He looked to his arms, however, and, with the night-glass, resumed his scrutiny into the darkness.
He soon fancied that he could distinguish below him shadowy forms, which glided towards the tree. By a ray of moonlight, which glinted like a lightning flash between two clouds, he perceived distinctly a group of people moving about in the gloom.
The adventure with the apes came to his mind; he laid his hand on the doctor's shoulder. Ferguson woke immediately.
"Silence!" whispered Kennedy.
"Is anything the matter?"
"Yes, wake Joe."
So soon as Joe was awake, the Scot related what he had seen.
"Those cursed apes again," said Joe.
"Possibly! but we must take our precautions. Joe and I will descend into the tree by the ladder," said Kennedy.
"And in the meantime," said the doctor, "I will take steps to ensure a rapid retreat upwards."
"Agreed!"
"Let us get down," said Joe.
"Do not resort to firearms except in the last necessity," said the doctor. "It is no use to reveal our whereabouts in these parts."
Dick and Joe signed assent and glided noiselessly into the tree. They took their position upon the fork of two large branches which the grapnel had caught.
For some minutes they listened mute and motionless in the tree. At a certain crackling of the bark Joe seized the Scot's hand.
"Don't you hear something?"
"Yes; it is approaching."
"If it be a serpent? The hissing you heard———"
"No, it is something human."
"I prefer savages to serpents," said Joe. "Those reptiles are most repugnant to me."
"The noise is increasing," said Kennedy some moments afterwards.
"Yes, they are ascending—creeping up."
"Do you watch this side; I will look out on the other."
"All right, sir."
