“Will you let me first try how deep it is?” I asked.
A contemptuous smile passed over his face as he called for a spear. It was brought to me, and I stuck it down in the water. To my unspeakable delight it did not touch bottom; but I acted more woe-begone and scared than before, cowering down over the water, and dabbling my foot in it like one who fears a shock if the water should touch him suddenly. I heard a contemptuous murmur behind me, and Sam’s voice cried out: “For the love of Heaven, come back! I can’t look on at this. Let them torture us; it’s better than seeing such a figure of wretchedness before a man’s eyes.”
I could not help wondering what Nscho-Tschi must think of me. I straightened myself and looked around. Tangua’s face was the incarnation of scorn; Winnetou’s upper lip had curled till one could see his teeth—he was disgusted that he had taken my part; and his sister kept her eyes down and would no longer look at me.
“I am ready; what are you waiting for now? In with you.”
“Must it really be?” I stammered. “Is there no other way?”
A shout of laughter arose, above which I heard Tangua’s voice crying: “Let the frog go; give him his life. No warrior can lay his hand on such a coward.”
And with a low growl like an angry tiger, Intschu-Tschuna said: “In with you, or I’ll split your head with my tomahawk!”
I shrank away, sat down on the river brink, put first a foot and then a leg in the water, and acted as though I was going to slide in.
“In with you!” cried Intschu-Tschuna again, and upset me by a kick in the back. I threw up my arms as if I were helpless, uttered a shriek of terror, and splashed into the water. The next moment this humbug was over. I struck bottom, held my head down, and swam up-stream as fast as I could. I heard a splash behind me: Intschu-Tschuna had jumped in. I learned afterward that he had intended to let me have some headway, and throw his tomahawk when I had almost reached the other shore. But since I had shown such cowardice he abandoned this plan, and sprang in after me quickly, intending to strike me as soon as I came up; such an idiot was to be disposed of in short order.
I reached the spot where the bank hung over the stream, and let my mouth come to the surface. No one could see me except the chief, because I was under water, and to my grateful delight he kept his eyes down-stream. I drew quick, deep breaths, and sank again to continue my way. Next I came to the alluvial woods, under which I rose again to breathe. My head was so well concealed that I ventured to remain longer at the surface, and I saw the chief lying on the water like a wild beast ready any instant to pounce on its prey.