Page:Off For Hawaii.djvu/179

Rh direction I was now enabled to see into the outer world.

And yet I saw but little, for night had spread its mantle over the immense forest bordering the northern shore of the upper portion of the river. Straining my eyes I caught sight of some brush and a tree a short distance away, and the light of a single star struck down upon me. So far it had been comparatively quiet, but now the night birds began to tune up, and the insects, frogs, lizards, and other denizens of the forest joined in.

I had an opening large enough to admit the passage of one arm, but that was all. The wood around this opening appeared to be as hard as healthy wood can be, and to tear or pound off more of it seemed impossible. Instead of gaining my liberty I had simply made a window for my prison.

Slowly the hours dragged by, each minute as long as ten to me. I grew drowsy and fretful, and longed and prayed for morning to come. Then my head sank down on my breast and I slept, as overtired soldiers sometimes do, while standing on their feet. But it was a troubled sleep, full of horrible dreams.

I awoke to find the sun shining over the tops of the forest trees. A lizard had dropped into the hollow and was stuck on my neck. With a scream I tore the thing off and threw it through