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　sunset；　but　the　sky　was　clear　above；　and　though　far　away　in　the　South　there　were　great　ranges　of　cloud　that　still　shone　faintly；　in　the　West　stars　glinted　bright。

'e！'　said　Aragorn。　'We　will　venture　one　more　journey　by　night。　We　are　ing　to　reaches　of　the　River　that　I　do　not　know　well：　for　I　have　never　journeyed　by　water　in　these　parts　before；　not　between　here　and　the　rapids　of　Sarn　Gebir。　But　if　I　am　right　in　my　reckoning；　those　are　still　many　miles　ahead。　Still　there　are　dangerous　places　even　before　we　e　there：　rocks　and　stony　eyots　in　the　stream。　We　must　keep　a　sharp　watch　and　not　try　to　paddle　swiftly。'

To　Sam　in　the　leading　boat　was　given　the　task　of　watchman。　He　lay　forward　peering　into　the　gloom。　The　night　grew　dark；　but　the　stars　above　were　strangely　bright；　and　there　was　a　glimmer　On　the　face　of　the　River。　It　was　close　on　midnight；　and　they　had　been　drifting　for　some　while。　hardly　using　the　paddles；　when　suddenly　Sam　cried　out。　Only　a　few　yards　ahead　dark　shapes　loomed　up　in　the　stream　and　he　heard　the　swirl　of　racing　water。　There　was　a　swift　current　which　swung　left；　towards　the　eastern　shore　where　the　channel　was　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　out　far　into　the　stream　like　a　ridge　of　teeth。　The　boats　were　all　huddled　together。

'Hoy　there；　Aragorn！'　shouted　Boromir；　as　his　boat　bumped　into　the　leader。　'This　is　madness！　We　cannot　dare　the　Rapids　by　night！　But　no　boat　can　live　in　Sarn　Gebir；　be　it　night　or　day。'

'Back；　back！'　cried　Aragorn。　'Turn！　Turn　if　you　can！'　He　drove　his　paddle　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　had　e　so　far：　Anduin　flows　faster　than　I　thought。　Sarn　Gebir　must　be　close　at　hand　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　all　the　time　they　were　carried　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　eastern　bank。　Now　dark　and　ominous　it　loomed　up　in　the　night。

'All　together；　paddle！'　shouted　Boromir。　'Paddle！　Or　we　shall　be　driven　on　the　shoals。'　Even　as　he　spoke　Frodo　felt　the　keel　beneath　him　grate　upon　stone。

At　that　moment　there　was　a　twang　of　bowstrings：　several　arrows　whistled　over　them；　and　some　fell　among　them。　One　smote　Frodo　between　the　shoulders　and　he　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；　and　a　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　long　shinglebanks　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　to　choose；　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　blackfeathered　arrows。　Many　whined　overhead　or　struck　the　water　nearby；　but　there　were　no　more　hits。　It　was　dark；　but　not　too　dark　for　the　nighteyes　of　Orcs；　and　in　the　starglimmer　they　must　have　offered　their　cunning　foes　some　mark；　unless　it　was　that　the　grey　cloaks　Of　Lórien　and　the　grey　timber　of　the　elfwrought　boats　defeated　the　malice　of　the　archers　of　Mordor。

Stroke　by　stroke　they　laboured　on。　In　the　darkness　it　was　hard　to　be　sure　that　they　were　indeed　moving　at　all；　but　slowly　the　swirl　of　the　water　grew　less；　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　again　and　had　driven　their　boats　back　some　distance　above　the　jutting　rocks。　Then　half　turning　they　thrust　them　with　all　their　strength　towards　the　western　shore。　Under　the　shadow　Of　bushes　leaning　out　over　the　water　they　halted　and　drew　breath。

Legolas　laid　down　his　paddle　and　took　up　the　bow　that　he　had　brought　from　Lórien。　Then　he　sprang　ashore　and　climbed　a　few　paces　up　the　bank。　Stringing　the　bow　and　fitting　an　arrow　he　turned；　peering　back　over　the　River　into　the　darkness。　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　the　night；　seeking　a　mark　to　shoot　at。　His　head　was　dark；　crowned　with　sharp　white　stars　that　glittered　in　the　black　pools　of　the　sky　behind。　But　now　rising　and　sailing　up　from　the　South　the　great　clouds　advanced；　sending　out　dark　outriders　into　the　starry　fields。　A　sudden　dread　fell　on　the　pany。

'Elbereth　Gilthoniel！'　sighed　Legolas　as　he　looked　up。　Even　as　he　did　so；　a　dark　shape；　like　a　cloud　and　yet　not　a　cloud；　for　it　moved　far　more　swiftly；　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　winged　creature；　blacker　than　the　pits　in　the　night。　Fierce　voices　rose　up　to　greet　it　from　across　the　water。　Frodo　felt　a　sudden　chill　running　through　him　and　clutching　at　his　heart；　there　was　a　deadly　cold；　like　the　memory　of　an　old　wound；　in　his　shoulder。　He　crouched　down；　as　if　to　hide。

Suddenly　the　great　bow　of　Lórien　sang。　Shrill　went　the　arrow　from　the　elvenstring。　Frodo　looked　up。　Almost　above　him　the　winged　shape　swerved。　There　was　a　harsh　croaking　scream；　as　it　fell　out　of　the　air；　vanishing　down　into　the　gloom　of　the　eastern　shore。　The　sky　was　clean　again。　There　was　a　tumult　of　many　voices　far　away；　cursing　and　wailing　in　the　darkness；　and　then　silence。　Neither　shaft　nor　cry　came　again　from　the　east　that　night。

After　a　while　Aragorn　led　the　boats　back　upstream。　They　felt　their　way　along　the　water's　edge　for　some　distance；　until　they　found　a　small　shallow　bay。　A　few　low　trees　grew　there　close　to　the　water；　and　behind　them　rose　a　steep　rocky　bank。　Here　the　pany　decided　to　stay　and　await　the　dawn：　it　was　useless　to　attempt　to　move　further　by　night。　They　made　no　camp　and　lit　no　fire；　but　lay　huddled　in　the　boats；　moored　close　together。

'Praised　be　the　bow　of　Galadriel；　and　the　hand　and　eye　of　Legolas！'　said　Gimli；　as　he　munched　a　wafer　of　lembas。　'That　was　a　mighty　shot　in　the　dark；　my　friend！'

'But　who　can　say　what　it　hit？'　said　Legolas。

'I　cannot；'　said　Gimli。　'But　I　am　glad　that　the　shadow　came　no　nearer。　I　liked　it　not　at　all。　Too　much　it　reminded　me　of　the　shadow　in　Moria　。　the　shadow　of　the　Balrog；'　he　ended　in　a　whisper。

'It　was　not　a　Balrog；'　said　Frodo；　still　shivering　with　the　chill　that　had　e　upon　him。　'It　was　something　colder。　I　think　it　was　'　Then　he　paused　and　fell　silent。

'What　do　you　think？　'　asked　Boromir　eagerly；　leaning　from　his　boat；　as　if　he　was　trying　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　Frodo's　face。

'I　think　。　No；　I　will　not　say；'　answered　Frodo。　'Whatever　it　was；　its　fall　has　dismayed　our　enemies。'

'So　it　seems；'　said　Aragorn。　'Yet　where　they　are；　and　how　many；　and　what　they　will　do　next；　we　do　not　know。　This　night　we　must　all　be　sleepless！　Dark　hides　us　now。　But　what　the　day　will　show　who　can　tell？　Have　your　weapons　close　to　hand！'

Sam　sat　tapping　the　hilt　of　his　sword　as　if　he　were　counting　on　his　fingers；　and　looking　up　at　the　sky。　'It's　very　strange；'　he　murmured。　'The　Moon's　the　same　in　the　Shire　and　in　Wilderland；　or　it　ought　to　be。　But　either　it's　out　of　its　running；　or　I'm　all　wrong　in　my　reckoning。　You'll　remember；　Mr。　Frodo；　the　Moon　was　waning　as　we　lay　on　the　flet　up　in　that　tree：　a　week　from　the　full；　I　reckon。　And　we'd　been　a　week　on　the　way　last　night；　when　up　pops　a　New　Moon　as　thin　as　a　nailparing；　as　if　we　had　never　stayed　no　time　in　the　Elvish　country。

'Well；　I　can　remember　three　nights　there　for　certain；　and　I　seem　to　remember　several　more；　but　I　would　take　my　oath　it　was　never　a　whole　month。　Anyone　would　think　that　time　did　not　count　in　there！'

'And　perhaps　that　was　the　way　of　it；'　said　Frodo。　'In　that　land；　maybe；　we　were　in　a　time　that　has　elsewhere　long　gone　by。　It　was　not；　I　think；　until　Silverlode　bore　us　back　to　Anduin　that　we　returned　to　the　time　that　flows　through　mortal　lands　to　the　G