It is wonderful how women complicate everything in life, because they are life, I suppose." He thought a moment and went on, "Let's try the river.

If we fail, it will be soon over, and it is better to drown than be speared." "Or be kept alive by savages who hate us," I exclaimed, with my eyes still fixed upon Heda.
Then I got to business.

There were hide riems on the bridles of the leaders.

I undid these and knotted their loose ends firmly together.

To them I made fast the riem of my own mare, slipping a loop I tied in it, over my right hand and saying-- "Now I will go first, leading the horses.