"But shure yez are not afeerd o' them, Munday?" asked the Irishman. The Indian only replied by turning on Tipperary Tom a most scornful look. "What is the use of this alarm?" inquired Trevannion. "The galatea does not appear to have sustained any injury. We can easily get her out of her present predicament, by lopping off the branches that are holding her." "Patron," said the Indian, still speaking in a serious tone, "it may not be so easy as you think. We may get clear of the tree-top in ten minutes. In as many hours--perhaps days--we may not get clear of the Gapo. That is why the Mundurucú shows signs of apprehension." "Ho! You think we may have a difficulty in finding our way back to the channel of the river?" "Think it, patron! I am too sure of it. If not, we shall be in the best of good luck." "It's of no use trying to-night, at all events," pursued Trevannion, as he glanced uncertainly around him. "The moon is sinking over the tree-tops. Before we could well get adrift, she'll be gone out of sight. We might only drift deeper into the maze. Is that your opinion, Munday?" "It is, patron. We can do no good by leaving the place to-night. Wiser for us to wait for the light of the sun." "Let all go to rest, then," commanded the patron, "and be ready for work in the morning. We need keep no look-out, I should think. The galatea is as safe here as if moored in a dry dock. She is _aground_, I take it, upon the limb of a tree! Ha! ha! ha!" The thought of such a situation for a sailing craft--moored amid the tops of a tall tree--was of so ludicrous a nature as to elicit a peal of laughter from the patron, which was echoed by the rest of the crew, the Mundurucú alone excepted. His countenance still preserved its expression of uneasiness; and long after the others had sunk into unconscious sleep, he sat upon the stem of the galatea, gazing out into the gloom, with glances that betokened serious apprehension. CHAPTER VII. THE GAPO. The young Paraense had given a correct, although not sufficiently explicit, account of the sort of place in which the galatea had gone "aground."