At the coming of this rear guard the activity
on the river bank rose close to frenzy.
The three men out of time were doubly uneasy. It was not for them to
merely cross the river. They had to build a raft which would be
water-worthy enough to take them downstream--to the sea if they were
lucky. And to build such a sturdy raft would take time, time they did
not have now.
In fact, McNeil waited only until the last tribal raft was out of bow
shot before he plunged down to the shore, Ross at his heels. Since they
lacked even the stone tools of the tribesmen, they were at a
disadvantage, and Ross found he was hands and feet for Ashe, working
under the other's close direction. Before night closed in they had a
good beginning and two sets of blistered hands, as well as aching backs.
When it was too dark to work any longer, Ashe pointed back over the
track they had followed. Marking the mountain pass was a light. It
looked like fire, and if it was, it must be a big one for them to be
able to sight it across this distance.
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