We shall freeze to death if we cannot get some warmth into our blood.

I feel like a block of ice." They were too much benumbed to try and dress themselves yet, but as they rowed their hardest along the dark, still water, the life came ebbing back into their chilled limbs, and with the welcome warmth came that exultation of heart which always follows escape from deadly peril.

With more and more vigour they bent to their oars, and at last Edward spoke in a natural voice again.
"Let us float down quietly with the stream a while, Paul, whilst we don our dry garments, if indeed they are dry.

It will be better here than on shore, where we might chance to be seen and suspected.
I am glowing hot now, freezing night though it be; but I confess I should be more comfortable rid of these soaking clothes." So stripping off these, they found, to their great satisfaction, that the leather jerkins in which the other clothing had been wrapped had kept everything dry, and the feel of warm and sufficient clothing was grateful indeed after the icy bath they had encountered.

Their boots were wet, but that mattered little to the hardy striplings; and when, dressed and armed, they bent to their oars again, it seemed as if all their spirit and confidence had come back.
"We have made so good a start that we shall surely prosper," cried Edward boldly.