At night all retired early in order to be fresh for the morrow's work, and when the first faint flush of another day appeared in the eastern sky Jake aroused his companions.
"Turn out, boys," he shouted cheerily. "We must make the most of these cool hours, for it will be necessary to halt at noon, and we want to get through the forest as quickly as possible."
While speaking he was fastening the heaviest package on his back, and after a hurried toilet in the sea Neal and Teddy took up their loads.
It was still quite dark under the towering trees when the journey was begun; but each moment the gloom grew less, until, when the sun rose it was possible to see the way with but little difficulty.
To travel very rapidly was out of the question. In certain places the underbrush was so dense that considerable exertion became necessary in order to force a passage, and despite all efforts not more than two miles an hour could be made.
At the swamp plenty of cool, clear water was found, and with this Jake filled the two bottles, all they had in which to carry a supply of the precious liquid.
At noon a long halt was made, and when the sun began to decline the weary march was resumed.
By no means the least of the travelers' suffering was caused by thorns, and to one who has never had any experience of this sort, a description of the various spines and needles which project from the strange plants in these vast forests would seem exaggerated.
They are of all sizes and shapes, and in many places actually prevent a man from making his way through the foliage even though he be armed with a machete. Oftentimes it is absolutely necessary to make a long detour in order to avoid the painful obstructions, and before half of this day's journey was finished all three of the castaways bore bloody evidence of what these natural bristles can do.
The siesta was decidedly abridged, for Jake realized the importance of concluding the tramp as quickly as possible, and the afternoon was but little more than half ended when, to the intense surprise of all, they suddenly arrived at a clearing in the very midst of the forest.
After wandering among the luxuriant vegetation the travelers were almost startled at seeing an avenue of banana trees which had evidently been planted by the hand of man, and, following it up, the little party were yet more surprised at seeing a white man swinging idly in a hammock.