the
-distance traveled, because he knew so well just
-how much a boat would cover in swift or
-slow waters in a given time. He thought he
-could give a fairly correct estimate of the
-drop of the river. And, as for descriptions
-of the jungle life along the shores, that was a
-delight, all except trying to understand and
-remember and spell the names given to him
-by Pepe. Ken imagined Pepe spoke a mixture
-of Toltec, Aztec, Indian, Spanish, and English.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`IN THE WHITE WATER`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- IX
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- IN THE WHITE WATER
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Upon awakening next morning Ken found
-the sun an hour high. He was stiff and
-sore and thirsty. Pepe and the boys slept
-so soundly it seemed selfish to wake them.
-
-All around camp there was a melodious
-concourse of birds. But the parrots did not
-make a visit that morning. While Ken was
-washing in the river a troop of deer came down
-to the bar on the opposite side. Ken ran for
-his rifle, and by mistake took up George's
-.32. He had a splendid shot at less than one
-hundred yards. But the bullet dropped
-fifteen feet in front of the leading buck. The
-deer ran into the deep, bushy willows.
-
-"That gun's leaded," muttered Ken. "It
-didn't shoot where I aimed."
-
-Pepe jumped up; George rolled out of his
-blanket with one eye still glued shut; and
-Hal stretched and yawned and groaned.
-
-"Do I have to get up?" he asked.
-
-"Shore, lad," said Ken, mimicking Jim Williams,
-"or I'll hev to be reconsiderin' that idee
-of mine about you bein' pards with me."
-
-Such mention of Hal's ranger friend brought
-the boy out of his lazy bed with amusing
-alacrity.
-
-"Rustle breakfast, now, you fellows," said
-Ken, and, taking his rifle, he started off to
-climb the high river bluff.
-
-It was his idea to establish firmly in mind
-the trend of the mountain-range, and the
-relation of the river to it. The difficulty
-in mapping the river would come after it
-left the mountains to wind away into the
-wide lowlands. The matter of climbing the
-bluff would have been easy but for the fact
-that he wished to avoid contact with grass,
-brush, trees, even dead branches, as all were
-covered with ticks. The upper half of the
-bluff was bare, and when he reached that part
-he soon surmounted it. Ken faced south
-with something of eagerness. Fortunately
-the mist had dissolved under the warm rays
-of the sun, affording an unobstructed view.
-That scene was wild and haunting, yet
-different from what his fancy had pictured. The
-great expanse of jungle was gray, the green
-line of cypress, palm, and bamboo following
-the southward course of the river. The
-mountain-range some ten miles distant sloped
-to the south and faded away in the haze.
-The river disappeared in rich dark verdure,
-and but for it, which afforded a water-road
-back to civilization, Ken would have been
-lost in a dense gray-green overgrowth of
-tropical wilderness. Once or twice he thought
-he caught the faint roar of a waterfall on the
-morning breeze, yet could not be sure, and he
-returned toward camp with a sober appreciation
-of the difficulty of his enterprise
-and a more thrilling sense of its hazard and
-charm.
-
-"Didn't see anything to peg at, eh?"
-greeted Hal. "Well, get your teeth in some
-of this venison before it's all gone."
-
-Soon they were under way again, Pepe
-strong and willing at the oars. This time
-Ken had his rifle and shotgun close at hand,
-ready for use. Half a mile below, the river,
-running still and deep, entered a shaded
-waterway so narrow that in places the branches
-of wide-spreading and leaning cypresses met
-and intertwined their moss-fringed foliage.
-This lane was a paradise for birds, that ranged
-from huge speckled cranes, six feet high, to
-little yellow birds almost too small to see.
-
-Black squirrels were numerous and very
-tame. In fact, all the creatures along this
-shaded stream were so fearless that it was
-easy to see they had never heard a shot.
-Ken awoke sleepy cranes with his fishing-rod
-and once pushed a blue heron off a log.
-He heard animals of some species running
-back from the bank, out could not see them.
-All at once a soft breeze coming up-stream
-bore a deep roar of tumbling rapids. The
-sensation of dread which had bothered Ken
-occasionally now returned and fixed itself in
-his mind. He was in the jungle of Mexico,
-and knew not what lay ahead of him. But if
-he had been in the wilds of unexplored
-Brazil and had heard that roar, it would have
-been familiar to him. In his canoe experience
-on the swift streams of Pennsylvania Ken Ward
-had learned, long before he came to rapids,
-to judge what they were from the sound.
-His attention wandered from the beautiful
-birds, the moss-shaded bowers, and the
-overhanging jungle. He listened to the heavy,
-sullen roar of the rapids.
-
-"That water sounds different," remarked George.
-
-"Grande," said Pepe, with a smile.
-
-"Pretty heavy, Ken, eh?" asked Hal,
-looking quickly at his brother.
-
-But Ken Ward made his face a mask, and
-betrayed nothing of the grim nature of his
-thought. Pepe and the boys had little idea
-of danger, and they had now a blind faith in Ken.
-
-"I dare say we'll get used to that roar,"
-replied Ken, easily, and he began to pack his
-guns away in their cases.
-
-Hal forgot his momentary anxiety; Pepe
-rowed on, leisurely; and George lounged in his
-seat. There was no menace for them in that
-dull, continuous roar.
-
-But Ken knew they would soon be in fast
-water and before long would drop down into
-the real wilderness. It was not now too late
-to go back up the river, but soon that would
-be impossible. Keeping a sharp lookout
-ahead, Ken revolved in mind the necessity
-for caution and skilful handling of the boat.
-But he realized, too, that overzealousness on
-the side of caution was a worse thing for such
-a trip than sheer recklessness. Good
-judgment in looking over rapids, a quick eye to
-pick the best channel, then a daring spirit--that
-was the ideal to be striven for in going
-down swift rivers.
-
-Presently Ken saw a break in the level
-surface of the water. He took Pepe's place
-at the oars, and, as usual, turned the boat
-stern first down-stream. The banks were low
-and shelved out in rocky points. This
-relieved Ken, for he saw that he could land just
-above the falls. What he feared was a
-narrow gorge impossible to portage round or go
-through. As the boat approached the break
-the roar seemed to divide itself, hollow and
-shallow near at hand, rushing and heavy
-farther on.
-
-Ken rowed close to the bank and landed on
-the first strip of rock. He got out and,
-walking along this ledge, soon reached the fall.
-It was a straight drop of some twelve or fifteen
-feet. The water was shallow all the way across.
-
-"Boys, this is easy," said Ken. "We'll
-pack the outfit round the fall, and slide the
-boat over."
-
-But Ken did not say anything about the
-white water extending below the fall as far
-as he could see. From here came the sullen
-roar that had worried him.
-
-Portaging the supplies around that place
-turned out to be far from easy. The portage
-was not long nor rugged, but the cracked,
-water-worn, rock made going very difficult.
-The boys often stumbled. Pepe fell and
-broke open a box, and almost broke his leg.
-Ken had a hard knock. Then, when it came
-to carrying the trunk, one at each corner,
-progress was laborious and annoying. Full
-two hours were lost in transporting the
-outfit around the fall.
-
-Below there was a wide, shelving apron,
-over which the water ran a foot or so in depth.
-Ken stationed Pepe and the boys there, and
-went up to get the boat. He waded out with
-it. Ken saw that his end of this business was
-going to be simple enough, but he had doubts
-as to what would happen to the boys.
-
-"Brace yourselves, now," he yelled. "When
-I drop her over she'll come a-humming.
-Hang on if she drags you a mile!"
-
-Wading out deeper Ken let the boat swing
-down with the current till the stern projected
-over the fall. He had trouble in keeping
-his footing, for the rock was slippery. Then
-with a yell he ran the stern far out over the
-drop, bore down hard on the bow, and
-shoved off.
-
-The boat shot out and down, to alight with
-a heavy souse. Then it leaped into the swift
-current. George got his hands on it first,
-and went down like a ninepin. The boat
-floated over him. The bow struck Hal, and
-would have dragged him away had not Pepe
-laid powerful hands on the stern. They waded
-to the lower ledge.
-
-"Didn't ship a bucketful," said Hal.
-"Fine work, Ken."
-
-"I got all the water," added the drenched
-and dripping George.
-
-"Bail out, boys, and repack, while I look
-below," said Ken.
-
-He went down-stream a little way to take
-a survey of the rapids. If those rapids had
-been back in Pennsylvania, Ken felt that he
-could have gone at them in delight. If the
-jungle country had been such that damage to
-boat or supplies could have been remedied or
-replaced, these rapids would not have appeared
-so bad. Ken walked up and down looking
-over the long white inclines more than was
-wise, and he hesitated about going into them.
-But it had to be done. So he went back to
-the boys. Then he took the oars with
-gripping fingers.
-
-"George, can you swim?" he asked.
-
-"I'm a second cousin to a fish," replied
-George.
-
-"All right. We're off. Now, if we upset,
-hang to the boat, if you can, and hold up
-your legs. George, tell Pepe."
-
-Ken backed the boat out from the shore.
-To his right in the middle of the narrow river
-was a racy current that he kept out of as long
-as possible. But presently he was drawn
-into it, and the boat shot forward, headed
-into the first incline, and went racing smoothly
-down toward the white waves of the rapids.
-
-This was a trying moment for Ken. Grip
-as hard as he might, the oar-handles slipped
-in his sweaty hands.
-
-The boys were yelling, but Ken could not
-hear for the din of roaring waters. The boat
-sailed down with swift, gliding motion. When
-it thumped into the back-lash of the first
-big waves the water threshed around and over
-the boys. Then they were in the thick of
-rush and roar. Ken knew he was not
-handling the boat well. It grazed stones that
-should have been easy to avoid, and bumped
-on hidden ones, and got half broadside to
-the current. Pepe, by quick action with an
-oar, pushed the stern aside from collision with
-more than one rock. Several times Ken
-missed a stroke when a powerful one was
-needed. He passed between stones so close
-together that he had to ship the oars. It was
-all rapid water, this stretch, but the bad
-places, with sunken rocks, falls, and big waves,
-were strung out at such distances apart that
-Ken had time to get the boat going right
-before entering them.
-
-Ken saw scarcely anything of the banks
-of the river. They blurred in his sight.
-Sometimes they were near, sometimes far.
-The boat turned corners where rocky ledges
-pointed out, constricting the stream and
-making a curved channel. What lay around the
-curve was always a question and a cause for
-suspense. Often the boat raced down a
-chute and straight toward a rocky wall.
-Ken would pull back with all his might, and
-Pepe would break the shock by striking the
-wall with his oar.
-
-More than once Pepe had a narrow escape
-from being knocked overboard. George tried
-to keep him from standing up. Finally at
-the end of a long rapid, Pepe, who had the
-stern-seat, jumped up and yelled. Ken saw
-a stone directly in the path of the boat, and
-he pulled back on the oars with a quick,
-strong jerk. Pepe shot out of the stern as
-if he had been flung from a catapult. He
-swam with the current while the boat drifted.
-He reached smooth water and the shore
-before Ken could pick him up.
-
-It was fun for everybody but Ken. There
-were three inches of water in the boat. The
-canvas, however, had been arranged to
-protect guns, grips, and supplies. George had
-been wet before he entered the rapids, so a
-little additional water did not matter to him.
-Hal was almost as wet as Pepe.
-
-"I'm glad that's past," said Ken.
-
-With that long rapid behind him he felt
-different. It was what he had needed. His
-nervousness disappeared and he had no dread
-of the next fall. While the boys bailed out
-the boat Ken rested and thought. He had
-made mistakes in that rapid just passed.
-Luck had favored him. He went over the
-mistakes and saw where he had been wrong,
-and how he could have avoided them if he
-had felt right. Ken realized now that this
-was a daredevil trip. And the daredevil
-in him had been shut up in dread. It took
-just that nervous dread, and the hard work,
-blunders and accidents, the danger and luck,
-to liberate the spirit that would make the
-trip a success. Pepe and George were loud
-in their praises of Ken. But they did not
-appreciate the real hazard of the undertaking,
-and if Hal did he was too much of a wild
-boy to care.
-
-"All aboard," called George.
-
-Then they were on their way again. Ken
-found himself listening for rapids. It was no
-surprise to hear a dull roar round the next
-bend. His hair rose stiffly under his hat.
-But this time he did not feel the chill, the
-uncertainty, the lack of confidence that had
-before weakened him.
-
-At the head of a long, shallow incline the
-boys tumbled overboard, Ken and Hal at
-the bow, Pepe and George at the stern.
-They waded with the bow up-stream. The
-water tore around their legs, rising higher
-and higher. Soon Pepe and George had to
-climb in the boat, for the water became so
-deep and swift they could not wade.
-
-"Jump in, Hal," called Ken.
-
-Then he held to the bow an instant longer,
-wading a little farther down. This was
-ticklish business, and all depended upon
-Ken. He got the stern of the boat straight
-in line with the channel he wanted to run,
-then he leaped aboard and made for the oars.
-The boat sped down. At the bottom of this
-incline was a mass of leaping green and white
-waves. The blunt stern of the boat made a
-great splash and the water flew over the boys.
-They came through the roar and hiss and spray
-to glide into a mill-race current.
-
-"Never saw such swift water!" exclaimed Ken.
-
-This incline ended in a sullen plunge
-between two huge rocks. Ken saw the danger
-long before it became evident to his
-companions. There was no other way to shoot the
-rapid. He could not reach the shore. He
-must pass between the rocks. Ken pushed
-on one oar, then on the other, till he got the
-boat in line, and then he pushed with both
-oars. The boat flew down that incline. It
-went so swiftly that if it had hit one of the
-rocks it would have been smashed to kindling
-wood. Hal crouched low. George's face was
-white. And Pepe leaned forward with his big
-arms outstretched, ready to try to prevent a
-collision.
-
-Down! down with the speed of the wind!
-The boat flashed between the black stones.
-Then it was raised aloft, light as a feather, to
-crash into the back-lashers. The din deafened
-Ken; the spray blinded him. The boat seemed
-to split a white pall of water, then, with many
-a bounce, drifted out of that rapid into little
-choppy waves, and from them into another
-long, smooth runway.
-
-Ken rested, and had nothing to say. Pepe
-shook his black head. Hal looked at his
-brother. George had forgotten his rifle. No
-one spoke.
-
-Soon Ken had more work on hand. For
-round another corner lay more fast water.
-The boat dipped on a low fall, and went down
-into the midst of green waves with here and
-there ugly rocks splitting the current. The
-stream-bed was continually new and strange
-to Ken, and he had never seen such queer
-formation of rocks. This rapid, however, was
-easy to navigate. A slanting channel of swift
-water connected it with another rapid. Ken
-backed into that one, passed through, only
-to face another. And so it went for a long
-succession of shallow rapids.
-
-A turn in the winding lane of cypresses
-revealed walls of gray, between which the
-river disappeared.
-
-"Aha!" muttered Ken.
-
-"Ken, I'll bet this is the place you've been
-looking for," said Hal.
-
-The absence of any roar of water
-emboldened Ken. Nearing the head of the
-ravine, he stood upon the seat and looked
-ahead. But Ken could not see many rods
-ahead. The ravine turned, and it was the
-deceiving turns in the river that he had
-feared. What a strange sensation Ken had
-when he backed the boat into the mouth of
-that gorge! He was forced against his will.
-Yet there seemed to be a kind of blood-tingling
-pleasure in the prospect.
-
-The current caught the boat and drew
-it between the gray-green walls of rock.
-
-"It's coming to us," said the doubtful George.
-
-The current ran all of six miles an hour.
-This was not half as fast as the boys had
-traveled in rapids, but it appeared swift
-enough because of the nearness of the
-overshadowing walls. In the shade the water
-took on a different coloring. It was brown
-and oily. It slid along silently. It was
-deep, and the swirling current suggested
-power. Here and there long, creeping ferns
-covered the steep stone sides, and above ran
-a stream of blue sky fringed by leaning palms.
-Once Hal put his hands to his lips and yelled:
-"Hel-lo!" The yell seemed to rip the silence
-and began to clap from wall to wall. It
-gathered quickness until it clapped in one
-fiendish rattle. Then it wound away from
-the passage, growing fainter and fainter, and
-at last died in a hollow echo.
-
-"Don't do that again," ordered Ken.
-
-He began to wish he could see the end of
-that gorge. But it grew narrower, and the
-shade changed to twilight, and there were
-no long, straight stretches. The river kept
-turning corners. Quick to note the slightest
-change in conditions, Ken felt a breeze,
-merely a zephyr, fan his hot face. The
-current had almost imperceptibly quickened.
-Yet it was still silent. Then on the gentle
-wind came a low murmur. Ken's pulse
-beat fast. Turning his ear down-stream, he
-strained his hearing. The low murmur ceased.
-Perhaps he had imagined it. Still he kept
-listening. There! Again it came, low, far
-away, strange. It might have been the wind
-in the palms. But no, he could not possibly
-persuade himself it was wind. And as that
-faint breeze stopped he lost the sound once
-more. The river was silent, and the boat,
-and the boys--it was a silent ride. Ken
-divined that his companions were enraptured.
-But this ride had no beauty, no charm for him.
-
-There! Another faint puff of wind, and
-again the low murmur! He fancied it was
-louder. He was beginning to feel an icy
-dread when all was still once more. So the
-boat drifted swiftly on with never a gurgle
-of water about her gunwales. The river
-gleamed in brown shadows. Ken saw bubbles
-rise and break on the surface, and there
-was a slight rise or swell of the water toward
-the center of the channel. This bothered him.
-He could not understand it. But then there
-had been many other queer formations of
-rock and freaks of current along this river.
-
-The boat glided on and turned another
-corner, the sharpest one yet. A long, shadowy
-water-lane, walled in to the very sides, opened
-up to Ken's keen gaze. The water here
-began to race onward, still wonderfully silent.
-And now the breeze carried a low roar. It
-was changeable yet persistent. It deepened.
-
-Once more Ken felt his hair rise under
-his hat. Cold sweat wet his skin. Despite
-the pounding of his heart and the throb of
-his veins, his blood seemed to clog, to freeze,
-to stand still.
-
-That roar was the roar of rapids. Impossible
-to go back! If there had been four
-sets of oars, Ken and his comrades could not
-row the heavy boat back up that swift,
-sliding river.
-
-They must go on.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`LOST!`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- X
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- LOST!
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-"Ken, old man, do you hear that?"
-questioned Hal, waking from his trance.
-
-George likewise rose out of his lazy
-contentment. "Must be rapids," he muttered.
-"If we strike rapids in this gorge it's all day
-with us. What did I tell you!"
-
-Pepe's dark, searching eyes rested on Ken.
-
-But Ken had no word for any of them.
-He was fighting an icy numbness, and the
-weakness of muscle and the whirl of his
-mind. It was thought of responsibility that
-saved him from collapse.
-
-"It's up to you, old man," said Hal, quietly.
-
-In a moment like this the boy could not
-wholly be deceived.
-
-Ken got a grip upon himself. He looked
-down the long, narrow lane of glancing water.
-Some hundred yards on, it made another turn
-round a corner, and from this dim curve came
-the roar. The current was hurrying the boat
-toward it, but not fast enough to suit Ken.
-He wanted to see the worst, to get into the
-thick of it, to overcome it. So he helped the
-boat along. A few moments sufficed to cover
-that gliding stretch of river, yet to Ken it
-seemed never to have an end. The roar
-steadily increased. The current became still
-stronger. Ken saw eruptions of water rising
-as from an explosion beneath the surface.
-Whirlpools raced along with the boat. The
-dim, high walls re-echoed the roaring of the
-water.
-
-The first thing Ken saw when he sailed
-round that corner was a widening of the chasm
-and bright sunlight ahead. Perhaps an eighth
-of a mile below the steep walls ended abruptly.
-Next in quick glance he saw a narrow channel
-of leaping, tossing, curling white-crested waves
-under sunlighted mist and spray.
-
-Pulling powerfully back and to the left
-Ken brought the boat alongside the cliff.
-Then he shipped his oars.
-
-"Hold hard," he yelled, and he grasped the
-stone. The boys complied, and thus stopped
-the boat. Ken stood up on the seat. It was
-a bad place he looked down into, but he could
-not see any rocks. And rocks were what he
-feared most.
-
-"Hold tight, boys," he said. Then he
-got Pepe to come to him and sit on the seat.
-Ken stepped up on Pepe's shoulders and, by
-holding to the rock, was able to get a good
-view of the rapid. It was not a rapid at all,
-but a constriction of the channel, and also a
-steep slant. The water rushed down so swiftly
-to get through that it swelled in the center
-in a long frothy ridge of waves. The water
-was deep. Ken could not see any bumps or
-splits or white-wreathed rocks, such as were
-conspicuous in a rapid. The peril here for
-Ken was to let the boat hit the wall or turn
-broadside or get out of that long swelling
-ridge.
-
-He stepped down and turned to the white-faced
-boys. He had to yell close to them to
-make them hear him in the roar.
-
-"I--can--run--this--place. But--you've
-got--to help. Pull--the canvas--up higher
-in the stern--and hold it."
-
-Then he directed Pepe to kneel in the
-bow of the boat with an oar and be ready to
-push off from the walls.
-
-If Ken had looked again or hesitated a
-moment he would have lost his nerve. He
-recognized that fact. And he shoved off
-instantly. Once the boat had begun to
-glide down, gathering momentum, he felt
-his teeth grind hard and his muscles grow
-tense. He had to bend his head from side to
-side to see beyond the canvas George and Hal
-were holding round their shoulders. He
-believed with that acting as a buffer in the stern
-he could go pounding through those waves.
-Then he was in the middle of the channel,
-and the boat fairly sailed along. Ken kept
-his oars poised, ready to drop either one for
-a stroke. All he wanted was to enter those
-foaming, tumultuous waves with his boat
-pointed right. He knew he could not hope
-to see anything low down after he entered
-the race. He calculated that the last instant
-would give him an opportunity to get his
-direction in line with some object.
-
-Then, even as he planned it, the boat dipped
-on a beautiful glassy incline, and glided down
-toward the engulfing, roaring waves. Above
-them, just in the center, Ken caught sight of
-the tufted top of a palm-tree. That was his
-landmark!
-
-The boat shot into a great, curling,
-back-lashing wave. There was a heavy shock, a
-pause, and then Ken felt himself lifted high,
-while a huge sheet of water rose fan-shape
-behind the buffer in the stern. Walls and
-sky and tree faded under a watery curtain.
-Then the boat shot on again; the light came,
-the sky shone, and Ken saw his palm-tree.
-He pulled hard on the right oar to get the
-stern back in line. Another heavy shock,
-a pause, a blinding shower of water, and then
-the downward rush! Ken got a fleeting
-glimpse of his guiding mark, and sunk the left
-oar deep for a strong stroke. The beating
-of the waves upon the upraised oars almost
-threw him out of the boat. The wrestling
-waters hissed and bellowed. Down the boat
-shot and up, to pound and pound, and then
-again shoot down. Through the pall of mist
-and spray Ken always got a glimpse, quick as
-lightning, of the palm-tree, and like a demon
-he plunged in his oars to keep the boat in
-line. He was only dimly conscious of the
-awfulness of the place. But he was not
-afraid. He felt his action as being inspirited
-by something grim and determined. He was
-fighting the river.
-
-All at once a grating jar behind told him
-the bow had hit a stone or a wall. He did
-not dare look back. The most fleeting
-instant of time might be the one for him to
-see his guiding mark. Then the boat lurched
-under him, lifted high with bow up, and
-lightened. He knew Pepe had been pitched
-overboard.
-
-In spite of the horror of the moment, Ken
-realized that the lightening of the boat made
-it more buoyant, easier to handle. That
-weight in the bow had given him an
-unbalanced craft. But now one stroke here and
-one there kept the stern straight. The
-palm-tree loomed higher and closer through the
-brightening mist. Ken no longer felt the
-presence of the walls. The thunderous roar
-had begun to lose some of its volume.
-Then with a crash through a lashing wave
-the boat raced out into the open light. Ken
-saw a beautiful foam-covered pool, down
-toward which the boat kept bumping over a
-succession of diminishing waves.
-
-He gave a start of joy to see Pepe's black
-head bobbing in the choppy channel. Pepe
-had beat the boat to the outlet. He was
-swimming easily, and evidently he had not
-been injured.
-
-Ken turned the bow toward him. But
-Pepe did not need any help, and a few more
-strokes put him in shallow water. Ken
-discovered that the boat, once out of the current,
-was exceedingly loggy and hard to row. It
-was half full of water. Ken's remaining
-strength went to pull ashore, and there he
-staggered out and dropped on the rocky bank.
-
-The blue sky was very beautiful and sweet
-to look at just then. But Ken had to close
-his eyes. He did not have strength left to
-keep them open. For a while all seemed dim
-and obscure to him. Then he felt a dizziness,
-which in turn succeeded to a racing riot of
-his nerves and veins. His heart gradually
-resumed a normal beat, and his bursting
-lungs seemed to heal. A sickening languor
-lay upon him. He could not hold little stones
-which he felt under his fingers. He could
-not raise his hands. The life appeared to
-have gone from his legs.
-
-All this passed, at length, and, hearing Hal's
-voice, Ken sat up. The outfit was drying
-in the sun; Pepe was bailing out the boat;
-George was wiping his guns; and Hal was
-nursing a very disheveled little racoon.
-
-"You can bring on any old thing now, for
-all I care," said Hal. "I'd shoot Lachine
-Rapids with Ken at the oars."
-
-"He's a fine boatman," replied George.
-"Weren't you scared when we were in the
-middle of that darned place?"
-
-"Me? Naw!"
-
-"Well, I was scared, and don't you forget
-it," said Ken to them.
-
-"You were all in, Ken," replied Hal.
-"Never saw you so tuckered out. The day
-you and Prince went after the cougar along
-that cañon precipice--you were all in that
-time. George, it took Ken six hours to
-climb out of that hole."
-
-"Tell me about it," said George, all eyes.
-
-"No stories now," put in Ken. "The
-sun is still high. We've got to be on our
-way. Let's look over the lay of the land."
-
-Below the pool was a bold, rocky bluff,
-round which the river split. What branch
-to take was a matter of doubt and anxiety
-to Ken. Evidently this bluff was an island.
-It had a yellow front and long bare ledges
-leading into the river.
-
-Ken climbed the bluff, accompanied by the
-boys, and found it covered with palm-trees.
-Up there everything was so dry and hot
-that it did not seem to be jungle at all. Even
-the palms were yellow and parched. Pepe
-stood the heat, but the others could not
-endure it. Ken took one long look at the
-surrounding country, so wild and dry and still,
-and then led the way down the loose, dusty
-shelves.
-
-Thereupon he surveyed the right branch
-of the river and followed it a little distance.
-The stream here foamed and swirled among
-jagged rocks. At the foot of this rapid
-stretched the first dead water Ken had
-encountered for miles. A flock of wild geese
-rose from under his feet and flew down-stream.
-
-"Geese!" exclaimed Ken. "I wonder if
-that means we are getting down near lagoons
-or big waters. George, wild geese don't
-frequent little streams, do they?"
-
-"There's no telling where you'll find them
-in this country," answered George. "I've
-chased them right in our orange groves."
-
-They returned to look at the left branch
-of the river. It was open and one continuous
-succession of low steps. That would have
-decided Ken even if the greater volume of
-water had not gone down on this left side.
-As far as he could see was a wide, open river
-running over little ledges. It looked to be
-the easiest and swiftest navigation he had
-come upon, and so indeed it proved. The
-water was swift, and always dropped over
-some ledge in a rounded fall that was safe
-for him to shoot. It was great fun going
-over these places. The boys hung their
-feet over the gunwales most of the time,
-sliding them along the slippery ledge or giving
-a kick to help the momentum. When they
-came to a fall, Ken would drop off the bow,
-hold the boat back and swing it straight,
-then jump in, and over it would go--souse!
-
-There were so many of these ledges, and
-they were so close together, that going over
-them grew to be a habit. It induced
-carelessness. The boat drifted to a brow of a fall
-full four feet high. Ken, who was at the bow.
-leaped off just in time to save the boat. He
-held on while the swift water surged about
-his knees. He yelled for the boys to jump.
-As the stern where they sat was already over
-the fall it was somewhat difficult to make the
-boys vacate quickly enough.
-
-"Tumble out! Quick!" bawled Ken. "Do
-you think I'm Samson?"
-
-Over they went, up to their necks in the
-boiling foam, and not a second too soon, for
-Ken could hold the boat no longer. It went
-over smoothly, just dipping the stern under
-water. If the boys had remained aboard,
-the boat would have swamped. As it was,
-Pepe managed to catch the rope, which Ken
-had wisely thrown out, and he drifted down
-to the next ledge. Ken found this nearly as
-high as the last one. So he sent the boys
-below to catch the boat. This worked all
-right. The shelves slanted slightly, with the
-shallow part of the water just at the break of
-the ledge. They passed half a dozen of these,
-making good time, and before they knew it were
-again in a deep, smooth jungle lane with
-bamboo and streamers of moss waving over them.
-
-The shade was cool, and Ken settled down
-in the stern-seat, grateful for a rest. To his
-surprise, he did not see a bird. The jungle
-was asleep. Once or twice Ken fancied he
-heard the tinkle and gurgle of water running
-over rocks. The boat glided along silently,
-with Pepe rowing leisurely, George asleep,
-Hal dreaming.
-
-Ken watched the beautiful green banks.
-They were high, a mass of big-leafed vines,
-flowering and fragrant, above which towered
-the jungle giants. Ken wanted to get out
-and study those forest trees. But he made
-no effort to act upon his good intentions, and
-felt that he must take the most of his forestry
-study at long range. He was reveling in the
-cool recesses under the leaning cypresses, in
-the soft swish of bearded moss, and the
-strange rustle of palms, in the dreamy hum
-of the resting jungle, when his pleasure was
-brought to an abrupt end.
-
-"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe.
-
-George woke up with a start. Hal had
-been jarred out of his day-dream, and looked
-resentful. Ken gazed about him with the
-feeling of a man going into a trance, instead
-of coming out of one.
-
-The boat was fast on a mud-bank. That
-branch of the river ended right there. The
-boys had come all those miles to run into a
-blind pocket.
-
-Ken's glance at the high yellow bank,
-here crumbling and bare, told him there was
-no outlet. He had a sensation of blank dismay.
-
-"Gee!" exclaimed Hal, softly.
-
-George rubbed his eyes; and, searching for
-a cigarette, he muttered: "We're lost! I said
-it was coming to us. We've got to go back!"
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`AN ARMY OF SNAKES`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XI
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- AN ARMY OF SNAKES
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-For a moment Ken Ward was utterly
-crushed under the weight of this sudden
-blow. It was so sudden that he had no time
-to think; or his mind was clamped on the
-idea of attempting to haul the boat up that
-long, insurmountable series of falls.
-
-"It 'll be an awful job," burst out Hal.
-
-No doubt in the mind of each boy was the
-same idea--the long haul, wading over
-slippery rocks; the weariness of pushing legs
-against the swift current; the packing of
-supplies uphill; and then the toil of lifting the
-heavy boat up over a fall.
-
-"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and he groaned.
-That was significant, coming from a *mozo*,
-who thought nothing of rowing forty miles
-in a day.
-
-"Oh, but it's tough luck," cried Ken.
-"Why didn't I choose the right branch of this
-pesky river?"
-
-"I think you used your head at that,"
-said Hal. "Most of the water came down
-on this side. Where did it go?"
-
-Hal had hit the vital question, and it
-cleared Ken's brain.
-
-"Hal, you're talking sense. Where did
-that water go? It couldn't all have sunk into
-the earth. We'll find out. We won't try
-to go back. We *can't* go back."
-
-Pepe shoved off the oozy mud, and, reluctantly,
-as if he appreciated the dilemma, he
-turned the boat and rowed along the shore.
-As soon as Ken had recovered somewhat he
-decided there must be an outlet which he had
-missed. This reminded him that at a point
-not far back he had heard the tinkle and gurgle
-of unseen water flowing over rocks.
-
-He directed Pepe to row slowly along the
-bank that he thought was the island side.
-As they glided under the drooping bamboos
-and silky curtains of moss George began to
-call out: "Low bridge! Low bridge!" For a
-boy who was forever voicing ill-omened
-suggestions as to what might soon happen he
-was extraordinarily cheerful.
-
-There were places where all had to lie
-flat and others where Pepe had to use his
-*machete*. This disturbed the *siesta* of many
-aquatic birds, most of which flew swiftly
-away. But there were many of the
-gray-breasted, blue-backed bitterns that did not
-take to flight. These croaked dismally, and
-looked down upon the boys with strange,
-protruding eyes.
-
-"Those darn birds 'll give me the willies,"
-declared Hal. "George, you just look like
-them when you croak about what's coming
-to us."
-
-"Just wait!" retorted George. "It 'll come,
-all right. Then I'll have the fun of seeing
-you scared silly."
-
-"What! You'll not do anything of the
-kind!" cried Hal, hotly. "I've been in places
-where such--such a skinny little sap-head as
-you--"
-
-"Here, you kids stop wrangling," ordered
-Ken, who sensed hostilities in the air. "We've
-got trouble enough."
-
-Suddenly Ken signaled Pepe to stop rowing.
-
-"Boys, I hear running water. Aha! Here's
-a current. See--it's making right under this
-bank."
-
-Before them was a high wall of broad-leaved
-vines, so thick that nothing could be
-seen through them. Apparently this
-luxuriant canopy concealed the bank. Pepe poked
-an oar into it, but found nothing solid.
-
-"Pepe, cut a way through. We've got
-to see where this water runs."
-
-It was then that Ken came to a full appreciation
-of a *machete*. He had often fancied
-it a much less serviceable tool than an ax.
-Pepe flashed the long, bright blade up, down,
-and around, and presently the boat was its
-own length in a green tunnel. Pepe kept on
-slashing while Ken poled the boat in and the
-other boys dumped the cut foliage overboard.
-Soon they got through this mass of hanging
-vine and creeper. Much to Ken's surprise
-and delight, he found no high bank, but low,
-flat ground, densely wooded, through which
-ran a narrow, deep outlet of the river.
-
-"By all that's lucky!" ejaculated Ken.
-
-George and Hal whooped their pleasure,
-and Pepe rubbed his muscular hands. Then
-all fell silent. The deep, penetrating silence
-of that jungle was not provocative of speech.
-The shade was so black that when a ray of
-sunlight did manage to pierce the dense
-canopy overhead it resembled a brilliant
-golden spear. A few lofty palms and a few
-clumps of bamboo rather emphasized the
-lack of these particular species in this forest.
-Nor was there any of the familiar streaming
-moss hanging from the trees. This glen was
-green, cool, dark. It did not smell exactly
-swampy, but rank, like a place where many
-water plants were growing.
-
-.. _`KEN SHOT TWICE AT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE`:
-
-.. figure:: images/img-130.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: KEN SHOT TWICE AT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE
-
- KEN SHOT TWICE AT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE
-
-The outlet was so narrow that Ken was not
-able to use the oars. Still, as the current
-was swift, the boat went along rapidly. He
-saw a light ahead and heard the babble of
-water. The current quickened, and the boat
-drifted suddenly upon the edge of an oval
-glade, where the hot sun beat down. A
-series of abrupt mossy benches, over which
-the stream slid almost noiselessly, blocked
-further progress.
-
-The first thing about this glade that Ken
-noted particularly, after the difficulties
-presented by the steep steps, was the multitude
-of snakes sunning themselves along the line
-of further progress.
-
-"Boys, it 'll be great wading down there,
-hey?" he queried.
-
-Pepe grumbled for the first time on the
-trip. Ken gathered from the native's looks
-and speech that he did not like snakes.
-
-"Watch me peg 'em!" yelled Hal, and he
-began to throw stones with remarkable
-accuracy. "Hike, you brown sons-of-guns!"
-
-George, not to be outdone, made a dive
-for his .22 and began to pop as if he had no
-love for snakes. Ken had doubts about this
-species. The snakes were short, thick, dull
-brown in color, and the way they slipped
-into the stream proved they were
-water-snakes. Ken had never read of a brown
-water-moccasin, so he doubted that these belonged
-to that poisonous family. Anyway, snakes
-were the least of his troubles.
-
-"Boys, you're doing fine," he said. "There
-are about a thousand snakes there, and you've
-hit about six."
-
-He walked down through the glade into the
-forest, and was overjoyed to hear once more
-the heavy roar of rapids. He went on. The
-timber grew thinner, and light penetrated the
-jungle. Presently he saw the gleam of water
-through the trees. Then he hurried back.
-
-"All right, boys," he shouted. "Here's
-the river."
-
-The boys were so immensely relieved that
-packing the outfit round the waterfalls was
-work they set about with alacrity. Ken,
-who had on his boots, broke a trail through
-the ferns and deep moss. Pepe, being barefoot,
-wasted time looking for snakes. George
-teased him. But Pepe was deadly serious.
-And the way he stepped and looked made
-Ken thoughtful. He had made his last trip
-with supplies, and was about to start back
-to solve the problem of getting the boat
-down, when a hoarse yell resounded through
-the sleeping jungle. Parrots screeched, and
-other birds set up a cackling.
-
-Ken bounded up the slope.
-
-"Santa Maria!" cried Pepe.
-
-Ken followed the direction indicated by
-Pepe's staring eyes and trembling finger.
-Hanging from a limb of a tree was a huge
-black-snake. It was as thick as Ken's leg.
-The branch upon which it poised its neck
-so gracefully was ten feet high, and the tail
-curled into the ferns on the ground.
-
-"Boys, it's one of the big fellows," cried Ken.
-
-"Didn't I tell you!" yelled George, running
-down for his gun.
-
-Hal seemed rooted to the spot. Pepe
-began to jabber. Ken watched the snake,
-and felt instinctively from its sinister looks
-that it was dangerous. George came running
-back with his .32 and waved it in the air as
-he shot. He was so frightened that he
-forgot to aim. Ken took the rifle from him.
-
-"You can't hit him with this. Run after
-your shotgun. Quick!"
-
-But the sixteen-gage was clogged with a
-shell that would not eject. Ken's guns were
-in their cases.
-
-"Holy smoke!" cried George. "He's coming down."
-
-The black-snake moved his body and began
-to slide toward the tree-trunk.
-
-Ken shot twice at the head of the snake.
-It was a slow-swaying mark hard to hit.
-The reptile stopped and poised wonderfully
-on the limb. He was not coiled about it,
-but lay over it with about four feet of neck
-waving, swaying to and fro. He watched
-the boys, and his tongue, like a thin, black
-streak, darted out viciously.
-
-Ken could not hit the head, so he sent a
-bullet through the thick part of the body.
-Swift as a gleam the snake darted from the limb.
-
-"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe, and he ran off.
-
-"Look out, boys," shouted Ken. He
-picked up Pepe's *machete* and took to his
-heels. George and Hal scrambled before him.
-They ran a hundred yards or more, and Ken
-halted in an open rocky spot. He was angry,
-and a little ashamed that he had run. The
-snake did not pursue, and probably was as
-badly frightened as the boys had been. Pepe
-stopped some distance away, and Hal and
-George came cautiously back.
-
-"I don't see anything of him," said Ken.
-"I'm going back."
-
-He walked slowly, keeping a sharp outlook,
-and, returning to the glade, found blood-stains
-under the tree. The snake had disappeared
-without leaving a trail.
-
-"If I'd had my shotgun ready!" exclaimed
-Ken, in disgust. And he made a note that in
-the future he would be prepared to shoot.
-
-"Wasn't he a whopper, Ken?" said Hal.
-"We ought to have got his hide. What a
-fine specimen!"
-
-"Boys, you drive away those few little
-snakes while I figure on a way to get the boat
-down."
-
-"Not on your life!" replied Hal.
-
-George ably sustained Hal's objection.
-
-"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and then added
-a loud "No" in English.
-
-"All right, my brave comrades," rejoined
-Ken, scornfully. "As I've not done any work
-yet or taken any risks, I'll drive the snakes
-away."
-
-With Pepe's *machete* he cut a long forked
-pole, trimmed it, and, armed with this weapon,
-he assaulted the rolls and bands and balls
-of brown snakes. He stalked boldly down
-upon them, pushed and poled, and even
-kicked them off the mossy banks. Hal
-could not stand that, and presently he got
-a pole and went to Ken's assistance.
-
-"Who's hollering now?" he yelled to George.
-
-Whereupon George cut a long branch and
-joined the battle. They whacked and threshed
-and pounded, keeping time with yells.
-Everywhere along the wet benches slipped and
-splashed the snakes. But after they were
-driven into the water they did not swim away.
-They dove under the banks and then stretched
-out their pointed heads from the dripping
-edge of moss.
-
-"Say, fellows, we're making it worse for
-us," declared Ken. "See, the brown devils
-won't swim off. We'd better have left them
-on the bank. Let's catch one and see if he'll
-bite."
-
-He tried to pick up one on his pole, but
-it slipped off. George fished after another.
-Hal put the end of his stick down inside the
-coil of still another and pitched it. The
-brown, wriggling, wet snake shot straight at
-the unsuspecting George, and struck him and
-momentarily wound about him.
-
-"Augrrh!" bawled George, flinging off the
-reptile and leaping back. "What 'd you do
-that for? I'll punch you!"
-
-"George, he didn't mean it," said Ken.
-"It was an accident. Come on, let's tease
-that fellow and see if he'll bite."
-
-The snake coiled and raised his flat head
-and darted a wicked tongue out and watched
-with bright, beady eyes, but he did not
-strike. Ken went as close as he thought
-safe and studied the snake.
-
-"Boys, his head isn't a triangle, and there
-are no little pits under his eyes. Those are
-two signs of a poisonous snake. I don't
-believe this fellow's one."
-
-"He'll be a dead snake, b' gosh," replied
-George, and he fell to pounding it with his
-pole.
-
-"Don't smash him. I want the skin,"
-yelled Hal.
-
-Ken pondered on the situation before him.
-
-"Come, the sooner we get at this the better,"
-he said.
-
-There was a succession of benches through
-which the stream zigzagged and tumbled.
-These benches were rock ledges over which
-moss had grown fully a foot thick, and they
-were so oozy and slippery that it was no easy
-task to walk upon them. Then they were
-steep, so steep that it was remarkable how
-the water ran over them so smoothly, with
-very little noise or break. It was altogether
-a new kind of waterfall to Ken. But if the
-snakes had not been hidden there, navigation
-would have presented an easier problem.
-
-"Come on boys, alongside now, and hold
-back," he ordered, gripping the bow.
-
-Exactly what happened the next few seconds
-was not clear in his mind. There was a rush,
-and all were being dragged by the boat.
-The glade seemed to whizz past. There were
-some sodden thumps, a great splashing, a check--and
-lo! they were over several benches. It
-was the quickest and easiest descent he had
-ever made down a steep waterfall.
-
-"Fine!" ejaculated George, wiping the ooze
-from his face.
-
-"Yes, it was fine," Ken replied. "But
-unless this boat has wings something 'll
-happen soon."
-
-Below was a long, swift curve of water,
-very narrow and steep, with a moss-covered
-rock dividing the lower end. Ken imagined
-if there was a repetition of the first descent
-the boat would be smashed on that rock.
-He ordered Pepe, who was of course the strongest,
-to go below and jump to the rock. There
-he might prevent a collision.
-
-Pepe obeyed, but as he went he yelled and
-doubled up in contortions as he leaped over
-snakes in the moss.
-
-Then gently, gingerly the boys started the
-boat off the bench, where it had lodged.
-George was at the stern, Ken and Hal at the
-bow. Suddenly Hal shrieked and jumped
-straight up, to land in the boat.
-
-"Snakes!" he howled.
-
-"Give us a rest!" cried Ken, in disgust.
-
-The boat moved as if instinct with life.
-It dipped, then--*wheeze!* it dove over the
-bench. Hal was thrown off his feet, fell
-back on the gunwale, and thence into the
-snaky moss. George went sprawling face
-downward into the slimy ooze, and Ken was
-jerked clear off the bench into the stream.
-He got his footing and stood firm in water to
-his waist, and he had the bow-rope coiled
-round his hands.
-
-"Help! Help!" he yelled, as he felt the
-dragging weight too much for him.
-
-If Ken retarded the progress of the boat at
-all, it was not much. George saw his distress
-and the danger menacing the boat, and he
-leaped valiantly forward. As he dashed down
-a slippery slant his feet flew up higher than
-where his head had been; he actually turned
-over in the air, and fell with a great sop.
-
-Hal had been trying to reach Ken, but
-here he stopped and roared with laughter.
-
-Despite Ken's anger and fear of snakes,
-and his greater fear for the boat, he likewise
-had to let out a peal of laughter. That
-tumble of George's was great. Then Ken's
-footing gave way and he went down. His
-mouth filled with nasty water, nearly
-strangling him. He was almost blinded, too. His
-arms seemed to be wrenched out of their
-sockets, and he felt himself bumping over
-moss-covered rocks as soft as cushions. Slimy
-ropes or roots of vegetation, that felt like
-snakes, brushed his face and made him cold
-and sick. It was impossible to hold the boat
-any longer. He lodged against a stone, and
-the swift water forced him upon it. Blinking
-and coughing, he stuck fast.
-
-Ken saw the boat headed like a dart for
-the rock where Pepe stood.
-
-"Let 'er go!" yelled Ken. "Don't try to
-stop her. Pepe, you'll be smashed!"
-
-Pepe acted like a man determined to make
-up for past cowardice. He made a great show
-of brave intentions. He was not afraid of a
-boat. He braced himself and reached out
-with his brawny arms. Ken feared for the
-obstinate native's life, for the boat moved
-with remarkable velocity.
-
-At the last second Pepe's courage vanished.
-He turned tail to get out of the way. But
-he slipped. The boat shot toward him and
-the blunt stern struck him with a dull thud.
-Pepe sailed into the air, over the rock, and
-went down cleaving the water.
-
-The boat slipped over the stone as easily
-as if it had been a wave and, gliding into still
-water below, lodged on the bank.
-
-Ken crawled out of the stream, and when
-he ascertained that no one was injured he
-stretched himself on the ground and gave up
-to mirth. Pepe resembled a drowned rat;
-Hal was an object to wonder at; and George,
-in his coating of slime and with strings of
-moss in his hair, was the funniest thing Ken
-had ever seen. It was somewhat of a
-surprise to him to discover, presently, that the
-boys were convulsed with fiendish glee over
-the way he himself looked.
-
-By and by they recovered, and, with many
-a merry jest and chuckle of satisfaction, they
-repacked the boat and proceeded on their
-way. No further obstacle hindered them.
-They drifted out of the shady jungle into the
-sunlit river.
-
-In half a mile of drifting the heat of the
-sun dried the boys' clothes. The water was
-so hot that it fairly steamed. Once more the
-boat entered a placid aisle over which the
-magnificent gray-wreathed cypresses bowed,
-and the west wind waved long ribbons of
-moss, and wild fowl winged reluctant flight.
-
-Ken took advantage of this tranquil stretch
-of river to work on his map. He realized that
-he must use every spare moment and put
-down his drawings and notes as often as time
-and travel permitted. It had dawned on
-Ken that rapids and snakes, and all the
-dangers along the river, made his task of
-observation and study one apt to be put into
-eclipse at times. Once or twice he landed
-on shore to climb a bluff, and was pleased
-each time to see that he had lined a
-comparatively true course on his map. He had
-doubts of its absolute accuracy, yet he could
-not help having pride in his work. So far
-so good, he thought, and hoped for
-good-fortune farther down the river.
-
-
-
-
-
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-.. _`CATCHING STRANGE FISH`:
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-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- CATCHING STRANGE FISH
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Beyond a bend in the river the boys
-came upon an island with a narrow,
-shaded channel on one side, a wide shoal on
-the other, and a group of huge cypresses at
-the up-stream end.
-
-"Looks good to me," said Hal.
-
-The instant Ken saw the island he knew it
-was the place he had long been seeking to
-make a permanent camp for a few days.
-They landed, to find an ideal camping site.
-The ground under the cypresses was flat,
-dry, and covered with short grass. Not a ray
-of sunlight penetrated the foliage. A pile
-of driftwood had lodged against one of the
-trees, and this made easy the question of
-fire-wood.
-
-"Great!" exclaimed Ken. "Come on, let's
-look over the ground."
-
-The island was about two hundred yards
-long, and the lower end was hidden by a
-growth of willows. Bursting through this,
-the boys saw a weedy flat leading into a wide,
-shallow back-eddy. Great numbers of ducks
-were sporting and feeding. The stones of
-the rocky shore were lined with sleeping ducks.
-Herons of all colors and sizes waded about,
-or slept on one leg. Snipe ran everywhere.
-There was a great squawking and flapping of
-wings. But at least half the number of
-waterfowl were too tame or too lazy to fly.
-
-Ken returned to camp with his comrades,
-all highly elated over the prospects. The
-best feature about this beautiful island was
-the absence of ticks and snakes.
-
-"Boys, this is the place," said Ken. "We'll
-hang up here for a while. Maybe we won't
-strike another such nice place to stay."
-
-So they unloaded the boat, taking everything
-out, and proceeded to pitch a camp
-that was a delight. They were all loud in
-expressions of satisfaction. Then Pepe set
-about leisurely peeling potatoes; George took
-his gun and slipped off toward the lower end
-of the island; Hal made a pen for his racoon,
-and then more pens, as if he meant to capture
-a menagerie; and Ken made a comfortable
-lounging-bed under a cypress. He wanted
-to forget that nagging worry as to farther
-descent of the river, and to enjoy this place.
-
-"Bang!" went George's sixteen-gage. A
-loud whirring of wings followed, and the air
-was full of ducks.
-
-"Never touched one!" yelled Hal, in taunting voice.
-
-A flock of teal skimmed the water and
-disappeared up-stream. The shot awakened
-parrots in the trees, where for a while there
-was clamor. Ken saw George wade out
-into the shoal and pick up three ducks.
-
-"Pot-shot!" exclaimed Hal, disgustedly.
-"Why couldn't he be a sport and shoot them
-on the fly?"
-
-George crossed to the opposite shore and,
-climbing a bare place, stood looking before him.
-
-"Hey, George, don't go far," called Ken.
-
-"Fine place over here," replied George,
-and, waving his hand, he passed into the
-bushes out of sight.
-
-Ken lay back upon his blanket with a
-blissful sense of rest and contentment. Many
-a time he had lain so, looking up through the
-broad leaves of a sycamore or the lacy foliage
-of a birch or the delicate crisscross of
-millions of pine needles. This overhead canopy,
-however, was different. Only here and there
-could he catch little slivers of blue sky. The
-graceful streamers of exquisite moss hung
-like tassels of silver. In the dead stillness
-of noonday they seemed to float curved in the
-shape in which the last soft breeze had left
-them. High upon a branch he saw a
-red-headed parrot hanging back downward, after
-the fashion of a monkey. Then there were
-two parrots asleep in the fork of a branch.
-It was the middle of the day, and all things
-seemed tired and sleepy. The deep channel
-murmured drowsily, and the wide expanse
-of river on the other side lapped lazily at the
-shore. The only other sound was the
-mourning of turtle-doves, one near and another far
-away. Again the full richness, the mellow
-sweetness of this song struck Ken forcibly.
-He remembered that all the way down the
-river he had heard that mournful note. It
-was beautiful but melancholy. Somehow it
-made him think that it had broken the dreamy
-stillness of the jungle noonday long, long ago.
-It was sweet but sad and old. He did not
-like to hear it.
-
-Ken yielded to the soothing influence of
-the hour and fell asleep. When he awoke
-there was George, standing partially undressed
-and very soberly popping ticks. He had
-enlisted the services of Pepe, and, to judge from
-the remarks of both, they needed still more
-assistance.
-
-"Say, Garrapato George, many ticks over there?"
-
-"Ticks!" shouted George, wildly, waving
-his cigarette. "Millions of 'em! And
-there's--ouch! Kill that one, Pepe. Wow! he's
-as big as a penny. There's game over there.
-It's a flat with some kind of berry bush.
-There's lots of trails. I saw cat-tracks, and I
-scared up wild turkeys--"
-
-"Turkeys!" Ken exclaimed, eagerly.
-
-"You bet. I saw a dozen. How they can
-run! I didn't flush them. Then I saw a
-flock of those black and white ducks, like the
-big fellow I shot. They were feeding. I
-believe they're Muscovy ducks."
-
-"I'm sure I don't know, but we can call
-them that."
-
-"Well, I'd got a shot, too, but I saw some
-gray things sneaking in the bushes. I thought
-they were pigs, so I got out of there quick."
-
-"You mean javelin?"
-
-"Yep, I mean wild pigs. Oh! We've struck
-the place for game. I'll bet it's coming to us."
-
-When George anticipated pleasurable events
-he was the most happy of companions. It
-was good to look forward. He was
-continually expecting things to happen; he was
-always looking ahead with great eagerness.
-But unfortunately he had a twist of mind
-toward the unfavorable side of events, and
-so always had the boys fearful.
-
-"Well, pigs or no pigs, ticks or no ticks,
-we'll hunt and fish, and see all there is to
-see," declared Ken, and he went back to his
-lounging.
-
-When he came out of that lazy spell,
-George and Hal were fishing. George had
-Ken's rod, and it happened to be the one
-Ken thought most of.
-
-"Do you know how to fish?" he asked.
-
-"I've caught tarpon bigger'n you," retorted George.
-
-That fact was indeed too much for Ken,
-and he had nothing to do but risk his
-beloved rod in George's hands. And the way
-George swung it about, slashed branches with
-it, dropped the tip in the water, was exceedingly
-alarming to Ken. The boy would break
-the tip in a minute. Yet Ken could not
-take his rod away from a boy who had caught
-tarpon.
-
-There were fish breaking water. Where a
-little while before the river had been smooth,
-now it was ruffled by *ravalo*, gar, and other
-fish Pepe could not name. But George and
-Hal did not get a bite. They tried all their
-artificial flies and spoons and minnows, then
-the preserved mullet, and finally several
-kinds of meat.
-
-"Bah! they want pie," said Hal.
-
-For Ken Ward to see little and big fish
-capering around under his very nose and not
-be able to hook one was exasperating. He
-shot a small fish, not unlike a pickerel, and
-had the boys bait with that. Still no strike
-was forthcoming.
-
-This put Ken on his mettle. He rigged
-up a minnow tackle, and, going to the lower
-end of the island, he tried to catch some
-minnows. There were plenty of them in the
-shallow water, but they would not bite.
-Finally Ken waded in the shoal and turned
-over stones. He found some snails almost
-as large as mussels, and with these he hurried
-back to the boys.
-
-"Here, if you don't get a bite on one of
-these I'm no fisherman," said Ken. "Try one."
-
-George got his hands on the new bait in
-advance of Hal and so threw his hook into
-the water first. No sooner had the bait
-sunk than he got a strong pull.
-
-"There! Careful now," said Ken.
-
-George jerked up, hooking a fish that made
-the rod look like a buggy-whip.
-
-"Give me the rod," yelled Ken, trying to
-take it.
-
-"It's my fish," yelled back George.
-
-He held on and hauled with all his might.
-A long, finely built fish, green as emerald,
-split the water and churned it into foam.
-Then, sweeping out in strong dash, it broke
-Ken's rod square in the middle. Ken eyed
-the wreck with sorrow, and George with no
-little disapproval.
-
-"You said you knew how to fish," protested Ken.
-
-"Those split-bamboo rods are no good,"
-replied George. "They won't hold a fish."
-
-"George, you're a grand fisherman!"
-observed Hal, with a chuckle. "Why, you
-only dreamed you've caught tarpon."
-
-Just then Hal had a tremendous strike.
-He was nearly hauled off the bank. But he
-recovered his balance and clung to his nodding
-rod. Hal's rod was heavy cane, and his line
-was thick enough to suit. So nothing broke.
-The little brass reel buzzed and rattled.
-
-"I've got a whale!" yelled Hal.
-
-"It's a big gar--alligator-gar," said George.
-"You haven't got him. He's got you."
-
-The fish broke water, showing long, open
-jaws with teeth like saw-teeth. It threshed
-about and broke away. Hal reeled in to
-find the hook straightened out. Then George
-kindly commented upon the very skilful
-manner in which Hal had handled the gar.
-For a wonder Hal did not reply.
-
-By four o'clock, when Ken sat down to
-supper, he was so thirsty that his mouth
-puckered as dry as if he had been eating green
-persimmons. This matter of thirst had
-become serious. Twice each day Ken had
-boiled a pot of water, into which he mixed
-cocoa, sugar, and condensed milk, and begged
-the boys to drink that and nothing else.
-Nevertheless Pepe and George, and occasionally
-Hal, would drink unboiled water. For
-this meal the boys had venison and duck,
-and canned vegetables and fruit, so they
-fared sumptuously.
-
-Pepe pointed to a string of Muscovy ducks
-sailing up the river. George had a good shot
-at the tail end of the flock, and did not even
-loosen a feather. Then a line of cranes and
-herons passed over the island. When a
-small bunch of teal flew by, to be followed
-by several canvasbacks, Ken ran for his
-shotgun. It was a fine hammerless, a
-hard-shooting gun, and one Ken used for
-grouse-hunting. In his hurry he grasped a handful
-of the first shells he came to and, when he
-ran to the river-bank, found they were loads
-of small shot. He decided to try them
-anyhow.
-
-While Pepe leisurely finished the supper
-Ken and George and Hal sat on the bank
-watching for ducks. Just before the sun went
-down a hard wind blew, making difficult
-shooting. Every few moments ducks would
-whir by. George's gun missed fire often,
-and when it did work all right, he missed the
-ducks. To Ken's surprise he found the
-load of small shot very deadly. He could
-sometimes reach a duck at eighty yards.
-The little brown ducks and teal he stopped as
-if they had hit a stone wall. He dropped a
-canvasback with the sheer dead plunge
-that he liked. Ken thought a crippled duck
-enough to make a hunter quit shooting.
-With six ducks killed, he decided to lay aside
-his gun for that time, when Pepe pointed
-down the river.
-
-"Pato real," he said.
-
-Ken looked eagerly and saw three of the
-big black ducks flying as high as the
-treetops and coming fast. Snapping a couple
-of shells in the gun, Ken stood ready. At
-the end of the island two of the ducks wheeled
-to the left, but the big leader came on like
-a thunderbolt. To Ken he made a canvasback
-seem slow. Ken caught him over the
-sights of the gun, followed him up till he was
-abreast and beyond; then, sweeping a little
-ahead of him, Ken pulled both triggers. The
-Muscovy swooped up and almost stopped
-in his flight while a cloud of black feathers
-puffed away on the wind. He sagged a
-little, recovered, and flew on as strong as ever.
-The small shot were not heavy enough to
-stop him.
-
-"We'll need big loads for the Muscovies
-and the turkeys," said George.
-
-"We've all sizes up to BB's," replied Ken.
-"George, let's take a walk over there where
-you saw the turkeys. It's early yet."
-
-Then Pepe told George if they wanted to
-see game at that hour the thing to do was to
-sit still in camp and watch the game come
-down to the river to drink. And he pointed
-down-stream to a herd of small deer quietly
-walking out on the bar.
-
-"After all the noise we made!" exclaimed
-Ken. "Well, this beats me. George, we'll stay
-right here and not shoot again to-night. I've
-an idea we'll see something worth while."
-
-It was Pepe's idea, but Ken instantly saw
-its possibilities. There were no tributaries to
-the river or springs in that dry jungle, and,
-as manifestly the whole country abounded
-in game, it must troop down to the river in
-the cool of the evening to allay the hot day's
-thirst. The boys were perfectly situated for
-watching the dark bank on the channel side
-of the island as well as the open bars on the
-other. The huge cypresses cast shadows that
-even in daylight effectually concealed them.
-They put out the camp-fire and, taking
-comfortable seats in the folds of the great gnarled
-roots, began to watch and listen.
-
-The vanguard of thirsty deer had prepared
-Ken for something remarkable, and he was in
-no wise disappointed. The trooping of deer
-down to the water's edge and the flight of
-wild fowl up-stream increased in proportion
-to the gathering shadows of twilight. The
-deer must have got a scent, for they raised
-their long ears and stood still as statues,
-gazing across toward the upper end of the
-island. But they showed no fear. It was
-only when they had drunk their fill and
-wheeled about to go up the narrow trails
-over the bank that they showed uneasiness
-and haste. This made Ken wonder if they
-were fearful of being ambushed by jaguars.
-Soon the dark line of deer along the shore
-shaded into the darkness of night. Then
-Ken heard soft splashes and an occasional
-patter of hard hoofs. The whir of wings
-had ceased.
-
-A low exclamation from Pepe brought
-attention to interesting developments closer
-at hand.
-
-"Javelin!" he whispered.
-
-On the channel side of the island was
-impenetrable pitchy blackness. Ken tried to
-pierce it with straining eyes, but he could
-not even make out the shore-line that he knew
-was only ten yards distant. Still he could
-hear, and that was thrilling enough. Everywhere
-on this side, along the edge of the water
-and up the steep bank, were faint tickings of
-twigs and soft rustlings of leaves. Then
-there was a continuous sound, so low as to
-be almost inaudible, that resembled nothing
-Ken could think of so much as a long line of
-softly dripping water. It swelled in volume
-to a tiny roll, and ended in a sharp clicking
-on rocks and a gentle splashing in the water.
-A drove of *javelin* had come down to drink.
-Occasionally the glint of green eyes made
-the darkness all the more weird. Suddenly a
-long, piercing wail, a keen cry almost human,
-quivered into the silence.
-
-"Panther!" Ken whispered, instantly, to
-the boys. It was a different cry from that of
-the lion of the cañon, but there was a strange
-wild note that betrayed the species. A
-stillness fell, dead as that of a subterranean
-cavern. Strain his ears as he might, Ken
-could not detect the slightest sound. It
-was as if no *javelin* or any other animals
-had come down to drink. That listening,
-palpitating moment seemed endless. What
-mystery of wild life it meant, that silence
-following the cry of the panther! Then the
-jungle sounds recommenced--the swishing of
-water, the brushing in the thicket, stealthy
-padded footsteps, the faint snapping of twigs.
-Some kind of a cat uttered an unearthly squall.
-Close upon this the clattering of deer up the
-bank on the other side rang out sharply.
-The deer were running, and the striking of
-the little hoofs ceased in short order. Ken
-listened intently. From far over the bank came
-a sound not unlike a cough--deep, hoarse,
-inexpressibly wild and menacing.
-
-"Tigre!" cried Pepe, gripping Ken hard
-with both hands. He could feel him
-trembling. It showed how the native of the
-jungle-belt feared the jaguar.
-
-Again the cough rasped out, nearer and
-louder this time. It was not a
-courage-provoking sound, and seemed on second
-thought more of a growl than a cough. Ken
-felt safe on the island; nevertheless, he took
-up his rifle.
-
-"That's a tiger," whispered George. "I
-heard one once from the porch of the Alamitas
-hacienda."
-
-A third time the jaguar told of his arrival
-upon the night scene. Ken was excited, and
-had a thrill of fear. He made up his mind
-to listen with clearer ears, but the cough or
-growl was not repeated.
-
-Then a silence set in, so unbroken that it
-seemed haunted by the echoes of those wild
-jungle cries. Perhaps Ken had the haunting
-echoes in mind. He knew what had sent
-the deer away and stilled the splashings and
-creepings. It was the hoarse voice of the lord
-of the jungle.
-
-Pepe and the boys, too, fell under the spell
-of the hour. They did not break the charm
-by talking. Giant fireflies accentuated the
-ebony blackness and a low hum of insects
-riveted the attention on the stillness. Ken
-could not understand why he was more
-thoughtful on this trip than he had ever been
-before. Somehow he felt immeasurably older.
-Probably that was because it had seemed
-necessary for him to act like a man, even if he
-was only a boy.
-
-The black mantle of night lifted from under
-the cypresses, leaving a gloom that slowly
-paled. Through the dark foliage, low down
-over the bank, appeared the white tropical
-moon. Shimmering gleams chased the shadows
-across the ripples, and slowly the river
-brightened to a silver sheen.
-
-A great peace fell upon the jungle world.
-How white, how wild, how wonderful! It
-only made the island more beautiful and
-lonely. The thought of leaving it gave Ken
-Ward a pang. Almost he wished he were a
-savage.
-
-And he lay there thinking of the wild places
-that he could never see, where the sun shone,
-the wind blew, the twilight shadowed, the
-rain fell; where the colors and beauties changed
-with the passing hours; where a myriad of
-wild creatures preyed upon each other and
-night never darkened but upon strife and death.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`A TURKEY-HUNT`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XIII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- A TURKEY-HUNT
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Upon awakening in the early morning
-Ken found his state one of huge
-enjoyment. He was still lazily tired, but the
-dead drag and ache had gone from his bones.
-A cool breeze wafted the mist from the river,
-breaking it up into clouds, between which
-streamed rosy shafts of sunlight. Wood-smoke
-from the fire Pepe was starting blew
-fragrantly over him. A hundred thousand
-birds seemed to be trying to burst their
-throats. The air was full of music. He lay
-still, listening to this melodious herald of the
-day till it ceased.
-
-Then a flock of parrots approached and
-circled over the island, screeching like a band
-of flying imps. Presently they alighted in
-the cypresses, bending the branches to a
-breaking-point and giving the trees a spotted
-appearance of green and red. Pepe waved
-his hand toward another flock sweeping over.
-
-"Parrakeets," he said.
-
-These birds were a solid green, much smaller
-than the red-heads, with longer tails. They
-appeared wilder than the red-heads, and flew
-higher, circling the same way and screeching,
-but they did not alight. Other flocks sailed
-presently from all directions. The last one
-was a cloud of parrots, a shining green and
-yellow mass several acres in extent. They
-flew still higher than the parrakeets.
-
-"Yellow-heads!" shouted George. "They're
-the big fellows, the talkers. If there ain't a
-million of 'em!"
-
-The boys ate breakfast in a din that made
-conversation useless. The red-heads swooped
-down upon the island, and the two unfriendly
-species flew back and forth, manifestly trying
-to drive the boys off. The mist had blown
-away, the sun was shining bright, when the
-myriad of parrots, in large and small flocks,
-departed to other jungle haunts.
-
-Pepe rowed across the wide shoal to the
-sand-bars. There in the soft ooze, among
-the hundreds of deer-tracks, Ken found a
-jaguar-track larger than his spread hand.
-It was different from a lion-track, yet he could
-not distinguish just what the difference was.
-Pepe, who had accompanied the boys to
-carry the rifles and game, pointed to the track
-and said, vehemently:
-
-"Tigre!" He pronounced it "tee-gray." And
-he added, "Grande!"
-
-"Big he certainly is," Ken replied. "Boys,
-we'll kill this jaguar. We'll bait this
-drinking-trail with a deer carcass and watch to-night."
-
-Once upon the bank, Ken was surprised
-to see a wide stretch of comparatively flat
-land. It was covered with a low vegetation,
-with here and there palm-trees on the little
-ridges and bamboo clumps down in the swales.
-Beyond the flat rose the dark line of dense
-jungle. It was not clear to Ken why that low
-piece of ground was not overgrown with the
-matted thickets and vines and big trees
-characteristic of other parts of the jungle.
-They struck into one of the trails, and had
-not gone a hundred paces when they espied
-a herd of deer. The grass and low bushes
-almost covered them. George handed his
-shotgun to Pepe and took his rifle.
-
-"Shoot low," said Ken.
-
-George pulled the trigger, and with the
-report a deer went down, but it was not the one
-Ken was looking at, nor the one at which he
-believed George had aimed. The rest of the
-herd bounded away, to disappear in a swale.
-Wading through bushes and grass, they found
-George's quarry, a small deer weighing
-perhaps sixty pounds. Pepe carried it over to
-the trail. Ken noted that he was exceedingly
-happy to carry the rifles. They went on at
-random, somehow feeling that, no matter in
-what direction, they would run into something
-to shoot at.
-
-The first bamboo swale was alive with
-*chicalocki*. Up to this time Ken had not
-seen this beautiful pheasant fly in the open,
-and he was astonished at its speed. It
-would burst out of the thick bamboo, whir its
-wings swiftly, then sail. That sail was a most
-graceful thing to see. George pulled his
-16-gage twice, and missed both times. He
-had the beginner's fault--shooting too soon.
-Presently Pepe beat a big cock *chicalocki*
-out of the bush. He made such a fine target,
-he sailed so evenly, that Ken simply looked
-at him over the gun-sights and followed him
-till he was out of sight. The next one he
-dropped like a plummet. Shooting *chicalocki*
-was too easy, he decided; they presented so
-fair a mark that it was unfair to pull on them.
-
-George was an impetuous hunter. Ken
-could not keep near him, nor coax or command
-him to stay near. He would wander off by
-himself. That was one mark in his favor:
-at least he had no fear. Pepe hung close to
-Ken and Hal, with his dark eyes roving
-everywhere. Ken climbed out on one side of the
-swale, George on the other. Catching his
-whistle, Ken turned to look after him. He
-waved, and, pointing ahead, began to stoop
-and slip along from bush to bush. Presently
-a flock of Muscovy ducks rose before him,
-sailed a few rods, and alighted. Then from
-right under his feet labored up great gray
-birds. Wild geese! Ken recognized them
-as George's gun went *bang*! One tumbled
-over, the others wheeled toward the river.
-Ken started down into the swale to cross to
-where George was, when Pepe touched his arm.
-
-"Turkeys!" he whispered.
-
-That changed Ken's mind. Pepe pointed
-into the low bushes ahead and slowly led
-Ken forward. He heard a peculiar low
-thumping. Trails led everywhere, and here and
-there were open patches covered with a scant
-growth of grass. Across one of these flashed
-a bronze streak, then another and another.
-
-"Shoot! Shoot!" said Pepe, tensely.
-
-Those bronze streaks were running turkeys!
-The thumpings were made by their rapidly
-moving feet!
-
-"Don't they flush--fly?" Ken queried of Pepe.
-
-"No--no--shoot!" exclaimed he, as another
-streak of brown crossed an open spot. Ken
-hurriedly unbreached his gun and changed
-the light shells for others loaded with heavy
-shot. He reached the edge of a bare spot
-across which a turkey ran with incredible
-swiftness. He did not get the gun in line
-with it at all. Then two more broke out
-of the bushes. Run! They were as swift as
-flying quail. Ken took two snap-shots, and
-missed both times. If any one had told him
-that he would miss a running turkey at fifty
-feet, he would have been insulted. But he
-did not loosen a feather. Loading again, he
-yelled for George.
-
-"Hey, George--turkeys!"
-
-He whooped, and started across on the run.
-
-"Gee!" said Hal. "Ken, I couldn't do
-any worse shooting than you. Let me take
-a few pegs."
-
-Ken handed over the heavy gun and fell
-back a little, giving Hal the lead. They
-walked on, peering closely into the bushes.
-Suddenly a beautiful big gobbler ran out of a
-thicket, and then stopped to stretch out his
-long neck and look.
-
-"Shoot--hurry!" whispered Ken. "What a chance!"
-
-"That's a tame turkey," said Hal.
-
-"Tame! Why, you tenderfoot! He's as
-wild as wild. Can't you see that?"
-
-Ken's excitement and Pepe's intense
-eagerness all at once seemed communicated to Hal.
-He hauled up the gun, fingered the triggers
-awkwardly, then shot both barrels. He tore
-a tremendous hole in the brush some few feet
-to one side of the turkey. Then the great
-bird ran swiftly out of sight.
-
-"Didn't want to kill him sitting, anyhow,"
-said Hal, handing the gun back to Ken.
-
-"We want to eat some wild turkey, don't
-we? Well, we'd better take any chance.
-These birds are game, Hal, and don't you
-forget that!"
-
-"What's all the shooting?" panted George,
-as he joined the march.
-
-Just then there was a roar in the bushes,
-and a brown blur rose and whizzed ahead like
-a huge bullet. That turkey had flushed.
-Ken watched him fly till he went down out
-of sight into a distant swale.
-
-"Pretty nifty flier, eh?" said George.
-"He was too quick for me."
-
-"Great!" replied Ken.
-
-There was another roar, and a huge bronze
-cannon-ball sped straight ahead. Ken shot
-both barrels, then George shot one, all clean
-misses. Ken watched this turkey fly, and saw
-him clearer. He had to admit that the wild
-turkey of the Tamaulipas jungle had a
-swifter and more beautiful flight than his
-favorite bird, the ruffled grouse.
-
-"Walk faster," said George. "They'll flush
-better. I don't see how I'm to hit one. This
-goose I'm carrying weighs about a ton."
-
-The hunters hurried along, crashing through
-the bushes. They saw turkey after turkey.
-*Bang!* went George's gun.
-
-Then a beautiful sight made Ken cry out
-and forget to shoot. Six turkeys darted across
-an open patch--how swiftly they ran!--then
-rose in a bunch. The roar they made, the
-wonderfully rapid action of their powerful
-wings, and then the size of them, their
-wildness and noble gameness made them the royal
-game for Ken.
-
-At the next threshing in the bushes his gun
-was leveled; he covered the whistling bronze
-thing that shot up. The turkey went down
-with a crash. Pepe yelled, and as he ran
-forward the air all about him was full of fine
-bronze feathers. Ken hurried forward to
-see his bird. Its strength and symmetry,
-and especially the beautiful shades of bronze,
-captivated his eye.
-
-"Come on, boys--this is the greatest game
-I ever hunted," he called.
-
-Again Pepe yelled, and this time he pointed.
-From where Ken stood he could not see
-anything except low, green bushes. In great
-excitement George threw up his gun and shot.
-Ken heard a squealing.
-
-"Javelin! Javelin!" yelled Pepe, in piercing
-alarm.
-
-George jerked a rifle from him and began to
-shoot. Hal pumped his .22 into the bushes.
-The trampling of hard little hoofs and a
-cloud of dust warned Ken where the javelin
-were. Suddenly Pepe broke and fled for the
-river.
-
-"Hyar, Pepe, fetch back my rifle," shouted
-Ken, angrily.
-
-Pepe ran all the faster.
-
-George turned and dashed away yelling:
-"Wild pigs! Wild pigs!"
-
-"Look out, Ken! Run! Run!" added Hal;
-and he likewise took to his heels.
-
-It looked as if there was nothing else for Ken
-to do but to make tracks from that vicinity.
-Never before had he run from a danger which
-he had not seen; but the flight of the boys was
-irresistibly contagious, and this, coupled with
-the many stories he had heard of the *javelin*,
-made Ken execute a sprint that would have
-been a record but for the hampering weight
-of gun and turkey. He vowed he would hold
-on to both, pigs or no pigs; nevertheless he
-listened as he ran and nervously looked back
-often. It may have been excited imagination
-that the dust-cloud appeared to be traveling
-in his wake. Fortunately, the distance to the
-river did not exceed a short quarter of a mile.
-Hot, winded, and thoroughly disgusted with
-himself, Ken halted on the bank. Pepe was
-already in the boat, and George was
-scrambling aboard.
-
-"A fine--chase--you've given--me," Ken
-panted. "There's nothing--after us."
-
-"Don't you fool yourself," returned George,
-quickly. "I saw those pigs, and, like the ass
-I am, I blazed away at one with my shotgun."
-
-"Did he run at you? That's what I want
-to know?" demanded Ken.
-
-George said he was not certain about that,
-but declared there always was danger if a
-wounded *javelin* squealed. Pepe had little
-to say; he refused to go back after the deer
-left in the trail. So they rowed across the
-shoal, and on the way passed within a rod of a
-big crocodile.
-
-"Look at that fellow," cried George. "Wish
-I had my rifle loaded. He's fifteen feet long."
-
-"Oh no, George, he's not more than ten
-feet," said Ken.
-
-"You don't see his tail. He's a whopper.
-Pepe told me there was one in this pool.
-We'll get him, all right."
-
-They reached camp tired out, and all a
-little ruffled in temper, which certainly was
-not eased by the discovery that they were
-covered with ticks. Following the cue of his
-companions, Ken hurriedly stripped off his
-clothes and hung them where they could
-singe over the camp-fire. There were broad
-red bands of *pinilius* round both ankles, and
-reddish patches on the skin of his arms. Here
-and there were black spots about the size
-of his little finger-nail, and these were
-*garrapatoes*. He picked these off one by one, rather
-surprised to find them come off so easily.
-Suddenly he jumped straight up with a pain
-as fierce as if it had been a puncture from a
-red-hot wire.
-
-Pepe grinned; and George cried:
-
-"Aha! that was a garrapato bite, that was!
-You just wait!"
-
-George had a hundred or more of the big
-black ticks upon him, and he was remorselessly
-popping them with his cigarette. Some
-of them were biting him, too, judging from the
-way he flinched. Pepe had attracted to
-himself a million or more of the *pinilius*, but very
-few of the larger pests. He generously came
-to Ken's assistance. Ken was trying to pull
-off the *garrapato* that had bitten a hole in
-him. Pepe said it had embedded its head,
-and if pulled would come apart, leaving the
-head buried in the flesh, which would cause
-inflammation. Pepe held the glowing end
-of his cigarette close over the tick, and it
-began to squirm and pull out its head. When
-it was free of the flesh Pepe suddenly touched
-it with the cigarette, and it exploded with a
-pop. A difficult question was: Which hurt
-Ken the most, the burn from the cigarette or
-the bite of the tick? Pepe scraped off as many
-*pinilius* as would come, and then rubbed
-Ken with *canya*, the native alcohol. If this
-was not some kind of vitriol, Ken missed his
-guess. It smarted so keenly he thought his
-skin was peeling off. Presently, however,
-the smarting subsided, and so did the ticks.
-
-Hal, who by far was the most sensitive one
-in regard to the crawling and biting of the
-jungle pests, had been remarkably fortunate
-in escaping them. So he made good use of
-his opportunity to poke fun at the others,
-particularly Ken.
-
-George snapped out: "Just wait, Hollering Hal!"
-
-"Don't you call me that!" said Hal,
-belligerently.
-
-Ken eyed his brother in silence, but with
-a dark, meaning glance. It had occurred to
-Ken that here in this jungle was the only place
-in the world where he could hope to pay off
-old scores on Hal. And plots began to form
-in his mind.
-
-They lounged about camp, resting in the
-shade during the hot midday hours. For
-supper they had a superfluity of meat, the
-waste of which Ken deplored, and he
-assuaged his conscience by deciding to have
-a taste of each kind. The wild turkey he
-found the most toothsome, delicious meat it
-had ever been his pleasure to eat. What
-struck him at once was the flavor, and he
-could not understand it until Pepe explained
-that the jungle turkey lived upon a red pepper.
-So the Tamaulipas wild turkey turned out
-to be doubly the finest game he had ever shot.
-
-All afternoon the big crocodile sunned
-himself on the surface of the shoal.
-
-Ken wanted a crocodile-skin, and this was
-a chance to get one; but he thought it as well
-to wait, and kept the boys from wasting
-ammunition.
-
-Before sundown Pepe went across the river
-and fetched the deer carcass down to the
-sandbar, where the jaguar-trail led to the water.
-
-At twilight Ken stationed the boys at the
-lower end of the island, ambushed behind
-stones. He placed George and Pepe some
-rods below his own position. They had
-George's .32 rifle, and the 16-gage loaded with
-a solid ball. Ken put Hal, with the
-double-barreled shotgun, also loaded with ball, some
-little distance above. And Ken, armed with
-his automatic, hid just opposite the deer-trails.
-
-"Be careful where you shoot," Ken warned
-repeatedly. "Be cool--think quick--and aim."
-
-Ken settled down for a long wait, some
-fifty yards from the deer carcass. A
-wonderful procession of wild fowl winged swift
-flight over his head. They flew very low.
-It was strange to note the difference in the
-sound of their flying. The cranes and herons
-softly swished the air, the teal and canvasbacks
-whirred by, and the great Muscovies
-whizzed like bullets.
-
-When the first deer came down to drink it
-was almost dark, and when they left the moon
-was up, though obscured by clouds. Faint
-sounds rose from the other side of the island.
-Ken listened until his ears ached, but he could
-hear nothing. Heavier clouds drifted over
-the moon. The deer carcass became
-indistinct, and then faded entirely, and the bar
-itself grew vague. He was about to give up
-watching for that night when he heard a faint
-rustling below. Following it came a grating
-or crunching of gravel.
-
-Bright flares split the darkness--*crack! crack!*
-rang out George's rifle, then the heavy
-*boom! boom!* of the shotgun.
-
-"There he is!" yelled George. "He's down--we
-got him--there's two! Look out!"
-
-*Boom! Boom!* roared the heavy shotgun
-from Hal's covert.
-
-"George missed him! I got him!" yelled
-Hal. "No, there he goes--Ken! Ken!"
-
-Ken caught the flash of a long gray body
-in the hazy gloom of the bar and took a
-quick shot at it. The steel-jacketed bullet
-scattered the gravel and then hummed over
-the bank. The gray body moved fast up the
-bank. Ken could just see it. He turned
-loose the little automatic and made the
-welkin ring.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`A FIGHT WITH A JAGUAR`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XIV
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- A FIGHT WITH A JAGUAR
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-When the echoes of the shots died away
-the stillness seemed all the deeper. No
-rustle in the brush or scuffle on the sand
-gave evidence of a wounded or dying jaguar.
-George and Hal and Pepe declared there
-were two tigers, and that they had hit one.
-Ken walked out upon the stones till he could
-see the opposite bar, but was not rewarded
-by a sight of dead game. Thereupon they
-returned to camp, somewhat discouraged at
-their ill luck, but planning another night-watch.
-
-In the morning George complained that he
-did not feel well. Ken told him he had been
-eating too much fresh meat, and that he had
-better be careful. Then Ken set off alone,
-crossed the river, and found that the deer
-carcass was gone. In the sand near where
-it had lain were plenty of cat-tracks, but none
-of the big jaguar. Upon closer scrutiny he
-found the cat-tracks to be those of a panther.
-He had half dragged, half carried the carcass
-up one of the steep trails, but from that point
-there was no further trace.
-
-Ken struck out across the fiat, intending
-to go as far as the jungle. Turtle-doves
-fluttered before him in numberless flocks.
-Far to one side he saw Muscovy ducks rising,
-sailing a few rods, then alighting. This
-occurred several times before he understood
-what it meant. There was probably a large
-flock feeding on the flat, and the ones in the
-rear were continually flying to get ahead of
-those to the fore.
-
-Several turkeys ran through the bushes
-before Ken, but as he was carrying a rifle
-he paid little heed to them. He kept a keen
-lookout for *javelin*. Two or three times he
-was tempted to turn off the trail into little
-bamboo hollows; this, however, owing to a
-repugnance to ticks, he did not do. Finally,
-as he neared the high moss-decked wall of
-the jungle, he came upon a runway leading
-through the bottom of a deep swale, and here
-he found tiger-tracks.
-
-Farther down the swale, under a great
-cluster of bamboo, he saw the scattered bones
-of several deer. Ken was sure that in this
-spot the lord of the jungle had feasted more
-than once. It was an open hollow, with the
-ground bare under the bamboos. The runway
-led on into dense, leafy jungle. Ken planned
-to bait that lair with a deer carcass and watch
-it during the late afternoon.
-
-First, it was necessary to get the deer.
-This might prove bothersome, for Ken's hands
-and wrists were already sprinkled with *pinilius*,
-and he certainly did not want to stay very
-long in the brush. Ken imagined he felt an
-itching all the time, and writhed inside his
-clothes.
-
-"Say, blame you! bite!" he exclaimed,
-resignedly, and stepped into the low bushes.
-He went up and out of the swale. Scarcely
-had he reached a level when he saw a troop
-of deer within easy range. Before they
-winded danger Ken shot, and the one he had
-singled out took a few bounds, then fell over
-sideways. The others ran off into the brush.
-Ken remembered that the old hunter on
-Penetier had told him how seldom a deer
-dropped at once. When he saw the work of
-the soft-nose .351 bullet, he no longer
-wondered at this deer falling almost in his
-tracks.
-
-"If I ever hit a jaguar like that it will be all
-day with him," was Ken's comment.
-
-There were two things about hunting the
-jaguar that Ken had been bidden to keep in
-mind--fierce aggressiveness and remarkable
-tenacity of life.
-
-Ken dragged the deer down into the
-bamboo swale and skinned out a haunch. Next
-to wild-turkey meat, he liked venison best.
-He was glad to have that as an excuse, for
-killing these tame tropical deer seemed like
-murder to Ken. He left the carcass in a
-favorable place and then hurried back to camp.
-
-To Ken's relief, he managed to escape
-bringing any *garrapatoes* with him, but it
-took a half-hour to rid himself of the
-collection of *pinilius*.
-
-"George, ask Pepe what's the difference
-between a garrapato and a pinilius," said Ken.
-
-"The big tick is the little one's mother,"
-replied Pepe.
-
-"Gee! you fellows fuss a lot about ticks,"
-said Hal, looking up from his task. He was
-building more pens to accommodate the
-turtles, snakes, snails, mice, and young birds
-that he had captured during the morning.
-
-Pepe said there were few ticks there in the
-uplands compared to the number down along
-the Panuco River. In the lowlands where
-the cattle roamed there were millions in every
-square rod. The under side of every leaf and
-blade of grass was red with ticks. The size
-of these pests depended on whether or not they
-got a chance to stick to a steer or any beast.
-They appeared to live indefinitely, but if they
-could not suck blood they could not grow.
-The *pinilius* grew into a *garrapato*, and a
-*garrapato* bred a hundred thousand *pinilius*
-in her body. Two singular things concerning
-these ticks were that they always crawled
-upward, and they vanished from the earth
-during the wet season.
-
-Ken soaked his Duxbax hunting-suit in
-kerosene in the hope that this method would
-enable him to spend a reasonable time
-hunting. Then, while the other boys fished and
-played around, he waited for the long, hot
-hours to pass. It was cool in the shade, but
-the sunlight resembled the heat of fire. At
-last five o'clock came, and Ken put on the
-damp suit. Soaked with the oil, it was
-heavier and hotter than sealskin, and before
-he got across the river he was nearly roasted.
-The evening wind sprang up, and the gusts
-were like blasts from a furnace. Ken's body
-was bathed in perspiration; it ran down his
-wrists, over his hands, and wet the gun.
-This cure for ticks--if it were one--was
-worse than their bites. When he reached the
-shade of the bamboo swale it was none too
-soon for him. He threw off the coat, noticing
-there were more ticks upon it than at
-anytime before. The bottom of his trousers,
-too, had gathered an exceeding quantity. He
-brushed them off, muttering the while that
-he believed they liked kerosene, and looked
-as if they were drinking it. Ken found it
-easy, however, to brush them off the wet
-Duxbax, and soon composed himself to rest
-and watch.
-
-The position chosen afforded Ken a clear
-view of the bare space under the bamboos
-and of the hollow where the runway
-disappeared in the jungle. The deer carcass,
-which lay as he had left it, was about a
-hundred feet from him. This seemed rather
-close, but he had to accept it, for if he had
-moved farther away he could not have
-commanded both points.
-
-Ken sat with his back against a clump of
-bamboos, the little rifle across his knees and
-an extra clip of cartridges on the ground
-at his left. After taking that position he
-determined not to move a yard when the tiger
-came, and to kill him.
-
-Ken went over in mind the lessons he had
-learned hunting bear in Penetier Forest with
-old Hiram Bent and lassoing lions on the
-wild north-rim of the Grand Cañon. Ken
-knew that the thing for a hunter to do, when
-his quarry was dangerous, was to make up
-his mind beforehand. Ken had twelve powerful
-shells that he could shoot in the half of
-twelve seconds. He would have been willing
-to face two jaguars.
-
-The sun set and the wind died down.
-What a relief was the cooling shade! The
-little breeze that was left fortunately blew at
-right angles to the swale, so that there did
-not seem much danger of the tiger winding
-Ken down the jungle runway.
-
-For long moments he was tense and alert.
-He listened till he thought he had almost
-lost the sense of hearing. The jungle leaves
-were whispering; the insects were humming.
-He had expected to hear myriad birds and
-see processions of deer, and perhaps a drove
-of *javelin*. But if any living creatures
-ventured near him it was without his knowledge.
-The hour between sunset and twilight passed--a
-long wait; still he did not lose the feeling
-that something would happen. Ken's faculties
-of alertness tired, however, and needed
-distraction. So he took stock of the big
-clump of bamboos under which lay the deer
-carcass.
-
-It was a remarkable growth, that gracefully
-drooping cluster of slender bamboo poles. He
-remembered how, as a youngster, not many
-years back, he had wondered where the
-fishing-poles came from. Here Ken counted
-one hundred and sixty-nine in a clump no
-larger than a barrel. They were yellow in
-color with black bands, and they rose straight
-for a few yards, then began to lean out, to
-bend slightly, at last to droop with their
-abundance of spiked leaves. Ken was getting
-down to a real, interested study of this
-species of jungle growth when a noise startled
-him.
-
-He straightened out of his lounging position
-and looked around. The sound puzzled him.
-He could not place its direction or name what
-it was. The jungle seemed strangely quiet.
-He listened. After a moment of waiting he
-again heard the sound. Instantly Ken was
-as tense and vibrating as a violin string. The
-thing he had heard was from the lungs of
-some jungle beast. He was almost ready to
-pronounce it a cough. Warily he glanced
-around, craning his neck. Then a deep,
-hoarse growl made him whirl.
-
-There stood a jaguar with head up and paw
-on the deer carcass. Ken imagined he felt
-perfectly cool, but he knew he was astounded.
-And even as he cautiously edged the rifle
-over his knee he took in the beautiful points
-of the jaguar. He was yellow, almost white,
-with black spots. He was short and stocky,
-with powerful stumpy bow-legs. But his
-head most amazed Ken. It was enormous.
-And the expression of his face was so
-singularly savage and wild that Ken seemed to
-realize instantly the difference between a
-mountain-lion and this fierce tropical brute.
-
-.. _`182`:
-
-The jaguar opened his jaws threateningly.
-He had an enormous stretch of jaw. His long,
-yellow fangs gleamed. He growled again.
-
-Not hurriedly, nor yet slowly, Ken fired.
-
-He heard the bullet strike him as plainly
-as if he had hit him with a board. He saw
-dust fly from his hide. Ken expected to see
-the jaguar roll over. Instead of that he leaped
-straight up with a terrible roar. Something
-within Ken shook. He felt cold and sick.
-
-When the jaguar came down, sprawled on
-all fours, Ken pulled the automatic again,
-and he saw the fur fly. Then the jaguar
-leaped forward with a strange, hoarse cry.
-Ken shot again, and knocked the beast flat.
-He tumbled and wrestled about, scattering the
-dust and brush. Three times more Ken fired,
-too hastily, and inflicted only slight wounds.
-
-In reloading Ken tried to be deliberate in
-snapping in the second clip and pushing down
-the rod that threw the shell into the barrel.
-But his hands shook. His fingers were all
-thumbs, and he fumbled at the breech of the
-rifle.
-
-In that interval, if the jaguar could have
-kept his sense of direction, he would have
-reached Ken. But the beast zigzagged; he
-had lost his equilibrium; he was hard hit.
-
-Then he leaped magnificently. He landed
-within twenty-five feet of Ken, and when
-he plunged down he rolled clear over. Ken
-shot him through and through. Yet he got
-up, wheezing blood, uttering a hoarse bellow,
-and made again at Ken.
-
-Ken had been cold, sick. Now panic
-almost overpowered him. The rifle wabbled.
-The bamboo glade blurred in his sight. A
-terrible dizziness and numbness almost
-paralyzed him. He was weakening, sinking, when
-thought of life at stake lent him a momentary
-grim and desperate spirit.
-
-Once while the jaguar was in the air Ken
-pulled, twice while he was down. Then the
-jaguar stood up pawing the air with great
-spread claws, coughing, bleeding, roaring.
-He was horrible.
-
-Ken shot him straight between the
-wide-spread paws.
-
-With twisted body, staggering, and blowing
-bloody froth all over Ken, the big tiger blindly
-lunged forward and crashed to earth.
-
-Then began a furious wrestling. Ken
-imagined it was the death-throes of the jaguar.
-Ken could not see him down among the leaves
-and vines; nevertheless, he shot into the
-commotion. The struggles ceased. Then a
-movement of the weeds showed Ken that the
-jaguar was creeping toward the jungle.
-
-Ken fell rather than sat down. He found
-he was wringing wet with cold sweat. He was
-panting hard.
-
-"Say, but--that--was--awful!" he gasped.
-"What--was--wrong--with me?"
-
-He began to reload the clips. They were
-difficult to load for even a calm person, and
-now, in the reaction, Ken was the farthest
-removed from calm. The jaguar crept steadily
-away, as Ken could tell by the swaying
-weeds and shaking vines.
-
-"What--a hard-lived beast!" muttered Ken.
-"I--must have shot--him all to pieces. Yet
-he's getting away from me."
-
-At last Ken's trembling fingers pushed
-some shells in the two clips, and once more
-he reloaded the rifle. Then he stood up,
-drew a deep, full breath, and made a strong
-effort at composure.
-
-"I've shot at bear--and deer--and lions
-out West," said Ken. "But this was different.
-I'll never get over it."
-
-How close that jaguar came to reaching
-Ken was proved by the blood coughed into
-his face. He recalled that he had felt the
-wind of one great sweeping paw.
-
-Ken regained his courage and determination.
-He meant to have that beautiful
-spotted skin for his den. So he hurried along
-the runway and entered the jungle. Beyond
-the edge, where the bushes made a dense
-thicket, it was dry forest, with little green
-low down. The hollow gave place to a dry
-wash. He could not see the jaguar, but he
-could hear him dragging himself through the
-brush, cracking sticks, shaking saplings.
-
-Presently Ken ran across a bloody trail
-and followed it. Every little while he would
-stop to listen. When the wounded jaguar
-was still, he waited until he started to move
-again. It was hard going. The brush was
-thick, and had to be broken and crawled
-under or through. As Ken had left his coat
-behind, his shirt was soon torn to rags. He
-peered ahead with sharp eyes, expecting every
-minute to come in sight of the poor, crippled
-beast. He wanted to put him out of agony.
-So he kept on doggedly for what must have
-been a long time.
-
-The first premonition he had of carelessness
-was to note that the shadows were
-gathering in the jungle. It would soon be
-night. He must turn back while there was
-light enough to follow his back track out
-to the open. The second came in shape of
-a hot pain in his arm, as keen as if he had
-jagged it with a thorn. Holding it out, he
-discovered to his dismay that it was spotted
-with *garrapatoes*.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`THE VICIOUS GARRAPATOES`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XV
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- THE VICIOUS GARRAPATOES
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-At once Ken turned back, and if he thought
-again of the jaguar it was that he could
-come after him the next day or send Pepe.
-Another vicious bite, this time on his leg,
-confirmed his suspicions that many of the
-ticks had been on him long enough to get
-their heads in. Then he was bitten in several
-places.
-
-Those bites were as hot as the touch of a
-live coal, yet they made Ken break out in
-dripping cold sweat. It was imperative that
-he get back to camp without losing a moment
-which could be saved. From a rapid walk
-he fell into a trot. He got off his back trail
-and had to hunt for it. Every time a tick
-bit he jumped as if stung. The worst of it
-was that he knew he was collecting more
-*garrapatoes* with almost every step. When
-he grasped a dead branch to push it out of
-the way he could feel the ticks cling to his
-hand. Then he would whip his arm in the
-air, flinging some of them off to patter on the
-dry ground. Impossible as it was to run
-through that matted jungle, Ken almost
-accomplished it. When he got out into the
-open he did run, not even stopping for his
-coat, and he crossed the flat at top speed.
-
-It was almost dark when Ken reached the
-river-bank and dashed down to frighten a
-herd of drinking deer. He waded the narrowest
-part of the shoal. Running up the island
-he burst into the bright circle of camp-fire.
-Pepe dropped a stew-pan and began to jabber.
-George dove for a gun.
-
-"What's after you?" shouted Hal, in alarm.
-
-Ken was so choked up and breathless that
-at first he could not speak. His fierce aspect
-and actions, as he tore off his sleeveless and
-ragged shirt and threw it into the fire, added
-to the boys' fright.
-
-"Good Lord! are you bug-house, Ken?"
-shrieked Hal.
-
-"*Bug-house! Yes!*" roared Ken, swiftly
-undressing. "Look at me!"
-
-In the bright glare he showed his arms
-black with *garrapatoes* and a sprinkling of
-black dots over the rest of his body.
-
-"Is that all?" demanded Hal, in real or
-simulated scorn. "Gee! but you're a brave
-hunter. I thought not less than six tigers
-were after you."
-
-"I'd rather have six tigers after me,"
-yelled Ken. "You little freckle-faced redhead!"
-
-It was seldom indeed that Ken called his
-brother that name. Hal was proof against
-any epithets except that one relating to his
-freckles and his hair. But just now Ken
-felt that he was being eaten alive. He was
-in an agony, and he lost his temper. And
-therefore he laid himself open to Hal's
-scathing humor.
-
-"Never mind the kid," said Ken to Pepe
-and George. "Hurry now, and get busy with
-these devils on me."
-
-It was well for Ken that he had a native
-like Pepe with him. For Pepe knew just
-what to do. First he dashed a bucket of cold
-water over Ken. How welcome that was!
-
-"Pepe says for you to point out the ticks
-that 're biting the hardest," said George.
-
-In spite of his pain Ken stared in mute
-surprise.
-
-"Pepe wants you to point out the ticks
-that are digging in the deepest," explained
-George. "Get a move on, now."
-
-"What!" roared Ken, glaring at Pepe and
-George. He thought even the native might
-be having fun with him. And for Ken this
-was not a funny time.
-
-But Pepe was in dead earnest.
-
-"Say, it's impossible to tell *where* I'm being
-bitten most! It's all over!" protested Ken.
-
-Still he discovered that by absolute
-concentration on the pain he was enduring he
-was able to locate the severest points. And
-that showed him the soundness of Pepe's
-advice.
-
-"Here--this one--here--there.... Oh! here,"
-began Ken, indicating certain ticks.
-
-"Not so fast, now," interrupted the
-imperturbable George, as he and Pepe set to
-work upon Ken.
-
-Then the red-hot cigarette-tips scorched
-Ken's skin. Ken kept pointing and
-accompanying his directions with wild gestures
-and exclamations.
-
-"Here.... Oo-oo! Here.... Wow! Here....
-Ouch!--that one stung! Here.... *Augh*!
-Say, can't you hurry? Here! ... Oh! that
-one was in a mile! Here.... *Hold on*!
-You're burning a hole in me! ... George,
-you're having fun out of this. Pepe gets two
-to your one."
-
-"He's been popping ticks all his life," was
-George's reasonable protest.
-
-"Hurry!" cried Ken, in desperation.
-"George, if you monkey round--fool over
-this job--I'll--I'll punch you good."
-
-All this trying time Hal Ward sat on a
-log and watched the proceedings with great
-interest and humor. Sometimes he smiled,
-at others he laughed, and yet again he burst
-out into uproarious mirth.
-
-"George, he wouldn't punch anybody,"
-said Hal. "I tell you he's all in. He hasn't
-any nerve left. It's a chance of your life.
-You'll never get another. He's been bossing
-you around. Pay him up. Make him holler.
-Why, what's a few little ticks? Wouldn't
-phase me! But Ken Ward's such a delicate,
-fine-skinned, sensitive, girly kind of a boy!
-He's too nice to be bitten by bugs. Oh
-dear, yes, yes! ... Ken, why don't you show
-courage?"
-
-Ken shook his fist at Hal.
-
-"All right," said Ken, grimly. "Have all
-the fun you can. Because I'll get even with you."
-
-Hal relapsed into silence, and Ken began to
-believe he had intimidated his brother. But
-he soon realized how foolish it was to suppose
-such a thing. Hal had only been working
-his fertile brain.
-
-"George, here's a little verse for the
-occasion," said Hal.
-
- | "There was a brave hunter named Ken,
- | And he loved to get skins for his den,
- | Not afraid was he of tigers or pigs,
- | Or snakes or cats or any such things,
- | But one day in the jungle he left his clothes,
- | And came hollering back with *garrapatoes*."
- |
-
-"Gre-at-t-t!" sputtered Ken. "Oh, brother
-mine, we're a long way from home, I'll
-make you crawl."
-
-Pepe smoked, and wore out three cigarettes,
-and George two, before they had popped all
-the biting ticks. Then Ken was still covered
-with them. Pepe bathed him in *canya*,
-which was like a bath of fire, and soon removed
-them all. Ken felt flayed alive, peeled of his
-skin, and sprinkled with fiery sparks. When
-he lay down he was as weak as a sick cat.
-Pepe said the *canya* would very soon take the
-sting away, but it was some time before Ken
-was resting easily.
-
-It would not have been fair to ask Ken just
-then whether the prize for which he worked
-was worth his present gain. *Garrapatoes* may
-not seem important to one who simply reads
-about them, but such pests are a formidable
-feature of tropical life.
-
-However, Ken presently felt that he was
-himself again.
-
-Then he put his mind to the serious problem
-of his note-book and the plotting of the
-island. As far as his trip was concerned,
-Cypress Island was an important point.
-When he had completed his map down to
-the island, he went on to his notes. He
-believed that what he had found out from his
-knowledge of forestry was really worth
-something. He had seen a gradual increase in the
-size and number of trees as he had proceeded
-down the river, a difference in the density and
-color of the jungle, a flattening-out of the
-mountain range, and a gradual change from
-rocky to clayey soil. And on the whole his
-note-book began to assume such a character
-that he was beginning to feel willing to submit
-it to his uncle.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`FIELD WORK OF A NATURALIST`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XVI
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- FIELD WORK OF A NATURALIST
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-That night Ken talked natural history to
-the boys and read extracts from a small
-copy of Sclater he had brought with him.
-
-They were all particularly interested in the
-cat tribe.
-
-The fore feet of all cats have five toes, the
-hind feet only four. Their claws are curved
-and sharp, and, except in case of one species
-of leopard, can be retracted in their sheaths.
-The claws of the great cat species are kept
-sharp by pulling them down through bark
-of trees. All cats walk on their toes. And
-the stealthy walk is due to hairy pads or
-cushions. The claws of a cat do not show in
-its track as do those of a dog. The tongues
-of all cats are furnished with large papillæ.
-They are like files, and the use is to lick bones
-and clean their fur. Their long whiskers are
-delicate organs of perception to aid them in
-finding their way on their night quests. The
-eyes of all cats are large and full, and can be
-altered by contraction or expansion of iris,
-according to the amount of light they receive.
-The usual color is gray or tawny with dark
-spots or stripes. The uniform tawny color
-of the lion and the panther is perhaps an
-acquired color, probably from the habit of
-these animals of living in desert countries. It
-is likely that in primitive times cats were all
-spotted or striped.
-
-Naturally the boys were most interested
-in the jaguar, which is the largest of the cat
-tribe in the New World. The jaguar ranges
-from northern Mexico to northern Patagonia.
-Its spots are larger than those of the leopard.
-Their ground color is a rich tan or yellow,
-sometimes almost gold. Large specimens
-have been known nearly seven feet from nose
-to end of tail.
-
-The jaguar is an expert climber and
-swimmer. Humboldt says that where the South
-American forests are subject to floods the
-jaguar sometimes takes to tree life, living on
-monkeys. All naturalists agree on the
-ferocious nature of jaguars, and on the loudness
-and frequency of their cries. There is no
-record of their attacking human beings
-without provocation. Their favorite haunts are
-the banks of jungle rivers, and they often prey
-upon fish and turtles.
-
-The attack of a jaguar is terrible. It
-leaps on the back of its prey and breaks its
-neck. In some places there are well-known
-scratching trees where jaguars sharpen their
-claws. The bark is worn smooth in front
-from contact with the breasts of the animals
-as they stand up, and there is a deep groove
-on each side. When new scars appear on
-these trees it is known that jaguars are in the
-vicinity. The cry of the jaguar is loud, deep,
-hoarse, something like *pu, pu, pu*. There is
-much enmity between the panther, or mountain-lion,
-and the jaguar, and it is very strange
-that generally the jaguar fears the lion,
-although he is larger and more powerful.
-
-Pepe had interesting things to say about
-jaguars, or *tigres*, as he called them. But
-Ken, of course, could not tell how much
-Pepe said was truth and how much just native
-talk. At any rate, Pepe told of one Mexican
-who had a blind and deaf jaguar that he had
-tamed. Ken knew that naturalists claimed
-the jaguar could not be tamed, but in this
-instance Ken was inclined to believe Pepe.
-This blind jaguar was enormous in size,
-terrible of aspect, and had been trained to
-trail anything his master set him to. And
-Tigre, as he was called, never slept or stopped
-till he had killed the thing he was trailing.
-As he was blind and deaf, his power of scent
-had been abnormally developed.
-
-Pepe told of a fight between a huge crocodile
-and a jaguar in which both were killed. He
-said jaguars stalked natives and had absolutely
-no fear. He knew natives who said that
-jaguars had made off with children and eaten
-them. Lastly, Pepe told of an incident that
-had happened in Tampico the year before.
-There was a ship at dock below Tampico,
-just on the outskirts where the jungle began,
-and one day at noon two big jaguars leaped
-on the deck. They frightened the crew out
-of their wits. George verified this story, and
-added that the jaguars had been chased by
-dogs, had boarded the ship, where they
-climbed into the rigging, and stayed there
-till they were shot.
-
-"Well," said Ken, thoughtfully, "from my
-experience I believe a jaguar would do anything."
-
-The following day promised to be a busy
-one for Hal, without any time for tricks.
-George went hunting before breakfast--in
-fact, before the others were up--and just as
-the boys were sitting down to eat he appeared
-on the nearer bank and yelled for Pepe.
-It developed that for once George had bagged game.
-
-He had a black squirrel, a small striped
-wildcat, a peccary, a three-foot crocodile, and a
-duck of rare plumage.
-
-After breakfast Hal straightway got busy,
-and his skill and knowledge earned praise
-from George and Pepe. They volunteered
-to help, which offer Hal gratefully accepted.
-He had brought along a folding canvas tank,
-forceps, knives, scissors, several packages of
-preservatives, and tin boxes in which to pack
-small skins.
-
-His first task was to mix a salt solution
-in the canvas tank. This was for immersing
-skins. Then he made a paste of salt and
-alum, and after that a mixture of two-thirds
-glycerin and one-third water and carbolic
-acid, which was for preserving small skins
-and to keep them soft.
-
-And as he worked he gave George directions
-on how to proceed with the wildcat
-and squirrel skins.
-
-"Skin carefully and tack up the pelts fur
-side down. Scrape off all the fat and oil,
-but don't scrape through. To-morrow when
-the skins are dry soak them in cold water
-till soft. Then take them out and squeeze
-dry. I'll make a solution of three quarts
-water, one-half pint salt, and one ounce oil
-of vitriol. Put the skins in that for half an
-hour. Squeeze dry again, and hang in shade.
-That 'll tan the skin, and the moths will never
-hurt them."
-
-When Hal came to take up the duck he
-was sorry that some of the beautiful plumage
-had been stained.
-
-"I want only a few water-fowl," he said.
-"And particularly one of the big Muscovies.
-And you must keep the feathers from getting
-soiled."
-
-It was interesting to watch Hal handle
-that specimen. First he took full measurements.
-Then, separating the feathers along
-the breast, he made an incision with a sharp
-knife, beginning high up on breast-bone and
-ending at tail. He exercised care so as not
-to cut through the abdomen. Raising the skin
-carefully along the cut as far as the muscles of
-the leg, he pushed out the knee joint and cut it
-off. Then he loosened the skin from the legs
-and the back, and bent the tail down to cut
-through the tail joint. Next he removed the
-skin from the body and cut off the wings at
-the shoulder joint. Then he proceeded down
-the neck, being careful not to pull or stretch the
-skin. Extreme care was necessary in cutting
-round the eyes. Then, when he had loosened
-the skin from the skull, he severed the head
-and cleaned out the skull. He coated all
-with the paste, filled the skull with cotton,
-and then immersed them in the glycerin bath.
-
-The skinning of the crocodile was an easy
-matter compared with that of the duck. Hal
-made an incision at the throat, cut along the
-middle of the abdomen all the way to the tip
-of the tail, and then cut the skin away all
-around the carcass. Then he set George and
-Pepe to scraping the skin, after which he
-immersed it in the tank.
-
-About that time Ken, who was lazily fishing
-in the shade of the cypresses, caught one of
-the blue-tailed fish. Hal was delighted. He
-had made a failure of the other specimen of
-this unknown fish. This one was larger and
-exquisitely marked, being dark gold on the
-back, white along the belly, and its tail had
-a faint bluish tinge. Hal promptly killed
-the fish, and then made a dive for his
-suitcase. He produced several sheets of stiff
-cardboard and a small box of water-colors
-and brushes. He laid the fish down on a
-piece of paper and outlined its exact size.
-Then, placing it carefully in an upright
-position on a box, he began to paint it in the
-actual colors of the moment. Ken laughed
-and teased him. George also was inclined to
-be amused. But Pepe was amazed and
-delighted. Hal worked on unmindful of his
-audience, and, though he did not paint a very
-artistic picture, he produced the vivid colors
-of the fish before they faded.
-
-His next move was to cover the fish with
-strips of thin cloth, which adhered to the scales
-and kept them from being damaged. Then he
-cut along the middle line of the belly, divided
-the pelvic arch where the ventral fins joined,
-cut through the spines, and severed the fins
-from the bones. Then he skinned down to the
-tail, up to the back, and cut through caudal
-processes. The vertebral column he severed
-at the base of the skull. He cleaned and
-scraped the entire inside of the skin, and then
-put it to soak.
-
-"Hal, you're much more likely to make good
-with Uncle Jim than I am," said Ken.
-"You've really got skill, and you know what
-to do. Now, my job is different. So far
-I've done fairly well with my map of the river.
-But as soon as we get on level ground I'll
-be stumped."
-
-"We'll cover a hundred miles before we get
-to low land," replied Hal, cheerily. "That's
-enough, even if we do get lost for the rest
-of the way. You'll win that trip abroad,
-Ken, never fear, and little Willie is going
-to be with you."
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`A MIXED-UP TIGER-HUNT`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XVII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- A MIXED-UP TIGER-HUNT
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Next morning Hal arose bright as a lark,
-but silent, mysterious, and with far-seeing
-eyes. It made Ken groan in spirit to
-look at the boy. Yes, indeed, they were far
-from home, and the person did not live on the
-earth who could play a trick on Hal Ward
-and escape vengeance.
-
-After breakfast Hal went off with a
-long-handled landing-net, obviously to capture
-birds or fish or mice or something.
-
-George said he did not feel very well, and
-he looked grouchy. He growled around camp
-in a way that might have nettled Ken, but
-Ken, having had ten hours of undisturbed sleep,
-could not have found fault with anybody.
-
-"Garrapato George, come out of it. Cheer
-up," said Ken. "Why don't you take Pinilius
-Pepe as gun-bearer and go out to shoot
-something? You haven't used up much
-ammunition yet."
-
-Ken's sarcasm was not lost upon George.
-
-"Well, if I do go, I'll not come running
-back to camp without some game."
-
-"My son," replied Ken, genially, "if you
-should happen to meet a jaguar you'd--you'd
-just let out one squawk and then never touch
-even the high places of the jungle. You'd
-take that crazy .32 rifle for a golf-stick."
-
-"Would I?" returned George. "All right."
-
-Ken watched George awhile that morning.
-The lad performed a lot of weird things around
-camp. Then he bounced bullets off the water
-in vain effort to locate the basking crocodile.
-Then he tried his hand at fishing once more.
-He could get more bites than any fisherman
-Ken ever saw, but he could not catch anything.
-
-By and by the heat made Ken drowsy,
-and, stretching himself in the shade, he
-thought of a scheme to rid the camp of the
-noisy George.
-
-"Say, George, take my hammerless and get
-Pepe to row you up along the shady bank of
-the river," suggested Ken. "Go sneaking
-along and you'll have some sport."
-
-George was delighted with that idea. He
-had often cast longing eyes at the hammerless
-gun. Pepe, too, looked exceedingly pleased.
-They got in the boat and were in the act of
-starting when George jumped ashore. He
-reached for his .32 and threw the lever down
-to see if there was a shell in the chamber.
-Then he proceeded to fill his pockets with
-ammunition.
-
-"Might need a rifle," he said. "You can't
-tell what you're going to see in this unholy
-jungle."
-
-Whereupon he went aboard again and Pepe
-rowed leisurely up-stream.
-
-"Be careful, boys," Ken called, and
-composed himself for a nap. He promptly fell
-asleep. How long he slept he had no idea,
-and when he awoke he lay with languor, not
-knowing at the moment what had awakened
-him. Presently he heard a shout, then a
-rifle-shot. Sitting up, he saw the boat some
-two hundred yards above, drifting along
-about the edge of the shade. Pepe was in it
-alone. He appeared to be excited, for Ken
-observed him lay down an oar and pick up a
-gun, and then reverse the performance. Also
-he was jabbering to George, who evidently
-was out on the bank, but invisible to Ken.
-
-"Hey, Pepe!" Ken yelled. "What 're you doing?"
-
-Strange to note, Pepe did not reply or even
-turn.
-
-"Now where in the deuce is George?" Ken
-said, impatiently.
-
-The hollow crack of George's .32 was a
-reply to the question. Ken heard the singing
-of a bullet. Suddenly, *spou!* it twanged
-on a branch not twenty feet over his head,
-and then went whining away. He heard it
-tick a few leaves or twigs. There was not
-any languor in the alacrity with which Ken
-put the big cypress-tree between him and
-up-stream. Then he ventured to peep forth.
-
-"Look out where you're slinging lead!"
-he yelled. He doubted not that George had
-treed a black squirrel or was pegging away at
-parrots. Yet Pepe's motions appeared to
-carry a good deal of feeling, too much, he
-thought presently, for small game. So Ken
-began to wake up thoroughly. He lost sight
-of Pepe behind a low branch of a tree that
-leaned some fifty yards above the island.
-Then he caught sight of him again. He was
-poling with an oar, evidently trying to go up
-or down--Ken could not tell which.
-
-*Spang*! *Spang*! George's .32 spoke twice
-more, and the bullets both struck in the middle
-of the stream and ricochetted into the far
-bank with little thuds.
-
-Something prompted Ken to reach for his
-automatic, snap the clip in tight, and push
-in the safety. At the same time he muttered
-George's words: "You can never tell what's
-coming off in this unholy jungle."
-
-Then, peeping out from behind the cypress,
-Ken watched the boat drift down-stream.
-Pepe had stopped poling and was looking
-closely into the thick grass and vines of the
-bank. Ken heard his voice, but could not
-tell what he said. He watched keenly for
-some sight of George. The moments passed,
-the boat drifted, and Ken began to think
-there was nothing unusual afoot. In this
-interval Pepe drifted within seventy-five yards
-of camp. Again Ken called to ask him what
-George was stalking, and this time Pepe yelled;
-but Ken did not know what he said. Hard
-upon this came George's sharp voice:
-
-"Look out, there, on the island. Get
-behind something. I've got him between the
-river and the flat. He's in this strip of shore
-brush. There!"
-
-*Spang*! *Spang*! *Spang*! Bullets hummed
-and whistled all about the island. Ken was
-afraid to peep out with even one eye. He
-began to fancy that George was playing
-Indian.
-
-"Fine, Georgie! You're doing great!" he
-shouted. "You couldn't come any closer to
-me if you were aiming at me. What is it?"
-
-Then a crashing of brush and a flash of
-yellow low down along the bank changed the
-aspect of the situation.
-
-"Panther! or jaguar!" Ken ejaculated, in
-amaze. In a second he was tight-muscled,
-cold, and clear-witted. At that instant he
-saw George's white shirt about the top of the
-brush.
-
-"Go back! Get out in the open!" Ken
-ordered. "Do you hear me?"
-
-"Where is he?" shouted George, paying not
-the slightest attention to Ken. Ken jumped
-from behind the tree, and, running to the
-head of the island, he knelt low near the water
-with rifle ready.
-
-"Tigre! Tigre! Tigre!" screamed Pepe,
-waving his arms, then pointing.
-
-George crashed into the brush. Ken saw
-the leaves move, then a long yellow shape.
-With the quickness of thought and the aim
-of the wing-shot, Ken fired. From the brush
-rose a strange wild scream. George aimed
-at a shaking mass of grass and vines, but,
-before he could fire, a long, lean, ugly beast
-leaped straight out from the bank to drop
-into the water with a heavy splash.
-
-Like a man half scared to death Pepe waved
-Ken's double-barreled gun. Then a yellow
-head emerged from the water. It was in line
-with the boat. Ken dared not shoot.
-
-"Kill him, George," yelled Ken. "Tell
-Pepe to kill him."
-
-George seemed unaccountably silent. But
-Ken had no time to look for him, for his
-eyes were riveted on Pepe. The native did
-not know how to hold a gun properly, let
-alone aim it. He had, however, sense enough
-to try. He got the stock under his chin,
-and, pointing the gun, he evidently tried to
-fire. But the hammerless did not go off.
-Then Pepe fumbled at the safety-catch, which
-he evidently remembered seeing Ken use.
-
-The jaguar, swimming with difficulty,
-perhaps badly wounded, made right for the boat.
-Pepe was standing on the seat. Awkwardly
-he aimed.
-
-*Boom*! He had pulled both triggers. The
-recoil knocked him backward. The hammerless
-fell in the boat, and Pepe's broad back hit
-the water; his bare, muscular legs clung to
-the gunwale, and slipped loose.
-
-He had missed the jaguar, for it kept on
-toward the boat. Still Ken dared not shoot.
-
-"George, what on earth is the matter with
-you?" shouted Ken.
-
-Then Ken saw him standing in the brush
-on the bank, fussing over the crazy .32. Of
-course at the critical moment something had
-gone wrong with the old rifle.
-
-Pepe's head bobbed up just on the other
-side of the boat. The jaguar was scarcely
-twenty feet distant and now in line with both
-boat and man. At that instant a heavy swirl
-in the water toward the middle of the river
-drew Ken's attention. He saw the big
-crocodile, and the great creature did not seem at
-all lazy at that moment.
-
-George began to scream in Spanish. Ken
-felt his hair stiffen and his face blanch. Pepe,
-who had been solely occupied with the
-jaguar, caught George's meaning and turned
-to see the peril in his rear.
-
-He bawled his familiar appeal to the saints.
-Then he grasped the gunwale of the boat
-just as it swung against the branches of the
-low-leaning tree. He vaulted rather than
-climbed aboard.
-
-Ken forgot that Pepe could understand
-little English, and he yelled: "Grab an oar,
-Pepe. Keep the jaguar in the water. Don't
-let him in the boat."
-
-But Pepe, even if he had understood, had
-a better idea. Nimble, he ran over the boat
-and grasped the branches of the tree just as
-the jaguar flopped paws and head over the
-stern gunwale.
-
-Ken had only a fleeting instant to get a
-bead on that yellow body, and before he could
-be sure of an aim the branch weighted with
-Pepe sank down to hide both boat and
-jaguar. The chill of fear for Pepe changed to
-hot rage at this new difficulty.
-
-Then George began to shoot.
-
-*Spang*!
-
-Ken heard the bullet hit the boat.
-
-"George--wait!" shouted Ken. "Don't
-shoot holes in the boat. You'll sink it."
-
-*Spang*! *Spang*! *Spang*! *Spang*!
-
-That was as much as George cared about
-such a possibility. He stood on the bank and
-worked the lever of his .32 with wild haste.
-Ken plainly heard the spat of the bullets, and
-the sound was that of lead in contact with
-wood. So he knew George was not hitting
-the jaguar.
-
-"You'll ruin the boat!" roared Ken.
-
-Pepe had worked up from the lower end
-of the branch, and as soon as he straddled
-it and hunched himself nearer shore the
-foliage rose out of the water, exposing the boat.
-George kept on shooting till his magazine was
-empty. Ken's position was too low for him
-to see the jaguar.
-
-Then the boat swung loose from the branch
-and, drifting down, gradually approached the
-shore.
-
-"Pull yourself together, George," called
-Ken. "Keep cool. Make sure of your aim.
-We've got him now."
-
-"He's mine! He's mine! He's mine!
-Don't you dare shoot!" howled George. "I
-got him!"
-
-"All right. But steady up, can't you?
-Hit him once, anyway."
-
-Apparently without aim George fired. Then,
-jerking the lever, he fired again. The boat
-drifted into overhanging vines. Once more
-Ken saw a yellow and black object, then a
-trembling trail of leaves.
-
-"He's coming out below you. Look out,"
-yelled Ken.
-
-George disappeared. Ken saw no sign of
-the jaguar and heard no shot or shout from
-George. Pepe dropped from his branch to
-the bank and caught the boat. Ken called,
-and while Pepe rowed over to the island, he
-got into some clothes fit to hunt in. Then
-they hurried back across the channel to the
-bank.
-
-Ken found the trail of the jaguar, followed
-it up to the edge of the brush, and lost it in
-the weedy flat. George came out of a patch
-of bamboos. He looked white and shaky
-and wild with disappointment.
-
-"Oh, I had a dandy shot as he came out,
-but the blamed gun jammed again. Come
-on, we'll get him. He's all shot up. I bet
-I hit him ten times. He won't get away."
-
-Ken finally got George back to camp. The
-boat was half full of water, making it necessary
-to pull it out on the bank and turn it over.
-There were ten bullet-holes in it.
-
-"George, you hit the boat, anyway," Ken
-said; "now we've a job on our hands."
-
-Hal came puffing into camp. He was red
-of face, and the sweat stood out on his
-forehead. He had a small animal of some kind
-in a sack, and his legs were wet to his knees.
-
-"What was--all the--pegging about?" he
-asked, breathlessly. "I expected to find camp
-surrounded by Indians."
-
-"Kid, it's been pretty hot round here for a
-little. George and Pepe rounded up a tiger.
-Tell us about it, George," said Ken.
-
-So while Ken began to whittle pegs to
-pound into the bullet-holes, George wiped his
-flushed, sweaty face and talked.
-
-"We were up there a piece, round the bend.
-I saw a black squirrel and went ashore to get
-him. But I couldn't find him, and in
-kicking round in the brush I came into a kind of
-trail or runway. Then I ran plumb into that
-darned jaguar. I was so scared I couldn't
-remember my gun. But the cat turned and
-ran. It was lucky he didn't make at me.
-When I saw him run I got back my courage.
-I called for Pepe to row down-stream and keep
-a lookout. Then I got into the flat. I must
-have come down a good ways before I saw
-him. I shot, and he dodged back into the
-brush again. I fired into the moving bushes
-where he was. And pretty soon I ventured
-to get in on the bank, where I had a better
-chance. I guess it was about that time that
-I heard you yell. Then it all happened.
-You hit him! Didn't you hear him scream?
-What a jump he made! If it hadn't been
-so terrible when your hammerless kicked
-Pepe overboard, I would have died laughing.
-Then I was paralyzed when the jaguar swam
-for the boat. He was hurt, for the water was
-bloody. Things came off quick, I tell you.
-Like a monkey Pepe scrambled into the tree.
-When I got my gun loaded the jaguar was
-crouched down in the bottom of the boat
-watching Pepe. Then I began to shoot. I
-can't realize he got away from us. What
-was the reason you didn't knock him?"
-
-"Well, you see, George, there were two
-good reasons," Ken replied. "The first was
-that at that time I was busy dodging bullets
-from your rifle. And the second was that you
-threatened my life if I killed your jaguar."
-
-"Did I get as nutty as that? But it was
-pretty warm there for a little.... Say, was
-he a big one? My eyes were so hazy I didn't
-see him clear."
-
-"He wasn't big, not half as big as the one
-I lost yesterday. Yours was a long, wiry
-beast, like a panther, and mean-looking."
-
-Pepe sat on the bank, and while he nursed
-his bruises he smoked. Once he made a
-speech that was untranslatable, but Hal gave
-it an interpretation which was probably near
-correct.
-
-"That's right, Pepe. Pretty punk
-tiger-hunters--mucho punk!"
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`WATCHING A RUNWAY`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XVIII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- WATCHING A RUNWAY
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-"I'll tell you what, fellows," said Hal. "I
-know where we *can* get a tiger."
-
-"We'll get one in the neck if we don't
-watch out," replied George.
-
-Ken thought that Hal looked very frank
-and earnest, and honest and eager, but there
-was never any telling about him.
-
-"Where?" he asked, skeptically.
-
-"Down along the river. You know I've
-been setting traps all along. There's a flat
-sand-bar for a good piece down. I came to
-a little gully full of big tracks, big as my
-two hands. And fresh!"
-
-"Honest Injun, kid?" queried Ken.
-
-"Hope to die if I'm lyin'," replied Hal.
-"I want to see somebody kill a tiger. Now
-let's go down there in the boat and wait for
-one to come to drink. There's a big log with
-driftwood lodged on it. We can hide
-behind that."
-
-"Great idea, Hal," said Ken. "We'd be
-pretty safe in the boat. I want to say that
-tigers have sort of got on my nerves. I ought
-to go over in the jungle to look for the one I
-crippled. He's dead by now. But the longer
-I put it off the harder it is to go. I'll back
-out yet.... Come, we'll have an early dinner.
-Then to watch for Hal's tiger."
-
-The sun had just set, and the hot breeze
-began to swirl up the river when Ken slid the
-boat into the water. He was pleased to
-find that it did not leak.
-
-"We'll take only two guns," said Ken,
-"my .351 and the hammerless, with some
-ball-cartridges. We want to be quiet to-night, and
-if you fellows take your guns you'll be pegging
-at ducks and things. That won't do."
-
-Pepe sat at the oars with instructions to
-row easily. George and Hal occupied the
-stern-seats, and Ken took his place in the bow,
-with both guns at hand.
-
-The hot wind roared in the cypresses, and
-the river whipped up little waves with white
-crests. Long streamers of gray moss waved
-out over the water and branches tossed and
-swayed. The blow did not last for many
-minutes. Trees and river once more grew
-quiet. And suddenly the heat was gone.
-
-As Pepe rowed on down the river, Cypress
-Island began to disappear round a bend, and
-presently was out of sight. Ducks were
-already in flight. They flew low over the boat,
-so low that Ken could almost have reached
-them with the barrel of his gun. The river here
-widened. It was full of huge snags. A high,
-wooded bluff shadowed the western shore. On
-the left, towering cypresses, all laced together
-in dense vine and moss webs, leaned out.
-
-Under Hal's direction Pepe rowed to a pile
-of driftwood, and here the boat was moored.
-The gully mentioned by Hal was some sixty
-yards distant. It opened like the mouth of
-a cave. Beyond the cypresses thick,
-intertwining bamboos covered it.
-
-"I wish we'd gone in to see the tracks,"
-said Ken. "But I'll take your word, Hal."
-
-"Oh, they're there, all right."
-
-"I don't doubt it. Looks great to me!
-That's a runway, Hal.... Now, boys, get a
-comfortable seat, and settle down to wait.
-Don't talk. Just listen and watch.
-Remember, soon we'll be out of the jungle,
-back home. So make hay while the sun
-shines. Watch and listen! Whoever sees
-or hears anything first is the best man."
-
-For once the boys were as obedient as
-lambs. But then, Ken thought, the surroundings
-were so beautiful and wild and silent that
-any boys would have been watchful.
-
-There was absolutely no sound but the
-intermittent whir of wings. The water-fowl
-flew by in companies--ducks, cranes, herons,
-snipe, and the great Muscovies. Ken never
-would have tired of that procession. It
-passed all too soon, and then only an
-occasional water-fowl swept swiftly by, as if
-belated.
-
-Slowly the wide river-lane shaded. But it
-was still daylight, and the bank and the
-runway were clearly distinguishable. There was
-a moment--Ken could not tell just how he
-knew--when the jungle awakened. It was not
-only the faint hum of insects; it was a sense
-as if life stirred with the coming of twilight.
-
-Pepe was the first to earn honors at the
-listening game. He held up a warning
-forefinger. Then he pointed under the bluff.
-Ken saw a doe stepping out of a fringe of
-willows.
-
-"Don't move--don't make a noise," whispered Ken.
-
-The doe shot up long ears and watched the
-boat. Then a little fawn trotted out and
-splashed in the water. Both deer drank,
-then seemed in no hurry to leave the river.
-
-Next moment Hal heard something downstream
-and George saw something up-stream.
-Pepe again whispered. As for Ken, he saw
-little dark shapes moving out of the shadow
-of the runway. He heard a faint trampling
-of hard little hoofs. But if these animals
-were *javelin*--of which he was sure--they did
-not come out into the open runway. Ken
-tried to catch Pepe's attention without
-making a noise; however, Pepe was absorbed in
-his side of the river. Ken then forgot he
-had companions. All along the shores were
-faint splashings and rustlings and crackings.
-
-A loud, trampling roar rose in the runway
-and seemed to move backward toward the
-jungle, diminishing in violence.
-
-"Pigs running--something scared 'em,"
-said George.
-
-"S-s-s-sh!" whispered Ken.
-
-All the sounds ceased. The jungle seemed
-to sleep in deep silence.
-
-Ken's eyes were glued to the light patch of
-sand-bank where it merged in the dark of the
-runway. Then Ken heard a sound--what, he
-could not have told. But it made his heart
-beat fast.
-
-There came a few pattering thuds, soft as
-velvet; and a shadow, paler than the dark
-background, moved out of the runway.
-
-With that a huge jaguar loped into the open.
-He did not look around. He took a long, easy
-bound down to the water and began to lap.
-
-Either Pepe or George jerked so violently
-as to make the boat lurch. They seemed to
-be stifling.
-
-"Oh, Ken, don't miss!" whispered Hal.
-
-Ken had the automatic over the log and in
-line. His teeth were shut tight, and he was
-cold and steady. He meant not to hurry.
-
-The jaguar was a heavy, squat, muscular
-figure, not graceful and beautiful like the one
-Ken had crippled. Suddenly he raised his
-head and looked about. He had caught a scent.
-
-It was then that Ken lowered the rifle till
-the sight covered the beast--lower yet to
-his huge paws, then still lower to the edge of
-the water. Ken meant to shoot low enough
-this time. Holding the rifle there, and
-holding it with all his strength, he pressed the
-trigger once--twice. The two shots rang out
-almost simultaneously. Ken expected to see
-this jaguar leap, but the beast crumpled up
-and sank in his tracks.
-
-Then the boys yelled, and Ken echoed
-them. Pepe was wildly excited, and began
-to fumble with the oars.
-
-"Wait! Wait, I tell you!" ordered Ken.
-
-"Oh, Ken, you pegged him!" cried Hal.
-"He doesn't move. Let's go ashore. What
-did I tell you? It took me to find the tiger."
-
-Ken watched with sharp eyes and held his
-rifle ready, but the huddled form on the sand
-never so much as twitched.
-
-"I guess I plugged him," said Ken, with
-unconscious pride.
-
-Pepe rowed the boat ashore, and when near
-the sand-bar he reached out with an oar to
-touch the jaguar. There was no doubt about
-his being dead. The boys leaped ashore and
-straightened out the beast. He was huge,
-dirty, spotted, bloody, and fiercely savage even
-in death. Ken's bullets had torn through the
-chest, making fearful wounds. Pepe jabbered,
-and the boys all talked at once. When it
-came to lifting the jaguar into the boat they
-had no slight task. The short, thick-set body
-was very heavy. But at last they loaded
-it in the bow, and Pepe rowed back to the
-island. It was still a harder task to get the
-jaguar up the high bank. Pepe kindled a fire
-so they would have plenty of light, and then
-they set to work at the skinning.
-
-What with enthusiasm over the stalk, and
-talk of the success of the trip, and compliments
-to Ken's shooting, and care of the skinning,
-the boys were three hours at the job. Ken,
-remembering Hiram Bent's teachings, skinned
-out the great claws himself. They salted the
-pelt and nailed it up on the big cypress.
-
-"You'd never have got one but for me,"
-said Hal. "That's how I pay you for the
-tricks you've played me!"
-
-"By George, Hal, it's a noble revenge!"
-cried Ken, who, in the warmth and glow of
-happiness of the time, quite believed his
-brother.
-
-Pepe went to bed first. George turned in
-next. Ken took a last look at the great pelt
-stretched on the cypress, and then he sought his
-blankets. Hal, however, remained up. Ken
-heard him pounding stakes in the ground.
-
-"Hal, what 're you doing?"
-
-"I'm settin' my trot-lines," replied Hal,
-cheerfully.
-
-"Well, come to bed."
-
-"Keep your shirt on, Ken, old boy. I'll
-be along presently."
-
-Ken fell asleep. He did not have peaceful
-slumbers. He had been too excited to rest
-well. He would wake up out of a nightmare,
-then go to sleep again. He seemed to
-wake suddenly out of one of these black spells,
-and he was conscious of pain. Something
-tugged at his leg.
-
-"What the dickens!" he said, and raised
-on his elbow. Hal was asleep between George
-and Pepe, who were snoring.
-
-Just then Ken felt a violent jerk. The
-blankets flew up at his feet, and his left leg
-went out across his brother's body. There was
-a string--a rope--something fast round his
-ankle, and it was pulling hard. It hurt.
-
-"Jiminy!" shouted Ken, reaching for his
-foot. But before he could reach it another
-tug, more violent, pulled his leg straight out.
-Ken began to slide.
-
-"What on earth?" yelled Ken. "Say!
-Something's got me!"
-
-The yells and Ken's rude exertions aroused
-the boys. And they were frightened. Ken
-got an arm around Hal and the other around
-George and held on for dear life. He was
-more frightened than they. Pepe leaped up,
-jabbering, and, tripping, he fell all in a heap.
-
-"Oh! my leg!" howled Ken. "It's being
-pulled off. Say, I can't be dreaming!"
-
-Most assuredly Ken was wide awake. The
-moonlight showed his bare leg sticking out
-and round his ankle a heavy trot-line. It was
-stretched tight. It ran down over the bank.
-And out there in the river a tremendous fish
-or a crocodile was surging about, making the
-water roar.
-
-Pepe was trying to loosen the line or break
-it. George, who was always stupid when first
-aroused, probably imagined he was being
-mauled by a jaguar, for he loudly bellowed.
-Ken had a strangle-hold on Hal.
-
-"Oh! *Oh*! *Oh-h-h*!" bawled Ken. Not
-only was he scared out of a year's growth;
-he was in terrible pain. Then his cries grew
-unintelligible. He was being dragged out of
-the tent. Still he clung desperately to the
-howling George and the fighting Hal.
-
-All at once something snapped. The
-tension relaxed. Ken fell back upon Hal.
-
-"Git off me, will you?" shouted Hal.
-"Are you c-c-cr-azy?"
-
-But Hal's voice had not the usual note
-when he was angry or impatient. He
-was laughing so he could not speak naturally.
-
-"Uh-huh!" said Ken, and sat up. "I guess
-here was where I got it. Is my leg broken?
-What came off?"
-
-Pepe was staggering about on the bank,
-going through strange motions. He had the
-line in his hands, and at the other end was
-a monster of some land threshing about in
-the water. It was moonlight and Ken could
-see plainly. Around the ankle that felt
-broken was a twisted loop of trot-line. Hal
-had baited a hook and slipped the end of
-the trot-line over Ken's foot. During the
-night the crocodile or an enormous fish had
-taken the bait. Then Ken had nearly been
-hauled off the island.
-
-Pepe was doing battle with the hooked
-thing, whatever it was, and Ken was about
-to go to his assistance when again the line
-broke.
-
-"Great! Hal, you have a nice disposition,"
-exclaimed Ken. "You have a wonderful
-affection for your brother. You care a lot
-about his legs or his life. Idiot! Can't you
-play a safe trick? If I hadn't grabbed you
-and George, I'd been pulled into the river.
-Eaten up, maybe! And my ankle is sprained.
-It won't be any good for a week. You are a
-bright boy!"
-
-And in spite of his laughter Hal began to
-look ashamed.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`ADVENTURES WITH CROCODILES`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XIX
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- ADVENTURES WITH CROCODILES
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-The rest of that night Ken had more dreams;
-and they were not pleasant. He awoke
-from one in a cold fright.
-
-It must have been late, for the moon was
-low. His ankle pained and throbbed, and to
-that he attributed his nightmare. He was
-falling asleep again when the clink of tin
-pans made him sit up with a start. Some
-animal was prowling about camp. He peered
-into the moonlit shadows, but could make
-out no unfamiliar object. Still he was not
-satisfied; so he awoke Pepe.
-
-Certainly it was not Ken's intention to let
-Pepe get out ahead; nevertheless he was lame
-and slow, and before he started Pepe rolled
-out of the tent.
-
-"Santa Maria!" shrieked Pepe.
-
-Ken fumbled under his pillow for a gun.
-Hal raised up so quickly that he bumped Ken's
-head, making him see a million stars. George
-rolled over, nearly knocking down the tent.
-
-From outside came a sliddery, rustling
-noise, then another yell that was deadened
-by a sounding splash. Ken leaped out with
-his gun, George at his elbow. Pepe stood
-just back of the tent, his arms upraised, and
-he appeared stunned. The water near the
-bank was boiling and bubbling; waves were
-dashing on the shore and ripples spreading
-in a circle.
-
-George shouted in Spanish.
-
-"Crocodile!" cried Ken.
-
-"Si, si, Señor," replied Pepe. Then he said
-that when he stepped out of the tent the
-crocodile was right in camp, not ten feet from
-where the boys lay. Pepe also said that
-these brutes were man-eaters, and that he had
-better watch for the rest of the night. Ken
-thought him, like all the natives, inclined
-to exaggerate; however, he made no objection
-to Pepe's holding watch over the crocodile.
-
-"What'd I tell you?" growled George.
-"Why didn't you let me shoot him? Let's
-go back to bed."
-
-In the morning when Ken got up he viewed
-his body with great curiosity. The ticks
-and the cigarette burns had left him a
-beautifully tattoed specimen of aborigine. His
-body, especially his arms, bore hundreds of
-little reddish scars--bites and burns
-together. There was not, however, any itching
-or irritation, for which he made sure he had
-to thank Pepe's skill and the *canya*.
-
-George did not get up when Ken called
-him. Thinking his sleep might have been
-broken, Ken let him alone a while longer, but
-when breakfast was smoking he gave him a
-prod. George rolled over, looking haggard
-and glum.
-
-"I'm sick," he said.
-
-Ken's cheerfulness left him, for he knew
-what sickness or injury did to a camping trip.
-George complained of aching bones, headache
-and cramps, and showed a tongue with a
-yellow coating. Ken said he had eaten too
-much fresh meat, but Pepe, after looking
-George over, called it a name that sounded
-like *calentura*.
-
-"What's that?" Ken inquired.
-
-"Tropic fever," replied George. "I've had
-it before."
-
-For a while he was a very sick boy. Ken
-had a little medicine-case, and from it he
-administered what he thought was best, and
-George grew easier presently. Then Ken sat
-down to deliberate on the situation.
-
-Whatever way he viewed it, he always came
-back to the same thing--they must get out
-of the jungle; and as they could not go back,
-they must go on down the river. That was a
-bad enough proposition without being
-hampered by a sick boy. It was then Ken had a
-subtle change of feeling; a shade of gloom
-seemed to pervade his spirit.
-
-By nine o'clock they were packed, and,
-turning into the shady channel, soon were out
-in the sunlight saying good-by to Cypress
-Island. At the moment Ken did not feel
-sorry to go, yet he knew that feeling would
-come by and by, and that Cypress Island
-would take its place in his memory as one
-more haunting, calling wild place.
-
-They turned a curve to run under a rocky
-bluff from which came a muffled roar of rapids.
-A long, projecting point of rock extended across
-the river, allowing the water to rush through
-only at a narrow mill-race channel close to
-the shore. It was an obstacle to get around.
-There was no possibility of lifting the boat
-over the bridge of rock, and the alternative
-was shooting the channel. Ken got out
-upon the rocks, only to find that drifting the
-boat round the sharp point was out of the
-question, owing to a dangerously swift
-current. Ken tried the depth of the
-water--about four feet. Then he dragged the boat
-back a little distance and stepped into the river.
-
-"Look! Look!" cried Pepe, pointing to the bank.
-
-About ten yards away was a bare shelf of
-mud glistening with water and showing the
-deep tracks of a crocodile. It was a slide,
-and manifestly had just been vacated. The
-crocodile-tracks resembled the imprints of a
-giant's hand.
-
-"Come out!" yelled George, and Pepe
-jabbered to his saints.
-
-"We've got to go down this river," Ken
-replied, and he kept on wading till he got the
-boat in the current. He was frightened, of
-course, but he kept on despite that. The
-boat lurched into the channel, stern first, and
-he leaped up on the bow. It shot down with
-the speed of a toboggan, and the boat whirled
-before he could scramble to the oars. What
-was worse, an overhanging tree with dead
-snags left scarce room to pass beneath. Ken
-ducked to prevent being swept overboard,
-and one of the snags that brushed and scraped
-him ran under his belt and lifted him into the
-air. He grasped at the first thing he could
-lay hands on, which happened to be a box,
-but he could not hold to it because the boat
-threatened to go on, leaving him kicking in
-midair and holding up a box of potatoes. Ken
-clutched a gunwale, only to see the water
-swell dangerously over the edge. In angry
-helplessness he loosened his hold. Then the
-snag broke, just in the nick of time, for in
-a second more the boat would have been
-swept away. Ken fell across the bow, held
-on, and soon drifted from under the threshing
-branches, and seized the oars.
-
-Pepe and George and Hal walked round the
-ledge and, even when they reached Ken,
-had not stopped laughing.
-
-"Boys, it wasn't funny," declared Ken, soberly.
-
-"I said it was coming to us," replied George.
-
-There were rapids below, and Ken went at
-them with stern eyes and set lips. It was the
-look of men who face obstacles in getting out
-of the wilderness. More than one high wave
-circled spitefully round Pepe's broad shoulders.
-
-They came to a fall where the river dropped
-a few feet straight down. Ken sent the boys
-below. Hal and George made a detour. But
-Pepe jumped off the ledge into shallow water.
-
-"*Ah-h!*" yelled Pepe.
-
-Ken was becoming accustomed to Pepe's
-wild yell, but there was a note in this which
-sent a shiver over him. Before looking, Ken
-snatched his rifle from the boat.
-
-Pepe appeared to be sailing out into the
-pool. But his feet were not moving.
-
-Ken had only an instant, but in that he saw
-under Pepe a long, yellow, swimming shape,
-leaving a wake in the water. Pepe had
-jumped upon the back of a crocodile. He
-seemed paralyzed, or else he was wisely
-trusting himself there rather than in the water.
-Ken was too shocked to offer advice. Indeed,
-he would not have known how to meet this
-situation.
-
-Suddenly Pepe leaped for a dry stone, and
-the energy of his leap carried him into the
-river beyond. Like a flash he was out again,
-spouting water.
-
-Ken turned loose the automatic on the
-crocodile and shot a magazine of shells. The
-crocodile made a tremendous surge, churning
-up a slimy foam, then vanished in a pool.
-
-"Guess this 'll be crocodile day," said
-Ken, changing the clip in his rifle. "I'll bet
-I made a hole in that one. Boys, look out
-below."
-
-Ken shoved the boat over the ledge in line
-with Pepe, and it floated to him, while Ken
-picked his way round the rocky shore. The
-boys piled aboard again. The day began to
-get hot. Ken cautioned the boys to avoid
-wading, if possible, and to be extremely
-careful where they stepped. Pepe pointed now
-and then to huge bubbles breaking on the
-surface of the water and said they were made
-by crocodiles.
-
-From then on Ken's hands were full. He
-struck swift water, where rapid after rapid,
-fall on fall, took the boat downhill at a rate to
-afford him satisfaction. The current had a
-five or six mile speed, and, as Ken had no
-portages to make and the corrugated rapids of big
-waves gave him speed, he made by far the best
-time of the voyage.
-
-The hot hours passed--cool for the boys
-because they were always wet. The sun sank
-behind a hill. The wind ceased to whip the
-streamers of moss. At last, in a gathering
-twilight, Ken halted at a wide, flat rock to
-make camp.
-
-"Forty miles to-day if we made an inch!"
-exclaimed Ken.
-
-The boys said more.
-
-They built a fire, cooked supper, and then,
-weary and silent, Hal and George and Pepe
-rolled into their blankets. But Ken doggedly
-worked an hour at his map and notes. That
-hard forty miles meant a long way toward
-the success of his trip.
-
-Next morning the mists had not lifted from
-the river when they shoved off, determined to
-beat the record of yesterday. Difficulties beset
-them from the start--the highest waterfall of
-the trip, a leak in the boat, deep, short rapids,
-narrows with choppy waves, and a whirlpool
-where they turned round and round, unable
-to row out. Nor did they get free till Pepe
-lassoed a snag and pulled them out.
-
-About noon they came to another narrow
-chute brawling down into a deep, foamy pool.
-Again Ken sent the boys around, and he backed
-the boat into the chute; and just as the
-current caught it he leaped aboard. He was
-either tired or careless, for he drifted too close
-to a half-submerged rock, and, try as he
-might, at the last moment he could not avoid
-a collision.
-
-As the stern went hard on the rock Ken
-expected to break something, but was
-surprised at the soft thud with which he struck.
-It flashed into his mind that the rock was
-moss-covered.
-
-Quick as the thought there came a rumble
-under the boat, the stern heaved up, there
-was a great sheet-like splash, and then a blow
-that splintered the gunwale. Then the boat
-shunted off, affording the astounded Ken a
-good view of a very angry crocodile. He had
-been sleeping on the rock.
-
-The boys were yelling and crowding down
-to the shore where Ken was drifting in.
-Pepe waded in to catch the boat.
-
-"What was it hit you, Ken?" asked Hal.
-
-"Mucho malo," cried Pepe.
-
-"The boat's half full of water--the
-gunwale's all split!" ejaculated George.
-
-"Only an accident of river travel," replied
-Ken, with mock nonchalance. "Say, Garrapato,
-*when*, about *when* is it coming to me?"
-
-"Well, if he didn't get slammed by a
-crocodile!" continued George.
-
-They unloaded, turned out the water,
-broke up a box to use for repairs, and mended
-the damaged gunwale--work that lost more
-than a good hour. Once again under way,
-Ken made some interesting observations. The
-river ceased to stand on end in places;
-crocodiles slipped off every muddy promontory,
-and wide trails ridged the steep clay-banks.
-
-"Cattle-trails, Pepe says," said George.
-"Wild cattle roam all through the jungle along
-the Panuco."
-
-It was a well-known fact that the
-rancheros of Tamaulipas State had no idea how
-many cattle they owned. Ken was so eager
-to see if Pepe had been correct that he went
-ashore, to find the trails were, indeed, those of
-cattle.
-
-"Then, Pepe, we must be somewhere near
-the Panuco River," he said.
-
-"Quien sabe?" rejoined he, quietly.
-
-When they rounded the curve they came
-upon a herd of cattle that clattered up the
-bank, raising a cloud of dust.
-
-"Wilder than deer!" Ken exclaimed.
-
-From that point conditions along the river
-changed. The banks were no longer green; the
-beautiful cypresses gave place to other trees,
-as huge, as moss-wound, but more rugged
-and of gaunt outline; the flowers and vines
-and shady nooks disappeared. Everywhere
-wide-horned steers and cows plunged up the
-banks. Everywhere buzzards rose from
-gruesome feasts. The shore was lined with dead
-cattle, and the stench of putrefying flesh was
-almost unbearable. They passed cattle mired
-in the mud, being slowly tortured to death
-by flies and hunger; they passed cattle that
-had slipped off steep banks and could not get
-back and were bellowing dismally; and also
-strangely acting cattle that Pepe said had
-gone crazy from ticks in their ears. Ken
-would have put these miserable beasts out of
-their misery had not George restrained him
-with a few words about Mexican law.
-
-A sense of sickness came to Ken, and though
-he drove the feeling from him, it continually
-returned. George and Hal lay flat on the
-canvas, shaded with a couple of palm leaves;
-Pepe rowed on and on, growing more and more
-serious and quiet. His quick, responsive smile
-was wanting now.
-
-By way of diversion, and also in the hope
-of securing a specimen, Ken began to shoot
-at the crocodiles. George came out of his
-lethargy and took up his rifle. He would
-have had to be ill indeed, to forswear any
-possible shooting; and, now that Ken had
-removed the bar, he forgot he had fever.
-Every hundred yards or so they would come
-upon a crocodile measuring somewhere from
-about six feet upward, and occasionally they
-would see a great yellow one, as large as a
-log. Seldom did they get within good range
-of these huge fellows, and shooting from a
-moving boat was not easy. The smaller
-ones, however, allowed the boat to approach
-quite close. George bounced many a .32
-bullet off the bank, but he never hit a
-crocodile. Ken allowed him to have the shots for
-the fun of it, and, besides, he was watching
-for a big one.
-
-"George, that rifle of yours is leaded. It
-doesn't shoot where you aim."
-
-When they got unusually close to a small
-crocodile George verified Ken's statement by
-missing his game some yards. He promptly
-threw the worn-out rifle overboard, an act
-that caused Pepe much concern.
-
-Whereupon Ken proceeded to try his luck.
-Instructing Pepe to row about in the middle
-of the stream, he kept eye on one shore while
-George watched the other. He shot half a
-dozen small crocodiles, but they slipped off
-the bank before Pepe could get ashore. This
-did not appear to be the fault of the rifle, for
-some of the reptiles were shot almost in two
-pieces. But Ken had yet to learn more about
-the tenacity of life of these water-brutes.
-Several held still long enough for Ken to shoot
-them through, then with a plunge they went
-into the water, sinking at once in a bloody
-foam. He knew he had shot them through,
-for he saw large holes in the mud-banks
-lined with bits of bloody skin and bone.
-
-"There's one," said George, pointing. "Let's
-get closer, so we can grab him. He's got
-a good piece to go before he reaches the
-water."
-
-Pepe rowed slowly along, guiding the boat
-a little nearer the shore. At forty feet the
-crocodile raised up, standing on short legs,
-so that all but his tail was free of the ground.
-He opened his huge jaws either in astonishment
-or to intimidate them, and then Ken
-shot him straight down the throat. He
-flopped convulsively and started to slide and
-roll. When he reached the water he turned
-over on his back, with his feet sticking up,
-resembling a huge frog. Pepe rowed hard to
-the shore, just as the crocodile with one last
-convulsion rolled off into deeper water. Ken
-reached over, grasped his foot, and was
-drawing it up when a sight of cold, glassy eyes
-and open-fanged jaws made him let go.
-Then the crocodile sank in water where Pepe
-could not touch bottom with an oar.
-
-"Let's get one if it takes a week," declared
-George. The lad might be sick, but there was
-nothing wrong with his spirit. "Look there!"
-he exclaimed. "Oh, I guess it's a log. Too big!"
-
-They had been unable to tell the difference
-between a crocodile and a log of driftwood
-until it was too late. In this instance a
-long, dirty-gray object lay upon a low bank.
-Despite its immense size, which certainly
-made the chances in favor of its being a log,
-Ken determined this time to be fooled on the
-right side. He had seen a dozen logs--as he
-thought--suddenly become animated and slip
-into the river.
-
-"Hold steady, Pepe. I'll take a crack at
-that just for luck."
-
-The distance was about a hundred yards,
-a fine range for the little rifle. Resting on
-his knee, he sighted low, under the gray
-object, and pulled the trigger twice. There were
-two spats so close together as to be barely
-distinguishable. The log of driftwood leaped
-into life.
-
-"Whoop!" shouted Hal.
-
-"It's a crocodile!" yelled George. "You
-hit--you hit! Will you listen to that?"
-
-"Row hard, Pepe--pull!"
-
-He bent to the oars, and the boat flew shoreward.
-
-The huge crocodile, opening yard-long jaws,
-snapped them shut with loud cracks. Then
-he beat the bank with his tail. It was as
-limber as a willow, but he seemed unable to
-move his central parts, his thick bulk, where
-Ken had sent the two mushroom bullets.
-*Whack*! *Whack*! *Whack*! The sodden blows
-jarred pieces from the clay-bank above him.
-Each blow was powerful enough to have staved
-in the planking of a ship. All at once he
-lunged upward and, falling over backward,
-slid down his runway into a few inches of
-water, where he stuck.
-
-"Go in above him, Pepe," Ken shouted.
-"Here-- Heavens! What a monster!"
-
-Deliberately, at scarce twenty feet, Ken
-shot the remaining four shells into the
-crocodile. The bullets tore through his horny
-hide, and blood and muddy water spouted up.
-George and Pepe and Hal yelled, and Ken
-kept time with them. The terrible lashing
-tail swung back and forth almost too swiftly
-for the eye to catch. A deluge of mud and
-water descended upon the boys, bespattering,
-blinding them and weighing down the boat.
-They jumped out upon the bank to escape it.
-They ran to and fro in aimless excitement.
-Ken still clutched the rifle, but he had no
-shells for it. George was absurd enough to
-fling a stone into the blood-tinged cloud of
-muddy froth and spray that hid the threshing
-leviathan. Presently the commotion subsided
-enough for them to see the great crocodile
-lying half on his back, with belly all torn
-and bloody and huge claw-like hands pawing
-the air. He was edging, slipping off into
-deeper water.
-
-"He'll get away--he'll get away!" cried
-Hal. "What 'll we do?"
-
-Ken racked his brains.
-
-"Pepe, get your lasso--rope him--rope
-him! Hurry! he's slipping!" yelled George.
-
-Pepe snatched up his lariat, and, without
-waiting to coil it, cast the loop. He caught
-one of the flippers and hauled tight on it just as
-the crocodile slipped out of sight off the muddy
-ledge. The others ran to the boat, and,
-grasping hold of the lasso with Pepe, squared
-away and began to pull. Plain it was that
-the crocodile was not coming up so easily.
-They could not budge him.
-
-"Hang on, boys!" Ken shouted. "It's a
-tug-of-war."
-
-The lasso was suddenly jerked out with a
-kind of twang. Crash! went Pepe and Hal
-into the bottom of the boat. Ken went
-sprawling into the mud, and George, who had
-the last hold, went to his knees, but valiantly
-clung to the slipping rope. Bounding up,
-Ken grasped it from him and wound it round
-the sharp nose of the bowsprit.
-
-"Get in--hustle!" he called, falling aboard.
-"You're always saying it's coming to us.
-Here's where!"
-
-George had hardly got into the boat when
-the crocodile pulled it off shore, and away it
-went, sailing down-stream.
-
-"Whoop! All aboard for Panuco!" yelled Hal.
-
-"Now, Pepe, you don't need to row any
-more--we've a water-horse," Ken added.
-
-But Pepe did not enter into the spirit of
-the occasion. He kept calling on the saints
-and crying, "Mucho malo." George and Ken
-and Hal, however, were hilarious. They had
-not yet had experience enough to know crocodiles.
-
-Faster and faster they went. The water
-began to surge away from the bow and leave
-a gurgling wake behind the stern. Soon the
-boat reached the middle of the river where the
-water was deepest, and the lasso went almost
-straight down.
-
-Ken felt the stern of the boat gradually
-lifted, and then, in alarm, he saw the front
-end sinking in the water. The crocodile was
-hauling the bow under.
-
-"Pepe--your machete--cut the lasso!" he
-ordered, sharply. George had to repeat the
-order.
-
-Wildly Pepe searched under the seat and
-along the gunwales. He could not find the
-*machete*.
-
-"Cut the rope!" Ken thundered. "Use
-a knife, the ax--anything--only cut
-it--and cut it quick!"
-
-Pepe could find nothing. Knife in hand,
-Ken leaped over his head, sprawled headlong
-over the trunk, and slashed the taut lasso
-just as the water began to roar into the
-boat. The bow bobbed up as a cork that had
-been under. But the boat had shipped six
-inches of water.
-
-.. _`KNIFE IN HAND, KEN LEAPED OVER HIS HEAD AND SLASHED THE TAUT LASSO`:
-
-.. figure:: images/img-242.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: KNIFE IN HAND, KEN LEAPED OVER HIS HEAD AND SLASHED THE TAUT LASSO
-
- KNIFE IN HAND, KEN LEAPED OVER HIS HEAD AND SLASHED THE TAUT LASSO
-
-"Row ashore, Pepe. Steady, there. Trim
-the boat, George."
-
-They beached at a hard clay-bank and
-rested a little before unloading to turn out the
-water.
-
-"Grande!" observed Pepe.
-
-"Yes; he was big," assented George.
-
-"I wonder what's going to happen to us
-next," added Hal.
-
-Ken Ward looked at these companions of
-his and he laughed outright. "Well, if you
-all don't take the cake for nerve!"
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`TREED BY WILD PIGS`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XX
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- TREED BY WILD PIGS
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Pepe's long years of *mozo* work, rowing
-for tarpon fishermen, now stood the boys
-in good stead. All the hot hours of the day
-he bent steadily to the oars. Occasionally
-they came to rifts, but these were not difficult
-to pass, being mere swift, shallow channels
-over sandy bottom. The rocks and the rapids
-were things of the past.
-
-George lay in a kind of stupor, and Hal
-lolled in his seat. Ken, however, kept alert,
-and as the afternoon wore on began to be
-annoyed at the scarcity of camp-sites.
-
-The muddy margins of the river, the steep
-banks, and the tick-infested forests offered few
-places where it was possible to rest, to say
-nothing of sleep. Every turn in the widening
-river gave Ken hope, which resulted in
-disappointment. He found consolation,
-however, in the fact that every turn and every
-hour put him so much farther on the way.
-
-About five o'clock Ken had unexpected
-good luck in shape of a small sand-bar cut
-off from the mainland, and therefore free of
-cattle-tracks. It was clean and dry, with a
-pile of driftwood at one end.
-
-"Tumble out, boys," called Ken, as Pepe
-beached the boat. "We'll pitch camp here."
-
-Neither Hal nor George showed any alacrity.
-Ken watched his brother; he feared to see
-some of the symptoms of George's sickness.
-Both lads, however, seemed cheerful, though
-too tired to be of much use in the pitching of
-camp.
-
-Ken could not recover his former good
-spirits. There was a sense of foreboding in
-his mind that all was not well, that he must
-hurry, hurry. And although George appeared
-to be holding his own, Hal healthy enough,
-and Pepe's brooding quiet at least no worse,
-Ken could not rid himself of gloom. If he
-had answered the question that knocked at
-his mind he would have admitted a certainty
-of disaster. So he kept active, and when
-there were no more tasks for that day he
-worked on his note-book, and then watched
-the flight of wild fowl.
-
-The farther down the river the boys
-traveled the more numerous were the herons
-and cranes and ducks. But they saw no more
-of the beautiful *pato real*, as Pepe called them,
-or the little russet-colored ducks, or the
-dismal-voiced bitterns. On the other hand, wild
-geese were common, and there were flocks
-and flocks of teal and canvasbacks.
-
-Pepe, as usual, cooked duck. And he had
-to eat it. George had lost his appetite
-altogether. Hal had lost his taste for meat,
-at least. And Ken made a frugal meal of rice.
-
-"Boys," he said, "the less you eat from now
-on the better for you."
-
-It took resolution to drink the cocoa, for
-Ken could not shut out remembrance of the
-green water and the shore-line of dead and
-decaying cattle. Still, he was parched with
-thirst; he had to drink. That night he slept
-ten hours without turning over. Next
-morning he had to shake Pepe to rouse him.
-
-Ken took turns at the oars with Pepe.
-It was not only that he fancied Pepe was
-weakening and in need of an occasional rest,
-but the fact that he wanted to be occupied,
-and especially to keep in good condition.
-They made thirty miles by four o'clock, and
-most of it against a breeze. Not in the whole
-distance did they pass half a dozen places
-fit for a camp. Toward evening the river
-narrowed again, resembling somewhat the
-Santa Rosa of earlier acquaintance. The
-magnificent dark forests crowded high on
-the banks, always screened and curtained by
-gray moss, as if to keep their secrets.
-
-The sun was just tipping with gold the
-mossy crests of a grove of giant ceibas, when
-the boys rounded a bend to come upon the
-first ledge of rocks for two days. A low,
-grassy promontory invited the eyes searching
-for camping-ground. This spot appeared
-ideal; it certainly was beautiful. The ledge
-jutted into the river almost to the opposite
-shore, forcing the water to rush through a
-rocky trough into a great foam-spotted pool
-below.
-
-They could not pitch the tent, since the
-stony ground would not admit stakes, so
-they laid the canvas flat. Pepe went up
-the bank with his *machete* in search of
-firewood. To Ken's utmost delight he found a
-little spring of sweet water trickling from the
-ledge, and by digging a hole was enabled to
-get a drink, the first one in more than a week.
-
-A little later, as he was spreading the
-blankets, George called his attention to shouts
-up in the woods.
-
-"Pepe's treed something," Ken said. "Take
-your gun and hunt him up."
-
-Ken went on making a bed and busying
-himself about camp, with little heed to
-George's departure. Presently, however, he
-was startled by unmistakable sounds of alarm.
-George and Pepe were yelling in unison, and,
-from the sound, appeared to be quite a
-distance away.
-
-"What the deuce!" Ken ejaculated, snatching
-up his rifle. He snapped a clip in the
-magazine and dropped several loaded clips
-and a box of extra shells into his coat pocket.
-After his adventure with the jaguar he decided
-never again to find himself short of ammunition.
-Running up the sloping bank, he entered
-the forest, shouting for his companions.
-Answering cries came from in front and a little
-to the left. He could not make out what was
-said.
-
-Save for drooping moss the forest was
-comparatively open, and at a hundred paces
-from the river-bank were glades covered with
-thickets and long grass and short palm-trees.
-The ground sloped upward quite perceptibly.
-
-"Hey, boys, where are you?" called Ken.
-
-Pepe's shrill yells mingled with George's
-shouts. At first their meaning was
-unintelligible, but after calling twice Ken
-understood.
-
-"Javelin! Go back! Javelin! We're treed!
-Wild pigs! Santa Maria! Run for your life!"
-
-This was certainly enlightening and rather
-embarrassing. Ken remembered the other
-time the boys had made him run, and he grew
-hot with anger.
-
-"I'll be blessed if I'll run!" he said, in the
-pride of conceit and wounded vanity. Whereupon
-he began to climb the slope, stopping
-every few steps to listen and look. Ken
-wondered what had made Pepe go so far for
-fire-wood; still, there was nothing but green
-wood all about. Walking round a clump of
-seared and yellow palms that rustled in the
-breeze, Ken suddenly espied George's white
-shirt. He was in a scrubby sapling not
-fifteen feet from the ground. Then Ken
-espied Pepe, perched in the forks of a ceiba,
-high above the thickets and low shrubbery.
-Ken was scarcely more than a dozen rods from
-them down the gradual slope. Both saw him
-at once.
-
-"Run, you Indian! Run!" bawled George,
-waving his hands.
-
-George implored Ken to fly to save his
-precious life.
-
-"What for? you fools! I don't see anything
-to run from," Ken shouted back. His temper
-had soured a little during the last few days.
-
-"You'd better run, or you'll have to climb,"
-replied George. "Wild pigs--a thousand of 'em!"
-
-"Where?"
-
-"Right under us. There! Oh, if they
-see you! Listen to this." He broke off a
-branch, trimmed it of leaves, and flung it
-down. Ken heard a low, trampling roar of
-many hard little feet, brushings in the thicket,
-and cracking of twigs. As close as he was,
-however, he could not see a moving object.
-The dead grass and brush were several feet
-high, up to his waist in spots, and, though he
-changed position several times, no *javelin*
-did he see.
-
-"You want to look out. Say, man, these
-are wild pigs--boars, I tell you! They'll
-kill you!" bellowed George.
-
-"Are you going to stay up there all night?"
-Ken asked, sarcastically.
-
-"We'll stay till they go away."
-
-"All right, I'll scare them away," Ken
-replied, and, suiting action to word, he worked
-the automatic as fast as it would shoot,
-aiming into the thicket under George.
-
-Of all the foolish things a nettled hunter
-ever did that was the worst. A roar answered
-the echoes of the rifle, and the roar rose from
-every side of the trees the victims were in.
-Nervously Ken clamped a fresh clip of shells
-into the rifle. Clouds of dust arose, and
-strange little squeals and grunts seemed to
-come from every quarter. Then the grass
-and bushes were suddenly torn apart by swift
-gray forms with glittering eyes. They were
-everywhere.
-
-"*Run*! *Run*!" shrieked George, high above
-the tumult.
-
-For a thrilling instant Ken stood his ground
-and fired at the bobbing gray backs. But
-every break made in the ranks by the powerful
-shells filled in a flash. Before that vicious
-charge he wavered, then ran as if pursued by
-demons.
-
-The way was downhill. Ken tripped, fell,
-rolled over and over, then, still clutching
-the rifle, rose with a bound and fled. The
-javelin had gained. They were at his heels.
-He ran like a deer. Then, seeing a low branch,
-he leaped for it, grasped it with one hand, and,
-crooking an elbow round it, swung with the
-old giant swing.
-
-Before Ken knew how it had happened he
-was astride a dangerously swaying branch
-directly over a troop of brownish-gray,
-sharp-snouted, fiendish-eyed little peccaries.
-
-Some were young and sleek, others were
-old and rough; some had little yellow teeth or
-tusks, and all pointed their sharp noses
-upward, as if expecting him to fall into their
-very mouths. Feeling safe, once more Ken
-loaded the rifle and began to kill the biggest,
-most vicious *javelin*. When he had killed
-twelve in twelve shots, he saw that shooting a
-few would be of no avail. There were
-hundreds, it seemed, and he had scarcely fifty
-shells left. Moreover, the rifle-barrel grew so
-hot that it burnt his hands. Hearing George's
-yell, he replied, somewhat to his disgust:
-
-"I'm all right, George--only treed. How 're you?"
-
-"Pigs all gone--they chased you--Pepe
-thinks we can risk running."
-
-"Don't take any chances," Ken yelled, in answer.
-
-"Hi! Hi! What's wrong with you gazabos?"
-came Hal's yell from down the slope.
-
-"Go back to the boat," shouted Ken.
-
-"What for?"
-
-"We're all treed by javelin--wild pigs."
-
-"I've got to see that," was Hal's reply.
-
-Ken called a sharp, angry order for Hal
-to keep away. But Hal did not obey. Ken
-heard him coming, and presently saw him
-enter one of the little glades. He had Ken's
-shotgun, and was peering cautiously about.
-
-"Ken, where are you?"
-
-"Here! Didn't I tell you to keep away?
-The pigs heard you--some of them are edging
-out there. Look out! Run, kid, run!"
-
-A troop of *javelin* flashed into the glade.
-Hal saw them and raised the shotgun.
-
-*Boom*! He shot both barrels.
-
-The shot tore through the brush all around
-Ken, but fortunately beneath him. Neither
-the noise nor the lead stopped the pugnacious
-little peccaries.
-
-Hal dropped Ken's hammerless and fled.
-
-"Run faster!" yelled George, who evidently
-enjoyed Hal's plight. "They'll get you!
-Run hard!"
-
-The lad was running close to the record
-when he disappeared.
-
-In trying to find a more comfortable posture,
-so he could apply himself to an interesting
-study of his captors, Ken made the startling
-discovery that the branch which upheld him
-was splitting from the tree-trunk. His heart
-began to pound in his breast; then it went
-up into his throat. Every move he made--for
-he had started to edge toward the
-tree--widened the little white split.
-
-"Boys, my branch is breaking!" he called,
-piercingly.
-
-"Can't you get another?" returned George.
-
-"No; I daren't move! Hurry, boys! If
-you don't scare these brutes off I'm a goner!"
-
-Ken's eyes were riveted upon the gap
-where the branch was slowly separating from
-the tree-trunk. He glanced about to see if
-he could not leap to another branch. There
-was nothing near that would hold him. In
-desperation he resolved to drop the rifle,
-cautiously get to his feet upon the branch, and
-with one spring try to reach the tree. When
-about to act upon this last chance he heard
-Pepe's shrill yell and a crashing in the brush.
-Then followed the unmistakable roar and
-crackling of fire. Pepe had fired the
-brush--no, he was making his way toward Ken, armed
-with a huge torch.
-
-"Pepe, you'll fire the jungle!" cried Ken,
-forgetting what was at stake and that Pepe
-could not understand much English. But
-Ken had been in one forest-fire and
-remembered it with horror.
-
-The *javelin* stirred uneasily, and ran around
-under Ken, tumbling over one another.
-
-When Pepe burst through the brush,
-holding before him long-stemmed palm leaves
-flaring in hissing flames, the whole pack of
-pigs bowled away into the forest at breakneck
-speed.
-
-Ken leaped down, and the branch came with
-him. George came running up, his face white,
-his eyes big. Behind him rose a roar that Ken
-thought might be another drove of pigs till
-he saw smoke and flame.
-
-"Boys, the jungle's on fire. Run for the river!"
-
-In their hurry they miscalculated the
-location of camp and dashed out of the jungle
-over a steep bank, and they all had a tumble.
-It was necessary to wade to reach the rocky
-ledge.
-
-Ken shook hands with Pepe.
-
-"George, tell him that was a nervy thing
-to do. He saved my life, I do believe."
-
-"You fellows did a lot of hollering," said
-Hal, from his perch in the boat.
-
-"Say, young man, you've got to go back
-after my gun. Why didn't you do what
-I told you? Foolish, to run into danger that
-way!" declared Ken, severely.
-
-"You don't suppose I was going to overlook
-a chance to see Ken Ward treed, do you?"
-
-"Well, you saw him, and that was no joke.
-But I wish Pepe could have scared those pigs
-off without firing the jungle."
-
-"Pepe says it 'll give the ticks a good
-roasting," said George.
-
-"We'll have roast pig, anyway," added Ken.
-
-He kept watching the jungle back of the
-camp as if he expected it to blow up like
-a powder-mine. But this Tamaulipas jungle
-was not Penetier Forest. A cloud of smoke
-rolled up; there was a frequent roaring of dry
-palms; but the green growths did not burn.
-It was not much of a forest-fire, and Ken
-concluded that it would soon burn out.
-
-So he took advantage of the waning
-daylight to spread out his map and plot in the
-day's travel. This time Hal watched him
-with a quiet attention that was both
-flattering and stimulating; and at the conclusion
-of the task he said:
-
-"Well, Ken, we're having sport, but we're
-doing something more--something worth while."
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`THE LEAPING TARPON`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XXI
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- THE LEAPING TARPON
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Just before dark, when the boys were at
-supper, a swarm of black mosquitoes
-swooped down upon camp.
-
-Pepe could not have shown more fear at
-angry snakes, and he began to pile green
-wood and leaves on the fire to make a heavy
-smoke.
-
-These mosquitoes were very large, black-bodied,
-with white-barred wings. Their bite
-was as painful as the sting of a bee. After
-threshing about until tired out the boys went
-to bed. But it was only to get up again, for
-the mosquitoes could bite through two
-thicknesses of blanket.
-
-For a wonder every one was quiet. Even
-George did not grumble. The only thing to
-do was to sit or stand in the smoke of the
-campfire. The boys wore their gloves and wrapped
-blankets round heads and shoulders. They
-crouched over the fire until tired of that
-position, then stood up till they could stand
-no longer. It was a wretched, sleepless night
-with the bloodthirsty mosquitoes humming
-about like a swarm of bees. They did not
-go away until dawn.
-
-"That's what I get for losing the mosquito-netting,"
-said Ken, wearily.
-
-Breakfast was not a cheerful meal, despite
-the fact that the boys all tried to brace up.
-
-George's condition showed Ken the necessity
-for renewed efforts to get out of the jungle.
-Pepe appeared heavy and slow, and, what was
-more alarming, he had lost his appetite. Hal
-was cross, but seemed to keep well. It was
-hard enough for Ken to persuade George and
-Pepe to take the bitter doses of quinine, and
-Hal positively refused.
-
-"It makes me sick, I tell you," said Hal,
-impatiently.
-
-"But Hal, you ought to be guided by my
-judgment now," replied Ken, gently.
-
-"I don't care. I've had enough of bitter pills."
-
-"I ask you--as a favor?" persisted Ken, quietly.
-
-"No!"
-
-"Well, then, I'll have to make you take them."
-
-"Wha-at?" roared Hal.
-
-"If necessary, I'll throw you down and pry
-open your mouth and get Pepe to stuff these
-pills down your throat. There!" went on
-Ken, and now he did not recognize his own
-voice.
-
-Hal looked quickly at his brother, and was
-amazed and all at once shaken.
-
-"Why, Ken--" he faltered.
-
-"I ought to have made you take them
-before," interrupted Ken. "But I've been
-too easy. Now, Hal, listen--and you, too,
-George. I've made a bad mess of this trip.
-I got you into this jungle, and I ought to have
-taken better care of you, whether you would
-or not. George has fever. Pepe is getting
-it. I'm afraid you won't escape. You all
-*would* drink unboiled water."
-
-"Ken, that's all right, but you can get
-fever from the bites of the ticks," said George.
-
-"I dare say. But just the same you could
-have been careful about the water. Not only
-that--look how careless we have been. Think
-of the things that have happened! We've
-gotten almost wild on this trip. We don't
-realize. But wait till we get home. Then
-we'll hardly be able to believe we ever had
-these adventures. But our foolishness, our
-carelessness, must stop right here. If we can't
-profit by our lucky escapes yesterday--from
-that lassoed crocodile and the wild pigs--we
-are simply no good. I love fun and sport.
-But there's a limit. Hal, remember what old
-Hiram told you about being foolhardily brave.
-I think we have been wonderfully lucky.
-Now let's deserve our good luck. Let's not
-prove what that Tampico hotel-man said.
-Let's show we are not just wild-goose-chasing
-boys. I put it to you straight. I think the
-real test is yet to come, and I want you to
-help me. No more tricks. No more drinking
-unboiled water. No more shooting except
-in self-defense. We must not eat any more
-meat. No more careless wandering up the
-banks. No chances. See? And fight the
-fever. Don't give up. Then when we get
-out of this awful jungle we can look back at
-our adventures--and, better, we can be sure
-we've learned a lot. We shall have accomplished
-something, and that's learning. Now,
-how about it? Will you help me?"
-
-"You can just bet your life," replied George,
-and he held out his hand.
-
-"Ken, I'm with you," was Hal's quiet
-promise; and Ken knew from the way the lad
-spoke that he was in dead earnest. When it
-came to the last ditch Hal Ward was as true
-as steel. He took the raw, bitter quinine Ken
-offered and swallowed it without a grimace.
-
-"Good!" exclaimed Ken. "Now, boys, let's
-pack. Hal, you let your menagerie go.
-There's no use keeping your pets any longer.
-George, you make yourself a bed on the trunk,
-and fix a palm-leaf sun-shelter. Then lie
-down."
-
-When the boat had been packed and all was
-in readiness for the start, George was sound
-asleep. They shoved off into the current.
-Pepe and Ken took turns at the oars, making
-five miles an hour.
-
-As on the day before, they glided under the
-shadows of the great moss-twined cypresses,
-along the muddy banks where crocodiles
-basked in the sun and gaunt cattle came down
-to drink. Once the boat turned a bushy point
-to startle a large flock of wild turkeys,
-perhaps thirty-five in number. They had been
-resting in the cool sand along the river. Some
-ran up the bank, some half-dozen flew right
-over the boat, and most of them squatted down
-as if to evade detection. Thereafter turkeys
-and ducks and geese became so common as to
-be monotonous.
-
-About one o'clock Ken sighted a thatched
-bamboo and palm-leaf hut on the bank.
-
-"Oh, boys, look! look!" cried Ken, joyfully.
-
-Hal was as pleased as Ken, and George
-roused out of his slumber. Pepe grinned and
-nodded his head.
-
-Some naked little children ran like quail.
-A disheveled black head peeped out of a
-door, then swiftly vanished.
-
-"Indians," said George.
-
-"I don't care," replied Ken, "they're human
-beings--people. We're getting somewhere."
-
-From there on the little bamboo huts were
-frequently sighted. And soon Ken saw a large
-one situated upon a high bluff. Ken was
-wondering if these natives would be hospitable.
-
-Upon rounding the next bend the boys
-came unexpectedly upon a connecting river.
-It was twice as wide as the Santa Rosa, and
-quite swift.
-
-"Tamaulipas," said Pepe.
-
-"Hooray! boys, this is the source of the
-Panuco, sure as you're born," cried Ken. "I
-told you we were getting somewhere."
-
-He was overcome with the discovery. This
-meant success.
-
-"Savalo! Savalo!" exclaimed Pepe, pointing.
-
-"Tarpon! Tarpon! What do you think
-of that? 'Way up here! We must be a long
-distance from tide-water," said George.
-
-Ken looked around over the broad pool
-below the junction of the two rivers. And
-here and there he saw swirls, and big splashes,
-and then the silver sides of rolling tarpon.
-
-"Boys, seeing we've packed that can of
-preserved mullet all the way, and those
-thundering heavy tackles, let's try for
-tarpon," suggested Ken.
-
-It was wonderful to see how the boys
-responded. Pepe was no longer slow and
-heavy. George forgot he was sick. Hal,
-who loved to fish better than to hunt, was as
-enthusiastic as on the first day.
-
-"Ken, let me boss this job," said George,
-as he began to rig the tackles. "Pepe will
-row; you and Hal sit back here and troll.
-I'll make myself useful. Open the can.
-See, I hook the mullet just back of the head,
-letting the bar come out free. There! Now
-run out about forty feet of line. Steady the
-butt of the rod under your leg. Put your left
-hand above the reel. Hold the handle of the
-reel in your right, and hold it hard. The
-drag is in the handle. Now when a tarpon
-takes the bait, jerk with all your might.
-Their mouths are like iron, and it's hard to get
-a hook to stick."
-
-Pepe rowed at a smooth, even stroke and
-made for the great curve of the pool where
-tarpon were breaking water.
-
-"If they're on the feed, we'll have more
-sport than we've had yet," said George.
-
-Ken was fascinated, and saw that Hal was
-going to have the best time of the trip. Also
-Ken was very curious to have a tarpon strike.
-He had no idea what it would be like. Presently,
-when the boat glided among the rolling
-fish and there was prospect of one striking
-at any moment, Ken could not subdue a
-mounting excitement.
-
-"Steady now--be ready," warned George.
-
-Suddenly Hal's line straightened. The lad
-yelled and jerked at the same instant. There
-came a roar of splitting waters, and a beautiful
-silver fish, longer than Hal himself, shot
-up into the air. The tarpon shook himself
-and dropped back into the water with a crash.
-
-Hal was speechless. He wound in his line
-to find the bait gone.
-
-"Threw the hook," said George, as he
-reached into the can for another bait. "He
-wasn't so big. You'll get used to losing 'em.
-There! try again."
-
-Ken had felt several gentle tugs at his line,
-as if tarpon were rolling across it. And
-indeed he saw several fish swim right over where
-his line disappeared in the water. There were
-splashes all around the boat, some gentle
-swishes and others hard, cutting rushes.
-Then his line straightened with a heavy
-jerk. He forgot to try to hook the fish;
-indeed, he had no time. The tarpon came half
-out of the water, wagged his head, and plumped
-back. Ken had not hooked the fish, nor had
-the fish got the bait. So Ken again let out his
-line.
-
-The next thing which happened was that
-the boys both had strikes at the same instant.
-Hal stood up, and as his tarpon leaped it
-pulled him forward, and he fell into the
-stern-seat. His reel-handle rattled on the gunwale.
-The line hissed. Ken leaned back and jerked.
-His fish did not break water, but he was
-wonderfully active under the surface. Pepe was
-jabbering. George was yelling. Hal's fish
-was tearing the water to shreds. He crossed
-Ken's fish; the lines fouled, and then slacked.
-Ken began to wind in. Hal rose to do likewise.
-
-"Gee!" he whispered, with round eyes.
-
-Both lines had been broken. George made
-light of this incident, and tied on two more
-leaders and hooks and baited afresh.
-
-"The fish are on the feed, boys. It's a
-cinch you'll each catch one. Better troll one
-at a time, unless you can stand for crossed
-lines."
-
-But Ken and Hal were too eager to catch a
-tarpon to troll one at a time, so once more
-they let their lines out. A tarpon took Hal's
-bait right under the stern of the boat. Hal
-struck with all his might. This fish came up
-with a tremendous splash, drenching the boys.
-His great, gleaming silver sides glistened in
-the sun. He curved his body and straightened
-out with a snap like the breaking of a board,
-and he threw the hook whistling into the air.
-
-Before Hal had baited up, Ken got another
-strike. This fish made five leaps, one after
-the other, and upon the last threw the hook
-like a bullet. As he plunged down, a
-beautiful rainbow appeared in the misty spray.
-
-"Hal, do you see that rainbow?" cried Ken,
-quickly. "There's a sight for a fisherman!"
-
-This time in turn, before Ken started to
-troll, Hal hooked another tarpon. This one
-was not so large, but he was active. His
-first rush was a long surge on the surface.
-He sent the spray in two streaks like a
-motor-boat. Then he sounded.
-
-"Hang on, Hal!" yelled George and Ken
-in unison.
-
-Hal was bent almost double and his head
-was bobbing under the strain. He could
-not hold the drag. The line was whizzing out.
-
-"You got that one hooked," shouted
-George. "Let go the reel--drop the handle.
-Let him run."
-
-He complied, and then his fish began a
-marvelous exhibition of lofty tumbling. He
-seemed never to stay down at all. Now he
-shot up, mouth wide, gills spread, eyes wild,
-and he shook himself like a wet dog. Then
-he dropped back, and before the boys had
-time to think where he might be he came
-up several rods to the right and cracked his
-gills like pistol-shots. He skittered on his
-tail and stood on his head and dropped flat
-with a heavy smack. Then he stayed under
-and began to tug.
-
-"Hang on, now," cried George. "Wind
-in. Hold him tight. Don't give him an
-inch unless he jumps."
-
-This was heartbreaking work for Hal. He
-toiled to keep the line in. He grew red in the
-face. He dripped with sweat. He panted for
-breath. But he hung on.
-
-Ken saw how skilfully Pepe managed the
-boat. The *mozo* seemed to know just which
-way the fish headed, and always kept the boat
-straight. Sometimes he rowed back and lent
-his help to Hal. But this appeared to anger
-the tarpon, for the line told he was coming
-to the surface. Then, as Pepe ceased to let
-him feel the weight of the boat, the tarpon
-sank again. So the battle went on round and
-round the great pool. After an hour of it
-Hal looked ready to drop.
-
-"Land him alone if you can," said Ken.
-"He's tiring, Hal."
-
-"I'll--land him--or--or bust!" panted Hal.
-
-"Look out, now!" warned George again.
-"He's coming up. See the line. Be ready
-to trim the boat if he drops aboard. *Wow!*"
-
-The tarpon slipped smoothly out of the
-water and shot right over the bow of the boat.
-Quick-witted George flung out his hand and
-threw Hal's rod round in time to save the line
-from catching. The fish went down, came
-up wagging his head, and then fell with
-sullen splash.
-
-"He's done," yelled George. "Now, Hal,
-hold him for all you're worth. Not an inch
-of line!"
-
-Pepe headed the boat for a sandy beach;
-and Hal, looking as if about to have a stroke
-of apoplexy, clung desperately to the bending
-rod. The tarpon rolled and lashed his tail,
-but his power was mostly gone. Gradually he
-ceased to roll, until by the time Pepe reached
-shore he was sliding wearily through the water,
-his silvery side glittering in the light.
-
-The boat grated on the sand. Pepe leaped
-out. Then he grasped Hal's line, slipped his
-hands down to the long wire leader, and
-with a quick, powerful pull slid the tarpon
-out upon the beach.
-
-"Oh-h!" gasped Hal, with glistening eyes.
-"Oh-h! Ken, just look!"
-
-"I'm looking, son, and don't you forget it."
-
-The tarpon lay inert, a beautiful silver-scaled
-creature that looked as if he had just
-come from a bath of melted opals. The great
-dark eyes were fixed and staring, the tail
-moved feebly, the long dorsal fin quivered.
-
-He measured five feet six inches in length,
-which was one inch more than Hal's height.
-
-"Ken, the boys back home will never believe
-I caught him," said Hal, in distress.
-
-"Take his picture to prove it," replied Ken.
-
-Hal photographed his catch. Pepe took
-out the hook, showing, as he did so, the great
-iron-like plates in the mouth of the fish.
-
-"No wonder it's hard to hook them," said Ken.
-
-Hal certainly wanted his beautiful fish to
-go back, free and little hurt, to the river.
-But also he wanted him for a specimen. Hal
-deliberated. Evidently he was considering the
-labor of skinning such a huge fish and the
-difficulty of preserving and packing the hide.
-
-"Say, Hal, wouldn't you like to see me hook
-one?" queried Ken, patiently.
-
-That brought Hal to his senses.
-
-"Sure, Ken, old man, I want you to catch
-one--a big one--bigger than mine," replied
-Hal, and restored the fish to the water.
-
-They all watched the liberated tarpon swim
-wearily off and slip down under the water.
-
-"He'll have something to tell the rest,
-won't he?" said George.
-
-In a few minutes the boat was again in the
-center of the great pool among the rolling
-tarpon. Ken had a strike immediately.
-He missed. Then he tried again. And in a
-short space of time he saw five tarpon in the
-air, one after the other, and not one did he
-hook securely. He got six leaps out of one,
-however, and that was almost as good as
-landing him.
-
-"There 're some whales here," said George.
-
-"Grande savalo," added Pepe, and he rowed
-over to where a huge fish was rolling.
-
-"Oh, I don't want to hook the biggest one
-first," protested Ken.
-
-Pepe rowed to and fro. The boys were busy
-trying to see the rolling tarpon. There would
-be a souse on one side, then a splash on the
-other, then a thump behind. What with
-trying to locate all these fish and still keep an
-eye on Ken's line the boys almost dislocated
-their necks.
-
-Then, quick as a flash, Ken had a strike
-that pulled him out of his seat to his knees.
-He could not jerk. His line was like a wire.
-It began to rise. With all his strength he
-held on. The water broke in a hollow, slow
-roar, and a huge humpbacked tarpon seemed
-to be climbing into the air. But he did not
-get all the way out, and he plunged back
-with a thunderous crash. He made as much
-noise as if a horse had fallen off a bridge.
-
-The handle of the reel slipped out of Ken's
-grasp, and it was well. The tarpon made a
-long, wonderful run and showed on the surface
-a hundred yards from the boat. He was
-irresistibly powerful. Ken was astounded and
-thrilled at his strength and speed. There,
-far away from the boat, the tarpon leaped
-magnificently, clearing the water, and then
-went down. He did not come up again.
-
-"Ken, he's a whale," said George. "I
-believe he's well hooked. He won't jump any
-more. And you've got a job on your hands."
-
-"I want him to jump."
-
-"The big ones seldom break water after
-the first rush or so."
-
-"Ken, it's coming to you with that
-fellow," said Hal. "My left arm is paralyzed.
-Honestly, I can pinch it and not feel the pain."
-
-Pepe worked the boat closer and Ken
-reeled in yard after yard of line. The tarpon
-was headed down-stream, and he kept up a
-steady, strong strain.
-
-"Let him tow the boat," said George.
-"Hold the drag, Ken. Let him tow the boat."
-
-"What!" exclaimed Ken, in amaze.
-
-"Oh, he'll do it, all right."
-
-And so it proved. Ken's tarpon, once
-headed with the current, did not turn, and
-he towed the boat.
-
-"This is a new way for me to tire out a
-fish," said Ken. "What do you think of it, Hal?"
-
-Hal's eyes glistened.
-
-"This is fishing. Ken, did you see him
-when he came up?"
-
-"Not very clearly. I had buck-fever. You
-know how a grouse looks when he flushes
-right under your feet--a kind of brown blur.
-Well, this was the same, only silver."
-
-At the end of what Ken judged to be a
-mile the tarpon was still going. At the end
-of the second mile he was tired. And three
-miles down the river from where the fish was
-hooked Pepe beached the boat on a sandbar
-and hauled ashore a tarpon six feet ten
-inches long.
-
-Here Ken echoed Hal's panting gasp
-of wonder and exultation. As he sat down
-on the boat to rest he had no feeling in
-his left arm, and little in his right. His
-knuckles were skinned and bloody. No
-game of baseball he had ever pitched had
-taken his strength like the conquest of this
-magnificent fish.
-
-"Hal, we'll have some more of this fishing
-when we get to Tampico," said Ken. "Why,
-this beats hunting. You have the sport, and
-you needn't kill anything. This tarpon isn't
-hurt."
-
-So Ken photographed his prize and measured
-him, and, taking a last lingering glance at the
-great green back, the silver-bronze sides, the
-foot-wide flukes of the tail, at the whole
-quivering fire-tinted length, he slid the tarpon
-back into the river.
-
-
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-Much as Ken would have liked to go back
-to that pool, he did not think of it twice.
-And as soon as the excitement had subsided
-and the journey was resumed, George and Hal,
-and Pepe, too, settled down into a silent
-weariness that made Ken anxious.
-
-During the afternoon Ken saw Pepe slowly
-droop lower and lower at the oars till the time
-came when he could scarcely lift them to
-make a stroke. And when Ken relieved him
-of them, Pepe fell like a log in the boat.
-
-George slept. Hal seemed to be fighting
-stupor. Pepe lay motionless on his seat. They
-were all going down with the fever, that
-Ken knew, and it took all his courage to face
-the situation. It warmed his heart to see how
-Hal was trying to bear up under a languor
-that must have been well-nigh impossible to
-resist. At last Hal said:
-
-"Ken, let me row." He would not admit
-that he was sick.
-
-Ken thought it would do Hal no harm to
-work. But Ken did not want to lose time.
-So he hit upon a plan that pleased him.
-There was an extra pair of oars in the boat.
-Ken fashioned rude pegs from a stick and
-drove these down into the cleat inside the
-gunwales. With stout rope he tied the oars
-to the pegs, which answered fairly well as
-oarlocks. Then they had a double set of
-oars going, and made much better time.
-
-George woke and declared that he must take
-a turn at the oars. So Ken let him row, too,
-and rested himself. He had a grim foreboding
-that he would need all his strength.
-
-The succeeding few hours before sunset
-George and Hal more than made up for all
-their delinquencies of the past. At first it was
-not very hard for them to row; but soon they
-began to weary, then weaken. Neither one,
-however, would give up. Ken let them
-row, knowing that it was good for them.
-Slower and slower grew George's strokes,
-there were times when he jerked up
-spasmodically and made an effort, only to weaken
-again. At last, with a groan he dropped the
-oars. Ken had to lift him back into the bow.
-
-Hal was not so sick as George, and therefore
-not so weak. He lasted longer. Ken
-had seen the lad stick to many a hard job,
-but never as he did to this one. Hal was
-making good his promise. There were times when
-his breath came in whistles. He would stop
-and pant awhile, then row on. Ken pretended
-he did not notice. But he had never been
-so proud of his brother nor loved him so well.
-
-"Ken, old man," said Hal, presently. "I
-was--wrong--about the water. I ought to
-have obeyed you. I--I'm pretty sick."
-
-What a confession for Hal Ward!
-
-Ken turned in time to see Hal vomit over
-the gunwale.
-
-"It's pretty tough, Hal," said Ken, as he
-reached out to hold his brother's head; "but
-you're game. I'm so glad to see that."
-
-Whereupon Hal went back to his oars and
-stayed till he dropped. Ken lifted him and
-laid him beside George.
-
-Ken rowed on with his eyes ever in search
-of a camping-site. But there was no place to
-camp. The muddy banks were too narrow
-at the bottom, too marshy and filthy. And
-they were too steep to climb to the top.
-
-The sun set. Twilight fell. Darkness came
-on, and still Ken rowed down the river. At
-last he decided to make a night of it at the
-oars. He preferred to risk the dangers of the
-river at night rather than spend miserable
-hours in the mud. Rousing the boys, he
-forced them to swallow a little cold rice and
-some more quinine. Then he covered them
-with blankets, and had scarce completed the
-task when they were deep in slumber.
-
-Then the strange, dense tropical night
-settled down upon Ken. The oars were
-almost noiseless, and the water gurgled softly
-from the bow. Overhead the expanse was
-dark blue, with a few palpitating stars. The
-river was shrouded in gray gloom, and the
-banks were lost in black obscurity. Great
-fireflies emphasized the darkness. He trusted
-a good deal to luck in the matter of going
-right; yet he kept his ear keen for the sound
-of quickening current, and turned every few
-strokes to peer sharply into the gloom. He
-seemed to have little sense of peril, for, though
-he hit submerged logs and stranded on bars,
-he kept on unmindful, and by and by lost what
-anxiety he had felt. The strange wildness
-of the river at night, the gray, veiled space into
-which he rowed unheeding began to work
-upon his mind.
-
-That was a night to remember--a night
-of sounds and smells, of the feeling of the cool
-mist, the sight of long, dark forest-line and
-a golden moon half hidden by clouds. Prominent
-among these was the trill of river frogs.
-The trill of a northern frog was music, but
-that of these great, silver-throated jungle
-frogs was more than music. Close at hand one
-would thrill Ken with mellow, rich notes;
-and then from far would come the answer,
-a sweet, high tenor, wilder than any other
-wilderness sound, long sustained, dying away
-till he held his breath to listen.
-
-So the hours passed; and the moon went
-down into the weird shadows, and the Southern
-Cross rose pale and wonderful.
-
-Gradually the stars vanished in a kind of
-brightening gray, and dawn was at hand.
-Ken felt weary for sleep, and his arms and back
-ached. Morning came, with its steely light
-on the river, the rolling and melting of vapors,
-the flight of ducks and call of birds. The
-rosy sun brought no cheer.
-
-Ken beached the boat on a sand-bar.
-While he was building a fire George raised
-his head and groaned. But neither Pepe nor
-Hal moved. Ken cooked rice and boiled
-cocoa, which he choked down. He opened
-a can of fruit and found that most welcome.
-Then he lifted George's head, shook him,
-roused him, and held him, and made him eat
-and drink. Nor did he neglect to put a
-liberal dose of quinine in the food. Pepe was
-easily managed, but poor Hal was almost
-unable to swallow. Something terribly grim
-mingled with a strong, passionate thrill as
-Ken looked at Hal's haggard face. Then
-Ken Ward knew how much he could stand,
-what work he could do to get his brother out
-of the jungle.
-
-He covered the boys again and pushed out
-the boat. At the moment he felt a strength
-that he had never felt before. There was a
-good, swift current in the river, and Ken was
-at great pains to keep in it. The channel
-ran from one side of the river to the other.
-Many times Ken stranded on sandy shoals
-and had to stand up and pole the boat into
-deeper water. This was work that required
-all his attention. It required more than
-patience. But as he rowed and poled and
-drifted he studied the shallow ripples and
-learned to avoid the places where the boat
-would not float.
-
-There were stretches of river where the
-water was comparatively deep, and along
-these he rested and watched the shores as he
-drifted by. He saw no Indian huts that
-morning. The jungle loomed high and dark,
-a matted gray wall. The heat made the
-river glare and smoke. Then where the
-current quickened he rowed steadily and easily,
-husbanding his strength.
-
-More than all else, even the ravings of Hal
-in fever, the thing that wore on Ken and made
-him gloomy was the mourning of turtle-doves.
-As there had been thousands of these
-beautiful birds along the Santa Rosa River, so
-there were millions along the Panuco. Trees
-were blue with doves. There was an
-incessant soft, sad moaning. He fought his
-nervous, sensitive imaginings. And for a
-time he would conquer the sense of some sad
-omen sung by the doves. Then the monotony,
-the endless sweet "coo-ooo-ooo," seemed
-to drown him in melancholy sound. There were
-three distinct tones--a moan, swelling to full
-ring, and dying away: "Coo-*ooo*-ooo--coo-*ooo*-ooo."
-
-All the afternoon the mourning, haunting
-song filled Ken Ward's ears. And when the
-sun set and night came, with relief to his
-tortured ear but not to mind, Ken kept on
-without a stop.
-
-The day had slipped behind Ken with the
-miles, and now it was again dark. It seemed
-that he had little sense of time. But his
-faculties of sight and hearing were singularly
-acute. Otherwise his mind was like the weird
-gloom into which he was drifting.
-
-Before the stars came out the blackness was
-as thick as pitch. He could not see a yard
-ahead. He backed the boat stern first
-down-stream and listened for the soft murmur
-of ripples on shoals. He avoided these by
-hearing alone. Occasionally a huge, dark
-pile of driftwood barred his passage, and he
-would have to go round it. Snags loomed up
-specter-like in his path, seemingly to reach for
-him with long, gaunt arms. Sometimes he
-drifted upon sand-bars, from which he would
-patiently pole the boat.
-
-When the heavy dew began to fall he put
-on his waterproof coat. The night grew
-chill. Then the stars shone out. This
-lightened the river. Yet everywhere were shadows.
-Besides, clouds of mist hung low, in places
-obscuring the stars.
-
-Ken turned the boat bow first downstream
-and rowed with slow, even stroke.
-He no longer felt tired. He seemed to have
-the strength of a giant. He fancied that with
-one great heave he could lift the boat out of
-the water or break the oars. From time to
-time he ceased to row, and, turning his head,
-he looked and listened. The river had numerous
-bends, and it was difficult for Ken to keep
-in the middle channel. He managed pretty
-well to keep right by watching the dark
-shore-line where it met the deep-blue sky.
-In the bends the deepest water ran close to
-the shore of the outside curve. And under
-these high banks and the leaning cypresses
-shadows were thicker and blacker than in the
-earlier night. There was mystery in them
-that Ken felt.
-
-The sounds he heard when he stopped
-during these cautious resting intervals were
-the splashes of fish breaking water, the low
-hum of insects, and the trill of frogs. The
-mourning of the doves during daylight had
-haunted him, and now he felt the same
-sensation at this long-sustained, exquisitely sweet
-trill. It pierced him, racked him, and at last,
-from sheer exhaustion of his sensibilities, he
-seemed not to hear it any more, but to have
-it in his brain.
-
-The moon rose behind the left-hand jungle
-wall, silvered half of the river and the
-opposite line of cypresses, then hid under clouds.
-
-Suddenly, near or far away, down the river
-Ken saw a wavering light. It was too large
-for a firefly, and too steady. He took it
-for a Jack-o'-lantern. And for a while it
-enhanced the unreality, the ghostliness of the
-river. But it was the means of bringing
-Ken out of his dreamy gloom. It made him
-think. The light was moving. It was too
-wavering for a Jack-o'-lantern. It was
-coming up-stream. It grew larger.
-
-Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it
-vanished. Ken lost sight of it under a deep
-shadow of overhanging shore. As he reached
-a point opposite to where it disappeared he
-thought he heard a voice. But he could not
-be sure. He did not trust his ears. The
-incident, however, gave him a chill. What
-a lonesome ride! He was alone on that
-unknown river with three sick boys in the boat.
-Their lives depended upon his care, his
-strength, his skill, his sight and hearing.
-And the realization, striking him afresh,
-steeled his arms again and his spirit.
-
-The night wore on. The moon disappeared
-entirely. The mists hung low like dim sheets
-along the water. Ken was wringing-wet with
-dew. Long periods of rowing he broke with
-short intervals of drifting, when he rested at
-the oars.
-
-Then drowsiness attacked him. For hours
-it seemed he fought it off. But at length it
-grew overpowering. Only hard rowing would
-keep him awake. And, as he wanted to
-reserve his strength, he did not dare exert
-himself violently. He could not keep his eyes
-open. Time after time he found himself
-rowing when he was half asleep. The boat
-drifted against a log and stopped. Ken
-drooped over his oars and slept, and yet he
-seemed not altogether to lose consciousness.
-He roused again to row on.
-
-It occurred to him presently that he might
-let the boat drift and take naps between
-whiles. When he drifted against a log or a
-sand-bar the jar would awaken him. The
-current was sluggish. There seemed to be
-no danger whatever. He must try to keep
-his strength. A little sleep would refresh
-him. So he reasoned, and fell asleep over
-the oars.
-
-Sooner or later--he never knew how long
-after he had fallen asleep--a little jar awakened
-him. Then the gurgle and murmur of water
-near him and the rush and roar of a swift
-current farther off made him look up with a
-violent start. All about him was wide, gray
-gloom. Yet he could see the dark, glancing
-gleam of the water. Movement of the oars
-told him the boat was fast on a sand-bar.
-That relieved him, for he was not drifting at
-the moment into the swift current he heard.
-Ken peered keenly into the gloom. Gradually
-he made out a long, dark line running
-diagonally ahead of him and toward the
-right-hand shore. It could not be an island or a
-sand-bar or a shore-line. It could not be
-piles of driftwood. There was a strange
-regularity in the dark upheavals of this
-looming object. Ken studied it. He studied the
-black, glancing water. Whatever the line
-was, it appeared to shunt the current over to
-the right, whence came the low rush and roar.
-
-Altogether it was a wild, strange place.
-Ken felt a fear of something he could not name.
-It was the river--the night--the loneliness--the
-unknown about him and before him.
-
-Suddenly he saw a dull, red light far down
-the river. He stiffened in his seat. Then
-he saw another red light. They were like
-two red eyes. Ken shook himself to see if
-he had nightmare. No; the boat was there;
-the current was there; the boys were there,
-dark and silent under their blankets. This
-was no dream. Ken's fancy conjured up
-some red-eyed river demon come to destroy
-him and his charges. He scorned the fancy,
-laughed at it. But, all the same, in that dark,
-weird place, with the murmuring of notes
-in his ears and with those strange red eyes
-glowing in the distance, he could not help
-what his emotions made the truth. He was
-freezing to the marrow, writhing in a clammy
-sweat when a low "chug-chug-chug" enlightened
-him. The red eyes were those of a steamboat.
-
-A steamboat on the wild Panuco! Ken
-scarcely believed his own judgment. Then
-he remembered that George said there were
-a couple of boats plying up and down the
-lower Panuco, mostly transporting timber and
-cattle. Besides, he had proof of his judgment
-in the long, dark line that had so puzzled
-him--it was a breakwater. It turned the
-current to the left, where there evidently was
-a channel.
-
-The great, red eyes gleamed closer, the
-"chug-chug-chug" sounded louder. Then
-another sound amazed Ken--a man's voice
-crying out steadily and monotonously.
-
-Ken wanted to rouse the boys and Pepe,
-but he refrained. It was best for them to
-sleep. How surprised they would be when he
-told them about the boat that passed in the
-night! Ken now clearly heard the splashing
-of paddles, the chug of machinery, and the
-man's voice. He was singsonging: "Dos y
-media, dos y media, dos y media."
-
-Ken understood a little Mexican, and
-this strange cry became clear to him. The
-man was taking soundings with a lead and
-crying out to the pilot. *Dos y media* meant two
-and a half feet of water. Then the steam-boat
-loomed black in the gray gloom. It was
-pushing a low, flat barge. Ken could not
-see the man taking soundings, but he heard
-him and knew he was on the front end of the
-barge. The boat passed at fair speed, and it
-cheered Ken. For he certainly ought to be
-able to take a rowboat where a steamboat
-had passed. And, besides, he must be getting
-somewhere near the little village of Panuco.
-
-He poled off the bar and along the breakwater
-to the channel. It was narrow and swift.
-He wondered how the pilot of the steamboat
-had navigated in the gloom. He slipped
-down-stream, presently to find himself once
-more in a wide river. Refreshed by his sleep
-and encouraged by the meeting with the
-steamboat, Ken settled down to steady rowing.
-
-The stars paled, the mist thickened, fog
-obscured the water and shore; then all turned
-gray, lightened, and dawn broke. The sun
-burst out. Ken saw thatched huts high on
-the banks and occasionally natives. This
-encouraged him all the more.
-
-He was not hungry, but he was sick for a
-drink. He had to fight himself to keep from
-drinking the dirty river-water. How different
-it was here from the clear green of the upper
-Santa Rosa! Ken would have given his best
-gun for one juicy orange. George was
-restless and rolling about, calling for water;
-Hal lay in slumber or stupor; and Pepe sat
-up. He was a sick-looking fellow, but he
-was better; and that cheered Ken as nothing
-yet had.
-
-Ken beached the boat on a sandy shore,
-and once again forced down a little rice and
-cocoa. Pepe would not eat, yet he drank a
-little. George was burning up with fever,
-and drank a full cup. Hal did not stir, and
-Ken thought it best to let him lie.
-
-As Ken resumed the journey the next thing
-to attract his attention was a long canoe
-moored below one of the thatched huts.
-This afforded him great satisfaction. At
-least he had passed the jungle wilderness,
-where there was nothing that even suggested
-civilization. In the next few miles he noticed
-several canoes and as many natives. Then
-he passed a canoe that was paddled by two
-half-naked bronze Indians. Pepe hailed them,
-but either they were too unfriendly to reply
-or they did not understand him.
-
-Some distance below Pepe espied a banana
-grove, and he motioned Ken to row ashore.
-Ken did so with pleasure at the thought of
-getting some fresh fruit. There was a canoe
-moored to the roots of a tree and a path
-leading up the steep bank. Pepe got out and
-laboriously toiled up the bare path. He was
-gone a good while.
-
-Presently Ken heard shouts, then the bang
-of a lightly loaded gun, then yells from Pepe.
-
-"What on earth!" cried Ken, looking up in
-affright.
-
-Pepe appeared with his arms full of red
-bananas. He jumped and staggered down
-the path and almost fell into the boat. But
-he hung on to the bananas.
-
-"Santa Maria!" gasped Pepe, pointing to
-little bloody spots on the calf of his leg.
-
-"Pepe, you've been shot!" ejaculated Ken.
-"You stole the fruit--somebody shot you!"
-
-Pepe howled his affirmative. Ken was
-angry at himself, angrier at Pepe, and angriest
-at the native who had done the shooting.
-With a strong shove Ken put the boat out
-and then rowed hard down-stream. As he
-rounded a bend a hundred yards below he saw
-three natives come tumbling down the path.
-They had a gun. They leaped into the canoe.
-They meant pursuit.
-
-"Say, but this is a pretty kettle of fish!"
-muttered Ken, and he bent to the oars.
-
-Of course Pepe had been in the wrong.
-He should have paid for the bananas or asked
-for them. All the same, Ken was not in any
-humor to be fooled with by excitable natives.
-He had a sick brother in the boat and meant
-to get that lad out of the jungle as quickly
-as will and strength could do it. He
-certainly did not intend to be stopped by a few
-miserable Indians angry over the loss of a few
-bananas. If it had not been for the gun,
-Ken would have stopped long enough to pay
-for the fruit. But he could not risk it now.
-So he pulled a strong stroke down-stream.
-
-The worst of the matter developed when
-Pepe peeled one of the bananas. It was too
-green to eat.
-
-Presently the native canoe hove in sight
-round the bend. All three men were paddling.
-They made the long craft fly through
-the water. Ken saw instantly that they would
-overhaul him in a long race, and this added
-to his resentment. Pepe looked back and
-jabbered and shook his brawny fists at the
-natives. Ken was glad to see that the long
-stretch of river below did not show a canoe
-or hut along the banks. He preferred to be
-overhauled, if he had to be, in a rather lonely spot.
-
-It was wonderful how those natives propelled
-that log canoe. And when one of the
-three dropped his paddle to pick up the gun,
-the speed of the canoe seemed not to diminish.
-They knew the channels, and so gained on
-Ken. He had to pick the best he could
-choose at short notice, and sometimes he
-chose poorly.
-
-Two miles or more below the bend the
-natives with the gun deliberately fired,
-presumably at Pepe. The shot scattered and
-skipped along the water and did not come
-near the boat. Nevertheless, as the canoe
-was gaining and the crazy native was reloading,
-Ken saw he would soon be within range.
-Something had to be done.
-
-Ken wondered if he could not frighten
-those natives. They had probably never
-heard the quick reports of a repeating rifle,
-let alone the stinging cracks of an automatic.
-Ken decided it would be worth trying. But
-he must have a chance to get the gun out of
-its case and load it.
-
-That chance came presently. The natives,
-in paddling diagonally across a narrow
-channel, ran aground in the sand. They were
-fast for only a few moments, but in that time
-Ken had got out the little rifle and loaded it.
-
-Pepe's dark face turned a dirty white, and
-his eyes dilated. He imagined Ken was
-going to kill some of his countrymen. But
-Pepe never murmured. He rubbed the place
-in his leg where he had been shot, and looked
-back.
-
-Ken rowed on, now leisurely. There was
-a hot anger within him, but he had it in
-control. He knew what he was about. Again
-the native fired, and again his range was short.
-The distance was perhaps two hundred yards.
-
-Ken waited until the canoe, in crossing
-one of the many narrow places, was broadside
-toward him. Then he raised the automatic.
-There were at least ten feet in the
-middle of the canoe where it was safe for him
-to hit without harm to the natives. And
-there he aimed. The motion of his boat made
-it rather hard to keep the sights right. He was
-cool, careful; he aimed low, between gunwale
-and the water, and steadily he pulled the
-trigger--once, twice, three times, four, five.
-
-The steel-jacketed bullets "spoued" on
-the water and "cracked" into the canoe.
-They evidently split both gunwales low down
-at the water-line. The yelling, terror-stricken
-natives plunged about, and what with
-their actions and the great split in the middle
-the canoe filled and sank. The natives were
-not over their depth; that was plainly evident.
-Moreover, it was equally evident that they
-dared not wade in the quicksand. So they
-swam to the shallower water, and there, like
-huge turtles, floundered toward the shore.
-
-
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. _`OUT OF THE JUNGLE`:
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- XXIII
-
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
- OUT OF THE JUNGLE
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-Before the natives had reached the
-shore they were hidden from Ken's
-sight by leaning cypress-trees. Ken,
-however, had no fear for their safety. He was
-sorry to cause the Indians' loss of a gun and
-a canoe; nevertheless, he was not far from
-echoing Pepe's repeated: "Bueno! Bueno!
-Bueno!"
-
-Upon examination Ken found two little
-bloody holes in the muscles of Pepe's leg.
-A single shot had passed through. Ken
-bathed the wounds with an antiseptic lotion
-and bound them with clean bandages.
-
-Pepe appeared to be pretty weak, so Ken
-did not ask him to take the oars. Then,
-pulling with long, steady stroke, Ken set out
-to put a long stretch between him and the
-angry natives. The current was swift, and
-Ken made five miles or more an hour. He
-kept that pace for three hours without a rest.
-And then he gave out. It seemed that all at
-once he weakened. His back bore an
-immense burden. His arms were lead, and his
-hands were useless. There was an occasional
-mist or veil before his sight. He was wet,
-hot, breathless, numb. But he knew he was
-safe from pursuit. So he rested and let the
-boat drift.
-
-George sat up, green in the face, a most
-miserable-looking boy. But that he could
-sit up at all was hopeful.
-
-"Oh, my head!" he moaned. "Is there
-anything I can drink? My mouth is
-dry--pasted shut."
-
-Ken had two lemons he had been saving.
-He cut one in halves and divided it between
-Pepe and George. The relief the sour lemon
-afforded both showed Ken how wise he had
-been to save the lemons. Then he roused
-Hal, and, lifting the lad's head, made him
-drink a little of the juice. Hal was a sick
-boy, too weak to sit up without help.
-
-"Don't--you worry--Ken," he said. "I'm
-going--to be--all right."
-
-Hal was still fighting.
-
-Ken readjusted the palm-leaf shelter over
-the boys so as to shade them effectually from
-the hot sun, and then he went back to the
-oars.
-
-As he tried once more to row, Ken was
-reminded of the terrible lassitude that had
-overtaken him the day he had made the six-hour
-climb out of the Grand Cañon. The
-sensation now was worse, but Ken had others
-depending upon his exertions, and that spurred
-him to the effort which otherwise would have
-been impossible.
-
-It was really not rowing that Ken accomplished.
-It was a weary puttering with oars
-he could not lift, handles he could not hold.
-At best he managed to guide the boat into
-the swiftest channels. Whenever he felt that
-he was just about to collapse, then he would
-look at Hal's pale face. That would revive
-him. So the hot hours dragged by.
-
-They came, after several miles, upon more
-huts and natives. And farther down they
-met canoes on the river. Pepe interrogated
-the natives. According to George, who
-listened, Panuco was far, far away, many
-kilometers. This was most disheartening. Another
-native said the village was just round the
-next bend. This was most nappy information.
-But it turned out to be a lie. There
-was no village around any particular
-bend--nothing save bare banks for miles. The
-stretches of the river were long, and bends
-far apart.
-
-Ken fell asleep. When he awoke he found
-Pepe at the oars. Watching him, Ken fancied
-he was recovering, and was overjoyed.
-
-About four o'clock in the afternoon Pepe
-rowed ashore and beached the boat at the
-foot of a trail leading up to a large bamboo
-and thatch hut. This time Ken thought it
-well to accompany Pepe. And as he climbed
-the path he found his legs stiffer and shakier
-than ever before.
-
-Ken saw a cleared space in which were
-several commodious huts, gardens, and flowers.
-There was a grassy yard in which little naked
-children were playing with tame deer and
-tiger-cats. Parrots were screeching, and other
-tame birds fluttered about. It appeared a real
-paradise to Ken.
-
-Two very kindly disposed and wondering
-native women made them welcome. Then
-Ken and Pepe went down to the boat and
-carried Hal up, and went back for George.
-
-It developed that the native women knew
-just what to do for the fever-stricken boys.
-They made some kind of a native drink for
-them, and after that gave them hot milk and
-chicken and rice soup. George improved
-rapidly, and Hal brightened a little and showed
-signs of gathering strength.
-
-Ken could not eat until he had something
-to quench his thirst. Upon inquiring, Pepe
-found that the natives used the river-water.
-Ken could not drink that. Then Pepe pointed
-out an orange-tree, and Ken made a dive
-for it. The ground was littered with oranges.
-Collecting an armful, Ken sat under the tree
-and with wild haste began to squeeze the juice
-into his mouth. Never had anything before
-tasted so cool, so sweet, so life-giving! He
-felt a cool, wet sensation steal all through his
-body. He never knew till that moment how
-really wonderful and precious an orange could
-be. He thought that as he would hate
-mourning turtle-doves all the rest of his life,
-so he would love the sight and smell and taste
-of oranges. And he demolished twenty-two
-before he satisfied his almost insatiable thirst.
-After that the chicken and rice made him feel
-like a new boy.
-
-Then Ken made beds under a kind of porch,
-and he lay down in one, stretched out
-languidly and gratefully, as if he never intended
-to move again, and his eyes seemed to be
-glued shut.
-
-When he awoke the sun was shining in his
-face. When he had gone to bed it had been
-shining at his back. He consulted his watch.
-He had slept seventeen hours.
-
-When he got up and found Pepe as well as
-before he had been taken with the fever and
-George on his feet and Hal awake and
-actually smiling, Ken experienced a sensation
-of unutterable thankfulness. A terrible
-burden slipped from his shoulders. For a
-moment he felt a dimming of his eyes and a lump
-in his throat.
-
-"How about you, Ken, old man?" inquired
-Hal, with a hint of his usual spirit.
-
-"Wal, youngster, I reckon fer a man who's
-been through some right pert happenin's,
-I'm in tol'able shape," drawled Ken.
-
-"I'll bet two dollars you've been up
-against it," declared Hal, solemnly.
-
-Then, as they sat to an appetizing breakfast,
-Ken gave them a brief account of the
-incidents of the two days and two nights
-when they were too ill to know anything.
-
-It was a question whether George's voluble
-eulogy of Ken's feat or Hal's silent,
-bright-eyed pride in his brother was the greater
-compliment.
-
-Finally Hal said: "Won't that tickle Jim
-Williams when we tell him how you split
-up the Indians' canoe and spilled them into
-the river?"
-
-Then Ken conceived the idea of climbing
-into the giant ceiba that stood high on the
-edge of the bluff. It was hard work, but he
-accomplished it, and from a fork in the
-top-most branches he looked out. That was a
-warm, rich, wonderful scene. Ken felt that
-he would never forget it. His interest now,
-however, was not so much in its beauty and
-wildness. His keen eye followed the river
-as it wound away into the jungle, and when
-he could no longer see the bright ribbon of
-water he followed its course by the line of
-magnificent trees. It was possible to trace
-the meandering course of the river clear to
-the rise of the mountains, dim and blue in
-the distance. And from here Ken made more
-observations and notes.
-
-As he went over in his mind the map and
-notes and report he had prepared he felt that
-he had made good. He had explored and
-mapped more than a hundred miles of wild
-jungle river. He felt confident that he had
-earned the trip to England and the German
-forests. He might win a hunting trip on the
-vast uplands of British East Africa. But he
-felt also that the reward of his uncle's and
-his father's pride would be more to him. That
-was a great moment for Ken Ward. And
-there was yet much more that he could do to
-make this exploring trip a success.
-
-.. _`Ken Ward's Map`:
-
-.. figure:: images/img-301.jpg
- :align: center
- :alt: Ken Ward's Map
-
- Ken Ward's Map
-
-When he joined the others he found that
-Pepe had learned that the village of Panuco
-was distant a day or a night by canoe. How
-many miles or kilometers Pepe could not learn.
-Ken decided it would be best to go on at once.
-It was not easy to leave that pleasant place,
-with its music of parrots and other birds, and
-the tiger-cats that played like kittens, and the
-deer that ate from the hand. The women
-would accept no pay, so Ken made them
-presents.
-
-Once more embarked, Ken found his mood
-reverting to that of the last forty-eight hours.
-He could not keep cheerful. The river was
-dirty and the smell sickening. The sun was
-like the open door of a furnace. And Ken
-soon discovered he was tired, utterly tired.
-
-That day was a repetition of the one before,
-hotter, wearier, and the stretches of river were
-longer, and the natives met in canoes were
-stolidly ignorant of distance. The mourning
-of turtle-doves almost drove Ken wild. There
-were miles and miles of willows, and every tree
-was full of melancholy doves. At dusk the
-boys halted on a sand-bar, too tired to cook a
-dinner, and sprawled in the warm sand to sleep
-like logs.
-
-In the morning they brightened up a little,
-for surely just around the bend they would
-come to Panuco. Pepe rowed faithfully on,
-and bend after bend lured Ken with deceit.
-He was filled with weariness and disgust, so
-tired he could hardly lift his hand, so sleepy
-he could scarcely keep his eyes open. He
-hated the wide, glassy stretches of river and
-the muddy banks and dusty cattle.
-
-At noon they came unexpectedly upon a
-cluster of thatched huts, to find that they made
-up the village of Panuco. Ken was sick, for he
-had expected a little town where they could
-get some drinking-water and hire a launch
-to speed them down to Tampico. This
-appeared little more than the other places he
-had passed, and he climbed up the bank
-wearily, thinking of the long fifty miles still
-to go.
-
-But Panuco was bigger and better than it
-looked from the river. The boys found a
-clean, comfortable inn, where they dined well,
-and learned to their joy that a coach left in
-an hour for Tamos to meet the five-o'clock
-train to Tampico.
-
-They hired a *mozo* to row the boat to
-Tampico and, carrying the lighter things,
-boarded the coach, and, behind six mules,
-were soon bowling over a good level road.
-
-It was here that the spirit of Ken's mood
-again changed, and somehow seemed subtly
-conveyed to the others. The gloom faded
-away as Ken had seen the mist-clouds
-dissolve in the morning sunlight. It was the
-end of another wild trip. Hal was ill, but
-a rest and proper care would soon bring him
-around. Ken had some trophies and pictures,
-but he also had memories. And he believed
-he had acquired an accurate knowledge of
-the jungle and its wild nature, and he had
-mapped the river from Micas Falls to Panuco.
-
-"Well, it certainly *did come* to us, didn't
-it?" asked George, naïvely, for the hundredth
-time. "Didn't I tell you? By gosh, I can't
-remember what did come off. But we had
-a dandy time."
-
-"Great!" replied Ken. "I had more than
-I wanted. I'll never spring another stunt like
-this one!"
-
-Hal gazed smilingly at his brother.
-
-"Bah! Ken Ward, bring on your next old trip!"
-
-Which proved decidedly that Hal was getting
-better and that he alone understood his
-brother.
-
-Pepe listened and rubbed his big hands,
-and there was a light in his dark eyes.
-
-Ken laughed. It was good to feel happy
-just then; it was enough to feel safe and glad
-in the present, with responsibility removed,
-without a thought of the future.
-
-Yet, when some miles across country he saw
-the little town of Tamos shining red-roofed
-against the sky, he came into his own again.
-The old calling, haunting love of wild places
-and wild nature returned, and with dreamy
-eyes he looked out. He saw the same beauty
-and life and wildness. Beyond the glimmering
-lagoons stretched the dim, dark jungle.
-A flock of flamingoes showed pink across the
-water. Ducks dotted the weedy marshes.
-And low down on the rosy horizon a long
-curved line of wild geese sailed into the sunset.
-
-When the boys arrived at Tampico and
-George had secured comfortable lodgings for
-them, the first thing Ken did was to put Hal
-to bed. It required main strength to do this.
-Ken was not taking any chances with tropical
-fever, and he sent for a doctor.
-
-It was not clear whether the faces Hal
-made were at the little dried-up doctor or at
-the medicine he administered. However, it
-was very clear that Hal made fun of him
-and grew bolder the more he believed the man
-could not understand English.
-
-Ken liked the silent, kindly physician, and
-remonstrated with Hal, and often, just to
-keep Hal's mind occupied, he would talk of
-the university and baseball, topics that were
-absorbing to the boy.
-
-And one day, as the doctor was leaving,
-he turned to Ken with a twinkle in his eyes
-and said in perfect English: "I won't need to
-come any more."
-
-Hal's jaw began to drop.
-
-"Your brother is all right," went on the
-doctor. "But he's a fresh kid, and he'll
-never make the Wayne Varsity--or a good
-explorer, either--till he gets over that
-freshness. I'm a Wayne man myself. Class of '82.
-Good day, boys."
-
-Ken Ward was astounded. "By George!
-What do you think of that? He's a Wayne
-med. I'll have to look him up. And, Hal, he
-was just right about you."
-
-Hal looked extremely crestfallen and remorseful.
-
-"I'm always getting jars."
-
-It took a whole day for him to recover his
-usual spirits.
-
-Ken had promptly sent the specimens and
-his notes to his uncle, and as the days passed
-the boys began to look anxiously for some
-news. In ten days Hal was as well as ever,
-and then the boys had such sport with the
-tarpon and big sharks and alligator-gars that
-they almost forgot about the rewards they had
-striven so hard for and hoped to win. But
-finally, when the mail arrived from home,
-they were at once happy and fearful. George
-was with them that evening, and shared their
-excitement and suspense. Hal's letters were
-from his mother and his sister, and they were
-read first. Judge Ward's letter to Ken was
-fatherly and solicitous, but brief. He gave
-the boys six more weeks, cautioned them to be
-sensible and to profit by their opportunity,
-and he inclosed a bank-draft. Not a word
-about rewards!
-
-Ken's fingers trembled a little as he tore
-open the uncle's letter. He read it aloud:
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-DEAR KEN,--Congratulations! You've done well.
-You win the trip to Africa. Hal's work also was
-good--several specimens accepted by the Smithsonian.
-I'll back you for the Yucatan trip. Will send letters
-to the American consul at Progreso, and arrange for
-you to meet the Austrian archæologist Maler, who I
-hope will take you in hand.
-
-I want you to make a study of some of the ruins
-of Yucatan, which I believe are as wonderful as any
-in Egypt. I advise you to make this trip short and to
-the point, for there are indications of coming
-revolution throughout Mexico.
-
-.. vspace:: 1
-
-.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line
-
- With best wishes,
- UNCLE G.
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-The old varsity cheer rang out from Ken,
-and Hal began a war-dance. Then both boys
-pounced upon George, and for a few moments
-made life miserable for him.
-
-"And I can't go with you!" he exclaimed,
-sorrowfully.
-
-Both Ken and Hal shared his disappointment.
-But presently. George brightened up.
-The smile came back which he always wore
-when prophesying the uncertain adventures of
-the future.
-
-"Well, anyway, I'll be safe home. And you
-fellows! You'll be getting yours when you're
-lost in the wilderness of Yucatan!"
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center
-
- THE END
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. class:: center white-space-pre-line
-
- \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \*
-
-.. vspace:: 4
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
- *There's More to Follow!*
-
-.. vspace:: 2
-
-More stories of the sort you like;
-more, probably, by the author of this
-one; more than 500 titles all told by
-writers of world-wide reputation, in
-the Authors' Alphabetical List which
-you will find on the *reverse side* of the
-wrapper of this book. Look it over
-before you lay it aside. There are
-books here you are sure to want--some,
-possibly, that you have *always* wanted.
-
-It is a *selected* list; every book in it
-has achieved a certain measure of
-success.
-
-The Grosset & Dunlap list is not only
-the greatest Index of Good Fiction
-available, it represents in addition a
-generally accepted Standard of Value.
-It will pay you to
-
-*Look on the Other Side of the Wrapper!*
-
-In case the wrapper is lost write to
-the publishers for a complete catalog.
-
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center white-space-pre-line
-
- \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \*
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
-ZANE GREY'S NOVELS
-
-.. class:: center small
-
-May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset and Dunlap's list.
-
-.. vspace:: 1
-
-.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line
-
-THE CALL OF THE CANYON
-WANDERER OF THE WASTELAND
-TO THE LAST MAN
-THE MYSTERIOUS RIDER
-THE MAN OF THE FOREST
-THE DESERT OF WHEAT
-THE U. P. TRAIL
-WILDFIRE
-THE BORDER LEGION
-THE RAINBOW TRAIL
-THE HERITAGE OF THE DESERT
-RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE
-THE LIGHT OF WESTERN STARS
-THE LAST OF THE PLAINSMEN
-THE LONE STAR RANGER
-DESERT GOLD
-BETTY ZANE
-THE DAY OF THE BEAST
-
-.. vspace:: 1
-
-.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line
-
- \* \* \* \* \*
-
-.. vspace:: 1
-
-.. class:: noindent
-
-LAST OF THE GREAT SCOUTS
-
-The life story of "Buffalo Bill" by his sister Helen Cody
-Wetmore, with Foreword and conclusion by Zane Grey.
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
-ZANE GREY'S BOOKS FOR BOYS
-
-.. vspace:: 1
-
-.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line
-
-KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE
-THE YOUNG LION HUNTER
-THE YOUNG FORESTER
-THE YOUNG PITCHER
-THE SHORT STOP
-THE RED-HEADED OUTFIELD AND OTHER BASEBALL STORIES
-
-
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center white-space-pre-line
-
- \* \* \* \* \*
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
-NOVELS OF FRONTIER LIFE
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
-WILLIAM MACLEOD RAINE
-
-.. class:: center small
-
-May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list
-
-.. vspace:: 1
-
-.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line
-
-BIG-TOWN ROUND-UP, THE
-BRAND BLOTTERS
-BUCKY O'CONNOR
-CROOKED TRAILS AND STRAIGHT
-DAUGHTER OF THE DONS, A
-DESERT'S PRICE, THE
-FIGHTING EDGE, THE
-GUNSIGHT PASS
-HIGHGRADER, THE
-IRONHEART
-MAN FOUR-SQUARE, A
-MAN-SIZE
-MAVERICKS
-OH, YOU TEX!
-PIRATE OF PANAMA, THE
-RIDGWAY OF MONTANA
-SHERIFF'S SON, THE
-STEVE YEAGER
-TANGLED TRAILS
-TEXAS RANGER, A
-VISION SPLENDID, THE
-WYOMING
-YUKON TRAIL, THE
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center white-space-pre-line
-
- \* \* \* \* \*
-
-.. vspace:: 3
-
-.. class:: center large bold
-
-JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD'S
-
-.. class:: center medium bold
-
-STORIES OF ADVENTURE
-
-.. class:: center small
-
-May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset & Dunlap's list
-
-.. vspace:: 1
-
-.. class:: noindent white-space-pre-line
-
-THE COUNTRY BEYOND
-THE FLAMING FOREST
-THE VALLEY OF SILENT MEN
-THE RIVER'S END
-THE GOLDEN SNARE
-NOMADS OF THE NORTH
-KAZAN
-BAREE, SON OF KAZAN
-THE COURAGE OF CAPTAIN PLUM
-THE DANGER TRAIL
-THE HUNTED WOMAN
-THE FLOWER OF THE NORTH
-THE GRIZZLY KING
-ISOBEL
-THE WOLF HUNTERS
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diff --git a/old/45974-rst/images/img-130.jpg b/old/45974-rst/images/img-130.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 7f4a898..0000000 --- a/old/45974-rst/images/img-130.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/45974-rst/images/img-242.jpg b/old/45974-rst/images/img-242.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 25692de..0000000 --- a/old/45974-rst/images/img-242.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/45974-rst/images/img-301.jpg b/old/45974-rst/images/img-301.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 56dad28..0000000 --- a/old/45974-rst/images/img-301.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/45974-rst/images/img-cover.jpg b/old/45974-rst/images/img-cover.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 07805a1..0000000 --- a/old/45974-rst/images/img-cover.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/45974-rst/images/img-front.jpg b/old/45974-rst/images/img-front.jpg Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 238f240..0000000 --- a/old/45974-rst/images/img-front.jpg +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/45974.txt b/old/45974.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6a2ac83..0000000 --- a/old/45974.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7863 +0,0 @@ - KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE - - - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: Ken Ward in the Jungle -Author: Zane Grey -Release Date: June 14, 2014 [EBook #45974] -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - - -[Illustration: THE JAGUAR OPENED HIS JAWS THREATENINGLY (see page 182)] - - - - - KEN WARD - IN THE JUNGLE - - - BY - - ZANE GREY - - AUTHOR OF - THE YOUNG FORESTER, - THE YOUNG PITCHER, - THE YOUNG LION HUNTER, - THE U. P. TRAIL, ETC. - - - - ILLUSTRATED - - - - NEW YORK - GROSSET & DUNLAP - PUBLISHERS - - Published by Arrangement with Harper & Brothers - Made in the United States of America - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1912, BY HARPER & BROTHERS - - PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - - - - - *CONTENTS* - -CHAP. - - I. The Prize - II. The Home of the Tarpon - III. An Indian Boatman - IV. At the Jungle River - V. The First Camp - VI. Wilderness Life - VII. Running the Rapids - VIII. The First Tiger-cat - IX. In the White Water - X. Lost! - XI. An Army of Snakes - XII. Catching Strange Fish - XIII. A Turkey-Hunt - XIV. A Fight with a Jaguar - XV. The Vicious Garrapatoes - XVI. Field Work of a Naturalist - XVII. A Mixed-up Tiger-hunt - XVIII. Watching a Runway - XIX. Adventures with Crocodiles - XX. Treed by Wild Pigs - XXI. The Leaping Tarpon - XXII. Stricken Down - XXIII. Out of the Jungle - - - - - *KEN WARD IN THE JUNGLE* - - - - *I* - - *THE PRIZE* - - -"What a change from the Arizona desert!" - -The words broke from the lips of Ken Ward as he leaned from the window -of the train which was bearing his brother and himself over the plateau -to Tampico in Tamaulipas, the southeastern state of Mexico. He had -caught sight of a river leaping out between heavily wooded slopes and -plunging down in the most beautiful waterfall he had ever seen. - -"Look, Hal," he cried. - -The first fall was a long white streak, ending in a dark pool; below -came cascade after cascade, fall after fall, some wide, others narrow, -and all white and green against the yellow rock. Then the train curved -round a spur of the mountain, descended to a level, to be lost in a -luxuriance of jungle growth. - -It was indeed a change for Ken Ward, young forester, pitcher of the -varsity nine at school, and hunter of lions in the Arizona canons. Here -he was entering the jungle of the tropics. The rifles and the camp -outfit on the seat beside his brother Hal and himself spoke of coming -adventures. Before them lay an unknown wilderness--the semi-tropical -jungle. And the future was to show that the mystery of the jungle was -stranger even than their imaginings. - -It was not love of adventure alone or interest in the strange new forest -growths that had drawn Ken to the jungle. His uncle, the one who had -gotten Ken letters from the Forestry Department at Washington, had been -proud of Ken's Arizona achievements. This uncle was a member of the -American Geographical Society and a fellow of the New York Museum of -Natural History. He wanted Ken to try his hand at field work in the -jungle of Mexico, and if that was successful, then to explore the ruined -cities of wild Yucatan. If Ken made good as an explorer his reward was -to be a trip to Equatorial Africa after big game. And of course that -trip meant opportunity to see England and France, and, what meant more -to Ken, a chance to see the great forests of Germany, where forestry had -been carried on for three hundred years. - -In spite of the fact that the inducement was irresistible, and that -Ken's father was as proud and eager as Ken's uncle to have him make a -name for himself, and that Hal would be allowed to go with him, Ken had -hesitated. There was the responsibility for Hal and the absolute -certainty that Hal could not keep out of mischief. Still Ken simply -could not have gone to Mexico leaving his brother at home -broken-hearted. - -At last the thing had been decided. It was Hal's ambition to be a -naturalist and to collect specimens, and the uncle had held out possible -recognition from the Smithsonian Institution at Washington. Perhaps he -might find a new variety of some animal to which the scientists would -attach his name. Then the lad was passionately eager to see Ken win -that trip to Africa. There had been much study of maps and books of -travel, science, and natural history. There had been the most careful -instruction and equipment for semi-tropical camp life. The uncle had -given Ken valuable lessons in map-drawing, in estimating distance and -topography, and he had indicated any one of several rivers in the jungle -belt of Mexico. Traversing one hundred miles of unknown jungle river, -with intelligent observation and accurate reports, would win the prize -for Ken Ward. Now the race was on. Would Ken win? - -Presently the train crossed a bridge. Ken Ward had a brief glance at -clear green water, at great cypress-trees, gray and graceful with long, -silvery, waving moss, and at the tangled, colorful banks. A water-fowl -black as coal, with white-crested wings, skimmed the water in swift wild -flight, to disappear up the shady river-lane. Then the train clattered -on, and, a mile or more beyond the bridge, stopped at a station called -Valles. In the distance could be seen the thatched palm-leaf huts and -red-tiled roofs of a hamlet. - -The boys got out to stretch their legs. The warm, sweet, balmy air was -a new and novel thing to them. They strolled up and down the gravel -walk, watching the natives. Hal said he rather liked the looks of their -brown bare feet and the thin cotton trousers and shirts, but he fancied -the enormous sombreros were too heavy and unwieldy. Ken spoke to -several pleasant-faced Mexicans, each of whom replied: "No sabe, Senor." - -The ticket agent at the station was an American, and from the way he -smiled and spoke Ken knew he was more than glad to see one of his own -kind. So, after Ken had replied to many questions about the States, he -began to ask some of his own. - -"What's the name of the waterfall we passed?" - -"Micas Falls," replied the agent. - -"And the river?" - -"It's called the Santa Rosa." - -"Where does it go?" - -The agent did not know, except that it disappeared in the jungle. -Southward the country was wild. The villages were few and all along the -railroad; and at Valles the river swung away to the southwest. - -"But it must flow into the Panuco River," said Ken. He had studied maps -of Mexico and had learned all that it was possible to learn before he -undertook the journey. - -"Why, yes, it must find the Panuco somewhere down over the mountain," -answered the agent. - -"Then there are rapids in this little river?" asked Ken, in growing -interest. - -"Well, I guess. It's all rapids." - -"How far to Tampico by rail?" went on Ken. - -"Something over a hundred miles." - -"Any game in the jungle hereabouts--or along the Santa Rosa?" continued -Ken. - -The man laughed, and laughed in such a way that Ken did not need his -assertion that it was not safe to go into the jungle. - -Whereupon Ken Ward became so thoughtful that he did not hear the talk -that followed between the agent and Hal. The engine bell roused him -into action, and with Hal he hurried back to their seats. And then the -train sped on. But the beauty of Micas Falls and the wildness of the -Santa Rosa remained with Ken. Where did that river go? How many -waterfalls and rapids did it have? What teeming life must be along its -rich banks! It haunted Ken. He wanted to learn the mystery of the -jungle. There was the same longing which had gotten him into the wild -adventures in Penetier Forest and the Grand Canon country of Arizona. -And all at once flashed over him the thought that here was the jungle -river for him to explore. - -"Why, that's the very thing," he said, thinking aloud. - -"What's wrong with you," asked Hal, "talking to yourself that way?" - -Ken did not explain. The train clattered between green walls of jungle, -and occasionally stopped at a station. But the thought of the jungle -haunted him until the train arrived at Tampico. - -Ken had the name of an American hotel, and that was all he knew about -Tampico. The station was crowded with natives. Man after man accosted -the boys, jabbering excitedly in Mexican. Some of these showed brass -badges bearing a number and the word _Cargodore_. - -"Hal, I believe these fellows are porters or baggage-men," said Ken. -And he showed his trunk check to one of them. The fellow jerked it out -of Ken's hand and ran off. The boys ran after him. They were relieved -to see him enter a shed full of baggage. And they were amazed to see -him kneel down and take their trunk on his back. It was a big trunk and -heavy. The man was small and light. - -"It 'll smash him!" cried Hal. - -But the little _cargodore_ walked off with the trunk on his back. Then -Ken and Hal saw other _cargodores_ packing trunks. The boys kept close -to their man and used their eyes with exceeding interest. The sun was -setting, and the square, colored buildings looked as if they were in a -picture of Spain. - -"Look at the boats--canoes!" cried Hal, as they crossed a canal. - -Ken saw long narrow canoes that had been hollowed out from straight -tree-trunks. They were of every size, and some of the paddles were -enormous. Crowds of natives were jabbering and jostling each other at a -rude wharf. - -"Look back," called Hal, who seemed to have a hundred eyes. - -Ken saw a wide, beautiful river, shining red in the sunset. Palm-trees -on the distant shore showed black against the horizon. - -"Hal, that's the Panuco. What a river!" - -"Makes the Susquehanna look like a creek," was Hal's comment. - -The _cargodore_ led the boys through a plaza, down a narrow street to -the hotel. Here they were made to feel at home. The proprietor was a -kindly American. The hotel was crowded, and many of the guests were -Englishmen there for the tarpon-fishing, with sportsmen from the States, -and settlers coming in to take up new lands. It was pleasant for Ken -and Hal to hear their own language once more. After dinner they sallied -forth to see the town. But the narrow dark streets and the blanketed -natives stealing silently along were not particularly inviting. The -boys got no farther than the plaza, where they sat down on a bench. It -was wholly different from any American town. Ken suspected that Hal was -getting homesick, for the boy was quiet and inactive. - -"I don't like this place," said Hal. "What 'd you ever want to drag me -way down here for?" - -"Humph! drag you? Say, you pestered the life out of me, and bothered -Dad till he was mad, and worried mother sick to let you come on this -trip." - -Hal hung his head. - -"Now, you're not going to show a streak of yellow?" asked Ken. He knew -how to stir his brother. - -Hal rose to the attack and scornfully repudiated the insinuation. Ken -replied that they were in a new country and must not reach conclusions -too hastily. - -"I liked it back up there at the little village where we saw the green -river and the big trees with the gray streamers on them," said Hal. - -"Well, I liked that myself," rejoined Ken. "I'd like to go back there -and put a boat in the river and come all the way here." - -Ken had almost unconsciously expressed the thought that had been forming -in his mind. Hal turned slowly and looked at his brother. - -"Ken, that 'd be great--that's what we came for!" - -"I should say so," replied Ken. - -"Well?" asked Hal, simply. - -That question annoyed Ken. Had he not come south to go into the jungle? -Had he come with any intention of shirking the danger of a wild trip? -There was a subtle flattery in Hal's question. - -"That Santa Rosa River runs through the jungle," went on Hal. "It flows -into the Panuco somewhere. You know we figured out on the map that the -Panuco's the only big river in this jungle. That's all we want to know. -And, Ken, you know you're a born boatman. Why, look at the rapids we've -shot on the Susquehanna. Remember that trip we came down the Juniata? -The water was high, too. Ken, you can take a boat down that Santa -Rosa!" - -"By George! I believe I can," exclaimed Ken, and he thrilled at the -thought. - -"Ken, let's go. You'll win the prize, and I'll get specimens. Think -what we'd have to tell Jim Williams and Dick Leslie when we go West next -summer!" - -"Oh, Hal, I know--but this idea of a trip seems too wild." - -"Maybe it wouldn't be so wild." - -In all fairness Ken could not deny this, so he kept silent. - -"Ken, listen," went on Hal, and now he was quite cool. "If we'd -promised the Governor not to take a wild trip I wouldn't say another -word. But we're absolutely free." - -"That's why we ought to be more careful. Dad trusts me." - -"He trusts you because he knows you can take care of yourself, and me, -too. You're a wonder, Ken. Why, if you once made up your mind, you'd -make that Santa Rosa River look like a canal." - -Ken began to fear that he would not be proof against the haunting call -of that jungle river and the flattering persuasion of his brother and -the ever-present ambition to show his uncle what he could do. - -"Hal, if I didn't have you with me I'd already have made up my mind to -tackle this river." - -That appeared to insult Hal. - -"All I've got to say is I'd be a help to you--not a drag," he said, with -some warmth. - -"You're always a help, Hal. I can't say anything against your -willingness. But you know your weakness. By George! you made trouble -enough for me in Arizona. On a trip such as this you'd drive me crazy." - -"Ken, I won't make any rash promises. I don't want to queer myself with -you. But I'm all right." - -"Look here, Hal; let's wait. We've only got to Tampico. Maybe such a -trip is impracticable--impossible. Let's find out more about the -country." - -Hal appeared to take this in good spirit. The boys returned to the hotel -and went to bed. Hal promptly fell asleep. But Ken Ward lay awake a -long time thinking of the green Santa Rosa, with its magnificent -moss-festooned cypresses. And when he did go to sleep it was to dream -of the beautiful waterfowl with the white-crested wings, and he was -following it on its wild flight down the dark, mysterious river-trail -into the jungle. - - - - - *II* - - *THE HOME OF THE TARPON* - - -Hal's homesickness might never have been in evidence at all, to judge -from the way the boy, awakening at dawn, began to talk about the Santa -Rosa trip. - -"Well," said Ken, as he rolled out of bed, "I guess we're in for it." - -"Ken, will we go?" asked Hal, eagerly. - -"I'm on the fence." - -"But you're leaning on the jungle side?" - -"Yes, kid--I'm slipping." - -Hal opened his lips to let out a regular Hiram Bent yell, when Ken -clapped a hand over his mouth. - -"Hold on--we're in the hotel yet." - -It took the brothers long to dress, because they could not keep away -from the window. The sun was rising in rosy glory over misty lagoons. -Clouds of creamy mist rolled above the broad Panuco. Wild ducks were -flying low. The tiled roofs of the stone houses gleamed brightly, and -the palm-trees glistened with dew. The soft breeze that blew in was -warm, sweet, and fragrant. - -After breakfast the boys went out to the front and found the hotel lobby -full of fishermen and their native boatmen. It was an interesting -sight, as well as a surprise, for Ken and Hal did not know that Tampico -was as famous for fishing as it was for hunting. The huge rods and -reels amazed them. - -"What kind of fish do these fellows fish for?" asked Hal. - -Ken was well enough acquainted with sport to know something about -tarpon, but he had never seen one of the great silver fish. And he was -speechless when Hal led him into a room upon the walls of which were -mounted specimens of tarpon from six to seven feet in length and half as -wide as a door. - -"Say, Ken! We've come to the right place. Those fishermen are all -going out to fish for such whales as these here." - -"Hal, we never saw a big fish before," said Ken. "And before we leave -Tampico we'll know what it means to hook tarpon." - -"I'm with you," replied Hal, gazing doubtfully and wonderingly at a fish -almost twice as big as himself. - -Then Ken, being a practical student of fishing, as of other kinds of -sport, began to stroll round the lobby with an intent to learn. He -closely scrutinized the tackle. And he found that the bait used was a -white mullet six to ten inches long, a little fish which resembled the -chub. Ken did not like the long, cruel gaff which seemed a necessary -adjunct to each outfit of tackle, and he vowed that in his fishing for -tarpon he would dispense with it. - -Ken was not backward about asking questions, and he learned that -Tampico, during the winter months, was a rendezvous for sportsmen from -all over the world. For the most part, they came to catch the leaping -tarpon; the shooting along the Panuco, however, was as well worth while -as the fishing. But Ken could not learn anything about the Santa Rosa -River. The _tierra caliente_, or hot belt, along the curve of the Gulf -was intersected by small streams, many of them unknown and unnamed. The -Panuco swung round to the west and had its source somewhere up in the -mountains. Ken decided that the Santa Rosa was one of its headwaters. -Valles lay up on the first swell of higher ground, and was distant from -Tampico some six hours by train. So, reckoning with the meandering -course of jungle streams, Ken calculated he would have something like -one hundred and seventy-five miles to travel by water from Valles to -Tampico. There were Indian huts strung along the Panuco River, and fifty -miles inland a village named Panuco. What lay between Panuco and -Valles, up over the wild steppes of that jungle, Ken Ward could only -conjecture. - -Presently he came upon Hal in conversation with an American boy, who at -once volunteered to show them around. So they set out, and were soon -becoming well acquainted. Their guide said he was from Kansas; had been -working in the railroad offices for two years; and was now taking a -vacation. His name was George Alling. Under his guidance the boys spent -several interesting hours going about the city. During this walk Hal -showed his first tendency to revert to his natural bent of mind. Not -for long could Hal Ward exist without making trouble for something. In -this case it was buzzards, of which the streets of Tampico were full. -In fact, George explained, the buzzards were the only street-cleaning -department in the town. They were as tame as tame turkeys, and Hal -could not resist the desire to chase them. And he could be made to stop -only after a white-helmeted officer had threatened him. George -explained further that although Tampico had no game-laws it protected -these buzzard-scavengers of the streets. - -The market-house at the canal wharf was one place where Ken thought Hal -would forget himself in the bustle and din and color. All was so strange -and new. Indeed, for a time Hal appeared to be absorbed in his -surroundings, but when he came to a stall where a man had parrots and -racoons and small deer, and three little yellow, black-spotted -tiger-cats, as George called them, then once more Ken had to take Hal in -tow. Outside along the wharf were moored a hundred or more canoes of -manifold variety. All had been hewn from solid tree-trunks. Some were -long, slender, graceful, pretty to look at, and easy to handle in -shallow lagoons, but Ken thought them too heavy and cumbersome for fast -water. Happening just then to remember Micas Falls, Ken had a momentary -chill and a check to his enthusiasm for the jungle trip. What if he -encountered, in coming down the Santa Rosa, some such series of cascades -as those which made Micas Falls! - -It was about noon when George led the boys out to the banks of the broad -Panuco. Both Hal and Ken were suffering from the heat. They had removed -their coats, and were now very glad to rest in the shade. - -"This is a nice cool day," said George, and he looked cool. - -"We've got on our heavy clothes, and this tropic sun is new to us," -replied Ken. "Say, Hal--" - -A crash in the water near the shore interrupted Ken. - -"Was that a rhinoceros?" inquired Hal. - -"Savalo," said George. - -"What's that?" - -"Silver king. A tarpon. Look around and you'll see one break water. -There are some fishermen trolling down-stream. Watch. Maybe one will -hook a fish presently. Then you'll see some jumping." - -It was cool in the shade, as the brothers soon discovered, and they -spent a delightful hour watching the river and the wild fowl and the -tarpon. Ken and Hal were always lucky. Things happened for their -benefit and pleasure. Not only did they see many tarpon swirl like bars -of silver on the water, but a fisherman hooked one of the great fish not -fifty yards from where the boys sat. And they held their breath, and -with starting eyes watched the marvelous leaps and dashes of the tarpon -till, as he shot up in a last mighty effort, wagging his head, slapping -his huge gills, and flinging the hook like a bullet, he plunged back -free. - -"Nine out of ten get away," remarked George. - -"Did you ever catch one?" asked Hal. - -"Sure." - -"Hal, I've got to have some of this fishing," said Ken. "But if we -start at it now--would we ever get that jungle trip?" - -"Oh, Ken, you've made up your mind to go!" exclaimed Hal, in glee. - -"No, I haven't," protested Ken. - -"Yes, you have," declared Hal. "I know you." And the whoop that he had -suppressed in the hotel he now let out with good measure. - -Naturally George was interested, and at his inquiry Ken told him the -idea for the Santa Rosa trip. - -"Take me along," said George. There was a note of American spirit in -his voice, a laugh on his lips, and a flash in his eyes that made Ken -look at him attentively. He was a slim youth, not much Hal's senior, -and Ken thought if ever a boy had been fashioned to be a boon comrade of -Hal Ward this George Alling was the boy. - -"What do you think of the trip?" inquired Ken, curiously. - -"Fine. We'll have some fun. We'll get a boat and a mozo--" - -"What's a mozo?" - -"A native boatman." - -"That's a good idea. I hadn't thought of a boatman to help row. But -the boat is the particular thing. I wouldn't risk a trip in one of -those canoes." - -"Come on, I'll find a boat," said George. - -And before he knew it George and Hal were leading him back from the -river. George led him down narrow lanes, between painted stone houses -and iron-barred windows, till they reached the canal. They entered a -yard where buzzards, goats, and razor-back pigs were contesting over the -scavenger rights. George went into a boat-house and pointed out a long, -light, wide skiff with a flat bottom. Ken did not need George's praise, -or the shining light in Hal's eyes, or the boat-keeper's importunities -to make him eager to try this particular boat. Ken Ward knew a boat -when he saw one. He jumped in, shoved it out, rowed up the canal, -pulled and turned, backed water, and tried every stroke he knew. Then -he rested on the oars and whistled. Hal's shout of delight made him -stop whistling. Those two boys would have him started on the trip if he -did not look sharp. - -"It's a dandy boat," said Ken. - -"Only a peso a day, Ken," went on Hal. "One dollar Mex--fifty cents in -our money. Quick, Ken, hire it before somebody else gets it." - -"Sure I'll hire the boat," replied Ken; "but Hal, it's not for that -Santa Rosa trip. We'll have to forget that." - -"Forget your grandmother!" cried Hal. And then it was plain that he -tried valiantly to control himself, to hide his joy, to pretend to agree -with Ken's ultimatum. - -Ken had a feeling that his brother knew him perfectly, and he was -divided between anger and amusement. They returned to the hotel and -lounged in the lobby. The proprietor was talking with some Americans, -and as he now appeared to be at leisure he introduced the brothers and -made himself agreeable. Moreover, he knew George Alling well. They -began to chat, and Ken was considerably annoyed to hear George calmly -state that he and his new-found friends intended to send a boat up to -Valles and come down an unknown jungle river. - -The proprietor laughed, and, though the laugh was not unpleasant, -somehow it nettled Ken Ward. - -"Why not go?" he asked, quietly, and he looked at the hotel man. - -"My boy, you can't undertake any trip like that." - -"Why not?" persisted Ken. "Is there any law here to prevent our going -into the jungle?" - -"There's no law. No one could stop you. But, my lad, what's the sense -of taking such a fool trip? The river here is full of tarpon right now. -There are millions of ducks and geese on the lagoons. You can shoot -deer and wild turkey right on the edge of town. If you want tiger and -javelin, go out to one of the ranches where they have dogs to hunt with, -where you'll have a chance for your life. These tigers and boars will -kill a man. There's all the sport any one wants right close to Tampico." - -"I don't see how all that makes a reason why we shouldn't come down the -Santa Rosa," replied Ken. "We want to explore--map the river." - -The hotel man seemed nettled in return. - -"You're only kids. It 'd be crazy to start out on that wild trip." - -It was on Ken's lips to mention a few of the adventures which he -believed justly gave him a right to have pride and confidence in his -ability. But he forbore. - -"It's a fool trip," continued the proprietor. "You don't know this -river. You don't know where you'll come out. It's wild up in that -jungle. I've hunted up at Valles, and no native I ever met would go a -mile from the village. If you take a mozo he'll get soaked with canya. -He'll stick a knife in you or run off and leave you when you most need -help. Nobody ever explored that river. It 'll likely be full of -swamps, sandbars, bogs. You'd get fever. Then the crocodiles, the -boars, the bats, the snakes, the tigers! Why, if you could face these -you'd still have the ticks--the worst of all. The ticks would drive men -crazy, let alone boys. It's no undertaking for a boy." - -The mention of all these dangers would have tipped the balance for Ken -in favor of the Santa Rosa trip, even if the hint of his callowness had -not roused his spirit. - -"Thank you. I'm sure you mean kindly," said Ken. "But I'm going to -Valles and I'll come down that jungle river." - - - - - *III* - - *AN INDIAN BOATMAN* - - -The moment the decision was made Ken felt both sorry and glad. He got -the excited boys outside away from the critical and anxious proprietor. -And Ken decided it was incumbent upon him to adopt a serious and -responsible manner, which he was far from feeling. So he tried to be as -cool as Hiram Bent, with a fatherly interest in the two wild boys who -were to accompany him down the Santa Rosa. - -"Now, George, steer us around till we find a mozo," said Ken. "Then -we'll buy an outfit and get started on this trip before you can say Jack -Robinson." - -All the mozos the boys interviewed were eager to get work; however, when -made acquainted with the nature of the trip they refused point blank. - -"Tigre!" exclaimed one. - -"Javelin!" exclaimed another. - -The big spotted jaguar of the jungle and the wild boar, or peccary, were -held in much dread by the natives. - -"These natives will climb a tree at sight of a tiger or pig," said -George. "For my part I'm afraid of the garrapatoes and the pinilius." - -"What 're they?" asked Hal. - -"Ticks--jungle ticks. Just wait till you make their acquaintance." - -Finally the boys met a _mozo_ named Pepe, who had often rowed a boat for -George. Pepe looked sadly in need of a job; still he did not ask for it. -George said that Pepe had been one of the best boatmen on the river -until _canya_, the fiery white liquor to which the natives were -addicted, had ruined his reputation. Pepe wore an old sombrero, a -cotton, shirt and sash, and ragged trousers. He was barefooted. Ken -noted the set of his muscular neck, his brawny shoulders and arms, and -appreciated the years of rowing that had developed them. But Pepe's -haggard face, deadened eyes, and listless manner gave Ken pause. Still, -Ken reflected, there was never any telling what a man might do, if -approached right. Pepe's dejection excited Ken's sympathy. So Ken -clapped him on the shoulder, and, with George acting as interpreter, -offered Pepe work for several weeks at three pesos a day. That was more -than treble the _mozo's_ wage. Pepe nearly fell off the canal bridge, -where he was sitting, and a light as warm and bright as sunshine flashed -into his face. - -"Si, Senor--Si, Senor," he began to jabber, and waved his brown hands. - -Ken suspected that Pepe needed a job and a little kind treatment. He -was sure of it when George said Pepe's wife and children were in want. -Somehow Ken conceived a liking for Pepe, and believed he could trust -him. He thought he knew how to deal with poor Pepe. So he gave him -money, told him to get a change of clothes and a pair of shoes, and come -to the hotel next day. - -"He'll spend the money for canya, and not show up to-morrow," said -George. - -"I don't know anything about your natives, but that fellow will come," -declared Ken. - -It appeared that the whole American colony in Tampico had been -acquainted with Ken Ward's project, and made a business to waylay the -boys at each corner. They called the trip a wild-goose chase. They -declared it was a dime-novel idea, and could hardly take Ken seriously. -They mingled astonishment with amusement and concern. They advised Ken -not to go, and declared they would not let him go. Over and over again -the boys were assured of the peril from ticks, bats, boars, crocodiles, -snakes, tigers, and fevers. - -"That's what I'm taking the trip for," snapped Ken, driven to -desperation by all this nagging. - -"Well, young man, I admire your nerve," concluded the hotel man. "If -you're determined to go, we can't stop you. And there's some things we -would like you to find out for us. How far do tarpon run up the Panuco -River? Do they spawn up there? How big are the new-born fish? I'll -furnish you with tackle and preserved mullet, for bait. We've always -wondered about how far tarpon go up into fresh water. Keep your eye -open for signs of oil. Also look at the timber. And be sure to make a -map of the river." - -When it came to getting the boat shipped the boys met with more -obstacles. But for the friendly offices of a Texan, an employee of the -railroad, they would never have been able to convince the native -shipping agent that a boat was merchandise. The Texan arranged the -matter and got Ken a freight bill. He took an entirely different view -of Ken's enterprise, compared with that of other Americans, and in a -cool, drawling voice, which somehow reminded Ken of Jim Williams, he -said: - -"Shore you-all will have the time of your lives. I worked at Valles for -a year. That jungle is full of game. I killed three big tigers. -You-all want to look out for those big yellow devils. One in every -three will jump for a man. There's nothing but shoot, then. And the -wild pigs are bad. They put me up a tree more than once. I don't know -much about the Santa Rosa. Its source is above Micas Falls. Never heard -where it goes. I know it's full of crocodiles and rapids. Never saw a -boat or a canoe at Valles. And say--there are big black snakes in the -jungle. Look out for them, too. Shore you-all have sport a-comin'." - -Ken thanked the Texan, and as he went on up-street, for all his sober -thoughtfulness, he was as eager as Hal or George. However, his position -as their guardian would not permit any show of extravagant enthusiasm. - -Ken bought blankets, cooking utensils, and supplies for three weeks. -There was not such a thing as a tent in Tampico. The best the boys -could get for a shelter was a long strip of canvas nine feet wide. - -"That 'll keep off the wet," said Ken, "but it won't keep out the -mosquitoes and things." - -"Couldn't keep 'em out if we had six tents," replied George. - -The remainder of that day the boys were busy packing the outfit. - -Pepe presented himself at the hotel next morning an entirely different -person. He was clean-shaven, and no longer disheveled. He wore a new -sombrero, a white cotton shirt, a red sash, and blue trousers. He -earned a small bundle, a pair of shoes, and a long _machete_. The -dignity with which he approached before all the other _mozos_ was not -lost upon Ken Ward. A sharp scrutiny satisfied him that Pepe had not -been drinking. Ken gave him several errands to do. Then he ordered the -outfit taken to the station in Pepe's charge. - -The boys went down early in the afternoon. It was the time when the -_mozos_ were returning from the day's tarpon-fishing on the river, and -they, with the _cargodores_, streamed to and fro on the platform. Pepe -was there standing guard over Ken's outfit. He had lost his fame among -his old associates, and for long had been an outsider. Here he was in -charge of a pile of fine guns, fishing-tackle, baggage, and supplies--a -collection representing a fortune to him and his simple class. He had -been trusted with it. It was under his eye. All his old associates -passed by to see him there. That was a great time for Pepe. He looked -bright, alert, and supremely happy. It would have fared ill with -thieves or loafers who would have made themselves free with any of the -articles under his watchful eye. - -The train pulled out of Tampico at five o'clock, and Hal's "We're off!" -was expressive. - -The railroad lay along the river-bank, and the broad Panuco was rippling -with the incoming tide. If Ken and Hal had not already found George to -be invaluable as a companion in this strange country they would have -discovered it then. For George could translate Pepe's talk, and explain -much that otherwise would have been dark to the brothers. Wild ducks -dotted the green surface, and spurts showed where playful _ravalo_ were -breaking water. Great green-backed tarpon rolled their silver sides -against the little waves. White cranes and blue herons stood like -statues upon the reedy bars. Low down over the opposite bank of the -river a long line of wild geese winged its way toward a shimmering -lagoon. And against the gold and crimson of the sunset sky a flight of -wild fowl stood out in bold black relief. The train crossed the Tamesi -River and began to draw away from the Panuco. On the right, wide -marshes, gleaming purple in the darkening light, led the eye far beyond -to endless pale lagoons. Birds of many kinds skimmed the weedy flats. -George pointed out a flock of aigrets, the beautiful wild fowl with the -priceless plumes. Then there was a string of pink flamingoes, tall, -grotesque, wading along with waddling stride, feeding with heads under -water. - -"Great!" exclaimed Ken Ward. - -"It's all so different from Arizona," said Hal. - -At Tamos, twelve miles out of Tampico, the train entered the jungle. -Thereafter the boys could see nothing but the impenetrable green walls -that lined the track. At dusk the train reached a station called Las -Palmas, and then began to ascend the first step of the mountain. The -ascent was steep, and, when it was accomplished, Ken looked down and -decided that step of the mountain was between two and three thousand -feet high. The moon was in its first quarter, and Ken, studying this -tropical moon, found it large, radiant, and a wonderful green-gold. It -shed a soft luminous glow down upon the sleeping, tangled web of jungle. -It was new and strange to Ken, so vastly different from barren desert or -iron-ribbed canon, and it thrilled him with nameless charm. - -The train once more entered jungle walls, and as the boys could not see -anything out of the windows they lay back in their seats and waited for -the ride to end. They were due at Valles at ten o'clock, and the -impatient Hal complained that they would never get there. At length a -sharp whistle from the engine caused Pepe to turn to the boys with a -smile. - -"Valles," he said. - -With rattle and clank the train came to a halt. Ken sent George and -Pepe out, and he and Hal hurriedly handed the luggage through the open -window. When the last piece had been passed into Pepe's big hands the -boys made a rush for the door, and jumped off as the train started. - -"Say, but it's dark," said Hal. - -As the train with its lights passed out of sight Ken found himself in -what seemed a pitchy blackness. He could not see the boys. And he felt -a little cold sinking of his heart at the thought of such black nights -on an unknown jungle river. - -IV - -AT THE JUNGLE RIVER - -Presently, as Ken's eyes became accustomed to the change, the darkness -gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of chattering natives, with wide -sombreros on their heads and blankets over their shoulders, moved round -the little stone station. Visitors were rare in Valles, as was -manifested by the curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile of luggage. - -"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for the night," said Ken to -George. - -Pepe began to question the natives, and soon was lost in the crowd. -Awhile after, as Ken was making up his mind they might have to camp on -the station platform, a queer low 'bus drawn by six little mules creaked -up. Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and began to stow the -luggage away in the 'bus. Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon -bowling along a white moonlit road. The soft voices of natives greeted -their passing. - -Valles appeared to be about a mile from the station, and as they entered -the village Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here and there a -more pretentious habitation of stone. At length the driver halted -before a rambling house, partly stone and partly thatch. There were no -lights; in fact, Ken did not see a light in the village. George told -the boys to take what luggage each could carry and follow the guide. -Inside the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The boys bumped into -things and fell over each other trying to keep close to the barefooted -and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed to a kind of loft, where the -moonlight streamed in at the open sides. - -"What do you think of this?" panted Hal, who had struggled with a heavy -load of luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to fetch up the remainder -of the outfit. Ken thought it best to stand still until he knew just -where he was. But Hal and George began moving about in the loft. It -was very large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full of objects. Hal -jostled into something which creaked and fell with a crash. Then -followed a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and a scuffling -about. - -"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely. - -"You can search me," replied Hal Ward. "One thing--I busted my shin." - -"He knocked over a bed with some one sleeping in it," said George. - -Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon soothed the injured feelings of -the native who had been so rudely disturbed. He then led the boys to -their cots, which were no more than heavy strips of canvas stretched -over tall frameworks. They appeared to be enormously high for beds. -Ken's was as high as his head, and Ken was tall for his age. - -"Say, I'll never get up into this thing," burst out Hal. "These people -must be afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why are these cots so -high?" - -"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and all that from sleeping with the -natives," answered George. "Besides, the higher you sleep in Mexico the -farther you get from creeping, crawling things." - -Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on the floor, but George's remark -had persuaded him to risk the lofty cot. It was most awkward to climb -into. Ken tried several times without success, and once he just escaped -a fall. By dint of muscle and a good vault he finally landed in the -center of his canvas. From there he listened to his more - - - - - *IV* - - *AT THE JUNGLE RIVER* - - -Presently, as Ken's eyes became accustomed to the change, the darkness -gave place to pale moonlight. A crowd of chattering natives, with wide -sombreros on their heads and blankets over their shoulders, moved round -the little stone station. Visitors were rare in Valles, as was -manifested by the curiosity aroused by the boys and the pile of luggage. - -"Ask Pepe to find some kind of lodging for the night," said Ken to -George. - -Pepe began to question the natives, and soon was lost in the crowd. -Awhile after, as Ken was making up his mind they might have to camp on -the station platform, a queer low 'bus drawn by six little mules creaked -up. Pepe jumped off the seat beside the driver, and began to stow the -luggage away in the 'bus. Then the boys piled in behind, and were soon -bowling along a white moonlit road. The soft voices of natives greeted -their passing. - -Valles appeared to be about a mile from the station, and as they entered -the village Ken made out rows of thatched huts, and here and there a -more pretentious habitation of stone. At length the driver halted -before a rambling house, partly stone and partly thatch. There were no -lights; in fact, Ken did not see a light in the village. George told -the boys to take what luggage each could carry and follow the guide. -Inside the house it was as dark as a dungeon. The boys bumped into -things and fell over each other trying to keep close to the barefooted -and mysterious guide. Finally they climbed to a kind of loft, where the -moonlight streamed in at the open sides. - -"What do you think of this?" panted Hal, who had struggled with a heavy -load of luggage. Pepe and the guide went down to fetch up the remainder -of the outfit. Ken thought it best to stand still until he knew just -where he was. But Hal and George began moving about in the loft. It -was very large and gloomy, and seemed open, yet full of objects. Hal -jostled into something which creaked and fell with a crash. Then -followed a yell, a jabbering of a frightened native, and a scuffling -about. - -"Hal, what 'd you do?" called Ken, severely. - -"You can search me," replied Hal Ward. "One thing--I busted my shin." - -"He knocked over a bed with some one sleeping in it," said George. - -Pepe arrived in the loft then and soon soothed the injured feelings of -the native who had been so rudely disturbed. He then led the boys to -their cots, which were no more than heavy strips of canvas stretched -over tall frameworks. They appeared to be enormously high for beds. -Ken's was as high as his head, and Ken was tall for his age. - -"Say, I'll never get up into this thing," burst out Hal. "These people -must be afraid to sleep near the floor. George, why are these cots so -high?" - -"I reckon to keep the pigs and dogs and all that from sleeping with the -natives," answered George. "Besides, the higher you sleep in Mexico the -farther you get from creeping, crawling things." - -Ken had been of half a mind to sleep on the floor, but George's remark -had persuaded him to risk the lofty cot. It was most awkward to climb -into. Ken tried several times without success, and once he just escaped -a fall. By dint of muscle and a good vault he finally landed in the -center of his canvas. From there he listened to his more unfortunate -comrades. Pepe got into his without much difficulty. George, however, -in climbing up, on about the fifth attempt swung over too hard and -rolled off on the other side. The thump he made when he dropped jarred -the whole loft. From the various growls out of the darkness it -developed that the loft was full of sleepers, who were not pleased at -this invasion. Then Hal's cot collapsed, and went down with a crash. -And Hal sat on the flattened thing and laughed. - -"Mucho malo," Pepe said, and he laughed, too. Then he had to get out -and put up Hal's trestle bed. Hal once again went to climbing up the -framework, and this time, with Pepe's aid, managed to surmount it. - -"George, what does Pepe mean by _mucho malo_?" asked Hal. - -"Bad--very much bad," replied George. - -"Nix--tell him nix. This is fine," said Hal. - -"Boys, if you don't want to sleep yourselves, shut up so the rest of us -can," ordered Ken. - -He liked the sense of humor and the good fighting spirit of the boys, -and fancied they were the best attributes in comrades on a wild trip. -For a long time he heard a kind of shuddering sound, which he imagined -was Hal's cot quivering as the boy laughed. Then absolute quiet -prevailed, the boys slept, and Ken felt himself drifting. - -When he awakened the sun was shining through the holes in the thatched -roof. Pepe was up, and the other native sleepers were gone. Ken and the -boys descended from their perches without any tumbles, had a breakfast -that was palatable--although even George could not name what they -ate--and then were ready for the day. - -Valles consisted of a few stone houses and many thatched huts of bamboo -and palm. There was only one street, and it was full of pigs, dogs, and -buzzards. The inhabitants manifested a kindly interest and curiosity, -which changed to consternation when they learned of the boys' project. -Pepe questioned many natives, and all he could learn about the Santa -Rosa was that there was an impassable waterfall some few kilometers -below Valles. Ken gritted his teeth and said they would have to get -past it. Pepe did not encounter a man who had ever heard of the -headwaters of the Panuco River. There were only a few fields under -cultivation around Valles, and they were inclosed by impenetrable -jungle. It seemed useless to try to find out anything about the river. -But Pepe's advisers in the village told enough about _tigre_ and -_javelin_ to make Hal's hair stand on end, and George turn pale, and Ken -himself wish they had not come. It all gave Ken both a thrill and a -shock. - -There was not much conversation among the boys on the drive back to the -station. However, sight of the boat, which had come by freight, stirred -Ken with renewed spirit, and through him that was communicated to the -others. - -The hardest task, so far, developed in the matter of transporting boat -and supplies out to the river. Ken had hoped to get a handcar and haul -the outfit on the track down to where the bridge crossed the Santa Rosa. -But there was no hand-car. Then came the staggering information that -there was no wagon which would carry the boat, and then worse still in -the fact that there was no road. This discouraged Ken; nevertheless he -had not the least idea of giving up. He sent Pepe out to tell the -natives there must be some way to get the outfit to the river. - -Finally Pepe found a fellow who had a cart. This fellow claimed he knew -a trail that went to a point from which it would be easy to carry the -boat to the river. Ken had Pepe hire the man at once. - -"Bring on your old cart," said the irrepressible Hal. - -That cart turned out to be a remarkable vehicle. It consisted of a -narrow body between enormously high wheels. A trio of little mules was -hitched to it. The driver willingly agreed to haul the boat and outfit -for one _peso_, but when he drove up to the platform to be surrounded by -neighbors, he suddenly discovered that he could not possibly accommodate -the boys. Patiently Pepe tried to persuade him. No, the thing was -impossible. He made no excuses, but he looked mysterious. - -"George, tell Pepe to offer him five pesos," said Ken. - -Pepe came out bluntly with the inducement, and the driver began to -sweat. From the look of his eyes Ken fancied he had not earned so much -money in a year. Still he was cunning, and his whispering neighbors -lent him support. He had the only cart in the village, and evidently it -seemed that fortune had come to knock at least once at his door. He -shook his head. - -Ken held up both hands with fingers spread. "Ten pesos," he said. - -The driver, like a crazy man, began to jabber his consent. - -The boys lifted the boat upon the cart, and tied it fast in front so -that the stern would not sag. Then they packed the rest of the outfit -inside. - -Ken was surprised to see how easily the little mules trotted off with -such a big load. At the edge of the jungle he looked back toward the -station. The motley crowd of natives were watching, making excited -gestures, and all talking at once. The driver drove into a narrow -trail, which closed behind him. Pepe led on foot, brushing aside the -thick foliage. Ken drew a breath of relief as he passed into the cool -shade. The sun was very hot. Hal and George brought up the rear, -talking fast. - -The trail was lined and overgrown with slender trees, standing very -close, making dense shade. Many birds, some of beautiful coloring, -flitted in the branches. In about an hour the driver entered a little -clearing where there were several thatched huts. Ken heard the puffing -of an engine, and, looking through the trees, he saw the railroad and -knew they had arrived at the pumping-station and the bridge over the -Santa Rosa. - -Pepe lost no time in rounding up six natives to carry the boat. They -did not seem anxious to oblige Pepe, although they plainly wanted the -money he offered. The trouble was the boat, at which they looked -askance. As in the case with the driver, however, the weight and -clinking of added silver overcame their reluctance. They easily lifted -the boat upon their shoulders. And as they entered the trail, making a -strange procession in the close-bordering foliage, they encountered two -natives, who jumped and ran, yelling: "La diable! La diable!" - -"What ails those gazabos?" asked Hal. - -"They're scared," replied George. "They thought the boat was the -devil." - -If Ken needed any more than had already come to him about the wildness -of the Santa Rosa, he had it in the frightened cries and bewilderment of -these natives. They had never seen a boat. The Santa Rosa was a -beautiful wild river upon which boats were unknown. Ken had not hoped -for so much. And now that the die was cast he faced the trip with -tingling gladness. - -"George and Hal, you stay behind to watch the outfit. Pepe and I will -carry what we can and follow the boat. I'll send back after you," said -Ken. - -Then as he followed Pepe and the natives down the trail there was a deep -satisfaction within him. He heard the soft rush of water over stones -and the mourning of turtledoves. He rounded a little hill to come -abruptly upon the dense green mass of river foliage. Giant -cypress-trees, bearded with gray moss, fringed the banks. Through the -dark green of leaves Ken caught sight of light-green water. Birds rose -all about him. There were rustlings in the thick underbrush and the whir -of ducks. The natives penetrated the dark shade and came out to an -open, grassy point. - -The Santa Rosa, glistening, green, swift, murmured at Ken's feet. The -natives dropped the boat into the water, and with Pepe went back for the -rest of the outfit. Ken looked up the shady lane of the river and -thought of the moment when he had crossed the bridge in the train. -Then, as much as he had longed to be there, he had not dared to hope it. -And here he was! How strange it was, just then, to see a large black -duck with white-crested wings sweep by as swift as the wind! Ken had -seen that wild fowl, or one of his kind, and it had haunted him. - - - - - *V* - - *THE FIRST CAMP* - - -In less than an hour all the outfit had been carried down to the river, -and the boys sat in the shade, cooling off, happily conscious that they -had made an auspicious start. - -It took Ken only a moment to decide to make camp there and the next day -try to reach Micas Falls. The mountains appeared close at hand, and -were so lofty that, early in the afternoon as it was, the westering sun -hung over the blue summits. The notch where the Santa Rosa cut through -the range stood out clear, and at most it was not more than eighteen -miles distant. So Ken planned to spend a day pulling up the river, and -then to turn for the down-stream trip. - -"Come, boys, let's make camp," said Ken. - -He sent Pepe with his long _machete_ into the brush to cut fire-wood. -Hal he set to making a stone fireplace, which work the boy rather prided -himself upon doing well. Ken got George to help him to put up the strip -of canvas. They stretched a rope between two trees, threw the canvas -over it, and pegged down the ends. - -"Say, how 're we going to sleep?" inquired Hal, suddenly. - -"Sleep? Why, on our backs, of course," retorted Ken, who could read -Hal's mind. - -"If we don't have some hot old times keeping things out of this tent, -I'm a lobster," said George, dubiously. "I'm going to sleep in the -middle." - -"You're a brave boy, George," replied Ken. - -"Me for between Ken and Pepe," added Hal. - -"And you're twice as brave," said Ken. "I dare say Pepe and I will be -able to keep things from getting at you." - -Just as Pepe came into camp staggering under a load of wood, a flock of -russet-colored ducks swung round the bend. They alighted near the shore -at a point opposite the camp. The way George and Hal made headers into -the pile of luggage for their guns gave Ken an inkling of what he might -expect from these lads. He groaned, and then he laughed. George came up -out of the luggage first, and he had a .22-caliber rifle, which he -quickly loaded and fired into the flock. He crippled one; the others -flew up-stream. Then George began to waste shells trying to kill the -crippled duck. Hal got into action with his .22. They bounced bullets -off the water all around the duck, but they could not hit it. - -Pepe grew as excited as the boys, and he jumped into the boat and with a -long stick began to pole out into the stream. Ken had to caution George -and Hal to lower their guns and not shoot Pepe. Below camp and just -under the bridge the water ran into a shallow rift. The duck got onto -the current and went round the bend, with Pepe poling in pursuit and -George and Hal yelling along the shore. When they returned a little -later, they had the duck, which was of an unknown species to Ken. Pepe -had fallen overboard; George was wet to his knees; and, though Hal did -not show any marks of undue exertion, his eyes would have enlightened -any beholder. The fact was that they were glowing with the excitement -of the chase. It amused Ken. He felt that he had to try to stifle his -own enthusiasm. There had to be one old head in the party. But if he -did have qualms over the possibilities of the boys to worry him with -their probable escapades, he still felt happy at their boundless life -and spirit. - -It was about the middle of the afternoon, and the heat had become -intense. Ken realized it doubly when he saw Pepe favoring the shade. -George and Hal were hot, but they appeared to be too supremely satisfied -with their surroundings to care about that. - -During this hot spell, which lasted from three o'clock until five, there -was a quiet and a lack of life around camp that surprised Ken. It was -slumberland; even the insects seemed drowsy. Not a duck and scarcely a -bird passed by. Ken heard the mourning of turtle-doves, and was at once -struck with the singular deep, full tone. Several trains crossed the -bridge, and at intervals the engine at the pumping-tank puffed and -chugged. From time to time a native walked out upon the bridge to stare -long and curiously at the camp. - -When the sun set behind the mountain a hard breeze swept down the river. -Ken did not know what to make of it, and at first thought there was -going to be a storm. Pepe explained that the wind blew that way every -day after sunset. For a while it tossed the willows, and waved the -Spaniard's-beard upon the cypresses. Then as suddenly as it had come it -died away, taking the heat with it. - -Whereupon the boys began to get supper. - -"George, do you know anything about this water?" asked Ken. "Is it -safe?" - -George supposed it was all right, but he did not know. The matter of -water had bothered Ken more than any other thing in consideration of the -trip. This river-water was cool and clear; it apparently was safe. But -Ken decided not to take any chances, and to boil all the water used. -All at once George yelled, "Canvasbacks!" and made a dive for his gun. -Ken saw a flock of ducks swiftly winging flight up-stream. - -"Hold on, George; don't shoot," called Ken. "Let's go a little slow at -the start." - -George appeared to be disappointed, though he promptly obeyed. - -Then the boys had supper, finding the russet duck much to their taste. -Ken made a note of Pepe's capacity, and was glad there were prospects of -plenty of meat. While they were eating, a group of natives gathered on -the bridge. Ken would not have liked to interpret their opinion of his -party from their actions. - -Night came on almost before the boys were ready for it. They -replenished the camp-fire, and sat around it, looking into the red blaze -and then out into the flickering shadows. Ken thought the time -propitious for a little lecture he had to give the boys, and he -remembered how old Hiram Bent had talked to him and Hal that first night -down under the great black rim-wall of the Grand Canon. - -"Well, fellows," began Ken, "we're started, we're here, and the trip -looks great to me. Now, as I am responsible, I intend to be boss. I want -you boys to do what I tell you. I may make mistakes, but if I do I'll -take them on my shoulders. Let's try to make the trip a great success. -Let's be careful. We're not game-hogs. We'll not kill any more than we -can eat. I want you boys to be careful with your guns. Think all the -time where you're pointing them. And as to thinking, we'd do well to -use our heads all the time. We've no idea what we're going up against in -this jungle." - -Both boys listened to Ken with attention and respect, but they did not -bind themselves by any promises. - -Ken had got out the mosquito-netting, expecting any moment to find it -very serviceable; however, to his surprise it was not needed. When it -came time to go to bed, Hal and George did not forget to slip in between -Pepe and Ken. The open-sided tent might keep off rain or dew, but for -all the other protection it afforded, the boys might as well have slept -outside. Nevertheless they were soon fast asleep. Ken awoke a couple -of times during the night and rolled over to find a softer spot in the -hard bed. These times he heard only the incessant hum of insects. - -When he opened his eyes in the gray morning light, he did hear something -that made him sit up with a start. It was a deep booming sound, -different from anything that he had ever heard. Ken called Pepe, and -that roused the boys. - -"Listen," said Ken. - -In a little while the sound was repeated, a heavy "boo-oom! ... -boo-oom!" There was a resemblance to the first strong beats of a -drumming grouse, only infinitely wilder. - -Pepe called it something like "_faisan real_." - -"What's that?" asked Hal. - -The name was as new to Ken as the noise itself. Pepe explained through -George that it was made by a huge black bird not unlike a turkey. It -had a golden plume, and could run as fast as a deer. The boys rolled -out, all having conceived a desire to see such a strange bird. The -sound was not repeated. Almost immediately, however, the thicket across -the river awoke to another sound, as much a contrast to the boom as -could be imagined. It was a bird medley. At first Ken thought of -magpies, but Pepe dispelled this illusion with another name hard to -pronounce. - -"Chicalocki," he said. - -And that seemed just like what they were singing. It was a sharp, clear -song--"Chic-a-lock-i ... chic-a-lock-i," and to judge from the full -chorus there must have been many birds. - -"They're a land of pheasant," added George, "and make fine pot-stews." - -The _chicalocki_ ceased their salute to the morning, and then, as the -river mist melted away under the rising sun, other birds took it up. -Notes new to Ken burst upon the air. And familiar old songs thrilled -him, made him think of summer days on the Susquehanna--the sweet carol -of the meadow-lark, the whistle of the quail, the mellow, sad call of -the swamp-blackbird. The songs blended in an exquisite harmony. - -"Why, some of them are our own birds come south for the winter," -declared Hal. - -"It's music," said Ken. - -"Just wait," laughed George. - -It dawned upon Ken then that George was a fellow who had the mysterious -airs of a prophet hinting dire things. - -Ken did not know what to wait for, but he enjoyed the suggestion and -anticipated much. Ducks began to whir by; flocks of blackbirds alighted -in the trees across the river. Suddenly Hal jumped up, and Ken was -astounded at a great discordant screeching and a sweeping rush of -myriads of wings. Ken looked up to see the largest flock of birds he had -ever seen. - -"Parrots," he yelled. - -Indeed they were, and they let the boys know it. They flew across the -river, wheeled to come back, all the time screeching, and then they -swooped down into the tops of the cypress-trees. - -"Red-heads," said George. "Just wait till you see the yellow-heads!" - -At the moment the red-heads were quite sufficient for Ken. They broke -out into a chattering, screaming, cackling discordance. It was plainly -directed at the boys. These intelligent birds were curious and -resentful. As Pepe put it, they were scolding. Ken enjoyed it for a -full half-hour and reveled in the din. That morning serenade was worth -the trip. Presently the parrots flew away, and Ken was surprised to -find that most of the other birds had ceased singing. They had set -about the business of the day--something it was nigh time for Ken to -consider. - -Breakfast over, the boys broke camp, eager for the adventures that they -felt to be before them. - - - - - *VI* - - *WILDERNESS LIFE* - - -"Now for the big job, boys," called Ken. "Any ideas will be welcome, but -don't all talk at once." - -And this job was the packing of the outfit in the boat. It was a study -for Ken, and he found himself thanking his lucky stars that he had -packed boats for trips on rapid rivers. George and Hal came to the fore -with remarkable advice which Ken was at the pains of rejecting. And as -fast as one wonderful idea emanated from the fertile minds another one -came in. At last Ken lost patience. - -"Kids, it's going to take brains to pack this boat," he said, with some -scorn. - -And when Hal remarked that in that case he did not see how they ever -were going to pack the boat, Ken drove both boys away and engaged Pepe -to help. - -The boat had to be packed for a long trip, with many things taken into -consideration. The very best way to pack it must be decided upon and -thereafter held to strictly. Balance was all-important; comfort and -elbow-room were not to be overlooked; a flat surface easy to crawl and -jump over was absolutely necessary. Fortunately, the boat was large and -roomy, although not heavy. The first thing Ken did was to cut out the -narrow bow-seat. Here he packed a small bucket of preserved mullet, -some bottles of kerosene and _canya_, and a lantern. The small, flat -trunk, full of supplies, went in next. Two boxes with the rest of the -supplies filled up the space between the trunk and the rowing-seat. By -slipping an extra pair of oars, coils of rope, the ax, and a few other -articles between the gunwales and the trunk and boxes Ken made them fit -snugly. He cut off a piece of the canvas, and, folding it, he laid it -with the blankets lengthwise over the top. This made a level surface, -one that could be gotten over quickly, or a place to sleep, for that -matter, and effectually disposed of the bow half of the boat. Of course -the boat sank deep at the bow, but Ken calculated when they were all -aboard their weight would effect an even balance. - -The bags with clothing Ken put under the second seat. Then he arranged -the other piece of canvas so that it projected up back of the stern of -the boat. He was thinking of the waves to be buffeted in going stern -first down-stream through the rapids. The fishing-tackle and guns he -laid flat from seat to seat. Last of all he placed the ammunition on -one side next the gunwale, and the suit-case carrying camera, films, -medicines, on the other. - -"Come now, fellows," called Ken. "Hal, you and George take the second -seat. Pepe will take the oars. I'll sit in the stern." - -Pepe pushed off, jumped to his place, and grasped the oars. Ken was -delighted to find the boat trim, and more buoyant than he had dared to -hope. - -"We're off," cried Hal, and he whooped. And George exercised his already -well-developed faculty of imitating Hal. - -Pepe bent to the oars, and under his powerful strokes the boat glided -up-stream. Soon the bridge disappeared. Ken had expected a long, shady -ride, but it did not turn out so. Shallow water and gravelly rapids made -rowing impossible. - -"Pile out, boys, and pull," said Ken. - -The boys had dressed for wading and rough work, and went overboard with -a will. Pulling, at first, was not hard work. They were fresh and -eager, and hauled the boat up swift, shallow channels, making nearly as -good time as when rowing in smooth water. Then, as the sun began to get -hot, splashing in the cool river was pleasant. They passed little -islands green with willows and came to high clay-banks gradually wearing -away, and then met with rocky restrictions in the stream-bed. From -round a bend came a hollow roar of a deeper rapid. Ken found it a -swift-rushing incline, very narrow, and hard to pull along. The margin -of the river was hidden and obstructed by willows so that the boys could -see very little ahead. - -When they got above this fall the water was deep and still. Entering -the boat again, they turned a curve into a long, beautiful stretch of -river. - -"Ah! this 's something like," said Hal. - -The green, shady lane was alive with birds and water-fowl. Ducks of -various kinds rose before the boat. White, blue, gray, and speckled -herons, some six feet tall, lined the low bars, and flew only at near -approach. There were many varieties of bitterns, one kind with a purple -back and white breast. They were very tame and sat on the overhanging -branches, uttering dismal croaks. Everywhere was the flash and glitter -and gleam of birds in flight, up and down and across the river. - -Hal took his camera and tried to get pictures. - -The strangeness, beauty, and life of this jungle stream absorbed Ken. -He did not take his guns from their cases. The water was bright green -and very deep; here and there were the swirls of playing fish. The -banks were high and densely covered with a luxuriant foliage. Huge -cypress-trees, moss-covered, leaned half-way across the river. Giant -gray-barked ceibas spread long branches thickly tufted with aloes, -orchids, and other jungle parasites. Palm-trees lifted slender stems -and graceful broad-leaved heads. Clumps of bamboo spread an enormous -green arch out over the banks. These bamboo-trees were particularly -beautiful to Ken. A hundred yellow, black-circled stems grew out of the -ground close together, and as they rose high they gracefully leaned -their bodies and drooped their tips. The leaves were arrowy, exquisite -in their fineness. - -He looked up the long river-lane, bright in the sun, dark and still -under the moss-veiled cypresses, at the turning vines and blossoming -creepers, at the changeful web of moving birds, and indulged to the -fullest that haunting sense for wild places. - -"Chicalocki," said Pepe, suddenly. - -A flock of long-tailed birds, resembling the pheasant in body, was -sailing across the river. Again George made a dive for a gun. This one -was a sixteen-gage and worn out. He shot twice at the birds on the wing. -Then Pepe rowed under the overhanging branches, and George killed three -_chicalocki_ with his rifle. They were olive green in color, and the -long tail had a brownish cast. Heavy and plump, they promised fine -eating. - -"Pato real!" yelled Pepe, pointing excitedly up the river. - -Several black fowl, as large as geese, hove in sight, flying pretty low. -Ken caught a glimpse of wide, white-crested wings, and knew then that -these were the birds he had seen. - -"Load up and get ready," he said to George. "They're coming fast--shoot -ahead of them." - -How swift and powerful they were on the wing! They swooped up when they -saw the boat, and offered a splendid target. The little sixteen-gage -rang out. Ken heard the shot strike. The leader stopped in midair, -dipped, and plunged with a sounding splash. Ken picked him up and found -him to be most beautiful, and as large and heavy as a goose. His black -feathers shone with the latent green luster of an opal, and the pure -white of the shoulder of the wings made a remarkable contrast. - -"George, we've got enough meat for to-day, more than we can use. Don't -shoot any more," said Ken. - -Pepe resumed rowing, and Ken told him to keep under the overhanging -branches and to row without splashing. He was skilled in the use of the -oars, so the boat glided along silently. Ken felt he was rewarded for -this stealth. Birds of rare and brilliant plumage flitted among the -branches. There was one, a long, slender bird, gold and black with a -white ring round its neck. There were little yellow-breasted -kingfishers no larger than a wren, and great red-breasted kingfishers -with blue backs and tufted heads. The boat passed under a leaning -ceiba-tree that was covered with orchids. Ken saw the slim, sharp head -of a snake dart from among the leaves. His neck was as thick as Ken's -wrist. - -"What kind of a snake, Pepe?" whispered Ken, as he fingered the trigger -of George's gun. But Pepe did not see the snake, and then Ken thought -better of disturbing the silence with a gunshot. He was reminded, -however, that the Texan had told him of snakes in this jungle, some of -which measured more than fifteen feet and were as large as a man's leg. - -Most of the way the bank was too high and steep and overgrown for any -animal to get down to the water. Still there were dry gullies, or -arroyos, every few hundred yards, and these showed the tracks of -animals, but Pepe could not tell what species from the boat. Often Ken -heard the pattering of hard feet, and then he would see a little cloud -of dust in one of these drinking-places. So he cautioned Pepe to row -slower and closer in to the bank. - -"Look there! lemme out!" whispered Hal, and he seemed to be on the point -of jumping overboard. - -"Coons," said George. "Oh, a lot of them. There--some young ones." - -Ken saw that they had come abruptly upon a band of racoons, not less -than thirty in number, some big, some little, and a few like tiny balls -of fur, and all had long white-ringed tails. What a scampering the big -ones set up! The little ones were frightened, and the smallest so tame -they scarcely made any effort to escape. Pepe swung the boat in to the -bank, and reaching out he caught a baby racoon and handed it to Hal. - -"Whoop! We'll catch things and tame them," exclaimed Hal, much -delighted, and he proceeded to tie the little racoon under the seat. - -"Sure, we'll get a whole menagerie," said George. - -So they went on up-stream. Often Ken motioned Pepe to stop in dark, -cool places under the golden-green canopy of bamboos. He was as much -fascinated by the beautiful foliage and tree growths as by the wild -life. Hal appeared more taken up with the fluttering of birds in the -thick jungle, rustlings, and soft, stealthy steps. Then as they moved -on Ken whispered and pointed out a black animal vanishing in the -thicket. Three times he caught sight of a spotted form slipping away in -the shade. George saw it the last time, and whispered: "Tiger-cat! -Let's get him." - -"What's that, Ken, a kind of a wildcat?" asked Hal. - -"Yes." Ken took George's .32-caliber and tried to find a way up the -bank. There was no place to climb up unless he dragged himself up -branches of trees or drooping bamboos, and this he did not care to -attempt encumbered with a rifle. Only here and there could he see over -the matted roots and creepers. Then the sound of rapids put hunting out -of his mind. - -"Boys, we've got Micas Falls to reach," he said, and told Pepe to row -on. - -The long stretch of deep river ended in a wide, shallow, noisy rapid. -Fir-trees lined the banks. The palms, cypresses, bamboos, and the -flowery, mossy growths were not here in evidence. Thickly wooded hills -rose on each side. The jungle looked sear and yellow. - -The boys began to wade up the rapid, and before they had reached the -head of it Pepe yelled and jumped back from where he was wading at the -bow. He took an oar and began to punch at something in the water, at -the same time calling out. - -"Crocodile!" cried George, and he climbed in the boat. Hal was not slow -in following suit. Then Ken saw Pepe hitting a small crocodile, which -lashed out with its tail and disappeared. - -"Come out of there," called Ken to the boys. "We can't pull you -up-stream." - -"Say, I don't want to step on one of those ugly brutes," protested Hal. - -"Look sharp, then. Come out." - -Above the rapid extended a quarter-mile stretch where Pepe could row, -and beyond that another long rapid. When the boys had waded up that it -was only to come to another. It began to be hard work. But Ken kept -the boys buckled down, and they made fair progress. They pulled up -through eighteen rapids, and covered distance that Ken estimated to be -about ten miles. The blue mountain loomed closer and higher, yet Ken -began to have doubts of reaching Micas Falls that day. - -Moreover, as they ascended the stream, the rapids grew rougher. - -"It 'll be great coming down," panted Hal. - -Finally they reached a rapid which had long dinned in Ken's ears. All -the water in the river rushed down on the right-hand side through a -channel scarcely twenty feet wide. It was deep and swift. With the aid -of ropes, and by dint of much hard wading and pulling, the boys got the -boat up. A little farther on was another bothersome rapid. At last -they came to a succession of falls, steps in the river, that barred -farther advance up-stream. - -Here Ken climbed up on the bank, to find the country hilly and open, -with patches of jungle and palm groves leading up to the mountains. -Then he caught a glint of Micas Falls, and decided that it would be -impossible to get there. He made what observations he could, and -returned to camp. - -"Boys, here's where we stop," said Ken. "It 'll be all down-stream now, -and I'm glad." - -There was no doubt that the boys were equally glad. They made camp on a -grassy bench above a foam-flecked pool. Ken left the others to get -things in shape for supper, and, taking his camera, he hurried off to -try to get a picture of Micas Falls. He found open places and by-paths -through the brushy forest. He saw evidences of forest fire, and then -knew what had ruined that part of the jungle. There were no birds. It -was farther than he had estimated to the foothill he had marked, but, -loath to give up, he kept on and finally reached a steep, thorny ascent. -Going up he nearly suffocated with heat. He felt rewarded for his -exertions when he saw Micas Falls glistening in the distance. It was -like a string of green fans connected by silver ribbons. He remained -there watching it while the sun set in the golden notch between the -mountains. - -On the way back to camp he waded through a flat overgrown with coarse -grass and bushes. Here he jumped a herd of deer, eight in number. These -small, sleek, gray deer appeared tame, and if there had been sufficient -light, Ken would have photographed them. It cost him an effort to -decide not to fetch his rifle, but as he had meat enough in camp there -was nothing to do except let the deer go. - -When he got back to the river Pepe grinned at him, and, pointing to -little red specks on his shirt, he said: - -"Pinilius." - -"Aha! the ticks!" exclaimed Ken. - -They were exceedingly small, not to be seen without close scrutiny. -They could not be brushed off, so Ken began laboriously to pick them -off. Pepe and George laughed, and Hal appeared to derive some sort of -enjoyment from the incident. - -"Say, these ticks don't bother me any," declared Ken. - -Pepe grunted; and George called out, "Just wait till you get the big -fellows--the garrapatoes." - -It developed presently that the grass and bushes on the camp-site -contained millions of the ticks. Ken found several of the larger -ticks--almost the size of his little finger-nail--but he did not get -bitten. Pepe and George, however, had no such good luck, as was -manifested at different times. By the time they had cut down the bushes -and carried in a stock of fire-wood, both were covered with the little -pests. Hal found a spot where there appeared to be none, and here he -stayed. - -Pepe and George had the bad habit of smoking, and Ken saw them burning -the ticks off shirt-sleeves and trousers-legs, using the fiery end of -their cigarettes. This feat did not puzzle Ken anything like the one -where they held the red point of the cigarettes close to their naked -flesh. Ken, and Hal, too, had to see that performance at close range. - -"Why do you do that?" asked Ken. - -"Popping ticks," replied George. He and Pepe were as sober as judges. - -The fact of the matter was soon clear to Ken. The ticks stuck on as if -glued. When the hot end of the burning cigarette was held within a -quarter of an inch of them they simply blew up, exploded with a pop. -Ken could easily distinguish between the tiny pop of an exploding -_pinilius_ and the heavier pop of a _garrapato_. - -"But, boy, while you're taking time to do that, half a dozen other ticks -can bite you!" exclaimed Ken. - -"Sure they can," replied George. "But if they get on me I'll kill 'em. -I don't mind the little ones--it's the big boys I hate." - -On the other hand, Pepe seemed to mind most the _pinilius_. - -"Say, from now on you fellows will be Garrapato George and Pinilius -Pepe." - -"Pretty soon you'll laugh on the other side of your face," said George. -"In three days you'll be popping ticks yourself." - -Just then Hal let out a yell and began to hunt for a tick that had bit -him. If there was anything that could bother Hal Ward it was a crawling -bug of some kind. - -"I'll have to christen you too, brother," said Ken, gurgling with mirth. -"A very felicitous name--Hollering Hal!" - -Despite the humor of the thing, Ken really saw its serious side. When -he found the grass under his feet alive with ticks he cast about in his -mind for some way to get rid of them. And he hit upon a remedy. On the -ridge above the bench was a palm-tree, and under it were many dead palm -leaves. These were large in size, had long stems, and were as dry as -tinder. Ken lighted one, and it made a flaming hot torch. It did not -take him long to scorch all the ticks near that camp. - -The boys had supper and enjoyed it hugely. The scene went well with the -camp-fire and game-dinner. They gazed out over the foaming pool, the -brawling rapids, to the tufted palm-trees, and above them the dark-blue -mountain. At dusk Hal and George were so tired they went to bed and at -once dropped into slumber. Pepe sat smoking before the slumbering fire. - -And Ken chose that quiet hour to begin the map of the river, and to set -down in his note-book his observations on the mountains and in the -valley, and what he had seen that day of bird, animal, and plant life in -the jungle. - - - - - *VII* - - *RUNNING THE RAPIDS* - - -Some time in the night a yell awakened Ken. He sat up, clutching his -revolver. The white moonlight made all as clear as day. Hal lay deep in -slumber. George was raising himself, half aroused. But Pepe was gone. - -Ken heard a thrashing about outside. Leaping up he ran out, and was -frightened to see Pepe beating and clawing and tearing at himself like a -man possessed of demons. - -"Pepe, what's wrong?" shouted Ken. - -It seemed that Pepe only grew more violent in his wrestling about. Then -Ken was sure Pepe had been stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. - -But he was dumfounded to see George bound like an apparition out of the -tent and begin evolutions that made Pepe's look slow. - -"Hey, what's wrong with you jumping-jacks?" yelled Ken. - -George was as grimly silent as an Indian running the gantlet, but Ken -thought it doubtful if any Indian ever slapped and tore at his body in -George's frantic manner. To add to the mystery Hal suddenly popped out -of the tent. He was yelling in a way to do justice to the name Ken had -lately given him, and, as for wild and whirling antics, his were simply -marvelous. - -"Good land!" ejaculated Ken. Had the boys all gone mad? Despite his -alarm, Ken had to roar with laughter at those three dancing figures in -the moonlight. A rush of ideas went through Ken's confused mind. And -the last prompted him to look in the tent. - -He saw a wide bar of black crossing the moonlit ground, the grass, and -the blankets. This bar moved. It was alive. Bending low Ken descried -that it was made by ants. An army of jungle ants on a march! They had -come in a straight line along the base of the little hill and their -passageway led under the canvas. Pepe happened to be the first in line, -and they had surged over him. As he had awakened, and jumped up of -course, the ants had begun to bite. The same in turn happened to George -and then Hal. - -Ken was immensely relieved, and had his laugh out. The stream of ants -moved steadily and quite rapidly, and soon passed from sight. By this -time Pepe and the boys had threshed themselves free of ants and into -some degree of composure. - -"Say, you nightmare fellows! Come back to bed," said Ken. "Any one -would think something had really happened to you." - -Pepe snorted, which made Ken think the native understood something of -English. And the boys grumbled loudly. - -"Ants! Ants as big as wasps! They bit worse than helgramites," -declared Hal. "Oh, they missed you. You always are lucky. I'm not -afraid of all the old jaguars in this jungle. But I can't stand biting, -crawling bugs. I wish you hadn't made me come on this darn trip." - -"Ha! Ha!" laughed Ken. - -"Just wait, Hal," put in George, grimly. "Just wait. It's coming to -him!" - -The boys slept well the remainder of the night and, owing to the break -in their rest, did not awaken early. The sun shone hot when Ken rolled -out; a creamy mist was dissolving over the curve of the mountain-range; -parrots were screeching in the near-by trees. - -After breakfast Ken set about packing the boat as it had been done the -day before. - -"I think we'll do well to leave the trunk in the boat after this, unless -we find a place where we want to make a permanent camp for a while," -said Ken. - -Before departing he carefully looked over the ground to see that nothing -was left, and espied a heavy fish-line which George had baited, set, and -forgotten. - -"Hey, George, pull up your trot-line. It looks pretty much stretched to -me. Maybe you've got a fish." - -Ken happened to be busy at the boat when George started to take in the -line. An exclamation from Pepe, George's yell, and a loud splash made -Ken jump up in double-quick time. Hal also came running. - -George was staggering on the bank, leaning back hard on the heavy line. -A long, angry swirl in the pool told of a powerful fish. It was likely -to pull George in. - -"Let go the line!" yelled Ken. - -But George was not letting go of any fish-lines. He yelled for Pepe, -and went down on his knees before Pepe got to him. Both then pulled on -the line. The fish, or whatever it was at the other end, gave a mighty -jerk that almost dragged the two off the bank. - -"Play him, play him!" shouted Ken. "You've got plenty of line. Give him -some." - -Hal now added his weight and strength, and the three of them, unmindful -of Ken's advice, hauled back with might and main. The line parted and -they sprawled on the grass. - -"What a sockdologer!" exclaimed Hal. - -"I had that hook baited with a big piece of duck meat," said George. -"We must have been hooked to a crocodile. Things are happening to us." - -"Yes, so I've noticed," replied Ken, dryly. "But if you fellows hadn't -pulled so hard you might have landed that thing, whatever it was. All -aboard now. We must be on the move--we don't know what we have before -us." - -When they got into the boat Ken took the oars, much to Pepe's surprise. -It was necessary to explain to him that Ken would handle the boat in -swift water. They shoved off, and Ken sent one regretful glance up the -river, at the shady aisle between the green banks, at the white rapids, -and the great colored dome of the mountain. He almost hesitated, for he -desired to see more of that jungle-covered mountain. But something -already warned Ken to lose no time in the trip down the Santa Rosa. -There did not seem to be any reason for hurry, yet he felt it necessary. -But he asked Pepe many questions and kept George busy interpreting names -of trees and flowers and wild creatures. - -Going down-stream on any river, mostly, would have been pleasure, but -drifting on the swift current of the Santa Rosa and rowing under the -wonderful moss-bearded cypresses was almost like a dream. It was too -beautiful to seem real. The smooth stretch before the first rapid was -short, however, and then all Ken's attention had to be given to the -handling of the boat. He saw that George and Pepe both expected to get -out and wade down the rapids as they had waded up. He had a surprise in -store for them. The rapids that he could not shoot would have to be -pretty bad. - -"You're getting close," shouted George, warningly. - -With two sweeps of the oars Ken turned the boat stern first down-stream, -then dipped on the low green incline, and sailed down toward the waves. -They struck the first wave with a shock, and the water flew all over the -boys. Pepe was tremendously excited; he yelled and made wild motions -with his hands; George looked a little frightened. Hal enjoyed it. -Whatever the rapid appeared to them, it was magnificent to Ken; and it -was play to manage the boat in such water. A little pull on one oar and -then on the other kept the stern straight down-stream. The channel he -could make out a long way ahead. He amused himself by watching George -and Pepe. There were stones in the channel, and the water rose angrily -about them. A glance was enough to tell that he could float over these -without striking. But the boys thought they were going to hit every -stone, and were uneasy all the time. Twice he had to work to pass -ledges and sunken trees upon which the current bore down hard. When Ken -neared one of these he dipped the oars and pulled back to stop or lessen -the momentum; then a stroke turned the boat half broadside to the -current. That would force it to one side, and another stroke would turn -the boat straight. At the bottom of this rapid they encountered a long -triangle of choppy waves that they bumped and splashed over. They came -through with nothing wet but the raised flap of canvas in the stern. - -Pepe regarded Ken with admiring eyes, and called him _grande mozo_. - -"Shooting rapids is great sport," proclaimed George. - -They drifted through several little rifts, and then stopped at the head -of the narrow chute that had been such a stumbling-block on the way up. -Looked at from above, this long, narrow channel, with several S curves, -was a fascinating bit of water for a canoeist. It tempted Ken to shoot -it even with the boat. But he remembered the four-foot waves at the -bottom, and besides he resented the importunity of the spirit of daring -so early in the game. Risk, and perhaps peril, would come soon enough. -So he decided to walk along the shore and float the boat through with a -rope. - -The thing looked a good deal easier than it turned out to be. Half-way -through, at the narrowest point and most abrupt curve, Pepe -misunderstood directions and pulled hard on the bow-rope, when he should -have let it slack. - -The boat swung in, nearly smashing Ken against the bank, and the -sweeping current began to swell dangerously near the gunwale. - -"Let go! Let go!" yelled Ken. "George, make him let go!" - -But George, who was trying to get the rope out of Pepe's muscular hands, -suddenly made a dive for his rifle. - -"Deer! deer!" he cried, hurriedly throwing a shell into the chamber. He -shot downstream, and Ken, looking that way, saw several deer under the -firs on a rocky flat. George shot three more times, and the bullets -went "spinging" into the trees. The deer bounded out of sight. - -When Ken turned again, water was roaring into the boat. He was being -pressed harder into the bank, and he saw disaster ahead. - -"Loosen the rope--tell him, George," yelled Ken. - -Pepe only pulled the harder. - -"Quick, or we're ruined," cried Ken. - -George shouted in Spanish, and Pepe promptly dropped the rope in the -water. That was the worst thing he could have done. - -"Grab the rope!" ordered Ken, wildly. "Grab the bow! Don't let it swing -out! Hal!" - -Before either boy could reach it the bow swung out into the current. -Ken was not only helpless, but in a dangerous position. He struggled to -get out from where the swinging stern was wedging him into the bank, but -could not budge. Fearing that all the outfit would be lost in the -river, he held on to the boat and called for some one to catch the rope. - -George pushed Pepe head first into the swift current. Pepe came up, -caught the rope, and then went under again. The boat swung round and, -now half full of water, got away from Ken. It gathered headway. Ken -leaped out on the ledge and ran along with the boat. It careened round -the bad curve and shot down-stream. Pepe was still under water. - -"He's drowned! He's drowned!" cried George. - -Hal took a header right off the ledge, came up, and swam with a few -sharp strokes to the drifting boat. He gained the bow, grasped it, and -then pulled on the rope. - -Ken had a sickening feeling that Pepe might be drowned. Suddenly Pepe -appeared like a brown porpoise. He was touching bottom in places and -holding back on the rope. Then the current rolled him over and over. The -boat drifted back of a rocky point into shallow water. Hal gave a haul -that helped to swing it out of the dangerous current. Then Pepe came up, -and he, too, pulled hard. Just as Ken plunged in the boat sank in two -feet of water. Ken's grip, containing camera, films, and other -perishable goods, was on top, and he got it just in time. He threw it -out on the rocks. Then together the boys lifted the boat and hauled the -bow well up on the shore. - -"Pretty lucky!" exclaimed Ken, as he flopped down. - -"Doggone it!" yelled Hal, suddenly. And he dove for the boat, and -splashed round in the water under his seat, to bring forth a very limp -and drenched little racoon. - -"Good! he's all right," said Ken. - -Pepe said "Mucho malo," and pointed to his shins, which bore several -large bumps from contact with the rocks in the channel. - -"I should say mucha malo," growled George. - -He jerked open his grip, and, throwing out articles of wet clothing--for -which he had no concern--he gazed in dismay at his whole store of -cigarettes wet by the water. - -"So that's all you care for," said Ken, severely. "Young man, I'll have -something to say to you presently. All hands now to unpack the boat." - -Fortunately nothing had been carried away. That part of the supplies -which would have been affected by water was packed in tin cases, and so -suffered no damage. The ammunition was waterproof. Ken's Parker -hammerless and his 351 automatic rifle were full of water, and so were -George's guns and Hal's. While they took their weapons apart, wiped -them, and laid them in the sun, Pepe spread out the rest of the things -and then baled out the boat. The sun was so hot that everything dried -quickly and was not any the worse for the wetting. The boys lost -scarcely an hour by the accident. Before the start Ken took George and -Pepe to task, and when he finished they were both very sober and quiet. - -Ken observed, however, that by the time they had run the next rapid they -were enjoying themselves again. Then came a long succession of rapids -which Ken shot without anything approaching a mishap. When they drifted -into the level stretch Pepe relieved him at the oars. They glided -down-stream under the drooping bamboo, under the silken streamers of -silvery moss, under the dark, cool bowers of matted vine and blossoming -creepers. And as they passed this time the jungle silence awoke to the -crack of George's .22 and the discordant cry of river fowl. Ken's guns -were both at hand, and the rifle was loaded, but he did not use either. -He contented himself with snapping a picture here and there and watching -the bamboo thickets and the mouths of the little dry ravines. - -That ride was again so interesting, so full of sound and action and -color, that it seemed a very short one. The murmur of the water on the -rocks told Ken that it was time to change seats with Pepe. They drifted -down two short rapids, and then came to the gravelly channels between -the islands noted on the way up. The water was shallow down these -rippling channels; and, fearing they might strike a stone, Ken tumbled -out over the bow and, wading slowly, let the boat down to still water -again. He was about to get in when he espied what he thought was an -alligator lying along a log near the river. He pointed it out to Pepe. - -That worthy yelled gleefully in Mexican, and reached for his _machete_. - -"Iguana!" exclaimed George. "I've heard it's good to eat." - -The reptile had a body about four feet long and a very long tail. Its -color was a steely blue-black on top, and it had a blunt, rounded head. - -Pepe slipped out of the boat and began to wade ashore. When the iguana -raised itself on short, stumpy legs George shot at it, and missed, as -usual. But he effectually frightened the reptile, which started to -climb the bank with much nimbleness. Pepe began to run, brandishing his -long _machete_. George plunged into the water in hot pursuit, and then -Hal yielded to the call of the chase. Pepe reached the iguana before it -got up the bank, aimed a mighty blow with his _machete_, and would -surely have cut the reptile in two pieces if the blade had not caught on -an overhanging branch. Then Pepe fell up the bank and barely grasped -the tail of the iguana. Pepe hauled back, and Pepe was powerful. The -frantic creature dug its feet in the clay-bank and held on for dear -life. But Pepe was too strong. He jerked the iguana down and flung it -square upon George, who had begun to climb the bank. - -George uttered an awful yell, as if he expected to be torn asunder, and -rolled down, with the reptile on top of him. Ken saw that it was as -badly frightened as George. But Hal did not see this. And he happened -to have gained a little sand-bar below the bank, in which direction the -iguana started with wonderful celerity. Then Hal made a jump that Ken -believed was a record. - -Remarkably awkward as that iguana was, he could surely cover ground with -his stumpy legs. Again he dashed up the bank. Pepe got close enough -once more, and again he swung the _machete_. The blow cut off a piece -of the long tail, but the only effect this produced was to make the -iguana run all the faster. It disappeared over the bank, with Pepe -scrambling close behind. Then followed a tremendous crashing in the dry -thickets, after which the iguana could be heard rattling and tearing -away through the jungle. Pepe returned to the boat with the crestfallen -boys, and he was much concerned over the failure to catch the big -lizard, which he said made fine eating. - -"What next?" asked George, ruefully, and at that the boys all laughed. - -"The fun is we don't have any idea what's coming off," said Hal. - -"Boys, if you brave hunters had thought to throw a little salt on that -lizard's tail you might have caught him," added Ken. - -Presently Pepe espied another iguana in the forks of a tree, and he -rowed ashore. This lizard was only a small one, not over two feet in -length, but he created some excitement among the boys. George wanted -him to eat, and Hal wanted the skin for a specimen, and Ken wanted to -see what the lizard looked like close at hand. So they all clamored for -Pepe to use caution and to be quick. - -When Pepe started up the tree the iguana came down on the other side, -quick as a squirrel. Then they had a race round the trunk until Pepe -ended it with a well-directed blow from his _machete_. - -Hal began to skin the iguana. - -"Ken, I'm going to have trouble preserving specimens in this hot place," -he said. - -"Salt and alum will do the trick. Remember what old Hiram used to say," -replied Ken. - -Shortly after that the boat passed the scene of the first camp, and then -drifted under the railroad bridge. - -Hal and George, and Pepe too, looked as if they were occupied with the -same thought troubling Ken--that once beyond the bridge they would -plunge into the jungle wilderness from which there could be no turning -back. - - - - - *VIII* - - *THE FIRST TIGER-CAT* - - -The Santa Rosa opened out wide, and ran swiftly over smooth rock. Deep -cracks, a foot or so wide, crossed the river diagonally, and fish darted -in and out. - -The boys had about half a mile of this, when, after turning a hilly -bend, they entered a long rapid. It was a wonderful stretch of river to -look down. - -"By George!" said Ken, as he stood up to survey it. "This is great!" - -"It's all right _now_," added George, with his peculiar implication as -to the future. - -"What gets me is the feeling of what might be round the next bend," said -Hal. - -This indeed, Ken thought, made the fascination of such travel. The -water was swift and smooth and shallow. There was scarcely a wave or -ripple. At times the boat stuck fast on the flat rock, and the boys -would have to get out to shove off. As far ahead as Ken could see -extended this wide slant of water. On the left rose a thick line of -huge cypresses all festooned with gray moss that drooped to the water; -on the right rose a bare bluff of crumbling rock. It looked like blue -clay baked and cracked by the sun. A few palms fringed the top. - -"Say, we can beat this," said Ken, as for the twentieth time the boys -had to step out and shove off a flat, shallow place. "Two of you in the -bow and Pepe with me in the stern, feet overboard." - -The little channels ran every way, making it necessary often to turn the -boat. Ken's idea was to drift along and keep the boat from grounding by -an occasional kick. - -"Ken manages to think of something once in a while," observed Hal. - -Then the boat drifted down-stream, whirling round and round. Here Pepe -would drop his brown foot in and kick his end clear of a shallow ledge; -there George would make a great splash when his turn came to ward off -from a rock; and again Hal would give a greater kick than was necessary -to the righting of the boat. Probably Hal was much influenced by the -fact that when he kicked hard he destroyed the lazy equilibrium of his -companions. - -It dawned upon Ken that here was a new and unique way to travel down a -river. It was different from anything he had ever tried before. The -water was swift and seldom more than a foot deep, except in diagonal -cracks that ribbed the river-bed. This long, shut-in stretch appeared -to be endless. But for the quick, gliding movement of the boat, which -made a little breeze, the heat would have been intolerable. When one of -Hal's kicks made Ken lurch overboard to sit down ludicrously, the cool -water sent thrills over him. Instead of retaliating on Hal, he was glad -to be wet. And the others, soon discovering the reason for Ken's -remarkable good-nature, went overboard and lay flat in the cool ripples. -Then little clouds of steam began to rise from their soaked clothes. - -Ken began to have an idea that he had been wise in boiling the water -which they drank. They all suffered from a parching thirst. Pepe scooped -up water in his hand; George did likewise, and then Hal. - -"You've all got to stop that," ordered Ken, sharply. "No drinking this -water unless it's boiled." - -The boys obeyed, for the hour, but they soon forgot, or deliberately -allayed their thirst despite Ken's command. Ken himself found his -thirst unbearable. He squeezed the juice of a wild lime into a cup of -water and drank that. Then he insisted on giving the boys doses of -quinine and anti-malaria pills, which treatment he meant to continue -daily. - -Toward the lower part of that rapid, where the water grew deeper, fish -began to be so numerous that the boys kicked at many as they darted -under the boat. There were thousands of small fish and some large ones. -Occasionally, as a big fellow lunged for a crack in the rock, he would -make the water roar. There was a fish that resembled a mullet, and -another that Hal said was some kind of bass with a blue tail. Pepe -chopped at them with his _machete_; George whacked with an oar; Hal -stood up in the boat and shot at them with his .22 rifle. - -"Say, I've got to see what that blue-tailed bass looks like," said Ken. -"You fellows will never get one." - -Whereupon Ken jointed up a small rod and, putting on a spinner, began to -cast it about. He felt two light fish hit it. Then came a heavy shock -that momentarily checked the boat. The water foamed as the line cut -through, and Ken was just about to jump off the boat to wade and follow -the fish, when it broke the leader. - -"That was a fine exhibition," remarked the critical Hal. - -"What's the matter with you?" retorted Ken, who was sensitive as to his -fishing abilities. "It was a big fish. He broke things." - -"Haven't you got a reel on that rod and fifty yards of line?" queried -Hal. - -Ken did not have another spinner, and he tried an artificial minnow, but -could not get a strike on it. He took Hal's gun and shot at several of -the blue-tailed fish, but though he made them jump out of the water like -a real northern black-bass, it was all of no avail. - -Then Hal caught one with a swoop of the landing net. It was a beautiful -fish, and it did have a blue tail. Pepe could not name it, nor could -Ken classify it, so Hal was sure he had secured a rare specimen. - -When the boat drifted round a bend to enter another long, wide, shallow -rapid, the boys demurred a little at the sameness of things. The bare -blue bluffs persisted, and the line of gray-veiled cypresses and the -strange formation of stream-bed. Five more miles of drifting under the -glaring sun made George and Hal lie back in the boat, under an -improvised sun-shade. The ride was novel and strange to Ken Ward, and -did not pall upon him, though he suffered from the heat and glare. He -sat on the bow, occasionally kicking the boat off a rock. - -All at once a tense whisper from Pepe brought Ken round with a jerk. -Pepe was pointing down along the right-hand shore. George heard, and, -raising himself, called excitedly: "Buck! buck!" - -Ken saw a fine deer leap back from the water and start to climb the side -of a gully that indented the bluff. Snatching up the .351 rifle, he -shoved in the safety catch. The distance was far--perhaps two hundred -yards--but without elevating the sights he let drive. A cloud of dust -puffed up under the nose of the climbing deer. - -"Wow!" yelled George, and Pepe began to jabber. Hal sprang up, nearly -falling overboard, and he shouted: "Give it to him, Ken!" - -The deer bounded up a steep, winding trail, his white flag standing, his -reddish coat glistening. Ken fired again. The bullet sent up a white -puff of dust, this time nearer still. That shot gave Ken the range, and -he pulled the automatic again--and again. Each bullet hit closer. The -boys were now holding their breath, watching, waiting. Ken aimed a -little firmer and finer at the space ahead of the deer--for in that -instant he remembered what the old hunter on Penetier had told him--and -he pulled the trigger twice. - -The buck plunged down, slipped off the trail, and, raising a cloud of -dust, rolled over and over. Then it fell sheer into space, and whirled -down to strike the rock with a sodden crash. - -It was Ken's first shooting on this trip, and he could not help adding a -cry of exultation to the yells of his admiring comrades. - -"Guess you didn't plug him!" exclaimed Hal Ward, with flashing eyes. - -Wading, the boys pulled the boat ashore. Pepe pronounced the buck to be -very large, but to Ken, remembering the deer in Coconino Forest, it -appeared small. If there was an unbroken bone left in that deer, Ken -greatly missed his guess. He and Pepe cut out the haunch least crushed -by the fail. - -"There's no need to carry along more meat than we can use," said George. -"It spoils overnight. That's the worst of this jungle, I've heard -hunters say." - -Hal screwed up his face in the manner he affected when he tried to -imitate old Hiram Bent. "Wal, youngster, I reckon I'm right an' down -proud of thet shootin'. You air comin' along." - -Ken was as pleased as Hal, but he replied, soberly: "Well, kid, I hope I -can hold as straight as that when we run up against a jaguar." - -"Do you think we'll see one?" asked Hal. - -"Just you wait!" exclaimed George, replying for Ken. "Pepe says we'll -have to sleep in the boat, and anchor the boat in the middle of the -river." - -"What for?" - -"To keep those big yellow tigers from eating us up." - -"How nice!" replied Hal, with a rather forced laugh. - -So, talking and laughing, the boys resumed their down-stream journey. -Ken, who was always watching with sharp eyes, saw buzzards appear, as if -by magic. Before the boat was half a mile down the river buzzards were -circling over the remains of the deer. These birds of prey did not fly -from the jungle on either side of the stream. They sailed, dropped down -from the clear blue sky where they had been invisible. How wonderful -that was to Ken! Nature had endowed these vulture-like birds with -wonderful scent or instinct or sight, or all combined. But Ken believed -that it was power of sight which brought the buzzards so quickly to the -scene of the killing. He watched them circling, sweeping down till a -curve in the river hid them from view. - -And with this bend came a welcome change. The bluff played out in a -rocky slope below which the green jungle was relief to aching eyes. As -the boys made this point, the evening breeze began to blow. They -beached the boat and unloaded to make camp. - -"We haven't had any work to-day, but we're all tired just the same," -observed Ken. - -"The heat makes a fellow tired," said George. - -They were fortunate in finding a grassy plot where there appeared to be -but few ticks and other creeping things. That evening it was a little -surprise to Ken to realize how sensitive he had begun to feel about -these jungle vermin. - -Pepe went up the bank for fire-wood. Ken heard him slashing away with -his _machete_. Then this sound ceased, and Pepe yelled in fright. Ken -and George caught up guns as they bounded into the thicket; Hal started -to follow, likewise armed. Ken led the way through a thorny brake to -come suddenly upon Pepe. At the same instant Ken caught a glimpse of -gray, black-striped forms slipping away in the jungle. Pepe shouted out -something. - -"Tiger-cats!" exclaimed George. - -Ken held up his finger to enjoin silence. With that he stole cautiously -forward, the others noiselessly at his heels. The thicket was lined -with well-beaten trails, and by following these and stooping low it was -possible to go ahead without rustling the brush. Owing to the gathering -twilight Ken could not see very far. When he stopped to listen he heard -the faint crackling of dead brush and soft, quick steps. He had not -proceeded far when pattering footsteps halted him. Ken dropped to his -knee. The boys knelt behind him, and Pepe whispered. Peering along the -trail Ken saw what he took for a wildcat. Its boldness amazed him. -Surely it had heard him, but instead of bounding into the thicket it -crouched not more than twenty-five feet away. Ken took a quick shot at -the gray huddled form. It jerked, stretched out, and lay still. Then a -crashing in the brush, and gray streaks down the trail told Ken of more -game. - -"There they go. Peg away at them," called Ken. - -George and Hal burned a good deal of powder and sent much lead whistling -through the dry branches, but the gray forms vanished in the jungle. - -"We got one, anyway," said Ken. - -He advanced to find his quarry quite dead. It was bigger than any -wildcat Ken had ever seen. The color was a grayish yellow, almost -white, lined and spotted with black. Ken lifted it and found it heavy -enough to make a good load. - -"He's a beauty," said Hal. - -"Pepe says it's a tiger-cat," remarked George. "There are two or three -kinds besides the big tiger. We may run into a lot of them and get some -skins." - -It was almost dark when they reached camp. While Pepe and Hal skinned -the tiger-cat and stretched the pelt over a framework of sticks the -other boys got supper. They were all very hungry and tired, and pleased -with the events of the day. As they sat round the camp-fire there was a -constant whirring of water-fowl over their heads and an incessant hum of -insects from the jungle. - -"Ken, does it feel as wild to you here as on Buckskin Mountain?" asked -Hal. - -"Oh yes, much wilder, Hal," replied his brother. "And it's different, -somehow. Out in Arizona there was always the glorious expectancy of -to-morrow's fun or sport. Here I have a kind of worry--a feeling--" - -But he concluded it wiser to keep to himself that strange feeling of -dread which came over him at odd moments. - -"It suits me," said Hal. "I want to get a lot of things and keep them -alive. Of course, I want specimens. I'd like some skins for my den, -too. But I don't care so much about killing things." - -"Just wait!" retorted George, who evidently took Hal's remark as a -reflection upon his weakness. "Just wait! You'll be shooting pretty -soon for your life." - -"Now, George, what do you mean by that?" questioned Ken, determined to -pin George down to facts. "You said you didn't really know anything -about this jungle. Why are you always predicting disaster for us?" - -"Why? Because I've heard things about the jungle," retorted George. -"And Pepe says wait till we get down off the mountain. He doesn't _know_ -anything, either. But it's his instinct--Pepe's half Indian. So I say, -too, wait till we get down in the jungle!" - -"Confound you! Where are we now?" queried Ken. - -"The real jungle is the lowland. There we'll find the tigers and the -crocodiles and the wild cattle and wild pigs." - -"Bring on your old pigs and things," replied Hal. - -But Ken looked into the glowing embers of the camp-fire and was silent. -When he got out his note-book and began his drawing, he forgot the worry -and dread in the interest of his task. He was astonished at his memory, -to see how he could remember every turn in the river and yet not lose -his sense of direction. He could tell almost perfectly the distance -traveled, because he knew so well just how much a boat would cover in -swift or slow waters in a given time. He thought he could give a fairly -correct estimate of the drop of the river. And, as for descriptions of -the jungle life along the shores, that was a delight, all except trying -to understand and remember and spell the names given to him by Pepe. -Ken imagined Pepe spoke a mixture of Toltec, Aztec, Indian, Spanish, and -English. - - - - - *IX* - - *IN THE WHITE WATER* - - -Upon awakening next morning Ken found the sun an hour high. He was -stiff and sore and thirsty. Pepe and the boys slept so soundly it -seemed selfish to wake them. - -All around camp there was a melodious concourse of birds. But the -parrots did not make a visit that morning. While Ken was washing in the -river a troop of deer came down to the bar on the opposite side. Ken -ran for his rifle, and by mistake took up George's .32. He had a -splendid shot at less than one hundred yards. But the bullet dropped -fifteen feet in front of the leading buck. The deer ran into the deep, -bushy willows. - -"That gun's leaded," muttered Ken. "It didn't shoot where I aimed." - -Pepe jumped up; George rolled out of his blanket with one eye still -glued shut; and Hal stretched and yawned and groaned. - -"Do I have to get up?" he asked. - -"Shore, lad," said Ken, mimicking Jim Williams, "or I'll hev to be -reconsiderin' that idee of mine about you bein' pards with me." - -Such mention of Hal's ranger friend brought the boy out of his lazy bed -with amusing alacrity. - -"Rustle breakfast, now, you fellows," said Ken, and, taking his rifle, -he started off to climb the high river bluff. - -It was his idea to establish firmly in mind the trend of the -mountain-range, and the relation of the river to it. The difficulty in -mapping the river would come after it left the mountains to wind away -into the wide lowlands. The matter of climbing the bluff would have -been easy but for the fact that he wished to avoid contact with grass, -brush, trees, even dead branches, as all were covered with ticks. The -upper half of the bluff was bare, and when he reached that part he soon -surmounted it. Ken faced south with something of eagerness. -Fortunately the mist had dissolved under the warm rays of the sun, -affording an unobstructed view. That scene was wild and haunting, yet -different from what his fancy had pictured. The great expanse of jungle -was gray, the green line of cypress, palm, and bamboo following the -southward course of the river. The mountain-range some ten miles -distant sloped to the south and faded away in the haze. The river -disappeared in rich dark verdure, and but for it, which afforded a -water-road back to civilization, Ken would have been lost in a dense -gray-green overgrowth of tropical wilderness. Once or twice he thought -he caught the faint roar of a waterfall on the morning breeze, yet could -not be sure, and he returned toward camp with a sober appreciation of -the difficulty of his enterprise and a more thrilling sense of its -hazard and charm. - -"Didn't see anything to peg at, eh?" greeted Hal. "Well, get your teeth -in some of this venison before it's all gone." - -Soon they were under way again, Pepe strong and willing at the oars. -This time Ken had his rifle and shotgun close at hand, ready for use. -Half a mile below, the river, running still and deep, entered a shaded -waterway so narrow that in places the branches of wide-spreading and -leaning cypresses met and intertwined their moss-fringed foliage. This -lane was a paradise for birds, that ranged from huge speckled cranes, -six feet high, to little yellow birds almost too small to see. - -Black squirrels were numerous and very tame. In fact, all the creatures -along this shaded stream were so fearless that it was easy to see they -had never heard a shot. Ken awoke sleepy cranes with his fishing-rod and -once pushed a blue heron off a log. He heard animals of some species -running back from the bank, out could not see them. All at once a soft -breeze coming up-stream bore a deep roar of tumbling rapids. The -sensation of dread which had bothered Ken occasionally now returned and -fixed itself in his mind. He was in the jungle of Mexico, and knew not -what lay ahead of him. But if he had been in the wilds of unexplored -Brazil and had heard that roar, it would have been familiar to him. In -his canoe experience on the swift streams of Pennsylvania Ken Ward had -learned, long before he came to rapids, to judge what they were from the -sound. His attention wandered from the beautiful birds, the moss-shaded -bowers, and the overhanging jungle. He listened to the heavy, sullen -roar of the rapids. - -"That water sounds different," remarked George. - -"Grande," said Pepe, with a smile. - -"Pretty heavy, Ken, eh?" asked Hal, looking quickly at his brother. - -But Ken Ward made his face a mask, and betrayed nothing of the grim -nature of his thought. Pepe and the boys had little idea of danger, and -they had now a blind faith in Ken. - -"I dare say we'll get used to that roar," replied Ken, easily, and he -began to pack his guns away in their cases. - -Hal forgot his momentary anxiety; Pepe rowed on, leisurely; and George -lounged in his seat. There was no menace for them in that dull, -continuous roar. - -But Ken knew they would soon be in fast water and before long would drop -down into the real wilderness. It was not now too late to go back up -the river, but soon that would be impossible. Keeping a sharp lookout -ahead, Ken revolved in mind the necessity for caution and skilful -handling of the boat. But he realized, too, that overzealousness on the -side of caution was a worse thing for such a trip than sheer -recklessness. Good judgment in looking over rapids, a quick eye to pick -the best channel, then a daring spirit--that was the ideal to be striven -for in going down swift rivers. - -Presently Ken saw a break in the level surface of the water. He took -Pepe's place at the oars, and, as usual, turned the boat stern first -down-stream. The banks were low and shelved out in rocky points. This -relieved Ken, for he saw that he could land just above the falls. What -he feared was a narrow gorge impossible to portage round or go through. -As the boat approached the break the roar seemed to divide itself, -hollow and shallow near at hand, rushing and heavy farther on. - -Ken rowed close to the bank and landed on the first strip of rock. He -got out and, walking along this ledge, soon reached the fall. It was a -straight drop of some twelve or fifteen feet. The water was shallow all -the way across. - -"Boys, this is easy," said Ken. "We'll pack the outfit round the fall, -and slide the boat over." - -But Ken did not say anything about the white water extending below the -fall as far as he could see. From here came the sullen roar that had -worried him. - -Portaging the supplies around that place turned out to be far from easy. -The portage was not long nor rugged, but the cracked, water-worn, rock -made going very difficult. The boys often stumbled. Pepe fell and broke -open a box, and almost broke his leg. Ken had a hard knock. Then, when -it came to carrying the trunk, one at each corner, progress was -laborious and annoying. Full two hours were lost in transporting the -outfit around the fall. - -Below there was a wide, shelving apron, over which the water ran a foot -or so in depth. Ken stationed Pepe and the boys there, and went up to -get the boat. He waded out with it. Ken saw that his end of this -business was going to be simple enough, but he had doubts as to what -would happen to the boys. - -"Brace yourselves, now," he yelled. "When I drop her over she'll come -a-humming. Hang on if she drags you a mile!" - -Wading out deeper Ken let the boat swing down with the current till the -stern projected over the fall. He had trouble in keeping his footing, -for the rock was slippery. Then with a yell he ran the stern far out -over the drop, bore down hard on the bow, and shoved off. - -The boat shot out and down, to alight with a heavy souse. Then it -leaped into the swift current. George got his hands on it first, and -went down like a ninepin. The boat floated over him. The bow struck -Hal, and would have dragged him away had not Pepe laid powerful hands on -the stern. They waded to the lower ledge. - -"Didn't ship a bucketful," said Hal. "Fine work, Ken." - -"I got all the water," added the drenched and dripping George. - -"Bail out, boys, and repack, while I look below," said Ken. - -He went down-stream a little way to take a survey of the rapids. If -those rapids had been back in Pennsylvania, Ken felt that he could have -gone at them in delight. If the jungle country had been such that -damage to boat or supplies could have been remedied or replaced, these -rapids would not have appeared so bad. Ken walked up and down looking -over the long white inclines more than was wise, and he hesitated about -going into them. But it had to be done. So he went back to the boys. -Then he took the oars with gripping fingers. - -"George, can you swim?" he asked. - -"I'm a second cousin to a fish," replied George. - -"All right. We're off. Now, if we upset, hang to the boat, if you can, -and hold up your legs. George, tell Pepe." - -Ken backed the boat out from the shore. To his right in the middle of -the narrow river was a racy current that he kept out of as long as -possible. But presently he was drawn into it, and the boat shot -forward, headed into the first incline, and went racing smoothly down -toward the white waves of the rapids. - -This was a trying moment for Ken. Grip as hard as he might, the -oar-handles slipped in his sweaty hands. - -The boys were yelling, but Ken could not hear for the din of roaring -waters. The boat sailed down with swift, gliding motion. When it -thumped into the back-lash of the first big waves the water threshed -around and over the boys. Then they were in the thick of rush and roar. -Ken knew he was not handling the boat well. It grazed stones that -should have been easy to avoid, and bumped on hidden ones, and got half -broadside to the current. Pepe, by quick action with an oar, pushed the -stern aside from collision with more than one rock. Several times Ken -missed a stroke when a powerful one was needed. He passed between -stones so close together that he had to ship the oars. It was all rapid -water, this stretch, but the bad places, with sunken rocks, falls, and -big waves, were strung out at such distances apart that Ken had time to -get the boat going right before entering them. - -Ken saw scarcely anything of the banks of the river. They blurred in -his sight. Sometimes they were near, sometimes far. The boat turned -corners where rocky ledges pointed out, constricting the stream and -making a curved channel. What lay around the curve was always a -question and a cause for suspense. Often the boat raced down a chute -and straight toward a rocky wall. Ken would pull back with all his -might, and Pepe would break the shock by striking the wall with his oar. - -More than once Pepe had a narrow escape from being knocked overboard. -George tried to keep him from standing up. Finally at the end of a long -rapid, Pepe, who had the stern-seat, jumped up and yelled. Ken saw a -stone directly in the path of the boat, and he pulled back on the oars -with a quick, strong jerk. Pepe shot out of the stern as if he had been -flung from a catapult. He swam with the current while the boat drifted. -He reached smooth water and the shore before Ken could pick him up. - -It was fun for everybody but Ken. There were three inches of water in -the boat. The canvas, however, had been arranged to protect guns, -grips, and supplies. George had been wet before he entered the rapids, -so a little additional water did not matter to him. Hal was almost as -wet as Pepe. - -"I'm glad that's past," said Ken. - -With that long rapid behind him he felt different. It was what he had -needed. His nervousness disappeared and he had no dread of the next -fall. While the boys bailed out the boat Ken rested and thought. He -had made mistakes in that rapid just passed. Luck had favored him. He -went over the mistakes and saw where he had been wrong, and how he could -have avoided them if he had felt right. Ken realized now that this was -a daredevil trip. And the daredevil in him had been shut up in dread. -It took just that nervous dread, and the hard work, blunders and -accidents, the danger and luck, to liberate the spirit that would make -the trip a success. Pepe and George were loud in their praises of Ken. -But they did not appreciate the real hazard of the undertaking, and if -Hal did he was too much of a wild boy to care. - -"All aboard," called George. - -Then they were on their way again. Ken found himself listening for -rapids. It was no surprise to hear a dull roar round the next bend. -His hair rose stiffly under his hat. But this time he did not feel the -chill, the uncertainty, the lack of confidence that had before weakened -him. - -At the head of a long, shallow incline the boys tumbled overboard, Ken -and Hal at the bow, Pepe and George at the stern. They waded with the -bow up-stream. The water tore around their legs, rising higher and -higher. Soon Pepe and George had to climb in the boat, for the water -became so deep and swift they could not wade. - -"Jump in, Hal," called Ken. - -Then he held to the bow an instant longer, wading a little farther down. -This was ticklish business, and all depended upon Ken. He got the stern -of the boat straight in line with the channel he wanted to run, then he -leaped aboard and made for the oars. The boat sped down. At the bottom -of this incline was a mass of leaping green and white waves. The blunt -stern of the boat made a great splash and the water flew over the boys. -They came through the roar and hiss and spray to glide into a mill-race -current. - -"Never saw such swift water!" exclaimed Ken. - -This incline ended in a sullen plunge between two huge rocks. Ken saw -the danger long before it became evident to his companions. There was -no other way to shoot the rapid. He could not reach the shore. He must -pass between the rocks. Ken pushed on one oar, then on the other, till -he got the boat in line, and then he pushed with both oars. The boat -flew down that incline. It went so swiftly that if it had hit one of -the rocks it would have been smashed to kindling wood. Hal crouched -low. George's face was white. And Pepe leaned forward with his big -arms outstretched, ready to try to prevent a collision. - -Down! down with the speed of the wind! The boat flashed between the -black stones. Then it was raised aloft, light as a feather, to crash -into the back-lashers. The din deafened Ken; the spray blinded him. -The boat seemed to split a white pall of water, then, with many a -bounce, drifted out of that rapid into little choppy waves, and from -them into another long, smooth runway. - -Ken rested, and had nothing to say. Pepe shook his black head. Hal -looked at his brother. George had forgotten his rifle. No one spoke. - -Soon Ken had more work on hand. For round another corner lay more fast -water. The boat dipped on a low fall, and went down into the midst of -green waves with here and there ugly rocks splitting the current. The -stream-bed was continually new and strange to Ken, and he had never seen -such queer formation of rocks. This rapid, however, was easy to -navigate. A slanting channel of swift water connected it with another -rapid. Ken backed into that one, passed through, only to face another. -And so it went for a long succession of shallow rapids. - -A turn in the winding lane of cypresses revealed walls of gray, between -which the river disappeared. - -"Aha!" muttered Ken. - -"Ken, I'll bet this is the place you've been looking for," said Hal. - -The absence of any roar of water emboldened Ken. Nearing the head of -the ravine, he stood upon the seat and looked ahead. But Ken could not -see many rods ahead. The ravine turned, and it was the deceiving turns -in the river that he had feared. What a strange sensation Ken had when -he backed the boat into the mouth of that gorge! He was forced against -his will. Yet there seemed to be a kind of blood-tingling pleasure in -the prospect. - -The current caught the boat and drew it between the gray-green walls of -rock. - -"It's coming to us," said the doubtful George. - -The current ran all of six miles an hour. This was not half as fast as -the boys had traveled in rapids, but it appeared swift enough because of -the nearness of the overshadowing walls. In the shade the water took on -a different coloring. It was brown and oily. It slid along silently. -It was deep, and the swirling current suggested power. Here and there -long, creeping ferns covered the steep stone sides, and above ran a -stream of blue sky fringed by leaning palms. Once Hal put his hands to -his lips and yelled: "Hel-lo!" The yell seemed to rip the silence and -began to clap from wall to wall. It gathered quickness until it clapped -in one fiendish rattle. Then it wound away from the passage, growing -fainter and fainter, and at last died in a hollow echo. - -"Don't do that again," ordered Ken. - -He began to wish he could see the end of that gorge. But it grew -narrower, and the shade changed to twilight, and there were no long, -straight stretches. The river kept turning corners. Quick to note the -slightest change in conditions, Ken felt a breeze, merely a zephyr, fan -his hot face. The current had almost imperceptibly quickened. Yet it -was still silent. Then on the gentle wind came a low murmur. Ken's -pulse beat fast. Turning his ear down-stream, he strained his hearing. -The low murmur ceased. Perhaps he had imagined it. Still he kept -listening. There! Again it came, low, far away, strange. It might -have been the wind in the palms. But no, he could not possibly persuade -himself it was wind. And as that faint breeze stopped he lost the sound -once more. The river was silent, and the boat, and the boys--it was a -silent ride. Ken divined that his companions were enraptured. But this -ride had no beauty, no charm for him. - -There! Another faint puff of wind, and again the low murmur! He -fancied it was louder. He was beginning to feel an icy dread when all -was still once more. So the boat drifted swiftly on with never a gurgle -of water about her gunwales. The river gleamed in brown shadows. Ken -saw bubbles rise and break on the surface, and there was a slight rise -or swell of the water toward the center of the channel. This bothered -him. He could not understand it. But then there had been many other -queer formations of rock and freaks of current along this river. - -The boat glided on and turned another corner, the sharpest one yet. A -long, shadowy water-lane, walled in to the very sides, opened up to -Ken's keen gaze. The water here began to race onward, still wonderfully -silent. And now the breeze carried a low roar. It was changeable yet -persistent. It deepened. - -Once more Ken felt his hair rise under his hat. Cold sweat wet his -skin. Despite the pounding of his heart and the throb of his veins, his -blood seemed to clog, to freeze, to stand still. - -That roar was the roar of rapids. Impossible to go back! If there had -been four sets of oars, Ken and his comrades could not row the heavy -boat back up that swift, sliding river. - -They must go on. - - - - - *X* - - *LOST!* - - -"Ken, old man, do you hear that?" questioned Hal, waking from his -trance. - -George likewise rose out of his lazy contentment. "Must be rapids," he -muttered. "If we strike rapids in this gorge it's all day with us. What -did I tell you!" - -Pepe's dark, searching eyes rested on Ken. - -But Ken had no word for any of them. He was fighting an icy numbness, -and the weakness of muscle and the whirl of his mind. It was thought of -responsibility that saved him from collapse. - -"It's up to you, old man," said Hal, quietly. - -In a moment like this the boy could not wholly be deceived. - -Ken got a grip upon himself. He looked down the long, narrow lane of -glancing water. Some hundred yards on, it made another turn round a -corner, and from this dim curve came the roar. The current was hurrying -the boat toward it, but not fast enough to suit Ken. He wanted to see -the worst, to get into the thick of it, to overcome it. So he helped -the boat along. A few moments sufficed to cover that gliding stretch of -river, yet to Ken it seemed never to have an end. The roar steadily -increased. The current became still stronger. Ken saw eruptions of -water rising as from an explosion beneath the surface. Whirlpools raced -along with the boat. The dim, high walls re-echoed the roaring of the -water. - -The first thing Ken saw when he sailed round that corner was a widening -of the chasm and bright sunlight ahead. Perhaps an eighth of a mile -below the steep walls ended abruptly. Next in quick glance he saw a -narrow channel of leaping, tossing, curling white-crested waves under -sunlighted mist and spray. - -Pulling powerfully back and to the left Ken brought the boat alongside -the cliff. Then he shipped his oars. - -"Hold hard," he yelled, and he grasped the stone. The boys complied, -and thus stopped the boat. Ken stood up on the seat. It was a bad -place he looked down into, but he could not see any rocks. And rocks -were what he feared most. - -"Hold tight, boys," he said. Then he got Pepe to come to him and sit on -the seat. Ken stepped up on Pepe's shoulders and, by holding to the -rock, was able to get a good view of the rapid. It was not a rapid at -all, but a constriction of the channel, and also a steep slant. The -water rushed down so swiftly to get through that it swelled in the -center in a long frothy ridge of waves. The water was deep. Ken could -not see any bumps or splits or white-wreathed rocks, such as were -conspicuous in a rapid. The peril here for Ken was to let the boat hit -the wall or turn broadside or get out of that long swelling ridge. - -He stepped down and turned to the white-faced boys. He had to yell -close to them to make them hear him in the roar. - -"I--can--run--this--place. But--you've got--to help. Pull--the -canvas--up higher in the stern--and hold it." - -Then he directed Pepe to kneel in the bow of the boat with an oar and be -ready to push off from the walls. - -If Ken had looked again or hesitated a moment he would have lost his -nerve. He recognized that fact. And he shoved off instantly. Once the -boat had begun to glide down, gathering momentum, he felt his teeth -grind hard and his muscles grow tense. He had to bend his head from -side to side to see beyond the canvas George and Hal were holding round -their shoulders. He believed with that acting as a buffer in the stern -he could go pounding through those waves. Then he was in the middle of -the channel, and the boat fairly sailed along. Ken kept his oars -poised, ready to drop either one for a stroke. All he wanted was to -enter those foaming, tumultuous waves with his boat pointed right. He -knew he could not hope to see anything low down after he entered the -race. He calculated that the last instant would give him an opportunity -to get his direction in line with some object. - -Then, even as he planned it, the boat dipped on a beautiful glassy -incline, and glided down toward the engulfing, roaring waves. Above -them, just in the center, Ken caught sight of the tufted top of a -palm-tree. That was his landmark! - -The boat shot into a great, curling, back-lashing wave. There was a -heavy shock, a pause, and then Ken felt himself lifted high, while a -huge sheet of water rose fan-shape behind the buffer in the stern. -Walls and sky and tree faded under a watery curtain. Then the boat shot -on again; the light came, the sky shone, and Ken saw his palm-tree. He -pulled hard on the right oar to get the stern back in line. Another -heavy shock, a pause, a blinding shower of water, and then the downward -rush! Ken got a fleeting glimpse of his guiding mark, and sunk the left -oar deep for a strong stroke. The beating of the waves upon the -upraised oars almost threw him out of the boat. The wrestling waters -hissed and bellowed. Down the boat shot and up, to pound and pound, and -then again shoot down. Through the pall of mist and spray Ken always -got a glimpse, quick as lightning, of the palm-tree, and like a demon he -plunged in his oars to keep the boat in line. He was only dimly -conscious of the awfulness of the place. But he was not afraid. He -felt his action as being inspirited by something grim and determined. -He was fighting the river. - -All at once a grating jar behind told him the bow had hit a stone or a -wall. He did not dare look back. The most fleeting instant of time -might be the one for him to see his guiding mark. Then the boat lurched -under him, lifted high with bow up, and lightened. He knew Pepe had -been pitched overboard. - -In spite of the horror of the moment, Ken realized that the lightening -of the boat made it more buoyant, easier to handle. That weight in the -bow had given him an unbalanced craft. But now one stroke here and one -there kept the stern straight. The palm-tree loomed higher and closer -through the brightening mist. Ken no longer felt the presence of the -walls. The thunderous roar had begun to lose some of its volume. Then -with a crash through a lashing wave the boat raced out into the open -light. Ken saw a beautiful foam-covered pool, down toward which the -boat kept bumping over a succession of diminishing waves. - -He gave a start of joy to see Pepe's black head bobbing in the choppy -channel. Pepe had beat the boat to the outlet. He was swimming easily, -and evidently he had not been injured. - -Ken turned the bow toward him. But Pepe did not need any help, and a -few more strokes put him in shallow water. Ken discovered that the -boat, once out of the current, was exceedingly loggy and hard to row. -It was half full of water. Ken's remaining strength went to pull -ashore, and there he staggered out and dropped on the rocky bank. - -The blue sky was very beautiful and sweet to look at just then. But Ken -had to close his eyes. He did not have strength left to keep them open. -For a while all seemed dim and obscure to him. Then he felt a -dizziness, which in turn succeeded to a racing riot of his nerves and -veins. His heart gradually resumed a normal beat, and his bursting -lungs seemed to heal. A sickening languor lay upon him. He could not -hold little stones which he felt under his fingers. He could not raise -his hands. The life appeared to have gone from his legs. - -All this passed, at length, and, hearing Hal's voice, Ken sat up. The -outfit was drying in the sun; Pepe was bailing out the boat; George was -wiping his guns; and Hal was nursing a very disheveled little racoon. - -"You can bring on any old thing now, for all I care," said Hal. "I'd -shoot Lachine Rapids with Ken at the oars." - -"He's a fine boatman," replied George. "Weren't you scared when we were -in the middle of that darned place?" - -"Me? Naw!" - -"Well, I was scared, and don't you forget it," said Ken to them. - -"You were all in, Ken," replied Hal. "Never saw you so tuckered out. -The day you and Prince went after the cougar along that canon -precipice--you were all in that time. George, it took Ken six hours to -climb out of that hole." - -"Tell me about it," said George, all eyes. - -"No stories now," put in Ken. "The sun is still high. We've got to be -on our way. Let's look over the lay of the land." - -Below the pool was a bold, rocky bluff, round which the river split. -What branch to take was a matter of doubt and anxiety to Ken. Evidently -this bluff was an island. It had a yellow front and long bare ledges -leading into the river. - -Ken climbed the bluff, accompanied by the boys, and found it covered -with palm-trees. Up there everything was so dry and hot that it did not -seem to be jungle at all. Even the palms were yellow and parched. Pepe -stood the heat, but the others could not endure it. Ken took one long -look at the surrounding country, so wild and dry and still, and then led -the way down the loose, dusty shelves. - -Thereupon he surveyed the right branch of the river and followed it a -little distance. The stream here foamed and swirled among jagged rocks. -At the foot of this rapid stretched the first dead water Ken had -encountered for miles. A flock of wild geese rose from under his feet -and flew down-stream. - -"Geese!" exclaimed Ken. "I wonder if that means we are getting down -near lagoons or big waters. George, wild geese don't frequent little -streams, do they?" - -"There's no telling where you'll find them in this country," answered -George. "I've chased them right in our orange groves." - -They returned to look at the left branch of the river. It was open and -one continuous succession of low steps. That would have decided Ken -even if the greater volume of water had not gone down on this left side. -As far as he could see was a wide, open river running over little -ledges. It looked to be the easiest and swiftest navigation he had come -upon, and so indeed it proved. The water was swift, and always dropped -over some ledge in a rounded fall that was safe for him to shoot. It -was great fun going over these places. The boys hung their feet over -the gunwales most of the time, sliding them along the slippery ledge or -giving a kick to help the momentum. When they came to a fall, Ken would -drop off the bow, hold the boat back and swing it straight, then jump -in, and over it would go--souse! - -There were so many of these ledges, and they were so close together, -that going over them grew to be a habit. It induced carelessness. The -boat drifted to a brow of a fall full four feet high. Ken, who was at -the bow. leaped off just in time to save the boat. He held on while the -swift water surged about his knees. He yelled for the boys to jump. As -the stern where they sat was already over the fall it was somewhat -difficult to make the boys vacate quickly enough. - -"Tumble out! Quick!" bawled Ken. "Do you think I'm Samson?" - -Over they went, up to their necks in the boiling foam, and not a second -too soon, for Ken could hold the boat no longer. It went over smoothly, -just dipping the stern under water. If the boys had remained aboard, -the boat would have swamped. As it was, Pepe managed to catch the rope, -which Ken had wisely thrown out, and he drifted down to the next ledge. -Ken found this nearly as high as the last one. So he sent the boys -below to catch the boat. This worked all right. The shelves slanted -slightly, with the shallow part of the water just at the break of the -ledge. They passed half a dozen of these, making good time, and before -they knew it were again in a deep, smooth jungle lane with bamboo and -streamers of moss waving over them. - -The shade was cool, and Ken settled down in the stern-seat, grateful for -a rest. To his surprise, he did not see a bird. The jungle was asleep. -Once or twice Ken fancied he heard the tinkle and gurgle of water -running over rocks. The boat glided along silently, with Pepe rowing -leisurely, George asleep, Hal dreaming. - -Ken watched the beautiful green banks. They were high, a mass of -big-leafed vines, flowering and fragrant, above which towered the jungle -giants. Ken wanted to get out and study those forest trees. But he -made no effort to act upon his good intentions, and felt that he must -take the most of his forestry study at long range. He was reveling in -the cool recesses under the leaning cypresses, in the soft swish of -bearded moss, and the strange rustle of palms, in the dreamy hum of the -resting jungle, when his pleasure was brought to an abrupt end. - -"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe. - -George woke up with a start. Hal had been jarred out of his day-dream, -and looked resentful. Ken gazed about him with the feeling of a man -going into a trance, instead of coming out of one. - -The boat was fast on a mud-bank. That branch of the river ended right -there. The boys had come all those miles to run into a blind pocket. - -Ken's glance at the high yellow bank, here crumbling and bare, told him -there was no outlet. He had a sensation of blank dismay. - -"Gee!" exclaimed Hal, softly. - -George rubbed his eyes; and, searching for a cigarette, he muttered: -"We're lost! I said it was coming to us. We've got to go back!" - - - - - *XI* - - *AN ARMY OF SNAKES* - - -For a moment Ken Ward was utterly crushed under the weight of this -sudden blow. It was so sudden that he had no time to think; or his mind -was clamped on the idea of attempting to haul the boat up that long, -insurmountable series of falls. - -"It 'll be an awful job," burst out Hal. - -No doubt in the mind of each boy was the same idea--the long haul, -wading over slippery rocks; the weariness of pushing legs against the -swift current; the packing of supplies uphill; and then the toil of -lifting the heavy boat up over a fall. - -"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and he groaned. That was significant, coming -from a _mozo_, who thought nothing of rowing forty miles in a day. - -"Oh, but it's tough luck," cried Ken. "Why didn't I choose the right -branch of this pesky river?" - -"I think you used your head at that," said Hal. "Most of the water came -down on this side. Where did it go?" - -Hal had hit the vital question, and it cleared Ken's brain. - -"Hal, you're talking sense. Where did that water go? It couldn't all -have sunk into the earth. We'll find out. We won't try to go back. We -_can't_ go back." - -Pepe shoved off the oozy mud, and, reluctantly, as if he appreciated the -dilemma, he turned the boat and rowed along the shore. As soon as Ken -had recovered somewhat he decided there must be an outlet which he had -missed. This reminded him that at a point not far back he had heard the -tinkle and gurgle of unseen water flowing over rocks. - -He directed Pepe to row slowly along the bank that he thought was the -island side. As they glided under the drooping bamboos and silky -curtains of moss George began to call out: "Low bridge! Low bridge!" -For a boy who was forever voicing ill-omened suggestions as to what -might soon happen he was extraordinarily cheerful. - -There were places where all had to lie flat and others where Pepe had to -use his _machete_. This disturbed the _siesta_ of many aquatic birds, -most of which flew swiftly away. But there were many of the -gray-breasted, blue-backed bitterns that did not take to flight. These -croaked dismally, and looked down upon the boys with strange, protruding -eyes. - -"Those darn birds 'll give me the willies," declared Hal. "George, you -just look like them when you croak about what's coming to us." - -"Just wait!" retorted George. "It 'll come, all right. Then I'll have -the fun of seeing you scared silly." - -"What! You'll not do anything of the kind!" cried Hal, hotly. "I've -been in places where such--such a skinny little sap-head as you--" - -"Here, you kids stop wrangling," ordered Ken, who sensed hostilities in -the air. "We've got trouble enough." - -Suddenly Ken signaled Pepe to stop rowing. - -"Boys, I hear running water. Aha! Here's a current. See--it's making -right under this bank." - -Before them was a high wall of broad-leaved vines, so thick that nothing -could be seen through them. Apparently this luxuriant canopy concealed -the bank. Pepe poked an oar into it, but found nothing solid. - -"Pepe, cut a way through. We've got to see where this water runs." - -It was then that Ken came to a full appreciation of a _machete_. He had -often fancied it a much less serviceable tool than an ax. Pepe flashed -the long, bright blade up, down, and around, and presently the boat was -its own length in a green tunnel. Pepe kept on slashing while Ken poled -the boat in and the other boys dumped the cut foliage overboard. Soon -they got through this mass of hanging vine and creeper. Much to Ken's -surprise and delight, he found no high bank, but low, flat ground, -densely wooded, through which ran a narrow, deep outlet of the river. - -"By all that's lucky!" ejaculated Ken. - -George and Hal whooped their pleasure, and Pepe rubbed his muscular -hands. Then all fell silent. The deep, penetrating silence of that -jungle was not provocative of speech. The shade was so black that when a -ray of sunlight did manage to pierce the dense canopy overhead it -resembled a brilliant golden spear. A few lofty palms and a few clumps -of bamboo rather emphasized the lack of these particular species in this -forest. Nor was there any of the familiar streaming moss hanging from -the trees. This glen was green, cool, dark. It did not smell exactly -swampy, but rank, like a place where many water plants were growing. - -[Illustration: KEN SHOT TWICE AT THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE] - -The outlet was so narrow that Ken was not able to use the oars. Still, -as the current was swift, the boat went along rapidly. He saw a light -ahead and heard the babble of water. The current quickened, and the -boat drifted suddenly upon the edge of an oval glade, where the hot sun -beat down. A series of abrupt mossy benches, over which the stream slid -almost noiselessly, blocked further progress. - -The first thing about this glade that Ken noted particularly, after the -difficulties presented by the steep steps, was the multitude of snakes -sunning themselves along the line of further progress. - -"Boys, it 'll be great wading down there, hey?" he queried. - -Pepe grumbled for the first time on the trip. Ken gathered from the -native's looks and speech that he did not like snakes. - -"Watch me peg 'em!" yelled Hal, and he began to throw stones with -remarkable accuracy. "Hike, you brown sons-of-guns!" - -George, not to be outdone, made a dive for his .22 and began to pop as -if he had no love for snakes. Ken had doubts about this species. The -snakes were short, thick, dull brown in color, and the way they slipped -into the stream proved they were water-snakes. Ken had never read of a -brown water-moccasin, so he doubted that these belonged to that -poisonous family. Anyway, snakes were the least of his troubles. - -"Boys, you're doing fine," he said. "There are about a thousand snakes -there, and you've hit about six." - -He walked down through the glade into the forest, and was overjoyed to -hear once more the heavy roar of rapids. He went on. The timber grew -thinner, and light penetrated the jungle. Presently he saw the gleam of -water through the trees. Then he hurried back. - -"All right, boys," he shouted. "Here's the river." - -The boys were so immensely relieved that packing the outfit round the -waterfalls was work they set about with alacrity. Ken, who had on his -boots, broke a trail through the ferns and deep moss. Pepe, being -barefoot, wasted time looking for snakes. George teased him. But Pepe -was deadly serious. And the way he stepped and looked made Ken -thoughtful. He had made his last trip with supplies, and was about to -start back to solve the problem of getting the boat down, when a hoarse -yell resounded through the sleeping jungle. Parrots screeched, and -other birds set up a cackling. - -Ken bounded up the slope. - -"Santa Maria!" cried Pepe. - -Ken followed the direction indicated by Pepe's staring eyes and -trembling finger. Hanging from a limb of a tree was a huge black-snake. -It was as thick as Ken's leg. The branch upon which it poised its neck -so gracefully was ten feet high, and the tail curled into the ferns on -the ground. - -"Boys, it's one of the big fellows," cried Ken. - -"Didn't I tell you!" yelled George, running down for his gun. - -Hal seemed rooted to the spot. Pepe began to jabber. Ken watched the -snake, and felt instinctively from its sinister looks that it was -dangerous. George came running back with his .32 and waved it in the -air as he shot. He was so frightened that he forgot to aim. Ken took -the rifle from him. - -"You can't hit him with this. Run after your shotgun. Quick!" - -But the sixteen-gage was clogged with a shell that would not eject. -Ken's guns were in their cases. - -"Holy smoke!" cried George. "He's coming down." - -The black-snake moved his body and began to slide toward the tree-trunk. - -Ken shot twice at the head of the snake. It was a slow-swaying mark hard -to hit. The reptile stopped and poised wonderfully on the limb. He was -not coiled about it, but lay over it with about four feet of neck -waving, swaying to and fro. He watched the boys, and his tongue, like a -thin, black streak, darted out viciously. - -Ken could not hit the head, so he sent a bullet through the thick part -of the body. Swift as a gleam the snake darted from the limb. - -"Santa Maria!" yelled Pepe, and he ran off. - -"Look out, boys," shouted Ken. He picked up Pepe's _machete_ and took -to his heels. George and Hal scrambled before him. They ran a hundred -yards or more, and Ken halted in an open rocky spot. He was angry, and -a little ashamed that he had run. The snake did not pursue, and -probably was as badly frightened as the boys had been. Pepe stopped -some distance away, and Hal and George came cautiously back. - -"I don't see anything of him," said Ken. "I'm going back." - -He walked slowly, keeping a sharp outlook, and, returning to the glade, -found blood-stains under the tree. The snake had disappeared without -leaving a trail. - -"If I'd had my shotgun ready!" exclaimed Ken, in disgust. And he made a -note that in the future he would be prepared to shoot. - -"Wasn't he a whopper, Ken?" said Hal. "We ought to have got his hide. -What a fine specimen!" - -"Boys, you drive away those few little snakes while I figure on a way to -get the boat down." - -"Not on your life!" replied Hal. - -George ably sustained Hal's objection. - -"Mucho malo," said Pepe, and then added a loud "No" in English. - -"All right, my brave comrades," rejoined Ken, scornfully. "As I've not -done any work yet or taken any risks, I'll drive the snakes away." - -With Pepe's _machete_ he cut a long forked pole, trimmed it, and, armed -with this weapon, he assaulted the rolls and bands and balls of brown -snakes. He stalked boldly down upon them, pushed and poled, and even -kicked them off the mossy banks. Hal could not stand that, and -presently he got a pole and went to Ken's assistance. - -"Who's hollering now?" he yelled to George. - -Whereupon George cut a long branch and joined the battle. They whacked -and threshed and pounded, keeping time with yells. Everywhere along the -wet benches slipped and splashed the snakes. But after they were driven -into the water they did not swim away. They dove under the banks and -then stretched out their pointed heads from the dripping edge of moss. - -"Say, fellows, we're making it worse for us," declared Ken. "See, the -brown devils won't swim off. We'd better have left them on the bank. -Let's catch one and see if he'll bite." - -He tried to pick up one on his pole, but it slipped off. George fished -after another. Hal put the end of his stick down inside the coil of -still another and pitched it. The brown, wriggling, wet snake shot -straight at the unsuspecting George, and struck him and momentarily -wound about him. - -"Augrrh!" bawled George, flinging off the reptile and leaping back. -"What 'd you do that for? I'll punch you!" - -"George, he didn't mean it," said Ken. "It was an accident. Come on, -let's tease that fellow and see if he'll bite." - -The snake coiled and raised his flat head and darted a wicked tongue out -and watched with bright, beady eyes, but he did not strike. Ken went as -close as he thought safe and studied the snake. - -"Boys, his head isn't a triangle, and there are no little pits under his -eyes. Those are two signs of a poisonous snake. I don't believe this -fellow's one." - -"He'll be a dead snake, b' gosh," replied George, and he fell to -pounding it with his pole. - -"Don't smash him. I want the skin," yelled Hal. - -Ken pondered on the situation before him. - -"Come, the sooner we get at this the better," he said. - -There was a succession of benches through which the stream zigzagged and -tumbled. These benches were rock ledges over which moss had grown fully -a foot thick, and they were so oozy and slippery that it was no easy -task to walk upon them. Then they were steep, so steep that it was -remarkable how the water ran over them so smoothly, with very little -noise or break. It was altogether a new kind of waterfall to Ken. But -if the snakes had not been hidden there, navigation would have presented -an easier problem. - -"Come on boys, alongside now, and hold back," he ordered, gripping the -bow. - -Exactly what happened the next few seconds was not clear in his mind. -There was a rush, and all were being dragged by the boat. The glade -seemed to whizz past. There were some sodden thumps, a great splashing, -a check--and lo! they were over several benches. It was the quickest -and easiest descent he had ever made down a steep waterfall. - -"Fine!" ejaculated George, wiping the ooze from his face. - -"Yes, it was fine," Ken replied. "But unless this boat has wings -something 'll happen soon." - -Below was a long, swift curve of water, very narrow and steep, with a -moss-covered rock dividing the lower end. Ken imagined if there was a -repetition of the first descent the boat would be smashed on that rock. -He ordered Pepe, who was of course the strongest, to go below and jump -to the rock. There he might prevent a collision. - -Pepe obeyed, but as he went he yelled and doubled up in contortions as -he leaped over snakes in the moss. - -Then gently, gingerly the boys started the boat off the bench, where it -had lodged. George was at the stern, Ken and Hal at the bow. Suddenly -Hal shrieked and jumped straight up, to land in the boat. - -"Snakes!" he howled. - -"Give us a rest!" cried Ken, in disgust. - -The boat moved as if instinct with life. It dipped, then--_wheeze!_ it -dove over the bench. Hal was thrown off his feet, fell back on the -gunwale, and thence into the snaky moss. George went sprawling face -downward into the slimy ooze, and Ken was jerked clear off the bench -into the stream. He got his footing and stood firm in water to his -waist, and he had the bow-rope coiled round his hands. - -"Help! Help!" he yelled, as he felt the dragging weight too much for -him. - -If Ken retarded the progress of the boat at all, it was not much. -George saw his distress and the danger menacing the boat, and he leaped -valiantly forward. As he dashed down a slippery slant his feet flew up -higher than where his head had been; he actually turned over in the air, -and fell with a great sop. - -Hal had been trying to reach Ken, but here he stopped and roared with -laughter. - -Despite Ken's anger and fear of snakes, and his greater fear for the -boat, he likewise had to let out a peal of laughter. That tumble of -George's was great. Then Ken's footing gave way and he went down. His -mouth filled with nasty water, nearly strangling him. He was almost -blinded, too. His arms seemed to be wrenched out of their sockets, and -he felt himself bumping over moss-covered rocks as soft as cushions. -Slimy ropes or roots of vegetation, that felt like snakes, brushed his -face and made him cold and sick. It was impossible to hold the boat any -longer. He lodged against a stone, and the swift water forced him upon -it. Blinking and coughing, he stuck fast. - -Ken saw the boat headed like a dart for the rock where Pepe stood. - -"Let 'er go!" yelled Ken. "Don't try to stop her. Pepe, you'll be -smashed!" - -Pepe acted like a man determined to make up for past cowardice. He made -a great show of brave intentions. He was not afraid of a boat. He -braced himself and reached out with his brawny arms. Ken feared for the -obstinate native's life, for the boat moved with remarkable velocity. - -At the last second Pepe's courage vanished. He turned tail to get out of -the way. But he slipped. The boat shot toward him and the blunt stern -struck him with a dull thud. Pepe sailed into the air, over the rock, -and went down cleaving the water. - -The boat slipped over the stone as easily as if it had been a wave and, -gliding into still water below, lodged on the bank. - -Ken crawled out of the stream, and when he ascertained that no one was -injured he stretched himself on the ground and gave up to mirth. Pepe -resembled a drowned rat; Hal was an object to wonder at; and George, in -his coating of slime and with strings of moss in his hair, was the -funniest thing Ken had ever seen. It was somewhat of a surprise to him -to discover, presently, that the boys were convulsed with fiendish glee -over the way he himself looked. - -By and by they recovered, and, with many a merry jest and chuckle of -satisfaction, they repacked the boat and proceeded on their way. No -further obstacle hindered them. They drifted out of the shady jungle -into the sunlit river. - -In half a mile of drifting the heat of the sun dried the boys' clothes. -The water was so hot that it fairly steamed. Once more the boat entered -a placid aisle over which the magnificent gray-wreathed cypresses bowed, -and the west wind waved long ribbons of moss, and wild fowl winged -reluctant flight. - -Ken took advantage of this tranquil stretch of river to work on his map. -He realized that he must use every spare moment and put down his -drawings and notes as often as time and travel permitted. It had dawned -on Ken that rapids and snakes, and all the dangers along the river, made -his task of observation and study one apt to be put into eclipse at -times. Once or twice he landed on shore to climb a bluff, and was -pleased each time to see that he had lined a comparatively true course -on his map. He had doubts of its absolute accuracy, yet he could not -help having pride in his work. So far so good, he thought, and hoped -for good-fortune farther down the river. - - - - - *XII* - - *CATCHING STRANGE FISH* - - -Beyond a bend in the river the boys came upon an island with a narrow, -shaded channel on one side, a wide shoal on the other, and a group of -huge cypresses at the up-stream end. - -"Looks good to me," said Hal. - -The instant Ken saw the island he knew it was the place he had long been -seeking to make a permanent camp for a few days. They landed, to find an -ideal camping site. The ground under the cypresses was flat, dry, and -covered with short grass. Not a ray of sunlight penetrated the foliage. -A pile of driftwood had lodged against one of the trees, and this made -easy the question of fire-wood. - -"Great!" exclaimed Ken. "Come on, let's look over the ground." - -The island was about two hundred yards long, and the lower end was -hidden by a growth of willows. Bursting through this, the boys saw a -weedy flat leading into a wide, shallow back-eddy. Great numbers of -ducks were sporting and feeding. The stones of the rocky shore were -lined with sleeping ducks. Herons of all colors and sizes waded about, -or slept on one leg. Snipe ran everywhere. There was a great squawking -and flapping of wings. But at least half the number of waterfowl were -too tame or too lazy to fly. - -Ken returned to camp with his comrades, all highly elated over the -prospects. The best feature about this beautiful island was the absence -of ticks and snakes. - -"Boys, this is the place," said Ken. "We'll hang up here for a while. -Maybe we won't strike another such nice place to stay." - -So they unloaded the boat, taking everything out, and proceeded to pitch -a camp that was a delight. They were all loud in expressions of -satisfaction. Then Pepe set about leisurely peeling potatoes; George -took his gun and slipped off toward the lower end of the island; Hal -made a pen for his racoon, and then more pens, as if he meant to capture -a menagerie; and Ken made a comfortable lounging-bed under a cypress. -He wanted to forget that nagging worry as to farther descent of the -river, and to enjoy this place. - -"Bang!" went George's sixteen-gage. A loud whirring of wings followed, -and the air was full of ducks. - -"Never touched one!" yelled Hal, in taunting voice. - -A flock of teal skimmed the water and disappeared up-stream. The shot -awakened parrots in the trees, where for a while there was clamor. Ken -saw George wade out into the shoal and pick up three ducks. - -"Pot-shot!" exclaimed Hal, disgustedly. "Why couldn't he be a sport and -shoot them on the fly?" - -George crossed to the opposite shore and, climbing a bare place, stood -looking before him. - -"Hey, George, don't go far," called Ken. - -"Fine place over here," replied George, and, waving his hand, he passed -into the bushes out of sight. - -Ken lay back upon his blanket with a blissful sense of rest and -contentment. Many a time he had lain so, looking up through the broad -leaves of a sycamore or the lacy foliage of a birch or the delicate -crisscross of millions of pine needles. This overhead canopy, however, -was different. Only here and there could he catch little slivers of -blue sky. The graceful streamers of exquisite moss hung like tassels of -silver. In the dead stillness of noonday they seemed to float curved in -the shape in which the last soft breeze had left them. High upon a -branch he saw a red-headed parrot hanging back downward, after the -fashion of a monkey. Then there were two parrots asleep in the fork of -a branch. It was the middle of the day, and all things seemed tired and -sleepy. The deep channel murmured drowsily, and the wide expanse of -river on the other side lapped lazily at the shore. The only other -sound was the mourning of turtle-doves, one near and another far away. -Again the full richness, the mellow sweetness of this song struck Ken -forcibly. He remembered that all the way down the river he had heard -that mournful note. It was beautiful but melancholy. Somehow it made -him think that it had broken the dreamy stillness of the jungle noonday -long, long ago. It was sweet but sad and old. He did not like to hear -it. - -Ken yielded to the soothing influence of the hour and fell asleep. When -he awoke there was George, standing partially undressed and very soberly -popping ticks. He had enlisted the services of Pepe, and, to judge from -the remarks of both, they needed still more assistance. - -"Say, Garrapato George, many ticks over there?" - -"Ticks!" shouted George, wildly, waving his cigarette. "Millions of -'em! And there's--ouch! Kill that one, Pepe. Wow! he's as big as a -penny. There's game over there. It's a flat with some kind of berry -bush. There's lots of trails. I saw cat-tracks, and I scared up wild -turkeys--" - -"Turkeys!" Ken exclaimed, eagerly. - -"You bet. I saw a dozen. How they can run! I didn't flush them. Then -I saw a flock of those black and white ducks, like the big fellow I -shot. They were feeding. I believe they're Muscovy ducks." - -"I'm sure I don't know, but we can call them that." - -"Well, I'd got a shot, too, but I saw some gray things sneaking in the -bushes. I thought they were pigs, so I got out of there quick." - -"You mean javelin?" - -"Yep, I mean wild pigs. Oh! We've struck the place for game. I'll bet -it's coming to us." - -When George anticipated pleasurable events he was the most happy of -companions. It was good to look forward. He was continually expecting -things to happen; he was always looking ahead with great eagerness. But -unfortunately he had a twist of mind toward the unfavorable side of -events, and so always had the boys fearful. - -"Well, pigs or no pigs, ticks or no ticks, we'll hunt and fish, and see -all there is to see," declared Ken, and he went back to his lounging. - -When he came out of that lazy spell, George and Hal were fishing. -George had Ken's rod, and it happened to be the one Ken thought most of. - -"Do you know how to fish?" he asked. - -"I've caught tarpon bigger'n you," retorted George. - -That fact was indeed too much for Ken, and he had nothing to do but risk -his beloved rod in George's hands. And the way George swung it about, -slashed branches with it, dropped the tip in the water, was exceedingly -alarming to Ken. The boy would break the tip in a minute. Yet Ken -could not take his rod away from a boy who had caught tarpon. - -There were fish breaking water. Where a little while before the river -had been smooth, now it was ruffled by _ravalo_, gar, and other fish -Pepe could not name. But George and Hal did not get a bite. They tried -all their artificial flies and spoons and minnows, then the preserved -mullet, and finally several kinds of meat. - -"Bah! they want pie," said Hal. - -For Ken Ward to see little and big fish capering around under his very -nose and not be able to hook one was exasperating. He shot a small -fish, not unlike a pickerel, and had the boys bait with that. Still no -strike was forthcoming. - -This put Ken on his mettle. He rigged up a minnow tackle, and, going to -the lower end of the island, he tried to catch some minnows. There were -plenty of them in the shallow water, but they would not bite. Finally -Ken waded in the shoal and turned over stones. He found some snails -almost as large as mussels, and with these he hurried back to the boys. - -"Here, if you don't get a bite on one of these I'm no fisherman," said -Ken. "Try one." - -George got his hands on the new bait in advance of Hal and so threw his -hook into the water first. No sooner had the bait sunk than he got a -strong pull. - -"There! Careful now," said Ken. - -George jerked up, hooking a fish that made the rod look like a -buggy-whip. - -"Give me the rod," yelled Ken, trying to take it. - -"It's my fish," yelled back George. - -He held on and hauled with all his might. A long, finely built fish, -green as emerald, split the water and churned it into foam. Then, -sweeping out in strong dash, it broke Ken's rod square in the middle. -Ken eyed the wreck with sorrow, and George with no little disapproval. - -"You said you knew how to fish," protested Ken. - -"Those split-bamboo rods are no good," replied George. "They won't hold -a fish." - -"George, you're a grand fisherman!" observed Hal, with a chuckle. "Why, -you only dreamed you've caught tarpon." - -Just then Hal had a tremendous strike. He was nearly hauled off the -bank. But he recovered his balance and clung to his nodding rod. Hal's -rod was heavy cane, and his line was thick enough to suit. So nothing -broke. The little brass reel buzzed and rattled. - -"I've got a whale!" yelled Hal. - -"It's a big gar--alligator-gar," said George. "You haven't got him. -He's got you." - -The fish broke water, showing long, open jaws with teeth like saw-teeth. -It threshed about and broke away. Hal reeled in to find the hook -straightened out. Then George kindly commented upon the very skilful -manner in which Hal had handled the gar. For a wonder Hal did not reply. - -By four o'clock, when Ken sat down to supper, he was so thirsty that his -mouth puckered as dry as if he had been eating green persimmons. This -matter of thirst had become serious. Twice each day Ken had boiled a -pot of water, into which he mixed cocoa, sugar, and condensed milk, and -begged the boys to drink that and nothing else. Nevertheless Pepe and -George, and occasionally Hal, would drink unboiled water. For this meal -the boys had venison and duck, and canned vegetables and fruit, so they -fared sumptuously. - -Pepe pointed to a string of Muscovy ducks sailing up the river. George -had a good shot at the tail end of the flock, and did not even loosen a -feather. Then a line of cranes and herons passed over the island. When -a small bunch of teal flew by, to be followed by several canvasbacks, -Ken ran for his shotgun. It was a fine hammerless, a hard-shooting gun, -and one Ken used for grouse-hunting. In his hurry he grasped a handful -of the first shells he came to and, when he ran to the river-bank, found -they were loads of small shot. He decided to try them anyhow. - -While Pepe leisurely finished the supper Ken and George and Hal sat on -the bank watching for ducks. Just before the sun went down a hard wind -blew, making difficult shooting. Every few moments ducks would whir by. -George's gun missed fire often, and when it did work all right, he -missed the ducks. To Ken's surprise he found the load of small shot -very deadly. He could sometimes reach a duck at eighty yards. The -little brown ducks and teal he stopped as if they had hit a stone wall. -He dropped a canvasback with the sheer dead plunge that he liked. Ken -thought a crippled duck enough to make a hunter quit shooting. With six -ducks killed, he decided to lay aside his gun for that time, when Pepe -pointed down the river. - -"Pato real," he said. - -Ken looked eagerly and saw three of the big black ducks flying as high -as the treetops and coming fast. Snapping a couple of shells in the -gun, Ken stood ready. At the end of the island two of the ducks wheeled -to the left, but the big leader came on like a thunderbolt. To Ken he -made a canvasback seem slow. Ken caught him over the sights of the gun, -followed him up till he was abreast and beyond; then, sweeping a little -ahead of him, Ken pulled both triggers. The Muscovy swooped up and -almost stopped in his flight while a cloud of black feathers puffed away -on the wind. He sagged a little, recovered, and flew on as strong as -ever. The small shot were not heavy enough to stop him. - -"We'll need big loads for the Muscovies and the turkeys," said George. - -"We've all sizes up to BB's," replied Ken. "George, let's take a walk -over there where you saw the turkeys. It's early yet." - -Then Pepe told George if they wanted to see game at that hour the thing -to do was to sit still in camp and watch the game come down to the river -to drink. And he pointed down-stream to a herd of small deer quietly -walking out on the bar. - -"After all the noise we made!" exclaimed Ken. "Well, this beats me. -George, we'll stay right here and not shoot again to-night. I've an -idea we'll see something worth while." - -It was Pepe's idea, but Ken instantly saw its possibilities. There were -no tributaries to the river or springs in that dry jungle, and, as -manifestly the whole country abounded in game, it must troop down to the -river in the cool of the evening to allay the hot day's thirst. The -boys were perfectly situated for watching the dark bank on the channel -side of the island as well as the open bars on the other. The huge -cypresses cast shadows that even in daylight effectually concealed them. -They put out the camp-fire and, taking comfortable seats in the folds of -the great gnarled roots, began to watch and listen. - -The vanguard of thirsty deer had prepared Ken for something remarkable, -and he was in no wise disappointed. The trooping of deer down to the -water's edge and the flight of wild fowl up-stream increased in -proportion to the gathering shadows of twilight. The deer must have got -a scent, for they raised their long ears and stood still as statues, -gazing across toward the upper end of the island. But they showed no -fear. It was only when they had drunk their fill and wheeled about to -go up the narrow trails over the bank that they showed uneasiness and -haste. This made Ken wonder if they were fearful of being ambushed by -jaguars. Soon the dark line of deer along the shore shaded into the -darkness of night. Then Ken heard soft splashes and an occasional -patter of hard hoofs. The whir of wings had ceased. - -A low exclamation from Pepe brought attention to interesting -developments closer at hand. - -"Javelin!" he whispered. - -On the channel side of the island was impenetrable pitchy blackness. -Ken tried to pierce it with straining eyes, but he could not even make -out the shore-line that he knew was only ten yards distant. Still he -could hear, and that was thrilling enough. Everywhere on this side, -along the edge of the water and up the steep bank, were faint tickings -of twigs and soft rustlings of leaves. Then there was a continuous -sound, so low as to be almost inaudible, that resembled nothing Ken -could think of so much as a long line of softly dripping water. It -swelled in volume to a tiny roll, and ended in a sharp clicking on rocks -and a gentle splashing in the water. A drove of _javelin_ had come down -to drink. Occasionally the glint of green eyes made the darkness all the -more weird. Suddenly a long, piercing wail, a keen cry almost human, -quivered into the silence. - -"Panther!" Ken whispered, instantly, to the boys. It was a different -cry from that of the lion of the canon, but there was a strange wild -note that betrayed the species. A stillness fell, dead as that of a -subterranean cavern. Strain his ears as he might, Ken could not detect -the slightest sound. It was as if no _javelin_ or any other animals had -come down to drink. That listening, palpitating moment seemed endless. -What mystery of wild life it meant, that silence following the cry of -the panther! Then the jungle sounds recommenced--the swishing of water, -the brushing in the thicket, stealthy padded footsteps, the faint -snapping of twigs. Some kind of a cat uttered an unearthly squall. Close -upon this the clattering of deer up the bank on the other side rang out -sharply. The deer were running, and the striking of the little hoofs -ceased in short order. Ken listened intently. From far over the bank -came a sound not unlike a cough--deep, hoarse, inexpressibly wild and -menacing. - -"Tigre!" cried Pepe, gripping Ken hard with both hands. He could feel -him trembling. It showed how the native of the jungle-belt feared the -jaguar. - -Again the cough rasped out, nearer and louder this time. It was not a -courage-provoking sound, and seemed on second thought more of a growl -than a cough. Ken felt safe on the island; nevertheless, he took up his -rifle. - -"That's a tiger," whispered George. "I heard one once from the porch of -the Alamitas hacienda." - -A third time the jaguar told of his arrival upon the night scene. Ken -was excited, and had a thrill of fear. He made up his mind to listen -with clearer ears, but the cough or growl was not repeated. - -Then a silence set in, so unbroken that it seemed haunted by the echoes -of those wild jungle cries. Perhaps Ken had the haunting echoes in -mind. He knew what had sent the deer away and stilled the splashings -and creepings. It was the hoarse voice of the lord of the jungle. - -Pepe and the boys, too, fell under the spell of the hour. They did not -break the charm by talking. Giant fireflies accentuated the ebony -blackness and a low hum of insects riveted the attention on the -stillness. Ken could not understand why he was more thoughtful on this -trip than he had ever been before. Somehow he felt immeasurably older. -Probably that was because it had seemed necessary for him to act like a -man, even if he was only a boy. - -The black mantle of night lifted from under the cypresses, leaving a -gloom that slowly paled. Through the dark foliage, low down over the -bank, appeared the white tropical moon. Shimmering gleams chased the -shadows across the ripples, and slowly the river brightened to a silver -sheen. - -A great peace fell upon the jungle world. How white, how wild, how -wonderful! It only made the island more beautiful and lonely. The -thought of leaving it gave Ken Ward a pang. Almost he wished he were a -savage. - -And he lay there thinking of the wild places that he could never see, -where the sun shone, the wind blew, the twilight shadowed, the rain -fell; where the colors and beauties changed with the passing hours; -where a myriad of wild creatures preyed upon each other and night never -darkened but upon strife and death. - - - - - *XIII* - - *A TURKEY-HUNT* - - -Upon awakening in the early morning Ken found his state one of huge -enjoyment. He was still lazily tired, but the dead drag and ache had -gone from his bones. A cool breeze wafted the mist from the river, -breaking it up into clouds, between which streamed rosy shafts of -sunlight. Wood-smoke from the fire Pepe was starting blew fragrantly -over him. A hundred thousand birds seemed to be trying to burst their -throats. The air was full of music. He lay still, listening to this -melodious herald of the day till it ceased. - -Then a flock of parrots approached and circled over the island, -screeching like a band of flying imps. Presently they alighted in the -cypresses, bending the branches to a breaking-point and giving the trees -a spotted appearance of green and red. Pepe waved his hand toward -another flock sweeping over. - -"Parrakeets," he said. - -These birds were a solid green, much smaller than the red-heads, with -longer tails. They appeared wilder than the red-heads, and flew higher, -circling the same way and screeching, but they did not alight. Other -flocks sailed presently from all directions. The last one was a cloud -of parrots, a shining green and yellow mass several acres in extent. -They flew still higher than the parrakeets. - -"Yellow-heads!" shouted George. "They're the big fellows, the talkers. -If there ain't a million of 'em!" - -The boys ate breakfast in a din that made conversation useless. The -red-heads swooped down upon the island, and the two unfriendly species -flew back and forth, manifestly trying to drive the boys off. The mist -had blown away, the sun was shining bright, when the myriad of parrots, -in large and small flocks, departed to other jungle haunts. - -Pepe rowed across the wide shoal to the sand-bars. There in the soft -ooze, among the hundreds of deer-tracks, Ken found a jaguar-track larger -than his spread hand. It was different from a lion-track, yet he could -not distinguish just what the difference was. Pepe, who had accompanied -the boys to carry the rifles and game, pointed to the track and said, -vehemently: - -"Tigre!" He pronounced it "tee-gray." And he added, "Grande!" - -"Big he certainly is," Ken replied. "Boys, we'll kill this jaguar. -We'll bait this drinking-trail with a deer carcass and watch to-night." - -Once upon the bank, Ken was surprised to see a wide stretch of -comparatively flat land. It was covered with a low vegetation, with -here and there palm-trees on the little ridges and bamboo clumps down in -the swales. Beyond the flat rose the dark line of dense jungle. It was -not clear to Ken why that low piece of ground was not overgrown with the -matted thickets and vines and big trees characteristic of other parts of -the jungle. They struck into one of the trails, and had not gone a -hundred paces when they espied a herd of deer. The grass and low bushes -almost covered them. George handed his shotgun to Pepe and took his -rifle. - -"Shoot low," said Ken. - -George pulled the trigger, and with the report a deer went down, but it -was not the one Ken was looking at, nor the one at which he believed -George had aimed. The rest of the herd bounded away, to disappear in a -swale. Wading through bushes and grass, they found George's quarry, a -small deer weighing perhaps sixty pounds. Pepe carried it over to the -trail. Ken noted that he was exceedingly happy to carry the rifles. -They went on at random, somehow feeling that, no matter in what -direction, they would run into something to shoot at. - -The first bamboo swale was alive with _chicalocki_. Up to this time Ken -had not seen this beautiful pheasant fly in the open, and he was -astonished at its speed. It would burst out of the thick bamboo, whir -its wings swiftly, then sail. That sail was a most graceful thing to -see. George pulled his 16-gage twice, and missed both times. He had -the beginner's fault--shooting too soon. Presently Pepe beat a big cock -_chicalocki_ out of the bush. He made such a fine target, he sailed so -evenly, that Ken simply looked at him over the gun-sights and followed -him till he was out of sight. The next one he dropped like a plummet. -Shooting _chicalocki_ was too easy, he decided; they presented so fair a -mark that it was unfair to pull on them. - -George was an impetuous hunter. Ken could not keep near him, nor coax -or command him to stay near. He would wander off by himself. That was -one mark in his favor: at least he had no fear. Pepe hung close to Ken -and Hal, with his dark eyes roving everywhere. Ken climbed out on one -side of the swale, George on the other. Catching his whistle, Ken -turned to look after him. He waved, and, pointing ahead, began to stoop -and slip along from bush to bush. Presently a flock of Muscovy ducks -rose before him, sailed a few rods, and alighted. Then from right under -his feet labored up great gray birds. Wild geese! Ken recognized them -as George's gun went _bang_! One tumbled over, the others wheeled -toward the river. Ken started down into the swale to cross to where -George was, when Pepe touched his arm. - -"Turkeys!" he whispered. - -That changed Ken's mind. Pepe pointed into the low bushes ahead and -slowly led Ken forward. He heard a peculiar low thumping. Trails led -everywhere, and here and there were open patches covered with a scant -growth of grass. Across one of these flashed a bronze streak, then -another and another. - -"Shoot! Shoot!" said Pepe, tensely. - -Those bronze streaks were running turkeys! The thumpings were made by -their rapidly moving feet! - -"Don't they flush--fly?" Ken queried of Pepe. - -"No--no--shoot!" exclaimed he, as another streak of brown crossed an -open spot. Ken hurriedly unbreached his gun and changed the light -shells for others loaded with heavy shot. He reached the edge of a bare -spot across which a turkey ran with incredible swiftness. He did not -get the gun in line with it at all. Then two more broke out of the -bushes. Run! They were as swift as flying quail. Ken took two -snap-shots, and missed both times. If any one had told him that he -would miss a running turkey at fifty feet, he would have been insulted. -But he did not loosen a feather. Loading again, he yelled for George. - -"Hey, George--turkeys!" - -He whooped, and started across on the run. - -"Gee!" said Hal. "Ken, I couldn't do any worse shooting than you. Let -me take a few pegs." - -Ken handed over the heavy gun and fell back a little, giving Hal the -lead. They walked on, peering closely into the bushes. Suddenly a -beautiful big gobbler ran out of a thicket, and then stopped to stretch -out his long neck and look. - -"Shoot--hurry!" whispered Ken. "What a chance!" - -"That's a tame turkey," said Hal. - -"Tame! Why, you tenderfoot! He's as wild as wild. Can't you see -that?" - -Ken's excitement and Pepe's intense eagerness all at once seemed -communicated to Hal. He hauled up the gun, fingered the triggers -awkwardly, then shot both barrels. He tore a tremendous hole in the -brush some few feet to one side of the turkey. Then the great bird ran -swiftly out of sight. - -"Didn't want to kill him sitting, anyhow," said Hal, handing the gun -back to Ken. - -"We want to eat some wild turkey, don't we? Well, we'd better take any -chance. These birds are game, Hal, and don't you forget that!" - -"What's all the shooting?" panted George, as he joined the march. - -Just then there was a roar in the bushes, and a brown blur rose and -whizzed ahead like a huge bullet. That turkey had flushed. Ken watched -him fly till he went down out of sight into a distant swale. - -"Pretty nifty flier, eh?" said George. "He was too quick for me." - -"Great!" replied Ken. - -There was another roar, and a huge bronze cannon-ball sped straight -ahead. Ken shot both barrels, then George shot one, all clean misses. -Ken watched this turkey fly, and saw him clearer. He had to admit that -the wild turkey of the Tamaulipas jungle had a swifter and more -beautiful flight than his favorite bird, the ruffled grouse. - -"Walk faster," said George. "They'll flush better. I don't see how I'm -to hit one. This goose I'm carrying weighs about a ton." - -The hunters hurried along, crashing through the bushes. They saw turkey -after turkey. _Bang!_ went George's gun. - -Then a beautiful sight made Ken cry out and forget to shoot. Six -turkeys darted across an open patch--how swiftly they ran!--then rose in -a bunch. The roar they made, the wonderfully rapid action of their -powerful wings, and then the size of them, their wildness and noble -gameness made them the royal game for Ken. - -At the next threshing in the bushes his gun was leveled; he covered the -whistling bronze thing that shot up. The turkey went down with a crash. -Pepe yelled, and as he ran forward the air all about him was full of -fine bronze feathers. Ken hurried forward to see his bird. Its -strength and symmetry, and especially the beautiful shades of bronze, -captivated his eye. - -"Come on, boys--this is the greatest game I ever hunted," he called. - -Again Pepe yelled, and this time he pointed. From where Ken stood he -could not see anything except low, green bushes. In great excitement -George threw up his gun and shot. Ken heard a squealing. - -"Javelin! Javelin!" yelled Pepe, in piercing alarm. - -George jerked a rifle from him and began to shoot. Hal pumped his .22 -into the bushes. The trampling of hard little hoofs and a cloud of dust -warned Ken where the javelin were. Suddenly Pepe broke and fled for the -river. - -"Hyar, Pepe, fetch back my rifle," shouted Ken, angrily. - -Pepe ran all the faster. - -George turned and dashed away yelling: "Wild pigs! Wild pigs!" - -"Look out, Ken! Run! Run!" added Hal; and he likewise took to his -heels. - -It looked as if there was nothing else for Ken to do but to make tracks -from that vicinity. Never before had he run from a danger which he had -not seen; but the flight of the boys was irresistibly contagious, and -this, coupled with the many stories he had heard of the _javelin_, made -Ken execute a sprint that would have been a record but for the hampering -weight of gun and turkey. He vowed he would hold on to both, pigs or no -pigs; nevertheless he listened as he ran and nervously looked back -often. It may have been excited imagination that the dust-cloud -appeared to be traveling in his wake. Fortunately, the distance to the -river did not exceed a short quarter of a mile. Hot, winded, and -thoroughly disgusted with himself, Ken halted on the bank. Pepe was -already in the boat, and George was scrambling aboard. - -"A fine--chase--you've given--me," Ken panted. "There's nothing--after -us." - -"Don't you fool yourself," returned George, quickly. "I saw those pigs, -and, like the ass I am, I blazed away at one with my shotgun." - -"Did he run at you? That's what I want to know?" demanded Ken. - -George said he was not certain about that, but declared there always was -danger if a wounded _javelin_ squealed. Pepe had little to say; he -refused to go back after the deer left in the trail. So they rowed -across the shoal, and on the way passed within a rod of a big crocodile. - -"Look at that fellow," cried George. "Wish I had my rifle loaded. He's -fifteen feet long." - -"Oh no, George, he's not more than ten feet," said Ken. - -"You don't see his tail. He's a whopper. Pepe told me there was one in -this pool. We'll get him, all right." - -They reached camp tired out, and all a little ruffled in temper, which -certainly was not eased by the discovery that they were covered with -ticks. Following the cue of his companions, Ken hurriedly stripped off -his clothes and hung them where they could singe over the camp-fire. -There were broad red bands of _pinilius_ round both ankles, and reddish -patches on the skin of his arms. Here and there were black spots about -the size of his little finger-nail, and these were _garrapatoes_. He -picked these off one by one, rather surprised to find them come off so -easily. Suddenly he jumped straight up with a pain as fierce as if it -had been a puncture from a red-hot wire. - -Pepe grinned; and George cried: - -"Aha! that was a garrapato bite, that was! You just wait!" - -George had a hundred or more of the big black ticks upon him, and he was -remorselessly popping them with his cigarette. Some of them were biting -him, too, judging from the way he flinched. Pepe had attracted to -himself a million or more of the _pinilius_, but very few of the larger -pests. He generously came to Ken's assistance. Ken was trying to pull -off the _garrapato_ that had bitten a hole in him. Pepe said it had -embedded its head, and if pulled would come apart, leaving the head -buried in the flesh, which would cause inflammation. Pepe held the -glowing end of his cigarette close over the tick, and it began to squirm -and pull out its head. When it was free of the flesh Pepe suddenly -touched it with the cigarette, and it exploded with a pop. A difficult -question was: Which hurt Ken the most, the burn from the cigarette or -the bite of the tick? Pepe scraped off as many _pinilius_ as would -come, and then rubbed Ken with _canya_, the native alcohol. If this was -not some kind of vitriol, Ken missed his guess. It smarted so keenly he -thought his skin was peeling off. Presently, however, the smarting -subsided, and so did the ticks. - -Hal, who by far was the most sensitive one in regard to the crawling and -biting of the jungle pests, had been remarkably fortunate in escaping -them. So he made good use of his opportunity to poke fun at the others, -particularly Ken. - -George snapped out: "Just wait, Hollering Hal!" - -"Don't you call me that!" said Hal, belligerently. - -Ken eyed his brother in silence, but with a dark, meaning glance. It -had occurred to Ken that here in this jungle was the only place in the -world where he could hope to pay off old scores on Hal. And plots began -to form in his mind. - -They lounged about camp, resting in the shade during the hot midday -hours. For supper they had a superfluity of meat, the waste of which -Ken deplored, and he assuaged his conscience by deciding to have a taste -of each kind. The wild turkey he found the most toothsome, delicious -meat it had ever been his pleasure to eat. What struck him at once was -the flavor, and he could not understand it until Pepe explained that the -jungle turkey lived upon a red pepper. So the Tamaulipas wild turkey -turned out to be doubly the finest game he had ever shot. - -All afternoon the big crocodile sunned himself on the surface of the -shoal. - -Ken wanted a crocodile-skin, and this was a chance to get one; but he -thought it as well to wait, and kept the boys from wasting ammunition. - -Before sundown Pepe went across the river and fetched the deer carcass -down to the sandbar, where the jaguar-trail led to the water. - -At twilight Ken stationed the boys at the lower end of the island, -ambushed behind stones. He placed George and Pepe some rods below his -own position. They had George's .32 rifle, and the 16-gage loaded with -a solid ball. Ken put Hal, with the double-barreled shotgun, also -loaded with ball, some little distance above. And Ken, armed with his -automatic, hid just opposite the deer-trails. - -"Be careful where you shoot," Ken warned repeatedly. "Be cool--think -quick--and aim." - -Ken settled down for a long wait, some fifty yards from the deer -carcass. A wonderful procession of wild fowl winged swift flight over -his head. They flew very low. It was strange to note the difference in -the sound of their flying. The cranes and herons softly swished the -air, the teal and canvasbacks whirred by, and the great Muscovies -whizzed like bullets. - -When the first deer came down to drink it was almost dark, and when they -left the moon was up, though obscured by clouds. Faint sounds rose from -the other side of the island. Ken listened until his ears ached, but he -could hear nothing. Heavier clouds drifted over the moon. The deer -carcass became indistinct, and then faded entirely, and the bar itself -grew vague. He was about to give up watching for that night when he -heard a faint rustling below. Following it came a grating or crunching -of gravel. - -Bright flares split the darkness--_crack! crack!_ rang out George's -rifle, then the heavy _boom! boom!_ of the shotgun. - -"There he is!" yelled George. "He's down--we got him--there's two! -Look out!" - -_Boom! Boom!_ roared the heavy shotgun from Hal's covert. - -"George missed him! I got him!" yelled Hal. "No, there he goes--Ken! -Ken!" - -Ken caught the flash of a long gray body in the hazy gloom of the bar -and took a quick shot at it. The steel-jacketed bullet scattered the -gravel and then hummed over the bank. The gray body moved fast up the -bank. Ken could just see it. He turned loose the little automatic and -made the welkin ring. - - - - - *XIV* - - *A FIGHT WITH A JAGUAR* - - -When the echoes of the shots died away the stillness seemed all the -deeper. No rustle in the brush or scuffle on the sand gave evidence of -a wounded or dying jaguar. George and Hal and Pepe declared there were -two tigers, and that they had hit one. Ken walked out upon the stones -till he could see the opposite bar, but was not rewarded by a sight of -dead game. Thereupon they returned to camp, somewhat discouraged at -their ill luck, but planning another night-watch. - -In the morning George complained that he did not feel well. Ken told -him he had been eating too much fresh meat, and that he had better be -careful. Then Ken set off alone, crossed the river, and found that the -deer carcass was gone. In the sand near where it had lain were plenty -of cat-tracks, but none of the big jaguar. Upon closer scrutiny he -found the cat-tracks to be those of a panther. He had half dragged, half -carried the carcass up one of the steep trails, but from that point -there was no further trace. - -Ken struck out across the fiat, intending to go as far as the jungle. -Turtle-doves fluttered before him in numberless flocks. Far to one side -he saw Muscovy ducks rising, sailing a few rods, then alighting. This -occurred several times before he understood what it meant. There was -probably a large flock feeding on the flat, and the ones in the rear -were continually flying to get ahead of those to the fore. - -Several turkeys ran through the bushes before Ken, but as he was -carrying a rifle he paid little heed to them. He kept a keen lookout -for _javelin_. Two or three times he was tempted to turn off the trail -into little bamboo hollows; this, however, owing to a repugnance to -ticks, he did not do. Finally, as he neared the high moss-decked wall -of the jungle, he came upon a runway leading through the bottom of a -deep swale, and here he found tiger-tracks. - -Farther down the swale, under a great cluster of bamboo, he saw the -scattered bones of several deer. Ken was sure that in this spot the -lord of the jungle had feasted more than once. It was an open hollow, -with the ground bare under the bamboos. The runway led on into dense, -leafy jungle. Ken planned to bait that lair with a deer carcass and -watch it during the late afternoon. - -First, it was necessary to get the deer. This might prove bothersome, -for Ken's hands and wrists were already sprinkled with _pinilius_, and -he certainly did not want to stay very long in the brush. Ken imagined -he felt an itching all the time, and writhed inside his clothes. - -"Say, blame you! bite!" he exclaimed, resignedly, and stepped into the -low bushes. He went up and out of the swale. Scarcely had he reached a -level when he saw a troop of deer within easy range. Before they winded -danger Ken shot, and the one he had singled out took a few bounds, then -fell over sideways. The others ran off into the brush. Ken remembered -that the old hunter on Penetier had told him how seldom a deer dropped -at once. When he saw the work of the soft-nose .351 bullet, he no -longer wondered at this deer falling almost in his tracks. - -"If I ever hit a jaguar like that it will be all day with him," was -Ken's comment. - -There were two things about hunting the jaguar that Ken had been bidden -to keep in mind--fierce aggressiveness and remarkable tenacity of life. - -Ken dragged the deer down into the bamboo swale and skinned out a -haunch. Next to wild-turkey meat, he liked venison best. He was glad to -have that as an excuse, for killing these tame tropical deer seemed like -murder to Ken. He left the carcass in a favorable place and then -hurried back to camp. - -To Ken's relief, he managed to escape bringing any _garrapatoes_ with -him, but it took a half-hour to rid himself of the collection of -_pinilius_. - -"George, ask Pepe what's the difference between a garrapato and a -pinilius," said Ken. - -"The big tick is the little one's mother," replied Pepe. - -"Gee! you fellows fuss a lot about ticks," said Hal, looking up from his -task. He was building more pens to accommodate the turtles, snakes, -snails, mice, and young birds that he had captured during the morning. - -Pepe said there were few ticks there in the uplands compared to the -number down along the Panuco River. In the lowlands where the cattle -roamed there were millions in every square rod. The under side of every -leaf and blade of grass was red with ticks. The size of these pests -depended on whether or not they got a chance to stick to a steer or any -beast. They appeared to live indefinitely, but if they could not suck -blood they could not grow. The _pinilius_ grew into a _garrapato_, and a -_garrapato_ bred a hundred thousand _pinilius_ in her body. Two -singular things concerning these ticks were that they always crawled -upward, and they vanished from the earth during the wet season. - -Ken soaked his Duxbax hunting-suit in kerosene in the hope that this -method would enable him to spend a reasonable time hunting. Then, while -the other boys fished and played around, he waited for the long, hot -hours to pass. It was cool in the shade, but the sunlight resembled the -heat of fire. At last five o'clock came, and Ken put on the damp suit. -Soaked with the oil, it was heavier and hotter than sealskin, and before -he got across the river he was nearly roasted. The evening wind sprang -up, and the gusts were like blasts from a furnace. Ken's body was -bathed in perspiration; it ran down his wrists, over his hands, and wet -the gun. This cure for ticks--if it were one--was worse than their -bites. When he reached the shade of the bamboo swale it was none too -soon for him. He threw off the coat, noticing there were more ticks -upon it than at anytime before. The bottom of his trousers, too, had -gathered an exceeding quantity. He brushed them off, muttering the -while that he believed they liked kerosene, and looked as if they were -drinking it. Ken found it easy, however, to brush them off the wet -Duxbax, and soon composed himself to rest and watch. - -The position chosen afforded Ken a clear view of the bare space under -the bamboos and of the hollow where the runway disappeared in the -jungle. The deer carcass, which lay as he had left it, was about a -hundred feet from him. This seemed rather close, but he had to accept -it, for if he had moved farther away he could not have commanded both -points. - -Ken sat with his back against a clump of bamboos, the little rifle -across his knees and an extra clip of cartridges on the ground at his -left. After taking that position he determined not to move a yard when -the tiger came, and to kill him. - -Ken went over in mind the lessons he had learned hunting bear in -Penetier Forest with old Hiram Bent and lassoing lions on the wild -north-rim of the Grand Canon. Ken knew that the thing for a hunter to -do, when his quarry was dangerous, was to make up his mind beforehand. -Ken had twelve powerful shells that he could shoot in the half of twelve -seconds. He would have been willing to face two jaguars. - -The sun set and the wind died down. What a relief was the cooling shade! -The little breeze that was left fortunately blew at right angles to the -swale, so that there did not seem much danger of the tiger winding Ken -down the jungle runway. - -For long moments he was tense and alert. He listened till he thought he -had almost lost the sense of hearing. The jungle leaves were -whispering; the insects were humming. He had expected to hear myriad -birds and see processions of deer, and perhaps a drove of _javelin_. -But if any living creatures ventured near him it was without his -knowledge. The hour between sunset and twilight passed--a long wait; -still he did not lose the feeling that something would happen. Ken's -faculties of alertness tired, however, and needed distraction. So he -took stock of the big clump of bamboos under which lay the deer carcass. - -It was a remarkable growth, that gracefully drooping cluster of slender -bamboo poles. He remembered how, as a youngster, not many years back, -he had wondered where the fishing-poles came from. Here Ken counted one -hundred and sixty-nine in a clump no larger than a barrel. They were -yellow in color with black bands, and they rose straight for a few -yards, then began to lean out, to bend slightly, at last to droop with -their abundance of spiked leaves. Ken was getting down to a real, -interested study of this species of jungle growth when a noise startled -him. - -He straightened out of his lounging position and looked around. The -sound puzzled him. He could not place its direction or name what it was. -The jungle seemed strangely quiet. He listened. After a moment of -waiting he again heard the sound. Instantly Ken was as tense and -vibrating as a violin string. The thing he had heard was from the lungs -of some jungle beast. He was almost ready to pronounce it a cough. -Warily he glanced around, craning his neck. Then a deep, hoarse growl -made him whirl. - -There stood a jaguar with head up and paw on the deer carcass. Ken -imagined he felt perfectly cool, but he knew he was astounded. And even -as he cautiously edged the rifle over his knee he took in the beautiful -points of the jaguar. He was yellow, almost white, with black spots. -He was short and stocky, with powerful stumpy bow-legs. But his head -most amazed Ken. It was enormous. And the expression of his face was so -singularly savage and wild that Ken seemed to realize instantly the -difference between a mountain-lion and this fierce tropical brute. - -The jaguar opened his jaws threateningly. He had an enormous stretch of -jaw. His long, yellow fangs gleamed. He growled again. - -Not hurriedly, nor yet slowly, Ken fired. - -He heard the bullet strike him as plainly as if he had hit him with a -board. He saw dust fly from his hide. Ken expected to see the jaguar -roll over. Instead of that he leaped straight up with a terrible roar. -Something within Ken shook. He felt cold and sick. - -When the jaguar came down, sprawled on all fours, Ken pulled the -automatic again, and he saw the fur fly. Then the jaguar leaped forward -with a strange, hoarse cry. Ken shot again, and knocked the beast flat. -He tumbled and wrestled about, scattering the dust and brush. Three -times more Ken fired, too hastily, and inflicted only slight wounds. - -In reloading Ken tried to be deliberate in snapping in the second clip -and pushing down the rod that threw the shell into the barrel. But his -hands shook. His fingers were all thumbs, and he fumbled at the breech -of the rifle. - -In that interval, if the jaguar could have kept his sense of direction, -he would have reached Ken. But the beast zigzagged; he had lost his -equilibrium; he was hard hit. - -Then he leaped magnificently. He landed within twenty-five feet of Ken, -and when he plunged down he rolled clear over. Ken shot him through and -through. Yet he got up, wheezing blood, uttering a hoarse bellow, and -made again at Ken. - -Ken had been cold, sick. Now panic almost overpowered him. The rifle -wabbled. The bamboo glade blurred in his sight. A terrible dizziness -and numbness almost paralyzed him. He was weakening, sinking, when -thought of life at stake lent him a momentary grim and desperate spirit. - -Once while the jaguar was in the air Ken pulled, twice while he was -down. Then the jaguar stood up pawing the air with great spread claws, -coughing, bleeding, roaring. He was horrible. - -Ken shot him straight between the wide-spread paws. - -With twisted body, staggering, and blowing bloody froth all over Ken, -the big tiger blindly lunged forward and crashed to earth. - -Then began a furious wrestling. Ken imagined it was the death-throes of -the jaguar. Ken could not see him down among the leaves and vines; -nevertheless, he shot into the commotion. The struggles ceased. Then a -movement of the weeds showed Ken that the jaguar was creeping toward the -jungle. - -Ken fell rather than sat down. He found he was wringing wet with cold -sweat. He was panting hard. - -"Say, but--that--was--awful!" he gasped. "What--was--wrong--with me?" - -He began to reload the clips. They were difficult to load for even a -calm person, and now, in the reaction, Ken was the farthest removed from -calm. The jaguar crept steadily away, as Ken could tell by the swaying -weeds and shaking vines. - -"What--a hard-lived beast!" muttered Ken. "I--must have shot--him all to -pieces. Yet he's getting away from me." - -At last Ken's trembling fingers pushed some shells in the two clips, and -once more he reloaded the rifle. Then he stood up, drew a deep, full -breath, and made a strong effort at composure. - -"I've shot at bear--and deer--and lions out West," said Ken. "But this -was different. I'll never get over it." - -How close that jaguar came to reaching Ken was proved by the blood -coughed into his face. He recalled that he had felt the wind of one -great sweeping paw. - -Ken regained his courage and determination. He meant to have that -beautiful spotted skin for his den. So he hurried along the runway and -entered the jungle. Beyond the edge, where the bushes made a dense -thicket, it was dry forest, with little green low down. The hollow gave -place to a dry wash. He could not see the jaguar, but he could hear him -dragging himself through the brush, cracking sticks, shaking saplings. - -Presently Ken ran across a bloody trail and followed it. Every little -while he would stop to listen. When the wounded jaguar was still, he -waited until he started to move again. It was hard going. The brush -was thick, and had to be broken and crawled under or through. As Ken -had left his coat behind, his shirt was soon torn to rags. He peered -ahead with sharp eyes, expecting every minute to come in sight of the -poor, crippled beast. He wanted to put him out of agony. So he kept on -doggedly for what must have been a long time. - -The first premonition he had of carelessness was to note that the -shadows were gathering in the jungle. It would soon be night. He must -turn back while there was light enough to follow his back track out to -the open. The second came in shape of a hot pain in his arm, as keen as -if he had jagged it with a thorn. Holding it out, he discovered to his -dismay that it was spotted with _garrapatoes_. - - - - - *XV* - - *THE VICIOUS GARRAPATOES* - - -At once Ken turned back, and if he thought again of the jaguar it was -that he could come after him the next day or send Pepe. Another vicious -bite, this time on his leg, confirmed his suspicions that many of the -ticks had been on him long enough to get their heads in. Then he was -bitten in several places. - -Those bites were as hot as the touch of a live coal, yet they made Ken -break out in dripping cold sweat. It was imperative that he get back to -camp without losing a moment which could be saved. From a rapid walk he -fell into a trot. He got off his back trail and had to hunt for it. -Every time a tick bit he jumped as if stung. The worst of it was that -he knew he was collecting more _garrapatoes_ with almost every step. -When he grasped a dead branch to push it out of the way he could feel -the ticks cling to his hand. Then he would whip his arm in the air, -flinging some of them off to patter on the dry ground. Impossible as it -was to run through that matted jungle, Ken almost accomplished it. When -he got out into the open he did run, not even stopping for his coat, and -he crossed the flat at top speed. - -It was almost dark when Ken reached the river-bank and dashed down to -frighten a herd of drinking deer. He waded the narrowest part of the -shoal. Running up the island he burst into the bright circle of -camp-fire. Pepe dropped a stew-pan and began to jabber. George dove for -a gun. - -"What's after you?" shouted Hal, in alarm. - -Ken was so choked up and breathless that at first he could not speak. -His fierce aspect and actions, as he tore off his sleeveless and ragged -shirt and threw it into the fire, added to the boys' fright. - -"Good Lord! are you bug-house, Ken?" shrieked Hal. - -"_Bug-house! Yes!_" roared Ken, swiftly undressing. "Look at me!" - -In the bright glare he showed his arms black with _garrapatoes_ and a -sprinkling of black dots over the rest of his body. - -"Is that all?" demanded Hal, in real or simulated scorn. "Gee! but -you're a brave hunter. I thought not less than six tigers were after -you." - -"I'd rather have six tigers after me," yelled Ken. "You little -freckle-faced redhead!" - -It was seldom indeed that Ken called his brother that name. Hal was -proof against any epithets except that one relating to his freckles and -his hair. But just now Ken felt that he was being eaten alive. He was -in an agony, and he lost his temper. And therefore he laid himself open -to Hal's scathing humor. - -"Never mind the kid," said Ken to Pepe and George. "Hurry now, and get -busy with these devils on me." - -It was well for Ken that he had a native like Pepe with him. For Pepe -knew just what to do. First he dashed a bucket of cold water over Ken. -How welcome that was! - -"Pepe says for you to point out the ticks that 're biting the hardest," -said George. - -In spite of his pain Ken stared in mute surprise. - -"Pepe wants you to point out the ticks that are digging in the deepest," -explained George. "Get a move on, now." - -"What!" roared Ken, glaring at Pepe and George. He thought even the -native might be having fun with him. And for Ken this was not a funny -time. - -But Pepe was in dead earnest. - -"Say, it's impossible to tell _where_ I'm being bitten most! It's all -over!" protested Ken. - -Still he discovered that by absolute concentration on the pain he was -enduring he was able to locate the severest points. And that showed him -the soundness of Pepe's advice. - -"Here--this one--here--there.... Oh! here," began Ken, indicating -certain ticks. - -"Not so fast, now," interrupted the imperturbable George, as he and Pepe -set to work upon Ken. - -Then the red-hot cigarette-tips scorched Ken's skin. Ken kept pointing -and accompanying his directions with wild gestures and exclamations. - -"Here.... Oo-oo! Here.... Wow! Here.... Ouch!--that one stung! -Here.... _Augh_! Say, can't you hurry? Here! ... Oh! that one was in a -mile! Here.... _Hold on_! You're burning a hole in me! ... George, -you're having fun out of this. Pepe gets two to your one." - -"He's been popping ticks all his life," was George's reasonable protest. - -"Hurry!" cried Ken, in desperation. "George, if you monkey round--fool -over this job--I'll--I'll punch you good." - -All this trying time Hal Ward sat on a log and watched the proceedings -with great interest and humor. Sometimes he smiled, at others he -laughed, and yet again he burst out into uproarious mirth. - -"George, he wouldn't punch anybody," said Hal. "I tell you he's all in. -He hasn't any nerve left. It's a chance of your life. You'll never get -another. He's been bossing you around. Pay him up. Make him holler. -Why, what's a few little ticks? Wouldn't phase me! But Ken Ward's such -a delicate, fine-skinned, sensitive, girly kind of a boy! He's too nice -to be bitten by bugs. Oh dear, yes, yes! ... Ken, why don't you show -courage?" - -Ken shook his fist at Hal. - -"All right," said Ken, grimly. "Have all the fun you can. Because I'll -get even with you." - -Hal relapsed into silence, and Ken began to believe he had intimidated -his brother. But he soon realized how foolish it was to suppose such a -thing. Hal had only been working his fertile brain. - -"George, here's a little verse for the occasion," said Hal. - - "There was a brave hunter named Ken, - And he loved to get skins for his den, - Not afraid was he of tigers or pigs, - Or snakes or cats or any such things, - But one day in the jungle he left his clothes, - And came hollering back with _garrapatoes_." - - -"Gre-at-t-t!" sputtered Ken. "Oh, brother mine, we're a long way from -home, I'll make you crawl." - -Pepe smoked, and wore out three cigarettes, and George two, before they -had popped all the biting ticks. Then Ken was still covered with them. -Pepe bathed him in _canya_, which was like a bath of fire, and soon -removed them all. Ken felt flayed alive, peeled of his skin, and -sprinkled with fiery sparks. When he lay down he was as weak as a sick -cat. Pepe said the _canya_ would very soon take the sting away, but it -was some time before Ken was resting easily. - -It would not have been fair to ask Ken just then whether the prize for -which he worked was worth his present gain. _Garrapatoes_ may not seem -important to one who simply reads about them, but such pests are a -formidable feature of tropical life. - -However, Ken presently felt that he was himself again. - -Then he put his mind to the serious problem of his note-book and the -plotting of the island. As far as his trip was concerned, Cypress -Island was an important point. When he had completed his map down to the -island, he went on to his notes. He believed that what he had found out -from his knowledge of forestry was really worth something. He had seen -a gradual increase in the size and number of trees as he had proceeded -down the river, a difference in the density and color of the jungle, a -flattening-out of the mountain range, and a gradual change from rocky to -clayey soil. And on the whole his note-book began to assume such a -character that he was beginning to feel willing to submit it to his -uncle. - - - - - *XVI* - - *FIELD WORK OF A NATURALIST* - - -That night Ken talked natural history to the boys and read extracts from -a small copy of Sclater he had brought with him. - -They were all particularly interested in the cat tribe. - -The fore feet of all cats have five toes, the hind feet only four. -Their claws are curved and sharp, and, except in case of one species of -leopard, can be retracted in their sheaths. The claws of the great cat -species are kept sharp by pulling them down through bark of trees. All -cats walk on their toes. And the stealthy walk is due to hairy pads or -cushions. The claws of a cat do not show in its track as do those of a -dog. The tongues of all cats are furnished with large papillae. They -are like files, and the use is to lick bones and clean their fur. Their -long whiskers are delicate organs of perception to aid them in finding -their way on their night quests. The eyes of all cats are large and -full, and can be altered by contraction or expansion of iris, according -to the amount of light they receive. The usual color is gray or tawny -with dark spots or stripes. The uniform tawny color of the lion and the -panther is perhaps an acquired color, probably from the habit of these -animals of living in desert countries. It is likely that in primitive -times cats were all spotted or striped. - -Naturally the boys were most interested in the jaguar, which is the -largest of the cat tribe in the New World. The jaguar ranges from -northern Mexico to northern Patagonia. Its spots are larger than those -of the leopard. Their ground color is a rich tan or yellow, sometimes -almost gold. Large specimens have been known nearly seven feet from -nose to end of tail. - -The jaguar is an expert climber and swimmer. Humboldt says that where -the South American forests are subject to floods the jaguar sometimes -takes to tree life, living on monkeys. All naturalists agree on the -ferocious nature of jaguars, and on the loudness and frequency of their -cries. There is no record of their attacking human beings without -provocation. Their favorite haunts are the banks of jungle rivers, and -they often prey upon fish and turtles. - -The attack of a jaguar is terrible. It leaps on the back of its prey -and breaks its neck. In some places there are well-known scratching -trees where jaguars sharpen their claws. The bark is worn smooth in -front from contact with the breasts of the animals as they stand up, and -there is a deep groove on each side. When new scars appear on these -trees it is known that jaguars are in the vicinity. The cry of the -jaguar is loud, deep, hoarse, something like _pu, pu, pu_. There is -much enmity between the panther, or mountain-lion, and the jaguar, and -it is very strange that generally the jaguar fears the lion, although he -is larger and more powerful. - -Pepe had interesting things to say about jaguars, or _tigres_, as he -called them. But Ken, of course, could not tell how much Pepe said was -truth and how much just native talk. At any rate, Pepe told of one -Mexican who had a blind and deaf jaguar that he had tamed. Ken knew -that naturalists claimed the jaguar could not be tamed, but in this -instance Ken was inclined to believe Pepe. This blind jaguar was -enormous in size, terrible of aspect, and had been trained to trail -anything his master set him to. And Tigre, as he was called, never -slept or stopped till he had killed the thing he was trailing. As he was -blind and deaf, his power of scent had been abnormally developed. - -Pepe told of a fight between a huge crocodile and a jaguar in which both -were killed. He said jaguars stalked natives and had absolutely no -fear. He knew natives who said that jaguars had made off with children -and eaten them. Lastly, Pepe told of an incident that had happened in -Tampico the year before. There was a ship at dock below Tampico, just on -the outskirts where the jungle began, and one day at noon two big -jaguars leaped on the deck. They frightened the crew out of their wits. -George verified this story, and added that the jaguars had been chased -by dogs, had boarded the ship, where they climbed into the rigging, and -stayed there till they were shot. - -"Well," said Ken, thoughtfully, "from my experience I believe a jaguar -would do anything." - -The following day promised to be a busy one for Hal, without any time -for tricks. George went hunting before breakfast--in fact, before the -others were up--and just as the boys were sitting down to eat he -appeared on the nearer bank and yelled for Pepe. It developed that for -once George had bagged game. - -He had a black squirrel, a small striped wildcat, a peccary, a -three-foot crocodile, and a duck of rare plumage. - -After breakfast Hal straightway got busy, and his skill and knowledge -earned praise from George and Pepe. They volunteered to help, which -offer Hal gratefully accepted. He had brought along a folding canvas -tank, forceps, knives, scissors, several packages of preservatives, and -tin boxes in which to pack small skins. - -His first task was to mix a salt solution in the canvas tank. This was -for immersing skins. Then he made a paste of salt and alum, and after -that a mixture of two-thirds glycerin and one-third water and carbolic -acid, which was for preserving small skins and to keep them soft. - -And as he worked he gave George directions on how to proceed with the -wildcat and squirrel skins. - -"Skin carefully and tack up the pelts fur side down. Scrape off all the -fat and oil, but don't scrape through. To-morrow when the skins are dry -soak them in cold water till soft. Then take them out and squeeze dry. -I'll make a solution of three quarts water, one-half pint salt, and one -ounce oil of vitriol. Put the skins in that for half an hour. Squeeze -dry again, and hang in shade. That 'll tan the skin, and the moths will -never hurt them." - -When Hal came to take up the duck he was sorry that some of the -beautiful plumage had been stained. - -"I want only a few water-fowl," he said. "And particularly one of the -big Muscovies. And you must keep the feathers from getting soiled." - -It was interesting to watch Hal handle that specimen. First he took -full measurements. Then, separating the feathers along the breast, he -made an incision with a sharp knife, beginning high up on breast-bone -and ending at tail. He exercised care so as not to cut through the -abdomen. Raising the skin carefully along the cut as far as the muscles -of the leg, he pushed out the knee joint and cut it off. Then he -loosened the skin from the legs and the back, and bent the tail down to -cut through the tail joint. Next he removed the skin from the body and -cut off the wings at the shoulder joint. Then he proceeded down the -neck, being careful not to pull or stretch the skin. Extreme care was -necessary in cutting round the eyes. Then, when he had loosened the -skin from the skull, he severed the head and cleaned out the skull. He -coated all with the paste, filled the skull with cotton, and then -immersed them in the glycerin bath. - -The skinning of the crocodile was an easy matter compared with that of -the duck. Hal made an incision at the throat, cut along the middle of -the abdomen all the way to the tip of the tail, and then cut the skin -away all around the carcass. Then he set George and Pepe to scraping -the skin, after which he immersed it in the tank. - -About that time Ken, who was lazily fishing in the shade of the -cypresses, caught one of the blue-tailed fish. Hal was delighted. He -had made a failure of the other specimen of this unknown fish. This one -was larger and exquisitely marked, being dark gold on the back, white -along the belly, and its tail had a faint bluish tinge. Hal promptly -killed the fish, and then made a dive for his suitcase. He produced -several sheets of stiff cardboard and a small box of water-colors and -brushes. He laid the fish down on a piece of paper and outlined its -exact size. Then, placing it carefully in an upright position on a box, -he began to paint it in the actual colors of the moment. Ken laughed -and teased him. George also was inclined to be amused. But Pepe was -amazed and delighted. Hal worked on unmindful of his audience, and, -though he did not paint a very artistic picture, he produced the vivid -colors of the fish before they faded. - -His next move was to cover the fish with strips of thin cloth, which -adhered to the scales and kept them from being damaged. Then he cut -along the middle line of the belly, divided the pelvic arch where the -ventral fins joined, cut through the spines, and severed the fins from -the bones. Then he skinned down to the tail, up to the back, and cut -through caudal processes. The vertebral column he severed at the base -of the skull. He cleaned and scraped the entire inside of the skin, and -then put it to soak. - -"Hal, you're much more likely to make good with Uncle Jim than I am," -said Ken. "You've really got skill, and you know what to do. Now, my -job is different. So far I've done fairly well with my map of the -river. But as soon as we get on level ground I'll be stumped." - -"We'll cover a hundred miles before we get to low land," replied Hal, -cheerily. "That's enough, even if we do get lost for the rest of the -way. You'll win that trip abroad, Ken, never fear, and little Willie is -going to be with you." - - - - - *XVII* - - *A MIXED-UP TIGER-HUNT* - - -Next morning Hal arose bright as a lark, but silent, mysterious, and -with far-seeing eyes. It made Ken groan in spirit to look at the boy. -Yes, indeed, they were far from home, and the person did not live on the -earth who could play a trick on Hal Ward and escape vengeance. - -After breakfast Hal went off with a long-handled landing-net, obviously -to capture birds or fish or mice or something. - -George said he did not feel very well, and he looked grouchy. He -growled around camp in a way that might have nettled Ken, but Ken, -having had ten hours of undisturbed sleep, could not have found fault -with anybody. - -"Garrapato George, come out of it. Cheer up," said Ken. "Why don't you -take Pinilius Pepe as gun-bearer and go out to shoot something? You -haven't used up much ammunition yet." - -Ken's sarcasm was not lost upon George. - -"Well, if I do go, I'll not come running back to camp without some -game." - -"My son," replied Ken, genially, "if you should happen to meet a jaguar -you'd--you'd just let out one squawk and then never touch even the high -places of the jungle. You'd take that crazy .32 rifle for a -golf-stick." - -"Would I?" returned George. "All right." - -Ken watched George awhile that morning. The lad performed a lot of weird -things around camp. Then he bounced bullets off the water in vain -effort to locate the basking crocodile. Then he tried his hand at -fishing once more. He could get more bites than any fisherman Ken ever -saw, but he could not catch anything. - -By and by the heat made Ken drowsy, and, stretching himself in the -shade, he thought of a scheme to rid the camp of the noisy George. - -"Say, George, take my hammerless and get Pepe to row you up along the -shady bank of the river," suggested Ken. "Go sneaking along and you'll -have some sport." - -George was delighted with that idea. He had often cast longing eyes at -the hammerless gun. Pepe, too, looked exceedingly pleased. They got in -the boat and were in the act of starting when George jumped ashore. He -reached for his .32 and threw the lever down to see if there was a shell -in the chamber. Then he proceeded to fill his pockets with ammunition. - -"Might need a rifle," he said. "You can't tell what you're going to see -in this unholy jungle." - -Whereupon he went aboard again and Pepe rowed leisurely up-stream. - -"Be careful, boys," Ken called, and composed himself for a nap. He -promptly fell asleep. How long he slept he had no idea, and when he -awoke he lay with languor, not knowing at the moment what had awakened -him. Presently he heard a shout, then a rifle-shot. Sitting up, he saw -the boat some two hundred yards above, drifting along about the edge of -the shade. Pepe was in it alone. He appeared to be excited, for Ken -observed him lay down an oar and pick up a gun, and then reverse the -performance. Also he was jabbering to George, who evidently was out on -the bank, but invisible to Ken. - -"Hey, Pepe!" Ken yelled. "What 're you doing?" - -Strange to note, Pepe did not reply or even turn. - -"Now where in the deuce is George?" Ken said, impatiently. - -The hollow crack of George's .32 was a reply to the question. Ken heard -the singing of a bullet. Suddenly, _spou!_ it twanged on a branch not -twenty feet over his head, and then went whining away. He heard it tick -a few leaves or twigs. There was not any languor in the alacrity with -which Ken put the big cypress-tree between him and up-stream. Then he -ventured to peep forth. - -"Look out where you're slinging lead!" he yelled. He doubted not that -George had treed a black squirrel or was pegging away at parrots. Yet -Pepe's motions appeared to carry a good deal of feeling, too much, he -thought presently, for small game. So Ken began to wake up thoroughly. -He lost sight of Pepe behind a low branch of a tree that leaned some -fifty yards above the island. Then he caught sight of him again. He was -poling with an oar, evidently trying to go up or down--Ken could not -tell which. - -_Spang_! _Spang_! George's .32 spoke twice more, and the bullets both -struck in the middle of the stream and ricochetted into the far bank -with little thuds. - -Something prompted Ken to reach for his automatic, snap the clip in -tight, and push in the safety. At the same time he muttered George's -words: "You can never tell what's coming off in this unholy jungle." - -Then, peeping out from behind the cypress, Ken watched the boat drift -down-stream. Pepe had stopped poling and was looking closely into the -thick grass and vines of the bank. Ken heard his voice, but could not -tell what he said. He watched keenly for some sight of George. The -moments passed, the boat drifted, and Ken began to think there was -nothing unusual afoot. In this interval Pepe drifted within -seventy-five yards of camp. Again Ken called to ask him what George was -stalking, and this time Pepe yelled; but Ken did not know what he said. -Hard upon this came George's sharp voice: - -"Look out, there, on the island. Get behind something. I've got him -between the river and the flat. He's in this strip of shore brush. -There!" - -_Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! Bullets hummed and whistled all about the -island. Ken was afraid to peep out with even one eye. He began to -fancy that George was playing Indian. - -"Fine, Georgie! You're doing great!" he shouted. "You couldn't come -any closer to me if you were aiming at me. What is it?" - -Then a crashing of brush and a flash of yellow low down along the bank -changed the aspect of the situation. - -"Panther! or jaguar!" Ken ejaculated, in amaze. In a second he was -tight-muscled, cold, and clear-witted. At that instant he saw George's -white shirt about the top of the brush. - -"Go back! Get out in the open!" Ken ordered. "Do you hear me?" - -"Where is he?" shouted George, paying not the slightest attention to -Ken. Ken jumped from behind the tree, and, running to the head of the -island, he knelt low near the water with rifle ready. - -"Tigre! Tigre! Tigre!" screamed Pepe, waving his arms, then pointing. - -George crashed into the brush. Ken saw the leaves move, then a long -yellow shape. With the quickness of thought and the aim of the -wing-shot, Ken fired. From the brush rose a strange wild scream. -George aimed at a shaking mass of grass and vines, but, before he could -fire, a long, lean, ugly beast leaped straight out from the bank to drop -into the water with a heavy splash. - -Like a man half scared to death Pepe waved Ken's double-barreled gun. -Then a yellow head emerged from the water. It was in line with the -boat. Ken dared not shoot. - -"Kill him, George," yelled Ken. "Tell Pepe to kill him." - -George seemed unaccountably silent. But Ken had no time to look for -him, for his eyes were riveted on Pepe. The native did not know how to -hold a gun properly, let alone aim it. He had, however, sense enough to -try. He got the stock under his chin, and, pointing the gun, he -evidently tried to fire. But the hammerless did not go off. Then Pepe -fumbled at the safety-catch, which he evidently remembered seeing Ken -use. - -The jaguar, swimming with difficulty, perhaps badly wounded, made right -for the boat. Pepe was standing on the seat. Awkwardly he aimed. - -_Boom_! He had pulled both triggers. The recoil knocked him backward. -The hammerless fell in the boat, and Pepe's broad back hit the water; -his bare, muscular legs clung to the gunwale, and slipped loose. - -He had missed the jaguar, for it kept on toward the boat. Still Ken -dared not shoot. - -"George, what on earth is the matter with you?" shouted Ken. - -Then Ken saw him standing in the brush on the bank, fussing over the -crazy .32. Of course at the critical moment something had gone wrong -with the old rifle. - -Pepe's head bobbed up just on the other side of the boat. The jaguar -was scarcely twenty feet distant and now in line with both boat and man. -At that instant a heavy swirl in the water toward the middle of the -river drew Ken's attention. He saw the big crocodile, and the great -creature did not seem at all lazy at that moment. - -George began to scream in Spanish. Ken felt his hair stiffen and his -face blanch. Pepe, who had been solely occupied with the jaguar, caught -George's meaning and turned to see the peril in his rear. - -He bawled his familiar appeal to the saints. Then he grasped the gunwale -of the boat just as it swung against the branches of the low-leaning -tree. He vaulted rather than climbed aboard. - -Ken forgot that Pepe could understand little English, and he yelled: -"Grab an oar, Pepe. Keep the jaguar in the water. Don't let him in the -boat." - -But Pepe, even if he had understood, had a better idea. Nimble, he ran -over the boat and grasped the branches of the tree just as the jaguar -flopped paws and head over the stern gunwale. - -Ken had only a fleeting instant to get a bead on that yellow body, and -before he could be sure of an aim the branch weighted with Pepe sank -down to hide both boat and jaguar. The chill of fear for Pepe changed -to hot rage at this new difficulty. - -Then George began to shoot. - -_Spang_! - -Ken heard the bullet hit the boat. - -"George--wait!" shouted Ken. "Don't shoot holes in the boat. You'll -sink it." - -_Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! _Spang_! - -That was as much as George cared about such a possibility. He stood on -the bank and worked the lever of his .32 with wild haste. Ken plainly -heard the spat of the bullets, and the sound was that of lead in contact -with wood. So he knew George was not hitting the jaguar. - -"You'll ruin the boat!" roared Ken. - -Pepe had worked up from the lower end of the branch, and as soon as he -straddled it and hunched himself nearer shore the foliage rose out of -the water, exposing the boat. George kept on shooting till his magazine -was empty. Ken's position was too low for him to see the jaguar. - -Then the boat swung loose from the branch and, drifting down, gradually -approached the shore. - -"Pull yourself together, George," called Ken. "Keep cool. Make sure of -your aim. We've got him now." - -"He's mine! He's mine! He's mine! Don't you dare shoot!" howled -George. "I got him!" - -"All right. But steady up, can't you? Hit him once, anyway." - -Apparently without aim George fired. Then, jerking the lever, he fired -again. The boat drifted into overhanging vines. Once more Ken saw a -yellow and black object, then a trembling trail of leaves. - -"He's coming out below you. Look out," yelled Ken. - -George disappeared. Ken saw no sign of the jaguar and heard no shot or -shout from George. Pepe dropped from his branch to the bank and caught -the boat. Ken called, and while Pepe rowed over to the island, he got -into some clothes fit to hunt in. Then they hurried back across the -channel to the bank. - -Ken found the trail of the jaguar, followed it up to the edge of the -brush, and lost it in the weedy flat. George came out of a patch of -bamboos. He looked white and shaky and wild with disappointment. - -"Oh, I had a dandy shot as he came out, but the blamed gun jammed again. -Come on, we'll get him. He's all shot up. I bet I hit him ten times. -He won't get away." - -Ken finally got George back to camp. The boat was half full of water, -making it necessary to pull it out on the bank and turn it over. There -were ten bullet-holes in it. - -"George, you hit the boat, anyway," Ken said; "now we've a job on our -hands." - -Hal came puffing into camp. He was red of face, and the sweat stood out -on his forehead. He had a small animal of some kind in a sack, and his -legs were wet to his knees. - -"What was--all the--pegging about?" he asked, breathlessly. "I expected -to find camp surrounded by Indians." - -"Kid, it's been pretty hot round here for a little. George and Pepe -rounded up a tiger. Tell us about it, George," said Ken. - -So while Ken began to whittle pegs to pound into the bullet-holes, -George wiped his flushed, sweaty face and talked. - -"We were up there a piece, round the bend. I saw a black squirrel and -went ashore to get him. But I couldn't find him, and in kicking round -in the brush I came into a kind of trail or runway. Then I ran plumb -into that darned jaguar. I was so scared I couldn't remember my gun. -But the cat turned and ran. It was lucky he didn't make at me. When I -saw him run I got back my courage. I called for Pepe to row down-stream -and keep a lookout. Then I got into the flat. I must have come down a -good ways before I saw him. I shot, and he dodged back into the brush -again. I fired into the moving bushes where he was. And pretty soon I -ventured to get in on the bank, where I had a better chance. I guess it -was about that time that I heard you yell. Then it all happened. You -hit him! Didn't you hear him scream? What a jump he made! If it hadn't -been so terrible when your hammerless kicked Pepe overboard, I would -have died laughing. Then I was paralyzed when the jaguar swam for the -boat. He was hurt, for the water was bloody. Things came off quick, I -tell you. Like a monkey Pepe scrambled into the tree. When I got my gun -loaded the jaguar was crouched down in the bottom of the boat watching -Pepe. Then I began to shoot. I can't realize he got away from us. -What was the reason you didn't knock him?" - -"Well, you see, George, there were two good reasons," Ken replied. "The -first was that at that time I was busy dodging bullets from your rifle. -And the second was that you threatened my life if I killed your jaguar." - -"Did I get as nutty as that? But it was pretty warm there for a -little.... Say, was he a big one? My eyes were so hazy I didn't see -him clear." - -"He wasn't big, not half as big as the one I lost yesterday. Yours was -a long, wiry beast, like a panther, and mean-looking." - -Pepe sat on the bank, and while he nursed his bruises he smoked. Once -he made a speech that was untranslatable, but Hal gave it an -interpretation which was probably near correct. - -"That's right, Pepe. Pretty punk tiger-hunters--mucho punk!" - - - - - *XVIII* - - *WATCHING A RUNWAY* - - -"I'll tell you what, fellows," said Hal. "I know where we _can_ get a -tiger." - -"We'll get one in the neck if we don't watch out," replied George. - -Ken thought that Hal looked very frank and earnest, and honest and -eager, but there was never any telling about him. - -"Where?" he asked, skeptically. - -"Down along the river. You know I've been setting traps all along. -There's a flat sand-bar for a good piece down. I came to a little gully -full of big tracks, big as my two hands. And fresh!" - -"Honest Injun, kid?" queried Ken. - -"Hope to die if I'm lyin'," replied Hal. "I want to see somebody kill a -tiger. Now let's go down there in the boat and wait for one to come to -drink. There's a big log with driftwood lodged on it. We can hide -behind that." - -"Great idea, Hal," said Ken. "We'd be pretty safe in the boat. I want -to say that tigers have sort of got on my nerves. I ought to go over in -the jungle to look for the one I crippled. He's dead by now. But the -longer I put it off the harder it is to go. I'll back out yet.... -Come, we'll have an early dinner. Then to watch for Hal's tiger." - -The sun had just set, and the hot breeze began to swirl up the river -when Ken slid the boat into the water. He was pleased to find that it -did not leak. - -"We'll take only two guns," said Ken, "my .351 and the hammerless, with -some ball-cartridges. We want to be quiet to-night, and if you fellows -take your guns you'll be pegging at ducks and things. That won't do." - -Pepe sat at the oars with instructions to row easily. George and Hal -occupied the stern-seats, and Ken took his place in the bow, with both -guns at hand. - -The hot wind roared in the cypresses, and the river whipped up little -waves with white crests. Long streamers of gray moss waved out over the -water and branches tossed and swayed. The blow did not last for many -minutes. Trees and river once more grew quiet. And suddenly the heat -was gone. - -As Pepe rowed on down the river, Cypress Island began to disappear round -a bend, and presently was out of sight. Ducks were already in flight. -They flew low over the boat, so low that Ken could almost have reached -them with the barrel of his gun. The river here widened. It was full -of huge snags. A high, wooded bluff shadowed the western shore. On the -left, towering cypresses, all laced together in dense vine and moss -webs, leaned out. - -Under Hal's direction Pepe rowed to a pile of driftwood, and here the -boat was moored. The gully mentioned by Hal was some sixty yards -distant. It opened like the mouth of a cave. Beyond the cypresses -thick, intertwining bamboos covered it. - -"I wish we'd gone in to see the tracks," said Ken. "But I'll take your -word, Hal." - -"Oh, they're there, all right." - -"I don't doubt it. Looks great to me! That's a runway, Hal.... Now, -boys, get a comfortable seat, and settle down to wait. Don't talk. Just -listen and watch. Remember, soon we'll be out of the jungle, back home. -So make hay while the sun shines. Watch and listen! Whoever sees or -hears anything first is the best man." - -For once the boys were as obedient as lambs. But then, Ken thought, the -surroundings were so beautiful and wild and silent that any boys would -have been watchful. - -There was absolutely no sound but the intermittent whir of wings. The -water-fowl flew by in companies--ducks, cranes, herons, snipe, and the -great Muscovies. Ken never would have tired of that procession. It -passed all too soon, and then only an occasional water-fowl swept -swiftly by, as if belated. - -Slowly the wide river-lane shaded. But it was still daylight, and the -bank and the runway were clearly distinguishable. There was a -moment--Ken could not tell just how he knew--when the jungle awakened. -It was not only the faint hum of insects; it was a sense as if life -stirred with the coming of twilight. - -Pepe was the first to earn honors at the listening game. He held up a -warning forefinger. Then he pointed under the bluff. Ken saw a doe -stepping out of a fringe of willows. - -"Don't move--don't make a noise," whispered Ken. - -The doe shot up long ears and watched the boat. Then a little fawn -trotted out and splashed in the water. Both deer drank, then seemed in -no hurry to leave the river. - -Next moment Hal heard something downstream and George saw something -up-stream. Pepe again whispered. As for Ken, he saw little dark shapes -moving out of the shadow of the runway. He heard a faint trampling of -hard little hoofs. But if these animals were _javelin_--of which he was -sure--they did not come out into the open runway. Ken tried to catch -Pepe's attention without making a noise; however, Pepe was absorbed in -his side of the river. Ken then forgot he had companions. All along -the shores were faint splashings and rustlings and crackings. - -A loud, trampling roar rose in the runway and seemed to move backward -toward the jungle, diminishing in violence. - -"Pigs running--something scared 'em," said George. - -"S-s-s-sh!" whispered Ken. - -All the sounds ceased. The jungle seemed to sleep in deep silence. - -Ken's eyes were glued to the light patch of sand-bank where it merged in -the dark of the runway. Then Ken heard a sound--what, he could not have -told. But it made his heart beat fast. - -There came a few pattering thuds, soft as velvet; and a shadow, paler -than the dark background, moved out of the runway. - -With that a huge jaguar loped into the open. He did not look around. He -took a long, easy bound down to the water and began to lap. - -Either Pepe or George jerked so violently as to make the boat lurch. -They seemed to be stifling. - -"Oh, Ken, don't miss!" whispered Hal. - -Ken had the automatic over the log and in line. His teeth were shut -tight, and he was cold and steady. He meant not to hurry. - -The jaguar was a heavy, squat, muscular figure, not graceful and -beautiful like the one Ken had crippled. Suddenly he raised his head -and looked about. He had caught a scent. - -It was then that Ken lowered the rifle till the sight covered the -beast--lower yet to his huge paws, then still lower to the edge of the -water. Ken meant to shoot low enough this time. Holding the rifle -there, and holding it with all his strength, he pressed the trigger -once--twice. The two shots rang out almost simultaneously. Ken -expected to see this jaguar leap, but the beast crumpled up and sank in -his tracks. - -Then the boys yelled, and Ken echoed them. Pepe was wildly excited, and -began to fumble with the oars. - -"Wait! Wait, I tell you!" ordered Ken. - -"Oh, Ken, you pegged him!" cried Hal. "He doesn't move. Let's go -ashore. What did I tell you? It took me to find the tiger." - -Ken watched with sharp eyes and held his rifle ready, but the huddled -form on the sand never so much as twitched. - -"I guess I plugged him," said Ken, with unconscious pride. - -Pepe rowed the boat ashore, and when near the sand-bar he reached out -with an oar to touch the jaguar. There was no doubt about his being -dead. The boys leaped ashore and straightened out the beast. He was -huge, dirty, spotted, bloody, and fiercely savage even in death. Ken's -bullets had torn through the chest, making fearful wounds. Pepe -jabbered, and the boys all talked at once. When it came to lifting the -jaguar into the boat they had no slight task. The short, thick-set body -was very heavy. But at last they loaded it in the bow, and Pepe rowed -back to the island. It was still a harder task to get the jaguar up the -high bank. Pepe kindled a fire so they would have plenty of light, and -then they set to work at the skinning. - -What with enthusiasm over the stalk, and talk of the success of the -trip, and compliments to Ken's shooting, and care of the skinning, the -boys were three hours at the job. Ken, remembering Hiram Bent's -teachings, skinned out the great claws himself. They salted the pelt -and nailed it up on the big cypress. - -"You'd never have got one but for me," said Hal. "That's how I pay you -for the tricks you've played me!" - -"By George, Hal, it's a noble revenge!" cried Ken, who, in the warmth -and glow of happiness of the time, quite believed his brother. - -Pepe went to bed first. George turned in next. Ken took a last look at -the great pelt stretched on the cypress, and then he sought his -blankets. Hal, however, remained up. Ken heard him pounding stakes in -the ground. - -"Hal, what 're you doing?" - -"I'm settin' my trot-lines," replied Hal, cheerfully. - -"Well, come to bed." - -"Keep your shirt on, Ken, old boy. I'll be along presently." - -Ken fell asleep. He did not have peaceful slumbers. He had been too -excited to rest well. He would wake up out of a nightmare, then go to -sleep again. He seemed to wake suddenly out of one of these black -spells, and he was conscious of pain. Something tugged at his leg. - -"What the dickens!" he said, and raised on his elbow. Hal was asleep -between George and Pepe, who were snoring. - -Just then Ken felt a violent jerk. The blankets flew up at his feet, -and his left leg went out across his brother's body. There was a -string--a rope--something fast round his ankle, and it was pulling hard. -It hurt. - -"Jiminy!" shouted Ken, reaching for his foot. But before he could reach -it another tug, more violent, pulled his leg straight out. Ken began to -slide. - -"What on earth?" yelled Ken. "Say! Something's got me!" - -The yells and Ken's rude exertions aroused the boys. And they were -frightened. Ken got an arm around Hal and the other around George and -held on for dear life. He was more frightened than they. Pepe leaped -up, jabbering, and, tripping, he fell all in a heap. - -"Oh! my leg!" howled Ken. "It's being pulled off. Say, I can't be -dreaming!" - -Most assuredly Ken was wide awake. The moonlight showed his bare leg -sticking out and round his ankle a heavy trot-line. It was stretched -tight. It ran down over the bank. And out there in the river a -tremendous fish or a crocodile was surging about, making the water roar. - -Pepe was trying to loosen the line or break it. George, who was always -stupid when first aroused, probably imagined he was being mauled by a -jaguar, for he loudly bellowed. Ken had a strangle-hold on Hal. - -"Oh! _Oh_! _Oh-h-h_!" bawled Ken. Not only was he scared out of a -year's growth; he was in terrible pain. Then his cries grew -unintelligible. He was being dragged out of the tent. Still he clung -desperately to the howling George and the fighting Hal. - -All at once something snapped. The tension relaxed. Ken fell back upon -Hal. - -"Git off me, will you?" shouted Hal. "Are you c-c-cr-azy?" - -But Hal's voice had not the usual note when he was angry or impatient. -He was laughing so he could not speak naturally. - -"Uh-huh!" said Ken, and sat up. "I guess here was where I got it. Is -my leg broken? What came off?" - -Pepe was staggering about on the bank, going through strange motions. -He had the line in his hands, and at the other end was a monster of some -land threshing about in the water. It was moonlight and Ken could see -plainly. Around the ankle that felt broken was a twisted loop of -trot-line. Hal had baited a hook and slipped the end of the trot-line -over Ken's foot. During the night the crocodile or an enormous fish had -taken the bait. Then Ken had nearly been hauled off the island. - -Pepe was doing battle with the hooked thing, whatever it was, and Ken -was about to go to his assistance when again the line broke. - -"Great! Hal, you have a nice disposition," exclaimed Ken. "You have a -wonderful affection for your brother. You care a lot about his legs or -his life. Idiot! Can't you play a safe trick? If I hadn't grabbed you -and George, I'd been pulled into the river. Eaten up, maybe! And my -ankle is sprained. It won't be any good for a week. You are a bright -boy!" - -And in spite of his laughter Hal began to look ashamed. - - - - - *XIX* - - *ADVENTURES WITH CROCODILES* - - -The rest of that night Ken had more dreams; and they were not pleasant. -He awoke from one in a cold fright. - -It must have been late, for the moon was low. His ankle pained and -throbbed, and to that he attributed his nightmare. He was falling -asleep again when the clink of tin pans made him sit up with a start. -Some animal was prowling about camp. He peered into the moonlit -shadows, but could make out no unfamiliar object. Still he was not -satisfied; so he awoke Pepe. - -Certainly it was not Ken's intention to let Pepe get out ahead; -nevertheless he was lame and slow, and before he started Pepe rolled out -of the tent. - -"Santa Maria!" shrieked Pepe. - -Ken fumbled under his pillow for a gun. Hal raised up so quickly that he -bumped Ken's head, making him see a million stars. George rolled over, -nearly knocking down the tent. - -From outside came a sliddery, rustling noise, then another yell that was -deadened by a sounding splash. Ken leaped out with his gun, George at -his elbow. Pepe stood just back of the tent, his arms upraised, and he -appeared stunned. The water near the bank was boiling and bubbling; -waves were dashing on the shore and ripples spreading in a circle. - -George shouted in Spanish. - -"Crocodile!" cried Ken. - -"Si, si, Senor," replied Pepe. Then he said that when he stepped out of -the tent the crocodile was right in camp, not ten feet from where the -boys lay. Pepe also said that these brutes were man-eaters, and that he -had better watch for the rest of the night. Ken thought him, like all -the natives, inclined to exaggerate; however, he made no objection to -Pepe's holding watch over the crocodile. - -"What'd I tell you?" growled George. "Why didn't you let me shoot him? -Let's go back to bed." - -In the morning when Ken got up he viewed his body with great curiosity. -The ticks and the cigarette burns had left him a beautifully tattoed -specimen of aborigine. His body, especially his arms, bore hundreds of -little reddish scars--bites and burns together. There was not, however, -any itching or irritation, for which he made sure he had to thank Pepe's -skill and the _canya_. - -George did not get up when Ken called him. Thinking his sleep might -have been broken, Ken let him alone a while longer, but when breakfast -was smoking he gave him a prod. George rolled over, looking haggard and -glum. - -"I'm sick," he said. - -Ken's cheerfulness left him, for he knew what sickness or injury did to -a camping trip. George complained of aching bones, headache and cramps, -and showed a tongue with a yellow coating. Ken said he had eaten too -much fresh meat, but Pepe, after looking George over, called it a name -that sounded like _calentura_. - -"What's that?" Ken inquired. - -"Tropic fever," replied George. "I've had it before." - -For a while he was a very sick boy. Ken had a little medicine-case, and -from it he administered what he thought was best, and George grew easier -presently. Then Ken sat down to deliberate on the situation. - -Whatever way he viewed it, he always came back to the same thing--they -must get out of the jungle; and as they could not go back, they must go -on down the river. That was a bad enough proposition without being -hampered by a sick boy. It was then Ken had a subtle change of feeling; -a shade of gloom seemed to pervade his spirit. - -By nine o'clock they were packed, and, turning into the shady channel, -soon were out in the sunlight saying good-by to Cypress Island. At the -moment Ken did not feel sorry to go, yet he knew that feeling would come -by and by, and that Cypress Island would take its place in his memory as -one more haunting, calling wild place. - -They turned a curve to run under a rocky bluff from which came a muffled -roar of rapids. A long, projecting point of rock extended across the -river, allowing the water to rush through only at a narrow mill-race -channel close to the shore. It was an obstacle to get around. There was -no possibility of lifting the boat over the bridge of rock, and the -alternative was shooting the channel. Ken got out upon the rocks, only -to find that drifting the boat round the sharp point was out of the -question, owing to a dangerously swift current. Ken tried the depth of -the water--about four feet. Then he dragged the boat back a little -distance and stepped into the river. - -"Look! Look!" cried Pepe, pointing to the bank. - -About ten yards away was a bare shelf of mud glistening with water and -showing the deep tracks of a crocodile. It was a slide, and manifestly -had just been vacated. The crocodile-tracks resembled the imprints of a -giant's hand. - -"Come out!" yelled George, and Pepe jabbered to his saints. - -"We've got to go down this river," Ken replied, and he kept on wading -till he got the boat in the current. He was frightened, of course, but -he kept on despite that. The boat lurched into the channel, stern -first, and he leaped up on the bow. It shot down with the speed of a -toboggan, and the boat whirled before he could scramble to the oars. -What was worse, an overhanging tree with dead snags left scarce room to -pass beneath. Ken ducked to prevent being swept overboard, and one of -the snags that brushed and scraped him ran under his belt and lifted him -into the air. He grasped at the first thing he could lay hands on, -which happened to be a box, but he could not hold to it because the boat -threatened to go on, leaving him kicking in midair and holding up a box -of potatoes. Ken clutched a gunwale, only to see the water swell -dangerously over the edge. In angry helplessness he loosened his hold. -Then the snag broke, just in the nick of time, for in a second more the -boat would have been swept away. Ken fell across the bow, held on, and -soon drifted from under the threshing branches, and seized the oars. - -Pepe and George and Hal walked round the ledge and, even when they -reached Ken, had not stopped laughing. - -"Boys, it wasn't funny," declared Ken, soberly. - -"I said it was coming to us," replied George. - -There were rapids below, and Ken went at them with stern eyes and set -lips. It was the look of men who face obstacles in getting out of the -wilderness. More than one high wave circled spitefully round Pepe's -broad shoulders. - -They came to a fall where the river dropped a few feet straight down. -Ken sent the boys below. Hal and George made a detour. But Pepe jumped -off the ledge into shallow water. - -"_Ah-h!_" yelled Pepe. - -Ken was becoming accustomed to Pepe's wild yell, but there was a note in -this which sent a shiver over him. Before looking, Ken snatched his -rifle from the boat. - -Pepe appeared to be sailing out into the pool. But his feet were not -moving. - -Ken had only an instant, but in that he saw under Pepe a long, yellow, -swimming shape, leaving a wake in the water. Pepe had jumped upon the -back of a crocodile. He seemed paralyzed, or else he was wisely -trusting himself there rather than in the water. Ken was too shocked to -offer advice. Indeed, he would not have known how to meet this -situation. - -Suddenly Pepe leaped for a dry stone, and the energy of his leap carried -him into the river beyond. Like a flash he was out again, spouting -water. - -Ken turned loose the automatic on the crocodile and shot a magazine of -shells. The crocodile made a tremendous surge, churning up a slimy -foam, then vanished in a pool. - -"Guess this 'll be crocodile day," said Ken, changing the clip in his -rifle. "I'll bet I made a hole in that one. Boys, look out below." - -Ken shoved the boat over the ledge in line with Pepe, and it floated to -him, while Ken picked his way round the rocky shore. The boys piled -aboard again. The day began to get hot. Ken cautioned the boys to -avoid wading, if possible, and to be extremely careful where they -stepped. Pepe pointed now and then to huge bubbles breaking on the -surface of the water and said they were made by crocodiles. - -From then on Ken's hands were full. He struck swift water, where rapid -after rapid, fall on fall, took the boat downhill at a rate to afford -him satisfaction. The current had a five or six mile speed, and, as Ken -had no portages to make and the corrugated rapids of big waves gave him -speed, he made by far the best time of the voyage. - -The hot hours passed--cool for the boys because they were always wet. -The sun sank behind a hill. The wind ceased to whip the streamers of -moss. At last, in a gathering twilight, Ken halted at a wide, flat rock -to make camp. - -"Forty miles to-day if we made an inch!" exclaimed Ken. - -The boys said more. - -They built a fire, cooked supper, and then, weary and silent, Hal and -George and Pepe rolled into their blankets. But Ken doggedly worked an -hour at his map and notes. That hard forty miles meant a long way -toward the success of his trip. - -Next morning the mists had not lifted from the river when they shoved -off, determined to beat the record of yesterday. Difficulties beset -them from the start--the highest waterfall of the trip, a leak in the -boat, deep, short rapids, narrows with choppy waves, and a whirlpool -where they turned round and round, unable to row out. Nor did they get -free till Pepe lassoed a snag and pulled them out. - -About noon they came to another narrow chute brawling down into a deep, -foamy pool. Again Ken sent the boys around, and he backed the boat into -the chute; and just as the current caught it he leaped aboard. He was -either tired or careless, for he drifted too close to a half-submerged -rock, and, try as he might, at the last moment he could not avoid a -collision. - -As the stern went hard on the rock Ken expected to break something, but -was surprised at the soft thud with which he struck. It flashed into his -mind that the rock was moss-covered. - -Quick as the thought there came a rumble under the boat, the stern -heaved up, there was a great sheet-like splash, and then a blow that -splintered the gunwale. Then the boat shunted off, affording the -astounded Ken a good view of a very angry crocodile. He had been -sleeping on the rock. - -The boys were yelling and crowding down to the shore where Ken was -drifting in. Pepe waded in to catch the boat. - -"What was it hit you, Ken?" asked Hal. - -"Mucho malo," cried Pepe. - -"The boat's half full of water--the gunwale's all split!" ejaculated -George. - -"Only an accident of river travel," replied Ken, with mock nonchalance. -"Say, Garrapato, _when_, about _when_ is it coming to me?" - -"Well, if he didn't get slammed by a crocodile!" continued George. - -They unloaded, turned out the water, broke up a box to use for repairs, -and mended the damaged gunwale--work that lost more than a good hour. -Once again under way, Ken made some interesting observations. The river -ceased to stand on end in places; crocodiles slipped off every muddy -promontory, and wide trails ridged the steep clay-banks. - -"Cattle-trails, Pepe says," said George. "Wild cattle roam all through -the jungle along the Panuco." - -It was a well-known fact that the rancheros of Tamaulipas State had no -idea how many cattle they owned. Ken was so eager to see if Pepe had -been correct that he went ashore, to find the trails were, indeed, those -of cattle. - -"Then, Pepe, we must be somewhere near the Panuco River," he said. - -"Quien sabe?" rejoined he, quietly. - -When they rounded the curve they came upon a herd of cattle that -clattered up the bank, raising a cloud of dust. - -"Wilder than deer!" Ken exclaimed. - -From that point conditions along the river changed. The banks were no -longer green; the beautiful cypresses gave place to other trees, as -huge, as moss-wound, but more rugged and of gaunt outline; the flowers -and vines and shady nooks disappeared. Everywhere wide-horned steers -and cows plunged up the banks. Everywhere buzzards rose from gruesome -feasts. The shore was lined with dead cattle, and the stench of -putrefying flesh was almost unbearable. They passed cattle mired in the -mud, being slowly tortured to death by flies and hunger; they passed -cattle that had slipped off steep banks and could not get back and were -bellowing dismally; and also strangely acting cattle that Pepe said had -gone crazy from ticks in their ears. Ken would have put these miserable -beasts out of their misery had not George restrained him with a few -words about Mexican law. - -A sense of sickness came to Ken, and though he drove the feeling from -him, it continually returned. George and Hal lay flat on the canvas, -shaded with a couple of palm leaves; Pepe rowed on and on, growing more -and more serious and quiet. His quick, responsive smile was wanting -now. - -By way of diversion, and also in the hope of securing a specimen, Ken -began to shoot at the crocodiles. George came out of his lethargy and -took up his rifle. He would have had to be ill indeed, to forswear any -possible shooting; and, now that Ken had removed the bar, he forgot he -had fever. Every hundred yards or so they would come upon a crocodile -measuring somewhere from about six feet upward, and occasionally they -would see a great yellow one, as large as a log. Seldom did they get -within good range of these huge fellows, and shooting from a moving boat -was not easy. The smaller ones, however, allowed the boat to approach -quite close. George bounced many a .32 bullet off the bank, but he -never hit a crocodile. Ken allowed him to have the shots for the fun of -it, and, besides, he was watching for a big one. - -"George, that rifle of yours is leaded. It doesn't shoot where you -aim." - -When they got unusually close to a small crocodile George verified Ken's -statement by missing his game some yards. He promptly threw the -worn-out rifle overboard, an act that caused Pepe much concern. - -Whereupon Ken proceeded to try his luck. Instructing Pepe to row about -in the middle of the stream, he kept eye on one shore while George -watched the other. He shot half a dozen small crocodiles, but they -slipped off the bank before Pepe could get ashore. This did not appear -to be the fault of the rifle, for some of the reptiles were shot almost -in two pieces. But Ken had yet to learn more about the tenacity of life -of these water-brutes. Several held still long enough for Ken to shoot -them through, then with a plunge they went into the water, sinking at -once in a bloody foam. He knew he had shot them through, for he saw -large holes in the mud-banks lined with bits of bloody skin and bone. - -"There's one," said George, pointing. "Let's get closer, so we can grab -him. He's got a good piece to go before he reaches the water." - -Pepe rowed slowly along, guiding the boat a little nearer the shore. At -forty feet the crocodile raised up, standing on short legs, so that all -but his tail was free of the ground. He opened his huge jaws either in -astonishment or to intimidate them, and then Ken shot him straight down -the throat. He flopped convulsively and started to slide and roll. -When he reached the water he turned over on his back, with his feet -sticking up, resembling a huge frog. Pepe rowed hard to the shore, just -as the crocodile with one last convulsion rolled off into deeper water. -Ken reached over, grasped his foot, and was drawing it up when a sight -of cold, glassy eyes and open-fanged jaws made him let go. Then the -crocodile sank in water where Pepe could not touch bottom with an oar. - -"Let's get one if it takes a week," declared George. The lad might be -sick, but there was nothing wrong with his spirit. "Look there!" he -exclaimed. "Oh, I guess it's a log. Too big!" - -They had been unable to tell the difference between a crocodile and a -log of driftwood until it was too late. In this instance a long, -dirty-gray object lay upon a low bank. Despite its immense size, which -certainly made the chances in favor of its being a log, Ken determined -this time to be fooled on the right side. He had seen a dozen logs--as -he thought--suddenly become animated and slip into the river. - -"Hold steady, Pepe. I'll take a crack at that just for luck." - -The distance was about a hundred yards, a fine range for the little -rifle. Resting on his knee, he sighted low, under the gray object, and -pulled the trigger twice. There were two spats so close together as to -be barely distinguishable. The log of driftwood leaped into life. - -"Whoop!" shouted Hal. - -"It's a crocodile!" yelled George. "You hit--you hit! Will you listen -to that?" - -"Row hard, Pepe--pull!" - -He bent to the oars, and the boat flew shoreward. - -The huge crocodile, opening yard-long jaws, snapped them shut with loud -cracks. Then he beat the bank with his tail. It was as limber as a -willow, but he seemed unable to move his central parts, his thick bulk, -where Ken had sent the two mushroom bullets. _Whack_! _Whack_! -_Whack_! The sodden blows jarred pieces from the clay-bank above him. -Each blow was powerful enough to have staved in the planking of a ship. -All at once he lunged upward and, falling over backward, slid down his -runway into a few inches of water, where he stuck. - -"Go in above him, Pepe," Ken shouted. "Here-- Heavens! What a -monster!" - -Deliberately, at scarce twenty feet, Ken shot the remaining four shells -into the crocodile. The bullets tore through his horny hide, and blood -and muddy water spouted up. George and Pepe and Hal yelled, and Ken kept -time with them. The terrible lashing tail swung back and forth almost -too swiftly for the eye to catch. A deluge of mud and water descended -upon the boys, bespattering, blinding them and weighing down the boat. -They jumped out upon the bank to escape it. They ran to and fro in -aimless excitement. Ken still clutched the rifle, but he had no shells -for it. George was absurd enough to fling a stone into the blood-tinged -cloud of muddy froth and spray that hid the threshing leviathan. -Presently the commotion subsided enough for them to see the great -crocodile lying half on his back, with belly all torn and bloody and -huge claw-like hands pawing the air. He was edging, slipping off into -deeper water. - -"He'll get away--he'll get away!" cried Hal. "What 'll we do?" - -Ken racked his brains. - -"Pepe, get your lasso--rope him--rope him! Hurry! he's slipping!" -yelled George. - -Pepe snatched up his lariat, and, without waiting to coil it, cast the -loop. He caught one of the flippers and hauled tight on it just as the -crocodile slipped out of sight off the muddy ledge. The others ran to -the boat, and, grasping hold of the lasso with Pepe, squared away and -began to pull. Plain it was that the crocodile was not coming up so -easily. They could not budge him. - -"Hang on, boys!" Ken shouted. "It's a tug-of-war." - -The lasso was suddenly jerked out with a kind of twang. Crash! went -Pepe and Hal into the bottom of the boat. Ken went sprawling into the -mud, and George, who had the last hold, went to his knees, but valiantly -clung to the slipping rope. Bounding up, Ken grasped it from him and -wound it round the sharp nose of the bowsprit. - -"Get in--hustle!" he called, falling aboard. "You're always saying it's -coming to us. Here's where!" - -George had hardly got into the boat when the crocodile pulled it off -shore, and away it went, sailing down-stream. - -"Whoop! All aboard for Panuco!" yelled Hal. - -"Now, Pepe, you don't need to row any more--we've a water-horse," Ken -added. - -But Pepe did not enter into the spirit of the occasion. He kept calling -on the saints and crying, "Mucho malo." George and Ken and Hal, -however, were hilarious. They had not yet had experience enough to know -crocodiles. - -Faster and faster they went. The water began to surge away from the bow -and leave a gurgling wake behind the stern. Soon the boat reached the -middle of the river where the water was deepest, and the lasso went -almost straight down. - -Ken felt the stern of the boat gradually lifted, and then, in alarm, he -saw the front end sinking in the water. The crocodile was hauling the -bow under. - -"Pepe--your machete--cut the lasso!" he ordered, sharply. George had to -repeat the order. - -Wildly Pepe searched under the seat and along the gunwales. He could -not find the _machete_. - -"Cut the rope!" Ken thundered. "Use a knife, the ax--anything--only cut -it--and cut it quick!" - -Pepe could find nothing. Knife in hand, Ken leaped over his head, -sprawled headlong over the trunk, and slashed the taut lasso just as the -water began to roar into the boat. The bow bobbed up as a cork that had -been under. But the boat had shipped six inches of water. - -[Illustration: KNIFE IN HAND, KEN LEAPED OVER HIS HEAD AND SLASHED THE -TAUT LASSO] - -"Row ashore, Pepe. Steady, there. Trim the boat, George." - -They beached at a hard clay-bank and rested a little before unloading to -turn out the water. - -"Grande!" observed Pepe. - -"Yes; he was big," assented George. - -"I wonder what's going to happen to us next," added Hal. - -Ken Ward looked at these companions of his and he laughed outright. -"Well, if you all don't take the cake for nerve!" - - - - - *XX* - - *TREED BY WILD PIGS* - - -Pepe's long years of _mozo_ work, rowing for tarpon fishermen, now stood -the boys in good stead. All the hot hours of the day he bent steadily -to the oars. Occasionally they came to rifts, but these were not -difficult to pass, being mere swift, shallow channels over sandy bottom. -The rocks and the rapids were things of the past. - -George lay in a kind of stupor, and Hal lolled in his seat. Ken, -however, kept alert, and as the afternoon wore on began to be annoyed at -the scarcity of camp-sites. - -The muddy margins of the river, the steep banks, and the tick-infested -forests offered few places where it was possible to rest, to say nothing -of sleep. Every turn in the widening river gave Ken hope, which -resulted in disappointment. He found consolation, however, in the fact -that every turn and every hour put him so much farther on the way. - -About five o'clock Ken had unexpected good luck in shape of a small -sand-bar cut off from the mainland, and therefore free of cattle-tracks. -It was clean and dry, with a pile of driftwood at one end. - -"Tumble out, boys," called Ken, as Pepe beached the boat. "We'll pitch -camp here." - -Neither Hal nor George showed any alacrity. Ken watched his brother; he -feared to see some of the symptoms of George's sickness. Both lads, -however, seemed cheerful, though too tired to be of much use in the -pitching of camp. - -Ken could not recover his former good spirits. There was a sense of -foreboding in his mind that all was not well, that he must hurry, hurry. -And although George appeared to be holding his own, Hal healthy enough, -and Pepe's brooding quiet at least no worse, Ken could not rid himself -of gloom. If he had answered the question that knocked at his mind he -would have admitted a certainty of disaster. So he kept active, and -when there were no more tasks for that day he worked on his note-book, -and then watched the flight of wild fowl. - -The farther down the river the boys traveled the more numerous were the -herons and cranes and ducks. But they saw no more of the beautiful -_pato real_, as Pepe called them, or the little russet-colored ducks, or -the dismal-voiced bitterns. On the other hand, wild geese were common, -and there were flocks and flocks of teal and canvasbacks. - -Pepe, as usual, cooked duck. And he had to eat it. George had lost his -appetite altogether. Hal had lost his taste for meat, at least. And -Ken made a frugal meal of rice. - -"Boys," he said, "the less you eat from now on the better for you." - -It took resolution to drink the cocoa, for Ken could not shut out -remembrance of the green water and the shore-line of dead and decaying -cattle. Still, he was parched with thirst; he had to drink. That night -he slept ten hours without turning over. Next morning he had to shake -Pepe to rouse him. - -Ken took turns at the oars with Pepe. It was not only that he fancied -Pepe was weakening and in need of an occasional rest, but the fact that -he wanted to be occupied, and especially to keep in good condition. They -made thirty miles by four o'clock, and most of it against a breeze. Not -in the whole distance did they pass half a dozen places fit for a camp. -Toward evening the river narrowed again, resembling somewhat the Santa -Rosa of earlier acquaintance. The magnificent dark forests crowded high -on the banks, always screened and curtained by gray moss, as if to keep -their secrets. - -The sun was just tipping with gold the mossy crests of a grove of giant -ceibas, when the boys rounded a bend to come upon the first ledge of -rocks for two days. A low, grassy promontory invited the eyes searching -for camping-ground. This spot appeared ideal; it certainly was -beautiful. The ledge jutted into the river almost to the opposite -shore, forcing the water to rush through a rocky trough into a great -foam-spotted pool below. - -They could not pitch the tent, since the stony ground would not admit -stakes, so they laid the canvas flat. Pepe went up the bank with his -_machete_ in search of firewood. To Ken's utmost delight he found a -little spring of sweet water trickling from the ledge, and by digging a -hole was enabled to get a drink, the first one in more than a week. - -A little later, as he was spreading the blankets, George called his -attention to shouts up in the woods. - -"Pepe's treed something," Ken said. "Take your gun and hunt him up." - -Ken went on making a bed and busying himself about camp, with little -heed to George's departure. Presently, however, he was startled by -unmistakable sounds of alarm. George and Pepe were yelling in unison, -and, from the sound, appeared to be quite a distance away. - -"What the deuce!" Ken ejaculated, snatching up his rifle. He snapped a -clip in the magazine and dropped several loaded clips and a box of extra -shells into his coat pocket. After his adventure with the jaguar he -decided never again to find himself short of ammunition. Running up the -sloping bank, he entered the forest, shouting for his companions. -Answering cries came from in front and a little to the left. He could -not make out what was said. - -Save for drooping moss the forest was comparatively open, and at a -hundred paces from the river-bank were glades covered with thickets and -long grass and short palm-trees. The ground sloped upward quite -perceptibly. - -"Hey, boys, where are you?" called Ken. - -Pepe's shrill yells mingled with George's shouts. At first their -meaning was unintelligible, but after calling twice Ken understood. - -"Javelin! Go back! Javelin! We're treed! Wild pigs! Santa Maria! -Run for your life!" - -This was certainly enlightening and rather embarrassing. Ken remembered -the other time the boys had made him run, and he grew hot with anger. - -"I'll be blessed if I'll run!" he said, in the pride of conceit and -wounded vanity. Whereupon he began to climb the slope, stopping every -few steps to listen and look. Ken wondered what had made Pepe go so far -for fire-wood; still, there was nothing but green wood all about. -Walking round a clump of seared and yellow palms that rustled in the -breeze, Ken suddenly espied George's white shirt. He was in a scrubby -sapling not fifteen feet from the ground. Then Ken espied Pepe, perched -in the forks of a ceiba, high above the thickets and low shrubbery. Ken -was scarcely more than a dozen rods from them down the gradual slope. -Both saw him at once. - -"Run, you Indian! Run!" bawled George, waving his hands. - -George implored Ken to fly to save his precious life. - -"What for? you fools! I don't see anything to run from," Ken shouted -back. His temper had soured a little during the last few days. - -"You'd better run, or you'll have to climb," replied George. "Wild -pigs--a thousand of 'em!" - -"Where?" - -"Right under us. There! Oh, if they see you! Listen to this." He -broke off a branch, trimmed it of leaves, and flung it down. Ken heard -a low, trampling roar of many hard little feet, brushings in the -thicket, and cracking of twigs. As close as he was, however, he could -not see a moving object. The dead grass and brush were several feet -high, up to his waist in spots, and, though he changed position several -times, no _javelin_ did he see. - -"You want to look out. Say, man, these are wild pigs--boars, I tell -you! They'll kill you!" bellowed George. - -"Are you going to stay up there all night?" Ken asked, sarcastically. - -"We'll stay till they go away." - -"All right, I'll scare them away," Ken replied, and, suiting action to -word, he worked the automatic as fast as it would shoot, aiming into the -thicket under George. - -Of all the foolish things a nettled hunter ever did that was the worst. -A roar answered the echoes of the rifle, and the roar rose from every -side of the trees the victims were in. Nervously Ken clamped a fresh -clip of shells into the rifle. Clouds of dust arose, and strange little -squeals and grunts seemed to come from every quarter. Then the grass -and bushes were suddenly torn apart by swift gray forms with glittering -eyes. They were everywhere. - -"_Run_! _Run_!" shrieked George, high above the tumult. - -For a thrilling instant Ken stood his ground and fired at the bobbing -gray backs. But every break made in the ranks by the powerful shells -filled in a flash. Before that vicious charge he wavered, then ran as -if pursued by demons. - -The way was downhill. Ken tripped, fell, rolled over and over, then, -still clutching the rifle, rose with a bound and fled. The javelin had -gained. They were at his heels. He ran like a deer. Then, seeing a low -branch, he leaped for it, grasped it with one hand, and, crooking an -elbow round it, swung with the old giant swing. - -Before Ken knew how it had happened he was astride a dangerously swaying -branch directly over a troop of brownish-gray, sharp-snouted, -fiendish-eyed little peccaries. - -Some were young and sleek, others were old and rough; some had little -yellow teeth or tusks, and all pointed their sharp noses upward, as if -expecting him to fall into their very mouths. Feeling safe, once more -Ken loaded the rifle and began to kill the biggest, most vicious -_javelin_. When he had killed twelve in twelve shots, he saw that -shooting a few would be of no avail. There were hundreds, it seemed, -and he had scarcely fifty shells left. Moreover, the rifle-barrel grew -so hot that it burnt his hands. Hearing George's yell, he replied, -somewhat to his disgust: - -"I'm all right, George--only treed. How 're you?" - -"Pigs all gone--they chased you--Pepe thinks we can risk running." - -"Don't take any chances," Ken yelled, in answer. - -"Hi! Hi! What's wrong with you gazabos?" came Hal's yell from down the -slope. - -"Go back to the boat," shouted Ken. - -"What for?" - -"We're all treed by javelin--wild pigs." - -"I've got to see that," was Hal's reply. - -Ken called a sharp, angry order for Hal to keep away. But Hal did not -obey. Ken heard him coming, and presently saw him enter one of the -little glades. He had Ken's shotgun, and was peering cautiously about. - -"Ken, where are you?" - -"Here! Didn't I tell you to keep away? The pigs heard you--some of them -are edging out there. Look out! Run, kid, run!" - -A troop of _javelin_ flashed into the glade. Hal saw them and raised the -shotgun. - -_Boom_! He shot both barrels. - -The shot tore through the brush all around Ken, but fortunately beneath -him. Neither the noise nor the lead stopped the pugnacious little -peccaries. - -Hal dropped Ken's hammerless and fled. - -"Run faster!" yelled George, who evidently enjoyed Hal's plight. -"They'll get you! Run hard!" - -The lad was running close to the record when he disappeared. - -In trying to find a more comfortable posture, so he could apply himself -to an interesting study of his captors, Ken made the startling discovery -that the branch which upheld him was splitting from the tree-trunk. His -heart began to pound in his breast; then it went up into his throat. -Every move he made--for he had started to edge toward the tree--widened -the little white split. - -"Boys, my branch is breaking!" he called, piercingly. - -"Can't you get another?" returned George. - -"No; I daren't move! Hurry, boys! If you don't scare these brutes off -I'm a goner!" - -Ken's eyes were riveted upon the gap where the branch was slowly -separating from the tree-trunk. He glanced about to see if he could not -leap to another branch. There was nothing near that would hold him. In -desperation he resolved to drop the rifle, cautiously get to his feet -upon the branch, and with one spring try to reach the tree. When about -to act upon this last chance he heard Pepe's shrill yell and a crashing -in the brush. Then followed the unmistakable roar and crackling of fire. -Pepe had fired the brush--no, he was making his way toward Ken, armed -with a huge torch. - -"Pepe, you'll fire the jungle!" cried Ken, forgetting what was at stake -and that Pepe could not understand much English. But Ken had been in -one forest-fire and remembered it with horror. - -The _javelin_ stirred uneasily, and ran around under Ken, tumbling over -one another. - -When Pepe burst through the brush, holding before him long-stemmed palm -leaves flaring in hissing flames, the whole pack of pigs bowled away -into the forest at breakneck speed. - -Ken leaped down, and the branch came with him. George came running up, -his face white, his eyes big. Behind him rose a roar that Ken thought -might be another drove of pigs till he saw smoke and flame. - -"Boys, the jungle's on fire. Run for the river!" - -In their hurry they miscalculated the location of camp and dashed out of -the jungle over a steep bank, and they all had a tumble. It was -necessary to wade to reach the rocky ledge. - -Ken shook hands with Pepe. - -"George, tell him that was a nervy thing to do. He saved my life, I do -believe." - -"You fellows did a lot of hollering," said Hal, from his perch in the -boat. - -"Say, young man, you've got to go back after my gun. Why didn't you do -what I told you? Foolish, to run into danger that way!" declared Ken, -severely. - -"You don't suppose I was going to overlook a chance to see Ken Ward -treed, do you?" - -"Well, you saw him, and that was no joke. But I wish Pepe could have -scared those pigs off without firing the jungle." - -"Pepe says it 'll give the ticks a good roasting," said George. - -"We'll have roast pig, anyway," added Ken. - -He kept watching the jungle back of the camp as if he expected it to -blow up like a powder-mine. But this Tamaulipas jungle was not Penetier -Forest. A cloud of smoke rolled up; there was a frequent roaring of dry -palms; but the green growths did not burn. It was not much of a -forest-fire, and Ken concluded that it would soon burn out. - -So he took advantage of the waning daylight to spread out his map and -plot in the day's travel. This time Hal watched him with a quiet -attention that was both flattering and stimulating; and at the -conclusion of the task he said: - -"Well, Ken, we're having sport, but we're doing something -more--something worth while." - - - - - *XXI* - - *THE LEAPING TARPON* - - -Just before dark, when the boys were at supper, a swarm of black -mosquitoes swooped down upon camp. - -Pepe could not have shown more fear at angry snakes, and he began to -pile green wood and leaves on the fire to make a heavy smoke. - -These mosquitoes were very large, black-bodied, with white-barred wings. -Their bite was as painful as the sting of a bee. After threshing about -until tired out the boys went to bed. But it was only to get up again, -for the mosquitoes could bite through two thicknesses of blanket. - -For a wonder every one was quiet. Even George did not grumble. The -only thing to do was to sit or stand in the smoke of the campfire. The -boys wore their gloves and wrapped blankets round heads and shoulders. -They crouched over the fire until tired of that position, then stood up -till they could stand no longer. It was a wretched, sleepless night -with the bloodthirsty mosquitoes humming about like a swarm of bees. -They did not go away until dawn. - -"That's what I get for losing the mosquito-netting," said Ken, wearily. - -Breakfast was not a cheerful meal, despite the fact that the boys all -tried to brace up. - -George's condition showed Ken the necessity for renewed efforts to get -out of the jungle. Pepe appeared heavy and slow, and, what was more -alarming, he had lost his appetite. Hal was cross, but seemed to keep -well. It was hard enough for Ken to persuade George and Pepe to take -the bitter doses of quinine, and Hal positively refused. - -"It makes me sick, I tell you," said Hal, impatiently. - -"But Hal, you ought to be guided by my judgment now," replied Ken, -gently. - -"I don't care. I've had enough of bitter pills." - -"I ask you--as a favor?" persisted Ken, quietly. - -"No!" - -"Well, then, I'll have to make you take them." - -"Wha-at?" roared Hal. - -"If necessary, I'll throw you down and pry open your mouth and get Pepe -to stuff these pills down your throat. There!" went on Ken, and now he -did not recognize his own voice. - -Hal looked quickly at his brother, and was amazed and all at once -shaken. - -"Why, Ken--" he faltered. - -"I ought to have made you take them before," interrupted Ken. "But I've -been too easy. Now, Hal, listen--and you, too, George. I've made a bad -mess of this trip. I got you into this jungle, and I ought to have taken -better care of you, whether you would or not. George has fever. Pepe -is getting it. I'm afraid you won't escape. You all _would_ drink -unboiled water." - -"Ken, that's all right, but you can get fever from the bites of the -ticks," said George. - -"I dare say. But just the same you could have been careful about the -water. Not only that--look how careless we have been. Think of the -things that have happened! We've gotten almost wild on this trip. We -don't realize. But wait till we get home. Then we'll hardly be able to -believe we ever had these adventures. But our foolishness, our -carelessness, must stop right here. If we can't profit by our lucky -escapes yesterday--from that lassoed crocodile and the wild pigs--we are -simply no good. I love fun and sport. But there's a limit. Hal, -remember what old Hiram told you about being foolhardily brave. I think -we have been wonderfully lucky. Now let's deserve our good luck. Let's -not prove what that Tampico hotel-man said. Let's show we are not just -wild-goose-chasing boys. I put it to you straight. I think the real -test is yet to come, and I want you to help me. No more tricks. No -more drinking unboiled water. No more shooting except in self-defense. -We must not eat any more meat. No more careless wandering up the banks. -No chances. See? And fight the fever. Don't give up. Then when we -get out of this awful jungle we can look back at our adventures--and, -better, we can be sure we've learned a lot. We shall have accomplished -something, and that's learning. Now, how about it? Will you help me?" - -"You can just bet your life," replied George, and he held out his hand. - -"Ken, I'm with you," was Hal's quiet promise; and Ken knew from the way -the lad spoke that he was in dead earnest. When it came to the last -ditch Hal Ward was as true as steel. He took the raw, bitter quinine -Ken offered and swallowed it without a grimace. - -"Good!" exclaimed Ken. "Now, boys, let's pack. Hal, you let your -menagerie go. There's no use keeping your pets any longer. George, you -make yourself a bed on the trunk, and fix a palm-leaf sun-shelter. Then -lie down." - -When the boat had been packed and all was in readiness for the start, -George was sound asleep. They shoved off into the current. Pepe and Ken -took turns at the oars, making five miles an hour. - -As on the day before, they glided under the shadows of the great -moss-twined cypresses, along the muddy banks where crocodiles basked in -the sun and gaunt cattle came down to drink. Once the boat turned a -bushy point to startle a large flock of wild turkeys, perhaps -thirty-five in number. They had been resting in the cool sand along the -river. Some ran up the bank, some half-dozen flew right over the boat, -and most of them squatted down as if to evade detection. Thereafter -turkeys and ducks and geese became so common as to be monotonous. - -About one o'clock Ken sighted a thatched bamboo and palm-leaf hut on the -bank. - -"Oh, boys, look! look!" cried Ken, joyfully. - -Hal was as pleased as Ken, and George roused out of his slumber. Pepe -grinned and nodded his head. - -Some naked little children ran like quail. A disheveled black head -peeped out of a door, then swiftly vanished. - -"Indians," said George. - -"I don't care," replied Ken, "they're human beings--people. We're -getting somewhere." - -From there on the little bamboo huts were frequently sighted. And soon -Ken saw a large one situated upon a high bluff. Ken was wondering if -these natives would be hospitable. - -Upon rounding the next bend the boys came unexpectedly upon a connecting -river. It was twice as wide as the Santa Rosa, and quite swift. - -"Tamaulipas," said Pepe. - -"Hooray! boys, this is the source of the Panuco, sure as you're born," -cried Ken. "I told you we were getting somewhere." - -He was overcome with the discovery. This meant success. - -"Savalo! Savalo!" exclaimed Pepe, pointing. - -"Tarpon! Tarpon! What do you think of that? 'Way up here! We must be -a long distance from tide-water," said George. - -Ken looked around over the broad pool below the junction of the two -rivers. And here and there he saw swirls, and big splashes, and then -the silver sides of rolling tarpon. - -"Boys, seeing we've packed that can of preserved mullet all the way, and -those thundering heavy tackles, let's try for tarpon," suggested Ken. - -It was wonderful to see how the boys responded. Pepe was no longer slow -and heavy. George forgot he was sick. Hal, who loved to fish better -than to hunt, was as enthusiastic as on the first day. - -"Ken, let me boss this job," said George, as he began to rig the -tackles. "Pepe will row; you and Hal sit back here and troll. I'll make -myself useful. Open the can. See, I hook the mullet just back of the -head, letting the bar come out free. There! Now run out about forty -feet of line. Steady the butt of the rod under your leg. Put your left -hand above the reel. Hold the handle of the reel in your right, and -hold it hard. The drag is in the handle. Now when a tarpon takes the -bait, jerk with all your might. Their mouths are like iron, and it's -hard to get a hook to stick." - -Pepe rowed at a smooth, even stroke and made for the great curve of the -pool where tarpon were breaking water. - -"If they're on the feed, we'll have more sport than we've had yet," said -George. - -Ken was fascinated, and saw that Hal was going to have the best time of -the trip. Also Ken was very curious to have a tarpon strike. He had no -idea what it would be like. Presently, when the boat glided among the -rolling fish and there was prospect of one striking at any moment, Ken -could not subdue a mounting excitement. - -"Steady now--be ready," warned George. - -Suddenly Hal's line straightened. The lad yelled and jerked at the same -instant. There came a roar of splitting waters, and a beautiful silver -fish, longer than Hal himself, shot up into the air. The tarpon shook -himself and dropped back into the water with a crash. - -Hal was speechless. He wound in his line to find the bait gone. - -"Threw the hook," said George, as he reached into the can for another -bait. "He wasn't so big. You'll get used to losing 'em. There! try -again." - -Ken had felt several gentle tugs at his line, as if tarpon were rolling -across it. And indeed he saw several fish swim right over where his -line disappeared in the water. There were splashes all around the boat, -some gentle swishes and others hard, cutting rushes. Then his line -straightened with a heavy jerk. He forgot to try to hook the fish; -indeed, he had no time. The tarpon came half out of the water, wagged -his head, and plumped back. Ken had not hooked the fish, nor had the -fish got the bait. So Ken again let out his line. - -The next thing which happened was that the boys both had strikes at the -same instant. Hal stood up, and as his tarpon leaped it pulled him -forward, and he fell into the stern-seat. His reel-handle rattled on -the gunwale. The line hissed. Ken leaned back and jerked. His fish did -not break water, but he was wonderfully active under the surface. Pepe -was jabbering. George was yelling. Hal's fish was tearing the water to -shreds. He crossed Ken's fish; the lines fouled, and then slacked. Ken -began to wind in. Hal rose to do likewise. - -"Gee!" he whispered, with round eyes. - -Both lines had been broken. George made light of this incident, and -tied on two more leaders and hooks and baited afresh. - -"The fish are on the feed, boys. It's a cinch you'll each catch one. -Better troll one at a time, unless you can stand for crossed lines." - -But Ken and Hal were too eager to catch a tarpon to troll one at a time, -so once more they let their lines out. A tarpon took Hal's bait right -under the stern of the boat. Hal struck with all his might. This fish -came up with a tremendous splash, drenching the boys. His great, -gleaming silver sides glistened in the sun. He curved his body and -straightened out with a snap like the breaking of a board, and he threw -the hook whistling into the air. - -Before Hal had baited up, Ken got another strike. This fish made five -leaps, one after the other, and upon the last threw the hook like a -bullet. As he plunged down, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the misty -spray. - -"Hal, do you see that rainbow?" cried Ken, quickly. "There's a sight -for a fisherman!" - -This time in turn, before Ken started to troll, Hal hooked another -tarpon. This one was not so large, but he was active. His first rush -was a long surge on the surface. He sent the spray in two streaks like a -motor-boat. Then he sounded. - -"Hang on, Hal!" yelled George and Ken in unison. - -Hal was bent almost double and his head was bobbing under the strain. -He could not hold the drag. The line was whizzing out. - -"You got that one hooked," shouted George. "Let go the reel--drop the -handle. Let him run." - -He complied, and then his fish began a marvelous exhibition of lofty -tumbling. He seemed never to stay down at all. Now he shot up, mouth -wide, gills spread, eyes wild, and he shook himself like a wet dog. -Then he dropped back, and before the boys had time to think where he -might be he came up several rods to the right and cracked his gills like -pistol-shots. He skittered on his tail and stood on his head and -dropped flat with a heavy smack. Then he stayed under and began to tug. - -"Hang on, now," cried George. "Wind in. Hold him tight. Don't give -him an inch unless he jumps." - -This was heartbreaking work for Hal. He toiled to keep the line in. He -grew red in the face. He dripped with sweat. He panted for breath. -But he hung on. - -Ken saw how skilfully Pepe managed the boat. The _mozo_ seemed to know -just which way the fish headed, and always kept the boat straight. -Sometimes he rowed back and lent his help to Hal. But this appeared to -anger the tarpon, for the line told he was coming to the surface. Then, -as Pepe ceased to let him feel the weight of the boat, the tarpon sank -again. So the battle went on round and round the great pool. After an -hour of it Hal looked ready to drop. - -"Land him alone if you can," said Ken. "He's tiring, Hal." - -"I'll--land him--or--or bust!" panted Hal. - -"Look out, now!" warned George again. "He's coming up. See the line. -Be ready to trim the boat if he drops aboard. _Wow!_" - -The tarpon slipped smoothly out of the water and shot right over the bow -of the boat. Quick-witted George flung out his hand and threw Hal's rod -round in time to save the line from catching. The fish went down, came -up wagging his head, and then fell with sullen splash. - -"He's done," yelled George. "Now, Hal, hold him for all you're worth. -Not an inch of line!" - -Pepe headed the boat for a sandy beach; and Hal, looking as if about to -have a stroke of apoplexy, clung desperately to the bending rod. The -tarpon rolled and lashed his tail, but his power was mostly gone. -Gradually he ceased to roll, until by the time Pepe reached shore he was -sliding wearily through the water, his silvery side glittering in the -light. - -The boat grated on the sand. Pepe leaped out. Then he grasped Hal's -line, slipped his hands down to the long wire leader, and with a quick, -powerful pull slid the tarpon out upon the beach. - -"Oh-h!" gasped Hal, with glistening eyes. "Oh-h! Ken, just look!" - -"I'm looking, son, and don't you forget it." - -The tarpon lay inert, a beautiful silver-scaled creature that looked as -if he had just come from a bath of melted opals. The great dark eyes -were fixed and staring, the tail moved feebly, the long dorsal fin -quivered. - -He measured five feet six inches in length, which was one inch more than -Hal's height. - -"Ken, the boys back home will never believe I caught him," said Hal, in -distress. - -"Take his picture to prove it," replied Ken. - -Hal photographed his catch. Pepe took out the hook, showing, as he did -so, the great iron-like plates in the mouth of the fish. - -"No wonder it's hard to hook them," said Ken. - -Hal certainly wanted his beautiful fish to go back, free and little -hurt, to the river. But also he wanted him for a specimen. Hal -deliberated. Evidently he was considering the labor of skinning such a -huge fish and the difficulty of preserving and packing the hide. - -"Say, Hal, wouldn't you like to see me hook one?" queried Ken, -patiently. - -That brought Hal to his senses. - -"Sure, Ken, old man, I want you to catch one--a big one--bigger than -mine," replied Hal, and restored the fish to the water. - -They all watched the liberated tarpon swim wearily off and slip down -under the water. - -"He'll have something to tell the rest, won't he?" said George. - -In a few minutes the boat was again in the center of the great pool -among the rolling tarpon. Ken had a strike immediately. He missed. -Then he tried again. And in a short space of time he saw five tarpon in -the air, one after the other, and not one did he hook securely. He got -six leaps out of one, however, and that was almost as good as landing -him. - -"There 're some whales here," said George. - -"Grande savalo," added Pepe, and he rowed over to where a huge fish was -rolling. - -"Oh, I don't want to hook the biggest one first," protested Ken. - -Pepe rowed to and fro. The boys were busy trying to see the rolling -tarpon. There would be a souse on one side, then a splash on the other, -then a thump behind. What with trying to locate all these fish and -still keep an eye on Ken's line the boys almost dislocated their necks. - -Then, quick as a flash, Ken had a strike that pulled him out of his seat -to his knees. He could not jerk. His line was like a wire. It began to -rise. With all his strength he held on. The water broke in a hollow, -slow roar, and a huge humpbacked tarpon seemed to be climbing into the -air. But he did not get all the way out, and he plunged back with a -thunderous crash. He made as much noise as if a horse had fallen off a -bridge. - -The handle of the reel slipped out of Ken's grasp, and it was well. The -tarpon made a long, wonderful run and showed on the surface a hundred -yards from the boat. He was irresistibly powerful. Ken was astounded -and thrilled at his strength and speed. There, far away from the boat, -the tarpon leaped magnificently, clearing the water, and then went down. -He did not come up again. - -"Ken, he's a whale," said George. "I believe he's well hooked. He -won't jump any more. And you've got a job on your hands." - -"I want him to jump." - -"The big ones seldom break water after the first rush or so." - -"Ken, it's coming to you with that fellow," said Hal. "My left arm is -paralyzed. Honestly, I can pinch it and not feel the pain." - -Pepe worked the boat closer and Ken reeled in yard after yard of line. -The tarpon was headed down-stream, and he kept up a steady, strong -strain. - -"Let him tow the boat," said George. "Hold the drag, Ken. Let him tow -the boat." - -"What!" exclaimed Ken, in amaze. - -"Oh, he'll do it, all right." - -And so it proved. Ken's tarpon, once headed with the current, did not -turn, and he towed the boat. - -"This is a new way for me to tire out a fish," said Ken. "What do you -think of it, Hal?" - -Hal's eyes glistened. - -"This is fishing. Ken, did you see him when he came up?" - -"Not very clearly. I had buck-fever. You know how a grouse looks when -he flushes right under your feet--a kind of brown blur. Well, this was -the same, only silver." - -At the end of what Ken judged to be a mile the tarpon was still going. -At the end of the second mile he was tired. And three miles down the -river from where the fish was hooked Pepe beached the boat on a sandbar -and hauled ashore a tarpon six feet ten inches long. - -Here Ken echoed Hal's panting gasp of wonder and exultation. As he sat -down on the boat to rest he had no feeling in his left arm, and little -in his right. His knuckles were skinned and bloody. No game of -baseball he had ever pitched had taken his strength like the conquest of -this magnificent fish. - -"Hal, we'll have some more of this fishing when we get to Tampico," said -Ken. "Why, this beats hunting. You have the sport, and you needn't -kill anything. This tarpon isn't hurt." - -So Ken photographed his prize and measured him, and, taking a last -lingering glance at the great green back, the silver-bronze sides, the -foot-wide flukes of the tail, at the whole quivering fire-tinted length, -he slid the tarpon back into the river. - - - - - *XXII* - - *STRICKEN DOWN* - - -Much as Ken would have liked to go back to that pool, he did not think -of it twice. And as soon as the excitement had subsided and the journey -was resumed, George and Hal, and Pepe, too, settled down into a silent -weariness that made Ken anxious. - -During the afternoon Ken saw Pepe slowly droop lower and lower at the -oars till the time came when he could scarcely lift them to make a -stroke. And when Ken relieved him of them, Pepe fell like a log in the -boat. - -George slept. Hal seemed to be fighting stupor. Pepe lay motionless on -his seat. They were all going down with the fever, that Ken knew, and -it took all his courage to face the situation. It warmed his heart to -see how Hal was trying to bear up under a languor that must have been -well-nigh impossible to resist. At last Hal said: - -"Ken, let me row." He would not admit that he was sick. - -Ken thought it would do Hal no harm to work. But Ken did not want to -lose time. So he hit upon a plan that pleased him. There was an extra -pair of oars in the boat. Ken fashioned rude pegs from a stick and drove -these down into the cleat inside the gunwales. With stout rope he tied -the oars to the pegs, which answered fairly well as oarlocks. Then they -had a double set of oars going, and made much better time. - -George woke and declared that he must take a turn at the oars. So Ken -let him row, too, and rested himself. He had a grim foreboding that he -would need all his strength. - -The succeeding few hours before sunset George and Hal more than made up -for all their delinquencies of the past. At first it was not very hard -for them to row; but soon they began to weary, then weaken. Neither -one, however, would give up. Ken let them row, knowing that it was good -for them. Slower and slower grew George's strokes, there were times when -he jerked up spasmodically and made an effort, only to weaken again. At -last, with a groan he dropped the oars. Ken had to lift him back into -the bow. - -Hal was not so sick as George, and therefore not so weak. He lasted -longer. Ken had seen the lad stick to many a hard job, but never as he -did to this one. Hal was making good his promise. There were times -when his breath came in whistles. He would stop and pant awhile, then -row on. Ken pretended he did not notice. But he had never been so -proud of his brother nor loved him so well. - -"Ken, old man," said Hal, presently. "I was--wrong--about the water. I -ought to have obeyed you. I--I'm pretty sick." - -What a confession for Hal Ward! - -Ken turned in time to see Hal vomit over the gunwale. - -"It's pretty tough, Hal," said Ken, as he reached out to hold his -brother's head; "but you're game. I'm so glad to see that." - -Whereupon Hal went back to his oars and stayed till he dropped. Ken -lifted him and laid him beside George. - -Ken rowed on with his eyes ever in search of a camping-site. But there -was no place to camp. The muddy banks were too narrow at the bottom, -too marshy and filthy. And they were too steep to climb to the top. - -The sun set. Twilight fell. Darkness came on, and still Ken rowed down -the river. At last he decided to make a night of it at the oars. He -preferred to risk the dangers of the river at night rather than spend -miserable hours in the mud. Rousing the boys, he forced them to swallow -a little cold rice and some more quinine. Then he covered them with -blankets, and had scarce completed the task when they were deep in -slumber. - -Then the strange, dense tropical night settled down upon Ken. The oars -were almost noiseless, and the water gurgled softly from the bow. -Overhead the expanse was dark blue, with a few palpitating stars. The -river was shrouded in gray gloom, and the banks were lost in black -obscurity. Great fireflies emphasized the darkness. He trusted a good -deal to luck in the matter of going right; yet he kept his ear keen for -the sound of quickening current, and turned every few strokes to peer -sharply into the gloom. He seemed to have little sense of peril, for, -though he hit submerged logs and stranded on bars, he kept on unmindful, -and by and by lost what anxiety he had felt. The strange wildness of -the river at night, the gray, veiled space into which he rowed unheeding -began to work upon his mind. - -That was a night to remember--a night of sounds and smells, of the -feeling of the cool mist, the sight of long, dark forest-line and a -golden moon half hidden by clouds. Prominent among these was the trill -of river frogs. The trill of a northern frog was music, but that of -these great, silver-throated jungle frogs was more than music. Close at -hand one would thrill Ken with mellow, rich notes; and then from far -would come the answer, a sweet, high tenor, wilder than any other -wilderness sound, long sustained, dying away till he held his breath to -listen. - -So the hours passed; and the moon went down into the weird shadows, and -the Southern Cross rose pale and wonderful. - -Gradually the stars vanished in a kind of brightening gray, and dawn was -at hand. Ken felt weary for sleep, and his arms and back ached. Morning -came, with its steely light on the river, the rolling and melting of -vapors, the flight of ducks and call of birds. The rosy sun brought no -cheer. - -Ken beached the boat on a sand-bar. While he was building a fire George -raised his head and groaned. But neither Pepe nor Hal moved. Ken -cooked rice and boiled cocoa, which he choked down. He opened a can of -fruit and found that most welcome. Then he lifted George's head, shook -him, roused him, and held him, and made him eat and drink. Nor did he -neglect to put a liberal dose of quinine in the food. Pepe was easily -managed, but poor Hal was almost unable to swallow. Something terribly -grim mingled with a strong, passionate thrill as Ken looked at Hal's -haggard face. Then Ken Ward knew how much he could stand, what work he -could do to get his brother out of the jungle. - -He covered the boys again and pushed out the boat. At the moment he -felt a strength that he had never felt before. There was a good, swift -current in the river, and Ken was at great pains to keep in it. The -channel ran from one side of the river to the other. Many times Ken -stranded on sandy shoals and had to stand up and pole the boat into -deeper water. This was work that required all his attention. It -required more than patience. But as he rowed and poled and drifted he -studied the shallow ripples and learned to avoid the places where the -boat would not float. - -There were stretches of river where the water was comparatively deep, -and along these he rested and watched the shores as he drifted by. He -saw no Indian huts that morning. The jungle loomed high and dark, a -matted gray wall. The heat made the river glare and smoke. Then where -the current quickened he rowed steadily and easily, husbanding his -strength. - -More than all else, even the ravings of Hal in fever, the thing that -wore on Ken and made him gloomy was the mourning of turtle-doves. As -there had been thousands of these beautiful birds along the Santa Rosa -River, so there were millions along the Panuco. Trees were blue with -doves. There was an incessant soft, sad moaning. He fought his -nervous, sensitive imaginings. And for a time he would conquer the -sense of some sad omen sung by the doves. Then the monotony, the -endless sweet "coo-ooo-ooo," seemed to drown him in melancholy sound. -There were three distinct tones--a moan, swelling to full ring, and -dying away: "Coo-_ooo_-ooo--coo-_ooo_-ooo." - -All the afternoon the mourning, haunting song filled Ken Ward's ears. -And when the sun set and night came, with relief to his tortured ear but -not to mind, Ken kept on without a stop. - -The day had slipped behind Ken with the miles, and now it was again -dark. It seemed that he had little sense of time. But his faculties of -sight and hearing were singularly acute. Otherwise his mind was like -the weird gloom into which he was drifting. - -Before the stars came out the blackness was as thick as pitch. He could -not see a yard ahead. He backed the boat stern first down-stream and -listened for the soft murmur of ripples on shoals. He avoided these by -hearing alone. Occasionally a huge, dark pile of driftwood barred his -passage, and he would have to go round it. Snags loomed up specter-like -in his path, seemingly to reach for him with long, gaunt arms. -Sometimes he drifted upon sand-bars, from which he would patiently pole -the boat. - -When the heavy dew began to fall he put on his waterproof coat. The -night grew chill. Then the stars shone out. This lightened the river. -Yet everywhere were shadows. Besides, clouds of mist hung low, in places -obscuring the stars. - -Ken turned the boat bow first downstream and rowed with slow, even -stroke. He no longer felt tired. He seemed to have the strength of a -giant. He fancied that with one great heave he could lift the boat out -of the water or break the oars. From time to time he ceased to row, -and, turning his head, he looked and listened. The river had numerous -bends, and it was difficult for Ken to keep in the middle channel. He -managed pretty well to keep right by watching the dark shore-line where -it met the deep-blue sky. In the bends the deepest water ran close to -the shore of the outside curve. And under these high banks and the -leaning cypresses shadows were thicker and blacker than in the earlier -night. There was mystery in them that Ken felt. - -The sounds he heard when he stopped during these cautious resting -intervals were the splashes of fish breaking water, the low hum of -insects, and the trill of frogs. The mourning of the doves during -daylight had haunted him, and now he felt the same sensation at this -long-sustained, exquisitely sweet trill. It pierced him, racked him, -and at last, from sheer exhaustion of his sensibilities, he seemed not -to hear it any more, but to have it in his brain. - -The moon rose behind the left-hand jungle wall, silvered half of the -river and the opposite line of cypresses, then hid under clouds. - -Suddenly, near or far away, down the river Ken saw a wavering light. It -was too large for a firefly, and too steady. He took it for a -Jack-o'-lantern. And for a while it enhanced the unreality, the -ghostliness of the river. But it was the means of bringing Ken out of -his dreamy gloom. It made him think. The light was moving. It was too -wavering for a Jack-o'-lantern. It was coming up-stream. It grew -larger. - -Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished. Ken lost sight of it -under a deep shadow of overhanging shore. As he reached a point -opposite to where it disappeared he thought he heard a voice. But he -could not be sure. He did not trust his ears. The incident, however, -gave him a chill. What a lonesome ride! He was alone on that unknown -river with three sick boys in the boat. Their lives depended upon his -care, his strength, his skill, his sight and hearing. And the -realization, striking him afresh, steeled his arms again and his spirit. - -The night wore on. The moon disappeared entirely. The mists hung low -like dim sheets along the water. Ken was wringing-wet with dew. Long -periods of rowing he broke with short intervals of drifting, when he -rested at the oars. - -Then drowsiness attacked him. For hours it seemed he fought it off. -But at length it grew overpowering. Only hard rowing would keep him -awake. And, as he wanted to reserve his strength, he did not dare exert -himself violently. He could not keep his eyes open. Time after time he -found himself rowing when he was half asleep. The boat drifted against -a log and stopped. Ken drooped over his oars and slept, and yet he -seemed not altogether to lose consciousness. He roused again to row on. - -It occurred to him presently that he might let the boat drift and take -naps between whiles. When he drifted against a log or a sand-bar the -jar would awaken him. The current was sluggish. There seemed to be no -danger whatever. He must try to keep his strength. A little sleep -would refresh him. So he reasoned, and fell asleep over the oars. - -Sooner or later--he never knew how long after he had fallen asleep--a -little jar awakened him. Then the gurgle and murmur of water near him -and the rush and roar of a swift current farther off made him look up -with a violent start. All about him was wide, gray gloom. Yet he could -see the dark, glancing gleam of the water. Movement of the oars told -him the boat was fast on a sand-bar. That relieved him, for he was not -drifting at the moment into the swift current he heard. Ken peered -keenly into the gloom. Gradually he made out a long, dark line running -diagonally ahead of him and toward the right-hand shore. It could not -be an island or a sand-bar or a shore-line. It could not be piles of -driftwood. There was a strange regularity in the dark upheavals of this -looming object. Ken studied it. He studied the black, glancing water. -Whatever the line was, it appeared to shunt the current over to the -right, whence came the low rush and roar. - -Altogether it was a wild, strange place. Ken felt a fear of something he -could not name. It was the river--the night--the loneliness--the unknown -about him and before him. - -Suddenly he saw a dull, red light far down the river. He stiffened in -his seat. Then he saw another red light. They were like two red eyes. -Ken shook himself to see if he had nightmare. No; the boat was there; -the current was there; the boys were there, dark and silent under their -blankets. This was no dream. Ken's fancy conjured up some red-eyed -river demon come to destroy him and his charges. He scorned the fancy, -laughed at it. But, all the same, in that dark, weird place, with the -murmuring of notes in his ears and with those strange red eyes glowing -in the distance, he could not help what his emotions made the truth. He -was freezing to the marrow, writhing in a clammy sweat when a low -"chug-chug-chug" enlightened him. The red eyes were those of a -steamboat. - -A steamboat on the wild Panuco! Ken scarcely believed his own judgment. -Then he remembered that George said there were a couple of boats plying -up and down the lower Panuco, mostly transporting timber and cattle. -Besides, he had proof of his judgment in the long, dark line that had so -puzzled him--it was a breakwater. It turned the current to the left, -where there evidently was a channel. - -The great, red eyes gleamed closer, the "chug-chug-chug" sounded louder. -Then another sound amazed Ken--a man's voice crying out steadily and -monotonously. - -Ken wanted to rouse the boys and Pepe, but he refrained. It was best -for them to sleep. How surprised they would be when he told them about -the boat that passed in the night! Ken now clearly heard the splashing -of paddles, the chug of machinery, and the man's voice. He was -singsonging: "Dos y media, dos y media, dos y media." - -Ken understood a little Mexican, and this strange cry became clear to -him. The man was taking soundings with a lead and crying out to the -pilot. _Dos y media_ meant two and a half feet of water. Then the -steam-boat loomed black in the gray gloom. It was pushing a low, flat -barge. Ken could not see the man taking soundings, but he heard him and -knew he was on the front end of the barge. The boat passed at fair -speed, and it cheered Ken. For he certainly ought to be able to take a -rowboat where a steamboat had passed. And, besides, he must be getting -somewhere near the little village of Panuco. - -He poled off the bar and along the breakwater to the channel. It was -narrow and swift. He wondered how the pilot of the steamboat had -navigated in the gloom. He slipped down-stream, presently to find -himself once more in a wide river. Refreshed by his sleep and -encouraged by the meeting with the steamboat, Ken settled down to steady -rowing. - -The stars paled, the mist thickened, fog obscured the water and shore; -then all turned gray, lightened, and dawn broke. The sun burst out. -Ken saw thatched huts high on the banks and occasionally natives. This -encouraged him all the more. - -He was not hungry, but he was sick for a drink. He had to fight himself -to keep from drinking the dirty river-water. How different it was here -from the clear green of the upper Santa Rosa! Ken would have given his -best gun for one juicy orange. George was restless and rolling about, -calling for water; Hal lay in slumber or stupor; and Pepe sat up. He -was a sick-looking fellow, but he was better; and that cheered Ken as -nothing yet had. - -Ken beached the boat on a sandy shore, and once again forced down a -little rice and cocoa. Pepe would not eat, yet he drank a little. -George was burning up with fever, and drank a full cup. Hal did not -stir, and Ken thought it best to let him lie. - -As Ken resumed the journey the next thing to attract his attention was a -long canoe moored below one of the thatched huts. This afforded him -great satisfaction. At least he had passed the jungle wilderness, where -there was nothing that even suggested civilization. In the next few -miles he noticed several canoes and as many natives. Then he passed a -canoe that was paddled by two half-naked bronze Indians. Pepe hailed -them, but either they were too unfriendly to reply or they did not -understand him. - -Some distance below Pepe espied a banana grove, and he motioned Ken to -row ashore. Ken did so with pleasure at the thought of getting some -fresh fruit. There was a canoe moored to the roots of a tree and a path -leading up the steep bank. Pepe got out and laboriously toiled up the -bare path. He was gone a good while. - -Presently Ken heard shouts, then the bang of a lightly loaded gun, then -yells from Pepe. - -"What on earth!" cried Ken, looking up in affright. - -Pepe appeared with his arms full of red bananas. He jumped and -staggered down the path and almost fell into the boat. But he hung on -to the bananas. - -"Santa Maria!" gasped Pepe, pointing to little bloody spots on the calf -of his leg. - -"Pepe, you've been shot!" ejaculated Ken. "You stole the fruit--somebody -shot you!" - -Pepe howled his affirmative. Ken was angry at himself, angrier at Pepe, -and angriest at the native who had done the shooting. With a strong -shove Ken put the boat out and then rowed hard down-stream. As he -rounded a bend a hundred yards below he saw three natives come tumbling -down the path. They had a gun. They leaped into the canoe. They meant -pursuit. - -"Say, but this is a pretty kettle of fish!" muttered Ken, and he bent to -the oars. - -Of course Pepe had been in the wrong. He should have paid for the -bananas or asked for them. All the same, Ken was not in any humor to be -fooled with by excitable natives. He had a sick brother in the boat and -meant to get that lad out of the jungle as quickly as will and strength -could do it. He certainly did not intend to be stopped by a few -miserable Indians angry over the loss of a few bananas. If it had not -been for the gun, Ken would have stopped long enough to pay for the -fruit. But he could not risk it now. So he pulled a strong stroke -down-stream. - -The worst of the matter developed when Pepe peeled one of the bananas. -It was too green to eat. - -Presently the native canoe hove in sight round the bend. All three men -were paddling. They made the long craft fly through the water. Ken saw -instantly that they would overhaul him in a long race, and this added to -his resentment. Pepe looked back and jabbered and shook his brawny -fists at the natives. Ken was glad to see that the long stretch of -river below did not show a canoe or hut along the banks. He preferred -to be overhauled, if he had to be, in a rather lonely spot. - -It was wonderful how those natives propelled that log canoe. And when -one of the three dropped his paddle to pick up the gun, the speed of the -canoe seemed not to diminish. They knew the channels, and so gained on -Ken. He had to pick the best he could choose at short notice, and -sometimes he chose poorly. - -Two miles or more below the bend the natives with the gun deliberately -fired, presumably at Pepe. The shot scattered and skipped along the -water and did not come near the boat. Nevertheless, as the canoe was -gaining and the crazy native was reloading, Ken saw he would soon be -within range. Something had to be done. - -Ken wondered if he could not frighten those natives. They had probably -never heard the quick reports of a repeating rifle, let alone the -stinging cracks of an automatic. Ken decided it would be worth trying. -But he must have a chance to get the gun out of its case and load it. - -That chance came presently. The natives, in paddling diagonally across -a narrow channel, ran aground in the sand. They were fast for only a -few moments, but in that time Ken had got out the little rifle and -loaded it. - -Pepe's dark face turned a dirty white, and his eyes dilated. He -imagined Ken was going to kill some of his countrymen. But Pepe never -murmured. He rubbed the place in his leg where he had been shot, and -looked back. - -Ken rowed on, now leisurely. There was a hot anger within him, but he -had it in control. He knew what he was about. Again the native fired, -and again his range was short. The distance was perhaps two hundred -yards. - -Ken waited until the canoe, in crossing one of the many narrow places, -was broadside toward him. Then he raised the automatic. There were at -least ten feet in the middle of the canoe where it was safe for him to -hit without harm to the natives. And there he aimed. The motion of his -boat made it rather hard to keep the sights right. He was cool, -careful; he aimed low, between gunwale and the water, and steadily he -pulled the trigger--once, twice, three times, four, five. - -The steel-jacketed bullets "spoued" on the water and "cracked" into the -canoe. They evidently split both gunwales low down at the water-line. -The yelling, terror-stricken natives plunged about, and what with their -actions and the great split in the middle the canoe filled and sank. -The natives were not over their depth; that was plainly evident. -Moreover, it was equally evident that they dared not wade in the -quicksand. So they swam to the shallower water, and there, like huge -turtles, floundered toward the shore. - - - - - *XXIII* - - *OUT OF THE JUNGLE* - - -Before the natives had reached the shore they were hidden from Ken's -sight by leaning cypress-trees. Ken, however, had no fear for their -safety. He was sorry to cause the Indians' loss of a gun and a canoe; -nevertheless, he was not far from echoing Pepe's repeated: "Bueno! -Bueno! Bueno!" - -Upon examination Ken found two little bloody holes in the muscles of -Pepe's leg. A single shot had passed through. Ken bathed the wounds -with an antiseptic lotion and bound them with clean bandages. - -Pepe appeared to be pretty weak, so Ken did not ask him to take the -oars. Then, pulling with long, steady stroke, Ken set out to put a long -stretch between him and the angry natives. The current was swift, and -Ken made five miles or more an hour. He kept that pace for three hours -without a rest. And then he gave out. It seemed that all at once he -weakened. His back bore an immense burden. His arms were lead, and his -hands were useless. There was an occasional mist or veil before his -sight. He was wet, hot, breathless, numb. But he knew he was safe from -pursuit. So he rested and let the boat drift. - -George sat up, green in the face, a most miserable-looking boy. But -that he could sit up at all was hopeful. - -"Oh, my head!" he moaned. "Is there anything I can drink? My mouth is -dry--pasted shut." - -Ken had two lemons he had been saving. He cut one in halves and divided -it between Pepe and George. The relief the sour lemon afforded both -showed Ken how wise he had been to save the lemons. Then he roused Hal, -and, lifting the lad's head, made him drink a little of the juice. Hal -was a sick boy, too weak to sit up without help. - -"Don't--you worry--Ken," he said. "I'm going--to be--all right." - -Hal was still fighting. - -Ken readjusted the palm-leaf shelter over the boys so as to shade them -effectually from the hot sun, and then he went back to the oars. - -As he tried once more to row, Ken was reminded of the terrible lassitude -that had overtaken him the day he had made the six-hour climb out of the -Grand Canon. The sensation now was worse, but Ken had others depending -upon his exertions, and that spurred him to the effort which otherwise -would have been impossible. - -It was really not rowing that Ken accomplished. It was a weary puttering -with oars he could not lift, handles he could not hold. At best he -managed to guide the boat into the swiftest channels. Whenever he felt -that he was just about to collapse, then he would look at Hal's pale -face. That would revive him. So the hot hours dragged by. - -They came, after several miles, upon more huts and natives. And farther -down they met canoes on the river. Pepe interrogated the natives. -According to George, who listened, Panuco was far, far away, many -kilometers. This was most disheartening. Another native said the -village was just round the next bend. This was most nappy information. -But it turned out to be a lie. There was no village around any -particular bend--nothing save bare banks for miles. The stretches of -the river were long, and bends far apart. - -Ken fell asleep. When he awoke he found Pepe at the oars. Watching -him, Ken fancied he was recovering, and was overjoyed. - -About four o'clock in the afternoon Pepe rowed ashore and beached the -boat at the foot of a trail leading up to a large bamboo and thatch hut. -This time Ken thought it well to accompany Pepe. And as he climbed the -path he found his legs stiffer and shakier than ever before. - -Ken saw a cleared space in which were several commodious huts, gardens, -and flowers. There was a grassy yard in which little naked children were -playing with tame deer and tiger-cats. Parrots were screeching, and -other tame birds fluttered about. It appeared a real paradise to Ken. - -Two very kindly disposed and wondering native women made them welcome. -Then Ken and Pepe went down to the boat and carried Hal up, and went -back for George. - -It developed that the native women knew just what to do for the -fever-stricken boys. They made some kind of a native drink for them, and -after that gave them hot milk and chicken and rice soup. George -improved rapidly, and Hal brightened a little and showed signs of -gathering strength. - -Ken could not eat until he had something to quench his thirst. Upon -inquiring, Pepe found that the natives used the river-water. Ken could -not drink that. Then Pepe pointed out an orange-tree, and Ken made a -dive for it. The ground was littered with oranges. Collecting an -armful, Ken sat under the tree and with wild haste began to squeeze the -juice into his mouth. Never had anything before tasted so cool, so -sweet, so life-giving! He felt a cool, wet sensation steal all through -his body. He never knew till that moment how really wonderful and -precious an orange could be. He thought that as he would hate mourning -turtle-doves all the rest of his life, so he would love the sight and -smell and taste of oranges. And he demolished twenty-two before he -satisfied his almost insatiable thirst. After that the chicken and rice -made him feel like a new boy. - -Then Ken made beds under a kind of porch, and he lay down in one, -stretched out languidly and gratefully, as if he never intended to move -again, and his eyes seemed to be glued shut. - -When he awoke the sun was shining in his face. When he had gone to bed -it had been shining at his back. He consulted his watch. He had slept -seventeen hours. - -When he got up and found Pepe as well as before he had been taken with -the fever and George on his feet and Hal awake and actually smiling, Ken -experienced a sensation of unutterable thankfulness. A terrible burden -slipped from his shoulders. For a moment he felt a dimming of his eyes -and a lump in his throat. - -"How about you, Ken, old man?" inquired Hal, with a hint of his usual -spirit. - -"Wal, youngster, I reckon fer a man who's been through some right pert -happenin's, I'm in tol'able shape," drawled Ken. - -"I'll bet two dollars you've been up against it," declared Hal, -solemnly. - -Then, as they sat to an appetizing breakfast, Ken gave them a brief -account of the incidents of the two days and two nights when they were -too ill to know anything. - -It was a question whether George's voluble eulogy of Ken's feat or Hal's -silent, bright-eyed pride in his brother was the greater compliment. - -Finally Hal said: "Won't that tickle Jim Williams when we tell him how -you split up the Indians' canoe and spilled them into the river?" - -Then Ken conceived the idea of climbing into the giant ceiba that stood -high on the edge of the bluff. It was hard work, but he accomplished -it, and from a fork in the top-most branches he looked out. That was a -warm, rich, wonderful scene. Ken felt that he would never forget it. -His interest now, however, was not so much in its beauty and wildness. -His keen eye followed the river as it wound away into the jungle, and -when he could no longer see the bright ribbon of water he followed its -course by the line of magnificent trees. It was possible to trace the -meandering course of the river clear to the rise of the mountains, dim -and blue in the distance. And from here Ken made more observations and -notes. - -As he went over in his mind the map and notes and report he had prepared -he felt that he had made good. He had explored and mapped more than a -hundred miles of wild jungle river. He felt confident that he had -earned the trip to England and the German forests. He might win a -hunting trip on the vast uplands of British East Africa. But he felt -also that the reward of his uncle's and his father's pride would be more -to him. That was a great moment for Ken Ward. And there was yet much -more that he could do to make this exploring trip a success. - -[Illustration: Ken Ward's Map] - -When he joined the others he found that Pepe had learned that the -village of Panuco was distant a day or a night by canoe. How many miles -or kilometers Pepe could not learn. Ken decided it would be best to go -on at once. It was not easy to leave that pleasant place, with its music -of parrots and other birds, and the tiger-cats that played like kittens, -and the deer that ate from the hand. The women would accept no pay, so -Ken made them presents. - -Once more embarked, Ken found his mood reverting to that of the last -forty-eight hours. He could not keep cheerful. The river was dirty and -the smell sickening. The sun was like the open door of a furnace. And -Ken soon discovered he was tired, utterly tired. - -That day was a repetition of the one before, hotter, wearier, and the -stretches of river were longer, and the natives met in canoes were -stolidly ignorant of distance. The mourning of turtle-doves almost -drove Ken wild. There were miles and miles of willows, and every tree -was full of melancholy doves. At dusk the boys halted on a sand-bar, -too tired to cook a dinner, and sprawled in the warm sand to sleep like -logs. - -In the morning they brightened up a little, for surely just around the -bend they would come to Panuco. Pepe rowed faithfully on, and bend -after bend lured Ken with deceit. He was filled with weariness and -disgust, so tired he could hardly lift his hand, so sleepy he could -scarcely keep his eyes open. He hated the wide, glassy stretches of -river and the muddy banks and dusty cattle. - -At noon they came unexpectedly upon a cluster of thatched huts, to find -that they made up the village of Panuco. Ken was sick, for he had -expected a little town where they could get some drinking-water and hire -a launch to speed them down to Tampico. This appeared little more than -the other places he had passed, and he climbed up the bank wearily, -thinking of the long fifty miles still to go. - -But Panuco was bigger and better than it looked from the river. The -boys found a clean, comfortable inn, where they dined well, and learned -to their joy that a coach left in an hour for Tamos to meet the -five-o'clock train to Tampico. - -They hired a _mozo_ to row the boat to Tampico and, carrying the lighter -things, boarded the coach, and, behind six mules, were soon bowling over -a good level road. - -It was here that the spirit of Ken's mood again changed, and somehow -seemed subtly conveyed to the others. The gloom faded away as Ken had -seen the mist-clouds dissolve in the morning sunlight. It was the end -of another wild trip. Hal was ill, but a rest and proper care would -soon bring him around. Ken had some trophies and pictures, but he also -had memories. And he believed he had acquired an accurate knowledge of -the jungle and its wild nature, and he had mapped the river from Micas -Falls to Panuco. - -"Well, it certainly _did come_ to us, didn't it?" asked George, naively, -for the hundredth time. "Didn't I tell you? By gosh, I can't remember -what did come off. But we had a dandy time." - -"Great!" replied Ken. "I had more than I wanted. I'll never spring -another stunt like this one!" - -Hal gazed smilingly at his brother. - -"Bah! Ken Ward, bring on your next old trip!" - -Which proved decidedly that Hal was getting better and that he alone -understood his brother. - -Pepe listened and rubbed his big hands, and there was a light in his -dark eyes. - -Ken laughed. It was good to feel happy just then; it was enough to feel -safe and glad in the present, with responsibility removed, without a -thought of the future. - -Yet, when some miles across country he saw the little town of Tamos -shining red-roofed against the sky, he came into his own again. The old -calling, haunting love of wild places and wild nature returned, and with -dreamy eyes he looked out. He saw the same beauty and life and -wildness. Beyond the glimmering lagoons stretched the dim, dark jungle. -A flock of flamingoes showed pink across the water. Ducks dotted the -weedy marshes. And low down on the rosy horizon a long curved line of -wild geese sailed into the sunset. - -When the boys arrived at Tampico and George had secured comfortable -lodgings for them, the first thing Ken did was to put Hal to bed. It -required main strength to do this. Ken was not taking any chances with -tropical fever, and he sent for a doctor. - -It was not clear whether the faces Hal made were at the little dried-up -doctor or at the medicine he administered. However, it was very clear -that Hal made fun of him and grew bolder the more he believed the man -could not understand English. - -Ken liked the silent, kindly physician, and remonstrated with Hal, and -often, just to keep Hal's mind occupied, he would talk of the university -and baseball, topics that were absorbing to the boy. - -And one day, as the doctor was leaving, he turned to Ken with a twinkle -in his eyes and said in perfect English: "I won't need to come any -more." - -Hal's jaw began to drop. - -"Your brother is all right," went on the doctor. "But he's a fresh kid, -and he'll never make the Wayne Varsity--or a good explorer, either--till -he gets over that freshness. I'm a Wayne man myself. Class of '82. -Good day, boys." - -Ken Ward was astounded. "By George! What do you think of that? He's a -Wayne med. I'll have to look him up. And, Hal, he was just right about -you." - -Hal looked extremely crestfallen and remorseful. - -"I'm always getting jars." - -It took a whole day for him to recover his usual spirits. - -Ken had promptly sent the specimens and his notes to his uncle, and as -the days passed the boys began to look anxiously for some news. In ten -days Hal was as well as ever, and then the boys had such sport with the -tarpon and big sharks and alligator-gars that they almost forgot about -the rewards they had striven so hard for and hoped to win. But finally, -when the mail arrived from home, they were at once happy and fearful. -George was with them that evening, and shared their excitement and -suspense. Hal's letters were from his mother and his sister, and they -were read first. Judge Ward's letter to Ken was fatherly and -solicitous, but brief. He gave the boys six more weeks, cautioned them -to be sensible and to profit by their opportunity, and he inclosed a -bank-draft. Not a word about rewards! - -Ken's fingers trembled a little as he tore open the uncle's letter. He -read it aloud: - - -DEAR KEN,--Congratulations! You've done well. You win the trip to -Africa. Hal's work also was good--several specimens accepted by the -Smithsonian. I'll back you for the Yucatan trip. Will send letters to -the American consul at Progreso, and arrange for you to meet the -Austrian archaeologist Maler, who I hope will take you in hand. - -I want you to make a study of some of the ruins of Yucatan, which I -believe are as wonderful as any in Egypt. I advise you to make this -trip short and to the point, for there are indications of coming -revolution throughout Mexico. - -With best wishes, - UNCLE G. - - -The old varsity cheer rang out from Ken, and Hal began a war-dance. -Then both boys pounced upon George, and for a few moments made life -miserable for him. - -"And I can't go with you!" he exclaimed, sorrowfully. - -Both Ken and Hal shared his disappointment. But presently. George -brightened up. The smile came back which he always wore when prophesying -the uncertain adventures of the future. - -"Well, anyway, I'll be safe home. And you fellows! You'll be getting -yours when you're lost in the wilderness of Yucatan!" - - - - THE END - - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - - _*There's More to Follow!*_ - - -More stories of the sort you like; more, probably, by the author of this -one; more than 500 titles all told by writers of world-wide reputation, -in the Authors' Alphabetical List which you will find on the _reverse -side_ of the wrapper of this book. Look it over before you lay it -aside. There are books here you are sure to want--some, possibly, that -you have _always_ wanted. - -It is a _selected_ list; every book in it has achieved a certain measure -of success. - -The Grosset & Dunlap list is not only the greatest Index of Good Fiction -available, it represents in addition a generally accepted Standard of -Value. It will pay you to - -_Look on the Other Side of the Wrapper!_ - -In case the wrapper is lost write to the publishers for a complete -catalog. - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - *ZANE GREY'S NOVELS* - -May be had wherever books are sold. Ask for Grosset and Dunlap's list. - -THE CALL OF THE CANYON -WANDERER OF THE WASTELAND -TO THE LAST MAN -THE MYSTERIOUS RIDER -THE MAN OF THE FOREST -THE DESERT OF WHEAT -THE U. P. 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