"Who's over there?"

"Perfess'r and Long man; we seed 'em, dey motion for us to hurry ober
to 'em."

This was astounding news and Ashman was mystified.

"How did they get over there? And why did they leave camp?"

"Don' know; seed 'em; want us hurry."

Without waiting to reflect upon the strange information, and recalling
that more of the natives were likely to issue from the path at any
moment, the young man stepped into the canoe, and, catching up one of
the paddles, lent his help in propelling the craft across the foamy
Xingu.

"Where Johns'n?" asked Bippo, when the middle of the stream was
reached, and without ceasing his toil with the paddle.

"The natives killed him with a poisoned spear; you will never see him
again."

Bippo made no reply, but communicated the startling tidings to his
companions, who muttered their amazement. It was apparent that the
news had added to their panic, and they bent to their task with such
vigor that the boat rapidly approached the other bank.

Fred was asking himself, that if his friends had managed to get across