Once Frank had seen a wild animal crouched on one of these great
logs. The boat passed so very close to the floating refuge of the beast
that ere darkness claimed the strange craft with its stranger cargo,
Frank had been able to see the tawny hide of the crouching beast, and
note the quick, jerky motion of its long tail.

Upon hurrying to the pilot house and making inquiries of Felipe he
learned that, just as he suspected, the animal was a jaguar, the most
feared inhabitant of the tropical forests away off at the headwaters of
the Magdalena and Orinoco rivers.

There was a spice of peril hovering over the progress of the little boat
during every hour of that night. It might come in the sudden leap of a
wild animal, that judged any port would be better than a floating
log. Then there was a chance of their running afoul of a monster
derelict, in the shape of a drifting snag, that might punch a hole in
their bow, and bring about trouble.

On top of all was this unseen peril from the revolutionists, who were
making the Magdalena country the center of their renewed activity, for
some reason or other, and had their minds set on securing the first
aeroplane ever known to be in Colombia.

The time passed away. When three hours had really gone, and all seemed
well, Frank awoke his chum. Generous to a fault, he might have held out
much longer, for he did not feel exhausted; but Andy, who knew him like
a book, had made him promise faithfully, on his word of honor, that he
would arouse him at exactly the time agreed upon.

"Everything lovely, and the goose hangs high!" Frank said, as the other