once back on the dockside , tnie looked thoughtfully back up the gangplank and said quietly , it seems that corruption has indeed become rife here , i suspect that he may want us to grease his palm before allowing us passage , but i am also afraid that if we try and bribe him he will become more suspicious and may think we are fugitives , therefore he may order us imprisoned or at least try and extort even more out of us if he believes we are desperate to leave .