pursuers knew that the end was close. Around me on every side was
desolation; there was not a roof or light, as far as I could see. Far
off to the right rose some dark mass, but what it was I knew not. For a
moment I paused to think what I should do, not for more, for my pursuers
were drawing closer. Then my mind was made up. I slipped down the bank
and took to the water. I struck out straight ahead so as to gain the
current by clearing the backwater of the island, for such I presume it
was, when I had passed into the stream. I waited till a cloud came
driving across the moon and leaving all in darkness. Then I took off my
hat and laid it softly on the water floating with the stream, and a
second after dived to the right and struck out under water with all my
might. I was, I suppose, half a minute under water, and when I rose came
up as softly as I could, and turning, looked back. There went my light
brown hat floating merrily away. Close behind it came a rickety old
boat, driven furiously by a pair of oars. The moon was still partly
obscured by the drifting clouds, but in the partial light I could see a
man in the bows holding aloft ready to strike what appeared to me to be
that same dreadful pole-axe which I had before escaped. As I looked the
boat drew closer, closer, and the man struck savagely. The hat
disappeared. The man fell forward, almost out of the boat. His comrades
dragged him in but without the axe, and then as I turned with all my
energies bent on reaching the further bank, I heard the fierce whirr of
the muttered 'Sacre!' which marked the anger of my baffled pursuers.

That was the first sound I had heard from human lips during all this
dreadful chase, and full as it was of menace and danger to me it was a
welcome sound for it broke that awful silence which shrouded and
appalled me. It was as though an overt sign that my opponents were men
and not ghosts, and that with them I had, at least; the chance of a man,
though but one against many.