Getting on the opposite side of the fire, I tossed a stick
occasionally to keep him roused. Soon another joined, and between them
they made the air hum. By this time I was thoroughly warmed and felt
that the boat would be the best place for me. Carefully extinguishing
my fire, I went down to the river just as the tide returned. Without
any sign or call from the shore we were carried up with the tide. We
were both weary but I dared not sleep, so I merely kept the boat away
from the shores and drifted, while Phillipps slept. I had picked out a
guiding star which I little needed while the current was running
strong, but which would give us our course when the tide changed, for
we could be carried out just as easily.
But an hour after we left our camp another light appeared, growing
larger and larger. It was one of two things. Either my fire was not
extinguished, or a match thrown down by one of the others had fired
the deep dry grass. I consoled myself that it could not spread, for
the sloughs and the barren soil would cut it off. I had a grim
satisfaction when I thought of the snakes and how they would run for
the desert land. This was a real guiding star, growing larger and
larger as we were carried up the stream. I slept on shore when the
tide would take us no farther. Phillipps got breakfast. We were now
about three miles from the slough. After breakfast we alternately
towed the boat, for there was no wind to carry us up this morning, and
two hours later arrived at the diverging streams.
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