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Updated: June 20, 2025
"I have been thinking, Harry," said Arthur, "that if Houlston and Nyass should come down, and make for Senhor Pimento's farm, would there not be a great risk of their falling into the hands of the rebels, and being killed?" "Indeed there would," I answered. "I did not think of that. I wish we could send and stop them." "Would it not be better to go ourselves?" asked Arthur.
He and Houlston, with the second mate and several of the crew, had got into one of them, and shoved clear of the ship just as she sank; but the other, he was afraid, had been immediately overwhelmed; indeed, it seemed scarcely possible that any boat could have lived many minutes in the heavy sea then running.
Houlston and Tony had agreed to make collections of objects of natural history when they were settled at Para, and as they had lost all their own books, I gave them some of mine, as there was little prospect of their getting any at Rio de Janeiro so the captain told us.
"It was a good large object, however, to aim at," said John. "A bullet would have been more effectual in bringing the creature to the ground." "I am not quite so certain of that," observed our friend, "for its tough hide is almost bullet-proof." Houlston stood our bantering very good-naturedly, and managed in the course of the day to bring down a couple of birds.
I cannot understand what made Houlston take to bullying; and I must say after this he showed much good feeling, and became a firm friend both to Tony and me, not appearing to harbour any ill-feeling for the way we had treated him. I must hurry over my school-boy days. I was not able to carry out my plan of the menagerie the next summer.
The officers and crew remained on deck to bend another sail. As the light of the lamp fell on the features of the first person we got into the cabin, what was my astonishment to recognise my old friend Tony Nyass. His surprise at seeing me was equally great. "Is Houlston saved?" were the first words he uttered. "He was close to me!"
Tony watched his opportunity, and snatching it up, made off out of the school-room, through the play-ground into a yard on one side, which, not being overlooked by any of the windows from the house, was the usual place for pugilistic encounters. Houlston followed. I saw Arthur Mallet and several of those who had promised to side with us standing near. Arthur joined us, though somewhat unwillingly.
It was about the size of a swan, and getting nearer, I saw that it had an extraordinary horn on the top of its head, surrounded by black and white feathers, while the upper part of its wings had two sharp horns projecting from them formidable weapons of attack or defence. Houlston fired, but missed. He had not improved as a sportsman since we parted.
This made Tony more anxious to carry out our long-projected undertaking. Still, as we were very well treated at school, we had no excuse for running away, and put it off from day to day. At length, in truth, we began to grow wiser, and look at it in a different light. Tony, indeed, one day confided his plan to Houlston. "Well, when you make up your mind to go, just tell me," said Houlston.
We have had but a tame life of it. I thought we might have seen some of the fun going forward at Santarem; but the whites had all escaped out of the place before we passed by, and the red-skins had possession of it." "I rather think we were fortunate in escaping those same red-skins!" exclaimed Houlston.
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