"Perhaps some animal that we had better approach with a little
circumspection!"

And Benito, cocking his gun, motioned them to let him go on a bit,
and stepped about ten paces to the front.

Manoel, the two girls, and the black remained motionless where they
were.

Suddenly Benito raised a shout, and they saw him rush toward a tree;
they all ran as well.

Sight the most unforeseen, and little adapted to gratify the eyes!

A man, hanging by the neck, struggled at the end of the liana, which,
supple as a cord, had formed into a slipknot, and the shakings came
from the jerks into which he still agitated it in the last
convulsions of his agony!

Benito threw himself on the unfortunate fellow, and with a cut of his
hunting-knife severed the cipo.

The man slipped on to the ground. Manoel leaned over him, to try and
recall him to life, if it was not too late.

"Poor man!" murmured Minha.

"Mr. Manoel! Mr. Manoel!" cried Lina. "He breathes again! His heart
beats; you must save him."