Shouting to Tua: "Get on shore, get on shore!" he plunged past her and smote the huge reptile upon the head with the blade of his oar.

It opened its hideous mouth, and he thrust the oar into it and held on.
"Leave go," cried Tua, as she scrambled to land.
But Rames would not leave go, for in his brave little heart he thought that if he did the crocodile would follow Tua and eat her.

So he clung to the handle till it was wrenched from him.

Indeed he did more, for seeing that the crocodile had bitten the wooden blade in two and, having dropped it, was still advancing towards the slope where it was accustomed to be fed, he leapt into the water and struck it in the eye with his little fist.

Feeling the pain of the blow the monster snapped at him, and catching him by the hand began to sink back into deep water, dragging the lad after it.
Rames said nothing, but Tua, who already was at the head of the stage, looked round and saw the agony on his face.
"Help me, Amen!" she cried, and flying back, grasped Rames by his left arm just as he was falling over, then set her heels in a crack of the rock and held on.