He meant to climb the first cottonwood that he stumbled upon in his blind flight.

But it appeared he never was going to be lucky enough to run against one.

Often he fell, sometimes flat, at others upheld by the willows.

What made the work so hard was the fact that he had only one arm to open a clump of close-growing stems and his feet would catch or tangle in the narrow crotches, holding him fast.

He had to struggle desperately.