Chapter Seventeen.
A Well-laid Scheme.
“Not a sound. Nothing to disturb us. We have been lucky.”
“And the creek lies within an hour’s paddling from here, chief. Soon we shall reach the white man who befriended me.”
It was still quite dark, though the partial view which the curling river Prahsu allowed of the east showed that there the sky was already streaked with dull grey clouds, and that the day would not be long in coming. It was hours since the native boat had put off from the launch, and the paddles of the two occupants had dipped regularly and monotonously all the while, with an occasional spell of rest. And never once had a sound or suspicion of the proximity of the enemy alarmed them.
“We had better paddle over to the bank and be ready to take cover beneath the trees,” said Dick, at last. “I remember that they overhang, and that we can run in beneath them and still paddle. Let us get close to them, and stay outside till the light is brighter.”
“Or it may be that we shall be within the creek by then,” came the answer. “Then there will be no danger. We have seen no sign of the enemy near the mine for some days past.”
Turning the nose of the native boat towards the bank, they ran her in till she was only a few yards from the long and continuous line of overhanging boughs which clothed the side of the river. And in that position they paddled on till the growing light warned them that longer stay in the open would be dangerous. Then they plunged in beneath the boughs, and continued their passage up the river. Presently a cry from the native attracted Dick’s attention.
“The creek, chief,” he called out. “We will push on.”
He was strangely excited, and now that the goal was in sight plunged his paddle into the water with greater energy, and set the pace so that his white companion had difficulty in keeping time. They surged along through the shallows, dodging the boughs which dropped to the water, and ducking their heads to avoid others which came dangerously near to the boat. It was still hardly light when they shot the boat into the narrow mouth of the creek, though as they rested on their paddles and looked back, the gloom surrounding this narrow and foetid strip of water was deeper when compared with the prospect offered by the river.