“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.