Below, and not more than fifty yards distant, the stream seemed to end in a long, even line; it was the edge of the fall. They could not tell how far the sheet of water dropped, but the roar that came up from below sounded like booming thunder and the clouds of swirling mist rising high into the sky indicated that the distance of the plunge must be great. The rock upon which the men were stranded was only fifty feet from the bank. Both were splendid swimmers. But one look at the narrow channel separating them from the land was enough to convince them that they could not cross to safety before being swept over the fall. To swim against the current in an effort to head up-stream was impossible. Their only hope had been to go with the water at the same time striking obliquely toward the shore; but that, too, was plainly out of the question. They discussed their predicament in serious voices; but there was no way out of the difficulty, so far as they could see. “We might as well be in the middle of the Amazon as right here,” Miguel said. “I’d rather be in the middle of the ocean,” David replied. “Then a ship would be liable to come along to pick us up. Here nobody will find us.” “No, because no one would be foolish enough to try to navigate this river as we did.” “Suppose the Indians should come down this far?” David asked suddenly. “What easy marks we would be!” “Let them come,” Miguel returned gloomily. “It would be quicker than drowning or starving.” “Maybe so. But I’d like to have something to fight back with. We have nothing. Even the revolver is gone.” The thought of the Indians may have come to them as a premonition, for the Indians did arrive not many hours after, and apparently they were the same ones who had been following and attempting to capture them. As they were gazing with longing at the green walls of forest that grew down to the rocks bordering the water the thick curtain of foliage parted revealing the brown form of a savage. “My heavens,” Miguel moaned, “they _did_ find us. It’s all over now.” “I’ve changed my mind,” David panted at about the same moment. “If they start shooting at us I’ll jump in and go over the fall; they might not be so high as we think and anyway, it’s a fighting chance. I won’t be shot like a trapped animal.” “I’ll go, too,” Miguel said quickly. “I won’t let them shoot me either.” They perched on the very edge of the rock, ready to make the plunge. “Before we go,” said Miguel, as a peculiar look came over his face, “I want to tell you something; I tried to tell you before, but----” “Not now,” David interrupted him. “There isn’t time and there’s too much noise. And I don’t feel that our end is in sight. I think I suspect, too, what you want to say.” Miguel looked puzzled, but said no more. Other savages joined the first on the bank, bows and arrows in their hands, but still there was no show of hostility. They only stared and chattered excitedly among themselves.