下载辰思小说免费APP
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，“
repliedBrown。
`Thethirtyorfortymenstandingwithmusketsatreadyoutsidethestockadeheldtheirbreath。TheBugisowneroftheprau，whomIsawonStein’sveranda，andwhowasamongstthem，toldmethattheboat，shavingthelowpointclose，seemedforamomenttogrowbigandhangoveritlikeamountain。“Ifyouthinkitworthyourwhiletowaitadayoutside，“calledoutJim，“I’lltrytosendyoudownsomething——bullock，someyams——whatIcan。“Theshadowwentonmoving。“yes。Do，“saidavoice，blankandmuffledoutofthefog。Notoneofthemanyattentivelistenersunderstoodwhatthewordsmeant；andthenBrownandhismenintheirboatfloatedaway，fadingspectrallywithouttheslightestsound。
`ThusBrown，invisibleinthemist，goesoutofPatusanelbowtoelbowwithCorneliusinthestern-sheetsofthelong-boat。“Perhapsyoushallgetasmallbullock，“saidCornelius。“Oh，yes。Bullock。Yam。You’llgetitifhesaidso。Healwaysspeaksthetruth。HestoleeverythingIhad。Isupposeyoulikeasmallbullockbetterthanthelootofmanyhouses。““Iwouldadviseyoutoholdyourtongue，orsomebodyheremayflingyouoverboardintothisdamnedfog，“saidBrown。Theboatseemedtobestandingstill；nothingcouldbeseen，noteventheriveralongside，onlythewater-dustflewandtrickled，condensed，downtheirbeardsandfaces。Itwasweird，Browntoldme。Everyindividualmanofthemfeltasthoughhewereadriftaloneinaboat，hauntedbyanalmostimperceptiblesuspicionofsighing，mutteringghosts。“Throwmeout，wouldyou？ButI
wouldknowwhereIwas，“mumbledCornelius，surlily。“I’vel
