Old Gold: The Cruise of the "Jason" Brig

"Yes; I was just going to shut it up and put it in the case," replied Brace. "I say, don't you go and sham dead to upset us all again."

It is a matter to be settled to a great extent by climate, and Brace Leigh wanted no urging to hurry out of--or, rather, off from his--bed just as the stars were beginning to pa...

There was a fascination about that night scene which kept Brace and his brother on deck for hours trying to pierce the black darkness, and whenever they made up their minds that...

Brace hesitated for a few moments before making any move to go on deck. Then, seeing Briscoe go to the arms rack and return with rifle and ammunition, he followed his example an...

"Well, it would be better," said the American coolly, as he carefully loaded his piece. "These things are as well done privately and without a lot of lookers on. It might give t...

Saving the canoe that they had seen, the events of the night were pretty well forgotten when a fresh start was made, for all were anxious to explore the great canon and make a w...

A good breakfast was eaten upon that eventful morning, Dan having plenty of materials for producing a capital meal, and, to judge from appearances, the men were quite ready to s...

The gold had got into Brace's head so much that, though he fell off fast asleep directly, it was only to begin dreaming of the sand and gravel beneath the swiftly-flowing shallo...

Laying down his gun, he snatched his knife from its sheath, thrust the point inside the sleeve of his brother's flannel shirt, ripped it to the shoulder, and laid bare the great...

Before morning the "Jason" was pitching and tossing in a heavy sea which had risen very suddenly, and for the next week, whenever the brothers cared to face the rain, wind, and...

"It's my opinion," said Captain Banes, "that when the sun goes down a breeze will spring up; and I mean to get as far up as I can before it is too dark to see, for the sooner we...

In the days which followed Captain Banes navigated his brig so skilfully that the adventurers progressed far up into what seemed to be perfectly virgin country. Before a week ha...

"Then he isn't going to know," said the captain, and then aloud: "Yes, sir, as you say, it's a hot country, and those who settle down to a sugar plantation must have rather a ro...

Brace obeyed the natural impulse to duck down out of the reptile's reach, and his next idea was to lower himself the ten feet or so to the bottom; but he shrank from doing this,...

Inquisitive ways indeed, for as the evening drew near there was the American still smoking as he sat in a deck chair watching the crew of the "Jason" busily getting the packages...

No more was said about the gold ore then, but the captain showed himself deeply interested in the proceedings to further investigate the ruined city. Briscoe, though, made one r...

The long light canoes of the approaching Indians were well manned, and as they came nearer Brace could see that most of the occupants wore a kind of tiara made of the tail feath...

There was a murmur of approval all through the boat, and soon after the lines were made fast ashore, and Brace was one of the first to climb up to the level shelf the captain ha...

It was too horrible to think of, and Brace, to keep out of his brain the mental picture of the swamped boat, the thundering water beating them down into the awful chaos, and the...

But the weakness passed away as quickly as it had come, and Lynton sprang up, to give a sharp glance round at the surface of the broad stretch of water, and then he turned to th...

The boat's way was checked, and every eye was now fixed upon the second mate as he prepared and threw out another artificial bait. At the same moment the sail was allowed to fil...

"Don't say that, Free," said Brace earnestly. "I know it is terrible; but it might have happened under any circumstances. You talk as if it was to do away with our expedition."

"Don't know that I am pleased," said Sir Humphrey, when his brother and Briscoe told him of the discovery; "but it is very wonderful, and I suppose we may claim the right to all...

"The night is pleasanter out here on the river, captain," said Sir Humphrey, as he sat with his brother on the deck in company with the captain and the first mate.

They had proceeded about a third of the way towards the other end, when, to the surprise of all, although the openings like windows continued in a regular row, the doorways ceas...

"Sits like a duck, don't she, gentlemen?" said the captain proudly, as they approached the riverside. "I don't say but what you may find faster boats, but I do say you won't fin...

The men had landed and made fast the boat, and were now gathering wood for a fire, as Brace and the American stepped to the shallowest part they could find, where the stream ran...

So rapt were all the party in the awe-inspiring scene and in the beauty of the falls--which were broken up by island-like rocks peering out grey and green right across, so that...

Brace broke out with the exclamation: "We must not be beaten by a little difficulty such as this!" but his brother checked him by laying a hand upon his arm and turning to Briscoe.

It was very, very hot. That is to say, it was as hot as it knows how to be in Johnstown, Guiana, which means a damp, sticky, stifling kind of heat. The sun made the muddy river...

The two boats reached the anchored vessel about the same time, and Sir Humphrey, who looked ghastly, was carefully lifted on board and borne down into the cabin, where the capta...

As all stepped back from the crackling and blazing pile, the smoke rose, rolling up in wreaths, and the fire illumined the whole place, displaying a perfect crowd of grotesquely...

The fire was carefully extinguished before night-fall, so that no flash or gleam might betray the adventurers' whereabouts to any prowling foe, and watch was set in each boat af...

"Now, gentlemen," said the captain firmly, "what is it to be: turn this into a fort and fight, or into the boats, hoist sail, and go down stream? You see it runs our way now."

Brace Leigh was half-asleep still as he looked down at his sleeping brother, and had hard work to collect his thoughts before making out that it was a brilliant sunny morning, t...

The morning came bright and clear, and the boats were pushed off once more out of the oppressive gloom of the water-floored forest into the sunny brightness of the river, by whi...

Another fortnight's sailing brought the travellers abreast of a river which flowed slowly and sluggishly into the stream they had ascended, just when its waters had begun to gro...

Lynton, who now steered, kept the little vessel close in shore so that a good view might be had of the beauties of the lovely surrounding country, for here tree and shrub had ro...

"I fancy we shall have plenty of chances for doing both," said Brace, following suit. "How well the boat sails! Why, we have got quite a long distance from the brig already."

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 a...

Days and days passed of sailing on and on over waters which grew more and more shallow. Brilliantly-coloured birds were shot and skinned: and an ample supply of fine turkey-like...

Brace had the satisfaction of seeing his brother asleep again and again, sinking into pleasant restful slumbers, from which he awoke sensibly refreshed and freed from fever. In...