That was the moment when he seized the significance of all these fortunate circumstances which had aided him.

Without haste and without sound he began to crawl in the direction of the river.

It was not far, and he reached the bank before darkness set in.

There were men up on the bluff carrying wood to build a bonfire.

For a moment he half yielded to a temptation to try to slip along the river-shore, close in under the willows.