the amazement which so nearly overwhelmed fred ashman during the few minutes succeeding the surrender of ziffak, was shared in all its entirety, when the two presented themselves before the astounded explorers in the canoe.
in fact, jared long came within a hair of shooting the hercules, before the situation could be explained to him. even then he refused for awhile to believe the astonishing story, but declared that some infernal trickery was afoot. finally, however, he and the professor and bippo and pedros realized that the most powerful enemy had become their ally.
ziffak showed a strange talkativeness after joining the company. seating himself on the ground where all were now veiled in shadow, he answered the questions that were rained upon him, until most of the information given in the preceding chapter was told to the wondering listeners.
the account of the dreadful reception that awaited their predecessors three years before, would have deterred such brave men as the explorers from pushing further, but for the fact that they had secured an all-powerful friend at court. believing that he could pave the way for a friendly reception, they were eager to visit what seemed to them an enchanted land.
there was some uneasiness over waggaman and burkhardt, who, it could be easily seen, would at the most do nothing more than disguise their enmity under the guise of friendship, holding themselves ready for some treachery that would bring about the death of the visitors.
the conversation lasted a long time, and was ended by the natural question put to ziffak as to what should be the next step.
from what he had already stated, it was evident they were not yet through with the aryks. despite their frightful repulse, they would hold the murhapas in greater dread than the whites; and, well aware of the penalty of allowing them to pass above the rapids, would never cease their efforts to prevent such a disaster. it followed, therefore, that something must be done to spike their guns, and ziffak was the only one who could do it.
the whites were not surprised, when he offered to return to the point down the river, where he had left his canoe, recross to the other side, and make known to the aryks that it was his wish that the explorers should be molested no further.
the announcement would be a surprise indeed to them, but there was none who would dare question the authority of such a source.
during the absorbingly interesting conversation, ziffak stated that his object in coming from the other side was to reach the camp of the whites at the same time that an attack was made by the aryks who so cunningly used the floating logs and trees as a screen to hide their approach. he preferred his course to that of accompanying them.
it will thus be seen, that, although the act of fred ashman in passing down the xingu seemed like a mistake, yet it was the most providential thing that could have occurred.
having made known his plan, the burly chieftain set about carrying it out with characteristic promptness. without saying good-bye, he rose to his feet, and walking rapidly off, soon disappeared in the direction of the spot where took place his encounter with the puma and his meeting with fred ashman.
he had not been gone long, when those left in camp caught sight of the little boat skimming swiftly across the xingu below them. the preliminaries of the singular movement in their favor was going on according to programme.
but, with the departure of ziffak, something like a distrust of his friendship entered the minds of the three whites. bippo and pedros were so overcome by what they had seen that they were unable to comprehend what it all meant. they kept their places in the boat and listened and wondered in silence.
the professor hoped for the best, though he admitted that there was something inexplainable in the business. he had spent hours in examining the strange fish of the upper xingu, in inspecting the remarkable plants, which he saw for the first time, and in studying the zoology and mineralogy of the region. he had been delighted and puzzled, over and over again, but all of these problems combined failed to astonish him as did the action of ziffak and the story he told.
ashman was the most hopeful of all. he had been with the native more than the rest, and was given the opportunity to study him closely. he was confident that he read the workings of his mind aright, and that the fellow would be their friend to the end.
jared long, the new englander, was equally positive in the other direction. he maintained that since the leopard cannot change his spots, no savage showing such relentless hatred of the white race as did ziffak, could be transformed into a friend for no other reason than that he had been made a prisoner.
he insisted further that, if he succeeded in helping them through to the murhapa village, it would be only with the purpose of securing a more complete revenge. such a powerful tribe as his need feel no misgiving in allowing a small party to enter their town; for, after that was done, they would be so completely at their mercy that there was no possibility of any explorer ever living to tell the tale.
he especially dwelt upon the undoubted influence possessed by waggaman and burkhardt. they would never consent to yield the influence they had held so long, nor could they be induced to share it with any of their own countrymen.
grimcke and ashman laughed at his fears, but strive as much as they chose, they could not help being affected more or less by his pessimistic views.
however, the brave fellow declared that he would accompany them on the hazardous journey, and stick by them to the end. if they could not survive, they would fall together.
by this time the night was far along. a careful scrutiny of the other bank failed to reveal anything of their enemies, though all believed there were plenty of them along the shore.
ashman proposed, that now, since they were entirely screened by the projecting shadow of the wood, they should cautiously push their way up the bank, as near as possible to the rapids, so as to lessen the distance that was to be passed on the morrow. there could be no objection to this, and adjusting themselves in the usual manner in the large canoe, they began the ascent of the river.
naturally they would have kept close to the shore to escape, so far as they could, the force of the current, and the main object now was to prevent their movements being seen by the vigilant aryks across the stream, who might resume hostilities before ziffak could make his wishes known to them.
our friends did not forget that a large body of these warriors had passed the xingu above the rapids to reach the bank along which the craft was now stealing its way; but they had received such treatment that the survivors hurried from the vicinity.
still there was a probability that after rallying from their repulse, more of them had swam across and were at that moment on the western shore, on the watch for just such a movement as was under way.
if this should prove the case, it could not be expected that ziffak could interfere in time to prevent another sanguinary conflict; but that might come about, even if the explorers remained where they had stopped until daylight. if the aryks were prepared to attack them while on the move, they could do so with equal effect while they were not in motion.
the increasing roar of the rapids was a great disadvantage, for it drowned all inferior noises and compelled our friends to depend on their eyesight alone to discover the approach of danger.
there was an involuntary shudder on the part of all, when they came opposite the scene of the desperate fight, and they hastened past without exchanging a word.
they had not much further to go when they found themselves, for the time, at the end of their voyage. it was impossible to ascend further, because of the rapids, which tossed the canoe about as though it were an eggshell.
a halt was therefore made, and, at the moment this took place, all observed that day was breaking, the light rapidly increasing in the direction of the aryk village.
"just what i told you!" exclaimed jared long, as the simultaneous discovery was made by all, that the forest around them was swarming with the vengeful savages, eager for another and bloodier joust at arms.
