178 MARTIN RATTLER.

was impatient to penetrate farther into the interior ;
and the latter had firmly made up his mind to visit
the diamond mines, about which he entertained the
most extravagant notions. He did not, indeed, know
in the least how to get to these mines, nor even in
which direction they lay; but he had a strong im-
pression that as long as he continued travelling he
was approaching eradually nearer to them, and he
had no doubt whatever that he would get to them at
last. It was therefore with no small degree of im-
patience that they awaited the pleasure of their sable
master, who explained to them that when the waters
reached their height he would proceed.

Everything comes to an end, even a long story.
After many weeks had passed slowly by, their so-
journ in this village came to an end too. It was a
dull place, very dull, and they had nothing to do;
and the few poor people who lived there seemed to
have very little or nothing to do. We will therefore
pass it over, and resume our narrative at the point
when the old trader announced to Barner that the
flood was at its height and they would now continue
their journey. They embarked once more in their
old canoe with their goods and chattels, not forget-
ting Marmoset and Grampus, whose friendship dur-

ing their inactive life had become more close than