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ght。'
He lay down； and Frodo sat up； huddled in his blankets； and fought offhis sleep。 Minutes or hours passed slowly； and nothing happened。 Frodo wasjust yielding to the temptation to lie down again when a dark shape； hardlyvisible； floated close to one of the moored boats。 A long whitish hand couldbe dimly seen as it shot out and grabbed the gunwale； two pale lamplike eyesshone coldly as they peered inside； and then they lifted and gazed up at Frodoon the eyot。 They were not more than a yard or two away； and Frodo heard thesoft hiss of intaken breath。 He stood up； drawing Sting from its sheath； andfaced the eyes。 Immediately their light was shut off。 There was another hissand a splash； and the dark log…shape shot away downstream into the night。
Aragorn stirred in his sleep； turned over； and sat up‘
'What is it？ ' he whispered； springing up and ing to Frodo。 ‘I feltsomething in my sleep。 Why have you drawn your sword？ '
‘Gollum；' answered Frodo。 'Or at least； so I guess。'
‘Ah！ ' said Aragorn。 ‘So you know about our little footpad； do you？ Hepadded after us all through Moria and right down to Nimrodel。 Since we took toboats； he has been lying on a log and paddling with hands and feet。 I havetried to catch him once or twice at night； but he is slier than a fox； and asslippery as a fish。 I hoped the river…voyage would beat him； but he is tooclever a waterman。
‘We shall have to try going faster tomorrow。 You lie down now； and I willkeep watch for what is left of the night。 I wish I could lay my hands on thewretch。 We might make him useful。 But if I cannot； we shall have to try andlose him。 He is very dangerous。 Quite apart from murder by night on his ownaccount； he may put any enemy that is about on our track。'
The night passed without Gollum showing so much as a shadow again。 Afterthat the pany kept a sharp look…out； but they saw no more of Gollum whilethe voyage lasted。 If he was still following； he was very wary and cunning。 AtAragorn's bidding they paddled now for long spells； and the banks went swiftlyby。 But they saw little of the country； for they journeyed mostly by night andtwilight； resting by day； and lying as hidden as the land allowed。 In this waythe time passed without event until the seventh day。
The weather was still grey and overcast； with wind from the East； but asevening drew into night the sky away westward cleared； and pools of faintlight； yellow and pale green； opened under the grey shores of cloud。 There thewhite rind of the new Moon could be seen glimmering in the remote lakes。 Samlooked at it and puckered his brows。
The next day the country on either side began to change rapidly。 Thebanks began to rise and grow stony。 Soon they were passing through a hillyrocky land； and on both shores there were steep slopes buried in deep brakesof thorn and sloe； tangled with brambles and creepers。 Behind them stood lowcrumbling cliffs； and chimneys of grey weathered stone dark with ivy； andbeyond these again there rose high ridges crowned with wind…writhen firs。 Theywere drawing near to the grey hill…country of the Emyn Muil； the southernmarch of Wilderland。
There were many birds about the cliffs and the rock…chimneys； and all dayhigh in the air flocks of birds had been circling； black against the pale sky。
As they lay in their camp that day Aragorn watched the flights doubtfully；
wondering if Gollum had been doing some mischief and the news of their voyage
was now moving in the wilderness。 Later as the sun was setting； and thepany was stirring and getting ready to start again； he descried a dark spotagainst the fading light： a great bird high and far off； now wheeling； nowflying on slowly southwards。
'What is that； Legolas？ ' he asked； pointing to the northern sky。 'Is it；
as I think。 an eagle？ '
'Yes。' said Legolas。 ‘It is an eagle； a hunting eagle。 I wonder what thatforebodes。 It is far from the mountains。'
‘We will not start until it is fully dark；' said Aragorn。
The eighth night of their journey came。 It was silent and windless； thegrey east wind had passed away。 The thin crescent of the Moon had fallen earlyinto the pale sunset； but the sky was clear above； and though far away in theSouth there were great ranges of cloud that still shone faintly； in the Weststars glinted bright。
‘e！ ' said Aragorn。 ‘We will venture one more journey by night。 We areing to reaches of the River that I do not know well： for I have neverjourneyed by water in these parts before； not between here and the rapids ofSarn Gebir。 But if I am right in my reckoning； those are still many milesahead。 Still there are dangerous places even before we e there： rocks andstony eyots in the stream。 We must keep a sharp watch and not try to paddleswiftly。'
To Sam in the leading boat was given the task of watchman。 He lay forwardpeering into the gloom。 The night grew dark； but the stars above werestrangely bright； and there was a glimmer On the face of the River。 It wasclose on midnight； and they had been drifting for some while。 hardly using thepaddles； when suddenly Sam cried out。 Only a few yards ahead dark shapesloomed up in the stream and he heard the swirl of racing water。 There was aswift current which swung left； towards the eastern shore where the channelwas clear。 As they were swept aside the travellers could see； now very close；
the pale foam of the River lashing against sharp rocks that were thrust outfar into the stream like a ridge of teeth。 The boats were all huddledtogether。
‘Hoy there； Aragorn！ ' shouted Boromir； as his boat bumped into theleader。 ‘This is madness！ We cannot dare the Rapids by night！ But no boat canlive in Sarn Gebir； be it night or day。'
‘Back； back！ ' cried Aragorn。 'Turn！ Turn if you can！ ' He drove hispaddle into the water； trying to hold the boat and bring it round。
'I am out of my reckoning；' he said to Frodo。 'I did not know that we hade so far： Anduin flows faster than I thought。 Sarn Gebir must be close athand already。'
With great efforts they checked the boats and slowly brought them about；
but at first they could make only small headway against the current； and allthe time they were carried nearer and nearer to the eastern bank。 Now dark andominous it loomed up in the night。
'All together； paddle！ ' shouted Boromir。 'Paddle！ Or we shall be drivenon the shoals。' Even as he spoke Frodo felt the keel beneath him grate uponstone。
At that moment there was a twang of bowstrings： several arrows whistledover them； and some fell among them。 One smote Frodo between the shoulders andhe lurched forward with a cry； letting go his paddle： but the arrow fell back。
foiled by his hidden coat of mail。 Another passed through Aragorn's hood； anda third stood fast in the gunwale of the second boat； close by Merry's hand。
Sam thought he could glimpse black figures running to and fro upon the longshingle…banks that lay under the eastern shore。 They seemed very near。
‘_Yrch！_' said Legolas； falling into his own tongue。
‘Orcs！ ' cried Gimli。
‘Gollum's doing； I'll be bound。' said Sam to Frodo。 ‘And a nice place tochoose； too。 The River seems set on taking us right into their arms！ '
They all leaned forward straining at the paddles： even Sam took a hand。
Every moment they expected to feel the bite of black…feathered arrows。 Manywhined overhead or struck the water nearby； but there were no more hits。 Itwas dark； but not too dark for the night…eyes of Orcs； and in the star…glimmerthey must have offered their cunning foes some mark； unless it was that thegrey cloaks Of Lórien and the grey timber of the elf…wrought boats defeatedthe malice of the archers of Mordor。
Stroke by stroke they laboured on。 In the darkness it was hard to be surethat they were indeed moving at all； but slowly the swirl of the water grewless； and the shadow of the eastern bank faded back into the night。 At last；
as far as they could judge； they had reached the middle of the stream againand had driven their boats back some distance above the jutting rocks。 Thenhalf turning they thrust them with all their strength towards the westernshore。 Under the shadow Of bushes leaning out over the water they halted anddrew breath。
Legolas laid down his paddle and took up the bow that he had brought fromLórien。 Then he sprang ashore and climbed a few paces up the bank。 Stringingthe bow and fitting an arrow he turned； peering back over the River into thedarkness。 Across the water there were shrill cries； but nothing could be seen。
Frodo looked up at the Elf standing tall above him； as he gazed into thenight； seeking a mark to shoot at。 His head was dark； crowned with sharp whitestars that glittered in the black pools of the sky behind。 But now rising andsailing up from the South the great clouds advanced； sending out darkoutriders into the starry fields。 A sudden dread fell on the pany。
‘_Elbereth Gilthoniel！_' sighed Legolas as he looked up。 Even as he didso； a dark shape； like a cloud and yet not a cloud； for it moved far moreswiftly； came out of the blackness in the South； and sped towards the pany；
blotting out all light as it approached。 Soon it appeared as a great wingedcreature； blacker than the pits in the night。 Fierce voices rose up to greetit from across the water。 Frodo felt a sudden