A green bamboo is cut in the forest, and one of the hollow joints is separated from the rest of the stalk; the rice is put inside the bamboo, with a sufficient quantity of water to cook it, and then both ends are loosely closed. The bamboo is then laid in the fire as if to burn it; it gets somewhat charred on the outside, but, before it reaches the point of burning through, the rice is cooked and ready to be poured out. Thus you can always be sure, in the region of the bamboo, of having a kettle for cooking your rice, although you have not brought one along. When breakfast was over the hunters were assigned to their various stands, as the hunt was to be of the kind known as a battue. The beaters go out and drive up the game, which is induced to run in the direction where the marksmen are standing to receive it; the latter have nothing to do but remain quiet, and shoot at the animals as they go past them. There was a sufficient number of guns for the three strangers as well as their host, and so the boys were assigned to places by themselves, instead of standing with their elders. Quite naturally, they were proud of the honor thus shown them, and each was hoping very earnestly, though he did not say so aloud, to do something worthy of the occasion. They were instructed not to fire except in certain directions, lest they might endanger the lives of others, and they faithfully promised not to violate the order; then, when the horn was blown in a particular way, they were not to fire at all, as the beaters would be close upon them, though invisible through the underbrush, and might be hurt through carelessness. "It is an even chance," the Doctor remarked, "whether we get a deer or a wild boar first. The latter are the more numerous in this forest, but the others are the best runners, and the more easily disturbed. We will see." [Illustration: A HOWLING MONKEY.] So saying, he went to his post, while the boys went to theirs. For half an hour or so there was nothing to indicate the possibility of game, with the exception of some monkeys in a neighboring tree, that kept up a perpetual chatter on account of the disturbance of their seclusion. There were several varieties of these brutes, but they kept so far away that their character could not well be made out. There was one kind, larger than the rest, that appeared to be a champion howler, as he occasionally set up a most unearthly noise that could have been heard for a long distance. Frank had a good view of one, and said he was a sort of maroon color, with a red beard, and had a swelling under his neck, from which he brought out the music. "He seems to enjoy it," said Frank, "and if he can be happy by making such an outrageous tumult, by all means let him have his fun." [Illustration: DEER IN A TROPICAL FOREST.]