The forest wore an unusually gloomy and dismal appearance, now that the
sun had set and night was closing in.

The roar of the rapids, which at first sounded so loud, grew duller and
fainter as they penetrated the wood until it became like the moaning of
the distant ocean. The men spoke in guarded undertones and were able
to hear each other plainly, while eyes and ears were on the alert, for
the first sight or sound of danger.

Being within the forest, they were favored with but little of the
moonlight, which proved such a help to their friends in their ascent of
the bank of the Xingu to the head of the rapids. But here and there a
few of the rays penetrated the vegetation overhead and illuminated the
trail sufficiently to prevent their wandering from it.

Ashman was less than a rod in advance of the sailor and led until they
had traversed perhaps a fifth of a mile, during which they met no
living creature, though the noises from the wood left no doubt that
wild animals were on every hand.

Fred began to think he had gone far enough, though his wish to obtain a
glimpse of the village, which he believed was not far off, prevented
his coming to a full stop. Johnston noticing his hesitation put in
another vigorous protest, but he was easily persuaded to venture
further under the pledge that if they discovered nothing within the
next ten minutes, they would withdraw and return to camp.

Knowing that his companion would insist on the fulfillment of this
agreement, Fred pushed on faster than before; the sailor, however,
easily maintaining his place almost on his heels. It was only at