Heneverthoughtofanythingatthetime；allhecouldremember——hesaid——wasagreatyell；thefirsthousesofPatusanwerebeforehimfourhundredyardsaway；hesawthecreek，andasitweremechanicallyputonmorepace。
Theearthseemedfairlytoflybackwardsunderhisfeet。Hetookofffromthelastdryspot，felthimselfflyingthroughtheair，felthimself，withoutanyshock，planteduprightinanextremelysoftandstickymudbank。Itwasonlywhenhetriedtomovehislegsandfoundhecouldn’tthat，inhisownwords，“hecametohimself。“Hebegantothinkofthe“ballylongspears。“Asamatteroffact，consideringthatthepeopleinsidethestockadehadtoruntothegate，thengetdowntothelanding-place，getintoboats，andpullroundapointofland，hehadmoreadvancethanheimagined。Besides，itbeinglowwater，thecreekwaswithoutwater——youcouldn’tcallitdry——andpracticallyhewassafeforatimefromeverythingbutaverylongshotperhaps。Thehigherfirmgroundwasaboutsixfeetinfrontofhim。“I
thoughtIwouldhavetodiethereallthesame，“hesaid。Hereachedandgrabbeddesperatelywithhishands，andonlysucceededingatheringahorriblecoldshinyheapofslimeagainsthisbreast——uptohisverychin。Itseemedtohimhewasburyinghimselfalive，andthenhestruckoutmadly，scatteringthemudwithhisfists。Itfellonhishead，onhisface，overhiseyes，intohismouth。Hetoldmethatherememberedsuddenlythecourtyard，asyourememberaplacewhereyouhadbeenveryhappyyearsago。Helonged——sohesaid——tobebackthereagain，mendingtheclock。Mendingtheclock——thatwastheidea。Hemadeefforts，tremendoussobbing，gaspingefforts，effortsthatseemedtobursthiseyeballsintheirsocketsandmakehimblind，andculminatingintoonemightysupremeeffortinthedarknesstocracktheearthasunder，tothrowitoffhislimbs——andhefelthimselfcreepingfeeblyupthebank。Helayfulllengthonthefirmgroundandsawthelight，thesky。Thenasasortofhappythoughtthenotioncametohimthathewouldgotosleep。Hewillhaveitthathedidactuallygotosleep：
thatheslept——perhapsforaminute，perhapsfortwentyseconds，oronlyforonesecond，butherecollectsdistinctlytheviolentconvulsivestartofawakening。Heremainedlyingstillforawhile，andthenhearosemuddyfromheadtofootandstoodthere，thinkinghewasaloneofhiskindforhundredsofmiles，alone，withnohelp，nosympathy，nopitytoexpectfromanyone，likeahuntedanimal。Thefirsthouseswerenotmorethantwentyyardsfromhim；anditwasthedesperatescreamingofafrightenedwomantryingtocarryoffachildthatstartedhimagain。Hepeltedstraightoninhissocks，beplasteredwithfilthoutofallsemblancetoahumanbeing。Hetraversedmorethanhalfthelengthofthesettlement。Thenimblerwomenfledrightandleft，themenjustdroppedwhatevertheyhadintheirhands，andremaindedpetrifiedwithdroppingjaws。Hewasaflyingterror。
Hesayshenoticedthelittlechildrentryingtorunforlife，fallingontheirlittlestomachsandkicking。Heswervedbetweentwohousesupaslope，clamberedindesperationoverabarricadeoffelledtreestherewasn’taweekwithoutsomefightinPatusanatthattime，burstthroughafenceintoamaize-patch，whereascaredboyflungastickathim，blundereduponapath，andranallatonceintothearmsofseveralstartledmen。