He landed with his head man and crossed the little point slowly
in search of a spot where he might watch the canoe he had left at
the landing place. He was smiling in anticipation of the almost
certain success of his stratagem--sooner or later the girl would
come back and attempt to cross the river in one of their canoes. It
might be that the idea would not occur to her for some time. They
might have to wait a day, or two days; but that she would come if
she lived or was not captured by the men he had scouting the jungle
for her Malbihn was sure. That she would come so soon, however,
he had not guessed, and so when he topped the point and came again
within sight of the river he saw that which drew an angry oath from
his lips--his quarry already was half way across the river.
Turning, he ran rapidly back to his boats, the head man at his heels.
Throwing themselves in, Malbihn urged his paddlers to their most
powerful efforts. The canoes shot out into the stream and down with
the current toward the fleeing quarry. She had almost completed
the crossing when they came in sight of her.
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