"_One canoe is missing!_" he cried despairingly.

"What, you don't mean it!" exclaimed Forbes. "How can that be possible?"

"It's gone," said Guy blankly. "No doubt of it. Here is the mark of the keel leading down to the water. That's not the worst of it, though. Half our provisions are gone with it, and one lamp and an oil-flask as well."

"By Jove, Chutney, it's that savage who has done this," cried Melton.

"It can be accounted for in no other way. We forgot all about the scoundrel's presence in the cavern."

"But how could he have lived all this time without food?"

"I don't know," answered Melton. "He must have managed it in some way, though. These Gallas are tough, wiry fellows and can stand a good deal of hardship."

The circ.u.mstances all seemed to confirm Melton's supposition.

Unfortunately the fact that this Galla warrior was also making the cruise of the river had been overlooked, and now, as a result of this negligence they had lost a canoe and half of their supplies.

"We have one thing to be thankful for," said Guy. "If Sir Arthur had not wakened when he did we would undoubtedly have lost all. His shout scared the rascal, and he did not wait to make off with the other canoe."

"Yes, here is the mark of a third boat," announced the colonel, who had been making an investigation on his own account, "and footprints are visible on the sand. The scoundrel must have been here when we landed."

"I wanted you to make a search," said Sir Arthur, "but my advice was disregarded. You see the result."

"Prepare to start at once," interrupted Guy sharply. "We must pursue the thief and recover our canoe."

In less than five minutes they embarked and pushed away from the sh.o.r.e.

"Put out the torch," said Guy. "If the rascal sees the light he can get out of our way and we will pa.s.s him unperceived."

"But how will we capture him in the dark?" asked Melton.

"We must depend on our hearing," was the reply. "We will push ahead quietly and listen at intervals for the stroke of his paddle."

Under these circ.u.mstances the recovery of the canoe was very doubtful, but there was plainly no other course, so they proceeded to carry out Guy's plan as carefully as possible.

Five paddles were all that remained, one for each of them, and with quick, noiseless strokes they moved rapidly down the river, keeping the canoe headed with the current as far as possible, and pausing at times to listen for any trace of the thief.

Thus they journeyed for an hour or more, but no sound of any kind reached their ears, and it began to look very much as though the Galla had been pa.s.sed unseen in the darkness.

"He could hardly have kept ahead of us for such a distance," said Forbes. "I'm afraid we have missed him, Chutney."

Guy made no reply. The canoe at that instant grated harshly on some obstacle, and throwing out his arms, Melton discovered that the current had carried them against one of the steep, rocky sh.o.r.es. He was about to shove the canoe forcibly away with his paddle when Guy whispered sharply:

"Hold tight to the rock. I hear something above us."

CHAPTER XXV.

THE JOURNEY ON THE LAKE.

In the deep silence all heard distinctly the low, steady dip of a paddle.

"Be ready with a match," whispered Guy. "When the canoe comes opposite, light the torch and I will cover the fellow with my rifle."

The sound grew louder and plainer, and Melton's finger was already trembling on the match when a terrific splash echoed over the water, followed instantly by a most awful and heartrending wail of agony, that caused every one to shudder from head to foot.

Perfect silence ensued, and the dip of the paddle was no longer heard.

With nervous haste Forbes lit the torch, and the sudden light revealed an empty canoe floating bottom up a few yards out in the stream.

They paddled quickly alongside, and leaning over Guy turned the drifting boat right side up.

It was empty, of course. The contents had gone to the bottom, and near the center the frail sides, seen plainly in the torchlight, were actually crushed inward like a shattered egg-sh.e.l.l.

Where was the occupant of a moment before? What tremendous force had wrought this havoc?

The current carried them on and on, but no one spoke; no one dared utter the thoughts that were in his mind.

At last Guy said in faltering tones, "Nothing but a serpent could have inflicted that injury to the canoe."

"That was the meaning of the splash," replied Melton. "The huge coils must have been thrown around it. The poor fellow had only time for one cry when he was dragged out."

"Then the serpent must have been following us down the river," cried the colonel. "I supposed he was dead after that bullet lodged in his neck."

"_That_ serpent is dead," said Forbes solemnly, "or I should never have escaped from his coils. This is another serpent. The river must be the abode of many like them."

This alarming statement was unfortunately only too likely to be true.

Sir Arthur was terribly distressed, and prophesied a speedy reappearance of the monster and a fate similar to that of the poor savage in store for them all.

His anxiety was shared by his companions, though not expressed as openly, and all possible haste was made to get away from the horrible spot.

A brief search was carried on in hopes of finding the lost provision bags, but, with the exception of a single floating paddle, nothing was picked up. The bags must have sunk with the lamp and oil-flask.

Nothing was seen of the other canoe--the one originally taken by the savage--and they came to the conclusion that it had been purposely abandoned farther up the river.

The balance of that day they traveled with a dread sense of impending danger. The terrible scene so recently witnessed had left an ineffaceable impression and by tacit consent they paddled in silence, afraid of the sound of their own voices.

The river had suddenly become narrow, and ran with dizzy speed between two rocky walls that reflected on both sides the glow of the torch which Sir Arthur carried in the stern.

Half a dozen times they dashed through brawling rapids, but no mishap occurred, and, as their increasing drowsiness warned them that night was close at hand, they succeeded in finding a landing-place on the left sh.o.r.e which offered some protection until morning.

A small quant.i.ty of wood still remained, and with this a fire was kept burning all night, while they took turns at guarding the camp, for after the recent events they no longer dared to sleep unprotected and in utter darkness.

The scant amount of food now remaining was a source of great uneasiness, but Chutney infused fresh hope into the party by the confident prediction that if the present daily rate of speed were maintained the supply would last until the end of the journey.

Already the pure air of the cavern had done wonders for Sir Arthur and the colonel, and they had nearly recovered their usual health and strength. The one canoe held them all very comfortably, and they seemed to make better progress than when they had been divided into separate parties.

That night nothing occurred to cause any alarm, and they resumed the cruise in fairly good spirits. The river still continued narrow and the current swift. No dangerous water was encountered, and everything was going on satisfactorily when Guy suddenly shouted with all his might, "Back water! Quick! quick!" and looking ahead they saw a steep rocky promontory, against which the current split and swung off into two channels, one to the right, the other to the left.