of the long oars plied vigorously.

The mate observed: "The tide is with us."

"The current always runs down in this river," said Almayer.

"Yes--I know," retorted the other; "but it runs faster on the ebb. Look
by the land at the way we get over the ground! A five-knot current here,
I should say."

"H'm!" growled Almayer. Then suddenly: "There is a passage between two
islands that will save us four miles. But at low water the two islands,
in the dry season, are like one with only a mud ditch between them.
Still, it's worth trying."

"Ticklish job that, on a falling tide," said the mate, coolly. "You know
best whether there's time to get through."

"I will try," said Almayer, watching the shore intently. "Look out now!"

He tugged hard at the starboard yoke-line.

"Lay in your oars!" shouted the mate.

The boat swept round and shot through the narrow opening of a creek that
broadened out before the craft had time to lose its way.

"Out oars! . . . Just room enough," muttered the mate.

It was a sombre creek of black water speckled with the gold of scattered
sunlight falling through the boughs that met overhead in a soaring,
restless arc full of gentle whispers passing, tremulous, aloft amongst
the thick leaves. The creepers climbed up the trunks of serried trees
that leaned over, looking insecure and undermined by floods which had
eaten away the earth from under their roots. And the pungent, acrid
smell of rotting leaves, of flowers, of blossoms and plants dying in
that poisonous and cruel gloom, where they pined for sunshine in vain,
seemed to lay heavy, to press upon the shiny and stagnant water in its
tortuous windings amongst the everlasting and invincible shadows.

Almayer looked anxious. He steered badly. Several times the blades of
the oars got foul of the bushes on one side or the other, checking the
way of the gig. During one of those occurrences, while they were getting
clear, one of the calashes said something to the others in a rapid
whisper. They looked down at the water. So did the mate.

"Hallo!" he exclaimed. "Eh, Mr. Almayer! Look! The water is running out.
See there! We will be caught."

"Back! back! We must go back!" cried Almayer.

"Perhaps better go on."

"No; back! back!"

He pulled at the steering line, and ran the nose of the boat into the
bank. Time was lost again in getting clear.

"Give way, men! give way!" urged the mate, anxiously.

The men pulled with set lips and dil