midday
All in good time they started , greatly to Dinny 's disgust ; for he felt certain that the canoe would sooner or later overturn , and that he should be shot right into the mouth of one or other of the crocodiles . `` They 'll know fast enough , Masther Dick , '' he said piteously ; `` and you 'll see if they do n't come following the canoe like sharks afther a boat . Oh , murther , it was a sad day whin I took sarvice with the masther . '' Dinny took care , however , that Mr Rogers should not hear any of his plaints , and in due time the canoes started , and went well for the first part of the journey , the men paddling and singing , and a halt being made for midday and evening meal , which was made savoury with the large ducks that abounded in the reed beds , close in shore . Two or three good shots sufficed to provide enough for the whole party , and the men were in high glee , laughing and chatting as they picked the birds , which Dinny roasted before a good fire . At night they halted and drew up the canoes , proceeding afterwards to make a couple of large tents of reeds , which they cleverly cut , tied in bundles , and secured together -- no mean shelter in a journey through the wilds ; but Dinny found terrible fault with the arrangements , and had to be severely snubbed to bring him to a more patient state . They started in good time the next morning , so as to be early at the ground where the king promised game ; but here the character of the country had altered , and in place of the swift , smoothly-flowing river , they had entered upon a part where it was broken up with rapids , long ranges of rocks stretching across the river like weirs and keeping the waters back , but making a series of rapids , down which the river rushed at a furious rate .