They pushed through a close tangle of reeds, broad fronds, and young trees, and at first it was toilsome going, but very speedily the trees became larger and the ground beneath them opened out.  The blaze of the sunlight was replaced by insensible degrees by cool shadow.  The trees became at last vast pillars that rose up to a canopy of greenery far overhead.  Dim white flowers hung from their stems, and ropy creepers swung from tree to tree.  The shadow deepened.  On the ground, blotched fungi and a red-brown incrustation became frequent.

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.