he had been wont to drift as the current
would take her, lying prone in the bottom of the canoe, her face
sheltered from the sun with a great palm leaf.

Thus only did she gain rest upon the voyage; at other times she
continually sought to augment the movement of the craft by wielding the
heavy paddle.

Rokoff, on the other hand, had used little or no intelligence in his
flight along the Ugambi, so that more often than not his craft had
drifted in the slow-going eddies, for he habitually hugged the bank
farthest from that along which the hideous horde pursued and menaced
him.

Thus it was that, though he had put out upon the river but a short time
subsequent to the girl, yet she had reached the bay fully two hours
ahead of him. When she had first seen the anchored ship upon the quiet
water, Jane Clayton's heart had beat fast with hope and thanksgiving,
but as she drew closer to the craft and saw that it was the Kincaid,
her pleasure gave place to the gravest misgivings.

It was too late, however, to turn back, for the current that carried
her toward the ship was much too strong for her muscles. She could not
have forced the heavy dugout up-stream against it, and all that was
left her was to attempt either to make the shore without being seen by
those upon the deck of the Kincaid, or to throw herself upon their
mercy--otherwise she must be swept out to sea.

She knew that the shore held little hope of life for her, as she had no
knowledge of the location of the friendly Mosula village to which
Anderssen had taken her through the darkness of the night of their
escape from the Kincaid.

With Rokoff away from the steamer it might be possible that by offering
those in charge a large reward they could be induced to carry her to
the nearest civilized port. It was worth risking--if she could make
the steamer at all.

The current was bearing her swiftly down the river, and she found that
only by dint of the utmost exertion could she direct the awkward craft
toward the vicinity of the Kincaid. Having reached the decision to
board the steamer, she now looked to it for aid, but to her surprise
the decks appeared to be empty and she saw no sign of life aboard the
ship.

The dugout was drawing closer and closer to the bow of the vessel, and
yet no hail came over the side from any lookout aboard. In a moment
more, Jane realized, she would be swept beyond the steamer, and then,
unless they lowered a boat to rescue her,