It was the behavior of Dingo which, above all, attracted more
especially the young man's attention.

In fact the dog, which, during all this journey, had seemed to be
following a scent, became quite different, and that almost suddenly.
Until then, his nose to the ground, generally smelling the herbs or the
shrubs, he either kept quiet, or he made a sort of sad, barking noise,
like an expression of grief or of regret.

Now, on this day, the barking of the singular animal became like
bursts, sometimes furious, such as they formerly were when Negoro
appeared on the deck of the "Pilgrim." A suspicion crossed suddenly
Dick Sand's mind, and it was confirmed by Tom, who said to him:

"How very singular, Mr. Dick! Dingo no longer smells the ground as he
did yesterday! His nose is in the air, he is agitated, his hair stands
up! One would think he scented in the distance----"

"Negoro, is it not so?" replied Dick Sand, who seized the old black's
arm, and signed to him to speak in a low voice.

"Negoro, Mr. Dick! May it not be that he has followed our steps?"

"Yes, Tom; and that at this moment even he may not be very far from us."

"But why?" said Tom.

"Either Negoro does not know this country," went on Dick Sand, "and
then he would have every interest in not losing sight of us----"