He came to the edge of the water and looked at it attentively.

It was apparent to him, as it had been to the other savage, that it was a stray canoe, and valuable, a fine prize for the taking.
But he was less impulsive than the first man had been and at that point the river spread out to a much greater width.

He did not know that his comrade was lying on the bank farther up in a half stunned condition, but he was naturally cautious and he stared at the canoe a long time.
He saw that the action of the current would eventually work it loose from the raft, but he believed it would yet hang there for at least ten minutes.

So he would have time to go back to his nearest comrade and return with him.

Then one could enter the water and salvage the canoe, while the other stayed on the bank and watched.