“Keep her straight for that wooded island,” he said, pointing ahead towards the south bank; and Venning pulled the steering-line to place the Okapi on a new course.

Mr. Hume took in the awning and packed it away.  “Now, my lads,” he said, “we’ll just face the position.  That’s the fort launch racing up, and she could overhaul us in two hours.  If we surrender we should be safe from violence, but they would probably confiscate our boat or detain us for weeks.  If we resist they would be justified in running us down.  What shall we do?”

“Escape,” said Compton.

“Of course,” Venning chimed in.

“By attempting to escape,” continued Mr. Hume, “we as good as admit that we aided and abetted Muata, and, if captured, they would make it harder for us.”

“At any rate, we meant to free Muata.”

“Besides, we must escape,” said Compton, with determination.

The perspiration was rolling off their faces, for, as soon as they worked at high pressure, they felt the pull of the screw.

“Come forward, both of you,” said Mr. Hume, rolling up his sleeves.  “Compton, you take the wheel, and Venning, you get out the guns.”

They obeyed him, and he, kneeling on the aft-deck between the two levers, grasped one in either hand, and got more speed out of the Okapi than they had by their united efforts.  The muscles stood out like ropes on his brawny arms, and the levers smoked in the slots.

“Keep her to the north of the island.”

The boat hummed along, drew up to the nose of the island, skirted its reedy side, where stood a hippo eating at the rank grass, and then dropped it astern.

“Good,” said Mr. Hume, with a great grunt of satisfaction, as he swept his eyes over the river.

“See those dark spots ahead?  They must be the first of the thousand islands that stretch away right up to the Loanda river.  If we can get into them we are safe.”

“Can I help?” asked Venning, having set out the rifles in the well, with the ammunition handy.

“Whistle for a wind.  That’s all.  Fix your eyes on the islands, Compton, and slip in where they are thickest.”

“Ay, ay,” muttered Compton, frowning under the stress of his excitement.

Venning searched for the field-glasses, and as the island they had passed sank low astern, he swept the river for sign of the pursuing launch.

“By Jove!” he muttered, with a start.

“Well?”

“She has shifted her course.  I can see the white of her hull right under the trees on the south bank.”

“She must have gained a lot, then,” grunted Mr. Hume, “if you can see her hull.”

“She’s making out again.  Perhaps she put in to speak a native village, and maybe they have not seen us; we are low in the water.”

“They’ll see us soon enough.  Tell me when she passes the island we just left.”

“She’s making across.  No, she’s turning.  Ah, now she’s pointing straight for us.  I can see several people in her bows.”