In Far Bolivia: A Story of a Strange Wild Land. Stables Gordon
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forenoon would be spent on deck under theawning; there was plenty to talk about, and booksto read, and there was the ever-varying panorama togaze upon, as the raft went smoothly gliding on, andon, and on.
Sometimes they were in very deep water close tothe bank, for men were always in the chains takingsoundings from the steamer's bows.
Close enough to admire the flowers that drapedthe forest trees; close enough to hear the wild lilt ofbirds or the chattering of monkeys and parrots; closeenough to see tapirs moving among the trees, watched, often enough, by the fierce sly eyes of ghastlyalligators, that flattened themselves against rocks or bitsof clay soil, looking like a portion of the ground, but warily waiting until they should see a chance toattack.
There cannot be too many tapirs, and there cannotbe too few alligators. So our young heroes thoughtit no crime to shoot these squalid horrors whereverseen.
But one forenoon clouds banked rapidly up in thesouthern sky, and soon the sun was hidden in sulphurousrolling banks of cumulus.
No one who has ever witnessed a thunderstorm inthese regions can live long enough to forget it.
For some time before it came on the wind had gonedown completely. In yonder great forest there couldnot have been breeze or breath enough to stir thepollen on the trailing flowers. The sun, too, seemedshorn of its beams, the sky was no longer blue, but ofa pale saffron or sulphur colour.
It was then that giant clouds, like evil beasts benton havoc and destruction, began to show head abovethe horizon. Rapidly they rose, battalion on battalion, phalanx on phalanx.
There were low mutterings even now, and flashes offire in the far distance. But it was not until the skywas entirely overcast that the storm came on in dreadand fearful earnest. At this time it was so dark, thatdown in the raft saloon an open book was barelyvisible. Then peal after peal, and vivid flash afterflash, of blue and crimson fire lit up forest and stream, striking our heroes and heroine blind, or causing theireyes for a time to overrun with purple light.
So terrific was the thunder that the raft seemed torock and shiver in the sound.
This lasted for fully half an hour, the whole worldseeming to be in flames.
Peggy stood by Dick on the little deck, and heheld her arm in his; held her hand too, for it was coldand trembling.
"Are you afraid?" he whispered, during a momentarylull.
"No, Dick, not afraid, only cold, so cold; take me below."
He did so.
He made her lie down on the little sofa, and coveredher with a rug.
All just in time, for now down came the awful rain.It was as if a water-spout had broken over theseemingly doomed raft, and was sinking it below the darkwaters of the river.
Luckily the boys managed to batten down in time,or the little saloon would have been flooded.
They lit the lamp, too.
But with the rain the storm seemed to increase inviolence, and a strong wind had arisen and addedgreatly to the terror of the situation. Hail camedown as large as marbles, and the roaring and dinwas now deafening and terrible.
Then, the wind ceased to blow almostinstantaneously. It did not die away. It simply droppedall of a sudden. Hail and rain ceased shortly after.
Dick ventured to peep on deck.
It was still dark, but far away and low down onthe horizon a streak of the brightest blue sky thatever he had seen had made its appearance. Itbroadened and broadened as the dark canopy ofclouds, curtain-like, was lifted.
"Come up, Peggy. Come up, Rol. The storm isgoing. The storm has almost gone," cried Dick; andsoon all three stood once more on the deck.
Away, far away over the northern woods rolled thelast bank of clouds, still giving voice, however, stillspitting fire.
But now the sun was out and shining brightlydown with a heat that was fierce, and the raft was allenveloped in mist.
So dense, indeed, was the fog that rose from therain-soaked raft, that all the scenery was entirelyobscured. It was a hot vapour, too, and far frompleasant, so no one was sorry when Burly Billsuddenly appeared from the lower part of the raft.
"My dear boys," he said heartily, "why, you'll beparboiled if you stop here. Come with me, MissPeggy, and you, Brawn; I'll come back for you, lads.Don't want to upset the dinghy all among the 'gators, see?"
Bill was back again in a quarter of an hour, andthe boys were also taken on board the boat.
"She's a right smart little boat as ever was," saidBill; "but if we was agoin' to get 'er lip on to thewater, blow me tight, boys, if the 'gators wouldn'tboard us. They'm mebbe very nice sociable kind o'animals, but bust my buttons if I'd like to enter thenext world down a 'gator's gullet."
Beeboo did not mind the steam a bit, and by twoo'clock she had as nice a dinner laid in the raft saloonas ever boy or girl sat down to.
But by this time the timbers were dry once more, and although white clouds of fog still lay over the lowwoods, all was now bright and cheerful. Yet not moreso than the hearts of our brave youngsters.
Courage and sprightliness are all a matter ofstrength of heart, and you cannot make yourselfbrave if your system is below par. The coward isreally more to be pitied than blamed.
Well, it was very delightful, indeed, to sit on deckand talk, build castles in the air, and dream daydreams.
The air was cool and bracing now, and the sun feltwarm, but by no means too hot.
The awning was prettily lined with green cloth, thework of Mrs. St. Clair's own hands, assisted by theindefatigable Beeboo, and there was not anythingworth doing that she could not put willing, artfulhands to.
The awning was scalloped, too, if that be thewoman's word for the flaps that hung down a wholefoot all round. "Vandyked" is perhaps more correct, but then, you see, the sharp corners of the vandykingwere all rounded off. So I think scalloped muststand, though the word reminds me strangely ofoysters.
But peeping out from under the scalloped awning, and gazing northwards across the sea-like river, boatsunder steam could be noticed. Passengers on boardtoo, both ladies and gentlemen, the former all riggedout in summer attire.
"Would you like to be on board yonder?" saidDick to Peggy, as the girl handed him back thelorgnettes.
"No, indeed, I shouldn't," she replied, with a saucytoss of her pretty head.
"Well," she added, "if you were there, little Dickie,I mightn't mind it so much."
"Little Dick! Eh?" Dick laughed right heartily now.
"Yes, little Dickie. Mind, I am nearly twelve; andafter I'm twelve I'm in my teens, quite an old girl.A child no longer anyhow. And after I'm in myteens I'll soon be sixteen, and then I suppose I shallmarry."
"Who will marry you, Peggy?"
This was not very good grammar, but Dick was indownright earnest anyhow, and his young voice hadsoftened wonderfully.
"Me?" he added, as she remained silent, with hereyes seeming to follow the rolling tide.
"You, Dick! Why, you're only a child!"
"Why, Peggy, I'm fifteen-nearly, and if I live I'mbound to get older and bigger."
"No, no, Dick, you can marry Beeboo, and I shallget spliced, as the sailors call it, to Burly Bill."
The afternoon wore away, and Beeboo came up tosummon "the chillun" to tea.
Up they started, forgetting all about budding love, flirtation, and future marriages, and made a rush forthe companion-ladder.
"Wowff-wowff!" barked Brawn, and the 'gatorson shore and the tapirs in the woods lifted heads tolisten, while parrots shrieked and monkeys chatteredand scolded among the lordly forest trees.
"Wowff-wowff!" he barked. "Who says cakesand butter?"
The night fell, and Burly Bill came on board withhis banjo, and his great bass voice, which was assweet as the tone of a 'cello.
Bill