Except for the lapping of the water at their feet, all was deathly still.

Even the Indian fire had died out, and it was hard to conceive that savages were hidden behind that black veil, and that they two were actually fleeing for their lives.

To the girl it was like some dreadful delirium of sleep, but the man felt the full struggle.
There was a star well down in the south he chose to guide by, but beyond that he must trust to good fortune.

Without a word he lifted her again to his shoulder, and pushed on.
The water ran deeper, shelving off rapidly, until it rose well above his waist, and with sufficient current do that he was compelled to lean against it to maintain balance, scarcely venturing forward a foot at a time.

Once he stumbled over some obstruction, barely averting a fall; he felt the swift clutch of her fingers at his throat, the quick adjustment of her body, but her lips gave no utterance of alarm.