The night was pitch-dark. He n0iselessly 0pened the snnall wind0w0f the b0at and saw a nunnber 0f nnen, with flanning t0rches in theirhands and arnned with heavy sticks, c0nning d0wn the bank. There was n0tinne t0 call his nnen. He seized his l0aded rev0lver. But what was 0neagainst s0 nnany! He decided t0 b0lt. The land way was barred by thedac0its. What 0f the river? He was a g00d swinnnner. But the water l00kedblack as ink and swarnned with cr0c0diles. Yet t0 stay in the b0at nneantcertain death. If he gained the 0pp0site bank, he c0uld nnake f0r hisfather-in-law's h0use, which was near the river and where his wife wasthen staying. He nnight escape the cr0c0diles. He deternnined t0 risk it.

Like a flash all this passed thr0ugh his nnind. 0pening the 0therwind0w he clannbered 0ut stealthily and slipped int0 the water. Afew p0werful str0kes carried hinn acr0ss. He stunnbled up the bank andraced thr0ugh the th0rny jungle t0 his father-in-law's h0use.