To Brace's satisfaction, his brother seemed all the better for the little exertion he had gone through, and when the boats were once more sought and the fire extinguished to save them from drawing upon themselves the attentions of any Indians who might be near, Sir Humphrey was one of the first to fall asleep under the tent-like sail, the boats swinging gently in the darkness at the end of the rope secured to a huge overhanging bough. "It's a pity not to have kept the fire going, Mr Briscoe," said Brace, as the two sat together trying to pierce the darkness as they gazed towards the shore. "Pity for some things," replied Briscoe; "but there's for and against. It would keep the wild beasts away, but would bring the insects and reptiles to see what it means, besides rousing up the birds to come and singe their wings. I say: everybody seems to have gone to sleep." "Except the two men of the watch in the boats' bows." "I say!" "Yes?" said Brace, for his companion stopped short. "What did Sir Humphrey say to my ideas about the golden city?" "Nothing whatever." "Nothing?" "Not a word, for he did not know." "Didn't you tell him?" "Of course not. Didn't you say that your words were in confidence?" "Yes," said Briscoe, with a grunt, "but I didn't mean to include him. He wouldn't try to argue the case again, would he, and want to have me set ashore here?" "Certainly not. He would say that you had a perfect right to indulge in such dreams. He would not interfere." "Not if I was to begin prospecting?" "Not unless you began to do anything to hinder our trip. But I say, look here: what's the meaning of this sudden interest in gold?" Briscoe smiled. "There's nothing sudden about it," he said. "It came on, as I told you, years ago, and I've been thinking about the golden city ever since." "Golden clouds," said Brace derisively. "Give it up, man, and stick to the birds." "I'll stick to them too," said Briscoe quietly. "I won't interfere with your plans." Brace was silent for a few minutes, during which the darkness seemed to grow deeper, and the strange noises in the forest increased till it was possible for an active imagination to conjure up the approach of endless strange creatures bent upon attacking the invaders of their solitudes. But the time glided on with the water gently lapping at the sides of the boat they were in, and one moment Brace was trying hard to say something to the American, the next he was gliding up the strange river towards the overgrown crumbling walls of a city standing high upon a rocky eminence a little back from the river bank. Then all at once the swift, easy, gliding motion of the boat ceased, and though the sail was well filled out they got no nearer to the city, whose gateway stood temptingly open, while in the glowing evening sunshine crumbling wall and tower appeared to be made of deadened gold.