As it happened my calculations were accurate and in the end I directed
the bow of the canoe into the rushes behind which I had left my
companions. Just then the moon began to struggle out through the
thinning rain-clouds, and by its light they saw me, and I saw what for
a moment I took to be the gorilla-god himself waddling forward to
seize the boat. There was the dreadful brute exactly as he had
appeared in the forest, except that it seemed a little smaller.
Then I remembered and laughed and that laugh did me a world of good.
"Is that you, Baas?" said a muffled voice, speaking apparently from
the middle of the gorilla. "Are you safe, Baas?"
"Of course," I answered, "or how should I be here?" adding cheerfully,
"Are you comfortable in that nice warm skin on this wet night, Hans?"
"Oh! Baas," answered the voice, "tell me what happened. Even in this
stink I burn to know."
"Death happened to the Motombo, Hans. Here, Stephen, give me your hand
and my clothes, and, Mavovo, hold the rifle and the canoe while I put
them on.
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