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eard 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 Great Sea。 And I don't remember any moon； either new or old； in Caras Galadhon： only stars by night and sun by day。'
Legolas stirred in his boat。 'Nay； time does not tarry ever；' he said； 'but change and growth is not in all things and places alike。 For the Elves the world moves； and it moves both very swift and very slow。 Swift； because they themselves change little； and all else fleets by： it is a grief to them。 Slow； because they do not count the running years； not for themselves。 The passing seasons are but ripples ever repeated in the long long stream。 Yet beneath the Sun all things must wear to an end at last。'
'But the wearing is slow in Lórien；' said Frodo。 'The power of the Lady is on it。 Rich are the hours； though short they seem； in Caras Galadhon； where Galadriel wields the Elvenring。'
'That should not have been said outside Lórien； not even to me；' said Aragorn。 'Speak no more of it！ But so it is； Sam： in that land you lost your count。 There time flowed swiftly by us； as for the Elves。 The old moon passed； and a new moon waxed and waned in the world outside； while we tarried there。 And yestereve a new moon came again。 Winter is nearly gone。 Time flows on to a spring of little hope。'
The night passed silently。 No voice or call was heard again across the water。 The travellers huddled in their boats felt the changing of the weather。 The air grew warm and very still under the great moist clouds that had floated up from the South and the distant seas。 The rushing of the River over the rocks of the rapids seemed to grow louder and closer。 The twigs of the trees above them began to drip。
When the day came the mood of the world about them had bee soft and sad。 Slowly the dawn grew to a pale light； diffused and shadowless。 There was mist on the River； and white fog swathed the shore； the far bank could not be seen。
'I can't abide fog；' said Sam； 'but this seems to be a lucky one。 Now perhaps we can get away without those cursed goblins seeing us。'
'Perhaps so；' said Aragorn。 'But it will