We saw some of the part-grown boys shooting with bow and arrow, and we sneaked back into the thicker forest and made our way to the river.

And there we found a catamaran, a real catamaran, one evidently made by some Fire-Man.

The two logs were small and straight, and were lashed together by means of tough roots and crosspieces of wood.
This time the idea occurred simultaneously to us.

We were trying to escape out of the Fire People's territory.

What better way than by crossing the river on these logs?
We climbed on board and shoved off.