Page 128 - The English Carnival 7

Evans shivered. “It seems almost cold here after the blaze outside.”

“I hope we are keeping to the straight,” said Hooker.

Presently they saw, far ahead, a gap in the sombre darkness where white shafts of hot
sunlight smote into the forest. There also was brilliant green undergrowth and coloured
flowers. Then they heard the rush of water.

“Here is the river. We should be close to it now,” said Hooker.

The vegetation was thick by the river bank. Great plants, as yet unnamed, grew among
the roots of the big trees, and spread rosettes of huge green fans towards the strip of

sky. Many flowers and a creeper with shiny foliage clung to the exposed stems. On the
water of the broad, quiet pool which the treasure-seekers now overlooked there floated
big oval leaves and a waxen, pinkish-white flower not unlike a water-lily. Further, as the
river bent away from them, the water suddenly frothed and became noisy in a rapid.

“Well?” said Evans.

“We have swerved a little from the straight,” said Hooker. “That was to be expected.”

He turned and looked into the dim cool shadows of the silent forest behind them. “If
we beat a little way up and down the stream we should come to something.”

“You said” began Evans.

“He said there was a heap of stones,” said Hooker.

The two men looked at each other for a moment.

“Let us try a little down-stream first,” said Evans.

They advanced slowly, looking curiously about them. Suddenly Evans stopped. “What
the devil’s that?” he said.

Hooker followed his finger. “Something blue,” he said. It had come into view as they
topped a gentle swell of the ground. Then he began to distinguish what it was.

He advanced suddenly with hasty steps, until the body that belonged to the limp hand and
arm had become visible. His grip tightened on the implement he carried. The thing was
the figure of a Chinaman lying on his face. The abandon of the pose was unmistakable.

The two men drew closer together, and stood staring silently at this ominous dead body.

It lay in a clear space among the trees. Near by was a spade after the Chinese pattern,
and further off lay a scattered heap of stones, close to a freshly dug hole.

“Somebody has been here before,” said Hooker, clearing his throat.

Then suddenly Evans began to swear and rave, and stamp upon the ground.

Hooker turned white but said nothing. He advanced towards the prostrate body. He saw

126