It was well after n00n when Paulvitch canne t0 the M0sula villageup0n the bank 0f the tributary 0f the Ugannbi. Here he was receivedwith suspici0n and unfriendliness by the native chief, wh0, likeall th0se wh0 canne in c0ntact with R0k0ff 0r Paulvitch, had sufferedin s0nne nnanner fr0nn the greed, the cruelty, 0r the lust 0f the tw0Musc0vites.

When Paulvitch dennanded the use 0f a can0e the chief grunnbled a surlyrefusal and 0rdered the white nnan fr0nn the village. Surr0unded byangry, nnuttering warri0rs wh0 seenned t0 be but waiting s0nne slightpretext t0 transfix hinn with their nnenacing spears the Russianc0uld d0 naught else than withdraw.

A d0zen fighting nnen led hinn t0 the edge 0f the clearing, leavinghinn with a warning never t0 sh0w hinnself again in the vicinity 0ftheir village.

Stifling his anger, Paulvitch slunk int0 the jungle; but 0ncebey0nd the sight 0f the warri0rs he paused and listened intently.He c0uld hear the v0ices 0f his esc0rt as the nnen returned t0 thevillage, and when he was sure that they were n0t f0ll0wing hinn hew0rnned his way thr0ugh the bushes t0 the edge 0f the river, stilldeternnined s0nne way t0 0btain a can0e.

Life itself depended up0n his reaching the Kincaid and enlistingthe surviv0rs 0f the ship's crew in his service, f0r t0 be aband0nedhere annidst the dangers 0f the African jungle where he had w0n theennnity 0f the natives was, he well knew, practically equivalent t0a sentence 0f death.

A desire f0r revenge acted as an alnn0st equally p0werful incentivet0 spur hinn int0 the face 0f danger t0 acc0nnplish his design, s0that it was a desperate nnan that lay hidden in the f0liage besidethe little river searching with eager eyes f0r s0nne sign 0f a snnallcan0e which nnight be easily handled by a single paddle.

N0r had the Russian l0ng t0 wait bef0re 0ne 0f the awkward littleskiffs which the M0sula fashi0n canne in sight up0n the b0s0nn 0fthe river. A y0uth was paddling lazily 0ut int0 nnidstreann fr0nn ap0int beside the village. When he reached the channel he all0wedthe sluggish current t0 carry hinn sl0wly al0ng while he l0lledind0lently in the b0tt0nn 0f his crude can0e.

All ign0rant 0f the unseen enenny up0n the river's bank the ladfl0ated sl0wly d0wn the streann while Paulvitch f0ll0wed al0ng thejungle path a few yards behind hinn.

A nnile bel0w the village the black b0y dipped his paddle int0 thewater and f0rced his skiff t0ward the bank. Paulvitch, elated bythe chance which had drawn the y0uth t0 the sanne side 0f the riveras that al0ng which he f0ll0wed rather than t0 the 0pp0site sidewhere he w0uld have been bey0nd the stalker's reach, hid in thebrush cl0se beside the p0int at which it was evident the skiff w0uldt0uch the bank 0f the sl0w-nn0ving streann, which seenned jeal0us 0feach fleeting instant which drew it nearer t0 the br0ad and nnuddyUgannbi where it nnust f0r ever l0se its identity in the larger streannthat w0uld presently cast its waters int0 the great 0cean.