The Land of Mystery | Page 9

for the friends to walk so briskly
as to disconcert any plan their enemies might have formed. This was
quite easy, because of the open space, already mentioned, as lining both
banks of the Xingu.
Fortunately the distance to camp was not far, and, with the hurried pace
adopted by the Professor and Long, it ought not to occupy more than a
few minutes, provided no interruption occurred. Strange emotions
tortured both, as they kept their eyes fixed on the dark wood at their
side, from which they expected the sweep of the fearful javelin, whose
touch was death.

The keenest hearing could not detect the faint whizz, while the roar of
the rapids was in their ears, and they had to depend, therefore, on their
eyes, which promised to be of little more service.
But the entire distance was almost passed, and the hearts of the two
were beating high with increasing hope, when Long, with a gasp of
terror, grasped the arm of the Professor with incredible force, and
jerking him backward, pointed with his extended finger to the camp in
front of them.
CHAPTER V.
THE NATIVE VILLAGE.
Meanwhile, Fred Ashman and Aaron Johnston the sailor, found
themselves involved in a most stirring experience.
After studying the path or trail which led directly from the camp into
the vast forest, stretching to an unknown distance from the Xingu, the
young man decided to follow the route which he believed had been
formed by persons instead of the wild animals of the wilderness.
Johnston was disposed to complain, but he was deeply attached to the
manly partner in the exploring enterprise, and there was no reasonable
peril which he would not willingly face in his defence.
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 intervals
they spoke, for there was no call to do so, and it was not wise to allow
any cause to interfere with their watchfulness for the peril which was
liable to come with the suddenness of the thunderbolt.
By stepping carefully they were able to proceed without noise, and, at
the same time, hoped to catch the sound of any other footsteps, since
there was not supposed to be any call on the part of the natives for the
caution which they might have displayed under different circumstances.
The young man's heart gave a quicker throb than usual when he caught
the sound of something like a shout, and observed a faint light in the
path in front. It was apparent that the latter made an abrupt turn, and the
cause of the noise was but a brief distance beyond.
Fred reached back his hand and touched his companion, as a warning
for the most extreme care on his part, but the admonition was not
needed. Johnston understood the situation too well.
Sure enough, less than a couple of rods further, and the path turned
almost at right angles. Passing guardedly around this, the explorers

came upon a striking scene.
There was an open space with an area of perhaps three or four acres; it
was as clear of trees as a stretch of western