Out piled Charley, hastily swallowed a cup of coffee, and was ready--all but washing, which he determined he could do at the river. He was stiff and flea-bitten, but otherwise felt all right. He followed his tall father out into the fresh morning. Everything was dripping and soggy, but the sun was going to shine, and dry the world off. Together they trudged through the wetness, into the village. Other gold seekers were trooping down to the river, and the villagers, yawning and weary-eyed after the dance, were watching them, and collecting money due for entertainment. Mr. Grigsby was standing on the river bank, leaning on his rifle and gazing about rather puzzled, while canoe after canoe was pushing off. "No hurry," he spoke, when Charley and Mr. Adams arrived in haste. "Save your breath." "Why's that?" asked Mr. Adams, sharply. "Our canoe's gone, and so are our boatmen!" VIII A TRICK--AND ITS CONSEQUENCES That was so! Here was the very spot where the cayuca had been tethered to a pole. Charley remembered the pole, forked at the upper end. Only the forked tip was visible, for the river had risen amazingly from the rain, and was running over its bank. But the pole was sticking out--and no canoe was attached to it. Of canoe, and of Maria and Francisco, not a sign appeared. Two thirds of the other canoes had gone; the others were rapidly leaving, as their occupants piled into them. The canoe of the long-nosed man and his companions already had started, for its place was vacant. Charley looked to see. "It can't be that they've deserted!" exclaimed his father. Mr. Grigsby shook his head, and smiled. "Scarcely," he said. "See here. I've been waiting to show you." He waded in knee deep, pulled up the pole and returned with it. A fragment of grass rope still hung to it. The rope had been cut! "I think," said Mr. Grigsby, slowly, "that we've our three friends to thank for this. Looks to me as though somebody had cut the rope and set the canoe adrift, with our men in it." "Then they're liable to be miles down the river!" "Just so, baggage and all." "We can't wait," asserted Mr. Adams. "If we wait we run a good chance of missing the steamer. I wouldn't have those three rascals get there first for a thousand dollars. How about another canoe? Have you tried?" "Not yet. I didn't know whether you wanted to leave your baggage." "Certainly I'll leave it. It can follow us. We can't stay here long and run the risk of cholera. If you'll look for a canoe I'll see if we can't hire passage with some of these other parties. Here, gentlemen!" he called, to a canoe about to push out, and not heavily loaded. "Got any room to spare?" "Nary an inch, mister," responded one of the men. And away they went.