"But there's another way, my lad: suppose we up anchor and drop down with the stream for a few miles before letting go again." "I don't like going backward," said Brace, "and we might be getting into a worse place." "Out of the frying-pan into the fire, eh? Right: so we'll stop here and be fried." The division was made, and soon after dark Brace found himself keeping a sharp look-out on deck in company with Briscoe and part of the crew, the captain taking the first watch, while the first and second mates were below with half the men, ready to rush up at the first summons. This plan was quite in accordance with Brace's wishes, for it enabled him to keep stealing down to his brother's berth, and after these visits he would return on deck better satisfied, for the patient was still sleeping heavily, and there was not a symptom visible that could cause alarm. The captain was also of this opinion, he informed Brace, as the young man took a turn or two with him up and down the deck. "You've nothing to fidget about, squire. That arrow was poisoned, sure enough; but what you did, and the bleeding, washed all the bad stuff away, and the wound will begin to heal up at once. There, you go and use your eyes in all directions, my lad. I want to think." The dismissal was imperative, and after sweeping the edge of the forest and gazing for a long time up and down the river again and again with his glass, Brace stopped beside the American, who was seated on the bulwark with one arm holding on by the shrouds and his rifle across his knees, silent and watchful in the extreme. "Seen anything?" whispered Brace. "A few fireflies; and I've heard a splash or two: that's all," was the reply. "Think we shall be attacked to-night?" "Likely enough. If we are it will be by canoes dropping down from that projecting part of the bank yonder. The enemy will come upon us quietly in the darkness, and we shall only know they are here when they begin swarming over the side." "And then?" said Brace, as he stood with his eyes fixed upon the dimly-seen point a hundred yards above, where a faint spark of light glimmered out from time to time as if a party of savages were gathered there, and were passing the time in smoking before the attack was made. "Well, then," said Briscoe coolly, "we shall have to shoot some, and knock the rest back into their canoes or the river, I suppose." "That sounds pleasant," said Brace. "Yes, but we must take the rough with the smooth. One can't expect everything to go right. But don't let's meet trouble half-way. Just as likely as not we may go on for a month now and see no more of the enemy. I wonder whether this river leads up to the old golden city." "Which old golden city are you speaking of?" asked Brace wonderingly. "The old one the Spaniards and the early English voyagers were always seeking." "But that was only an old fable."