Page:The Campaign of the Jungle.djvu/333

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A RESCUE UNDER DIFFICULTIES
301

tinued with extra care. Of course Boxer kept out of sight; and as soon as he could, he joined Ben and the others.

"I think there must be a stream close at hand,—the one we crossed a few days ago," said he. "If we can get to that, we'll have some chance to hide."

"Let's get to it, then," gasped Luke, who felt that he could keep up but a short while longer.

"I'll take Larry, Luke," put in Ben, and the transfer was made, in spite of the old sailor's protests. Then Luke plunged ahead and soon announced that he could see the river through the bushes to the right. Soon they came out on some rocks. The stream was a mountain torrent, a rod wide and from two to three feet deep. They plunged in without delay.

As they could not walk against such a current, they followed the stream on its downward course almost to the edge of the cliff, where the torrent formed a pretty series of waterfalls. Then they crossed to the other side, and climbed into a tree growing directly at the water's edge,—a species of willow, with long, drooping branches.

"We ought to be safe here—at least for a while," said Boxer.