More than one river we had to swim.

It was mountain water, and Starlight cursed and swore, and said he would catch his death of cold.

Then we all laughed; it was the first time we'd done that since we were out.

My heart was too full to talk, much less laugh, with the thought of being out of that cursed prison and on my own horse again, with the free bush breeze filling my breast, and the free forest I'd lived in all my life once more around me.

I felt like a king, and as for what might come afterwards I had no more thought than a schoolboy has of his next year's lessons at the beginning of his holidays.