withoutevenlookingathim。ButCorneliuslethimselfdropbyhissideandbegantowhisperveryfast，touchinghiselbowfromtimetotime。WhathehadtosaymadeBrownsitupatfirst，withacurse。HehadsimplyinformedhimofDainWaris’sarmedpartydowntheriver。AtfirstBrownsawhimselfcompletelysoldandbetrayed，butamoment’sreflectionconvincedhimthattherecouldbenotreacheryintended。Hesaidnothing，andafterawhileCorneliusremarked，inatoneofcompleteindifference，thattherewasanotherwayoutoftheriverwhichheknewverywell。“Agoodthingtoknow，too，“saidBrown，prickinguphisears；
andCorneliusbegantotalkofwhatwentonintownandrepeatedallthathadbeensaidincouncil，gossipinginanevenundertoneatBrown’searasyoutalkamongstsleepingmenyoudonotwishtowake。“Hethinkshehasmademeharmless，doeshe？“mumbledBrownverylow……“Yes。Heisafool。Alittlechild。Hecamehereandrobbedme，“dronedonCornelius，“andhemadeallthepeoplebelievehim。Butifsomethinghappenedthattheydidnotbelievehimanymore，wherewouldhebe？AndtheBugisDainwhoiswaitingforyoudowntheriverthere，captain，istheverymanwhochasedyouupherewhenyoufirstcame。“Brownobservednonchalantlythatitwouldbejustaswelltoavoidhim，andwiththesamedetached，musingairCorneliusdeclaredhimselfacquaintedwithabackwaterbroadenoughtotakeBrown’sboatpastWaris’scamp。“Youwillhavetobequiet，“hesaidasanafterthought，“forinoneplacewepassclosebehindhiscamp。
Veryclose。Theyarecampedashorewiththeirboathauledup。““Oh，weknowhowtobeasquietasmice；neverfear，“saidBrown。CorneliusstipulatedthatincaseheweretopilotBrownout，hiscanoeshouldbetowed。“I’llhavetogetbackquick，“heexplained。
`Itwastwohoursbeforethedawnwhenwordwaspassedtothestockadefromoutlyingwatchersthatthewhiterobberswerecomingdowntotheirboat。InaveryshorttimeeveryarmedmanfromoneendofPatusantotheotherwasonthealert，yetthebanksoftheriverremainedsosilentthatbutforthefiresburningwithsuddenblurredflaresthetownmighthavebeenasleepasifinpeace-time。Aheavymistlayverylowonthewater，makingasortofillusivegreylightthatshowednothing。WhenBrown’slong-boatglidedoutofthecreekintotheriver，JimwasstandingonthelowpointoflandbeforetheRajah’sstockade——ontheveryspotwhereforthefirsttimeheputhisfootonPatusanshore。Ashadowloomedup，movinginthegreyness，solitary，verybulky，andyetconstantlyeludingtheeye。
Amurmuroflowtalkingcameoutofit。BrownatthetillerheardJimspeakcalmly：“Aclearroad。Youhadbettertrusttothecurrentwhilethefoglasts；butthiswillliftpresently。““Yes，presentlyweshallseeclear，“