"Well, we will risk that," said the doctor. "Go on." The Malays sighed, and looked piteously at the doctor, whom they considered as dangerous as a spirit if not obeyed; for they knew he had strange medicines, and a lightning apparatus that sent sparks through them, and made their hands hold tightly by a couple of handles. Yes, he was a wonderful and dangerous man that doctor, whom nothing seemed to hurt, and they felt compelled to obey him. They plied the paddles, then, sending the sampan through the sparkling water, till a few minutes after, when there was a loud grating noise, for they were aground. The Malays sprang out, and wading and lifting the boat, they dragged it on into deeper water, jumped in and paddled on again, but only to get once more aground; and this occurred for a few times, after which the paddles had to be set aside, and the men waded and dragged the boat to a standstill. The doctor had found gold in small quantities, and that proved gold to be there, but nothing more, and he rubbed his ear with a vexatious movement. He knew that there was gold in the little streams that came down from the mountains, and probably there was a great deal more there in the mass. But that did not prove this to have been the place visited by Solomon's ships, and he was as far off the goal as ever. "One thing is very evident," muttered the doctor, ill-humouredly, as he made a vicious blow at and missed a teasing fly, "Solomon's ships never came up this river, and we can get no farther without walking. Here, drag the boat under the shelter of that rock, and let's have a feed and a rest. The sun is unbearable!" The men eagerly drew the boat over the stones, amidst which the pellucid water trickled and sparkled, placed it well in the shadow of a towering mass of rock, and then, in the comparative coolness, a good meal was made, after which first one and then the other dropped off to sleep. The sun was setting when the doctor awoke from a dream of being somewhere undergoing a punishment for his sins by being buzzed at by flies that he could not knock off his face and ears. He felt annoyed on seeing how the day was spent; but a little consideration told him that the men were almost knocked up by their exertions, and that they would be the better for the rest. "Well," said the doctor, "how are we to manage now? Will the stream grow deeper higher up?" "No, master," replied the Malay; "the boat can go no farther. We must walk." "Humph! and carry the provisions?" said the doctor. "Yes, if the master wishes to go up to the mountains." "Why, you are afraid, Ismael!" said the doctor. "Yes, master, we are both afraid; but if he says we must go, his servants will follow him right up where the spirits dwell. Look--see," he whispered. "There is one waving its hands to us to tempt us. Don't--no, don't look, master, or you may die." The second Malay threw himself flat in the bottom of the boat, and covered his face with his hands.