He emitted a frantic yell and tumbled out of his hammock onto the ground. Who was more startled - he or the men, it is hard to say. “What’s the matter, Harry?” “I’m on fire! Help me!” “Take it easy, boy. Just a nightmare.”
“My hammock’s on fire. I was falling into the pit.” “Come on over and join the circle of bad dreamers.” “Are you sure I’m all right?”
“Absolutely sure. You’re all right like the rest of us. I vote we get out a can of powdered milk and some cocoa powder and have a drink of cocoa. It’s 3:15 now. No use trying to go back to sleep.” The dark velvet sky was still studded with star diamonds, when the canoes moved away from the campsite. The ribbons of mist lifting off the water were streaked with opal, but the men were too chilled and weary to notice. Their aching joints soaked up the sun’s rays gratefully. But this small comfort was short-lived. The sun was soon too hot, and they longed for a bit of shade from its double glare - double because it was intensified by the river’s reflection. Up to now the insects had confined themselves to whining a hungry symphony all night. Now they swarmed over the jungle and river both night and day. Horseflies tormented them with stinging bites. Small gnats which fly always for the open eyes drove them nearly wild, and the
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