Come with me."
He led the way, following the bank as far as the forest. Ali answered to
his call, and, pushing their way through the dense bush, they stepped
into the canoe hidden under the overhanging branches. Dain laid Nina in
the bottom, and sat holding her head on his knees. Almayer and Ali each
took up a paddle. As they were going to push out Ali hissed warningly.
All listened.
In the great stillness before the bursting out of the thunderstorm they
could hear the sound of oars working regularly in their row-locks. The
sound approached steadily, and Dain, looking through the branches, could
see the faint shape of a big white boat. A woman's voice said in a
cautious tone--
"There is the place where you may land white men; a little higher--there!"
The boat was passing them so close in the narrow creek that the blades of
the long oars nearly touched the canoe.
"Way enough! Stand by to jump on shore! He is alone and unarmed," was
the quiet order in a man's voice, and in Dutch.
Somebody else whispered: "I think I can see a glimmer of a fire through
the bush." And then the boat floated past them, disappearing instantly
in the darkness.
"Now," whispered Ali, eagerly, "let us push out and paddle away.
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