Yes; there it was, something grey, short, and thick.

A donkey, he told himself.
He smiled sleepily.

A donkey! It was strange to see the old familiar form out there in the wilderness.

He wondered dreamily where it came from; then a shadow cast by the moon on a passing cloud blotted out the river-bed.

He rubbed his eyes, and when the cloud had gone there were two animals--donkeys, unmistakably--one larger than the other, both with their heads turned upwards towards him.