Part 24 (2/2)

CHAPTER XXV

THE JOURNEY ON THE LAKE

In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle

”Be ready with a ht the torch and I will cover the felloith rew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already tre on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a ony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot

Perfect silence ensued, and the dip of the paddle was no longer heard

With nervous haste Forbes lit the torch, and the sudden light revealed an e bottom up a few yards out in the strea over Guy turned the drifting boat right side up

It was eone to the bottom, and near the center the frail sides, seen plainly in the torchlight, were actually crushed inward like a shattered egg-shell

Where was the occupant of a ht this havoc?

The current carried thehts that were in hisbut a serpent could have inflicted that injury to the canoe”

”That was the e coils must have been thrown around it The poor fellow had only tied out”

”Then the serpentus down the river,” cried the colonel ”I supposed he was dead after that bullet lodged in his neck”

”_That_ serpent is dead,” said Forbes solemnly, ”or I should never have escaped from his coils This is another serpent The riverstatement was unfortunately only too likely to be true

Sir Arthur was terribly distressed, and prophesied a speedy reappearance of the e in store for theh not expressed as openly, and all possible haste was et away from the horrible spot

A brief search was carried on in hopes of finding the lost provision bags, but, with the exception of a single floating paddle, nothing was picked up The bagswas seen of the other canoe--the one originally taken by the savage--and they came to the conclusion that it had been purposely abandoned farther up the river

The balance of that day they traveled with a dread sense of ier The terrible scene so recently witnessed had left an ineffaceable impression and by tacit consent they paddled in silence, afraid of the sound of their own voices

The river had suddenly become narrow, and ran with dizzy speed between two rocky walls that reflected on both sides the glow of the torch which Sir Arthur carried in the stern

Half a dozen ti rapids, but nodrowsiness warned the a landing-place on the left shore which offered so

A small quantity of wood still reht, while they took turns at guarding the caer dared to sleep unprotected and in utter darkness

The scant areat uneasiness, but Chutney infused fresh hope into the party by the confident prediction that if the present daily rate of speed were maintained the supply would last until the end of the journey

Already the pure air of the cavern had done wonders for Sir Arthur and the colonel, and they had nearly recovered their usual health and strength The one canoe held theress than when they had been divided into separate parties

That night nothing occurred to cause any alarood spirits The river still continued narrow and the current swift No dangerous water was encountered, and everything was going on satisfactorily when Guy suddenly shouted with all hisahead they saw a steep rocky pro off into two channels, one to the right, the other to the left