Rollers were soon made by the carpenter, and the men, who were as eager
as a pack of boys, worked hard over the necessary preparations, looking
forward as they did to the trip as a kind of holiday excursion.
Consequently, when without mishap the two boats reached the side at the
foot of the falls next day, the stores were landed and carried up the
slope, the boats drawn ashore and in an incredibly short space of time
dragged on to the rollers, so many men harnessing themselves like a team
of horses to the rope attached to the boats' keels, and cheering loudly
as difficulty after difficulty was surmounted, the rollers being changed
time after time till the top was at length reached.
The lowering down into the water was easily accomplished: stores were
re-embarked, and then, with a brisk breeze to fill their sails, the
party started upon what was to prove an adventurous voyage along the
upper waters of the great river, leaving the thunder of the falls far
behind.
Fish and game proved to be abundant, wood for their fire plentiful, and
they bivouacked that evening under one of the forest monarchs upon the
bank, partaking of the result of their shooting, Dan revelling in his
task of playing cook, and grinning with delight at the praises bestowed
upon him by masters and men.
To Brace's satisfaction, his brother seemed all the better for the
little exertion he had gone through, and when the boats were once more
sought and the fire extinguished to save them from drawing upon
themselves the attentions of any Indians who might be near, Sir Humphrey
was one of the first to fall asleep under the tent-like sail, the boats
swinging gently in the darkness at the end of the rope secured to a huge
overhanging bough.
"It's a pity not to have kept the fire going, Mr Briscoe," said Brace,
as the two sat together trying to pierce the darkness as they gazed
towards the shore.
"Pity for some things," replied Briscoe; "but there's for and against.
It would keep the wild beasts away, but would bring the insects and
reptiles to see what it means, besides rousing up the birds to come and
singe their wings. I say: everybody seems to have gone to sleep."
"Except the two men of the watch in the boats' bows."
"I say!"
"Yes?" said Brace, for his companion stopped short.
"What did Sir Humphrey say to my ideas about the golden city?"
"Nothing whatever."
"Nothing?"
"Not a word, for he did not know."
"Didn't you tell him?"
"Of course not. Didn't you say that your words were in confidence?"
"Yes," said Briscoe, with a grunt, "but I didn't mean to include him.
He wouldn't try to argue the case again, would he, and want to have me
set ashore here?"
"Certainly not. He would say that you had a perfect right to indulge in
such dreams. He would not interfere."
"Not if I was to begin prospecting?"
"Not unless you began to do anything to hinder our trip. But I say,
look here: what's the meaning of this sudden interest in gold?"
Briscoe smiled.
"There's nothing sudden about it," he said. "It came on, as I told you,
years ago, and I've been thinking about the golden city ever since."
"Golden clouds," said Brace derisively. "Give it up, man, and stick to
the birds."
"I'll stick to them too," said Briscoe quietly. "I won't interfere with
your plans."
Brace was silent for a few minutes, during which the darkness seemed to
grow deeper, and the strange noises in the forest increased till it was
possible for an active imagination to conjure up the approach of endless
strange creatures bent upon attacking the invaders of their solitudes.
But the time glided on with the water gently lapping at the sides of the
boat they were in, and one moment Brace was trying hard to say something
to the American, the next he was gliding up the strange river towards
the overgrown crumbling walls of a city standing high upon a rocky
eminence a little back from the river bank. Then all at once the swift,
easy, gliding motion of the boat ceased, and though the sail was well
filled out they got no nearer to the city, whose gateway stood
temptingly open, while in the glowing evening sunshine crumbling wall
and tower appeared to be made of deadened gold.
For a few moments Brace sat gazing hard at the buildings, feeling
certain that this was the golden city of which Briscoe had spoken. Then
a strange feeling of irritation came over him, and he tried to turn and
order the crew to lay out their oars and pull for their lives so as to
reach the goal. But somehow he could not stir to rouse up the men to
row, and the boat remained strangely balanced upon the swiftly-gliding
water, just as if she were straining hard at an anchor which had been
thrown out astern.
Then--how the young man could not have explained--the ruddy golden city
grew fainter--darker--till it died away in a dense blackness; for it was
all a building-up of the imagination, in the deep sleep which had
overcome the young adventurer as he leaned against the side of the boat.