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14 oe BRAVE AND BOLD.
us. I believe we are the only civilized people who have.
' water, and by their actions they seemed to be in a great
ever floated upon its waters.”
“I am perfectly satisfied on that point,” returned Proi.
Drearland. “Suppose we name it after you,.Jack?”
“That's it,” echoed Van. ‘Call it Howard River.”
The rest of the party agreed to this, so the stream
was named, as far as our friends were concerned.
Rifles in hand, the floating party kept-a good watch
on either shére. -
_As they reached a bend,sround which the other raft had
‘disappeared, they were suddenly startled by hearing a
loud trumpeting noise.
At first they thought it was a company of soldiers they
were approaching, but a moment’s ‘study told them that .
such a thing was utterly out of the question.
“T know what caused that noise,” said Joe, who had
-been listening attentively. ‘It was made by a herd of
clephants;; I have heard them before.”
“Gracious! you don’t say so!” éxclaimed the professor,
with a look of alarm on his face.
is any danger of their swimming out and attacking us, do
you?” :
“You can’t tell what might happen, old man,” spoke up
rifle ready.” ,
As if to verify his words, a violent crashing was heard
in the underbrush that lined the shore at that point, and
the next moment a herd of eight elephants suddenly ap-
peared and entered the water.
Tack Howard, in a serious tone. “You'd better have your
“Tf we don't want them to bother us, the best thing |
for us to do is to remain perfectly quiet,’ said Van. -
“That is it,” returned Joe.
The huge animals had evidently come to the river for
the purpose of taking a bath, for they merely waded off
a few feet and then proceeded to enjoy themselves after
their own fashion.
They did not appear to notice the raft at all, and soon
they were lost to sight as our friends drifted around a
bend.
Prof. Drearland drew a long breath of relief. He evi-
dently was very much afraid of the elephants.
Wheri the raft had drifted perhaps five miles down the
river the sight of cultivated fields met the eyes of our
friends.
While they were speculating as to what would be the
next thing to turn up they were startled to hear the re-
ports of firearms down the river,
“That is Doc Clancy, I’ll wager!” exclaimed Van.
“Some of the natives. have attacked the raft.”
“You are right,” returned Jack. “Now we must look
out for squalls.” : /
The further they drifted the narrower the stream be-
came, while the current kept on increasing in force.
- The mass of timber was now floating along at the rate
of at least ten miles an hour.
Presently the explorers came in sight of a large village
of log houses, situated near the river bank.
Hundreds of white people could be seen about the
vicinity, and our friends dt once concluded that this was
the nation to whom the Amazons belonged.
Van caused their horses to lie down on the logs, and
then all hands dropped from sight behind the timber
_ that had been piled up for that purpose. .
f
MO
eons sce toes MT
“You don’t think there.
the backs of their horses
A crowd of the natives were already at the edge of the
state of excitement. Cott a
As our friends rapidly neared them, a shout went up
from the crowd,-and they proceeded to push off a number
of canoés. . :
The next minute fully a dozen were making for the raft.
The natives ‘were armed with spears and ugly-looking
knives, so our friends thought it best not to allow them to
land upon the raft. —
As the foremost canoe neared them, Jack Howard fired
a shot from his rifle, taking a lock of hair from the head
of one of the men, _ .
In an instant a wild howl went up from the occupants
of the canoes and those on the shore. ©. .
The rifle shot was evidently too much for them to un-
derstand, since they were unable to see our friends.
The canoes put back for shore with all possible speed.
hero.
that.”
“Why so?” asked Dr. Pestle.
“Because the way this current runs leads me to believe
that there must bea falls close by.” yee
“Then we'd better get ashore,”
wards, |: . .
“If we do that we will get into trouble. See! both sides
of the river are lined with the white savages.”
Jack pointed on either side as he spoke. , 7
“Well,” said Van, after a pause, “I think we had better
stick to the raft as long as it holds together under us.”
Oe Hero's words seemed to satisfy all hands, so they
sett le - aid. watched the shore, which was flitting by
it pe teen har the country no longer looked as though
oi jhe sone was now one of wild grandeur—sublime and
The stream had narrow:
the raft, and our
a short time before it would strike the shore and be
Yet they dared not leave it
the boiling, surging waters which
the speed of a race horse, ‘meant
With pale faces the little party waited
Fifteen minutes later they saw that th tr jours n
the raft of logs was about ended. mr Journey OE°
About two hundred yards ahead of them the stream was
so narrow that the raft
in its present alee would not be able to get through
“Mount |
claimed Van. “We must take t
will stand more show with t
them.” /
“But I believe we are drifting into danger, for all
remarked Lank Ed-
ed down to twice the width of
To trust themselves in
nothing but death itself.
© the water now, and we
} he animals than without
CHAPTER Xt.
THE DWARFS
oA . e . . :
horse and sare forthe eee idee of is
an tecepanions quickly followed hie eat -and in
xce ¢ Snort space of time all had sorting upon
7
“I guess they. won’t trouble us much,” remarked: our |
friends knew that it was only a question .
were now running with,
your horses and make for the stern!” -ex-
WY :