Toward midnight Stan began to worry about his course. His faith in his own reckoning began to falter. But he said nothing to Niva about it. She had perfect confidence in him and showed no signs of panic.
At one o’clock they came out of the jungle into an avenue from which they could see the stars above. Stan bent and examined the ground. They had come to the road.
“We’ll need plenty of fever medicine when we get in,” he said grimly. “But from now on we’ll make better time.”
Niva nodded, attempting to wipe the muck and blood stains from her face. Her success was not very great and Stan laughed at her.
“I’d loan you my powder puff only I left it in the plane,” he said.
“You have a plane hidden in the jungle?” Niva asked eagerly.
“I do,” Stan replied. “Unless the Japs have found it.”
They moved along the road at a fast pace. With no vines or thorns to slow their progress they made good time. After an hour of tramping Stan halted to listen. They had missed the clearing with its native huts. Now they were not likely to meet anyone, except Jap patrols sent out along the road.
They went on as fast as Niva could walk. Stan halted several times to ask her if she wanted to rest, but she stoutly refused to stop.
“The quicker I get away from here, the better I’ll like it,” she insisted.