but at first they could make only small headway against the current； and allthe time they were carried nearer and nearer to the eastern bank。 Now dark andominous it loomed up in the night。
'All together； paddle！ ' shouted Boromir。 'Paddle！ Or we shall be drivenon the shoals。' Even as he spoke Frodo felt the keel beneath him grate uponstone。
At that moment there was a twang of bowstrings： several arrows whistledover them； and some fell among them。 One smote Frodo between the shoulders andhe 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； anda 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 longshingle…banks 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 tochoose； 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 black…feathered arrows。 Manywhined overhead or struck the water nearby； but there were no more hits。 Itwas dark； but not too dark for the night…eyes of Orcs； and in the star…glimmerthey must have offered their cunning foes some mark； unless it was that thegrey cloaks Of Lórien and the grey timber of the elf…wrought boats defeatedthe malice of the archers of Mordor。
Stroke by stroke they laboured on。 In the darkness it was hard to be surethat they were indeed moving at all； but slowly the swirl of the water grewless； 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 againand had driven their boats back some distance above the jutting rocks。 Thenhalf turning they thrust them with all their strength towards the westernshore。 Under the shadow Of bushes leaning out over the water they halted anddrew breath。
Legolas laid down his paddle and took up the bow that he had brought fromLórien。 Then he sprang ashore and climbed a few paces up the bank。 Stringingthe bow and fitting an arrow he turned； peering back over the River into thedarkness。 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 thenight； seeking a mark to shoot at。 His head was dark； crowned with sharp whitestars that glittered in the black pools of the sky behind。 But now rising andsailing up from the South the great clouds advanced； sending out darkoutriders into the starry fields。 A sudden dread fell on the pany。
‘_Elbereth Gilthoniel！_' sighed Legolas as he looked up。 Even as he didso； a dark shape； like a cloud and yet not a cloud； for it moved far moreswiftly； 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 wingedcreature； blacker than the pits in the night。 Fierce voices rose up to greetit from across the water。 Frodo felt a sudden chill running through him andclutching at his heart； there was a deadly cold； like the memory of an oldwound； in his shoulder。 He crouched down； as if to hide。
Suddenly the great bow of Lórien sang。 Shrill went the arrow from theelven…string。 Frodo looked up。 Almost above him the winged shape swerved。
There was a harsh croaking scream； as it fell out of the air； vanishing downinto the gloom of the eastern shore。 The sky was clean again。 There was atumult of many voices far away； cursing and wailing in the darkness； and thensilence。 Neither shaft nor cry came again from the east that night。
After a while Aragorn led the boats back upstream。 They felt their wayalong the water's edge for some distance； until they found a small shallowbay。 A few low trees grew there close to the water； and behind them rose asteep rocky bank。 Here the pany decided to stay and await the dawn： it wasuseless to attempt to move further by night。 They made no camp and lit nofire； but lay huddled in the boats； moored close together。
'Praised be the bow of Galadriel； and the hand and eye of Legolas！ ' saidGimli； 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。 Iliked 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 thathad e upon him。 'It was something colder。 I think it was …' Then he pausedand fell silent。
'What do you think？ ' asked Boromir eagerly； leaning from his boat； as ifhe was trying to catch a glimpse of Frodo's face。
‘I think – No； I will not say；' answered Frodo。 ‘Whatever it was； itsfall has dismayed our enemies。'
‘So it seems；' said Aragorn。 ‘Yet where they are； and how many； and whatthey will do next； we do not know。 This night we must all be sleepless！ Darkhides 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 hisfingers； and looking up at the sky。 ‘It's very strange；' he murmured。 ‘TheMoon's the same in the Shire and in Wilderland； or it ought to be。 But eitherit'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 weekfrom the full； I reckon。 And we'd been a week on the way last night； when uppops a New Moon as thin as a nail…paring； as if we had never stayed no time inthe Elvish country。
‘Well； I can remember three nights there for certain； and I seem toremember 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； untilSilverlode 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； eithernew 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 Elvesthe world moves； and it moves both very swift and very slow。 Swift； becausethey 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。 Thepassing seasons are but ripples ever repeated in the long long stream。 Yetbeneath the Sun all things must wear to an end at last。'
‘But the wearing is slow in Lórien；' said Frodo。 ‘The power of the Ladyis on it。 Rich are the hours； though short they seem； in Caras Galadhon； whereGaladriel wields the Elven…ring。'
'That should not have been said outside Lórien； not even to me；' saidAragorn。 ‘Speak no more of it！ But so it is； Sam： in that land you lost yourcount。 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 aspring of little hope。'
The night passed silently。 No voice or call was heard again across thewater。 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 floatedup from the South and the distant seas。 The rushing of the River over therocks of the rapids seemed to grow louder and closer。 The twigs of the treesabove them began to drip。
When the day came the mood of the world about them had bee soft andsad。 Slowly the dawn grew to a pale light； diffused and shadowless。 There wasmist on the River； and white fog swathed the shore； the far bank could not beseen。
‘I can't abide fog；' said Sam； ‘but this seems to be a lucky one。 Nowperhaps we can get away without those cursed goblins seeing us。'
‘Perhaps so；' said Aragorn。 ‘But it will be hard to find the path unlessthe fog lifts a little later on。 And we must find the path； if we are to passSarn Gebir and e to the Emyn Muil。'
'I do not see why we should pass the Rapids or follow the River anyfurther；' said Boromir。 ‘If the Emyn Muil lie before us； then we can abandonthese cockle…boats； and strike westward and southward； until we e to theEntwash and cross into my own land。'
‘We can； if we are making for Minas Tirith；' said Aragorn； ‘but that isnot yet agreed。 And such a course may be more perilous than it sounds。 Thevale of Entwash is flat and fenny； and fog is a deadly peril there for thoseon foot and laden。 I would not abandon our boats until we must。 The River is
at least a path that cannot be missed。'
‘But the Enemy holds the eastern bank；' objected Boromir。 ‘And even ifyou pass the Gates of Argonath and e unmolested to the Tindrock； what willyou do then？ Leap down the Falls and land in the marshes？ '
‘No！ ' answered Aragorn。 ‘Say rather that we will bear our boats by theancient way to Rauros…foot； and there take to the water again。 Do you notknow； Boromir； or do you choose to forget the North Stair； and the high seatupon Amon Hen； that were made in the days of the great kings？ I at least havea mind to stand in that high place again； before I decide my further course。
There； maybe； we shall see some sign that will guide us。'
Boromir held out long against this choice； but when it became plain thatFrodo would follow Aragorn； wherever he went； he gave in。 'It is not the wayof the Men of Minas Tirith to desert their friends at need；' he said； ‘and youwill need my strength； if ever you are to reach the Tindrock。 To the tall isleI will go； but no further。 There I shall turn to my home； alone if my help hasnot earned the reward of any panionship。'
The day was now growing； and the fog had lifted a little。 It was decidedthat Aragorn and Legolas should at once go forward along the shore； while theothers remained by the boats。 Aragorn hoped to find some way by which theycould carry both their boats and their baggage to the smoother water beyondthe Rapids。
‘Boats of the Elves would not sink； maybe；' he said； ‘but that does notsay that we should e through Sarn Gebir alive。 None have ever done so yet。
No road was made by the Men of Gondor in this region； for even in their greatdays their realm did not reach up Anduin beyond the Emyn Muil； but there is aportage…way somewhere on the western shore； if I can find it。 It cannot yethave perished； for light boats used to journey out of Wilderland down toOsgiliath； and still did so until a few years ago； when the Orcs of Mordorbegan to multiply。'
'Seldom in my life has any boat e out of the North； and the Orcs prowlon the east…shore；' said Boromir。 ‘If you go forward； peril will grow withevery mile； even if you find a path。'
‘Peril lies ahead on every southward road；' answered Aragorn。 ‘Wait forus one day。 If we do not return in that time； you will know that evil hasi