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Srikanta got the scent—they are coming this way in all the four boats—look!' He was right: making much noise with their sturdy oars, the boats were advancing like demons eager to swallow us. Behind was the net spread across the canal and in front were our enemies—which way could we turn for escape? I did not think it possible for us to conceal ourselves in the field of maize.

'Do tell me what we are to do!' As I gasped the words, tears choked my voice. Who was there to prevent these men from killing us in this horrible trap and doing away with all trace of our dead bodies by burying them in this very field?

Indra had before played the role of a triumphant thief successfully and had reached home safely, but this time—?

He merely said, 'There's nothing to fear', but I thought I could detect a tremor in his Voice. However not for a moment did he stop to think. Discarding the oar for one of the dinghy's long poles, he pushed with all his force, trying to get as far inland as possible and thus conceal our canoe. The whole reef had been inundated with water, above which, to a height of ten or twelve feet, rose crops of maize or jowari. Through the jungle of stalks we two thieves worked our way. The water was at some places chest-deep, and at others not deeper than the waist or knee. Above us there was pitch darkness, and on all sides of us impenetrable forest. The pushing poles began to stick in the mud, and the canoe could hardly move. From behind came indistinct sounds of the fishermen's talk. There could be no doubt that something had raised their suspicion and that they were still reconnoitring the whole area.