Then the bush in front of Almayer shook, and the sharp sound of the paddles falling into the canoe rang in the quiet night.

They were holding on to the bush now; but Almayer could hardly make out an indistinct dark shape of a man's head and shoulders above the bank.
"You Abdulla ?" said Almayer, doubtfully.
A grave voice answered-- "Tuan Almayer is speaking to a friend.

There is no Arab here." Almayer's heart gave a great leap.
"Dain!" he exclaimed.

"At last! at last! I have been waiting for you every day and every night.

I had nearly given you up." "Nothing could have stopped me from coming back here," said the other, almost violently.