In either case, quick action would be impossible if the men were encumbered with burdens of any kind, for they would be unable to shoot with any degree of accuracy until the impedimenta had been placed on the ground. While doing this, the enemy would have ample time for the first shots, or the animal would escape. That might mean disaster in the form of death or starvation, so the arrangement was a wise one after all. They tramped along at an easy gait, stopping at noon for a short rest. No fires were built, but food from the baskets was distributed to the children. During this interval most of the men strayed away a short distance to hunt and before long their excited cries told that the chase was on. The shouts came nearer rapidly and just before the hunters came into view the branches in the trees ahead of them began to sway and rustle. David looked up and saw a troop of large, black monkeys fleeing for their lives. He had never seen so many of the animals together at one time. As they raced along and made flying leaps across the spaces that separated the trees, shower after shower of arrows were sent after them by their pursuers. There were the constant twanging of bows and the whining of arrows in flight and now and then came a dull thud, after which one of the frightened animals always leaped high into the air, screamed, then fell to the ground with a crash. But the Indians did not stop to recover it. They continued after the survivors in the treetops and soon the chase had passed the resting place and the shouts grew fainter in the distance. It was fully an hour before the last of the hunters returned and the victims had been collected. There were forty-three monkeys spread on the ground and the chief assured the white men that not one had escaped; he beamed with satisfaction, for he alone had accounted for five of the animals. “Tonight there will be meat for all and more,” he said. “Not in many changes of the moon has there been such an abundance of this, the best of all food.” There was now a further delay while the women dressed the monkeys, after which they packed them into their baskets. After that the column again formed and got under way. In this manner the party moved leisurely through the heavy forest, led unerringly and without hesitation by their fearless leader. It was on the fifth day that they had the first intimation that the end of the trail was in sight. “This looks familiar, somehow,” David said suddenly, as they reached a large body of water in the heart of the forest. “I wonder if it could be the----“. He checked his words abruptly. “Yes,” Miguel continued for him. “It’s the lagoon. Right over there is where the crocodile nearly got me. I wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for you.” “And but for you, I wouldn’t be here. So we’re even. Let’s not mention the subject again.”