Unless the tide fell soon, there was present danger of her drifting to its channel, and being carried out to sea or crushed in the floating drift.

That peril averted, if she were carried out on the ebb toward the bay, she might hope to strike one of the wooded promontories of the peninsula, and rest till daylight.
Sometimes she thought she heard voices and shouts from the river, and the bellowing of cattle and bleating of sheep.

Then again it was only the ringing in her ears and throbbing of her heart.

She found at about this time that she was so chilled and stiffened in her cramped position that she could scarcely move, and the baby cried so when she put it to her breast that she noticed the milk refused to flow; and she was so frightened at that, that she put her head under her shawl, and for the first time cried bitterly.
When she raised her head again, the boom of the surf was behind her, and she knew that her ark had again swung round.

She dipped up the water to cool her parched throat, and found that it was salt as her tears.