In the next moment we were beyond our depths. I saw at once that my captor was as much at home in the water as he was on land. He swam with long, easy strokes and with no sense of fatigue. He kept his head continually turned toward me as a cat watches a mouse. I for my part paid no heed to him, for I was busy with thoughts of my own.
Slowly, a bit at a time, I began to loose the knot that bound my clothes about my neck. When it was entirely free the bundle floated off. The weight of my shoes soon sank it beneath the surface. With a cry I dived after it. I drew myself as far under the water as I could. I put all the strength I had into every stroke. I held my breath so that no bubbles would arise and inform my captor where I was. It was down-stream with the current in a straight line.
I rose to the surface to fill my lungs and looked back. He was swimming after me, lashing the water with his great hands like some monster. His face was heavy with anger and his teeth shone white like the fangs of a wolf when he breathed.
Once again I dived as far as I could go. This time I did not swim straight ahead but swerved off towards the left. If I could throw him off long enough for him to get beyond me in the current, I would have the better of him and be surer of my escape.
But he was as wary as a fox. When I came up for the second time he was in the middle of the river but moving more slowly. His eyes roamed continually searching for some trace of me. When he saw that I had edged off to one side, he raised his fist out of the water and shook it viciously in my direction and shouted a threat which I did not clearly hear.
I was down again under the surface. To puzzle him the more, I made for it with all speed towards the island. If I once set my foot upon it I could lose him among the trees. I could swim to the mainland that lay either on the right or the left. It would be a chase in which I would have an even chance. If I had a speck of luck, it would mean my deliverance.
The thought strengthened me. This time I held my breath so long that I felt I would burst. When I arose I cast a swift glance around. To my surprise he was nowhere to be seen. He had gone under the water. He was swimming somewhere, perhaps quite near to grapple with me in case he could lay hands on me. Perhaps he had decided that I was bound for the island and that, if he could get there before me, he could conceal himself behind a tree and pounce on me as I came to land.
I lingered a moment in doubt. To fall into a trap would be the height of folly. I was now as good as free. I was near the left bank of the stream. Not far off was the dry land and grass and tall trees. A new enemy was better than an old one. I took the risk. With slow even strokes I made my way to the shore and climbed in among the high weeds on the sloping bank.
You may be certain that every move I made was with the greatest caution. I hid myself from view and peered out through the brush. Before I drew half a dozen breaths I saw my captor rise to the surface far down the stream. He looked in every direction. Then as though he had made up his mind he swam swiftly with the current straight for the island and drew himself up on the shore.
It was close on to dusk. The sun was shining over the tops of the trees to the west. A soft breeze started which, wet as I was, sent the shivers through my body. There was one thing sure. I could not go far with no clothes. Nor could I risk sleeping in the open naked as I was, for it would be the death of me.